Reminisce Extra – September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 (^) * REMINISCE.COM 19
M
yfirstyearasateacher,
1948,Iwas 19 yearsold
andtaught 19 children
spanningsixgradesinaone-
roomschoolhousenearShawano,
Wisconsin.Mostofthestudents
wererelatedtoeachother;inone
case,aboyinfourthgradewas
theuncleofasecondgrader.
Lookingback,IthinkIdida
fewkeythingsright.Itreated
thechildrenliketheyweremy
youngerbrothersandsisters.
Itaughtthemtosing,whichwe
didtogethereveryday.AndI
appreciatedhumor,thoughwhat
wasfunnytomewasnotalways
funnytothechildren.
Forinstance,whenIsawaboy
pushagirlwhileshewasgetting
adrinkofwater,Itoldhim
togototheendoftheline.After
afewmoments,hecameback,
whimpering,“There’salready
somebodythere.”
“Where?”Iasked.
“Attheendoftheline!”
Andtherewasthetimetwo
fourthgradegirlscameinand
onesaid,“MysisterGracein
highschoolhasperiodsnow.”
Iwassuddenlynervous,
wonderingwhatIwouldsayifthe
girlsdecidedtoexplorethetopic
oraskmyadvice.Thenthefourth
graderadded,“Shelikesthelast
oneintheafternoonthebest.
That’swhenshehasmusic.”
Iwipedmybrowinrelief. •
ARLOJANSSEN•BENSON,AZ
He Was Never Too Busy to Smile
ARLO BECAME a teacher at 19 (top) and kept smiling throughout his two years at a one-room school.
Above, with his students, he is at his desk in front of the bookcase.
My first school lunch must’ve been
good, because I sat on the porch to
finish it longafterlunch periodended.
MARVIN MEYER • REDLANDS, CA