Chapter 2, Bremmer High School Summary

Dress codes at Bremmer High are typically strict for the time, including acceptable hair styles, a "sport coat, tie and belt," (p. 29). Teachers are comprised of the brothers of the St. Bremmer Religious Order and additional lay male faculty as necessary. Corporal punishment is thoroughly accepted, and upperclassmen relish terrorizing new Freshmen with stories of beatings given by specific brothers. While most of these tales are patently false,one teacher, Brother Well, lives up to this reputation. A former boxer, he has been transferred to Bremmer after having punched two football players at another school. No one crosses Brother Well after this story is circulated.

There are four programs of study at Bremmer, and placement is based upon entrance exam scores. The Honors Program, to which Heidi is assigned, are for the brightest, of course. Except for...