For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 03, 2019

I don’t know about Superior, but the province is Prince Edward Island and for sure Montréal is on the Saint Lawrence River.

Question on Superior is unclear, can’t answer due to lack of data. Does she want area, volume, or both?

Hey Elizabeth! Peppermint Patty called and wants her “sleeping in the classroom and sent to the principal’s office” joke back!

Elizabeth did give her an honest answer.

There are questions you’d better not answer.

Never answer a rhetorical question….

Geography is more than rote memorization but you wouldn’t know that from grade and high school.

That’s what I was thinking. Better questions would be more involved, like “How were the Great Lakes formed?” or “Why are many major cities located on the banks of a river?”

I grew up in Brooklyn and when I flew to California for the first time, I gazed that the vastness of the land below and thought, “This is the way to see the other States”. Then I shut the shade.

Lynn’s Comments:

I loved referring to Canadian history, customs, places and geography. Before I signed my contract with Universal Press, one of the editors insisted I refer only to the United States—that the strip had to be about Americans. I asked him if he, born and raised in Kansas, could write knowledgeably and realistically about a family in New York. He admitted he could not. I said, if I couldn’t have my characters live in Canada and write what I knew, then I wouldn’t sign the contract.

Source: fborfw.com/strip_fix

Today’s strip brought back a vivid memory from my college days. I was sitting in an early morning class in Modern Metaphysics. I dozed off and was snoozing happily until my head tilted back and I apparently awakened myself with a snore. I looked sleepily around as the class was staring at me as they chuckled. The professor was also apparently amused and was chuckling himself.

This strip reminded me of the classic film Full Metal Jacket, where the main character says “Every answer given is wrong, and the senior drill instructor will only hit me harder if I reverse myself!”

Then there’s always “Question Me an Answer” from “Lost Horizon”.

Question me an answer, bright an clear. I will answer with a question, clear and bright. Even if your answer may be wrong, my question’s always right.

The only logical move here is to transfer her to Xavier Academy and make Mr. D her teacher!

I remember that when I was a student, any kid caught sleeping or daydreaming in class would get their desk hit with a ruler. That sure snapped them out of it!

That was a silly question the teacher asked. Of course, a kid would rather sleep than learn geography!

A good strip could be where Elizabeth is a contestant on Jeopardy!, then the Final Jeopardy question deals with geography.

Alex Trebek: “And now Elizabeth, with an amazing $60,000 lead, we come to you. Did you answer the name of Canada’s smallest province….Oh no, Elizabeth, you did not write anything…How much will that cost you….Oh no, all of it!”

Elizabeth: “Oh no, they talked it about it that day in school, and I was sleeping in class. That was an expensive nap!”

“I guess I gave the wrong answer.” The truth does not always set you free!

YES!! LIZZIE GETS HER GLASSES!!!

I’d say she gave an honest answer. And I’m a teacher. ;)

Don’t we want our kids to be honest?

“Don’t ask me the question if you don’t want me to talk about it.” …………………….D. Trump

teachers don’t ask rhetorical questions they ask trick questions.