Though all worthy, if not lofty, career choices (doctor, millionaire, pro coin collector), we're so glad all else failed, so we can enjoy you as a political cartoonist--aka your true calling!
My dad saved a lot of our elementary school essays, and some of them are quite hilarious to read through!
I must compliment you on your penmanship (B+ at least!), though I highly doubt Mrs. Lerch (great name!) would agree.
Very fun read. You really crammed a lot of detail into your busy 9-year-old life!
You were fortunate to have parents who saved your essays and other childhood memorabilia from the ravages of time and potential mishaps. They might have recognized, well before you, that you wouldn't grow up to be a millionaire doctor or coin collector; that you were destined to be an artist and, based on your early columns, a journalist.
I'm sure you could and would have succeeded at whatever you put your mind to, but not necessarily enjoy it as much as you seem to enjoy it as much as you do now.
I doubt a surgeon would be as prolific with their operations as you are with your editorial cartoons. The coin collecting might have sparked your interest in Presidents.
A fun read! I’m reminded of an essay we had to write at about that same age on a special person in our life. I chose my grandfather and wrote, “My grandpa is a very kind man who looks like Santa Claus and thinks a dose of castor oil is good for whatever ails you.” My editor (Mom) pulled that paragraph and forced me to start over! 😄
Nice hand there, Jack, definitely Palmer. By my questionable standards, a solid A. I could never get the hang of it, and it still shows in my miserable handwriting, 75 years later. One of my graduate students once claimed he could faithfully duplicate my hand: first you hit your left hand with a hammer. I had a teacher who was every bit as martinetish as your Mrs Glare. Her name was Mrs. Dowdy. Rosalie Dowdy. True story. Mrs. Dowdy had a profound influence on me and, in fact, all her students. To this day I can’t split an infinitive or end a sentence with a preposition. If she rose up from the grave and said it was OK, well, that would be another matter.
2nd grade, first day: "When are we going to learn 'real writing'?" Kid lingo for Palmer Method. 1964 in Havre, MT
6th grade in Portland, OR; all year. Funniest teacher ever. Mr. Nitta, sent to the concentration camps by our government. taught us all sorts of stuff. We learned about those camps as well as how he met his lesson plan requirements: haiku and origami is what I remember best. He explained he was supposed to teach us art; hence the origami.
Mr. Nitta was the best teacher I ever had: Portland Public Schools, Vassar College, and Rutgers University. Not that there weren't others but he remains the standout.
The script is definitely Palmer Method as demonstrated with the "tree-stump 'r's", loops of the caps as well as the lower case letter "f" - among others. Sadly, Ms."Glare" didn't have the chance to see how your editorial cartooning and writing developed with such elevated levels of depth and humor. Luckily, her assessment didn't stifle the creativity that so many of us enjoy from you today. For a nine-year old, I would have maybe given the assignment a "B-", probably knowing that you wrote that assignment quickly, and at the very last minute just to get it "in" and -- she didn't want you thinking you could always get that easy "A". And who knows? Was she grading on content or letter formation or both? (Just know I'll definitely be looking at the letter form in your caps (Roman based?) more carefully from now on . . . . I do enjoy it all. And I always had lots of blank paper available for my students for doodling.)
Gosh, I didn't know you lived all those place. I assumed you had a 100% Minnesota childhood.
Thanks for sharing.
I was cleaning out my garage a while back and found an Ohman cartoon about Oberstar in my yearbook. It was in the box with my Kent award. I will always cherish both! I also read some of my old essays and short stories. Funny!
Though all worthy, if not lofty, career choices (doctor, millionaire, pro coin collector), we're so glad all else failed, so we can enjoy you as a political cartoonist--aka your true calling!
My dad saved a lot of our elementary school essays, and some of them are quite hilarious to read through!
I must compliment you on your penmanship (B+ at least!), though I highly doubt Mrs. Lerch (great name!) would agree.
Very fun read. You really crammed a lot of detail into your busy 9-year-old life!
Awaiting the top secret war plans!
See you on Signal as usual, Audrey.
Her grading was disgraceful. At least an A-!
I mean, at least a B. No major stylistic issues. Just mind-numbing tedium.
Can't imagine what the "A" students said or where they are today. We're all glad we've got you here and now.
You were fortunate to have parents who saved your essays and other childhood memorabilia from the ravages of time and potential mishaps. They might have recognized, well before you, that you wouldn't grow up to be a millionaire doctor or coin collector; that you were destined to be an artist and, based on your early columns, a journalist.
I'm sure you could and would have succeeded at whatever you put your mind to, but not necessarily enjoy it as much as you seem to enjoy it as much as you do now.
I doubt a surgeon would be as prolific with their operations as you are with your editorial cartoons. The coin collecting might have sparked your interest in Presidents.
Thanks you, sir, and I enjoyed your note about your Navy service. Things got a bit out of hand on responding, so I will do so here.
A fun read! I’m reminded of an essay we had to write at about that same age on a special person in our life. I chose my grandfather and wrote, “My grandpa is a very kind man who looks like Santa Claus and thinks a dose of castor oil is good for whatever ails you.” My editor (Mom) pulled that paragraph and forced me to start over! 😄
Nice hand there, Jack, definitely Palmer. By my questionable standards, a solid A. I could never get the hang of it, and it still shows in my miserable handwriting, 75 years later. One of my graduate students once claimed he could faithfully duplicate my hand: first you hit your left hand with a hammer. I had a teacher who was every bit as martinetish as your Mrs Glare. Her name was Mrs. Dowdy. Rosalie Dowdy. True story. Mrs. Dowdy had a profound influence on me and, in fact, all her students. To this day I can’t split an infinitive or end a sentence with a preposition. If she rose up from the grave and said it was OK, well, that would be another matter.
Laughed out loud on the hammer remark, John!
The Palmer Method…I recall the nuns at St Theresa school knocking that into me with the big ruler across the knuckles.
It was how the taught everything!
Love your last sentence, "I have some war plans I need to leak." Amen!
Hilarious.
2nd grade, first day: "When are we going to learn 'real writing'?" Kid lingo for Palmer Method. 1964 in Havre, MT
6th grade in Portland, OR; all year. Funniest teacher ever. Mr. Nitta, sent to the concentration camps by our government. taught us all sorts of stuff. We learned about those camps as well as how he met his lesson plan requirements: haiku and origami is what I remember best. He explained he was supposed to teach us art; hence the origami.
Mr. Nitta was the best teacher I ever had: Portland Public Schools, Vassar College, and Rutgers University. Not that there weren't others but he remains the standout.
What did you study? I also don't know your first name yet! Anyway, thank you so much for subscribing and being a regular interesting poster!
The script is definitely Palmer Method as demonstrated with the "tree-stump 'r's", loops of the caps as well as the lower case letter "f" - among others. Sadly, Ms."Glare" didn't have the chance to see how your editorial cartooning and writing developed with such elevated levels of depth and humor. Luckily, her assessment didn't stifle the creativity that so many of us enjoy from you today. For a nine-year old, I would have maybe given the assignment a "B-", probably knowing that you wrote that assignment quickly, and at the very last minute just to get it "in" and -- she didn't want you thinking you could always get that easy "A". And who knows? Was she grading on content or letter formation or both? (Just know I'll definitely be looking at the letter form in your caps (Roman based?) more carefully from now on . . . . I do enjoy it all. And I always had lots of blank paper available for my students for doodling.)
Needed a smile today. Thanks! 👏
Excellent penmanship for a nine year old.
Gosh, I didn't know you lived all those place. I assumed you had a 100% Minnesota childhood.
Thanks for sharing.
I was cleaning out my garage a while back and found an Ohman cartoon about Oberstar in my yearbook. It was in the box with my Kent award. I will always cherish both! I also read some of my old essays and short stories. Funny!