The Pride of Jesse Hallam (1981 TV Movie)

Joseph Zimmerman: Parker

Quotes 

• Parker : [Mr. Parker tries to restore order in the remedial reading class, which is near pandemonium]  Would you please turn off that radio and take your seats?

  Jesse Hallam : [Jesse gets up and sits each student down himself, grabs the radio and shuts it off. After everyone is quiet, he turns to address the class]  You want to do what I've been doin' all my life - runnin' away from words? Well, that's up to you, but you got to know... it's a poverty trade. And right here and now you could be diggin' youself a hole in the bottom of a mountain that you're never goin' to climb back up out of. Well, not me - and not my boy. We're goin' to high school and we're goin' to graduate and nobody or nothin's goin' to stop us. We're going to learn to read.

• Parker : [last lines... Parker calls roll after the class has settled down]  Hallam, Jesse.

  Jesse Hallam : [proudly]  Here.

  Parker : Hallam, Theodore.

  Ted Hallam : [proudly]  Here.