School Memories

I started to school in 1975. Between 1975 and 1983 (1st - 8th grade), I went to 14 schools in three states.

I didn't really hate school but I was always so afraid. I was afraid of the teachers, the principal and even some of the other students. At least that's how it was in elementary school. I finally adjusted and enjoyed high school. Maybe not so much the learning as the social aspect.

I remember one incident in 1st grade that has left scars to this day.

I accidentally marked in pencil in one of my cute, little schoolbooks. A little boy who sat across from me said, “I’m going to tell!”

I begged him not to tell the teacher because I was so afraid I would get into trouble but he told anyway. My teacher called me over to the reading group table where she sat in one of the small chairs while we did reading in groups of the same level.

She asked me, “Why did you mark in your book?”
I just stood there. I was so afraid and intimidated that I just shrugged my shoulders.

She said, “You know better than to mark in a book and it better not happen again.” Then she popped me on the bottom.

“Erase that mark,” she said and sent me back to my desk.

I went back and erased the mark. I hadn’t marked in the book on purpose and I could have told her that if only I hadn’t been so intimidated.

That was the only time I was ever punished with more than a stern word in my entire school career.