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RE is, The seni ai, APPS rie 16 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, September 15, 1987 The angelic face of youth solemnly bows his head during the Lord's Prayer, part of R.H. Cornish's Morning Exercises. Mrs. Watson pats a student on his head after a particuiary endearing demonstration in The sweetest kind of nostalgia A morning in Grade One Other than the sunshine stream ing in through the windows, Mrs Watson's grade one classroom is completely empty. It's a warm, happy place; despite the conspicious absence of children at this particular moment. It's 8 41 a.m. and while the multitude ol scrubbed faces and lunch boxes noisily jockey for position in a line up outside the walls of R.H. Cornish Public School, inside, it is absolute ly quiet. Colourful paper people dance merrily on the walls, on the blackboard--indeed, splashes of bright colours are everywhere. It's a typical grade one classroom, the kind of place that forces sweet nostalgia to well up inside every adult's heart. And just when one suspects the room couldn't possibly become even brighter, Mrs. Watson walks in, and says 'Good Morning" in a welcom- ing, motherly voice. The classroom explodes with light and warmth, and the nostalgia thickens like ripe molasses. Mrs. Katherine Watson is the kind of teacher everyone remembers fondly. She even looks like the kind of teacher we recall as being "good,"' with her pretty pink dress and her neatly brushed grey hair. Her patience seems limitless, her voice gentle and kind. She is the sort of teacher who lets everyone have a turn at the blackboard, and she is perfect for teaching grade one students manners, as well as their ABC's. Manners, you can tell, play a substantial part in this sunny place. At exactly 8:45 the school bell rings, Jagee the morning Show 'N Tell. * Covered Storage up to 28' Outside Storage up to 35' Special rates for boats on trailers * 4 * STORE WITH THE PROFESSIONALS WINTER STORAG Winterizing and bottom washing also available BOOK NOW TO INSURE A WORRY FREE WINTER. CALL GORESHI SUMMER RESORT .. 985-3068 and Mrs. Watson's young charges enter the classroom through a side oor. all quietly, all in single file. ach youngster is meticulously we ys groomed. It is, after all, only the fourth day of school, and parents are still inclined to ensure their children look special. Gradually, however, the faces may not be quite so clean, the dresses not so new, the blue jeans not so crisp, but for now, everything is in complete order. The young students take their desks (each desk has a piece of con- struction paper with "My name is..." printed neatly on it) and turn their faces up to Mrs. Watson expectantly. She smiles graciously, wishes them a good morning, and asks them politely to put their jackets and sweaters in the closet. This they accomplish with some difficulty. Remember, it is the first week of school, these are grade one students, and it's not easy to recall exactly which hook to hang one's cap on. But accomplished it is, and the students return to their desks. Im- mediately, Mrs. Watson asks them to put their lunch boxes away, so they get up once again, and place their peanut butter sandwiches and bananas next to the piano. One youngster pauses to show Mrs. Watson the contents of his lunch box, and she says ""That's a very good lunch," while the boy waves a peach in the air. When everyone's finally settled down, Mrs. Watson reminds those who haven't yet brought their gym clothing to please do so by Monday. A few other similar details are cleared up and then the second bell rings, heralding the beginning of morning exercises. Abruptly the children stand at full attention, their arms stiffly at their sides, their feet together, their small faces solemn. From somewhere in The Office, the Canadian national anthem speeds through the inter- com, and Mrs. Watson and her class begin to sing along with the record. Mrs. Watson's voice is clear and true, but the children's voices war- ble and waver from one note to the next, struggling through the especially low notes and high notes, and sometimes stumbling over a few words. Still, the singing is fresh beyond compare, and taken so seriously by the entire class. When O Canada comes to a trium- phant close, a voice over the inter- com begins The Lord's Prayer, and the children automatically bow their heads, close their eyes, and bring their fingers to their lips. They resemble angels, light years away from the jostling children who played in the courtyard 15 minutes ago. And when prayer is finished, the students listen attentively to a round of morning announcements. It is Day Three, Courier Day, and there are messages about auditions for a @e Hearing c Aid (Centre of Port Perry Or E Mueller's Office 24 Water St S Plaza. Port Perry. Ontario LOB 1NO 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE 4 CORNERS IN CAESAREA featuring quilts, baby items. greeting cards, pine accessories, a Christmas Corner. antiques and many other items. play, passes to the Uxbridge Fair, attendance, boys' volleyball, girls' soccer, and a myriad of other school matters. : Finally, they come to an end, and Mrs. Watson launches into what may be the most popular part of the day, Show 'n Tell. She lines up those who brought something to show or tell at the front of the classroom, and one by one prized possessions are described in breathless tones. A glow in the dark plastic sword is shown off proudly, along with a Furskin bear with big boots, a glamourous doll, some Masters of the Universe figures, and a part of a wasp nest. The nest is the hit of Show and Tell and one spectator puts up his hand and says, "I can't see any bees." Mrs. Watson smiles and replies, 'Adam was careful not to bring any bees with it. Aren't you glad?" The inquiring student nods, no doubt thankful for the lack of buzz- ing and stingers often associated with a wasp nest. The talk during Show and Tell centers on birthdays and special events in the youngsters' lives. The Furskin reminds Craig of how he had his shoes on the wrong feet the other day, and Mrs. Watson agrees, but notes he has them on correctly now. When Show and Tell is over, the kindly teacher calls one and all to the front, where they sit cross- legged and focus their attention on the beginning of the day's lesson. "What day is it?' Mrs. Watson asks. A boy puts his hand up and shrieks, "Friday!" "I wonder what letter Friday starts with?" Mrs. Watson says, and a sea of hands waves in front of her, each one begging to be selected. From the letter "F", the lesson smoothly progresses to other topics, including colours and the spelling of the word "brown." Soon it will be recess, and after that lunchtime. And for the first time in their young lives, the students will stay in this sunny classroom for the entire afternoon. A whole day in school is hard for these children at first, but they will eventually get used to it, as everyone does. And before they know it, they will be settled into the routine. They will put away their coats and lunch boxes without being asked. They will know what day it is, and what letter it starts with, without thinking twice. They will know how to read and write, how to understand great works of literature, calculus, func- tions and relations, algebra, history and science. Eventually, grade one, Mrs. Wat- son, and this sunny classroom, will fade to a memory. And maybe, some day, they will step back into some other grade one classroom, and discover a bit- tersweet nostalgia of their own. 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