Lincoln School Memories
Submitted by Margaret “Greta” (Compton) of Athens, Georgia
Six-year student.
Favorite memories:
Walking to school every day from our house on Hassayampa,
especially in the fall when the sidewalks along Park Ave.
were covered with sycamore leaves. The crunching walk through
the leaves is a favorite autumn/schooltime memory for me. We
kids would collect the sycamore seed balls, take them apart,
and put the itchy, fluffy seeds down schoolmates' backs as a
joke.
Favorite teachers or staff members:
I attended Lincoln Elementary from kindergarten through sixth
grade, with a break during 4th grade when my family lived in
England (1971-72).
My favorite teachers were Mrs. Dixon, first grade; Mrs.
Valentine, second grade; and Mrs. Neal, third grade. They
were all so kind, patient, but no nonsense as well. I truly
feel that I got an excellent start to my education at
Lincoln, and feel lucky that I was able to attend such a
school.
Most interesting changes:
The most interesting change I recall was when the road between
the two brick buildings was closed to traffic. Back in my day,
it was still open and we had to watch out for cars.
Other reminisces:
Recess was always fun and I recall that a lot of us kids would
scrape away at the pink sandstone under the back outdoor
stairwell to the main building. The resulting sand was dubbed
“magic powder”. I don't recall us ever doing much with the sand,
but it seemed we couldn't stay away from that stone alcove. It
was *the* place to play at recess, and spots there were coveted.
I got to be a “token taker” during lunchtime in 6th grade (Mr.
Henson's class). This meant I got to leave class about 10
minutes early to head downstairs to the cafeteria and prepare to
receive the aluminum or red plastic disk tokens from those
students getting a hot lunch. Being a token taker also gave me
the privilege of getting a hot lunch back in the kitchen. The
yeast rolls were terrific! Speaking of lunches, this was in the
heyday of lunch boxes, so the beginning of the school year (just
before or just after Labor Day back then) when you got to see
what new lunch boxes your friends had was fun. Mine was a
Peanuts metal lunch box, complete with glass-lined Thermos. For
those who got cartons of milk at lunch, making air bubbles in it
with a straw (paper straws, not plastic) was fun.
If it seems I liked eating and playing the best in school, I do
remember the SRA learning system we used in 2nd grade to improve
reading. That was just about my favorite thing to do in class.
Do they still separate boys from girls one day in 5th grade (or
earlier now!) for the health/hygiene/puberty talk? I remember
that day well! Perhaps that's all turned over to the parents
now.
Birthday “swats” were a big deal back then. If it was your
birthday, you were sent to the principal's office for a (mock)
spanking with the paddle that had holes in it. Corporal
punishment was still meted out then, but you knew that on your
birthday you wouldn't really be punished. My principals were Mr.
Burhans and Mr. Phillips.
I loved my years at Lincoln Elementary. We were allowed to be
kids back then, something I think many children today don't have
the luxury of.
