Candy Time

As a young child., I went to Jackson Local School in Jackson County in southern Ohio. The school and our home were located in the rolling foothills of Appalachia. We lived in the country far apart from other families on Tick Ridge. The school was our social life. The friends were great, and I loved the writing and math workbooks. Before I started 1st grade, I was allowed to go on a one day trial for the first grade with my older sisters. A high point in my life was the day when Mrs. Gahm opened the Big Look and See reader on the easel, and I learned to read the word "look". The world was opened. One day, Mrs. Gahm asked me to write my name on the blackboard. To me, writing meant cursive versus printing, and I wrote Sue in cursive. She was displeased but I had practiced with my sisters and knew how to do it. I quickly found that 1st graders only print their words. We practiced our printing on squares of paper cut from grocery bags. Although most students had yellow tablets, that paper was saved for important work. The teacher gave us stamps and stickers according to the seasons for excellent work. Mrs. Gahm kept her handkerchief down the front of her dress.

 In 2nd grade, I had Mrs. Essex as a teacher. We learned counting to 1000 and adding and subtraction. I used to take my workbook home on the weekends to do pages ahead. Recess also became important as I learned to socialize with other kids. Mrs. Essex had a daughter, Nancy, one year older than me whose dresses were passed to me. Jackpot for pretty dresses with under slips with bells. I still have the dresses in a trunk.

 In 3rd grade, I was taught geography, health and multiplication by Mrs. Betz who was short and stern. In geography, we studied Eskimos and became familiar with China on the other side of the world. As we stood in line for the bus, I became adept at the memorization of the times tables. 3rd graders were eligible for candy time after afternoon recess. In the principal’s office, candies and snacks were displayed on a wooden rack. For a dime, I bought small boxes of stick pretzels wrapped in cellophane. The first time I ate pretzels.

 Although shy, I was a good student. The reading and math and pretzels were the beginning of me knowing the world.