School days.
When I first started going to school I hated it. We had to walk about 2 miles to catch the bus. I know that sounds like those tales you hear, but it REALLY is the truth in my case! I didn't mind the walking out to catch the bus, I just hated school. I can't recall why exactly now, it's been so long ago. Back then you didn't go to pre-school or kindergarten like you do now. When you became 6 years old you just went to school. Our cousins lived back there too, so we all usually walked out together. We lived at the very end of the road. They lived about 1/2 mile from us, so they didn't have as far to walk.
I remember one day we walked out and we were waiting for the bus. The mailboxes were at the end of the road (since the mailman didn't drive up there either), and we waited for the bus about 200 yards from where the mailboxes were, in front of another house. I did not want to go to school. I kept after my cousin and wanting to race to the mailboxes. Finally I talked him into it and we raced to the mailboxes. Only thing was, when I got to the road heading home I hit it at full speed and I headed home! I was not going to school! My Mom said I did that about 3 times. There was a cornfield in front of the house. She said that she would see my blonde head darting around in the cornfield and then she knew that I had slipped back home and didn't want to go to school!
Finally my Dad had a little talk with me. He told me that he could not make me go to school, but he could sure make me sorry that I didn't go! I knew what that meant and my Dad never ever gave me a whipping, but just one look from him was all it took! I went to school from then on and didn't slip back home anymore.
I remember one day we walked out and we were waiting for the bus. The mailboxes were at the end of the road (since the mailman didn't drive up there either), and we waited for the bus about 200 yards from where the mailboxes were, in front of another house. I did not want to go to school. I kept after my cousin and wanting to race to the mailboxes. Finally I talked him into it and we raced to the mailboxes. Only thing was, when I got to the road heading home I hit it at full speed and I headed home! I was not going to school! My Mom said I did that about 3 times. There was a cornfield in front of the house. She said that she would see my blonde head darting around in the cornfield and then she knew that I had slipped back home and didn't want to go to school!
Finally my Dad had a little talk with me. He told me that he could not make me go to school, but he could sure make me sorry that I didn't go! I knew what that meant and my Dad never ever gave me a whipping, but just one look from him was all it took! I went to school from then on and didn't slip back home anymore.
posted by Rachel at 1:37 PM
17 Comments:
It's so interesting Rachel...I hated school, too...ALL twelve years of it! And the only time in my life that I loved going to school and looked forward to it every day was when I was in Drama School, in NYC...I LOVED that, cause it was what I really wanted to do, and every class was interesting to me...
What do you think it was for you that you didn't like school? I do think it was because I was a slow learner and had to take so many courses I wasn't interested in...My favorite classes in Scholl were, Art, Music & Orchestra...ALL things that I still love!
You had quite a long way to walk just to get to the bus!!! What would you do on Terrible Rainy Days and Terrible Snowy Days, too???
OOLOTH - When the weather was too bad with snow/ice we didn't go and usually school was cancelled anyway. If it was rainy then usually one of the Dad's would drive us out there.
I don't know why I didn't like it. I think it was just new for me and I was very shy and I perferred to be at home playing!!
Rachel
Sorry but that really made me laugh. Even though I don't know you I can see you skipping down the road on your why home not thinking a thing about it.
Nice story.
Ralph
Great story! Amazing how much impact our dads can have, huh? One word from him and you quit ditching school. Sorry school wasn't fun for you. :o(
Well, well, Rachel. Aren't you the sly one. Dad's have a way of making crystal clear points. You're lucky to have had such a Dad.
I was luckier, I only had to walk a mile and I was at school. No busses in our district.
I liked school because that was a relief from doing farm work.
Our daughter, Karen, liked riding the bus best, recess next, then lunch. I think little kids are like that.
Our newest third grade granddaughter likes school. Reading, writing, and drawing are her favorites, she likes math the least.
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Interesting how different people react to school. I loved school and was very impatient to go. I was not able to go until I was 6 as we were in the country. Yes it was a 2 mile walk if I took the roads but as soon as I could, I went cross-country through the fields and along the creek. Math says it should have been about a mile but I am sure it was well over 2 miles at times as I wandered about on the way home. Not only did I stay in school until after college graduation, but I also continued to take part time courses. I think I have only missed one or possibly two years in the last 57 without being in school for at least part of the year. Yes, I was a school teacher for much of my career but I still kept taking courses on the side. There is still so much to learn that I always want more. Oh, I have to leave the computer to work on the course for tomorrow and to plan for that school trip to Malta later this year and . . .
Oh you forgot that the snow was six feet deep on that walk ..... LOL
We all have such vivid memories. I only hated the second grade - had a teacher I did not like - Ms. Jennings. Funny how I can remember that name and not my first grade teacher.
You were such a rebel!
I liked school, but some kids just hate it. My son went to public school for his elementary years, and he made up every imaginable excuse to stay home. My daughter liked school and rarely wanted to stay home. Once we started homeschooling, there was no way to escape school.
LOL! (Old man voice: "In MY day, we had to WALK to school! 20 miles! Each way! Through 10 feet of snow! Barefoot! In the dark! With wolves hunting us! etc., etc." ;o)
That's a cute scene/image you described, of your mom seeing your little blonde head running around in the cornfield! :o)
Dad's have a way of straightening you out sometimes. My Dad's "way to make me sorry" was to make like he was going to take off his belt and give me a whoopin'.
But, as you said about your Dad, I never remember actually ever being hit by that belt. Ever. Neither did my brother or sisters. But all he had to do was touch his belt buckle and we stopped whatever it was that he didn't like us doing.
I loved school. Every year, year after year. I just loved it.
I think it's normal for every kid not to want to go to school. Very few kids do. I for one didn't like going to school but like your father my dad found a way to make us go.
It's funny how parents differ in disciplining their children. My father was the quiet type but one look and it says all. It was up to ours to make the choice but it did give us a moral lesson......choice not chance, determines human destiny.
That Karen. She has always wanted to be in charge. Now she is a manager already at her new job so something is working.
That's a good story. Your Dad sounds nice.
And you were a somewhat sneaky little kid, tee,hee..
I loved school. Like Jim says, it was a break from all the farm work.
This is a nice story...very vivid.
I was ambivalent about school. My mom was a teacher at the high school, so I could never get away with cutting. I did well at school, but I think it was mostly out of fear of failure rather than really liking it.
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