Where did you attend Elementary School? Describe? Who were your favorite and least favorite teachers?

In Mississippi in 1946 children could start school if you turned six before the first of January of the school year. Therefore I was able to start when I was five. We lived at the intersection of Hiway 25 and Hiway 72, which is now Battleground Drive and Quitman St. Being only about two blocks from school meant that we had to walk to school, rain, shine, hot, cold or snow! Iuka Elementary was the only one in the area. Each little community had their own schools, mostly one to three rooms. Iuka was the largest in the county. The building called the Howard Memorial Auditorium had just been completed and for the first two years we only went for half days while they completed the Gym which would have the classrooms for the fifth and sixth grade. I loved school. My mother had always read anything she could and I got my love of reading from her. I can't remember when I didn't go to the library and everyone always said I had a book in my hand. I really think I would have been happy to go to school all year around! The entire school system was in the same area. We had three buildings, the first, second, third, and fourth grades were in the auditorium, fifth and sixth grades were in the new gym and seventh through twelfth were in the high school building. The auditorium and gym were new buildings but the high school building was old-old-old! It was a large brick two story building, with huge stairs. The floors were wood and there was so much noise. And it was hot in the spring and fall and cold in the winter! We had a football field but it was located across town.

Like all kids I had teachers I liked and those I didn't like. Most of the teachers I did like but there was one in particular that I didn't. Mrs. Rhoda Stephens was my first and second grade teacher and she was a neighbor and a wonderful lady and teacher. When I got in the third grade my teacher was Mrs. Brown and I can honestly say that I hate her today as much as I did in 1950! It is amazing how much someone can leave an impression on you. She embarrassed me in front of other teachers and kids and my mother even went to see her about some of the things she did. At the time I thought I was the only one that she treated this way but after talking to some of the others in my class I know that she was just an unhappy, grouchy, woman. I thought she was old but now I know that she wasn't old at all. Another teacher I loved was my sixth grade teacher, Miss Lela Graham. She was an old maid and didn't drive. She lived about a mile from school and walked to school and back everyday. Some days my nephew (who lived with us) and I would walk home with her. She was a really good person and a wonderful teacher. So that is my Elementary School days memories. There are some bad memories but all in all I would not want to trade them for anywhere else. I think small towns and small schools are the best of all!