Back to School

          Back to school.  How many times have I excitedly awaited the beginning of a new school year?  How about 55 years? Time to reminisce.
          I did not attend kindergarten so first grade was greatly anticipated, and with Mrs. Modeska Alston as my first grade teacher, I was not disappointed.  My first report card remarks included how quiet I was and how I needed to interact more with the other students  Needless to say, my second report card's remarks included, "Sandra tends to talk a lot with her classmates."  I don't remember much about the first grade except that I got to drink chocolate milk at recess and that I got to draw and paint a lot. My second grade teacher was Mrs. Rabon. She gave me my first and only paddling at school; actually, she popped my ankle (after rolling down my socks (?), and hit my ankle with a ruler.  What did I do?  As memory serves me, I was simply following rules by putting up the puzzle after I finished with it. (As a teacher, I know now that I was probably dawdling as I put it away, AND the reason I was playing with the puzzle was because I ALWAYS had to be the first finished with everything, right or wrong, so that I could go play with a puzzle.) My third grade teacher was Miss Louise Stamps. Two things that I remember about her class-first, we walked to her house to watch one of the space flights (no TV's at school) which teachers would never be allowed to do today, and two, we had a very young, attractive sub whenever Miss Louise, who we all thought was old as the hills, was out. The boys LOVED her.  She wore extremely high heels and tight dresses and did the twist during free time. Miss Johnnie Sue Burgess was my fourth grade teacher. We learned Alabama history and the multiplication tables.  It was either during this year or our third grade year that during recess the girls would chase the boys and kiss them when they caught them. Then, Edwina told on everyone, so the teachers made us quit.  My fifth grade teacher was Mrs. Gardner. Mostly, I remember that she read good books to us and that she was very pretty and soft spoken.  My six grade teacher was Mrs. Geneva.  Everyone was scared of her--the boys needed to be as I think most of them got a paddling from her, but I remember liking her.  It was this year, I think, that John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  I remember the teachers talking in hushed voices in the hall then an announcement over the intercom that our president was dead.
     Other random memories from elementary school: riding an elephant for a quarter :-); having no librarian so the teacher took us to a room with books and we picked one out to read--I don't think we took them home, just read them during our "library" time; having music with Mrs. Elizabeth Abrams (to this day, I will just start singing the words of songs out of the blue, and I know that I learned them from her); playing jacks outside under the awning waiting for the school doors to open; having a school nurse and a bed to stay in if you didn't have anyone at home to come get you; taking YEARS of piano and wishing that I had practiced or at least paid attention.
     Following elementary school was junior high and senior high at Aliceville High School.  From there, I went to Livingston University where I graduated in December 1973 and immediately began working at Pickens Academy the following January of 1974. After PA, I worked at Warrior Academy in Eutaw, AL; Morgan Academy in Selma, AL; Pickens County High School in Reform, AL; Carrollton Unit School in Carrollton, AL; Buhl Elementary in Buhl, AL; and at my present job at Collins-Riverside Middle School in downtown Northport, AL. WHEW!!!!! And I loved every minute of it and still do.
    So, "Back to School" time is still exciting to me.  I will be at school before 7:00 a.m., have the library open, and be ready to help any teacher or student begin this new year. Happy 2013-14 School Year!!!!