REFLECTION ON NAIVETE

The picture taken a Bar Harbour, Maine, where we visited a few late summers ago combined with a comment from a long time friend wishing me a happy birthday yesterday prodded the old memory to reflect.

I think I was the most naive or to be honest the stupidest kid in my first grade class.

After having a spent a year at Kox Kiddie Kollege (yes it's that old), I entered first grade without any kindergarten. But back then kindergarten was a half-day option. So I started school at Field (city) School with my best friend in my class. I don't recall knowing any others. Including the teacher.

Her name was Imogene Hilliard, wife of long time grade school superintendent who at that time was a grade six teacher/coach at another school. She kept referring to herself in the third person. "Mrs. Hilliard doesn't like for students to talk in class." I didn't know she was Mrs. Hilliard. But I knew when Mrs. Hilliard got there, she didn't like students to talk.

I don't know who the heck I thought she was. Although I had no basis for knowing about substitute teachers, I just thought she was a fill-in. I didn't ever hear a student say, Mrs. Hilliard. My parents never called her by name.

If someone asked who my teacher was, I would say Mrs. Hilliard. But I never added, "whenever she shows up."

Honest to Pete, as long time friend and fellow teacher Jim Miller would say, I think it was October when it dawned on me that she was the Mrs. Hilliard.

And that's why I say I was the dumbest first grader in that class.