By: Frank J. Buchman
“School days are the best days of our lives.”
Despite all of the vastly-appreciated things that have happened in our lifetime, those 16½ years in the classroom for our formal education still must outrank all others as the most important of all.
Reflecting our unbelievable blessings of faith with family, horses, ranch, friends, and profession, nothing can replace those good ole school days.
The fact has come to mind often over the past few years. First off, when somebody says they dislike school, then when we hear of children being schooled at home.
Schoolroom time was always exciting, most of all because of the other students and teachers, who remain our friends always. Such an important diverse exposure to living life at the fullest.
It came back Saturday morning when we went to the county 4-H club days, where we attended our first nine years of school.
It was Garfield Grade School, that students from the east side of town attended, while those west of the river went to Washington School. Most of the country kids were in rural one-room schools, for the first few years.
Today, it’s Council Grove Elementary School, still with nine class levels. All town kids go there, and it’s also attendance center for a wider area of rural students.
Actually, the facility is about three times as large as 60 years ago. But, the front entry is where we remember Mr. Fisher, the principle, coming out and ringing the large copper bell in his hand.
Down the hall, we walked and reflected which class was in each room, our teacher, and even musings of occurrences there. Interestingly, Mrs. Gibson’s room, where we attended first grade 58 years ago, was location of the instrumental solos we sat down to hear.
What was the gym is now more classrooms, and the boy’s restroom, with obvious renovations, was what used to be for girls. We reminisced Billy running into us on the ball field permanently scaring our left temple, Mrs. Kahle kicking us out of the fifth grade, and more.
Reminds us of Sirach 51:23: “All need instruction learned in school.” Because, Hebrews 5:12: “You still need someone to teach you the first lessons.” Thus, Wisdom 8:8: “Knowledge knows history lessons to anticipate the future.” And, Psalm 85:1: “God brought good times back.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
