I have been a bit nostalgic this week.

It started when a school from Scotland was visiting the Mentor high school and we played both “O Canada” and “God Save the Queen” at 8:45. I remember that “Opening Exercises for me as far back as kindergarten at Hickson Central (just north of Woodstock) included both these anthems, the Lord’s Prayer and even a workout to something called “Rhythmics” (exercising to the latest pop hits like “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”.

When I look at this week’s calendar of events, I remember my own schooling fondly and regret that I have lost touch with some of the things that I found interesting earlier in my life. Two groups were off campus learning about how to take better photographs; I remembered inheriting a Brownie camera from a relative and the best photo it ever took would be instantly deleted from even the worst camera phone. Mentor and TEAM are in the midst of their Grade 7/8 touch football practices; I remember the only time I got into a fight was over a bully continually throwing my NFL football into a puddle at recess (and how my Mom had to come retrieve me from the office and pretend that she wasn’t the one who told me to do it!).

I see Photo Retake Day tomorrow and I remember that I had to think very carefully about what to wear that day (a stressor that our students are spared). The Grade 7 and 8s have their first immunization clinic of the year coming up and I remember the boys unsuccessfully trying to look brave for the girls and the girls being just as unconvincing in their over-reactions of being scared.

I also remember that Hallowe’en was a REALLY big deal at school (and it still is!) with decorations and assemblies and I seem to recall that everyone dressed up at high school right up to Grade 13. At night on October 31st, we would get driven to the closest neighbours (I lived in the country) and then we would go to town to find the street with the closest concentration of doorways so we could maximize our candy haul. Ahh, to be young again!

Have a wonderful weekend. As for me, I think I will put together my costume and start scouting out the most candy-lucrative townhouse complexes. Hopefully the chocolate bars are still the same size as they were in the 70s!

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College / TEAM School