ABSENCE OF MEMORIES

I have absolutely no memories of my kindergarten experience at Helen Muraski School in Strongsville, Ohio other than PLAYING DODGEBALL IN THE GYMNASIUM!  I just happened to be the champion!  No doubt it was an harbinger of things to come in developing a strong appreciation of all things academic in my future school career!!!   ^_~

 

 

 I have good reason to be smiling as this was the site of my only in school memory.

This picture was taken in the gymnasium the site of my dodge ball prowess!  I remember being quicker than greased lightning on a snake's tongue in dodging the balls thrown my way. 

I have dodged many obstacles thrown in my path so far and all the credit goes to God for protecting me.

 

 

 

                                     BUS TRAUMA       

My first day of kindergarten was ruined as I stood up to exit the still moving school bus to make sure I did NOT miss my house and the driver SCREAMED at me to

                                   "SIT DOWN, NOW!!!"  

He then stopped at our house and I was too scared to get up and exit so after a brief pause he closed the door, and I as I looked back I watched the anger in my mom turn to determination as she ran up the driveway to get into the car! 

At the last scheduled stop the driver looked bewildered as to why I remained on the bus and then he finally understood why that crazed woman behind him was continually honking her horn and gesturing wildly!

It can be a tough world out there and we need to speak up right now when action is needed!  We don't have the luxury of always having the comforting arms of our mother to save us when things go wrong.

 

 

                                                          

                                        CUBA

My most vivid memories of my kindergarten school year happened when we joined my dad who was working in Havana, Cuba before, DURING, and after the successful overthrow of the Batista regime by Fidel Castro and his rebel troops.

I had a great sense of wanting to learn about geography  in trying to keep up with dad's travels as a diesel mechanic who installed marine engines and powerful generators in shipyards, power plants, and missile fields.

 

   Revolution 

I have scanned a page of Dad's work log for Cleveland Diesel(subsidiary of General Motors) from January 1-10 in 1959.  During this period Batista, the Cuban dictator, fled Cuba and Castro made his triumphant entry into Havana ending the corrupt Batista regime.

Dad had a sense of humor as he did not want to get "lead poisoning" reporting to the job site and he actually helped evacuate other Americans fleeing the city.  Things did get tense when Castro's mountain guerrillas entered the city and the battle waged for control of Havana.

 

 KINDERGARTEN CUBA:  no school-just life lessons!!!

 

We joined Dad in Havana about two weeks after the successful Castro Revolution in Cuba.  It was the ultimate field trip for a 5 1/2 year old kindergartner!

 

Subject mastery:  ECONOMICS

Our rental house was a shock for this working class family!  Our backyard was the OCEAN, we had a pool, and we had money left over that mom could have a gardener(Alejandro) and a maid(Maria).  They became members of our family. 

I learned very quickly about such things as standards of living and exchange rates!  (Maybe that spurred me on to be a future ECONOMICS teacher!)  An American penny could buy you the largest and tastiest orange you would ever want to consume!  NO SCURVY ON THIS ISLAND FOR THIS BUCKEYE KID!

 

 

HISTORY

Havana was rich in history and dad had the weekends off so we had many opportunities to visit all around the island and take in the sights and history.

Dad witnessed a revolution and the toppling of a government, and we had daily contact with the Castro guerrillas.

You sure couldn't pose for a picture with Castro's troops and hold their rifles back in Ohio in school.   HOW COOL WAS THAT???

 

 

 

POLITICAL SCIENCE

 

We had many discussions in our household, and with our Cuban neighbors about the future of Cuba and if the revolution would be good or bad for Cuba.

Mom had the viewpoint that the Cubans were oppressed by Batista and that Castro could improve upon their lot.

Dad disagreed and thought there was a danger that the revolution could turn to communism.

I wasn't particularly interested one way or another, but I did find the Castro soldiers to be friendly and we were treated as friends.

We learned after we returned to Ohio that our neighbor next door had his son executed as a threat to the Cuban state under the new Castro government.

 

Hmmm. . . . was mom right or dad?

 

 

SOCIAL SCIENCES

 

Wherever mom went with my younger brother Bob, the Cuban people would beg mom to hold him!

They had never seen a blond baby-let alone hold one in their arms!  

The Cuban people were wonderful, loving, and caring.

I would love to go back to Cuba and retrace these boyhood memories!

We had a great time with our Cuban friends exploring and collecting scorpions and fiddler crabs and placing them in our swimming pool. 

Doesn't every kid want to know if a scorpion can swim???  Needless to say dad was not too thrilled when he came home from work and wanted to use the pool!

In my opinion, our government has made a HUGE mistake not establishing relations with Cuba since the Castro Revolution.  The people are warm and generous and they need to be exposed to a better system, although I do believe like my mom that the poor are better off than under the Batista government. 

That is a debate for another time though!  Can you tell I ended up as a Social Studies teacher for 31 years???

My Kindergarten ABC's, how can I ever forget them?  The building blocks for my future career in education!

 

Hmmmmmm. . . . . . I wonder if my Cuba experience had any impact upon my political views?  ^_~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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