Sunday, June 9, 2013

September 17, 1955 School Starts, Piano Class Starts, Sore Throat Starts and Bob Considers the Sunday School Promise

Life, September 26, 1955

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"B is teaching this morning and it seems funny for him to have a class this morning.  Saturday classes are better than 5:00 classes, though.

This has been a hard week and B hasn't been home much.  There have been a lot of things doing.  B served on one of the Little White House conferences but I didn't go.  It was a dinner meeting and I wasn't invited to that part.  We went to a dinner last night and then to a reception for new students.  There is another reception for new members of our department tonight.  I have to help a little on this one.

B has a speech for the Methodist men next week but doesn't expect to give man of them this year.

Bob and I have both been about sick with sore throats this week.  I think we're all right now after a round of sulfa tablets.  We were afraid Bob would have to miss his first day of school but he kept going.  He was too tired last night and got sick but slept awhile and woke up feeling fine.

Piano class started with a bang and most of the kids are rebelling.  I think the teacher will have to slow up a bit.

Bob wouldn't go to Sunday School with Ann but he really thought about it when I told him of your promise.  He's still talking about it and figuring on how long it would take to save enough money for a dog.  He wants one so badly we may still get him to go to S.S.

The contractor is supposed to call us about the plans we drew sometime today.  His price will probably be over our heads.

I guess I'll get some clothes folded so bye for now."

                  Lots of love,

                        Bonnie

NOTES:  Life featured an extensive article on the nation's understaffed and underequipped schools.  The U.S. needed 52,000 additional classrooms to keep up with the growing enrollment.  Teachers' colleges graduated about 100,000 in June, but only 60,000 of those took teaching jobs.  Both elementary and secondary teacher salaries remained low, forcing teachers to take second jobs, drive the school bus, do the schools' janitorial work and a host of other things to make ends meet.  Unfortunately in many areas this tradition continues.



4 comments:

  1. Interesting to read about the schools crisis. My husband Bob is a school bus driver and he is always amazed at how many 'Student Free Days' the schools have in South Australia. The students are often on camps either with the school or with their parents during school terms not designated holidays. The result being they don't seem to spend enough time at school. Sadly a large proportion of school leavers are illiterate. The Powers That Be seem to be finally listening but the wheels of government are notoriously slow especially with an election looming.

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  2. I am very interested in your comment about the schools there. We have the same issues. In the U.S., the typical range of "in-school" days can be anywhere from 160 - 185. Family trips during the school year which are taken immediately before or after the designated school vacations serve to extend the time away from the classroom for lots of kids. Many schools continue to eliminate music, art, foreign language, etc. due to budget restrictions. It troubles me how many of the same problems still exist after 60 years! Thanks for writing!

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  3. I remember my Grandmother Taylor offered me a quarter a week if
    I would go to Sunday school. But it was too boring.

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  4. I loved Sunday School! We had snacks and art projects!

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