O A K F I E L D ,   N E W   Y O R K

I really don't remember much when I was in kindergarden thru 3rd grade. There was kickball and I think one year we had an Olympics day of sorts where we all competed against each other. I won a couple of ribbons but don't recall what for. Oh, yeah, I remember one of the teachers bringing in a cow's heart to science class. I suppose the more I think about those days, the more they'll come back to me. It's just amazing how much of it is still there, all stored up high and dusty in the back shelves of my mind.

After 3rd grade they shuttled grades 4 thru 6 over to the grade school on Drake Street. I think I was there for 4th and 5th grades before they moved my class back to the elementary school for 6th grade. They had finished adding on the new wings to accommodate grades 4 thru 6 and the "new school" smell suited me just fine. The old school is now used for senior/handicapped housing.

Note: The old school on Drake Street is actually located further in town.

I have two prominent memories from 4th and 5th grades. The first one involves Patrick Meyer. At that time, teachers were allowed to paddle the students if they misbehaved. The paddles that had holes drilled in them were particularly feared because they could be swung quicker (less wind resistance) and, as a result, hurt more. Patrick did something to piss off old Mrs. Henderson (she was a rather mean woman so it probably wasn't much) and he was told to stand in front of the class to be paddled.

When Mrs. Henderson was poised to paddle Patrick, with paddle raised high and growing gleam in her eye, Patrick did the unexpected. He made a mad dash for the door, howling in delight as he ran through the doorway, having successfully escaped her wrath. I found out the next day that he ran all the way home. I don't remember hearing if he got in trouble for leaving school, but I thought it was a good action plan on his part, enough to make the event something that I'll never forget.

My second memory was in gym class where I got the 5th grade school record for the high hurdles. I remember learning as a senior that I still had the record. Maybe Coach Goldstein can email me and let me know if it still stands.

Located behind the school, the football field, the track field, and the tennis courts all look the same to me.