WHAT ABOUT BEING A FIFTH GRADER?

Many of us can say it has been fifty years since we were in fifth grade. Now matter how long it has been, we remember our teacher and some of our class mates.

It was the fall of 1954 when the halls of Knox School was flooded with to be fifth graders. There were two classes; Mrs. Robarge and Miss Peterson. We all wanted the first, some of us got the second.

Miss Peterson was a matronly looking woman with a bobbed hair style, old style glasses, and a suit that looked like she was going to a funeral. She wore no make up. She looked strict. Mrs. Robarge was a smiling type with up dated clothes and wore lipstick. She looked updated.

We knew which class room we would have because the teacher had written the names on a paper and posted it outside the door. My name was on the Peterson door.

Miss Peterson could not sing, we learned all our songs off a phonograph record. She could keep our attention because she looked like she would do something to you if you didn't pay attention to her.

Our books were well used, they were offered to us to use. There was no fees for school in those days. We had to supply crayons, pencils, and paper. For tests, special paper was used.

What were the classes? Arithmetic, language, reading, writing, science, and US geography. The math was long division and 4x4 multipication tables. The geography was all about the United States. I got to talk about our trip to Florida using the large pull down map.

Perhaps the list of classes are much like they were then plus computer. For those of you who have heard of OR watch SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER, it is interesting to take the tests supplied by the Virginia school system.

Wondering what sort of review my grand daughter may have, I went to the computer skills first, I did very well. But, I am thinking about a friend who wouldn't know any of the answers because she hasn't had the training. The answers I gave where from the late 80's when I went to school and learned about the computer from a teacher who would not allow us to turn the machine on until we memorized the 123 commands.

Yes, that was 20 years ago, and yes, I still use those ctrl commands even now, although the computers are truly user friendly.

If you would like to see the site, go to:

http://www.iq.poquoson.org/studygradelevel5.html

Good Luck!

Happy fifth grade, Jaeme!

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