Thanks for asking about the first grade. I do have more memories from Kindergarten in public school. Please humor me. Whatever feedback you give on the below is fine with me.
On those wintry school days in December, my Mom dressed me in the warmest clothes as she sent me off to Kindergarten. Because I had a sister who was seven years older, and who did not have a visual disability, I guess my Mom felt security knowing her older daughter was taking care of her youngest daughter, the daughter with the visual handicap. I remember back in the late sixties how my big sister would walk me to the Kindergarten door. She would then set me on the bench inside the door and unbuckle my galoshes for me. It all seemed so normal for a loving big sister to help her little four-year old sister, who could not see very well, to take off her galoshes and coat.
One day in that wintry December, my sister dropped me off at Kindergarten and set me on that same old bench. She bent over to help me take off my boots. But on this particular day the Kindergarten teacher quickly intervened and harshly scolded my sister for taking care of me. She sent my sister away as she explained that I needed to learn to take off my own boots. After all, I was four-years old and should be able to unbuckle and take off my own galoshes. My punishment was to sit on the bench until I could take off my own boots; only then could I join the other students in class.
My sister was long gone. I was all alone on that bench. It seemed time was forever. I tried, and tried to unbuckle my galoshes. The tears were welding in my eyes, I was ashamed. Time seemed an eternity. I pulled so hard on my boots until they came off despite the buckles.
The teacher eventually returned to escort me to class. The humiliation of the day when I was isolated from the other students until I unbuckled my galoshes has never left me.
