It’s time for those who find they need to go to summer school to be sure they’re signed up.
I decided to go to summer school the summer between my junior and senior year.
Not because I had to make up a failed class nor because I needed another class to graduate. I had decided to go to summer school because I was lazy. You see, if I got a couple classes out of the way that summer, I wouldn’t have to take as many my senior year.
Now you’ll have to agree – that was really being lazy.
I don’t remember which classes I took, but I had to drive the family car, a 1946 Studebaker, to get there. Among the high schools in Akron were North, South, East and West high schools, and oh yes, Central High. I think that’s where I traveled to.
Being from the northern part of Ohio, I grew up within a few miles of Amish country.
Their students only went through eighth grade, at least at that time, 1950, and they were taught by students who had gone on to take higher classes in places, for instance, like Central High School.
There was an Amish boy and an Amish girl in my classes. They wore the proverbial Amish light blue home spun wool pants and skirt. They were on the shy side, but friendly. I remember being impressed at their questions and their wanting to learn all they could.
I have mentioned before that I enjoy answering quizzes, except for any math or science questions.
Add to that any chemistry questions. I took that subject my senior year and while my chemistry teacher did not come right out and say so, I think he passed me out of the kindness of his heart.
I was one of several chosen to make a speech at graduation. Since it was relatively soon after World War II I chose a subject in the news at that time: How Germany was going about re-starting its educational system.
I recorded my speech, I’m sure it was on a 45 rpm record, and brought it home with pride and played it for my Dad. When it ended, he said, “Who was that?”
My voice, when on any recording, seems to go down an octave. So he was forgiven.
