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Attachment 16186
I can remember my first day of school [[1st grade), from over 68 years ago. It wasn't terribly traumatic for me, as it was for many kids, because I was away from my mother quite a bit, already at age 5, because I grew up in a family compound of 35-50 extended family members, and I also spent a lot of time in my father's store [[otherwise, I'd have hardly seen him). I also had the benefit of not attending kindergarten, and starting school at the same time as my 1st cousin, with whom I shared a bedroom. In addition, we walked only one street to our elementary school, along with 8 other 1st cousins, and a couple neighbour kids. So, ALL my playmates were in that school, and one in my class. With such a big family, in a large compound [[6 adjacent, or nearby houses) everything had to be highly organised and regimented. So, I was already indoctrinated into allowable behaviours and following rules. Also, I didn't have problems with bullies, because I always had several older [[thus bigger and stronger) boy cousins around, to make sure anyone who'd mistreat me was punished physically. In any case, I quickly learned how to defend myself.
Having learned to read and count at three, and starting to write at 4, and to help in the store, I remember thinking how much the teachers treated us like ignorant babies. But, ALL the kids were at school, so I decided to make the best of it. I was always well ahead of the curriculum. But, school was necessary to learn to socialise properly, and to get along with newly-met people. I actually remember MORE about my elementary school days than about high school or university. And more about all those school days than about what happened 5 minutes ago, or yesterday. :cool:
Wow.first day of school..long time ago but it was fun-miss johnson was her name,nice teacher.
Mine was Miss Birmingham. Didn't learn much. Too busy looking under the table at mamacita's legs! Nice chica! Forget telling time! Homeboy's trying to make time!!
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...you da man!!Quote:
Originally Posted by nativeny63
Wrapped up like The Mummy. And had to walk like Frankenstien! Gear: the hat like Russell on Fat Albert. With the long ear and forehead flaps. Buckled at the chin; slathered with Vaseline; a big muffler [[1970's era scarf) that was itchy wool, wrapped around your neck & mouth 20 times, but still managed to reach the ground ; a Michelin- man/NASA style bomber jacket[[which helped you appreciate how a caterpillar felt in his cocoon) ; Artic grade ski gloves w/zero mobility in the fingers; the equally itchy Army woolen longjohns [[secon skin); snow pants; galoshes [[see Fat Albert reference); Alaska Outback like heavy duty socks [[also same itchy wool!) and a steel lunchbox the size of a laptop!! Ready for your 1st day of school?
Attachment 17313Quote:
Originally Posted by nativeNY63
We used to ski to school. Those of us who lived close enough that we could reach it without crossing any streets. Or we could ski there IF the streets weren't scraped yet. Or we could ski there in the morning, and have to carry our skis home if they city got the streets scraped before school let out. Back before Global Warming, Winnipeg had AT LEAST 4.5 months of snow on the ground, and often 5 to 5.5. We'd leave our skis outside the classroom, leaning against the walls. Nobody would steal them back in those days. I had good hard Nordic ski boots that were like hard leather shoes. We took them off and let them warm by the heater, and sat on our chairs in our stocking feet. Some kids wore snowshoes to school. The had snow-days [[school cancellations) only during major blizzards. If we would have cancelled school for every regular heavy snow storm, like they did in New York, Detroit, and Chicago, we'd have gone to school maybe less than half the scheduled school year! When WE tell our grandchildren that "we walked 10 miles to school in snowdrifts 4 feet high, against the wind, everything WAS true [[except the 10 miles part)! :cool:
Attachment 17314
I started school right after World War II. There were still a lot of men and young women in the military, and in the war industries. So, ALL the elementary teachers were old ladies. The old men who taught school were teaching the higher grades [[Jr. High, High School, and College). All those old women had white hair. They all had been born in the 1800s, and so they were very strict. I remember in the 2nd Grade when we got our first young woman teacher. She was in her early 20s, and she was really nice.