Category Archives: People

Mom’s Grade School Report Cards

Life, People, , ,

In a box in the kneewall of our attic is a box marked “Mom’s Stuff” that contains some things I took from my mother’s house that are particularly relevant to her. Here are her grade school report cards.

Mom went to Garfield Elementary School in Elgin, Illinois. In her later years she reconnected with some of her grade school classmates and met often for lunch or other activities.

Kindergarten (1941-1942)

Her Kindergarten teacher was Jane W. Johnson. Mom’s grades were satisfactory across the board.

Grade 1 (1942 – 1943)

Her first grade teacher was Marion D. Korby. Under Citizenship and Character Development it looks like my mom was satisfactory in everything except respecting law and order. For the first half of the year she either needed improvement or was improving but still unsatisfactory.

Academically it seems she was fine except that she needed improvement in reading silently without lip movement. WTF? Is that even something?

Also interesting is that she was absent for 9 days (out of around 40) for the last grading period.

Grade 2 (1943 – 1944)

Mom in January 1944

Mom’s second grade teacher was Helen Bartlett. This year she was satisfactory in everything and hardly absent at all.

Grade 3 (1944 – 1945)

Mom’s teacher in third grade was Clara Wechter and Mom was again satisfactory in everything.

Grade 4 (1945 – 1946)

Mom, April 1946

In fourth grade the report card not only changes color, but the academic section changes, adding more subjects including Social Studies, Spelling, Handwriting, Music, Art, PE and Manual Arts (whatever that was). Mom’s teacher was Edna Gage (possibly a distant relative on Mom’s father’s side) and Mom was satisfactory in everything.

Grade 5 (1946 – 1947)

In fifth grade where Mom had M. Parlasca for a teacher (M for Mrs or Miss or Mary or Mr.?) the report cards changed again. A whole page for Citizenship (where no check = good) and another page for Scholarship and Attendance. Another change is that now grades A, B, C, D, and E are used instead of S, N, and I. It looks like Mom was a solid B student in most subjects with English, Spelling and Handwriting turning to A second semester.

Grade 6 (1947 – 1948)

M. Roberts taught Mom in sixth grade. Mom was again a solid B student, except for Arithmetic where she received A- most periods.

Some Delights in Olympia

Family, People, Travel, , , , , , , ,

On Sunday we arrived in Olympia after a 6 hour flight, 1 hour wait for a rental car, and 45 minute drive. While not exactly not delightful, also not at all dreadful. Everyone was kind, no one was nasty, even in the rental car line.

The first delight was when we arrived at our delightful Airbnb. The host left me a long note and two gift cards for local food vendors because, she said, she was happy we were returning and because the house next door is going through a remodel starting this week. Isn’t that delightfully thoughtful of her?

Our next delight was a 3-hour sailboat trip on the Schooner Pterodactyl that started at 4. Clare mentioned that she wanted to do it and we booked what turned out to be the last sail of the season. Clare invited three friends and we all brought goodies. It was beautiful, peaceful (except for when I was almost tossed overboard), and the food and conversation were delightful.

Yesterday we had a delightful walk through a mini rainforest a 4 minute drive from our Airbnb. This was my second or third time there and it was as lovely as I remembered. I brought Rupert and Chum along and near the end of the walk a little girl exclaimed in delight to her mother “Look, she has a bear!” Of course I stopped and introduced her to Rupert and Chum. The little girl said she had a friend in her mother’s backpack and begged her mother to get out the friend. It turned out to be a small Orca whale named (I think) Stash. Stash, Rupert and Chum chatted for a bit, posed for a group photo and then we all parted ways after assuring the little girl that we’d chat again next time we met up at the park.

I finally met Clare’s cat, Milk (or Ghost depending on the day). It was delightful to meet him but I am not sure he found me delightful. I scolded him for scratching on the sofa and must have hurt his feelings because he didn’t warm up to me while we were there visiting yesterday. I’m here for two weeks, so perhaps I can win him over.

Last night Dean grilled chicken, pork, eggplant, mushrooms and tofu for a delightful Labor Day feast for Clare, Pete and me.

A Dream

Death, Dreams, People

I’m still getting used to the time change and have been getting up way too early. I took a nap today to make up for my lack of sleep. I feel like I may have drifted off and woke up several times until I finally fell asleep long enough to dream.

It was one of those dreams that seemed very real. I was in Elgin with my parents. I kept kissing the top of my dad’s head, happy he was with us. He seemed happy that I was happy. See, he’d died and then a month later he was alive again. Alive and well — no dementia. Alive and kind — no alcoholism.

Later he was driving me somewhere and I said to him, “Dad, you know that what happened to you has never happened to anyone ever, right?” He asked me what I meant and I told him that we thought he was lost to us, but he was back. And fixed.

I woke up then and it took me a while to remember that I was on vacation in Olympia and that my dad was, in fact, still dead. I also, in those few waking seconds remembered that I’d dreamed this same sort of dream many times, but never remembered them.

I don’t really know what it means, although I have a clue that I will keep to myself for now.

Dad and me, circa 1958