Well here it was September again! A few more days and school would be open. I was still going to Sts. Cyril and Methodius school. Nuns,we were taught by Nuns. They knew how to get their point across.
I was going into first grade and I thought I was getting my point across. These were smart and understanding women.Tricksters also. They knew what to do and when to do it and boy they sure fooled me..
The day came and Grammy and pop walked me to school. A real fashion show it was. We didn’t wear uniforms in those days but the girls wore dresses and the boys wore suits. All the parents and grandparents came to see what the kids were wearing and hoping they did good by their children.!They did. At least I thought my new school clothes and shoes were great and I was so glad I didn’t have to go shopping on Third St anymore! For weeks in August I was drug down to the stores and we shopped. If it wasn’t Grammy it was Mother ! Pop,well he would take me down to Fourth St for a hot dog and we’d come back with new socks,pencils,or tablets. We’d sit on a bench at Lehigh University and eat ice cream or just watch the people..
Well I was told to be good and go into the school. Pop said he’d be down at recess time with my Tasty Kake chocolate cupcakes and Lehigh Valley milk,but if I wasn’t good I wouldn’t get them. (like they’d deprive me of food?.
I went in and Sister was standing inside of the door we told her what grade we were going to and she directed us to the room. Not me I got to the first grade door made a left and went into the Kindergarten Room. Found my old desk and sat down. When the door was closed Sister said”I think you are in the wrong room,Your room is across the hall. I said “No I want to stay here” She took me by the hand and led me across the hall,knocked on the door and handed me over to the First Grade nun. She took my hand smiled and showed me my seat. In the front! Alphabetical seating. As soon as she turned her back I scooted out across the hall and took my seat in Kindergarten room. This went on for days and Grammy said to me one morning as I was leaving for school “Now go to the first grade room and stay there. I don’t want to have togo to the convent again!”I just said “Yes Grammy”..
Got to school and I went to the kindergarten room. Sister didn’t make a fuss or take me back and the other nun didn’t come looking for me either. I also refused to speak English and just spoke Slovak to the nuns. The kids I could speak in either language. We all knew Slovak.
I did notice that the doors between the two class rooms were left open and since the Kindergarten desks were not screwed down to the floor I could see into the first grade room. Sister had rearranged the desks!.
Well I kept looking into the first grade all my friends from Kindergarten were there. I saw Binky go up and write on the board,then I saw Michael do it and right down the line. For the next few days I was watching first grade. Sister said nothing..
I came home from school one afternoon and Grammy said”I told you what about not going into first grade?”. “You told me go to my room not kindergarten”.”So your still doing it and I am tired of going to the convent. I have work to do here,and no more talking Slovak to the Nuns and kids. You know the rules.!” “Ok Grammy”..
Well pop walked me to school the next morning since he was heading for the Italian bakery for fresh bread. It was too hot for grammy to bake. He talked to me and said I was getting bigger and had to go to the first grade. I just looked at him and shook my head.I went into the Kindergarten room and kept looking across the hall. I wandered into the First Grade room and sat down in the back of the room. Every day I stayed longer and longer and pretty soon I didn’t go into the Kindergarten room. One day sister asked me if I were staying and I answered her in English. YES. The doors closed a few days later and I never looked back, First Grade was fun!..
I put up a fight about moving on but my grandparents and the nuns worked together to help me move up and on.Smart folks they were. To bad we don’t have families working together with the schools like that today.More the loss that we don’t have enough teachers with insight..
