It’s Flag Day; for some reason this day always takes me back
to grade school years. When we were kids
was there a Flag Day event? I think
maybe. It seems some things from your grade school years escape you but other things are as vivid as yesterday. For me and my siblings the grade school was
what seemed to be a large building in Brandt, South Dakota.
When I started my schooling 4 rooms in the
building were used. Grades 1 through 4
in the lower grade room taught by Mrs. Hawley and Mrs. Holen took charge of Grades
5 through 8 in the upper grade room. We also used a music room and the lunch
room. When Mrs. Nieme came from the district office we were always on our best
behavior. I don’t know what we thought
she could do to us; but I remember being afraid of her. If my memory is correct, she was a big woman
and had blue hair. But that might not be true at all. One of our favorite
things to do at recess was climb the fire escape in the back of the building
and slide down. I am pretty sure they
put an end to that for safety reasons by the time I was in 3rd
grade. Mrs. Shane; the school cook was in the basement kitchen; it was a special
honor to take the attendance for the day to the basement kitchen; when you delivered
the number to cook for on that day and you usually got a little sample of
something she was cooking up; the bonus was the lovely smells that were created
there. Mrs. Shane introduced me to
crunch of rutabaga on one of those visits.
I have such great memories from those years, although some very sketchy,
I do remember Flag Day was my classmate and neighbors birthday. Happy Birthday Mike Kjenstad!
Though I don’t remember the history of Flag Day; I know it
is a day to fly it in honor of those who fought so we could freely fly the Red,
White and Blue! Happy Flag Day!
