Figure 1.--Attached is Graham's 1st year report. We weren't angels, at least my brother wasn't. Further down the letter is an explanation for the '3' beside the A in French. The mark was for 'fooling around in class'.

While I was placed in elementary school, Grahm was placed in junior high school. He started in the 8th grade and he was only 11 years old, and still in short pants! I think that only lasted a few days before our guardians took pity on him and bought him some long trousers. I joined Grahm in junior high school the second year. A few boys wore knickers but only one in the 7th Grade. Because I had been taught Latin and French back in England, I used to go into the Junior High next door and have Latin and French with the 7th Graders. We were streamed when we went into Junior High and my stream was C1 which stood for 'College Grade 1. Academic status was respected, so inspite of my age and small size, I was O.K. My accent caused interest. The kids used to come up to me and say "Talk, go on Talk, we love it." I had the reverse experience when I returned to England in 1945. My 100 percent American accent caused giggles in class if I had to read aloud. In Junior High I had several charismatic teachers. These were all women. After kindergarten I had always been taught by men, until then. Miss Fitzgerald taught us English, but so much more. She taught us how to use the Public Library and how to look things up. At the beginning of each term we were given a list of essay titles. From the list we had to produce each Monday morning a 500 word essay on any one of the subjects that took our fancy. It meant using the reference Library. There was no Google then. That is how I beame fascinated with Ferdinand de Lesseps and the Panama Canal, about which I have sent contributions to HBC.

Grahm

While I was placed in elementary school, Grahm was placed in junior high school. He started in the 8th grade and he was only 11 years old, and still in short pants! I think that only lasted a few days before our guardians took pity on him and bought him some long trousers.

Entering Junior High School

I joined Grahm in junior high school the second year. A few boys wore knickers but only one in the 7th Grade. Because I had been taught Latin and French back in England, I used to go into the Junior High next door and have Latin and French with the 7th Graders.

Streaming

We were streamed when we went into Junior High and my stream was C1 which stood for 'College Grade 1. Academic status was respected, so inspite of my age and small size, I was O.K. In Jr high we were streamed into three academic groups; Collegiate, Business, and Vocational. The intake there came from other two Primary schools as well as Hadley. In a recent communication from my 'Big Sister', she told me that Hadley was regarded as quite an 'up market' school state school. My brother and I went to Private school after 9th Grade as the Public High School was not so higly regarded.

Accent

My accent caused interest. The kids used to come up to me and say "Talk, go on Talk, we love it." I had the reverse experience when I returned to England in 1945. My 100 percent American accent caused giggles in class if I had to read aloud.

Teachers

In Junior High I had several charismatic teachers. These were all women. After kindergarten I had always been taught by men, until then. Miss Fitzgerald taught us English, but so much more. She taught us how to use the Public Library and how to look things up.

Essays

At the beginning of each term we were given a list of essay titles. From the list we had to produce each Monday morning a 500 word essay on any one of the subjects that took our fancy. It meant using the reference Library. There was no Google then. That is how I beame fascinated with Ferdinand de Lesseps and the Panama Canal, about which I have sent contributions to HBC.

Subjects

As in elementary school, I did not take history when I entered Junior Highschool. I continued to take Latin and French with the students one grade higher all through Jr. High. When I reached 9th grade I had to walk to attend High School, about half a mile away. Conveniently Latin was the First Class in the morning and French second. My walk back to Jr. High came at mid-morning break. Sometimes however there was a prolonged morning assembly at the High School, and I'd arrive back at Jr. High halfway through my third lesson. This annoyed my English teacher, but this was my best subject so I kept up.

Detention

I remember once being guilty of some misdemeanor and having to go into detetion after school. The Headmistress wandered into the class which was quite full of vocational students. There were a few from the Business stream. I think I was the sole Collegiate student. She asked me what I was doing amongst all the 'potential criminals'! I didn't know what 'potential' meant. I asked my host mother. Big mistake - I had to own up that I had been in detention. I had an early night.