About School
About school – well actually I sort of like it. Not tests and homework and so on, but I was always ready to go back. As a kid we lived in the country about a mile out of town. Of course I had siblings and friends but I felt sort of isolated at times and by September I was ready to return to the City and to school – to more friends, more people and more things to do. I guess I’m an extrovert at heart. I went to a girl’s day school for 9 years (now coed). It was called Packer Collegiate Institute and actually did provide 2 years of college. I mostly walked there, as it was only 5 or 6 blocks from home. Of course in those days young women didn’t wear pants and in cold weather I had high stockings which I pulled up over my knees until I arrived and then carefully turned them down into a cuff. There were no backpacks either so we all carried our books in our arms or in a briefcase. They were often heavy! I regret to say that I don’t remember much about my classes and I was not an outstanding student my least favorite was math – then called arithmetic – and I failed it consistently! Looking back I think my favorite part of the day was first thing in the morning when we had assembly in our chapel. We actually had a fine organ and an excellent organist and all 700 of us processed into chapel every day. It was there I learned to know and love many hymns and I still have my Packer Hymnal. It has some different hymns in it. I like choral music best – especially Bach chorales. Later in high school I also learned to like poetry and most literature.
