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Curtis School that I attended out in the country usually started early in September. Sometimes we would get dismissed at noon so we could go home to help work in the cotton or peanut fields in the afternoon.
I remember how hot it was without air conditioning or electric fans. We would open the tall windows to get air circulating. The school buses were not air conditioned either and I don't think they had heaters for the cold days. The buses were privately owned and the bus I rode was orange, with 4 long benches running from front to back of the bus. Two of the benches were in the center and students sat on each side.
On my left in the photo above, were my two best friends: Janice Cowen Hudson and Evelyn Jones Mikel. We have remained close friends for all our lives and don't live too far apart.
Janice and I organized the Curtis reunion many years ago and are still "in charge" the 2nd Saturday of October every year. Janice's husband Buddy Hudson died a few years ago. She has 2 boys and 2 girls and they have children and grandchildren so she has a big happy family to take care of her when she gets old!
The next photo is my friend Evelyn Jones Mikel, in the green sweater. Next to her is her older sister Edith Jones Calhoun.
Evelyn had a tragedy in her family yesterday. Her 2-year-old twin great-grandchildren accidentally fell into their grandmother's above-the-ground swimming pool and drowned before the grandmother missed them. I feel so sorry for the grandmother, and of course the young parents and great grandparents, Evelyn and Joe. Earlier this year another granddaughter had a severely deformed child whose lifespan is short. The little boy is still alive and growing but cannot live much longer due to so many problems.
My heart goes out to this family. Things like this just aren't supposed to happen to my friends; this is just something we hear about on the news or read about in the newspaper.
Now that I've told you about my friends, I'll get back to "going back to school" memories. We didn't have to purchase many school supplies. I think a few pencils and a tablet for younger kids and a pack of notebook paper for the older students. I think we had to buy an 8-pack of crayons and maybe a pair of scissors. They were always handed down to the younger children in each family. As I was the oldest, I always got to buy new supplies.
When I reached Jr. High (7th grade), I had to buy some of my textbooks. I always bargained with someone when school was out to buy his or her books in the fall. We took very good care of our books so we could sell them at the end of the year.
Having a few new clothes to wear when school started was always so much fun. My Aunt Barbara would usually make me a new dress to wear the first day of school. I don't remember if I had new shoes or not. We would remove our shoes after we got to school and sometimes go barefoot all day. It was very hot inside the school building. We were not allowed to wear shorts to school. It wasn't until I was in the 8th grade that girls could wear long pants or jeans.
In the group photo above I have on a green wool 2-piece suit with a white satin blouse. My mother cut the suit from one her sister sent to her and I don't know where the fabric for the blouse came from. She made me such pretty clothes to wear. I had pigtails (braids) until the 5th grade and I remember my mother rolling my hair so it would be curly in the photo above.
I always get nostalgic when I see the ads for back to school supplies. I usually go to the store and get a few items just for the excitement of being in on shopping for school! Plus I can always use more paper clips, pens and pencils, paper, folders, crayons, etc.
I used to help the 5 granddaughters with back-to-school school supplies, but all are in college but one and she informed me that she had everything she needs for the 8th grade. The last time I helped them shop for school supplies, I couldn't believe the many things (and certain brands, etc) that they had to buy and take to school the first day. Things like Kleenex and hand washing soap, paper towels, and on and on.
I'm sure that when the big yellow school bus comes by our house in a couple of weeks, I will have a lump in my throat and start humming "School Days, School Days, etc."
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