Bernie's Chapter
Barefoot Summers and Toughing Out School
told by Bernard James Guild
Bernard recalls being a good student despite never liking school. His parents' insistence that education offered a better life helped him persevere, but he eagerly awaited summer vacations and wished they would never end. He jokes that, if he were in charge, children would run barefoot until age ten before starting school.
In the family's own words
My school years are so well documented in the family scrapbook I don’t need to say much about it except that (SURPRISE) I did not adore school. I could hardly wait for summer vacation, and when it came I wished it would never end. School was hard and running around barefoot and playing wasn’t, I guess. I have no idea why I felt this way. I was a good student because Mom and Dad keep telling us an education was the route to a better life, so I just toughed it out, but I never ever liked it that much, ever. If I were in charge, I’d let kids run around with their shoes off until they were ten, and only then send them off to school.
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Bernie's Chapter, told by Bernard James GuildRelated stories
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