Saturday, September 8, 2012

Different Seventh Grade Memories

Having fun today browsing through old West Middlesex year books from 1965 and 1966. I thought I had later ones as I wanted to see someone's senior picture from 1969, but alas, I only have those two old ones of my brother. I love it because, my brother, according to the autographs was sweet, cool, nutty and they all had a lot of fun in seventh period study hall, in fact it was crazy. Katie glanced at them with me and asked, "What does R.M.A. mean?" Oh, dear. Remember me always.
The 1965 book showcased old pictures and I wondered at first why they went with that theme. Then I saw one with student council's float for the centennial. Oh, yes, West Middlesex was settled in 1864. I kept seeing pictures, showing David, "This could be in my novel." Ah, any illustrators want to help?
I pointed out all the teachers I had ten years later. In some ways, my school years lagged enough behind my sisters' and brother's that I seldom was compared, like poor Danny had been on his first days of seventh grade. The 1965 year book showed him in seventh grade. A tiny boy as Mom described him, trying hard.
I remember when he was around this age, well, fourteen and fifteen, getting up at four to check his muskrat traps. He also delivered the Pittsburgh Post early in those mornings. He is a hard worker.
I just read a post on Christopher Columbus and genius.http://dreamingbeneaththespires.blogspot.com/2012/09/in-which-i-am-surprised-by-christopher.html Kids test in genius range when they are five, then it goes down and down in formal education. Dan, I think, fell in that category with the school system not meeting his potential. He now reads and not fluff books. Mom always said if they had had Vo-tech when he was a teen-ager, she felt he would have done much better. I think if we could have been home schooled, because my parents promoted learning in so many ways, we all could have done better. We had the World Book Encyclopedias. As I mentioned in my travel posts,  Dad would drive out of his way if we were interested or studying something near. We learned in the best possible way, with love and experience, encouraging learning. 
I remember Dan taking my plastic horses and creating a whole knight diorama. I watched in fascination to see my horses transformed. He had Lincoln logs that he used for some other project. I did resent slightly that our toys had to become projects. I admired Dan, so I allowed it.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with this puppy. Learn on, any way you can? Teach your kids as in a delightful environment. I'm a home school advocate, but I never had the privilege and my children did well with the school system. I'm proud of our school district and the opportunities afford my children. I always believed schooling started at home and the main responsibility is the parents. Modern day life makes this harder. But maybe not really, as a few generations ago, parents maybe didn't read or finish high school. My dad didn't, yet he was a very intelligent, wise man.
Life every day is learning. Reaching out for new knowledge to satisfy a thirst. Continue to learn.

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