Some things I cannot forget!

After going to lunch with a friend today, we needed to pick her grandson up from kindergarten. 
Just so happens it was the very school I attended back in the 1960s for 2nd through 6th grade. 
I expected my grammar school to look smaller to me than my memory of it, but it didn't.

I first went into the office where I use to work during lunch hour in 1966, back in 6th grade. 
I would answer the phone, take care of whoever entered the doors, and file absent notices. 

Once I was told by the school nurse, "I'm going to lunch. Buzz for me if an emergency comes in. 
If it's not an emergency, just have the student lie down and wait till I get back."

So shortly after the school nurse leaves, in walks a student claiming to have a sore throat. 
I thought...well, when I have a sore throat it feels like an emergency to me...
so I buzzed for the nurse. 

She came right over, took one look at the sick student and then gave me the evil eye. 
She was not very happy with my judgement. 
And I wasn't happy with it either at that moment. What was I thinking?? 
It seemed like an emergency to me when I buzzed for her. 

All was not lost though. 
Because I never forgot this, all through the years this memory has reminded me
to be patient with younger people. 
It takes years of living and maturity and brain growth, to make wise choices.

The nurse's room was the first door to the left, right behind that boy.
I told him I use to go to this school. He was nice, but unimpressed.

Next I walked down the hallway to the cafeteria, again expecting it to look smaller than I remembered.
It didn't. It looked huge.
I told the lunch lady, who was eating ice cream and chewing gum (see her to the side?),
that I use to go to this school back in the 1960s. She gave a courtesy smile and said, "Oh, uh, huh." 
to the tone of 'So what? And why are you telling me this?'
This woman in charge, looked younger than my children! 
She didn't get why I would even be there.
I wanted to say, "And where is your bouffant hairdo?"


Then I walked down these halls.
It was in one of those classrooms in 1963, right where you see the sun shining, 
that I learned of JFK's death.
Mr Dow, our principal took our teacher outside to tell her the news.
Then she came back in crying.

It was at this school in 1965 when my Dad showed up in the middle of the day.
 (Dads never came to school back then.)
He came to tell me my Mom just had twins, "a BOY and a GIRL!"
We had only learned the day before there would be TWO babies.
I was SO EXCITED I could hardly stand it.


I also remember later on in 1965 being sent to the office because my Grandma had a crisis.
She was taking care of the twins and didn't know how to make the formula!
Back then all the bottles had to be sterilized just so, and the formula made step by step.

My teacher was buzzed on her wall phone, and then I was sent right to the office.
I remember how embarrassed I felt, talking on the office phone, 
while the office lady, the school nurse, and the principal were standing there listening....
as I went over all the steps of bottle making with my Grandma.

Some things, are just etched in my memory forever.

16 comments:

Karen Mortensen said...

What interesting memories. I would have been excited if you would have come to my school and told me that you used to go there.

Tamara said...

Ah memories! This is a great post and even though I was in a different part of the county, I was right there with you!

Hugz!

Anonymous said...

What a nice little school. I should go back and take pictures of my schools. I would love to bring back those memories.
How is it that you were working in the office?
darlene

Anonymous said...

Do you still remember how you made the formula? What was in it?
darlene

Susan Rozier said...

You and your memory are amazing. I think you should have a TV Show and name it "Unforgettable." Wait...

Susan Anderson said...

I think it's cool that you went back to check your old school out. I've done that with my high school and would love to check out my jr. high and elementary schools as well.

Great memories!

=)

grandmapeg said...

What a fun day you had, especially going back to your grade school! I had to laugh at your emergency for buzzing the school nurse, but with that responsibility and your age, I'm sure it did seem like an emergency. I would have loved to see you talking on the phone with your grandma explaining how to make the formula, but I guess that was something new to women her age.

Grandma Honey said...

Darlene~ I'm not sure how I got chosen to work in the office, or if I volunteered or what. But I loved it, except for that day the nurse was mad at me.

With the formula, I remember we had to mix all this stuff up....I think there was canned milk and Karo syrup. Then it all went in these big glass bottles which were put in this huge deep pan with a lid. And we had to boil it all for I don't know how long. There was no powder mixed with water back then.

I hadn't thought of this before now, but perhaps my Grandma panicked that day because her firstborn died at 9 mo old because of spoiled formula. He got sick on a Friday and was dead on Monday. At least they thought it was spoiled formula but I'm not sure they really knew back then.

Rebecca said...

This is such a fun post. I was laughing about the sore throat being an emergency. Funny I forgot about school nurses. We always had one. These days they do not have them at school...budget cuts?

Anonymous said...

My school nurse terrified me because we had to be weighed regularly and have our eyes checked, and she'd always send a note home with me saying I was underweight and needed glasses. I didn't like being evaluated in front of my classmates.
darlene

Grandma Honey said...

Darlene~ There wasn't much respect for children back then. Or parents. The school was in charge and basically did whatever THEY thought was best.

Mar~ said...

I loved this! I went back to my grade school in my early twenties but not since then.
I think grade schools hold such great memories!
This was a fun post. And I think they should have had you talk on the intercom or something...it isn't every day that someone returns many years later to their grade school!

Richard said...

I haven't been back since I finished there 48 years ago, but, thanks to you, I now remember what it looks like. I visited the nurses office once in 5th grade with a badly broken nose playing football at recess. (I was not tough. Kenny Price fell on me and his knee caught me square on the nose!) I think that one probably merited pulling the nurse in from lunch...

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

I laughed at how you walked through your old school letting others know that you were once a student. That is so me. I have been there and done that as they say and I can just see the expression of the others. lol
It is strange for me when I go back to where I was raised and see my old home and then my grandmothers house. Her house really looks so small to me now.
Funny how certain things do stay with us forever. I wrote about an incident that never has left me this week also.
Honey I hope you have a very very special Mother's Day
Love
Maggie

Amy Nielson said...

Is this Wolters Elementary? It looks like it to me but I can't tell for sure.

Grandma Honey said...

Hi Amy! No not Wolters. Vinland! I think they were both built about the same era.

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