PRAYERS, HOMECOOKED LUNCHES, AND DISCIPLINE AT A NAPERVILLE SCHOOL

Granger School, at the corner of Rt. 59 and 34, was a two-room schoolhouse in Naperville back in the fifties.  It was an experience like none other.  First, second and third grades were in one room.  Fourth, fifth and sixth grades in another.  Mrs. Francesca Herrington was both our principal and my teacher.  She was kind, loving, and patient.  As I discovered, she could also be pretty tough.

We did things differently back then.  We had spelling bees, didn't have gym class, school closed in the middle of May so farm boys would work on the farm, and for fire drills Mrs. Herrington went in the hallway to ring a small bell in her hand.  We ate lunch in the basement where our cook, Mrs. Corel, made fresh home-cooked lunches each day, like our favorite cherry cobbler.  We went through the line, then stood quietly while a student said grace.  After I sat down I saw Howard Gehrke use his fork to stab the block of butter on his table.  He laughed as he raised it in the air.  The other kids' laughter was soon overtaken by Mrs. Herrington's roar.  "Howard!  Why you H-O-G!"  Everyone hushed and began eating in silence, but I trembled in fear.  I wouldn't want to get on Mrs. Herrington's bad side.  Unfortunately, one day I did.

We were playing outside for recess when we heard our classmate, Susan Campbell, was in the nurse's room.  Well intentioned, a bunch of us fifth grade girls tromped into school, up the stairs, and into the tiny nurse's room.  We crowded around Susan on the cot when a group of pesty third grade boys, including Susan's brother Kenny and my brother Kurt, came along.  "Go away!" we demanded.  "You going to make us?" they taunted us.

A scuffle ensued.  We pushed the door closed.  They opened the door.  Back and forth, we pushed the door until the boys finally gave up and went away.  Five minutes later, they were back.  I rushed to close the door, but the boys were more persistent this time.  The other girls joined me in a fierce battle against the door.  Then a familiar voice called out.

"Open this door!"

Yikes, it was Mrs. Herrington.