Times Have Changed

Monday – February 2, 2009

Times just keep on changing! I remember hearing the stories of my parents and how they would WALK to school with snow past their knees – school was never canceled! Many of those walks took them through the woods which happened to be a faster route to another “main” road that happened to be dirt! My parents’ generation NEVER got out of school because of snow! At least that what we always heard!

Did we get out for this snow fall!

Next came our generation – one in which I don’t remember getting out of school due to the weather. I do remember thinking how unfair it was that Wayne County got out of school while Cabell County was going to be in session. This did not happen often, but when it did, I never could figure out why them and not us!! Once I started teaching I knew why! While growing up we only lived about a mile from the county line, and we had to go to school and Westmoreland and Vinson didn’t. Of course this was because most of Cabell County students could walk to their schools and were not relying on the county bus system! Even though the Westmoreland students could walk to school, they still had more buses running than Cabell did!

We lived about a mile from our junior high school – and it was on the coldest days of the year that we had to walk to school due to cars of our parents not starting – whew! This was also during the time when as a girl I was not allowed to wear pants at school!!! SO, Mom made me wear pants under my skirt, and then I had to go to the restroom to take them off until the trip home! This was so embarrassing, but it did help keep me warm!

A beautiful scene looking up the road, but not one to have to drive on!!!!

I’m sure even back then that many counties that relied heavily on the bus system to transport the kids to and from school had more days out of school than we did. It wasn’t until I started teaching at East Lynn Elementary that I really comprehended that not all kids lived where they could walk to school!! East Lynn had only a few that could actually walk to school – those who lived across the road from the school!! Now, I really did understand why Wayne County was out of school and Cabell wasn’t!

Some of our friends who are still teaching were out all last week due to the snow, ice, and power outages. This had Bill and I both reflecting back to the times when we were still teaching and we DID NOT get out a full week of school. We don’t begrudge the schools getting out last week – just noting how “times have changed.” We thought we would jot down some of the things we remember about these bad weather days when we were teachers!

Toby even has had trouble getting through the snow!

Our Tidbits of Bad Weather Days 1973 – 2006

1. Many days we had to report to school with bad weather – just like the days we had last week – even though the buses did not run. We would have some kids – most were kids whose parents were going somewhere and would drop their child off at school. Sometimes I wonder if on the elementary level if we weren’t “babysitting” while the parents went out and about! We never had a full class, and we could do only so much with the few that came. We would allow them to play more than when the full class was there. We had a parent call about one of the sixth grade teachers not teaching on those days. He had one student – who happened to be his cousin. The next time we had a day when the buses didn’t run, and knowing from experience, we knew which kids would be there – this teacher wore a three piece suit; gave a spelling test; worked from the math and reading books; gave science and social studies’ quiz; and all make-up work to that ONE student. That child didn’t come back when he knew there would only be a few students at school! Mom wanted him taught – so he was taught! Parents did not understand how hard it would be to go on with lessons when the majority of the class was not there!

One of our "treacherous" big snows

2. There were many, many days when both of us would already be on the way to school – or for that matter at school – when the word from the Board’s office would be sent out that schools was being dismissed! We would slip and slide all the way!!! One episode that comes to mind is the day we already had about six inches on the ground, and it was still snowing – school was not called off until 10:00 when all students and personnel were at school. The call came that all buses would be coming back – to take the kids home with the road conditions being in worse condition than the trip to school! Our principal allowed those of us who lived in Huntington to leave early (we were suppose to wait until all kids were sent home)! It took us almost ten hours to get home. On every small incline between East Lynn and Wayne, we had to literally push Bill’s big car up the little “hills!” The reason for this – his tires were bald!!!!! If memory serves me correctly – he got new tires soon after that episode. Some of our colleagues in the carpool wore heels that day – not at all suitable for a day like that! These ladies had to get out and help push the car – now talk about worn out and looking like drowned rats – this was a sight that is still as vivid as if it were yesterday!

One of our past big snows!

3. As I said earlier, there were many days we would make our trek to school only to be told to go back home. Another one of those days which stand out is a day that remains as an “I can’t believe that happened” day! These were the days when we had about five teachers in the carpool with pickup points from Huntington to Lavalette. One of the teachers thought she had missed us and proceeded to head towards the last pick-up place. She was always late, and we had been known to leave her!!!! Lucky me – it was my week to drive! I had a Ford Futura that was two doors with bucket seats! Going up one of the treacherous hills between Huntington and East Lynn was nerve wracking. I had learned how to drive in these conditions – steady low speed – don’t use the brake – steer toward the way you are sliding. I was always fine if I didn’t have to stop!!!! Whoa – trying to get the traction back was impossible some days. On this particular day, I was at a steady speed making my way up the hill when we noticed this teacher waving from the side of the road. She wanted me to STOP and pick her up!!! I’m going – “I can’t stop – I’ll never get going again on this icy/snowy road!” She yells for Bill to open the door, lean up, and she will jump in the car!!! Guess what – he did and she did! Oh, I shudder when I think about what could have happened! I do NOT recommend this method of getting a ride to anyone!!!

My Ford Futura!

These are three of some of our most memorable episodes when dealing with the snow during our teaching days! We were all dedicated to the fact that we HAD to get to school no matter what!!! (Or we didn’t get paid!) I like the approach the school system seems to be taking now. School systems are taking more precautions today – or so it seems. We were wondering why – it wasn’t because our lives were less thought of, but the fact that there weren’t as many drivers on the road as there are now; kids could walk to school; and the distance we had to travel may not have been as far since consolidation of schools began. Another contributing factor might be that school funding also depends on attendance!! If there are not at least 93% of the kids in school – the system will not get their government funding!!! Regardless of their reasoning – it is far more important to make a decision that will help keep all safe!!

The following pictures are of snow from last week! Nice to look at, but horrible to drive through!!!

Small amount of snow - but a solid sheet of ice underneath the snow - yikes - too slippery to drive on!