who remembers their first day at school

by tijkmo 21 Replies latest jw experiences

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  under74

  Let's see...the very first day I had at school all I can remember is I cried all the way through it.

  I remember my first day at the second elementary school I attended just after we moved and my mom got deeper in the religion. I remember I had to give the 2nd grade teacher one of those Witness brochures that explains why JWs couldn't salute the flag and celebrate holidays and instructed to say I couldn't do this and that because I was a JW...I was really worked up about it before hand because my mom had made a big deal about it. Anyway, I went speechless when I went up to the teacher. I handed over the brochure and the teacher asked what it was and then stared at me...and then I burst into tears.
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  larc

  I remember it very well. We lived in the country, and the small school looked vast to me. I also remember that I could not say the pledge of alliagance. The teacher explained that to the other children, and they never gave me any hassle over the issue.
  
  Now, in field service it was another matter. I was told to get off the porch or they would get their gun. This happened on several occasions. One person spit in wife's face for showing up at their door.
• 

  Wolfgirl

  I don't remember hardly anything from that period in my life. I went to 2 different schools for kindergarten, as we moved halfway through the year. I remember one day from each school, and that's it. I remember my first kindergarten teacher's name (Mrs. Hickman). I remember getting in trouble because she told me I could just draw pumpkins, not jackolanterns. So I did.
  
  When I got home, my "mum" pulled the picture out of my bag and asked me what it was. She had that "you're in trouble" voice going on, so I did the best my little 6 year old brain could come up with. "They're not pumpkins. They're orange balls with green sticks on them." Hee-hee! Anyway, that's the only day from the first school I went to that I remember.
  
  I was tortured mercilessly by my fellow students, not only for being a JW, but also because we were very poor and I looked horrible. I was so thin, I was practically skeletal, wore huge glasses, etc., etc.
• 

  franklin J

  reading all these replies has brought back some very unpleasent childhood memories for me from that time.

  Some of you posting have obviously had a harder time than me. Amazing how those teachers all reacted differently.

  Larc; your response indicated a very intelligent teacher. She ( or he) took advantage of the situation to explain to the class. I would assume as an example of "freedom to choose." How clever! It is exactly the instruction I give my children.

  I have found that the BEST revenge for these awful memories is to teach my children PATRIOTISIM to their country; but to let them know they have a choice here and that some countries do not. And also to celebrate the holidays with gusto. My kids love it and have a great time. It brings me great joy just to watch them. My poor childhood memories fade away.

  I have taught them about my differences as a child; and the importance of THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.

  It works for us
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  aprilbaby

  I remember that my family moved when I was half way through 1st grade. Belief at the time was that even a child should be able to explain by themselves their beliefs and convictions (like I even knew what any of that was at that age). I just remember going into this new classroom full of little kids staring at me and a very "mean" looking teacher with a hugh beehive hairdo. I went up to her desk and blurted out "I don't salute the flag" and started crying. I was so terrified! Even at that tender young age I would always think about what I would do when I was a grownup and didn't have to do what my parents told me to.
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  Mamacat

  I remember my mom didn't want to leave...she kept hanging around. Finally, I told her she could leave, and she burst into tears! She used to tell me how bored she was all day too when I was at school. I think that was the first time my mom had even left me anywhere. I never had a babysitter when I was little, not even family.
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  MerryMagdalene

  I do... I remember my first day... I was SO excited.

  I had a very rich fantasy life and was picturing richly appointed rooms filled with books, books and more books and fantastic laboratories stocked with bizarre scientific equipment.

  But the first grade classrooms were in crappy little trailors next to the actual school and... and... <my lips still tremble to think of it>... they were filled with small noisy children. I was SO disappointed.

  I ran away at first recess, overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of a whole playground filled with such strange creatures. <yes, I was an only child> And I didn't stop running until I got home. My mom had to drag me back every day at lunch for at least a week and I cried the whole way.

  ~Merry
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  My older brothers walked me to school. I was to go to room 8. My teacher was tall and pretty with red hair: Mrs. Mitchell. I recall going to shop later for new school supplies and what the sun looked like. I remember clothes I wore and that I fixed my own hair. This is what I looked like:

  I had long hair and pulled it back in a ponytail. Too bad.

  Later on that year I have fond memories of walking to school in the rain with raincoat, hat and rainboots or galoshes as we called them in South East Louisiana.Lots of memories from 1st grade for certain.
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  Shania

  We lived in a country town, if you were well off you went to private catholic school, so there I was all smiles in my little uniform and beanie on my head with my buffy and jodie lunch box. We did not have kindergarten so right to first grade, I loved it......actually I loved school all the way till graduation. Fond memories here........
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  jeanniebeanz

  I do. My kindergarten teacher was awsome and most teachers that followed were pale in comparison. She reminded me of Jackie Kennedy and was the most kind lady.

  Jeannie