I was actually very excited to go back for a visit. I haven't been to the school in over 20 years, and it was so neat to relive memories and events I haven't thought of since I was a student there! I am a very sentimental person, and I don't particularly care for change, so the visit was bittersweet.
This was the place where I met my life-long best friend. This was the place where I learned a love of reading and writing. This was the place where I decided I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I hated the thought of all those memories being torn down. But it was a great opportunity to visit one last time. To watch my girls walk the same hallways I once walked. To take pictures of the classrooms that are still so vivid in my memory. It was good to go back!
There are now fences surrounding the entire perimeter of the school. It was a little sad to think back and realize that security was just not an issue in schools back then. That campus was wide open. Those black fences served as reminder of just how different our world has become.
My third grade classroom!
I have a vivid memory of bringing my Cabbage Patch Kid Twins to show and tell and sitting in the middle of the room, proudly holding them up for everyone to see. I saved my allowance for what seemed like YEARS to buy those dolls! It happened in this very room!
The cafeteria
The stage in the cafeteria
My kids sitting in the same room where I ate lunch every day!
Does this give you a little glimpse of their personalities?
Sitting in my 5th grade classroom...Mrs. Jensen was my favorite teacher EVER!
My friend Meredith sat in a desk in that exact spot...right by that window (Do you remember that, Mere?!)
The cubbies!
The door to my 5th grade classroom
The courtyard
The sidewalk that lead to the gym...now replaced by a brand new brick wall :(
The front of the school
I used to sit in this very spot waiting to be picked up!
The new school
I had to take one more picture before we left...
The new school...right where we used to play at recess!
I saw my third grade teacher (I would not have recognized her if she didn't have her name tag!) but I didn't say anything...how many kids must she have taught in the past 30 years!? I also saw our librarian (again, there's no way she would have remembered me out of the *literally* thousands of kids she has taught over the years). But what an experience...SOOOO glad we went! 
4 comments:
Looks fun!! Crazy that they have to tear down the building though...too bad it can't be used for something else!!
Although...if Kemp was to be torn down we'd be right there to help!!
Hey, I happened to find that very interesting! It looked just like the school where I attended kinder and 1st grade!
Finally got over here to look at this. I swear after I said, "I'll go look at it now" I moved onto something else totally forgetting!
I guess moving 2000 miles can do that to you.
This post literally made me get teary eyed! I totally remember all of it and I was only there one year, but it was a very vivid year for me. I DO remember sitting there. I need copies of those pictures.
Funny how little it looks huh? How sad that it is going to be torn down. Thanks for going and documenting all this, love this post. So glad I met you...even if I was mean to you in 5th grade. :)
I agree that it's so sad that all those fences are needed. I drove by Bell and saw them around the entire place too.
One place that hasn't changed much is Lee. Although I was sad when they painted over the mural that was on the building by the gym. I know that was a while ago, but I still think about it when I drive by.
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