It’s the time of year when children and teens and adults are returning
to school. I’ve been thinking about my own school experiences and remembering
how excited I always was to start a new year or a new semester.
So my Random 5 this week is about back to school.
I’m joining with Nancy of A Rural
Journal in her Random 5 Friday, where, as Nancy says, “you can share 5
random facts about you, your day, your pets, your kids, whatever!”
 |
| My first grade picture. My mother made the dress I'm wearing. |
One
I started school when I was six years old. Kindergarten wasn’t available
in public school when I was a child, and my parents didn’t send me to private
kindergarten. But I learned my numbers, the alphabet, my colors, etc. at home.
Two
I went to school for 21 years straight: first through 12th
grades plus four years of college plus five years of graduate school, where I
got my master’s in English and worked on (but never finished) my doctorate in
English.
Three
I was excited to start elementary school. I rode bus number 41 the first
day of school and sat beside a neighbor girl who was in about the seventh
grade. She seemed so grown up to me, and I couldn’t imagine ever being that
old.
Four
For the most part, I loved school and hated to miss a day. I had perfect
attendance in sixth grade and in my senior year of high school.
But in first grade, I missed two weeks of school: one week for the
chicken pox and one week for the mumps. This was before vaccines were developed
for those diseases.
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| Me on my family's sofa in our living room when I was in first grade. I had the mumps, and my family teased me about my plump cheeks. |
Five
The year I started school, 1969, was the first year of total integration
in my county’s schools. I didn’t know this at the time because my parents never
mentioned it to me. I’m glad they didn’t. I’m glad I was able to go to school
with children of different races and think nothing was odd about it.
Did you enjoy school when you were a child? Do you ever wish you could
go back to school?
Hi Tina, you were so cute! I love the dress your mom made as well! I enjoyed school and got along quite well with my teachers...and most of my fellow pupils.
ReplyDeleteAhh, school bus memories - brought back some nostalgia!
ReplyDeleteI did not love school, when I was small, or when I was older, but I always did well at it.
I love learning, though.. and have never stopped & hope not to. :)
I started first grade in 1968 at age 5 but turned 6 a month later. Your post brings back similar memories about homemade dresses and the mumps! Once I reached junior high school I disliked school, though. I wouldn't go back. In fact, I've never even gone to a high school reunion. That era is shut :)
ReplyDeleteI loved school and always wanted to ride a bus to school but we were two blocks from all three of my schools. My Mom made a lot of my clothes, knit my sweaters, scarves, mitts-I like this cuz no one at school had the same as me. You are so cute...
ReplyDeleteFun memories! It took me years after I finished school to not feel that back to school anticipation! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteTina, fun post! You are still a doll! :) I enjoyed school, but the first grade was a little difficult -- we moved 3 times -- three different cities and schools. I think with each passing year, I wondered when we would move again!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoyed going 'back to school' when I was little. It was almost as exciting as the holidays!
ReplyDeleteThe first day of school was always the best with new supplies, new shoes and an outfit my mom probably made me (up to about the 5th grade.) Maybe even a new lunchbox.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you didn't think anything out of the ordinary about the integration - I bet that was an interesting time period. I see pictures of the protesters during integration during those times and it makes me so sad.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed you can remember the number of your school bus! The mumps pic is cute.
ReplyDeleteI was in the fifth grade when our schools were integrated. My teacher was African-American that year. She was a sweetheart and we all loved her. And I don't remember ANYONE ever saying a word about her color....no one thought a thing about it. I am pretty sure some of the parents didn't approve in the beginning, but you see, they got an education that year, too. They learned that color doesn't affect someone's ability to teach...or to love. She loved all of her students...it didn't matter what color they were.
ReplyDeleteYes, I DO wish I could go back in time and redo my high school years. I would pay much more attention in class and less time on boyfriends. If only I knew then what I know now!
Sorry....it was SIXTH grade...don't want to be telling a lie here!!!
DeleteI think you more than made up for no kindergarten with all the school you did attend. I started school about the same time but I did go to kindergarten and even nursery school.
ReplyDeletei did get to go to 1/2 day kindergarten at the public school. then 1-6 grade in catholic grade school before moving back to public school for the rest. i loved school.
ReplyDeleteI was picked on riding the bus. Bad memories. But a very timely post!
ReplyDeleteI liked school until my senior year and then became disillusioned with it so never went to college. To be honest I think I had developed a little ADD and was simply not able to pay attention in class. I still have a tough time getting through a book.
ReplyDeleteGreat to have such positive memories of school... school was not a good experience for me...
ReplyDeleteFor the most part I liked school; loved learning and still do. I missed a lot of school in the first grade because of illnesses and had my appendix removed.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at the details you remember from that time in your life. I remember so little. I liked school well enough when I was young, but I went to Catholic schools all my life and until I was about in the 6th grade, I lived in mortal fear of doing something wrong. I got good grades scared into me. lol. But once I started thinking for myself, I got so I liked school quite a lot because I actually liked learning things and managed to do well through high school and college. I don't think about it much these days. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at the details you remember from that time in your life. I remember so little. I liked school well enough when I was young, but I went to Catholic schools all my life and until I was about in the 6th grade, I lived in mortal fear of doing something wrong. I got good grades scared into me. lol. But once I started thinking for myself, I got so I liked school quite a lot because I actually liked learning things and managed to do well through high school and college. I don't think about it much these days. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteI like school too, I haven't really stopped. I'm always taking courses.
ReplyDeleteAw, you were such a little cutie! Oh I love school too. I was even thinking about taking ANOTHER class this fall.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little I remember thinking that kids in high school were soooooo grown up and cool!
I enjoyed school but it passed over top of me. I missed a lot of school. I was a farm kid and in harvest and seeding time I spent a lot of time at home. I remember missing 6 weeks one fall. I went to school for 52 years...I was a teacher!
ReplyDeleteoh what cute pictures of you! you have a great memory about your school years...i don't remember as much! have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteLook at ADORABLE YOU!!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday!
Wonderful school memories... I too started in first grade (no K offered either), missed school due to chicken pox (for your stated reason) never got the mumps, and road a school bus with all ages of students. I remember looking up to a beautiful girl named Sydney who was also very nice, in highschool and I always wanted to be just like her... I'm now a school bus driver (for 15 years) and love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun, nostalgic post. I love seeing your 1st grade picture. My mom made all my clothes too when I was that age.
ReplyDeleteYour post brought back some fun memories of being in school. I loved school too for the most part. Reading was my favorite subject. Math, not so much. I had some really great teachers and a few that weren't so great but all in all I enjoyed the years I spent in school. Not quite as many as you as I only went 2 years to college.
What a cutie you were, Tina! I was always so anxious about school and getting good grades that I never enjoyed it........I finally relaxed in college. Go figure!
ReplyDeleteLovely memories Tina. My own are really disjointed because I changed countries, towns and schools on average every two years till university. But, for my children, I made sure I stayed with them in the same school system for their whole preschool to uni days, (with the exception of taking months out of school to live in Europe with them and home schooling). I think it worked well for them. They have life-long school friends; something I always wanted for them. :) Hope you have a lovely weekend, nice catching up with you again
ReplyDeleteYou haven't changed a bit, Tina. Love the first grade picture. For me, I wasn't a good student, very shy and I was a country girl who went to the 'school in town'. Oh well. I survived.
ReplyDeletei think i'm ADD in my adult yrs. never had a problem as a kid. ( :
ReplyDeletei was bullied n school but had fun times 2.
Your little girl pictures are so cute! I went to school for a lot of years, but generally didn't enjoy it. I only realized it when I started working and realized I liked working more than I liked going to school.
ReplyDeleteI loved school until I got to college. I wouldn't want to go back and do it again though.
ReplyDelete