Election Day

 

 

      I subscribe to the Willard School News, a regular email list which provides news and information regarding my old elementary school. It sometimes provides fodder for this blog, so it came as no surprise when I received the news that Willard would do all it could to maintain the safety of students on Election Day. This is all good. Though I don't believe for a moment that the children are any less safe than I was some 40 years ago. Back then they also had concerns and told us not to accept candy or rides from strangers. 

     The Willard News went on to say that, "there would be parent volunteers monitoring the hallways, as we usually do any time voters are in the building." We used to call these volunteers stay-at-home Moms. They were usually on-hand anyhow because they had to deliver their contributions to the bake sale. The big difference between now and then was the news that there would be a police officer in the building for the entire day. This I don't remember ever happening, though I could be mistaken. Is the presence of the Police unnecessary? No, I think it's a good thing since there isn't a Safety Patrol to cross students during what will be a very heavy polling day. Please don't misunderstand me, I like the paid crossing guards! Though in terms of learning about Civics, I just prefer the large number of patrol men (I used to lead 14-16 classmates), as we called them, who were at their stations before and after school (rain or shine). They may not be as professional as the seniors who patrol the streets these days but they did do a huge service to the community. 

      Lest we forget, in those days, children went home for lunch so the safety patrol also crossed students at those times, too. Please indulge me as I tell my all-time favorite safety patrol story. It was Spring 1970, and I remember my 5th grade class being asked to lead a safety patrol for an entire week while all 4 classes of 6th graders went to Science Camp. You see, there had been a freak spring storm and two of the classes had their week at camp canceled. The principal of Willard School, Dan Daly, then asked my 5th grade class to fill-in for an entire week while all 4 6th grade classes attended camp. They usually went two classes at a time. To make a long reminiscence short, it rained most of that week and we had to do 4 shifts a day. Please tell me how many students these days would do the same? What's more, how many parents would let their children do this sort of work? Back then it was just accepted as normal civic duty. As an FYI, I still have the Honor Squad pin they gave me for being the Captain of this patrol and one the following year. I also still champion to this day the use of Safety Patrols. There is a web site and a tradition dating aback to 1920, which you are kindly asked to check out.