"I Remember My First Day At School"
Well, everyone is asking if I'm going to like school, but after my first visit, I didn't think I would like it at all. Mother and I went over to school, and on arriving I was excited. There was a long line of mothers and children, that extended through the big double doors of the gym. As we got closer, I could hear screaming and crying. We met a mother and two little girls, and they were crying. One was rubbing her arm! My heart raced and I said," Mother what's the matter with them?" She said not to worry, but all of a sudden I'm Scared. I was in line now, where I couldn't see anything. Now that we are inside, the screams are echoing in the big empty gym. I had to look. I peeped around the thigh of the woman in front of me, and two women in white clothes were holding a little boy, and sticking a needle in his arm, and he didn't like it. I said, "Mother, let's go home." She assured me, it was only shots, that all little boys and girls got before they start to school, and that it wouldn't hurt much at all. I found that very hard to believe, and all of a sudden, I couldn't swallow. They were still crying and I was still holding back the tears, but boy, I'm getting closer! Back in line, it seemed I must have been there at least ten years, but now I'm fifth in line, and it seemed like I'm running. Third in line now, I can't swallow, my face is burning, and my eyes are burning and damp. I stood very still, as if I hoped they would not see me. Second in line now, and Mother has to almost scoot my shoes across the floor. I try to swallow again, and just then, my face burned, a cherry red, and I let out a wail, that scared even me! The little boy behind me started crying too. The woman took cotton and touched it to my arm, I thought that even hurt. Boy, I'm really crying now! She brought out a funny looking needle, and had more laying down by the side. I wondered, are they all for me? I was even getting sick at my stomach. One needle looked about five feet long, and I'm sure some were even longer. She brought it up to my arm. Bobby look over there. Bobby look at the bird on this card, but my eyes were staring at that needle, and my neck was fixed, as if I was in a trance. OUCH! I am really crying now! I was even sobbing, like I did one time, when I got a spanking. The nurse said, "I was a good boy," and gave me a picture of a bird. I glanced at the bird, not crying but sobbing, while holding my arm like a wounded cowboy.
On the way out, the rest of the boys and girls, looked as if they were destined for the electric chair. Whew! We are finally outside, and I can breathe better. While I was still feeling indignant, I was getting braver, and really wondering what that was all about, and why had I cried so hard? School might be alright, but I don't think I'm going to go to this one......
Well, the first day of school is here, and my stomach is feeling funny again. Mother had bought me some new clothes, shoes, a tablet and some pencils, and she went with me again. When we got there, there were all sizes of kids this time, and they were laughing and playing. We went up some huge concrete steps and entered a big double door. There was a pretty flag flying out front, and as we got inside, I noticed the place was very clean, but the floors were dark and smelled like kerosene. I went to the first and second grade room and met my teacher. She was very old, at least forty, but she was nice. We didn't stay very long that day, and I met a lot of boys and girls, and now I'm not so worried about my real first day at school.
I look back on my old Gann School House, now with only the fondest of memories. It had a gym, a small lunchroom, and three classrooms. It had steam radiator heat, and two toilets outside. It had a swing set and a big field out back where we would play soft ball. The teacher would ring a bell out the window, when it was time to come inside. I got my first paddling, had my first sweet heart, got in my first fight, and made my first good friend at this school. We let out for cotton chopping and picking, and you always said yes mam and no mam to your teacher. I went to school through the third grade, until they closed my school down. I sure do remember my first day at school.
Written by Bob Wood