Reflections Upon a Blessed and Exciting Life - No 4:Preschool

Some people, including son David, have an incredible ability to recall events of their early life – even prior to the age of 6 years. I have very few memories of my life prior to grade one.

Of course, I didn’t go to preschool (That was unthinkable in those days) and I doubt if there was even a single kindergarten in the Lutheran School system then even though it had some 2000 elementary schools.

I do remember our family growing. Seems like a new baby came every two years. I was born in December 1927 the third child with 2 older sisters, Erna, born in 1924 and Leona in 1926. Doris arrived in Feb. 1930, Mimi in March 1932, Harold in 1934 and Ethel in 1935. Mom must have had a couple of miscarriages for John and Darline were not born until 1942 and 1943. I have no memory of awaiting a new birth. The word “pregnancy” was never mentioned in mixed company.

Whenever it was time for the arrival of another sibling I was taken to Aunt Mattie Kurio’s to spend the night. (I wonder how old I was before I caught on that there would be a new sibling by the time I went back home.)

Each of us were loved and provided for by our parents. Mom just kept on breast feedomg, cooking, sewing, canning, cleaning and caring for the sick ones. Every night we had family prayers complete with Bible readings and a hymn.

Sunday (and I do mean every Sunday) found us all in church for which, to my constant dread, I was obligated to wear shoes. The rest of the time for 10 months of every year we were all barefooted.

Mentioning church helps me recall 2 embarrassments. It was the custom at Zion Lutheran Church for young children to sit together up front. (in pews arranged at right angles to the rest of the congregation). One Sunday I acted inappropriately. Mom left the two little ones sitting with her, marched to the front of the sanctuary and gathered me under her left arm to get me out of church – fast. Unfortunately one of my legs dangled somewhat freely and as she carried me out that foot hit the wainscot wall on the side of the church. So – the rat-a-tat-tat of my shoe against the wall followed us all the way out of church. By this time Mom was so upset that she waited no longer and gave me my well-deserved spanking just outside the church door. The sound of her slaps and my screams filled the sanctuary.

My dad, who was school principal and church organist, also served as church janitor and his duties included posting the hymn numbers on the hymn number boards on either side of the front altar. Once when I was about four I asked him the names of some of the hymns. I immediately recognized one (in German, of course, because all of our services then were in German). The next Sunday I proudly announced to a friend, “I can read the hymns! I opened the hymnal to the appropriate number and began acting as though I was reading; but my faking was exposed because I was looking at hymn 356 but was “reading” the words of hymn 282. My somewhat older friend, who could read, called my bluff!

One of my special preschool thrills was when I was asked to be ring bearer at a wedding. I would get some new clothes and lots of attention. Sometimes I carried the ring lightly, stitched to a pillow. Once it was inside a big white blossom. I remember being asked to kiss the little flower girl but I steadfastly refused to do so.

Early on I learned a skill that serves me to this day. Our whole family was often invited to people’s homes for birthdays, holidays, weddings, etc. The women and men were, of course, separated. After dinner the women conversed. The men played cards, especially a game called “Scott”. As the evening progressed and I got more and more sleepy, I learned to find the bedroom where all hats and coats of guests were laid. I shoved them aside, made myself a bit of space and slept peacefully. And to this day I can fall asleep in my chair, on a plane, during dull lectures or while watching Jeopardy or the San Diego Padres.