I remember my first day, uh hum, 50 years ago. It was at Main Street Elementary school in Yazoo City Mississippi. I don't remember my teachers name because we moved during the Christmas break to a new town. What I do remember about that first semester, was my attempted escape from the school. I don't remember the circumstances but I remember getting to the outside door before I was captured and returned to my cell.... classroom.
We moved to Clarksdale, MS where I again enrolled in my first day in the first grade. My teacher there was Mrs. Jones. She was a great teacher and I can remember her well. Many years later I met her daughter who was attending Mississippi College.
It was in Mrs. Jones class that I met a boy that joined up a day after me. We instantly became inseparable friends for the next three years. That is when we moved again. I wish I could remember the names of all the kids then. I would Google them or see if they were on Facebook. But too many years have passed since those innocent days.
I remember the big fat pencils that you could really hurt someone with if you bopped them on the head. I remember the tablets with the lines and that dotted line so you could learn upper and lower case letters. I remember learning to read, "See Jane Run". I remember we had our own bathroom in the classroom so we didn't have to go down the hall and... escape. Later I wondered if they had them there because many of us were still not quite potty trained. Not me but some. I remember recess on the playground with swings, slides, monkey bars, chase, red rover, football and some crying. A few years ago I had the opportunity to go by that old school again. I looked through the door down the halls. The principle's office is still by the front door. The play ground is still there but more "safe" and in my minds eye I could still see us playing all those games.
Today made me think of Mrs. Jones and how she guided me that first year. She was stern but caring and I hope I will never forget her.
I learned today that Cayden's first grade teacher is a Mrs. Jones. I hope she can make the same impression on him as my Mrs. Jones did on me. If so, he will be alright.
