The teacher no doubt thought it was funny hanging a banner on the door to his classroom reading “Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate.” He would snicker as the new students would look at it with puzzled expressions while he remained silent. Some might even ask but he would always gnore or dismiss the question. That he taught world literature should have been a hint. That he was known as the toughest grader in the school, another. That he seemed old enough to have taught the author, Dante, a sure giveaway. Many abandoned hope of making honor roll without ever learning the answer.