The day after Labor Day that’s when the school year began for us.  There’s an age, I’m not sure exactly when, we hate school and then again there’s a time when we actually looked forward to going back to school with excitement.  Maybe the “hate” was just fear in reality…

a new teacher, new students, new expectations.

While going to school the first day the boys would go past the girl’s door where the girls all would line up to go inside;  we would be checking out the girls as we passed their side of the school yard.  When we were young they would just ignore us, but as we got older we got smiles and laughter from the girls.  I guess they were checking us out too.

Just before morning recess for 2 cents each you could get a small bottle of milk (later served in cartons).  3 cents got chocolate, mmm good.  Since dad was a milkman we never participated unless we used “our own” money to pay for it.  Then at recess with the boys on their side of the school yard and girls on the other; we had a chance to run around.  During gym class outside in the school yard with the girls playing too our favorite game was “Red Rover.”  We had to wear a white tee shirt and gym shoes each class or get a “check” on our report card.  As we got older and smarter the discovery was made of “Liquid Paper,” and most checks disappeared.  It still makes me wonder why no one ever noticed the changes.  Maybe it was thought that the teacher had made the changes.  We were bad.  I did this only one time and was scared to death I would get caught.  In the end I wished I’d never changed the mark.

With the start of school one year also started our Paper Drive.  Each room was pitted against each other to see who could bring in the most newspaper.  It would be weighed and posted on the home room door each morning.  There were newspapers everywhere stacked from floor to ceiling.  Some rooms had thousands of pounds and would win prizes for the whole class.  Today this is usually done on Earth Day.

Fire drills were common during Fire Prevention Week and we also had “Bomb Drills” every week.  We would be marched into the hallway told to sit and face the wall and cover our heads with our arms.  The bell would ring and we would go back to class in orderly fashion.

I remember vaguely they were selling “stamps” (U.S. Government Bond Stamps), for 10 cents you could buy and save up these stamps to be applied later to an actual savings bond. 

We had an opportunity to purchase a “Red Feather” too.  This was for a charity, I believe, the March of Dimes.  For a nickel or dime contribution you would actually receive a red feather to put in your shirt button hole or wherever or give to your favorite girl.

My friends and I were known to have “Potty Mouths” which quickly changed one year when we were taken down to the maintenance area of the school to the wash tubs and Lava soap.  Just the threat was enough for me, but there were others who “got it”.  I don’t remember telling Mom about this.  If I did; she probably said that I deserved it. 

Beginning a new school year was difficult, but when I look back at our class pictures over the years I smile and get rather nostalgic.  Look at us now…  Boy I wish I had that graduation autograph book. 

claim token SXVPJAHBDTHY Technorati