To begin, my mother with good intentions packed my lunch into a small flower basket, something
of a miniature looking picnic basket. Well, as kids will be kids, the minute I walked into that class room, preened and prissy, the kids started to whisper and snigger at my little basket. I was so distressed that I refused to touch lunch at all that day.
The teacher explained to my mother that I cried and did not have my lunch. In a hysteric I told my mother that I was not going back to school if I did not get one of those metal lunch pans with Little Miss Muffet on it, what choice she had, but to get one from Times Store, “The Finest Store in Town”
Imagine, growing up as a child going to school in Jamaica was ritualistic routine. Let me emphasize that mothers back
then, took the ultimate pride in dressing their children neat, pressed and greased for school, for ‘cleanliness was next to Godliness’ moreover, a child’s tidiness was a true reflection on the mother’s self-worth.
On any given school morning, your mother’s voice calls out to you in your sleep, “wake up”; “say your prayer”; “wash your face and brush your teeth”. And although you took a bath the evening or night before, your mother had to give you one before you go off to school.
After you are given a scrubbing from head to toes, you are dressed into a little white camisole so as not to catch a cold; a lacy underwear with the day of the week on it; and a baggy type of lingerie called a bloomers that matches your tunic uniform.
You are then put on the edge of the bed and pair of brown sock with brown shoes or black shoes with blue socks is put on your feet.
Did I forget to mention that those shoes were awful orthopedic shoe my mother thought would be ‘good for my fee’, well they were ugly, tough and I hated them. Your mother would then proceed to comb your hair into one, two or three braids with clips and ribbons tied into bows that match your uniform ensemble, and as a last act before she actually put your tunic on she would lotion you down from face to feet hands like a greasy bucket.
Next, would be that cup of hot cornmeal, banana or oatmeal porridge that you had to eat, and as far as you could remember, you mother would utter threatening words with strap in hand if you did not finish it or attempted to throw it up out of your stomach.
Listen, as far as I remembered, as children we lived to play; morning, noon and night. So as soon little feet hit the school compound, it was pure unadulterated romping with your friends, at break time, lunch time and before you go home. If that day were Monday morning, the school bell would ring and the children would gather in the school’s quadrangle by grades and a prayer devotion led by the principal or House Captain would ensure. However, on any other day, devotion was held in each individual classroom.
A moment of devoutness went something like this:
1 John 4:12: “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete is us.” To further heighten awareness that it is God's love in us that allows us to be kind, sing the song Castle of My Heart
Love is a flag flown high from the castle of my heart,
From the castle of my heart,
From the castle of my heart.
Love is a flag flown high from the castle of my heart,
For the King is in residence there.
So let it fly, let it fly, let the whole world know,
Let the whole world know, let the whole world know,
So let it fly, let it fly, let the whole world know,
That the King is in residence here.
After devotion, we would respectfully greet our teacher and be seated, then the teacher would call the register, during that time, we would observe the week’s daily thoughts written by our teacher, that she so carefully and lovingly stenciled on cartridge paper;
‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you’
‘A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss’
‘Birds of a feather flock together’
‘Empty barrels make the most noise’
After roll call, our teacher would walk around and inspect each child’s book and pencil. Satisfied somewhat, she would go to the blackboard and begin her lessons in reading, writing or sums. And somewhere between tedium and exhaustion, the break bell would ring, and a line was formed and we leave the classroom in an orderly fashion.
After break it was time for our teacher to walk around the room and help the those of us that were having difficulties understanding the lessons. At lunch time, the little kids would have lunch before the bigger kids while the teachers sat with them while they ate. After lunch, it would be nap time, and we put our heads on the desk and recuperate our strengths after playing in the hot sun. During this down time, the teacher would mark the work done for the morning lessons. After napping, we would sing folks songs; learn nursery rhymes; recite the letters of the alphabet; count to one hundred; or storytelling.
The evening bell rings and the children go home and the cycle repeats itself the next school day.
Grade One back then, seems simple and remedial compared to the complicated stuff children are learning now in Grade One. However, no fancy learning of today will ever beat the simple A for Apple, B for Bat, C for Cat solid foundation of yesterday!
