Born in the 1950's I head off to first grade in September 1960. No kindergarten for me. It is your first real experience being away from your family for a hours. You are under the supervision of an adult you do not know. Growing up in the country on a farm you don't have neighbor kids to play with so your experiences with other children is limited. Now you sit in a classroom with 20 to 30 other boys and girls. Wataga Grade School was divided into two locations. First, Second and Third grades were in the building on the north end of town near the little league baseball field. Fourth, Fifth and Sixth grades were located in the old Wataga High School on the south end.
Mom, being a saver, had my first grade report card and all the others through grade 6.
I learned one thing rather quickly, Florence Rewald was a wonderful lady and a great teacher. I would learn later in my academic career that you never ever never wanted to go to see Principal Charlotte Olson.
I find it interesting that Miss Rewald felt I need improvement in the following areas:
"Appreciate rights and opinions of others"
"Listen carefully"
She appears to feel she has had some success in getting me to listen since the beginning of the school year. The need to listen and behave well in school would be reinforced by some parental intervention.
Second quarter would show a trend that would continue even to present day. "Complete work on time" has always needed improvement. Procrastination is strong in this one.
Along with procrastination is my early love of books. I have always enjoyed reading. I don't understand people who graduate from high school and never read another book.
Off to second grade I go.
Our granddaughter Audrey wants to be a teacher. She had the following conversation with her father on Saturday.
"I'm going to live at home when I go to college. I don't want to stay in a stupid dorm, I'm too cheap to get an apartment and I have lived here all my life. Seriously what is there to learn to be a teacher? I have been in school all my life. Like seriously. I hope I don't have to take like high math. Like I'm really going to teach first grade. I don't need high math. But seriously what is there for me to learn? I am going to take the same thing for like 4 years. Can I talk to like the President about this? Who even runs this thing?!?"
Audrey, I hope you are a great a first grade teacher as the one I had way back when,
I have enjoyed your childhood documentation immensely. I wonder if all 1st grade teachers are like Ms. Reward? Ours was Ms. Anderson, an unmarried lady who treated us all as her own. Great teacher who set the tone for our education. What an important job our first teachers have!
ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting about the enemas, the somewhat old-fashioned notes and typos, and the medical world if the 50's. Thanks for an illuminating peek into your youth.