The backpacks and school supplies have been advertised for weeks now and the day approaches when students will return to school. Our children are grown now. I no longer walk or drive a student to school, but I think of those children who will be going.

For some children, it will be their first school experience.  A mighty step for small children used to being close to their mother’s side.  Reminds me of my early days in our one-room school house. It dates me, I know.

I grew up in the country, on a farm in rural Ontario where it was commonplace to hear roosters crowing in the morning. Quite a different sound from the bzz bzz of an alarm clock.

Mom took me to school on my first day, I remember. She says that she thought she’d have to stay at school with me, since I was so shy. But I was okay and she went home.

The teacher came outside and rang a hand bell to call everyone into the classroom.The girls entered by the girls’ door and the boys went in the boy’s door, and we met in one big classroom. That meant we had a few minutes to put our lunchboxes on the shelf in the cloakroom, and go and sit in our desks.

Certain things stand out for me yet today. Older students, neighbours and cousins, not to mention our teacher, smiled and welcomed me there. I had my own desk that I would sit in every day, a desk small enough that I could sit on the seat and my feet touched the floor, unlike most chairs in other places.

The wide blackboard  across the front of the room was filled with letters, words and numbers, which I would learn were assignments for different grades. Sometimes those words were printed in different colours.

Above the blackboard was a row of alphabet letters in their capitals and small form, and above that was our photo of the Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, wearing her crown and very elegant dress.

On any school day, we started our day with opening exercises, not stretching, as you might imagine, but standing to sing God Save the Queen, pledging allegiance to the country, while an older student held the flag. After the flag was put back in its holder, we  prayed the Lord’s Prayer then sat in our desks ready to begin our work.

Come back another day to read more.