This week I have seen quite a few First Day of School Pictures so thought I would again post what I wrote five years ago.
Do you remember when you were a kid and your Mom just had to get the camera out to take your First Day of School picture?
I remember being excited to get back to school and see all my friends and also to learn something new.
For Kindergarten and First Grade, this was the school that I went to.
Irving Grade School in Ottumwa, Iowa was one of those old two story brick school buildings that was full of character. I have many memories of the old school, the wooden floors, the basement gymnasium and the wonderful playground.
My Mom also went to this school for a short time when she was in grade school.
A new modern grade school was built in Ottumwa that consolidated three neighborhood grade schools. For Second Grade I went to Douma Grade School.
Irving was eventually torn down and they built a McDonalds at the strategic Five Corners location.
Here I am with my older sister on one of those first days of school. We are standing on our back porch ready to walk to school on a bright sunny day. I will be nice and not say much about the way we were dressed, but doesn’t it look like we could be extras on The Brady Bunch?
Here is a picture from a couple years later when we were all going to Douma. Obviously, my older sister was a crossing guard. Doesn’t she look real enthused about it 🙂
We all had on some red or pink, or somewhere in between. Not sure about the color of my brother’s pants, but my sister’s bell cuffs on her jeans were definitely pink.
This picture brings back some really good memories. The family coat of arms hanging on the wall is hanging where I can see it while I am typing. I also remember the beautiful frosted glass windows on the front doors of our house. They had a scene from Niagara Falls.
I am sure that I will see a lot of First Day of School pictures over the next couple of weeks. School starts here on Monday and I need to remember to turn the other way when I head off to work so that I miss the morning school traffic.
Are you ready for school to start again?
Steven
Braman's Wanderings 