started to school in 1926. My first grade teacher was Rose Musick, who
was a girlhood friend of my mother. I was eager to go to school because
my primary ambition was to learn to read. For years I had been pestering
all the family, Mother, Dad, Bob, and anyone else who came by, "read to
me." "Read to me." Good fortune really smiled on me. In those days
reading was taught by the phonics method. After a period of time when we
studied the various sounds and practiced with flash cards, we were
handed a little book and told to soundoutthe words. It was magic, pure
magic. I could read the words and understand what they meant. My
excitement level could only be reproduced today by winning a lottery.
After school that day I was supposed to join Mother in the basement of
our church where she was attending a meeting of the Ladies' Aid Society.
I ran every step of the way to the church, burst into the room, and
announced, "I can read!"
nd so I could. I took to it as naturally as a bird takes to the air.
Rose suggested to Mother that she let me skip the second grade and go
directly to the third grade. A couple of other first graders were
allowed to do this, but Mother thought it would be better for me to stay
with my own age group.
n the second grade my teacher was Miss Holiday, who was young and
pretty, but I can't remember anything exciting she taught me. I had no
objection to learning to write, spell, or work with numbers, but those
things just weren't magic. During this school year our beloved Rose
Musick became ill and died so we were the last class lucky enough to
learn to read under her.