Remember I told you about my best friend well here she is with me on a very happy occasion, Graduation Day. I had been out of School since January and the last thing I wanted was to be apart of this ceremony. It was June, it was nice out and I had to go because Dad bought me this beautiful corsage. Not sure if it was Dad or Mom taking this photo but I am sure they told me to SMILE! I was always the kid in school looking out the window wishing I was outside. I really did not like too many teachers in the 12 years I attended. Back in school in the 60’s and 70’s too much was happening OUT THERE to be STUCK IN THERE.
I did have a female teacher MS HILL in fourth grade now she was cool! She was our science teacher and a Hippie I bet looking back on the times. She had pretty long dark hair and I swear long grey streaks from the part down both sides of her head maybe we made her prematurely grey. I remember her outfits as do all the boys from my fourth grade class I am sure. Mini skirts were all the rage. Our school had to add partitions to the fronts of the desks, as they were not mini skirts they were micro mini’s! It was the only class I saw the boys sit in the front two rows, normally they raced to hide in back. So now really why I loved my fourth grade Science class was because she loved science and it showed. She taught us about the night-time sky and even had a field trip to a place in town where it was really dark. We came with our families and all stretched out on our blankets while MS Hill explained the stars and what each constellation was. How many teachers have that much joy that they give up a night to spend laying on the grass with students. I think of her often when I camp and spend so much time with my eyes looking up into the night sky. Where I live there is no light pollution and I swear some nights there are billions of stars just over my head. I wish I could find her to thank her for fourth grade as it was not till I went into ninth grade did I get that same feeling. It was a new school and lots of new people I had never met. There were so many classes to choose from and so many trades to try out. We spent 6 or 8 weeks in each one to see if it was match for us. I wanted Auto Body bud sadly it was 1970 and girls were not allowed in trades full of men. I wanted to sculpt cool outer shells for FAST CARS. I had friends older that were always messing with their rides. It is because of them and my Dad and all the time spent at the race track that I want to make them special. I also loved Culinary Arts we learned to chop, and dice as well as bake the most wonderful pastries We learned how to waitress and even had our own restaurant with in the school to practice at for the real world. I also took Drafting and Technical Illustrating oh and Electronics too! It was Secretarial Sciences I ended up with as I loved Shorthand! I was fast too. Then came tenth through twelfth grades and I could care less about going. I had no choice Mom would remind me I would graduate if it was the last thing she would do!
So was it the lack of enthusiastic teachers I had or was there a problem with me? Most teachers we had did not like children. We had ones that would yell and scream and send you off to the office or ones who would go in the back room and drink we even had one flip out in class like he was on acid. There was one cool teacher who taught us about the Mafia, WHY? Cool dude though he would go off with the young girls and they would all come back HIGH. Yes these were different times in the 60’s and 70’s and I for one was so happy to walk out in January of 1974 . I just was not happy having to attend graduation. I know Mom and Dad were so proud of me but I always felt as if there was a whole world OUT THERE and I was MISSING IT!
I am so glad my best friend was there. I kissed my parents good-bye and we set out to attend some Graduation Parties.
I have been out of school now for 38 years and would love to go to a Art School or maybe just teach young girls to appreciate life, not to settle and to never stand for abuse, of any kind.
There is one thing I am sure of, if I taught they would listen.
Folsom Mill Studio/Eunice Miller 
Reblogged this on 20 Lines A Day.
Excellent post Eunice. Yes the 70’s was a completely different era. I am amazed at all the things you tried though..Electronics? Good on You I say. As for shorthand my parents sent me to night school to learn and I hated it, needless to say if I tried to do it now it would resemble a dogs hind leg! We had our share of grumpy teachers also and back in those days the ruler came out for a sharp slap across your palm or several depending on how naughty you were..OMG a post has just come into my head now. I love this I read yours and then get inspired! Do Art School or teach young girls…be NIKE…just do it!!!
🙂
xxxxx
Thanks for GETTING the Post and you go now and write something I CAN READ we at least had teachers who taught us to read and write even if it was UGLY at times 🙂
That’s what I’m saying JUST DO IT! 🙂
Reading your story brings along my memory of such time back. It was such great time. I am still grateful to few wonderful HS teachers who had helped me through.
I have a few I can count on one hand sadly that were truly teaching for the better of the student and not for the paycheck or tenure.
funny comment about the boys sitting at the front of the classroom. They liked to hang around stairwells too. I promised myself that even if I had the slimmest body that I could have, I would never again wear a mini skirt. Bloody nuisance! And I remember the teachers that wanted to be friends -not good role models. My favourite was one strict old lady that wore slips under her blouse and wrote the daily Quote on the board when she arrived-we always looked forward to this and we had great respect for her and we were quite the rebels..
Funny who we remember and for how long they stay with us wonder if they remember US lol
all it takes is one teacher to be your champion and school no longer sucks. I know, I had a favorite one, too. She “saw” me when no other did. She recognized my artistic gift and encouraged me.
I’m so glad you had yours. And you, teaching? Hell ya you should.
🙂 thanks Sue
Love this post! I can just imagine lying under the stars with someone who can explain the constellations – what a great teacher! And I suspect you would be a great teacher, too. You care, and you’re a natural storyteller – with interesting stories to tell! Kids need mentors who have life skills and a love of learning themselves.
I agree – go for it!!!
What a nice thing to say thank you very much. I always wanted to take a group of kids who know one could get to go to school and put them in a big bus with me and teach them while out on the road, volunteering where ever we stopped. 🙂 Not like a reality show but for REAL
You’re not going to believe this, but in 1986 I walked across the US with a big group of people (on a peace march) and we moved from city to city. We had trucks to carry gear, portable kitchen and a post office bus and school bus. And I worked with the kids!! So these kids did learn on the road for 9 months.
So it is possible! And a great idea.
Thanks I have found anything is possible that is for sure. Have you written stories about it on your blog or a book.
Thanks for the encouragement
Eunice
Hi Eunice,
I have never written about my experience but now you have me thinking. Thank YOU for the encouragement and keep sharing your great stories.
I am never sure if I should or not I have so much more to share just finding the moment to share IMPORTANT stuff is harder than a photo
I am glad I gave you courage we all need strong people in our corner don’t we
Eunice