I loved Kindergarten. The teacher was a kind woman.  The room was huge, at least to me.  There was a big bay window on one end with wooden bench seats under it for all of us to have room to sit.  Mrs. Johns would sit in her chair in front of us each morning and she read us a picture book.  I am sure that she taught us to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.  She also could play the piano and taught us to sing along.  I can’t sing, but I can move my lips.

There was a playhouse in that room. It was furnished and the girls flocked to it and there was one baby doll and a doll buggy.  I never managed to get into that playhouse and never, ever got the doll or buggy.  So, I played with the wooden puzzles and blocks.

We had a snack time.  All of us had a turn to go downstairs to count out our milk cartons.  There were always two of us to count and recount the cartons and to carry the heavy metal crate up to the classroom.  One day Mrs. Johns gave us each a Lifesaver candy.  We put out straws through the hole for amusement to drink our milk.  Then we ate the lifesaver.

We had to bring a blanket or rug to school for naptime.  My problem with naptime was that I was never sleepy.  I tried to act asleep.  I learned to scoot like an inchworm on my rug.  When I felt Mrs. Johns’ eyes on me, I acted like I was asleep again. Good students were given a magic wand to tap each napping child gently to wake them up.  I always got a swat, not a tap.

Then the time of the year came when we had a “Play” to perform for parents.  Mrs. Johns assigned us each a role.  All the girls wanted to be the princess: Sleeping Beauty.  She had a lovely crown made of construction paper and glitter.  I was given the role of one of the thorns.  I had green paper cones for each finger and thumb.  I was disappointed beyond words.  The thorns had to creep up to Sleeping Beauty until the prince came to “kiss” her and wake her up.  The boys did not want to be the prince…not into kissing yet.

I liked Kindergarten so much I became a Kindergarten teacher myself.  I have quite a few sharper memories of those days.