PhD 5

Where did you go to elementary school?  I went to Liberty Elementary in Murray, Utah.  We were bussed to school, but it wasn't too far away (about a mile).  We were bussed because we had to cross 6400 south and there wasn't a route with sidewalks.  Occasionally we would walk home and we would walk on the railroad tracks all the way home.  Not a safe route, but it sure was fun! 

Liberty Elementary started out as a three (maybe four?) story building.  They added on to the school and eventually tore down the old tower when I was in the 6th grade.  I remember having preschool in the old tower. The tower didn't have an elevator, and I remember that when my friend Jennifer Davenport broke her leg in 4th grade, she had to switch classes because she couldn't get up the stairs with the wheelchair.  Her class was in the tower and the other 4th grade class was in the newer section. 

Did your siblings attend the same school? Because my parents stayed in the same house for 40 years, all of my siblings went to the same elementary school.  My older brothers and sister went to a different Jr. High school than the rest of us did because of a boundary change.  My brother, Randy, was in elementary with me until I was in 3rd grade. Debbie and Denise started Kindergarten when I was in 3rd grade (I think).  Once I was out of elementary school I didn't have siblings in the same school as me again.  I often wondered how it would be to have a brother or sister in high school with me.

Randy, Denise and I had the same 6th grade teacher, but we all knew her by a different name.  Randy had her as Ms. Gilbert (single), I had her as Mrs. Blanton (1st marriage), and Denise had her as Mrs. Mahawsky (2nd marriage). 

Do you remember your teacher's names? 
Preschool: Mrs. Swim and Mrs. Chapman
Kindergarten: Mrs. Davis
1st: Mrs. Albertson
2nd: Mrs. Hayse
3rd: Mrs. Kisselburg
4th: Mrs. Johnson
5th: Mrs. Monson
6th: Mrs. Blanton

Who was your favorite teacher? I really liked my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Kisselburg.  She had long hair and I always thought it was beautiful.  I always felt secure with her.  She called me her little Sherroooneee.  Every once in a while I would stop over to the school and say hi.  I remember that she came to my wedding reception and Daniel was rather amazed that my 3rd grade teacher was there! 

What kid of student were you?  Did you ever get into trouble?  I was a good student.  I wasn't the smartest kid in the class, as math and science have always perplexed me, but I enjoyed learning.  I can think of two times where I got into trouble and got reprimanded with more than a verbal warning.
I was in the 3rd grade and the teacher said something about doing an assignment and I said "I don't want to do it" out loud and several students agreed with me.  I was sent out into the hallway to sit down for punishment.  Our coats and backpacks were stored in the hallway of the school and I was horrified that I was being sent to the hallway. (That doesn't happen anymore, you are usually sent to 'think time' in a different class, but not sent unsupervised into the hallway).  I knew plenty of kids who had been sent to the hallway for being naughty and I was embarrassed that I was joining the rank.  I hid behind the coats.  Doris Chow was being checked out of school and she took her coat off of the coat rack and nearly exposed me.  When it was time for me to come back in, the kids couldn't find me, so they got their coats on to go look for me outside, and I revealed myself.  When I got back in to the classroom, I had to do the assignment without any explanation.  I failed the assignment and I was mad.

In the 6th grade, my teacher was lecturing us that we needed to think about what we said before we said it.  As I was listening to her I thought that she probably wasn't thinking about everything she said before she said it, or it would take her longer to put together her sentences.  I said that to my friend, and the teacher overheard.  I thought about what I had said, but I didn't think about he consequences.  We were going to gym and the teacher grabbed a dictionary, paper and pencil and told me that I had to sit out of gym and write out the first page of the dictionary (the "A" page).  It took me most of gym, and I wasn't trying to finish.  My teacher said that she was sorry and that I could go and join the last few minutes of the game.  (Guess she didn't think through her punishment before saying it out loud, huh?!)