关于此恶作剧的更多内容见这里。

这段Musical发生在Columbia化学系Havemeyer楼，即化学系主楼，的那个最著名的309阶梯教室中。这种恶作剧被称为Prank，几个人做一些出人意料的表演，然后让大家娱乐。Prank可能会扰乱一点正常秩序，不过当事人一般不会很不高兴，还可能无可奈何地开心一笑。

Valentini教授正在上课，于是一个学生模样的人站起来开始唱歌。他唱道：

"We come to class everyday it seems, we all fall asleep we’ve lost all our
dreams. There is no inspiration."

"All the professors in movies and TV like ‘Dead Poets Society,’ and they risk
their very professions for the chance to be inspirations to kids like me!"

Preach歌舞的全部歌词见本文末。整个表演非常有趣，歌词也很正派。大概因为Valentini作为教授非常上像，而且风度也非常得体，所以，有好几个特写镜头。其实整个表演和Valentini的反应很值得人寻味。教与学，反叛和正统，非主流和主流的矛盾和调和都表现了出来，而且是以一种欢快、平和和有趣的方式。

在电影Dead Poets Society 中，或者Mona Lisa
Smile中，这些矛盾和冲突就要激烈得多。Dead Poets Society 是1989年Robin
Williams主演的一部学生们最喜欢的电影。没有看过，实在可惜。

 

著名的Havemeyer 309教室

Havemeyer
309教室可能是最有名和最有传统的教室之一，化学系的所有重要学术报告都在那里，所以它见证过上个世纪无数最有名的化学家。它也是属于美国的文化遗产之一，美国化学会就是在那里发源的。在大众文化中，有很多部有名的Hollywood电影都选择它作为教室，这包括十一年前Barbara
Streisand的The Mirror with two faces，以及前几年Julia Roberts的Mona Lisa
Smile。前一部拍摄时我还在系里，在过道上碰到Barbara Streisand。后一部我一看就立刻认出那段Roberts上的艺术课就是在Havemeyer
309拍的。以下是一些关于Havemeyer 309的网页链接，有兴趣的朋友可以去浏览。

James J. Valentini教授

大家一般称James J. Valentini教授Jim，他今年大概也50多快60岁了。Jim是李远哲先生的头几个学生之一。我91年到Columbia时他刚被系里挖来，挖来的原因是他做了一些重要的光谱和动力学研究，比如H+H2反应的实验等，而且系里刚赶走了另一个李远哲先生的学生，没给他终身教授职位。Valentini教授非常帅气，对学生也很有吸引力（这一点大家可以从上面那个录像看出来），可是到Columbia之后研究一直不顺利，家庭和身体据说也出了一些状况。这次听说他已经不再做研究，而去做专职系主任。这是让人很惋惜的事情。

Valentini教授网页链接：http://www.columbia.edu/cu/chemistry/fac-bios/valentini/faculty.html

Even the Professor (James Valentini) was laughing at this!!!!

Starring Mike Barry
With Kate Berthhold, Trey McArver, and Patrick Young

Lyrics (written by Brian Jacobs)

Hey teach!

I’ve got a question — what I mean is. . . it’s just. . .
We come to class everyday it seems, we all fall asleep we’ve lost all our dreams.
There is no inspiration.
But when did we become this way, so disillusioned? So blasé?
I can’t make the calculation.
Can I borrow your TI-83?

Hey teach!

Have you thought for a while
about the impact that you have on us?

Teach!

I think it’s high time that you tried
to extend your learning on to us and reach!
Are you with me classmates?

YEAH.

(One person)

What about that guy over there? Why aren’t you taking notes? Don’t you even care?
This is your education.
This girl sitting over here, she talks a lot in class but her thoughts are never really quite clear.
So much mental masturbation
Is it we..who are to blame.

Hey TEACH!!!!

All the professors in movies and TV
like "Dead Poets Society,"
and they risk their very professions for the chance
to be inspirations to kids like me!

Hey teach!

It’s no wonder why we’re here.
You must think we only party and drink beer.

But all we need is just one chance…
to be treated as your equals and to dance.

Hey teach!

It’s no wonder why we’re here.
You must think we only party and drink beer.
I think it’s high time that you tried
to extend your learning.. on.. to.. us.. and REACH! TEACH! …

 

注：TI-83 is is one of the most used graphing calculators for
students manufactured by Texas Instruments since 1996.