Reminiscing about this school year that’s over for some and close to over for many got me thinking about special memories not only from this year but all the way back to my elementary school days in the previous century. Those were the days of film projectors rolled into the classroom, and on very special days when no other classes claimed it, a TV rolling in. Maybe you have these memories too.
Purple-inked Papers from the Ditto Machine
When I talked about Ditto machines with my college students, not a single person had heard of the 20th century technology. Ditto machines, also known as spirit duplicators, needed a “master sheet” that had an attached sheet with a dark, purple-hued wax. The master was attached to the drum of the machine, and then my teachers would literally crank out copies for us, their students. What I remember most was the feel and smell of our copies, which weren’t produced with ink but with an alcohol-based solvent that interacted with the wax from the master. It’s the alcohol that gave our copies that wet feel and unique smell, as well as the spirit duplicator its name.
Square Dancing in Music Class
At eleven years old, I loved square dancing. I never got to wear skirts with petticoats or dance in the rustic-looking dance halls. Instead, I wore jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes and did the do-si-do and promenade on the white tile floor of my music classroom. Sometimes holding hands with the boys felt awkward, but very quickly the twang and rhythm of the caller took me away from thoughts of sweaty palms. Sixty years prior to my spins on the dance floor, square dancing’s popularity really started to rise as Henry Ford used his wealth to popularize the activity he enjoyed and also saw as a way to counteract the influence of other dance forms he deemed immoral. In fact, many sources say that Ford’s intentions were racist. Yet, that is not the reason for square dancing’s drop in popularity after the 1980s when it was the official dance of 28 states and the nation for a time. Instead, most say that the people who enjoyed it were aging, and other dances were more popular with younger generations.
Teachers Smoking in the Lounge
I’ll never forget being sent on an errand to get something out of the teachers’ lounge. I felt important and mature as my nine-year-old knuckles knocked on that thick wooden door. When a teacher opened the door, cigarette smoke and laughter rolled out of the lounge. I asked for what I needed, she gave it to me, and I was on my way. So many people from my generation love to share similar memories with each other because what felt so normal then seems so absurd now. This memory is interesting because of the smoking and special because of the people and their shared laughter. It reminds me of my teachers who were not only hooked on nicotine but also hooked on books and science and learning. I remember all of my teachers’ faces and names. I remember my principals, the secretaries, the custodians, the lunch workers. I remember them all, and it was fun to catch a glimpse of them laughing (and yes, smoking) in the lounge.
I didn’t understand then how hard my teachers worked, but I do now. While they were cranking Ditto machines, scrutinizing square dance records, correcting assignments, planning lessons, and managing all sorts of behaviors, they were also creating special memories that I still enjoy four decades later. There’s no way to thank them that’s special enough.
