Things I learned at School

I attended 5th and 6th grade at Melrose Elementary, which was about a half mile from our house. That seemed to be a time of self discovery for me, as the things I learned there didn't come from the text books or the teacher. Being a very shy student, I didn't normally invite attention, but at this time in my life it came to me anyway. I discovered it wasn't so bad to be noticed!

I could run very fast! During recess and PE we sometimes ran relays and races, and to my amazement I could outrun the other girls and most of the boys, too! Mom always said I could never sit still (she said I had “ants in my pants”), so it felt good to take off and run. I ran from activity to activity during recess times, which helped me form a nice relationship with the school nurse. She would see me hobble in and say, “Again?” A little coordination along with speed might have helped me avoid all the bandaids on my knees.

I was one of the best tether ball players in the school! Dad put in a tether ball pole on our home playground, so I spent a lot of time practicing until I perfected the skill of being able to control the ball equally well with my left or right hand. Most kids favored a certain side, but I could play from either side and win. How I loved stepping into the circle, waiting for just the right moment to take control of the ball and then wrap it quickly and tightly above the heads of my opponents. It was even more fun to let the game go on a little bit, so the other player thought they had a chance to win, before making the moves that would end their turn. Sometimes I did lose, and it was a good thing...otherwise no one would want to challenge me! (By 7th grade, in Portland, I was nearly unbeatable!)

I discovered reading for pleasure! My family didn't go to any libraries that I can remember, so it was exciting to me that the classrooms in Melrose Elementary had shelves full of books that could be borrowed and taken home. It was wonderful! One of my favorites was the Nancy Drew Mysteries. I always wished I could be more like Nancy....so smart and brave, and confident about herself.

One of the fun things I discovered during that time period was that I could draw very well. I had always liked to doodle, so much so that one of my early grade school teachers had boldly written this comment on my report card: “Dorothy spends too much time drawing!” By 6th grade my doodles were attracting attention from my peers. I liked to draw ridiculous cartoons of the kids in our class, and they begged for more every day. When the teacher chose me to illustrate maps to hang on the wall, and I was thrilled! I felt so important, but now I wonder if that was his way of minimizing disruptions in his classroom?

Those were good times. I gained a measure of confidence in myself and my abilities that I didn't have before. Perhaps that's part of the reason why the Melrose years are my all time favorite childhood memories. And It's quite nice to travel back there for a few moments now and then as I write down the stories that are important to me.