More news today about the Tom Sawyer production in Mesa:

There has apparently been a very vocal reaction in the area to the news that
the play was cancelled.  The phone-in line the paper offers ("The Vent")
showed no support for the superintendent's decision and the paper printed
about 5 or 6 callers' comments favoring the book, the play, and Twain.
According to one of the follow-up articles, there are several
parents/members of the community who want to see the play performed
somewhere else, if it cannot be held at the school.

The associate superintendent, however,  is maintaining her stance on the
play. In an other article printed today, Dr. Hamlin Hill was interviewed and
expressed surprise at the censorship.  The Tribune also ran an story about
the history of Twain censorship and other books which are commonly "banned."

All of this is great for me as a teacher -- it makes the students realize
that these books are still controversial and piques their interest in Twain.
It also gives me stuff to fill up my bulletin boards!

By the way, howdy to Dr. Hill -- I took a couple of your classes while at
A&M and have to say you were one of the bigger influences in my decision to
become a teacher.  I do regret not having the opportunity of taking a
graduate course taught by you but thoroughly enjoyed the courses I did take
(I was in Minnesota your last year at A&M).

More as it comes ...

Mike Williams