The girls and boys sat on opposite sides of the room, two grades to each room, two kids to a double seat, a first and second grader together. My seat mate, Elsie, became one of my best friends for life as we picked up our friendship when I was a freshman and she a sophomore . Elsie died a few years ago. We wrote to each other at Christmas time all those years but seldom saw each other.
Miss Ross, my teacher, always wore long dresses and was very trim and prim; neat and sweet! After school took up and all were in their places we sang to her: "Good morning to you, good morning to you, we're all in our places, with sun-shiney faces, and this is the way to start a new day!” We said the Pledge to the Flag and, while standing, did a little exercise by lifting our hands above our heads then down behind our backs about 10 times or so. We then bowed our heads and repeated the 23rd Psalm. After all this our teacher would say: "You may be seated". We could not talk out loud without permission, could not whisper to one another, could not turn around and look back at the one behind you, could not chew gum, could not leave the room without first raising your hand. When the teacher saw you and said “Yes?” you said “May I leave the room?”, she would say “You may.” and you hoped to make it to the rest room in time.
In spite of all the strict rules, learning was interesting with flash cards, blackboards & chalk, slates, and Big Chief tablets; pencil sharpeners and the smell of sweeping compound wafting thru the room. We took our own lunch and, weather permitting, we could go outdoors and sit under a shade tree to eat. Recess was usually a fun time unless there was a bully who took advantage of those times when the teacher didn't come out to supervise. I believe that when I was in first grade in town school the teachers took turns so that there was always a teacher on the playground. That was more of a problem in country school.
Valentines Day, Christmas, and the Last Day of School were times that I most remember in 1st grade. Oh yes: May Day too! We had a big celebration in the town park with a May Pole when we were dressed up in crepe-paper outfits and got to sing and wind crepe-paper streamers round and round the pole.
On rainy days we had to play in the basement at recess and noon. We played hop-scotch, how-do-you-do my pardner, blind-mans-bluff, and such as that.
When it was time for school to let out, the 1st graders were dismissed a few minutes earlier than the other grades, so I waited to go home with the Rickabaughs or Howard. On bad weather days some of the dads in the neighborhood took turns getting the kids to school and back.
When there were special programs such as Christmas the lower graders got to go to the 7th and 8th grade rooms. I especially remember when Santa Claus handed out good-sized sacks of candy to every one! I had heard that Santa Claus was really our dad and mom so I told one of my little friends and she got mad at me as she knew better! That was a mistake for me to repeat "gossip".
Is it any wonder that these little kinder-gartners know more than we oldies did as teen-agers? Now Wisdom: that’s a different story…
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