School Daze (Frances and Norman)

School’s still out for another month, but for some reason a lot of us wrote about school. Ann wrote a story about middle school gym class and her friend who secretly tried out for Little League disguised as a boy. Frances’s story was less idyllic. Back when segregation was still in full swing, Frances went to an all-Black school that burnt down. It was rebuilt, and as a result it was more modern than the all-White school. The all-White school couldn’t have that, so they took the new equipment from the Black school and made them use the older equipment from the White school; including the uniforms that didn’t even match the school’s colors. If there were ever proof that “separate but equal” just wasn’t. Finally, Eleanor wrote about growing up tall and being jealous of the cute short girls, and I told her as someone who grew up a “cute short girl” I would have gladly switched.

Our tenth anniversary celebration is coming up during the school year on Friday November 8th, 10AM-4PM. You can donate here, and groups of students and families (home-schooled or otherwise) can get special rewards for contributing. If you have stories to share from the older buds in your life, please send them through this form.  I myself have posted stories about about targets, guns, potatoes, stubborn babies, and one about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of playing hooky, then don't worry because it's a great learning experience and volunteering opportunity. If you are comfortable with the idea of playing hooky, then stick it to The Man by shedding light on a population that's typically ignored. Fight the power!

Norman Cain

8.27.2015 

I'm Back 

Because of illness, I missed three consecutive weeks of "The Best Day of My Life (So Far)" story-telling and writing club.

Missing those three sessions were as painful as my illness. Because the "Best Day of My Life (So Far)" story-telling and writing club is very dear to me and it is my favorite activity in and out of the Philadelphia Senior Citizen Center network. 

I'm happy to be back and I'm happy that Benita is back and I must say that the volunteers did a wonderful job in her absence. They sacrificed, persevered and exemplified dedication.

Frances Bryce

9.17.2015

Hearing What Is Said

I thought I knew how important that the receiver hear what the speaker says. My sister visited me for my birthday, and I was made aware how often she received messages from me (spoken) quite different from what I said, which led me to explain what was said by me.
I remember the exercise that brought to mind, how one person said something to the person next to her and the message was transferred down the line to a few people. When the last person responded what was supposed to have been the original message, it was different and had no or very little of the beginning message.

One day after she insisted that I said one thing different from what I said. I  remember my friend, a psychologist, suggested,to ask the person what they heard after a message was related to them. This made hearing what the speaker said so they could both agree.

Thanks for reading, and make the most of your summer.

Curated by Caitlin Cieri