Elementary Memories

I had these pictures in a collage box which someone gave me. The pictures are all of me. The one in the upper right is one of the "school pictures" that we were required to have taken each year.  Not sure when the baby picture was taken but the ones in the jumper were taken in the fall of 1946 when I started school.  My great aunt Kate worked at Iowa State University and she arranged for a photographer from there to come and take pictures of my frist day of school.  I was 4 years old.  My birthday was in November and while you were supposed to be 5 when you started school they gave me some tests and I passed them so I could start school at 4. 

It may have been a good thing but I was always a bit younger than the other kids and so was probably immature.  Smart enough but behind the other socially.  Not that I noticed it.  I just went to school and what a school.  Beardshear School in Ames was a great place to attend school.  I went there through 5th grade.  I do not remember my Kindergarten and First grade teacher but my Second Grade teacher was Miss Steele. She was marvelous.

My mother always told the story of how she visited school and came away thinking that Miss Steele was too strict but that I seemed to love her so she didn't say anything.  I am glad she didn't because I did love here and I learned a lot from her, both in and out of the classroom.  

One time when I was in 4th or 5th grade I was walking with Miss Steele along the street after school.  I would walk downtown and meet my mother at Dixon's Drug where I could read comics and have a coke while I waited for Mom.  As we were walking I was walking on the inside.  Miss Steele gently moved me to the street side and told me that a gentleman always walked on the outside so that when the horse and buggy went by the lady would not be splashed by the mud thrown up by the horses. 

(Years later I learned that it was because the night soil would be tossed out from second story windows onto the street and the real protection was so that the lady would not be covered with that disgusting "stuff" as she walked closest to the house and it would pass over her on its way to the curb but Miss Steele's explanation was much more appropriate for an elementary student)

My third grade teacher was Miss Mabee (sp) and she was sweeter (grandmotherly type) and I remember we studied Native Americans and I brought in some trees from the woods to use as tent poles.  In that less politically correct time we studied Indians.

Fourth Grade was Miss Kirby and she read Misty of Chincoteague  (by American author Marguerite Henry) to us.  The book was written in 1947 so it was very new.  I remember that Miss Kirby had the same first name as Mrs. Henry.  She lived on a farm about two miles outside of town and we went on a picnic out there. (Later when I read to my own students they loved it also.  It is truly a timeless story and the illustrations are wonderful)

Fifth grade was taught by two teachers. One of them was also the principal of the school so she taught half the day and the other half was taught by someone else (Mrs Moore, I think).  Miss Carlson was the principal. I was always just a little leery of her.  Guilt probably, I think I was kind of a brat.

My mother remarried (a man named Chuck Jackson) and we moved to Atlantic, Iowa (where I attended Jackson Elementary School) and then Jackson, Nebraska and then back to Ames but to the North side of town so Ginny (my sister who was born in Atlantic) and I went to Gilbert to school. I went by Jay Jackson during this time but never legally changed my name so when it was time to get my driver's license I decided I should go back to using my legal name.

All of these teachers were still around when I came back to Ames in 1969 to teach in the Ames Schools.  In fact Miss Carlson and Miss Steele were still teaching and both of them made it a point to take me up to Walt Hetzel (the Superintendent of Schools) to introduce me to him as one of their students.  It made me feel quite special.. In fact they always made me feel special and that is the true test of a great teacher.  

Thanks for walking down memory lane with me. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. j