Blast from the post

in #life-history3 years ago

Grade School Jerry.jpg

Here is a bit of “color” from my past. This is a true story as I remember it:
The last day of school in my 6th grade, we were told that we could wear shorts to school. Everyone was excited.
At this time, I was attending Claxton Elementary, which then was in the old two-story building on HWY 280.

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source

For any readers who don’t know, this building was built in the ‘40’s I think, and had bare, wooden board floors. By the time I came along, they had seen many feet and much wear.
Now, to me, shorts and last day of school, together meant Summer and bare feet, so on the last day, I came to school bare footed.
The principal of the Elem. School, Mr. Hinson Griner, met me at the top of the stairs and told me that I couldn’t come in bare footed.
I objected strongly, saying that they had said we could wear shorts but they didn’t say we had to wear shoes!
A call was made to Daddy (we didn’t have a phone at our house in the country).
Boy! Was he mad! He called Burkhalter’s shoe store, and made arrangements for me to come get a new pair of sneakers, which were about $18 (as I remember).
This was VERY expensive, and at the beginning of Summer, so I knew that this was not good. I was told that I would walk to the store, get the shoes, and walk back to school for the rest of the day, then ride the bus home.
I knew I was in trouble.

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To get to the shoe store, I had to pass the ↑Court House↑, where the Superintendent’s office was located.
This was Mr George Durrence. I got the idea to stop in there, and say how unfair I thought it was for them to require my family to buy new shoes just for one day!

What could it hurt for me to be at school for one day without shoes? (of course now, I know that the distinct possibility of splinters from the bare floors was too much risk, but on the other hand, living in the country and going barefoot for 3 months every summer, my feet were practically made of leather anyway).
By the time I got to the office door, I was trembling with fear, but I went in and in a very shaky voice, told who I was, and why I was there and not in school.
They thanked me, and I went on, got the shoes, then went back to school.

When I got back, Mr. Griner once again met me.

“Don’t you EVER go behind my back to Mr Durrence again!” was all he said.

But, I had new shoes!

"New Shoes, a true story"

by
Jerry E Smith
©01/07/2022
Image of me in 4th grade, the others are sourced





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Dear @jerrytsuseer, we need your help!

The Hivebuzz proposal already got an important support from the community and is close to be funded. However, it misses a few votes to get past the return proposal and your could make the difference!

May we ask you to support it so our team can continue its work this year?
You can do it on Peakd, ecency,

Hive.blog / https://wallet.hive.blog/proposals
or using HiveSigner.
https://peakd.com/me/proposals/199

Thank you!

C'mon guys, we went round this dance once before. Back then I opened your link, I clicked on the "Tour" and the link DID NOT WORK.
Just did it again, and it STILL DOES NOT WORK, not for me
image.png

So I clicked on the link after I opened it from ecency, and I can do "the tour".
Great job, links that only work from ecency.
What is it exactly you want FROM ME?
Do I look like a whale? have you checked my wallet lately?

What is "Gamification" supposed to mean?
The Hive Gamification Proposal
I don't do games AT ALL

That was unfair. I hope the shoes were a size or two bigger so you can still use them next year?

To be honest, I don't remember, but probably so. In those days I was a runt, small for my age and POOberty had yet to hit me.
Thanks for commenting @amyx

Cute story and just look at how adorable you were!!! @jerrytsuseer

Thanks Nina, @ninahaskin, were is the operative term here too ha ha

Wow thanks for down the memory lane of your days in the 6th grade, though am still wondering why you decided to go to schoo bare footed, but I think it really isn't idea for the principal Mr. Hinson Griner to instill you get a shoe for just a day, and I must confess I admire your courage in standing up to him and stating your displesure to the General Superintendent (what ever it's you said I guess it work cause the principal got serve his token before you return back to school.

The school looks good and kind of modern for a 40s structures.

Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day.

The "new" elementary school, where I went from grades 1-3 has already been demolished, not sure what is going back in that spot. Lots of memories there. That building was built in the early 60's.
I've read that the older 2 story building pictured, has been slated for the wrecking ball, but there are a lot of folks that do NOT want that to happen, although, the building is so old it would take a lot of funds to rehab it for any other purpose.
BUT, it has an auditorium, stage and balcony. That would make it still the only such facility in the entire county as far as I know.
If I had the funds, I'd try to buy it and rehab it just for Thee-e-tah ha ha(Theater) productions

😂😂, it's a funny story and also interesting at the same time, bottom line, you got new shoes

Yeah, but that was a hardship in a lot of ways. In the 6th grade, I was 13 (I think) so I was growing rapidly.
Everyone took of their shoes when coming home, and unless you were working outside, or it was winter, you didn't wear shoes. Therefore you could expect shoes to last quite a while (especially back then when products in general were made better).
This meant that I would probably out grow them before I wore them out.
Thanks for commenting @nuberry


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