Sunday, November 28, 2010

Nov 28, 2010


I took a picture of my old grade school on the way home from work today. It was called Center Hill School and we went from first grade to eighth grade in the same building. Our classes were small and we knew everyone. The gym served as the cafeteria and basketball court. I think it was our 8th grade class that had a removable wall that opened up to a stage area and we used that for our plays and special programs.
As kids we played marbles out back, and sometimes the teacher would join in. You don't hear kids talk about marbles anymore, and that is sad, many a good time was had at recess winning someones prize shooter.....
Girls back then would wear pants under their dresses and thought nothing of it because we all did it. Now they don't even wear dresses to school, and if they did it would not be fashionable to have a pair of warm slacks on underneath. I have many a photo of my friends and I outside in the winter running and playing with boots, pants under the dresses, a scarf tied around your head, bulky coat, gloves and enjoying every minute of it. Now I don't think they let the kids out if it gets very cold.... they have movies in the gym..
When I graduated from 8th grade we were bussed to Mt. Carroll High School. It was about 8 miles away from Center Hill. We had a day to go visit and I remember thinking it was the biggest school I had ever seen.. and it was. Center Hill was one story,with the gym and cafeteria on a lower level, Mt Carroll School was 3 stories.. with lots more students. I remember when we started our freshman year, we felt so isolated. Most of the students in Mt Carroll already had long time friends and their little clicks. It was hard to fit in, and some of the kids from Center Hill were on a dividing line and went the other direction to a town called Savanna. Starting at a new, bigger school was terrifying to most of us, and some of us lost childhood friends to the other town. You were really alone then.
Center Hill School is no longer a school. It was sold and turned into apartments. The kids from that area are bussed to Mt. Carroll, Savanna, or Thomson now. Every now and then as I drive by the remodeled school I feel a little sad. Sad that kids nowadays never had the chance to share in the closeness that we had at that little school. I still try to keep in touch with some of the kids, it seems the older you get the more old friends come back into your life.

5 comments:

  1. Sandy I really like your blog .... you did girl!
    So when you coming for dinner!

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  2. Hi Sandy, love your blog! Welcome to the blog world!

    hugs
    Barb

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  3. Sandy, I wish I had known how things had been for you in high school. However, you had a smile that would melt icebergs and most of us wanted to be your friend. Why do you think that I offered to drive you to and from school - even though I served several detentions because of you? I'm not sorry and I'm glad to still be your friend. BTW, I really like your blog.

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  4. Oh that is sweet Mike :)
    I loved that you all grew up in a small town, I wish I had that experience growing up.

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  5. me to:( My graduating class had over 700..

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