I lived my dream of going to school. I adored my teacher, Miss Scarboro, when she started to teach me to read words from a large tablet hanging on a standing wooden frame. She had a special method of teaching word recognition and then introducing phonics of the letters. This was successful because soon, most of the class was reading a “real” book, Alice and Jerry. I remember the story word by word. They had a dog named Jip, and I named my new puppy Jip. After all these years, I still credit Miss Scarboro with my love of reading.
The Grammer School on Church Street had grades one through seven in three buildings. The first-grade building had classrooms and also the auditorium. Our principal was Mr. Burkhalter (How can I still remember his name when I cannot recall the name of my neighbor!!!!) Each week, the entire student body attended chapel in the auditorium led by Mr. Burkhalter. My only memories are lots of singing and chairs with fold-up seats. I was not heavy enough to keep the seat down and often folded up with the seat. Lovely start of education.
However, the peacefulness of first grade ended on the Sunday morning of December 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor USA was bombed by planes of Japan. Our country was at war. Of course, we did not know the meaning, but we learned within a few days. Our chapel programs taught us patriotism. We said the Pledge of Allegiance and sang God Bless America and My country tis of Thee. For the heroism of our Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur, we sang Let’s Remember Mack Arthur. We misunderstood the name, and strongly sang Let’s remember Mack Arthur. At each chapel program, the principal asked those who had father, brother or uncle in service to stand for applause. I was so envious and wished my father would be drafted. I did not know of the danger. I only wanted the applause. Later I learned of the destruction and death of war and forgot about applause.
In our second-grade term, our principal, Mr. Burkhalter, went into service and Miss Scarboro became our principal and severed until war ended and men came home. Let’s Remember Pearl Harbor as we did the Alamo. We will always remember how she died for liberty. Let’s Remember Pearl Harbor and go on to victory.
Write to Shirley at sptwiss@gmail.com
