I have just received news that my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Meaghan has passed away. I am devastated at the loss...and I am flooded with very warm and fuzzy memories. This woman had such a tremendous impact on hundreds of children lives over a 45+ year-teaching span...including my brother, sister, me, my 2 nieces, and my nephew...just under the line before mandatory kindergarten came into play and ended an era.
Mrs. Meaghan's kindergarten class was amazing! It was the most amazing place! She had a way of making each child feel like they could rule the world...or at least I felt that way. We learned the alphabet...how to print... how to tell time, how to tie our shoes...and manners of course! I had a MAJOR hard time getting a grip on tying my shoes. I just couldn't get it. After shoe tying lessons...poor Freddie Frigault (my little French boyfriend in the black and green plaid coat)...tied his own shoes with ease...and had the audacity to shoot me a smug and smirky look...like "I know something you don't know". I was fit to be TIED(pun intended)!!!!!!!! Unfortunately for Freddie...he gave me the shoe- tying-demonstration at the top of the stairs...I believe if memory serves me correctly...I smacked the hell out of him...tried to push him down the stairs...and stormed off in a psychotic rage. On kindergarten graduation day...Mrs. Meaghan put me in the back row for the ceremonies and the pictures (I am the blonde babe in the very back left hand corner).I had no idea that it was because of our height...I marched right up to Mrs. Meaghan and informed her that I was NOT back row material! I WAS BEYOND UGLY!!!! I can assure Maybelline there is no such thing as 'maybe she's born with it"... I was BORN with it!
I do not remember who the gal was in our class who thought she was going to have Randy as a boyfriend (he is the other tiny little brown boy in the yellow turtle neck and Enrique Suave plaid suit and vest!)....but I do remember pushing her the hell out of my way...and plunging myself down beside him. I adored him...forced the poor bugger to kiss me (much to his obvious displeasure)...same as poor Freddie (an involuntary victim of my affection)...I wanted both...and my cake and theirs too! I planned to marry both boys...and we would all live happily in a tree house! Thank goodness for 5-year-old innocence....as I was later devastated to learn Randy was my cousin....placed in a seat beside me due to the alphabetical order (same last name)...oops!
Who would have thought sugar cookies and red Kool Aid could taste so amazing? Or how about that "Chef-Boy-R-Dee spaghettios"/wonder bread combo? She used to grill the bread in the oven with orange cheese and some fresh oregano or basil or something fresh and green on it. I have tried this combination many times since...but they never tasted the same as Mrs. Meaghan's magical afternoon snacks. I remember a little cork board in a small wooden frame with a tiny hammer attached by a string...and various wooden shapes to nail on....a large piece of art paper with a glued-on-flower-pot made out of red construction paper. The entire class painted their 5-year-old version of a flower bouquets...popping out of those construction paper pots...she proudly posted these priceless objets d'art all over the walls of the room for graduation day...you'd think it was the Louvre for the way she beamed over them.
One of my favorite days ever was the day Santa Claus came to visit. I could NOT believe Santa personally came to Mrs. Meaghan's kindergarten class! Just when I thought it couldn't get any better...in he came with a big red bag and some belly bottom Ho Ho Ho's!!! I already thought she walked on water....but then this too? HOLY @#$%! As you can probably imagine....there was a roomful of wonder-struck 5-year-olds with mouths wide open and eyes popping out of our heads! "Santa" (we are now on a first name basis) called me up to sit on his knee...reached into that big red bag... and gave me a shiny new story book, some crayons AND a coloring book. I thought Mrs. Meaghan was the best thing since the Crayola-multi-colored-crayon pack came out(that was a 20 pack instead of 5),with the crayon sharpener right in the box!!! She put the color into my life!
Some 45+ years later....all of Mrs. Meaghan's 'kids' still reminisce about their days in Mrs. Meaghan's kindergarten class....with wide toothed grins. I was fortunate to cross paths with Mrs. Meaghan many times since my big graduation day 35+ years ago. I was able to tell her that I loved her...adored her...and owed many of my successes in life to her extraordinary talent...I told her she was the BEST kindergarten teacher in the whole wide world! I loved her...everyone LOVED her...we still do. Thank you Mrs. Meaghan...for teaching me everything I ever needed to know in life...in kindergarten!
If I Could Teach You, Teacher
If I could teach you, teacher,
I’d teach you how much more
you have accomplished
than you think you have.
I’d show you the seeds
you planted years ago
that are now coming into bloom.
I’d reveal to you the young minds
that have expanded under your care,
the hearts that are serving others
because they had you as a role model.
If I could teach you, teacher,
I’d show you the positive effect
you have had on me and my life.
Your homework is
to know your value to the world,
to acknowledge it, to believe it.
Thank you, teacher.
By Joanna Fuchs
Lynn
;)
P.S- Special thanks for the picture Jennifer Dunlap Goostrey! You ROCK!
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