Children's Book Author Daryl Cobb

 In Daryl's last year at Hampton School, it had come to light that a group of students in the eighth-grade class, were using means of intimidation, exclusion and belittling to bully Daryl. The bullying was personal and at times painful, but he chose to keep it to himself. It had been going on in varying degrees for many years, but in his seventh and eighth grade year, it began to get much worse. Daryl even noticed the group doing the bullying started to grow in numbers.  

   It was only when the bullies started to send Daryl tangible and sometimes disparaging things in the mail that their bullying finally became known to adults.  In a two-week span, the bullies had signed Daryl up for a music club, where he started receiving records in the mail-- specifically selected by the bullies. He was signed up for magazine subscriptions that started to arrive at his home. At school there was name calling going on aimed at Daryl. The kids were using pointed words that were directed at one's sexual orientation. So, when Daryl received a package containing packets of pussy willow and pansies seeds, Daryl knew instantly who was sending everything. The odd mailings also caught the attention of Daryl's parents, who notified the school and teachers of what was going on. The principal stepped in, immediately contacting the parents of all the children involved.   

But after years of enduring this type of abuse, the stress of it had taken its toll.  Daryl's class photo from 8th grade to the left, shows him somber and looking tired. Upon graduating, Daryl's parents were concerned that this type of behavior might following him into high school. And with that in mind, Daryl switched high schools and enrolled at WMMHS. Daryl found both success and failure at his new high school. As an athlete he flourished, especially in Baseball, where he played for both the varsity and freshman teams. But academically he continued to struggle. Plus being under his father's constant scrutiny brought its own problems. By the end of his freshman year Daryl didn't want to return to WMMHS. 

  Daryl would enter North Hunterdon High School as a sophomore. The struggles he previously had with fellow classmates were now in the past. And there was only one thing holding him back from achieving academic success at the high school level—his continued lack of focus in the classroom. A problem that had been ongoing since his elementary school days. Issues sited by his teachers included: 

• Daydreaming
• Can’t keep his mind on his work
• Lacks good study habits
• Doesn’t pay attention
• Can't follow directions
• Self-control
• Easily distracted

  In the classroom Daryl found it next to impossible to follow instructions, lectures and often found himself lost in daydreams. Reading was next to impossible because nothing seemed to stick in his mind, or he'd find himself thinking of other things while he was reading. He just could not concentrate or retain information.  

To all of his teachers Daryl seemed lazy, inattentive, spacey, unmotivated and easily distracted.  The teachers and administration all felt that all Daryl needed to do was to apply himself more, pay attention better in class and study harder. But Daryl was so easily distracted by noises, passersby and his own thoughts that he often missed vital classroom information.  Staying focused on tasks that required sustained mental effort became a serious problem for him. And even though he often seemed to be listening, something was always getting in the way of his ability to retain the information. 

In today's educational environment Daryl's symptoms and grades would draw immediate concern from teachers because so much is now known about Attention Deficit Disorder.  But throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's his symptoms went unnoticed and were thought to be no more than a sign of a student who wouldn't apply himself.  The school system continued to move Daryl on to the next grade level year after year despite his poor grades.   

 In Daryl's final year of High School, he signed up for a class that change his life-- Stage Craft.  The class was meant to give the students a broad view of stage performance and its history.  During this eight-week period two field trips were also scheduled. One was to New York City, to experience a live stage play-- "Grease" 

 After years of struggling in school and searching for direction, Daryl found it, in NYC, on Broadway-- "Grease". The play sparked a lifelong love of the arts and changed the course of Daryl's life. 

 At the end, Daryl's final grade for Stage Craft was a D. Daryl got lost in the textbook and drifted into daydreams during the teacher's lectures. But despite the grade, the topic sparked a new interest (Acting) and most importantly direction.   

 Daryl would receive the first notable review of his career in The Wizard of Oz. After the actress originally cast for the part (Debbie Lockwood) was unable to continue with the production.  With only one week to learn his lines, Daryl stepped into the part as the Wicked Witch and created a memorable character. 

 By Lorinda Ravo
Entertainment Writer

The publicity for the show claimed that the Wicked Witch would be played by Debbie Lockwood, but when the nose and wig came off during curtain calls, the Witch looked very similar to the young man who appeared as an Irish cop in "Arsenic [and Old Lace]". At any rate, "he" was wonderful
and scary. His witch laugh was everyone's nightmare.

 By Roy Proctor
News Leder arts editor

"Daryl K. Cobb is hilariously
infuriating as the Polish recruit
whose horridness is exceeded
only by his bigotry." 

 By Robert Merritt
Times-Dispatch staff writer

Kevin McGranahan, Daryl K. Cobb and
Gordon Bass provide the ingredients
that round out the production and give
it the rare quality that delivers Simon at
his best!

 By Christopher Moore
The Summit Herald, NJ

"Daryl K. Cobb takes what could have been a secondary role and manages to make his lines count with a sensitivity that makes us realize that Kenneth may find his way back from the Vietnam war to the quiet of Lebanon, MO. His portrayal of nature-loving Jed is a testament to the effectiveness of understatement.