Girls wore dresses to school. The only time we could wear pants was when we had a field day. But just because I had to wear a dress did not slow me down when it came to recess. I think I must have been pretty rambunctious. There was a tall metal slide in the play yard. I would run up the slide from the bottom and slide back down on my stomach. One day I was doing this and I lost my footing and fell over the slide and hit the concrete. I think it might have knocked me out. I got a pretty good bump on the head. Another time I was chasing a ball and it rolled down a small hill to a parking area where teachers parked their cars. As I chased the ball I slipped on the gravel and fell into the bumper of one of the cars and hit my face just below my eye and got a pretty good cut. I had to have several stitches. The Doctor told my Mother that after the stitches came out I should rub the scar with cod liver oil and it would help it to heal and not leave a scar. He was right but I can still smell that horrible cod liver oil. Towards the end of my third grade I got very ill. The Doctors said it was a very bad kidney infection. I had to miss the last three or four weeks of school. I remember that my back hurt very much. The Doctor also told me I should not drink carbonated drinks. They would harm my kidneys. For years I only drank orange non carbonated drinks.
I learned to play softball in the fourth grade. I loved to play at school. I think I was a pretty good hitter. I could almost always hit a home run. Also, in the fourth grade we learned how to square dance. My Fourth grade teacher Mr. Bauer and my Fifth grade teacher Mr. Adams both belonged to square dancing groups. So I guess they thought it was a good thing to teach the kids.
The restrooms were in the basement of the West Elementary and the boys restroom windows faced the play ground. When I was in the sixth grade I guess for some reason I thought it would be funny to kick at the window when I saw a boy come into the room. So for a few days I would kick at the window and then run away. One day I kicked too hard and the window broke and glass flew up and cut me. I also had to go to the principal’s office. I thought for sure I was going to get the dreaded paddle. But he told me I would have to pay for the window. I had to stay after school and work. I don’t remember how long I had to work but I guess it all turned out OK. I never kicked the boys bathroom window again. After this incident my sixth grade teacher remarked to me “What happened to you Barbara you were such a sweet little girl when I student taught you in the second grade.” I did not remember her and I had no answer for her.
Once a week after school, we would go to Primary. When I was really young we went to the old College Ward. My Aunt Wanda was often the song leader. She was very enthusiastic. I can still see her in my minds eye encouraging us to sing. There are some of the songs in the hymn book today that every time we sing them I am reminded of Aunt Wanda. Then when I was in the Fourth or Fifth Grade, our ward was divided and we moved to a new building that was just north of our street at the end of the College alfalfa field. My Dad was called to be the Bishop. He served in that position for nine years. I was working at the Grand Canyon North Rim in 1964 when Mom and Dad came and surprised me and then he told me that he had been released. Men are rarely allowed to stay in that position for more that five years today.
Sounds like school didn’t change much in Cedar city, no matter when you went!. I was 4 years ahead of you and I learned to square dance in 4th and 5th grade, only it was Mrs. Ford (4th) and Mr. Adams (5th) who were my teachers. Did you have the store in 5th grade and sell boondogle to the kids during recess and after school? That was the best part of being in Mr. Adams 5th grade when I was there. Also I remember that he had us take an imaginary trip around the world for social studies, writting, and math. We had to keep a journal and figure out mileages and times and describe things about the countries and places we visited. I thought that was so much fun. I also loved playing ball and was a good hitter but I couldn’t catch the ball no matter how hard I tried…I think I was scared to death that it would hurt. Why didn’t we have some gloves? I’m pretty sure I didn’t have as many scratches and scrapes as you did, though. My worst experience was in 2nd grade when i ran all over the school grounds writing, I love MacNeil Boyter on the sidewalk with chalk. We had a substitute teacher that day and MacNeil went and told her what I had done and I got in trouble and she made me try to clean up everywhere I had written it. I’m sure i would never had done such a mean thing if Mrs. Luke had been there that day because I loved her so much that I never wanted to be disobedient. I just wanted to be teacher’s pet all the time!
Do you remember playing “Mother May I?” on the steps of the old College Ward Building while we were waiting for Primary to start? That was my favorite part of primary way back then. Gosh, you have my memory banks overloaded today.
Thanks.
Love the blog! some great information, The Grand Canyon is just breathtaking, I’ve rafted through it many times now and each time is still as special as the first! Some of the rapid highlights for me are Hermit, Granite, Horn Creek and Lava FallsI’ve bookmarked your blog so will be back. Thanks