English OR how I got out of high school

I can spell better then I thought. The truth is I can sight read better then I can spell. If I see a word once or twice it gets tucked away in my little brain somewhere and I can pronounce it the next time I see it. Spelling a word or grouping words is a whole other thing.

Back in my high school days all you had to do was get 1 English class in for graduation.

40 years ago, this September, I started the 10th grade and my first year in high school.
Back then, at Griffith schools freshmen were top dogs in Jr. High, it could have been that way in other towns to I only remember Griffith.

I hated English, I do not understand it. That makes life rough when you want to go to college or even write a letter. I wanted to go to college and would take the whole day to write a letter to my cousin.
For me English class added to that wonderful feeling you have about yourself at 14. You know the one with all the ugly thoughts about yourself.

First day of school and the question "who did you get"? Mr. Harken "Oh he is nice you will like him" No I won't he teaches English and I hate English. I'm never going to get through high school.
Turned out Mr Harken was a wonderful and wise teacher. He broke up the literature and grammar so that you could pass the class if you only tried. I tried, oh how I tried when it came to grammar. The lit. part came easy and was fun for me. One grading period I would get a D because that was mostly grammar, the next I would get an A or B because it was mostly reading.
Come the end of the year it worked out to a passing grade, a trip to Chicago and a gratefulness that has lasted 40 years.
My grade school dictionary still sits on my desk. I have a Franklin dictionary book marker and spell check rates right up there with sliced bread.

I remember the names of only 2 of my teachers, Mr Harken and Miss Beanblossom.
Mr Harken got me through English and Miss Beanblossom gave me a love of sewing.