Early School Memories

[irishgirl1984]

I have early school memories,
Dating back not centuries.
This was before,
The 1990s.

I was five,
Too young to drive.
My parents wanted me in school,
They wanted me to learn-
Socialization and academic rule.

Sending me to the north side of Chicago,
Was the only way to go.
No school on the south side,
Had their priorities right.
Didn’t want to take a chance with me,
Not at al-
You see.

“We don’t have the resources,”
Was what my parents were told-
Of course.
Send me va school bus,
To Farnsworth School,
They did-
And, I did fuss.

Other children my age returned home around lunch,
But I could not-
My parents both,
Worked so much

That school was a mess,
The ADA they didn’t stress.
Stairs everywhere,
I had to have help-
Going up the stairs-
If library day was,
Thecause.
Play with the other kids,
I could not-
While they played,
I was sitting and watching,
On the circle spot.

I don’t thing I was ready for kindergarten,
As physical accommodations-
Were unheard of back then.
Reading wasn’t a requirement--
Just knowing the alphabet,
And how to count-
I think that was it.

It was more play-based,
Though we did learn to write,
Not at a hurried pace.
More time for play,
Was not hard-
To chase.