August 26, 1981
School starts here today for the local children.
I remember how excited I was about school starting. It was for me a new adventure each year. I attended[,] from 1st grade thru 5th[,] a one room school with one teacher. We loved Mrs. Tennant and tried to do our best.
The enrollment was always low so the year that I was 5 on March 30 I was allowed to enter school in Sept. I had begged to go all the year before. There were only 2 first graders. We would receive instructions and then work together while the teacher worked with other grades. There were possibly 15 to 20 students in the school.
There was a small room off the Main room that was the library. As soon as I could read I would slip off into the library and read anything I could pick up. Reading was a great pastime for a farm child - since there was no outside entertainment we made our own.
We played games such as Andy-over - played with 2 groups - a ball and a low building like a garage or shed. The ball being tossed over the building & back. We played crack the whip - a long line of children holding hands running along and flinging the one on the end off as we picked up speed. Leap-frog & May I. Rover-Rover come on over. This one was played by two lines of children - Each group holding hands. One of the opposing group was called over and tried to break thru the line. There were many others. On warm summer nights just at dusk we would march around the house sing. "ain't no bears out tonight - Daddy killed them all last night." Then one of the older children would slip away and jump out and scare us. Each time it was fun even tho we knew the game. I guess we all wanted to be a little scared but be safe too.
I think that your generation has missed something by having too much outside entertainment. Imagination was our playmates and we made the most of it.