School #14 - It's A New World

The first school that I attended was Indianapolis Public School #14.  It was late summer of 1953 when my mother took me to register.  It was a big brick building.  We walked up the steps and went in.  The kindergarten room was to the left and I walked in holding my mother's hand.  The teacher told me that I could look around the room while she and my mother talked.  At the back left corner was a play kitchen with sink, play stove, dolls - there was a lot of pink. Along the back wall towards the other corner were blocks, toy cars and trucks.  There were shelves of paperback books, paints, paper, rugs and easels standing up.  Plastic aprons and musical instruments like bells, triangles - all sorts of wonderful toys.  There was a blackboard that had the alphabet with a capitol letter and a small letter from A to Z and numbers.  It was a big room with a wood floor and wooden chairs to sit on.

I went over to the building blocks and toy cars and played with those while my mother and teacher were talking - school was going to be so much fun.  I was growing up.......

It was September 1, 1953 and my first day of school had arrived.  I was so excited to go to school and play with all the wonderful toys.  I just wished my brother could go with me, but he couldn't because he was too young.  There was a lady cross guard at the corner of State St and Ohio St.  She made sure the cars stopped so we could cross the street.  I walked down Ohio and turned north on Arsenal Ave and then continued on Ohio St. again.  I walked by a catholic school with a church.  It was called Holy Cross.  It was surrounded with a wrought iron fence - seemed very mysterious.  I arrived at School 14.  I went in and turned left into the Kindergarten room.
 

The teacher was there greeting the kids.  Her name was Nancy Highland (this is a picture of her).  There were lots of kids in the room and I didn't know anyone.  All of a sudden, I felt very alone and was really afraid to talk.  When we were able to go play with the toys, I wanted to go play with the blocks and cars.  But, I was told to go play in the kitchen with the other girls.  Boys played with the blocks and cars and girls played in the kitchen.  I was not a happy camper.  I follow directions and didn't throw a fit or anything, but I didn't understand why we all couldn't play with all the toys.  That was how my brother and I played.  My mother never told us we could only play with certain toys.

I think my favorite thing was painting pictures on the easel.  We had to wear the plastic aprons to paint.  We also got in a  circle and walked around playing the different instruments.  I wanted to play the triangle, but don't think I got to play it too much.  I really was afraid to say anything.  But, there were some cute boys in my class.  I never went through that "I hate boys" stage.  We also had to take a nap.  That was what those little rugs were for.  Everyone got a rug and laid it on the wooden floor and we were suppose to nap.  The teacher turned the lights off so the only light was the light coming in through the windows.  There was no way that I could sleep - I just laid there until it was time to get up, folded my rug up and put it back on the shelf.

I did meet my best friend that I had while I went to School #14.  She was very pretty and nice.  She had a very nice smile and beautiful curly hair.  Her name was Kathryn Campbell.  We started walking back and forth to school with each other.  Katie lived on Walcott, about 2 blocks from my house.  When she reached State St., we would walk the rest of the way to school together.  Because we lived so far from each other, we couldn't play together all that much.  If I went to her house, my mother would walk me down to Walcott and then watch me until I got to her house.  Neither one of us were allowed to go to each other's house unless someone watched us.  But, even though we couldn't play together a lot, we considered ourselves best friends.

And, because of Facebook, we have been able to reconnect.  It is so cool reconnecting with childhood friends that we really cared about and considered best friends.

My brother, sister and I found all of our report cards that my mother had saved.  I'm going to say this now, but I believe we were very fortunate that our mother was a hoarder.  She saved everything and it is so cool to go through all of these fantastic mementos.  I didn't remember what my teachers had written on my report cards.  Some of the comments really surprised me.
The 1st report from Ms Highland read:  "Donna is a quiet child and has found it very difficult to adjust to the group situations of Kindergarten.  However, she is slowly taking her place as an individual and as a member of the group."   Really Ms. Highland?  Well, I would have found it much easier if I had been allowed to play with the blocks and cars.

2nd report:  "Donna is becoming more cooperative and participates in all activities.  She has overcome her fear of school."   Well, I really didn't have a choice now, did I.

3rd report:  "Donna has adjusted very well to school.  She has learned self control and group participation.  She is now ready for the first grade."  Did she just say that I didn't have self control?  What was that all about?  I would have never, ever disobeyed a teacher or anyone else.  I was scared to death of adults and people I didn't know.  I never talked back to teachers.  Oh well,  I was only going to kindergarten for the first semester and now I was going into the first grade.  First grade - I won't have to play in the pink kitchen anymore............AND I was now a midtermer. 

Life Lessons for School Pictures

School pictures happen every year. Back when I was in grade school, you only had your picture taken once a year. Now they are taken twice a year. It is really stressful for girls - hair; what dress should I wear; remember not to blink; do I have any milk or cracker crumbs on my face; don't touch my hair. I was 5 going on 6......endless worries. Our class lines up in single file and we walk to the gym. The boys start playing around and you are trying to keep them from touching your hair. Then some adult hands you a comb. Everyone gets one. No mirror? You're not sure if you need to comb your hair or not. The stress is unbearable ................... For my first school picture which was my kindergarten picture, I

wore a pretty dress with some lace. Put on my favorite necklace - it was gold with red stones - beautiful. I had curled my hair with pin curls the night before, so my hair was curly. Now I was being lead to the stool - it was my turn. I sat down on a stool, they said: "look at the camera" and I'm thinking 'don't blink'
Weeks later we get our school pictures and voila, this is my kindergarten picture for the 53-54 school year. I thought it was pretty cool...................

Life Lesson - How to Make Your Eyes Sparkle for Picture Taking

It was the 54-55 school year. I was going into the second semester of the 1st Grade (remember, I am a mid-termer) and school pictures were about to begin. I was 6, soon to be 7. I had the hair curling down pat - just twirl my hair around my finger, slip off and bobby pin it. Then, my mother asked me if I knew how to make my eyes sparkle for when I got my school picture taken. I told her that I thought carrots made your eyes sparkle. She just laughed and said, Donna Jo, let me show you how to make your eyes sparkle. So the lesson began............
My mother said, just look at an object and blur your vision without shutting your eyes. Sort of like when you are mad and giving someone that 'look' except smile, but just a little. Or, quint without shutting your eyes. So, I practiced and with her guidance, perfected my 'sparkle' eye look.

Picture day was still stressful. Trying not to let my hair get messed up. Remember to make my eyes sparkle and for heaven sakes, don't blink. Got in single file and headed for the gym. Boys start goofing around - really! Don't they ever grow up? Weeks later, I receive my 1st grade school pictures. Took them home and Mother opened the packet. My 1st grade picture was my best school picture ever. As you can see, my eyes sparkled......... 

Now it is the 55-56 school year and it's that time again - school pictures.........I was much older and wiser, after all, I was going into the 2nd semester of 2nd grade. I realized that gaudy jewelry might be a bit much so no jewelry for me. Maybe my hair was a bit too curly last year so I went for the bigger curls. And, just maybe I would smile a little bigger this time.

So off to school I went, all dressed up for my school picture. Soon, it was time to head for the gym. Got in single file (the boys still acted stupid), but I could not wait to get my free comb.  
Yes, a free comb. Kept thinking, please remember - don't let my eyes blink. Set on the stool and looked at the camera. Whoops, think I forgot to make my eyes sparkle, but at least I didn't blink. Several weeks later, got my packet and took it home to my mother. Here is my 2nd grade picture.