Thursday, March 1, 2018

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:



When I became of age for kindergarten, my mother took me to register and left. I began crying and the teacher tried to calm me down. I persisted that I wanted to go home.

My mother was surprised to see me. I told her why I was home. This was a half day system at the time. So she informed me that she would take me again in the morning. She did and I showed up at the house again. About the 4th or 5th time, my mother was told that it would be better to keep me at home. I was not ready for school.

The following September my mother took me to school. First grade. This time I stayed.

Miss Mulledy was a beautiful person. I went home after school  was out and bragged about the teacher. I fell for her and suggested to my mother that she invie my teacher for dinner. And she came to school and invited her to lunch.

I was one proud boy when I walked beside the teacher for the short walk up to the street.

At that time, we had a dining room and we had lunch, pasta, teacher enjoyed it. She loved the gas lamp. It was beautiful. [ed: in an earlier post, Dad talked about the dining room light have a stained-glass shade like a Tiffany lamp]. We had to break up the dining room as our family grew and used it as a bedroom for the children.

Prior to this we also had to double up. Aunt Amelia got sick and she had children. Junior, the oldest was sent to one relative, and the other two, Gloria and Rudolph were sent to our house. Uncle Vincent would not have them with other relations. My mother took them in. And had a problem with Rudolph as he kept wetting the bed. It caused her more work.

My first grade ended nicely and I was promoted to the second grade. I did not take a liking to my 2nd. grade teacher. Anyway, I came down with yellow jaundice and stayed out a good part of the year. Actually most of the school year.

I stayed at home recovering and went back in September when school opened. Since I missed a good part of the year, I had to repeat the second grade.

The rest of my school years were just so so. From Daniel Webster I went to Samuel Adams for the rest of the grammar years.

It was not too far from the house and I went home for lunch. And then back again for the rest of the day.

15 comments:

  1. I like the idea of falling for the teacher in first grade, we had an old harridan who smacked us all the time! Have a nice day, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Your first grade teacher must have been the twin of the nun I had in first grade :-D

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  2. And thanks for introducing me to Chubsy Ubsy....

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    1. You're welcome. I just loved the clip of Chubsy having a crush on Miss Crabtree.

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  3. Had to laugh at Chubsy Ubsy. Nice to know boys still will be boys.

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    1. I thought Dad might have acted all goofy when he was around his favorite teacher

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  4. CJ; I would be hard pressed to think of a teacher I enjoyed; maybe first and third. I went to catholic school and some of the nuns were just plain nasty; for lack of a more "polite" word. truth. sorry to learn dad contracted jaundice; that's some bad stuff ~~~~~~~ ♥♥

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    1. I spent 8 years at St. Pat's Prison aka St. Patrick's School. The order of nuns who taught us were the Sisters of St. Joseph, a French order. They weren't as bad as Carmelite nuns, but they were quick on the draw with the rulers. The first grade nun, The Beak, was a witch and should never have been allowed to teach small children. In 3rd grade, I had a lay teacher. We didn't like her either. Most of the other ladies meant well. Everybody loved the nun who cooked for the convent. You would always volunteer to do an errand that involved going to the convent as Sr. Cook would always give you a treat. She made the best popcorn balls.

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  5. How things have changed! Can you imagine a kindergartener walking home ALONE these days? :o

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    1. I'm still amazed from last week's episode that the ER didn't question a 10 year old walking in to be stitched without parents or parental consent. Yup, times have changed.

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  6. I'm glad your dad enjoyed the first grade and wish the others had been more fun for him. Grade school can be tough.

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    1. Dad was wicked smart. I think the problem he had in school was he was bored.

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  7. I had a crush on my French teacher. He was a sweetheart. I love Chubsy Ubsy! Your dad sounded really cute with his teacher! Sorry he was sick!

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  8. Can you image a kindergarten child leaving school and walking home today? The police would be called in for certain. Hope you don't have to go out tomorrow and can stay in and dry. We are getting some rain, maybe a bit of snow, but not like at the coast. Stay dry, and hope it is all rain for both of us. Hugs-Erika

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  9. Glad your dad had a good first grade experience.
    I think falling for her was the best thing that could happen:) So scary about the jaundice in 2nd grade.
    My first grade teacher was a horrible, moody creature that left me traumatized.

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