Memories have faded, but feelings
are still there … of first days of school … fear, anxiety, excitement, friends,
bullies … lovable teachers uninhibited by surprise-evaluation SS systems. A fast memory search (quick! … before I
totally lose it!) recalls nap time in preschool, nap time and playing store in
kindergarten (northeast corner of basement), learning to read Dick & Jane
and write words in first grade (Miss Nash, I think, next to the cold-storage
room where I helped carry crates of chocolate milk), more reading in second
grade (Miss Cottam (sp?) in basement south side), singing in third grade (upstairs
south), learning arithmetic (times tables) in fourth grade (upstairs east side), and
searching the library for science fiction books in fifth grade. After that, I watched my avenues school burn
down one summer night (name withheld to protect the innocent) … huge, exciting, not too sad (should’ve been – my father attended that historic SLC school) … so sixth grade was
downtown within walking distance (uphill both ways when snowing, of course.) I only remember being superior at 6th-grade mathematics.
Beginning junior high school was the
biggest change, coupled with our summer move up the hill to the big house with
my private view of city lights (temporary one-year residence while I helped Dad
build a new home nearby) ... a long walk to Bryant with friends. As I vaguely
recall, we had seven classes each day! I
think my favorite teacher was Mrs. Yost for English, where I wrote my first
book report (memory is clear here:)
“Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint is
the first novel in the Danny Dunn series of juvenile science fiction/adventure
books written by Raymond Abrashkin and Jay Williams. The book was first
published in 1956 and originally illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats.” – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
By
eighth grade I was adjusted to the new life … my boy-girl-party year with a
close group of clean-living friends who loved to dance .. best year of K-12, as
I vividly recall. (Maybe my memory isn’t
so faded after all.) Ninth grade favorite
was algebra, taught by Mr. Allen (I'm quite sure), whom I will never forget. I also loved ninth-grade early-morning
seminary taught by Francis L. Urry, who played the role of Lorenzo Snow in The Windows of Heaven.
– en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_L._Urry
– en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_L._Urry
Dear
old East High – what can I say … My
favorite class was the awesome a cappella choir … I will never forget many performances I enjoyed
with my beloved choir directed by the legendary Lorraine Bowman; (recalled in
my "Christmas Choirs" post December 23, 2012.) Max Pinegar was my very favorite seminary teacher; I just saw that he passed away last February, and will be greatly missed. Special memories ... dedicated with all my love to Sister Bowman and Brother Pinegar.
Whew! Not too fast to surprise myself with details
dug up from the deep.
Photo courtesy of Google Images and mybetanyc.com
Photo by Ned Cannon at Concord School of Philosophy
