Like most children, I was a tad nervous when I began attending this school (St. Francis of Assisi School) in Torrington, for the very first time, not to mention a Catholic school whose goal, I thought, was to combine a good education with a strong emphasis on behavioral discipline.

But as time went on, things got easier because I got to know my classmates. Among those that I met then who agreed to be mentioned, or take part in this blog who were my classmates at one time or another during my eight years there were Donna, Susan, Charlen, Karlyn, Mary-Jo, Dave, Rob and Bill. None of us were criminals, nor were we saints, pun intended, just young kids who probably expressed ourselves the wrong way at the wrong time most of the time.

Never did I know how attending a Catholic school would play with my head but, like any new experience, that’s the way it was for awhile. For starters, we all wore dark green uniforms, so I felt a little bit like I attended an academy. We even wore dark green ties! Next were the two principals in charge during our time there: Sister Jana first, and then Sister Jean Mary, two women who tried to do their jobs well, but, in my opinion, weren’t necessarily very good at it. More times than not, they tried getting their points across using intimidation. Not a good look for a nun!

OK, enough of being serious. Now, there were times at this school that I enjoyed. Certainly, playing on the basketball team with Bill, Dave(I think!) and the others was quite fun, though I’m not real sure that we were any good. But still, I remember going to the practices at the SFS gym most weekdays and battling St. Peter’s and, probably, St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart in games at the Torrington YMCA as an 8th grader in what seemed to be a tiny gym with hardly any room for people to watch. Even so, we were kids playing a game that was meant to be played by kids, and having a blast, win or lose.

Other things I could vaguely recall were the daily recess periods-this was when I worked my hardest and liked the most. I think we played tag a lot, but I’m not sure what else, but I can recall that the playground was big, square and fenced in.

I can also recall taking a music class, it seems each year, with Mrs. Fowler. Now, I was a kid, we were all kids and I just couldn’t get myself excited to play a Flutophone, a small plastic horn we were encouraged to learn to play. Fortunately, there some others in the class who could play it, so I just put it in my mouth and moved my fingers around.

We also went to NYC as 8th-graders though I can’t remember that trip at all. Even so, I met a few people there who, though I don’t see them nowadays, I could still call them friends today. Peace!