Hughes Mearns (1875–1965) lived a long life as a theorist of American education. A Harvard undergraduate who went on to direct education programs in Pennsylvania and at Columbia University, he was a passionate extender of the theories of John Dewey — a happy, dynamic figure, just filled with bubbly ideas about how to educate children in the modern age. May God save us from the enthusiasms of such men.Mearns was particularly the motive force being the creative-writing movement: the idea that what our children primarily lack is creativity. The job of teachers is thus not to correct their mistakes or even to teach much new material. The fundamental task of education, he preached in such influential books as “Creative Youth” (1925) and “Creative Power” (1929), is to encourage children to be creative.Apart from the damage his long career did to education in the United States, however, Hughes Mearns once wrote a very charming poem.
    -Poem of the Day: ‘Antigonish’ (Joseph Bottum, Sept. 13, 2023, NY Sun)

Antigonish

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

When I came home last night at three
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall
I couldn't see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door... (slam!)

Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
Oh, how I wish he'd go away...