That Wonderful Year

They sat erect, all in straight rows
Anticipation grew
Thirty boys and girls prepared
To start the year anew

The teacher introduced herself,
“Miss Spier,” she wrote in chalk
Then turned around, her face aglow,
And asked each of us to talk.

“I’d like to get to know you
So please tell me your name,”
One by one, we answered her
Her attention never waned.

And then with introductions made
Our fifth grade year did start –
So much to learn and see and do,
For each to be a part.

The thirty of us formed a bond
With that teaching dynamo,
And as the days turned into months,
Our love for her did grow.

Not only in the classroom,
But evenings and weekends, too.
Miss Spier surrounded by her brood,
Found such “neat” things to do!

From trips to church and gardens fair,
And sometimes to the park
Together we went everywhere,
From dawn to way past dark

Miss Spier’s old Plymouth shuddered
As we all jumped in the seat
The radio was played full blast.
With the brake she kept the beat!


Back in class on Monday morning,
To start the week anew,
We were filled with anticipation
Of what we were to do

We danced to Calypso music,
The flute we learned to play
Miss Spier read Robinson Caruso,
In a very expressive way!

Recess always found us
Choosing teams for games of ball,
Each student knew the others strength,
We gave those games our all!

As Fall turned into Winter
And Spring arrived anew,
The camaraderie that year,
Brought friendships ever true.

Anne and Larry became best of friends.
Their common interests grew.
Karen tried to flirt with Roland
Though her technique was still askew.

Ella and Dorothy were a team,
They lived close to each other,
Elwood and Billy often fought
They acted just like brothers.

Barb and Shirley were the dancers,
And they did it very well
Jeanne had won Rex’s heart,
Of course he’d never tell.

Doris and Elmer were class artists
Much envied for their flair
While Doris and Dreama (our chubby ones)
Giggled beyond compare.

Miss Spier made that fifth grade year
Wonderful from beginning to end
She had taken thirty 10-year-olds,
And turned them to lifelong friends

We said goodbye one day in June
In Leakin Park we came.
The glorious days of work and play,
Would never be quite the same.

We had no concept of our loss
Kids are that way, after all.
But the realization of what had passed
Came to us that next Fall.

Those thirty all have long since grown,
We’ve drifted far apart
One thing we have in common still,
Miss Spier is forever in our heart.