To Sir with Love

A Youth Employment Officer visits the class. Many of the students already have internships and apprenticeships. The students are excited but realize how much they will miss class, trying to cram in all the conversations possible before they leave school. Despite being raised in a multicultural neighborhood, Braithwaite finds that puberty is responsible for racial rifts, and the students want Braithwaite’s advice for healing this racial tension.

One day, Clinty mentions that Blanchard might be leaving at the end of next term, which Braithwaite pretends not to know. Clinty says she doesn’t care for Blanchard’s superior attitude, but Braithwaite says he finds her charming.

The staff and students have Christmas dinner in the dining hall, which is heavily decorated. The students give Mrs. Drew a bouquet in gratitude, and she thanks them. Braithwaite watches with disgust as the younger students gorge themselves with cake. He and the older children clean up afterwards. The seniors go home to make themselves presentable, and Pamela asks Braithwaite for a dance later, saying she’ll bring a special record that is not jiving music. She asks Braithwaite to call her Pamela for the evening. The boys arrive polished, and the girls look very sophisticated, but “a new, beautiful, grown-up Pamela” (185) blows everyone away, including Gillian.