Week 1 of 2014 - Kindergarten

It's the Fall of 1956 and I'm about to start Kindergarten in Lapeer, Michigan.  It's just a few blocks east of our home on North Main Street.  I remember having Mom walk us...me and Johnny Hill, our next door neighbor, across the busy street and then continue about 3 blocks.  In one of the blocks there was a white picket fence and we'd run our hands across each board as we made our way to school.  I remember very little about the school, having attended only 3 weeks.  Why?  We were moving to Romeo at 63021 Fritz Drive and I would continue Kindergarten at South Grade School on Croswell Street.  Why even go to Lapeer for such a short time?  I bet Mom and Dad planned to have us moved before September rolled around.  As with all projects, delays are inevitable...I can just hear Mom giving Dad the business because "school is starting...we need to be in Romeo!"

We moved to Romeo and I was introduced to a new school and teacher, Mrs. Rowley.  Living 5 miles out in the country, meant there was a bus ride.  I think all my school years in Romeo involved bus #12.  It was never new, but not the oldest vehicle in the fleet...but from 1956 to 1968, I think #12 was a constant down 29 Mile Road, north on Mound Road to 30 Mile Road.  East on 30 Mile to VanDyke and on into Romeo with a quick stop at St. Clement Catholic School to let off all the Catholic kids in their navy plaid uniforms, shirts and ties.  Such spiffy dressers!  I also remember riding to school with Dad some days.  He was employed at Eggleston's (I'm not even sure of the spelling) in downtown Romeo.  It was a department store sitting just east of Starkweather Alley.  I look at it everytime we go through Romeo.  The door and windows are still there...the one we entered and Dad's desk or work area was right underneath the windows.  We had lunch together there a couple of times.  He must have picked me up from school for some reason.  That didn't happen very often and he quickly changed jobs and then drove to Rochester for his management job at Mitzelfeld's Department Store.

I wish I had more memories of that first year in the classroom, but I really don't.  In the photo above, I have a favorite dress on...probably one Grandpa Anderson gave me, hand picked by Mom.  Susie and Jan probably walked with us and the little boy is our neighbor, Johnny Hill.  Johnny is a topic for another time and one of the reasons for my intense dislike of the s word.  Stay tuned...!