Back to School

 

Hayter for Aug 18, 2024

“Back to School, Again!”

 

          Well, school has started and there’s not a thing you can do about it. A hurricane could slow it down and another COVID strain could turn it into homeschooling again.

I’m assuming that even with no COVID scare, a lot of kiddos are still getting home-schooled. The Hayter kids might’ve been home schooled if there hadn’t been so many of us. Elsie Hayter had seven kids and refused to home-school any of us.

          Of course, she didn’t have a thing to worry about, because back then homeschooling was referred to as “Truancy”. If you were afraid of teachers and school kids messing up your child’s mind, you could send them to a church school or a licensed private school. The government allowed that. But, only licensed teachers were allowed to teach in schools or at home. That law is different in different states. States are actually more different than people.

Mom and Dad never considered sending us to a non-public school because of the cost. Dad’s taxes already paid for our education, so let ‘em ride a bus.

          I don’t know how many articles I have written about the first day of school. This is my 44th year as a columnist, so there must be several. In fact, my third article was titled “Thoughts on Back to School.” It was published on Friday, August 29, 1980. There was not a hint of humor in it. I’m not a fan of serious writing.  

I’m going to share the last paragraph of my August 29 piece: “Both parents and school officials can assure themselves that despite the lack of encouragement and low pay, area teachers will do everything in their power to bring the best year ever to this school district.”

          Teacher’s pay stunk on ice back then. I have every confidence that it’s much better now. I also have confidence that the value of the dollar is considerably lower today. In other words, for teachers today, “the sign of the times” is the same time it was 44 years ago. -- I hope I’m wrong about that.

          I started my teaching career at McCullough High School in the fall of ’76. I was 27 at the time. Had I started at the age of 21, I would never have made it 27. A little more experience in life helped me manage students so much better. That, plus I had great students.

          When I look back at all of the years I spent in public school, in college, and in teaching, the worst year I ever experienced was when I was in the first grade. If I had the time and the inclination, I’m sure I could find several articles I wrote about my time at Garden’s Elementary School back in 1956. I was the only student in the entire building who never caught on to what we were supposed to do.

In the olden days, school didn’t start until after Labor Day. That was scriptural. I don’t know which religious group was responsible for having school begin in mid-August, but it certainly ran afoul of truth, justice, and the American way.

In 1980, I began my third year of teaching at McCullough High School in The Woodlands. The Woodlands has changed a lot over the past 44 years. Back then, there weren’t nearly as many streets or traffic, largely because there was a dearth of businesses and homes. Today, The Woodlands is dearth-free. Too much traffic, too many businesses and homes. That can be said of most cities and towns located between Houston and Dallas.

Speaking of which, I wonder how many schools there are between Houston and Dallas. How many students are going to school in the 250-mile-long region? How many teachers, administrators, teachers-aides, cafeteria workers, janitors, bus drivers, and transportation workers are involved in education? I apologize to the bus mechanics and all of the other school district employees that I left out.

Speaking of which, the life of each person involved with public schools has changed drastically since last week. Some students are excited about the start of school. Some are stressed out of their minds. By the way, kindergarten hadn’t been invented when I started school. I was stressed beyond the limits of stressness. And, yes, I have milked that topic.

The topic I would now like to milk has to do with all of the people I mentioned above. Individuals who are a part of the educational process in Montgomery County. I don’t care if you’re a student, teacher, principal, nurse, bus driver, on down to the person who helps kids cross the street… the behavior of each person has an effect on others. You will contribute something positive or negative in the lives of others you deal with. Even if you do nothing, your lack of action may have caused something.  

I taught long enough to know that I disappointed a lot of kids while teaching. I prayed so many mornings that God would be with each of my students and make sure I didn’t mess anyone up. As mentioned, you can’t teach, go to school, or do anything while around people without having an influence of some kind.  

I listened to an award ceremony last night in which Denzel Washington gave a great speech. I considered his message that best applies to the beginning of school for 2024: “I think a role model is a mentor—someone you see on a daily basis, and you learn from them.”

So many of you are mentors without even knowing it. In fact, that’s what helps a mentor to grow in mind and spirit.—With that thought, shall we each have a blessed school year!

end

hayter.mark@gmail.com