My Schooldays

I remember my first day at kindergarten in September, 1957, very well for some reason. I was more intensely curious and excited than I was fearful. I attended Poupard Elementary School in Harper Woods, Michigan, and my kindergarten teacher was Patricia Gorman ("Miss Pat") who was a kind and wonderful human being--one of my most memorable teachers. Sadly, "Miss Pat" died in December 2002 from cancer, having taught at Poupard school for 39 years.

I think one of the most vivid memories of my first day at school was the intense smell given off by the large vat of grey modelling clay in the "art" corner of our room. The room itself was absolutely huge and very bright and cheery due to a very large semi-circular window made of glass bricks. To this day, I can immediately conjure up that smell of modelling clay!

I had an unusual start at school. for one thing I use to read comic books at age four....but by age five...my mother was going to my church kindergarden because I insisted I was talking to God there, and she was wondering whom I was really talking to, then came elemetary school and I started that off by being an what is now called an "speed reader"...so I spent two years learning how NOT to do that....as teachers sat near me and wached my eye movements so they could determine I was reading "word for word" of text. I had an lot of hard classes growing up as they often made me take more advanced classes, but I enjoyed some pretty interesting teachers along the way. We also had to walk to and from school everyday...better then an mile. I was taking my son to school by car one day and reminded him and his firends of that, as I said I had to walk to school everyday at your age....one piped up...In the snow waist deep...another one chimed in ...with holey leggings and brown soggy lunch bag...and the other one said....probably naked in early fall, with just an pee-chee folder....and everyone was laughing...I was saying to them..out of the car..Go.. go... learn something for the day!!!...Kids.