Back to School Friday Five

"My late mother-in-law thought of September as the “real" New Year because of the number of programs and classes starting. By Labor Day, school is back in session for most of us in the U.S., although there is great variation by region (my children don't return until Sept. 7th!). To mark this, we bring you the Back to School Friday Five."

My note: the kids down here returned to school August 8. What a difference!

1. What is your earliest memory of school?

I remember kindergarten at Solomon Peirce Elementary School in Arlington, Massachusetts (1924-2001 and since rebuilt). I remember where a cute olive colored dress that had stick figures on it and things like "1+1=2" and "ABC" in kid scrawl and my teacher thought it was so cute, she took me around to other classrooms to show me off. I was so embarrassed! I remember many other things as well, including eating paste, rubber boots and snow pants under dresses (because girls still couldn't wear pants to school in the early 60s.)

2. Who was a favorite teacher in your early education?

My 4th grade teacher, Muriel Fortes, will always be my favorites. She always felt very strongly that I should "be" who I was, become a writer and call myself "Victoria" instead of "Vicki."

3. What do you remember about school “back then” that is different from what you know about schools now?

We would have never been so disrespectful of our teachers the way kids get away with today; punishment was more severe and often physical. And how come kids don't get milk mid-morning anymore?

4. Did you have to memorize in school? If so, share a poem or song you learned.

In elementary school, we were often memorizing things. My class in 2nd and 3rd grade had to memorize "The Age of Aquarius" one year and "Up, Up and Away (in my beautiful balloon) another to sing to the school. I also had to memorize a poem in 5th grade and I learned "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Byron.

5. Did you ever get in trouble at school? Were there any embarrassing moments you can share?

My most embarrassing moment was in 2nd grade when I got in trouble for trying to switch lunchboxes with my friend. Before lunch, she decided she'd rather switch back and started pushing my lunchbox forward with her toe. As it was my lunchbox, I got in trouble. I had to stand in the corner, which was next to a shared door with another classroom. It was humiliating enough but then the teacher next door suddenly flung the door open to saying something to my teacher and the door hit me in the back of the head. I never got in trouble again until high school.