My high school Advanced Biology teacher, Mr. Farnham has died. It has been over three decades since I have sat in his classroom. When I have shared the stories of his unusual teaching practices with my own high school Science students, I am convinced that they think I am fabricating tales. I couldn't create better stories if I tried. Yet, it wasn't until this moment, 36 years later, when I read of Mr. Farnham's passing that I realized what a powerful impact this man has made on my life. Although his methods were atypical, one could say seemingly inane, he was teaching us daily life lessons. At the time I thought that perhaps he viewed us as lab rats in the maze of life for the sake of his own amusement. Now I realize that he was doing it for us. His class was about survival. More important, it was about questioning the "system." What is the purpose of tests and grades, for example. He made this clear the day he told us to take out a sheet of paper for a true/false exam. "Okay," he said, "now start the exam." "But you haven't given it to us," we replied. "Write your own questions. Then number your answer sheet from 1-20 and answer them." "What?" screamed a chorus of high-achieving students from Pacific Palisades. Kids were freaking out. But we obediently did what we were told because that is what students in our generation did. After he collected our answer sheets, he proceeded to pull out the answer "key" and graded our papers. I understood at the time, but more acutely now, the ridiculousness of true/false exams, and of most exams, in general. But we are a test-driven nation and so I comply. There is a part of me that will always know when it is more important to stop teaching and rebel against the institution. To take stock in the human spirit as being of greater importance than the standards, tests, and grades that are so heavily emphasized in the educational system today. It may not be realistic to take that route this week, finals week, but the time will come when Mr. Farnham will pop into my head and I will remember the unique high school teacher from my sophomore year who valued life lessons as well as academics. Thank you, Mr. Farnham. You gave me a gift without my knowing it at the time. Trust that I am carrying on your legacy.