Encyclopedia of Me - K is for Kindergarten

Feb 06 2010

Encyclopedia of Me - K is for Kindergarten

Published by Kirsten at 4:44 pm under Encyclopedia

It took me quite awhile to come up with an entry for K. Way back in the beginning of my blog, I wrote a post entitled K is for Kirsten in which I express my joy at being able to assert my independence and freedom from roommates. In the encyclopedia series, I wanted something with a more specific topic other than myself, especially since my blog’s title is All About Me - And Then Some. Makes sense, yes? So I pulled out my trusty student dictionary, the one I received as an 8th grade graduation gift, and read through the entries in the short K section, looking for inspiration. And inspiration I found.

In 1979, I turned 5 years old, and it was time for me to go to school. We lived in a tiny house in Salem, NH, which didn’t have public kindergarten, so my Dad registered me at a school in the next town, over the state line in Methuen, MA. The bonus was that my Gram was the secretary of the school, so I got to see her every day as well.

I remember the day I went to check the place out. I think my Dad talked to Mrs. Lang, the teacher, while I played with a Mr. Potato Head. I took note of the classroom - kid-height tables and chairs, two bathrooms, a chalkboard in the carpeted area, another play area with storage for our coats and lunchboxes, the door to the hall, and the door leading outside. Mrs. Lang’s desk was by the windows.

In September, it was time for school. I don’t remember what I wore, other than it was probably a dress since I usually wore a dress for the first day of school. Dad hoisted me into his old pickup truck for the drive to school, since the bus wouldn’t pick me up in a different state. We got on the highway, off the highway, and headed down the road. He stopped at Walter’s Variety, a small convenience store near Gram’s house and on the way to school, so I could buy a snack. I chose Twinkies - I’m not sure why, and I don’t think I’ve eaten them since. I don’t ever recall being a huge Twinkies fan.

I honestly don’t remember much in particular about that first day of school, but I remember bits and pieces of the school day from throughout the year. We had projects to do. I liked that sort of schoolroom crafting that we did. We made the obligatory toilet paper ghosts, handprint turkeys, etc. We also practiced reading and writing our letters, learning the alphabet, show and tell, and some songs. I don’t remember any of this learning being particularly challenging work, but I enjoyed it because it was new. I liked reading, and had been sounding out words on my own since I was three (or so I’m told - I don’t remember that far back).

Back then, kindergarten was a half day. For the first half of the school year, I had morning kindergarten, from 8:45 to 11:45. After school I took the bus to my aunt’s house. Things were safer in those days, and the bus dropped me off at the corner. It was probably about 150 yards to my aunt’s house, but I struggled with it. For some reason I had this thing about walking alone without any sort of cover. I would be ok walking along the bushes, then stop at the end of the hedge, gather up some courage, and run to the tree. Then to a mailbox, and so on. I still get made fun of for that, but hey, I provided amusement to all those who watched the 5-year-old me walk to my aunt’s from the bus stop. When I got to my aunt’s house, she’d feed me lunch and I got to play with my cousin. He was just a baby then, and it was fun being over there and playing with him, especially once he started walking. He followed me everywhere, and I thought it was fun to help my aunt feed him.

After Christmas, the morning and afternoon classes would switch, so I got switched to afternoon kindergarten. Both my younger sister and I got dropped off at a babysitter’s house. I remember her name was Margaret, and she was old but not a nice grandmotherly old. She smoked More cigarettes and made us powdered milk. I still shudder thinking about that shit. After she fed us lunch, she’d drive me to school, and I was thrilled to not have to spend the entire day with her. I didn’t really have my sympathy for my sister having to be there, though. After school I’d still go to my aunt’s house, but only every other week. Since my Gram worked at the school, I split my time with my aunt and my Gram. On those weeks, I’d stay after school with my Gram in the office, helping her by telling her which bus just pulled up so that she could announce it on the PA. Then we’d go to her house and I’d help her get dinner ready. On Friday nights, instead of Dad picking me up, he’d drop my sister off and we’d spend the night, which was pretty cool.

While I don’t specifically remember my first day of kindergarten, I remember the last day. For some reason, slave labor was still ok back then, because the entire class took our little plastic chairs outside and we scrubbed them. Don’t ask me why, but this was a time honored tradition. Every year it happened, and it was only the kindergarten group. Thinking back now, I don’t know if the chairs got scrubbed twice or not, because there weren’t enough chairs for both the morning and afternoon sessions, but I know I remember scrubbing those things.

Kindergarten was a pretty carefree time for me. Everything came easy to me, and I loved being exposed to new ideas. I left kindergarten with new friends, a glowing report card, a assignment to Mrs. Scannell’s class in the fall, and no idea that I’d have to start learning math in the first grade.