RevGals Friday Five: Back to School

I always loved going back to school in the fall, so I thought I'd play this week's edition of the RevGals Friday Five:

1. What is your earliest memory of school? I remember lots of things from pre-school, actually. I remember the one day that I got to stay all day for pre-school instead of a half day, which meant I got to eat lunch there. I remember playing with the plastic cash register, and I remember the playground.

2. Who was a favorite teacher in your early education? I loved my third grade teach, Miss Brudette. Not many of the kids liked her - she had a reputation for being mean - but I thought she was great, and she really pushed me to do things that were challenging. Of course, my kindergarten teacher was also great - Mrs. Merrill - all of my siblings had her. I still see her sometimes around the area.

3. What do you remember about school “back then” that is different from what you know about schools now? When I went, the school system was K-6, 7-9, 10-12. Now it is K-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12. That seems pretty strange to me.

4. Did you have to memorize in school? If so, share a poem or song you learned. Sure, but I remember mostly from kindergarten when we had the Maypole dance: "Cheep, Cheep, why do the birds sing cheep, cheep? Why do the birds sing cheep, cheep? The birds all sing cheep, cheep, cheep because it's spring!" Or "Bend and stretch, reach for the stars, there goes Jupiter, there goes Mars..."

5. Did you ever get in trouble at school? Were there any embarrassing moments you can share? Hardly ever. I was pretty much a goody-goody. In first grade, we were writing the Pledge of Allegiance, and I tore my paper, and the teacher made me start all over again. And the second time, my left hand margin was slowly creeping in, so she made me start all over a third time, and I had to go to gym late, and I was crying. Note: She was not in my favorite teachers list! Then, in fifth grade, I actually got in a fight with a girl at recess, and we had to sit in the cafeteria during recess for like a week - and we became good friends for a while after that!