Sept. 05, 2002 - 19:25 PDT

THE WONDERING JEW

School Again

Mama adjusted their wardrobe for the new semester some time ago and just a day or two ago, school started here, once again just before fall. There are huge differences between then and now of course, but the atmosphere and excitement is pretty much the same as it was for me years ago.

Junior high school then and middle school now. (junior high school with the ninth grade knocked off.) When we got to ninth grade in junior high school we were repeatedly told that we were in our first year of high school, but our questions as to why then, "Were we in a junior high school building ?"only got the answer, "Because that's the way it is." And so it was, maybe because the school board somewhere in the stone age decreed that it would be so. I hated getting answers like that then and still do. I had one teacher in junior high who could and would answer my, "why," questions thus helping me make a passing greade in Math. Once I knew the "why" of something then it was in my head.

Our grandson is twelve years old, in seventh grade. He has a man's height and pretty much the weight is big boned and with strength greater than a sedentary desk jockey. There is football in seventh grade. Something unheard of in my day. Back then football was in high school and college. Our grandson is going to be a footballer this year and has been playing basketball for some time now. He is excited with the new thing of course.

He likes all his teachers and lucked out in getting the electives he wants so is on cloud nine right now.

His sister, a sweet nine year old lady goes to a school where half day is devoted to French. Science and Math are taught in French and the kids have to speak French in class work. She has been this school almost from the beginning and is completely happy and enthusiastic about it. I expect that she will continue her French though school and possibly picking up another language in High school. There are some things she doesn't have to be taught in school, kindness, love, diplomacy and more. I would love to be around to see how they do in their adult lives.

Both grands have the zest and desire to learn, which will help them learn more at a faster rate with greater retention than if they were lackadaisical and disinterested. Their Mom and Dad see that things go in the right direction and are great parents who I am sure will guide them over the rough spots that come, as they have in the past.

I am so glad to be here once more when they start their fall semester in school. Summer is pretty well over and they have been looking forward toward the start of school once more. It helps me to go back to that age with a new semester on my tongue with the enthusiasm I once had. Oh, to be back once again with a mind half full and yearning to fill it with much more knowledge.

I meander back in my life to when I was in school. My elementary school was about two blocks away, a very functional modern (at that time).

My junior high was just a little over a half block from our house. It was the original South High School building, a building of stone, carved in places, quite ornate and interesting to me, a building of three stories which seemed to tower above the neighborhood. The interior of the building was wood, wood, wood. It had a grand staircase winding up through the middle of the building with beautiful bannisters. New teachers for me a bit different from the ones in elementary school, most of whom I grew to like and a few I grew to love. I ran into one teacher there who scoped my mentality and had the patience and skill to answer all my, "why ?" questions which enabled me to pass that math class. I miss him yet today.

Denver back then was sneered at as being a, "Cow Town," thus being beneath contempt by easterners. But for its size it had many elementary schools and five high schools. North, East, West and South high schools. The fifth school was Manual High School which I think was originsally called Manual Training High School. That school was originally begun to teach the Trades such as carpentry, bricklaying and other skills. When I started high school though, it had the same curriculum as the other high schools. There were enough schools in town to educate the young as they came along.

Back then the knowledge that the fall of the year was close by as was the start of school hovered about us adding to the anticipation that all of us young folk had.

In spirit I am once again glad to be back in School Again . . . . . . . . . .

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