Our family moved from Madison Heights to Hazel Park in 1960 at the start of my third grade in school. My new teacher at Longfellow Elementary School was Mrs McWaters. I think she must have been in her forties as far as age goes and she was such a nice lady! In an area where most of the teachers and children were Michigan born and bred and Catholic, it was a lovely thing for me to have a Southern woman who went to the Baptist Church as my teacher. It was familiar and comfortable.
I met Rose in Mrs McWaters class along with many other classmates I would keep through the ninth grade until we moved away. I remember bits and pieces about that school year. At Longfellow we went home for lunch everyday. It was only about a block from my house so we'd leave around 11am and have to be back at noon. Seems funny to me now and makes me feel a little sad that most children won't know the joy of coming home for lunch and seeing their mom in the middle of the day as I did. Mom always fixed a hot lunch like Chicken Noodle Soup and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or Chef Boyardee Ravioli and a sandwich with a glass of milk to wash it down. We'd eat and then head back to school for three more hours till we were out for the day.
Since we didn't have a lunchroom at our school our PTA would host hot dog sales every month or so. On the Monday of hot dog sale week, we'd place our order and pay for our hot dogs and milk. Then on Friday Mom would pack a sack with goodies for me to eat along with my hot dog. There'd be a small bag of chips, some cookies and maybe some celery and carrot sticks. Because we could only order our hot dogs plain, or with mustard or ketchup, I'd cut up an onion and wrap it in waxed paper for mine. I LOVED mustard and onion on my hot dog! Our sacks went under our desks until lunch time and as the morning rolled on, my onions smelled stronger and stronger! At first it embarrassed me but Linda Lee told me how good my onions smelled and she started bringing them too. We were the only ones who brought them but at least we weren't alone! After lunch we all filed into the gym and sat on the floor to watch a movie. Hot dog day was a great change from the usual and the PTA made a little money too.
This same year I was chosen to play the Spirit of Christmas in the school play. The dress I wore was beautiful red velvet with white lace hearts all over it. It had been used as a Valentine's Day dress but it was going to do double duty as a Christmas dress for the play. I think Mrs McWaters really chose me because she liked me but there was some controversy about it because I was the new girl. A mother or two thought Mrs McWaters should choose someone who'd been at the school a longer time. She defended her choice but finally used the argument that I was the best fit for the dress. So much for being well-liked.
I worked hard to learn my lines and I didn't really care how I'd gotten the part. I was chosen. The only line I still remember is the first one. I said it strongly and surely. "I am the Spirit of Christmas." For those few moments in the spotlight on that stage in our elementary school gymnasium I felt as though I really were the Spirit of Christmas!
There were no paddlings, no yelling at me, no trouble with Mrs McWaters in the third grade. I was a happy camper at Longfellow Elementary in 1960/61. It was a very good year.
No comments:
Post a Comment