PRESSED BETWEEN THE PAGES
DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel, Columnist
Skinned Knees & Elbows
Looking back at the eight years of what was then considered elementary school, the memories pressed between the pages of my mind are not so much reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. I remember recess!
To a first grader, the play area seemed huge. We were allowed access to all sides of the Erwin school building. In the front were steps and plenty of sidewalks for hopscotch. Both sides were pathways to the large playground in the back, to the north.
The first couple years, the girls followed the teacher around, likely plying her with questions just like we did our parents. Sometimes she would organize a group game like Fox and Goose in winter or Drop the Hankie when we could sit on the grass.
The permanent playground equipment was spread over a big area with plenty of grassy places on all sides. Teeter-totters of painted wood invited us to learn the basic physics of levers, fulcrum, balance, gravity and torque. Occasionally our lesson in gravity and another kind of torque resulted from the swift fall and jolt when the person on the other end jumped off!
A massive merry-go-round creaked in the wind. It took at least two of us to get it spinning at a satisfactory speed. (The faster the better!) We would grab the metal bar handles and run in the well-worn path, then leap on to enjoy the ride. The people pushing sometimes fell, but we just got up and tried again. If we could have pushed fast enough for the riders to fly off, it would have been the most fun ever!
Wooden boards on long chains allowed very high swinging. Legs grew strong as we learned to pump higher and higher. Did we dare jump at the highest point? Of course! It was necessary to take turns on the swings. Amazingly, during those times when the next person was waiting, it took a long time to slow down. But cooperation and sharing on the playground was a given.
I recall a tall metal pole with chains hanging down from the top. We called it “The Giants.” The chains were connected to a wheel at the very top. Children could grab the handles at the bottom of the chains, run to get started and then become airborne like the swing ride at the carnival. The path around this pole, was worn deep. Very short youngsters looked on enviously.
As students reached the mid and older grades, the softball and baseball diamonds to the west held major appeal. The hour-long noon recess allowed time for a great game, especially if we chose sides and got organized on the walk down the hill.
That school playground entertained thousands of young people over the years. Shrieking, laughing, rambunctious children wore off energy and learned crucial skills. Skinned knees and scraped elbows happened. If we plied the teacher for sympathy, she would have sent us in to the “lavatory” to clean our wounds. That would have meant losing ten minutes of recess. God forbid.
Today’s researchers claim that people who grew up in the 1960s possess strong practical characteristics like independence, resilience, self-reliance and the ability to manage crisis with composure. Our generation excels in face-to-face social skills, risk assessment, loyalty and work ethic.
Sometimes skinned knees and elbows can be a good thing!
The author’s column appears in a growing number of Midwest newspapers. Kruempel compiles and publishes the column stories every year. She has also published a historical fiction series, “Promises to Keep.”
Her ten books are available on Amazon. Signed copies may be purchased at the Harrison County Welcome Center. Contact Kruempel at deannkruempelauthor@gmail.com.
