The Once and Future King
By T.H. White
“I’ve always been really interested in the Arthurian legend, and I think it would be a fun book at any grade level. The first time I read this I was in seventh grade, and I just loved it. I think I was ripe at that time in my life. One of the reasons I’m so drawn to the Arthurian legend is because of how Arthur is always portrayed as seeing things so differently from the world around him.
He’s given flaws because he’s human, but he is still seen as so idealistic and is supposed to come back in England’s greatest time of need, so he gives us hope.
One of the reasons I like teaching and reading this book is there’s so much depth to it. When you are able to read something more than one time and still are able to take something different away from it, then I think that’s the mark of a good book.
[As a bookmark I use] a receipt from when I was admitted to the emergency room, in January of 1997, when I went into labor two months early. I was making lesson plans for this book in the emergency room to give to my department chair.”
Interview by Madison Olsen
![This is Paul Pew's high school graduation photo. The 2023-2024 school year marked his 34th year of teaching. He began his career in Washington, then came to McCallum where he has taught for the past 17. At heart though, he’s really a musician. One that grew up in many different places, including Chicago and California, who took interest in teaching from a young age. His high school choir experience, along with some international singing in college, persuaded him that teaching was his path. He knew he wanted to be able to help create works of art in the fine arts department as well, so he joined McCallum. He’s worked on many of the musicals over the years, even before Joshua Denning, the former theatre director of the fine arts program arrived. Before him was a different director: Tatum.
“I was the music director for all the musicals,” Pew said. “[Mr. Tatum and I] worked very hard, and I just got to the point where I was satisfied with it.” Although he may not be as prominent of a member in the musical theatre community at McCallum anymore, he still plays piano. “I still do a lot of music down at the Music end of the building,” Pew said. Photo courtesy of Paul Pew.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Paul-Pew-1974-888x1200.jpg)
