Challenger Disaster ... Little Did They Know ... Part II

This is the second essay that talked about sending the teachers in the space, this happened two years before the Challenger Disaster that killed 7 crews including the schoolteacher in Christa McAuliffe.

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Mr. Snyder's Journey Into Space

Last week, Mr. Reagan ordered us to choose one teacher to go to Kennedy Space Center in Florida and ride in the space shuttle for April 10, 1985. The reason for our school to choose the teacher right now was to give the chosen teacher time to practice and prepare himself for the flight.

The school had already formed the committee to comply with President Reagan's order. I was the chairman. We discussed it for a week. We finally made the selection by order of preferences. The choices were: 1) Mrs. Garber; 2) Mrs. Panella; 3) Mr. Deuel; 4) Mr. Snyder; 5) Mr. Marzolf; 6) Mr. Frick; 7) Mr. Kraus; 8) Mr. Drake. We also considered Miss Couch, but she had a slight problem with her left pelvis and she was using a cane, so we decided it would better not to include her. Here were a list of reasons for each teacher to be chosen. Mrs. Garber: I wanted her to have a break from me because she nagged me about using my voice; Mrs. Panella: I love to laugh at her when she panick; Mr. Deuel: He is good at solving problems; Mr. Snyder: He loves science; Mr. Marzolf: He should go because he is the boss of Junior High; Mr. Frick: He loves science and he is a math expert; Mr. Kraus: He is a biology teacher and in space, he may find a way to save animals' lives. Mr. Drake: He is math expert.

We started asking the chosen teachers and only one accepted. We first asked Mrs. Garber and she said, "Fat chance." Then we asked Mrs. Panella, whom we called "Mrs. Pinella" She responded, "No way! I am afraid that the shuttle would crash on the ground before the lift-off and I would be killed!"

The next day we asked Mr. Deuel but he did not agree, so we asked Mr. Snyder and he accepted. We told him to call NASA right away. HASA said for him to go down to Florida by March 1, 1985. Mr. Snyder was looking forward to it.

When the day came, it was a busy day for Mr. Snyder. He had to pack everything according to NASA's requests. He was kind of silly. He brought a box full of tackles, a gun, a box of ammunition, and his pipe.

He left for Florida in his 4-wheel truck. It took him tow days to get to NASA.

When he finally got to Cape Canaveral, Florida -- he had meetings and was outfitted with a space suit. He had to practice everything to get himself ready for the long trip.

On April 10th, Mr. Snyder and other astronauts got in the shuttle, then the countdown began. All the people, espeically in Staunton, Va., where VSDB-Staunton is located, were watching Mr. Snyder ride in the shuttle. The shuttle was supposed to launch the satellite into orbit.

When the lift off began, Mr. Snyder began smoking his pipe. When they got into space, they sent off the satellite into the orbit. It was successful and Mr. Snyder invented a formula from a rock in space that would prodcue a world record largemouth Bass in one day. The shuttle landed in Florida and Mr. Snyder was a hero. He won one million dollars.

As he got back home, he started for Lake Moomaw, he put the formula into the bass's mouth and it grew to 24 pounds. Mr. Sndyer had caught the world's largest largemouth bass. He was awarded another one million dollars.

He used one million dollars for the wrestling team. He bought the best uniforms, the best mat and when the team was at the tournament, he reserved the best motel in town.

He enjoyed the journey into space. It was the first time in history for the teacher to ride in the shuttle and it was the suttle's first landing in Florida. Mrs. Panella lost one million dollars. She was so stupid.
-Darrell Drake

Note: Mr. Snyder was the hearing teacher at VSDB who was bit odd but yet so popular with Deafies, he was also the wrestling coach at VSDB as well. When you entered his office, you could smell the stench of his pipe. This guy is nuts, basically. Except for Mrs. Garber and Mr. Snyder, the rest of teachers are Deaf. Mrs. Panella is one easily spooked woman -- scare her, she goes nuts. She graduated from Gallaudet, was a member of Delta Epsilon -- which is odd because she is kinda inseparable with Miss Couch who is in Phi Kappa Zeta. And it is chilling enough to see Darrell Drake quoting Mrs. Panella's fears which came true when it comes to USS Challenger. Oy vey!