Chasing the Elusive Dream
Viewing comments for Chapter 20 "School Daze"A southern couple's journey in the 60's,70's & 80'
36 total reviews
Comment from Writingfundimension
This is a delightful essay, Beth. You sound like a mother who bears her burdens with grace and humor. Apparently, your children inherited your funny gene. Well worth reading!
Warm regards, Bev
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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This is a delightful essay, Beth. You sound like a mother who bears her burdens with grace and humor. Apparently, your children inherited your funny gene. Well worth reading!
Warm regards, Bev
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Bev. I really appreciate the review and comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and found some humor there.
Beth
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Sure did -- you're very welcome, Beth.
:0)
Comment from Donald O. Cassidy
YES bETH, dON IS FUN. hE DOES SOUND LIKE A TYPICAL BOY IN MANY WAYS.
sO YOU HAD T OFACE THE DILEMMA OF SENDING YOUR KDIS TO A CHURCH SCHOL OR CONTINUING PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR THEM.
oUR FAMILY BM jOYE AND I, FACE A BOSSY SISTER WHO PRAISED SUC HA SCHOOL.
i HAD MISGIVINGS, BUT CAVED IN. iT WAS A BIG MISTAKE. bUT i LERNED FROM THOSE NARROW bAPTIST MORE ABOUT HOW FUNDAMENTALISTS OPERATE. fOR EXAMPLE, THEIR CURRICULUM USED "pACES" TO INSTRUCT AND GRADE.
iN DIET, INSTEAD OF TEH BALANCED, HEALTHY LUNCHES OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY BOWED TO POPULAR STUDENT TASTE AND ORDERED PIZZA AND OTHER JUNK FOOD.
wE ALSO CONTENDED WITH A BULLY ON THEIR SCHOOL VAN.
oTHER bAPTISTS, LIKE cOOPERATIVE bAPTIST fELLOWSHIP, HAS A BETTER CURRICULUM AND COOPERATES WITH PUBLKC EDUCATION.
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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YES bETH, dON IS FUN. hE DOES SOUND LIKE A TYPICAL BOY IN MANY WAYS.
sO YOU HAD T OFACE THE DILEMMA OF SENDING YOUR KDIS TO A CHURCH SCHOL OR CONTINUING PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR THEM.
oUR FAMILY BM jOYE AND I, FACE A BOSSY SISTER WHO PRAISED SUC HA SCHOOL.
i HAD MISGIVINGS, BUT CAVED IN. iT WAS A BIG MISTAKE. bUT i LERNED FROM THOSE NARROW bAPTIST MORE ABOUT HOW FUNDAMENTALISTS OPERATE. fOR EXAMPLE, THEIR CURRICULUM USED "pACES" TO INSTRUCT AND GRADE.
iN DIET, INSTEAD OF TEH BALANCED, HEALTHY LUNCHES OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY BOWED TO POPULAR STUDENT TASTE AND ORDERED PIZZA AND OTHER JUNK FOOD.
wE ALSO CONTENDED WITH A BULLY ON THEIR SCHOOL VAN.
oTHER bAPTISTS, LIKE cOOPERATIVE bAPTIST fELLOWSHIP, HAS A BETTER CURRICULUM AND COOPERATES WITH PUBLKC EDUCATION.
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Don, I appreciate the review and comments. They did attend church school for some of their education. There were some problems but I'm not sorry they had that experience. Don was hyperactive. He eventually outgrew most of it. He was very intelligent, but had a hard time concentrating.
Beth
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Their costumes are cute. I completely understand. As a first grade, I think they should set the date for girls to enter school then move it back six months for little boys so they have a similar chance.
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Their costumes are cute. I completely understand. As a first grade, I think they should set the date for girls to enter school then move it back six months for little boys so they have a similar chance.
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Barbara. There is a quite a difference between boys and girls. It would have been better if I'd not sent him at five. He hadn't even gone to pre-school like my older daughter had. She was in pre-school two years, amd started first grade at six and half. She had no problems in school.
Beth
Comment from marion
Hi Beth
Once again, another lovely little story. I continue to enjoy the series.
A few things to look at:
Whatever. I got one on a piece of paper(.)"
He was (a too immature) (?) at five to start first grade
"Carol, what is he talking about? What is this about him being retarded?(")
Do you know what that's all about? Am I going to have to call the school?(")
"Really? What's she like?(")
"No. Not her hair. Her neck. You know. Those little blue roots on her neck."
It took me several minutes to realize the child probably had thin light skin and the little blue veins in her neck were visible.
(I think you could tighten some of your writing:In the example above we know the little boy is talking about a neck. It's clear. So it would be better to follow with something similar to this - It took several minutes to realize the child had thin light skin showing fine blue veins. 16 words instead of 24 The words 'me' and 'in her neck' are not needed.
I also think you have mixed your tenses in places.
Enjoyable, and a story beautifully summed up in the last line.
Marion
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The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Hi Beth
Once again, another lovely little story. I continue to enjoy the series.
A few things to look at:
Whatever. I got one on a piece of paper(.)"
He was (a too immature) (?) at five to start first grade
"Carol, what is he talking about? What is this about him being retarded?(")
Do you know what that's all about? Am I going to have to call the school?(")
"Really? What's she like?(")
"No. Not her hair. Her neck. You know. Those little blue roots on her neck."
It took me several minutes to realize the child probably had thin light skin and the little blue veins in her neck were visible.
(I think you could tighten some of your writing:In the example above we know the little boy is talking about a neck. It's clear. So it would be better to follow with something similar to this - It took several minutes to realize the child had thin light skin showing fine blue veins. 16 words instead of 24 The words 'me' and 'in her neck' are not needed.
I also think you have mixed your tenses in places.
Enjoyable, and a story beautifully summed up in the last line.
Marion
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Marion. This is a very helpful review. I've fixed the things you mentioned plus doing a bit of tighting and tense changing, if you'd care to take another look.
Beth
Comment from forestport12
I really enjoyed this story and glad you revived it. It was timely as folks think of school these days. The part about the dialogue with "reward vs. award was what really hooked me. Great beginning and end. Sorry, I don't have an extra star. stan
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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I really enjoyed this story and glad you revived it. It was timely as folks think of school these days. The part about the dialogue with "reward vs. award was what really hooked me. Great beginning and end. Sorry, I don't have an extra star. stan
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Stan, I really appreciate the review and comments. It does sound very much like school today in spite of it being over forty years ago.
Beth
Comment from nancy_e_davis
I must say Beth , It all sound so familiar. I really don't know how you worked and managed to take care of all the emergencies. I had a few of my own when I was employed but my boss's were very understanding. This was very interesting. Cute costumes. Nancy
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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I must say Beth , It all sound so familiar. I really don't know how you worked and managed to take care of all the emergencies. I had a few of my own when I was employed but my boss's were very understanding. This was very interesting. Cute costumes. Nancy
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Nancy. I appreciate the review and comments. You were very lucky to have an understanding boss. Having one or two emergencies are so bad, but with three kids like mine they became too frequent.
Beth
Comment from Phyllis Stewart
Wow! It'll be a lot easier when they are older... I hope! I'd opt for the church school at this point, though. You can always switch them back to public when they are more mature. Very well written and fascinating to read. I'm so glad I was able to quit working when I had my daughter. It made life so much easier for everyone! And I know how lucky I was to be able to do it... especially when I hear stories like yours.
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Wow! It'll be a lot easier when they are older... I hope! I'd opt for the church school at this point, though. You can always switch them back to public when they are more mature. Very well written and fascinating to read. I'm so glad I was able to quit working when I had my daughter. It made life so much easier for everyone! And I know how lucky I was to be able to do it... especially when I hear stories like yours.
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Phyllis. I did opt for the church school, and it worked out for the best. I had better after school child care. They turned out OK in spite of not having me home full time. We made sure they always knew they were loved and could count on us to be there for them.
Beth
Comment from Carolyn 'Deaton' Stephens
And to think my mother had ten........! I enjoyed this Beth, you recount the story in such a humorous manner. It's easy for me to imagine yours and their facial expression. So was Carols nose broken? Will we find out in the next chapter. Good hook, Carolyn
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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And to think my mother had ten........! I enjoyed this Beth, you recount the story in such a humorous manner. It's easy for me to imagine yours and their facial expression. So was Carols nose broken? Will we find out in the next chapter. Good hook, Carolyn
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you, Carolyn. I really appreciate the review and rating. No her nose was just bruised. Everything healed in a few day without stitches. I guess that sounded like a hook so I should have followed up.
Beth
Comment from Belinda
Been there, done that. That's among others, why I find this interesting and amusing. I see the point too, unfortunately. But fortunately, I worked in a company where the majority is women.
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Been there, done that. That's among others, why I find this interesting and amusing. I see the point too, unfortunately. But fortunately, I worked in a company where the majority is women.
Comment Written 31-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you Belinda. I really appreciate the review and comments. In the late sixties, employers could rationalize the lack of giving women equal pay with the men. Now we have some laws that half way protect women's rights, but not entirely.
Beth
Comment from adewpearl
considered a discipline problem - you have a typo in discipline
Asking off again, fuels - drop the comma
You explain well the difficulties of being a working mother
I love the humor of the reward for being retarded/not tardy LOL Brooke :-)
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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considered a discipline problem - you have a typo in discipline
Asking off again, fuels - drop the comma
You explain well the difficulties of being a working mother
I love the humor of the reward for being retarded/not tardy LOL Brooke :-)
Comment Written 30-Aug-2013
reply by the author on 31-Aug-2013
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Thank you so much for the review and comments. I love it when your review my work because you always find the spags I miss. I'm glad you found some humor here.
Beth
