[November 7, 2023] It was a big big room, dark and eerily quiet. I entered the first-grade classroom on the first day in the autumn of 1959 in a little town with no traffic lights, Mer Rouge, LA., deep in the antebellum south. The teacher showed an 8mm color home video of her class from the previous school year. These kids seemed to be having a good time, smiling and laughing, playing on the playground, painting colorful portraits of their dogs and other animals, and waving at the teacher doing the videotaping. I guess the idea was to put new kids at ease and show us that First Grade would be fun and exciting. It didn’t work for me. I was nervous, and I didn’t like being there one bit.
As I remember, we were all released from school that first day shortly after lunch. The food was good, and the milk was cold and quenched our thirst. Like so many kids starting school for the first time, we thought we were special. We became close to each other, happy, and inspired to learn. We were us, each with a unique anxiety for school despite our mothers telling us we would make new friends, and yes, that did happen. About half the class were farm kids, who attended class only after completing their chores at home. Like me, the rest of our class lived in town and had running water, a bathroom inside the house, and electricity. Some of the farm kids lacked a few of these “necessities.”
While I do recall that first day clearly, the rest of the academic year was unimpressive and a blur. Luck would have it that I did like our teacher. She was in her 40s and married. That’s all I knew about her. We didn’t pry into her life, and I think she appreciated our hands off, and she didn’t pry into our lives either. During recess that first day, we played several group games. Our teacher taught us “Red Rover,” which remained our favorite outdoor game for years. For the game, the class splits into two groups, and when your name is called, you run fast and try to break through the other team who are holding hands. The suspense of waiting for your name to be called is great. We had class officer elections, and I was elected president of my class; even if I cannot remember why or what my classmates thought of me, to give me a chance. I remember learning my ABCs, reading about Dick and Jane, counting to 100, eating properly and with manners with a fork and knife, and how to Square Dance, all very dull. The one part of school I liked was when our teacher read a story, any story, to us as we sat in a big circle around her desk. These stories were all real adventures. My favorite First Grade stories were The Little Red Hen, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and The Old Lady in the Shoe.
I walked home from that first day of school and walked into our house. Mom asked me about my day. I didn’t want to talk much about it. Mom seemed to be pleased that I wasn’t too traumatized. I know she cared; she knew I was a bit anxious about my first day. Looking back, I can only see that she actually had an interest in my schooling. Then I went out to play in our yard. No homework. No thoughts about tomorrow, but tomorrow would come quickly as we were immersed in schooling – reading, writing, arithmetic, and comportment. And our class would shrink in size every year from 23 until I finished sixth grade with them, with only 13 in my class when I left in May of 1966. I lived in Mer Rouge for about ten years, much longer than anywhere. Moving from town to town after grade school was hard, leaving my friends behind. We also left our dogs, and all the moving was shocking to my brother, sister, and me.
I’m still in contact today with many of my First Grade classmates from that first day. We are scattered across America, but most are still located nearby where we went that day in the little town of Mer Rouge. That was 64 years ago, nearly to the day I wrote this letter.
—————
Please read my books:
Friend will last a lifetime. I was in my hometown for my class of 1978, 45th class reunion in October. We
had an awesome time. Several of us stated out in elementary school together. Friendship still going after all these years. Proverbs speaks of a friend that sticks closer than a brother. David and Johnathan were very good friends. Johnathan father Saul tried to kill David several times, however, each time, Johnathan helped his friend David escape.
Thank you Eddie. Good to hear you made your class reunion. Must have been special.
What a great letter. Oh, Happy Veterans Day tomorrow.
Gen. Satterfield, I’m new to your blog and love all of it. So well laid out in a simple but easy to access way. I wish you the best and hope that you are reaching good people. Bad people cannot be persquaded. Don’t worry about that.
Thank you, tutor and welcome aboard.
Another classic letter. Well done!
Gen. Satterfield, I would like for u to write another letter to your granddaughter about ur experience with ur pets, dogs cats rabbits and such. Kids in those days (not that they were that long ago, LOL) but to read ur thoughts. Animals were not spayed back then, so u witnessed the births of many animals and saw reality in ur face. Some of those kittens and puppies died. And how u dealt with it. What was ur mindset? This is something u might think about. Thank you sir.
Good Dog, Gen. S. has already mentioned is two collie dogs. But I get what you are saying and I agree. 🐕
Great suggestions. Thanks. I was thinking the same thing.
🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕
Thanks Good Dog. Gen. Satterfield, IMHO, would be happy to take your suggestion about writing about his dogs 🐶🐶 and telling us about the birth of puppies and kittens. This is an everyday experience for kids in the 1950s and 60s. Today, not so much. And that unfortunately biases our kids today and they never get to see death and have to learn about it and how to deal with it.
Yes, and that is what makes these letters so interesting.
God Bless, General Satterfield.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
For those who are interested, there is a Facebook Page titled, “If you grew up in Mer Rouge…” However, you have to be pass a test to get access. Ha Ha Ha. I bet Gen. Satterfield is a member.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/227406080637262/
What is amazing with this blog is how Gen. Satterfield can go from writing about the war between Israel and Hamas (and their sycophants) to writing letters to his granddaughter. Bless you sir.
Yep! Exactly what keeps things interesting.
Gen. Satterfield is showing some great writing skills. Note that I’m not a writer but his first paragraph helps put me into the mood for the rest of the letter to his granddaughter.
” It was a big big room, dark and eerily quiet. I entered the first-grade classroom on the first day in the autumn of 1959 in a little town with no traffic lights, Mer Rouge, LA., deep in the antebellum south. The teacher showed an 8mm color home video of her class from the previous school year. These kids seemed to be having a good time, smiling and laughing, playing on the playground, painting colorful portraits of their dogs and other animals, and waving at the teacher doing the videotaping. I guess the idea was to put new kids at ease and show us that First Grade would be fun and exciting. It didn’t work for me. I was nervous, and I didn’t like being there one bit.”
https://www.theleadermaker.com/letters-to-my-granddaughter/
Great letter. AGAIN.
this is what he does best
This is another loving letter. Thank you Gen. Satterfield for sharing.
So sweet.
“I walked home from that first day of school and walked into our house. Mom asked me about my day. I didn’t want to talk much about it. Mom seemed to be pleased that I wasn’t too traumatized. I know she cared; she knew I was a bit anxious about my first day. Looking back, I can only see that she actually had an interest in my schooling. Then I went out to play in our yard. No homework. No thoughts about tomorrow, but tomorrow would come quickly as we were immersed in schooling – reading, writing, arithmetic, and comportment. ” – Gen. Doug Satterfield hits another home run with this letter.
Reminds me of my childhood. 😁
That makes two of us. …….. and I’m sure most of us would think so.
Winston, I think most of us would agree. But in this case, with Gen. Satterfield writing about his childhood, we need to think about how this impacted him and influenced him as an adult, how it made him likely to be more successful, and a person of such integrity and honor. That is something I hope he writes a book on and I’m looking forward to reading it.
…. and write about maybe his cats.
🐈
I loved cats and Gen. Satterfield. ❤️
YES!!!!!!
———-
No 34 “Letters to My Granddaughter” is the highlight of my day. And thanks for making them available in one tab.
https://www.theleadermaker.com/letters-to-my-granddaughter/
This is a wonderful, loving, and compassionate series and the very best of Gen. Satterfield. He is telling us what made him who he is. He is also giving us a hint into his personality and intellect. What I think he is also saying is that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from, or your circumstances, if you apply yourself and work hard, you will succeed.
Thank you Yusaf for the compliment.
Good to hear from you Gen. S. and to know you are reading our comments.
Great letters.
WOW, firrt! Number 34.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 yep #34