Grade school was rather uneventful, other than breaking my right leg in 1st grade and spending the year in a half-body plaster cast. I hated that thing, but that's what was available back then. I don't recall how long, but I was in traction in the hospital for at least a month with a steel rod piercing my leg diagonally just below my knee cap. I had lots of visitors, too. That was fun... but, I was 6 and got bored very quickly. I had a few stuffed animals and a View Master my great aunt, Louise, had given me. She was like a second grandma to me in many ways.
(This is an aerial view of the front of the building, hidden by the shrubbery.)
I actually started here at Ridgewood Elementary in 2nd grade. I don't recall any difficulties walking, although I'm sure there was some recovery period. It was at Ridgewood that I met a longtime friend, Tim. We became fast friends, hanging out and eventually sleeping over at each other's homes, going on long bike rides together and so on.
The highlight of my Ridgewood "experience", was winning the school-wide 3rd grade Spelling Bee. Consequently now, I rely on Spell Check!
I think Tim and I met in 5th grade, maybe 6th and had a the same teacher, Carel Dermott; Danish descent, I believe. I think in a former life he must have been a Catholic nun or something because he had a propensity for breaking rulers and yardsticks on kids' desks, one time, clipping my knuckles.
One time Tim and I were caught messing around, tossing Elmer's glue bottles around behind the teacher's back and were sent to the Principal's Office... not unlike walking The Green Mile. Keep in mind that this was back when Corporal Punishment (spanking with a wooden paddle, belt, etc.) was quite common.
Our "crime" didn't merit anything like this, but I know for my part, just being in the Principal's Office was enough deterrent for me to recognize the error of my ways and never re-offend. Tim, well, he was a different story, always living on the edge from what I could tell. And quite happy there. The problem was that he kept taking me down with him. Of course, I was happy to go, rarely saying no to him. He was the rebel, and I was happy to follow blindly just wherever and whenever he went.
