Kindergarten Memories at Madison Elementary School, Riverside, California Sept 1958-1959.
My father was a Pilot/Navigator at March Air Force Base, CA so we lived in Riverside where I was born.
I remember attending Madison Elementary School. My mother would drive me to school in the morning and come back at noon and pick me up. We had a big blue and white Pontiac and I loved to stand outside and watch for our car to pull in the parking lot. Sometimes my dad would be on TDY so he would come to pick me up in his Nash Rambler. I loved to see my dad and was partial to him. Aren’t all little girls! Here is my mom and I just after she picked me up from school.
Best Memories:
v I remember my teacher, Miss Brooks. I thought she was so pretty and nice. I loved her full skirts with prints and colored sweaters. I was a clothes nut even back then.
v I remember where my classroom was. It was on the left side of the school right by the playground in the front of the school.
v The boys liked to eat the Paste but I just liked the smell of it.
v I liked art a lot. I liked to make pictures. I remember our teacher would mix the bottles of starch and we would make a mess while finger-painting. Then we had to clean up before we could go home. That part I didn’t like. The paint smelled good too.
v The girls liked the boys so we used to chase them at recess. The boys didn’t like us and thought we were stinky so they would just run and run. What fun times we had!
v I “Loved” to Read about Dick and Jane and their dog Spot. We had these readers and we couldn’t take them home so we would pass them out every day I also remember the spelling tests too. I liked spelling and it came easy. I still love crossword puzzles.
v I already knew how to print my A, B, C’s and my name but we practiced on large lined paper as we had to make our letters correctly. Of course, this taught me to print nicely even today.
v I remember my teacher writing on the big chalk board. Sometimes we were allowed to go up and write on it but of course it was never neat like Mr. Brooks.
v I made a plaster handprint and painted it gold, and my mother kept it all these years. I have it now.
v I made an ashtray for my dad. It is really ugly reddish brown and white and has a stick girl on the front. I guess I drew stick people at 5 yrs old? My dad kept it in his dresser all these years as a special memento. It was cracked but he glued it back together and it is still in one piece; boy that is some glue. It’s still ugly but I will pass it down to my daughter as I have it now.
v I remember taking a nap on the floor lying on a towel. I never liked this part. The floor was cold and hard. I have never been one for taking naps.
v My best friend was Becky Liddell and we used to go and visit each other after school. I still see her once in a while. Her mom used to take care of me when my mom was playing Bridge.
v After school, I would go home and play my 45 RPM records on my little record player. My favorite records were "The Purple People Eater” and “Sugartime” and “Hound Dog” by Elvis. I loved Elvis….And I would sing and dance to my songs until my mom shushed me to quiet down.
v I remember going home, having a snack and doing my homework and then riding my bike and swinging on my swing set in our big back yard. I loved go inside and watch TV. I still love TV today. I liked Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Sky King, Mickey Mouse and all those good black and white westerns. My mom told me I would get mad at the bad guys while sitting in my small yellow rocking chair. I loved to watch The Ed Sullivan Show with my parents on Sunday nights and then I would have to go to bed as school started Monday morning. What good times I recall!
Riding in my Dad's Car and riding on my trike; 2 of my favorite things to do.
I loved school and strived for A’s, loved art, loved the boys and had good friends. I think these traits have followed me all my life. My parents instilled in me the fact I had to go to school, get good grades and grow up and be a mother. They forgot the part about having a career but I learned that lesson later. I respected my teachers and my parents and I am grateful for the upbringing I had. I have always loved my country and respected my elders. OOPS…..that’s me now. I get a Senior Citizen discount. Yeah!
Yes, I grew up in the 50’s and women strived to be good mothers and wives. But somewhere around Middle School I started thinking about college and a career. My parents supported this decision as the world was changing. I am so glad I had wonderful and supportive parents. They gave me the basics to grow up, get a good education and make good decisions and become a successful career woman. I have tried to teach my daughter these same values so she will make good decisions as well.
I loved Kindergarten and still drive by Madison School when I am in Riverside as Madison Street is a freeway exit. What great memories I still have! It is still a cute little school and looks the same. I think it was yellow and white when I went there and it now tan!
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