That was my introduction to my newest blog before this morning. Then something much closer to home struck. Right after fifth period, the power went out, then seconds later came back on, and I stood there watching my computer lab (14 networked computers) go up in smoke. Literally, the power supplies and monitors filled the room with the smoke. Not the mention the flames bursting, yes bursting, out of some of the power supplies. I have little hope the computers are salvageable except for a few parts.
After explaining what I saw to PCV Paul, a man much more experienced in things electrical than I, he and I both felt it was a power surge, and that after the initial power loss, perhaps the power came back unregulated, and obviously too strong. There is a fuse box, but none of the fuses blew, which leads me to believe it’s broken. I had the principal and vice-principal look at the damage. All the other teachers were comforting saying it wasn’t my fault and not to worry. My principal even said I should go relax, there was nothing to do. Their Samoan outlook was much better equipped to handle this sort of situation than mine. I, however, could not help but think was a waste it was. Wasted computers for the kids to learn with, and wasted hours spent working to improve the lab.
As for the next step, I have to continue preparing the kids for their final exams in two weeks. It will be a little harder, but thankfully we have already finished all of the practical work that requires a computer. In the long term, I’ll have to look in to getting new computers from the church. The decision will have to go through several committees and be approved. So I’m not expecting anything until at least next year. I’ll keep you posted.
And now for some photos (Sorry, none of the lab on fire).
Fellow teacher, Terry, came over with his broken printer last Friday. I told him I had no real experience fixing printers. He didn’t care, neither did he, he said. (He’s a funny guy like that.) So we proceeded to take it apart, both of us knowing the other had no clue what he was doing. As you can imagine, we were unsuccessful in fixing it.
Art Benavie, UNC professor and the mastermind behind the freshman seminar The War on Drugs. Crang will remember taking it with me. Three hours a week with Professor Benavie inquiring into student’s drug habits and “personal narratives”. Five years later, by sheer fortuitous chance, I read in magazine that he wrote a book! Drugs: America’s Holy War. I would love to read this book. It would be hilarious.
I just recently finished hanging all of the Year 12 and 13 students’ major projects in desktop-publishing on the walls in the lab. I took this picture this morning – it’s the last one of the lab in working order.
