December 15- More School Days- Part 1

-1^st Grade- Mrs. M smacked the back of my hand with her ruler, The Magic Teacher, because of my sloppy penmanship which did improve after this. She got in trouble for using that after one girl lied, saying that this was the cause of her bleeding knuckles. She actually had deliberately scraped them against the pavement of the playground.

  

   Mom told me that our school wanted to keep my brother back a year – first grade, I think. She and Mrs. M fought against this and made sure that it didn’t happen.

-2^nd Grade- Miss M was one of my favorite teachers. She gave mom a couple of nice gifts- an angel ornament and a small jar of dried flowers. Our class gave her a watch for her birthday. Mom wrapped it in a small box then put this in several others, like it was one of those Russian nesting dolls.

First Holy Communion- 1977

Grandma next door gave me a 14K gold cross pendant necklace and I got a Timex watch from Grandma at the farm which I still have both of. I also have my dress which had been made out of Mom’s wedding gown by Aunt Ann. She also used that material to make 2 pillows- a star and a heart. Those are next to my stereo speakers now.

   

   I have the little purse with my Rosary beads and a few other religious items in it. One is either a small Bible or Prayer book. I opened this up for the first time in about 25 years like 6 months ago. I found a note from my best friend Kelly that I didn’t even know that I had in there. I put that in my personal scrapbook.

-3^rd Grade- International Day-We had all sorts of foods from the various countries of our families’ ancestors. I’m pretty sure that Mom made stuffed cabbage. She made me a nice outfit, a yellow skirt with flowers, white blouse, sash with Poland written with Tri-Chem paint on it and a sort of crown made with fake yellow flowers.

   

   The sacrament of Penance was this school year too. I doubt that I had that many sins to confess to back then; I was a pretty good girl. Unlike now- too many mean thoughts and lots of cursing.

- 4^th Grade- the Camping Trip- I remember canoeing, hiking to that store, doing charcoal drawings and square dancing (I think – or was that a scout thing?). Mom and Dad were there for a day. A few of the boys peeked into the girl’s cabin one night.

-5^th Grade- Sister FM was a major Red Sox fan and even had a pennant hanging up in her classroom. A girl got me a nice roller skate necklace that I still have as a Secret Santa gift.

-6^th Grade- Miss JM had an “Apple Day” during which we made stuff like shrunken heads out of that fruit. I painted an apple onto one of my handkerchiefs which I still have. I can’t remember if we made

applesauce too, maybe that was just a 4^th grade thing. Miss B. gave each of us an ice skating ornament that she crocheted as a Christmas gift.

-7^th Grade- I cheated on a test. This was the only time that I’ve ever really done so during my school days. I was having such trouble learning the metric system and converting temperatures. I think that someone saw me cheating but luckily they didn’t tattle on me.

First grade-1975

First Holy Communion 1977

International Day-3rd grade

Camp Hoover- 4th grade

6th grade Apple Day

My Polish Barbie

This is actually Mom's Barbie that she bought in the early 1990s, I think, but she said that I could have it when I recently asked her. I really like these International Barbies. I wish that we had gotten the Russian, French and English ones also so we'd have all my nationalities/heritage. Well, I'm actually part Ukranian but I don't think that they had this specific one, only Russian Barbie. I'm sure that I would be able to get them on ebay or elsewhere now but they probably are considered a collector's item and cost alot. I saw an Italian Barbie at Walmart the other day but it did not seem to be made as well as the ones from when I was a kid or even from the early - mid 1990s. They had retro Barbies there also, including the Peaches and Cream 1985 one that I still have from back then.

Polish Girl

We had an International Day at my grade school. We got to dress up in outfits of our nationality and bring in food for a special lunch in the cafeteria. I don't remember what mom made - probably stuffed cabbage. This was either in 3rd or 4th grade. I still have the Poland sash. I wish that I had that cute outfit that she made me too. I am mostly Polish but also have some Ukranian from my Dad's side and a bit of English and French from Mom's side. I think that my great, great grandparents were the first to come to America. I never really talked to my parents about my heritage. I only know like 4 or 5 Polish words. We used to get delicious pierogies from a carnival at a church that our family friend went to. At Easter we always get babka. I really enjoy that bread but there seems to be less raisins in it than there used to be. My brother gets the kielbasa which I used to like but haven't since the early 90s.