School starts at different times throughout the country. It starts here next Monday. The backpacks have been purchased, pencils sharpened and new clothes ready. The kids are excited to go back, although reluctant to admit it. This will be Morgans' last year at the elementary school. Fifth grade is the end here and I wonder if that is so everywhere. We went to sixth before going to middle school. It just seems we are hurrying the kids up a little these days. I'm thinking if we allowed our children to remain children a little longer we might be better off. That is a discussion for another day.
When I was going to school the middle school and high school were the same building. That school building had been there a long time. My parents went to school there. The school was built in 1935 and for a while every grade went there. You could start and finish your education in the same building, what a concept. Without looking up the history I couldn't say when that changed but must not have lasted all that long. I attended elementary school at the new elementary school. I didn't know it then but I was to graduate from the new high school. Mine was the first class to graduate in 1971 from a brand new school building. State of the art and full of unheard of amenities. It has been added on to and modified to such an extent I wouldn't recognize the building. I haven't been there in forty years.
Of all the school buildings I attended I would have to say the old high school building was my favorite. I loved the stairs, the hallways, the big windows that would be opened on warm days, and the sense of history there. A grand building standing stately in the heart of town. Those big steps leading up into the front of the columned entrance just spoke of education. It may not have been modern but it was more than sufficient.
Looking back I remember being pretty excited that we were getting a new school building. When you are young anything new has to be better, doesn't it ? This new school was outside of town, sorta. No more walking downtown for lunch from this school. But this school had a big parking lot right out front. Now that was convenient. It was also a sign of the times. More kids driving cars to school. Progress, I guess so. I'm sure it had a negative impact at the downtown restaurants. There were several, what you could call malt shops, downtown that relied on the business from the high school. That was pretty much ended with the new school. It was just the beginning of the change.
Every school has a song. Ours contained the line, " East Hampton High is marching, follow the lead. Firm friends and classmates will will always be. " What we were unaware of was my class , the class of 71, were to lead the class mostly out of town. Not many of us remained in good old East Hampton. For reasons as different as the number of students graduated, we left. But thanks to the miracle of social media many of us have reconnected. We have remained firm friends and classmates !
When I was going to school the middle school and high school were the same building. That school building had been there a long time. My parents went to school there. The school was built in 1935 and for a while every grade went there. You could start and finish your education in the same building, what a concept. Without looking up the history I couldn't say when that changed but must not have lasted all that long. I attended elementary school at the new elementary school. I didn't know it then but I was to graduate from the new high school. Mine was the first class to graduate in 1971 from a brand new school building. State of the art and full of unheard of amenities. It has been added on to and modified to such an extent I wouldn't recognize the building. I haven't been there in forty years.
Of all the school buildings I attended I would have to say the old high school building was my favorite. I loved the stairs, the hallways, the big windows that would be opened on warm days, and the sense of history there. A grand building standing stately in the heart of town. Those big steps leading up into the front of the columned entrance just spoke of education. It may not have been modern but it was more than sufficient.
Looking back I remember being pretty excited that we were getting a new school building. When you are young anything new has to be better, doesn't it ? This new school was outside of town, sorta. No more walking downtown for lunch from this school. But this school had a big parking lot right out front. Now that was convenient. It was also a sign of the times. More kids driving cars to school. Progress, I guess so. I'm sure it had a negative impact at the downtown restaurants. There were several, what you could call malt shops, downtown that relied on the business from the high school. That was pretty much ended with the new school. It was just the beginning of the change.
Every school has a song. Ours contained the line, " East Hampton High is marching, follow the lead. Firm friends and classmates will will always be. " What we were unaware of was my class , the class of 71, were to lead the class mostly out of town. Not many of us remained in good old East Hampton. For reasons as different as the number of students graduated, we left. But thanks to the miracle of social media many of us have reconnected. We have remained firm friends and classmates !
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