The Autoblography of Judy Townson: Chronicle

Photos, Documents, Objects:

Review of Elementary Report Cards: An Emotional Journey

Kindergarten Winter Report March 1972

"A little more time could be taken in her written work and colouring although in the past few weeks she has shown considerable improvement. With practice making the round letters properly I'm sure this will correct itself. This is very common in left-handedness."

Wow, this is a bit of a blow. I remember absolutely loving colouring. I loved crayons especially - the crayola kind-the slim ones that came in a package with a cover, not the big chubby ones that were often missing their paper wrappers, those odd stubs that were all thrown together in a basket on the table. I was very cautious of those crayons. They had snot on them. I know this for a fact because I remember the exact boy at my table who picked them up and stuck them up his nose and made gruesome faces at me with his purple and yellow plugged nostrils. He lived up the street from me and was a buffoon even at 5. In my defence I would like to state that I did apparently exhibit a drawing in the school art show as the kindergarten representative. I must have a been a great 'colourer' right? Wait a second-- my kindergarten teacher also lived just 2 houses down from me and was very close friends with my parents. Wow, another blow. I probably just got picked because of this. I'm glad that I didn't know about these things as a little girl.

I don't remember much about my left handedness back then. Scissors were always an issue. I have a memory of my teacher wrapping her hand over mine to correct my claw like grip, and that writing instruction always seemed focused over the years on correcting an inappropriate tendency for left handed slant. However, I'm interested in handedness now as an adult. I blogged about it last year. http://judytownson.blogspot.com/2009/03/left-is-right-for-me.html

Annal:

Kindergarten Progress Report July 1972 (typo on report?) "Speaks clearly and effectively" "speech correction" I believe that this form was either created in 1971 and used for the 71-72 school year or it was a typo. My public school did not offer Jr. Kindergarten so I know I could not have received a final progress report in July of 1971. You had to go to the Catholic school if you wanted JK. Speech correction. I have a significant memory of the day I was called to the door of my classroom and taken to work with who I now know was the speech and language pathologist. The memory is significant because I was in total shock that something appeared to be wrong with me and no one had ever mentioned this to me before. Apparently I was a lisping 'th.' I spent a great deal of time with my speech teacher reciting things like "Sammy snake slid through the slippery grass." - well, I'm sure it sounded more like "Thammy Thnake thlid through the thlippery grath." http://theautoblographyofjudytownson.blogspot.com/2010/02/long-ago-1972-little-lisper.html

Grade 1 Term 1 Report 1972

"Tidiness should be encouraged in all areas of work.'

'Judy, I feel could offer more to class discussion! She often talks to her friends, when she should be listening."

I am surprised to discover how messy I apparently was. Similar comments appear through the primary grades. I must have worked hard and received proper tutelage because I'm considered quite tidy now.

However, I shamefully accept the latter criticism. I continue to work on curbing my desire to talk with my friends during class/meetings. But I also feel that this teacher harbored a grudge towards me for an unfortunate incident that I let a boy drag me into. He talked me into looking inside the "mystery box." I was weak, I caved to the pressure. I was a sneaky cheaterpants.The box was a taped together shoe box wrapped in foil paper with a circular hole cut in the end. You were to put your hand inside and touch the mystery object. Then you guessed what it was. The teacher caught me right at the crucial moment - with my hand literally 'in the cookie jar' so to speak - I lifted the lid. Our relationship was never the same. I used to think she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had long blond hair and big blue eyes. I remember her voice was pleasant. I look at the class picture now and see that while she is pretty, there is a certain edge to her features that is accentuated by the heavy make up of the 70's. Plus her skirt was far too short.

Perhaps after all, I have trouble accepting constructive criticism.

Gr. 1 Term 3 Report Card 1973

"Appreciates good literature" "Satisfactory Progress"

So, a lovely comment but all I can focus on is the checkmark under satisfactory for "Appreciates Good Literature." This is the same year that I won my precious 'Road Runner' (stuffed animal) for reading more books than anyone else in the class. My cousin told me not long ago that she still remembers this and was quite envious of my prize. I read every book in that classroom. I read everything I could find. My mom took me constantly to the library. Boy would I love to give that teacher a piece of my mind! That's the thing though about ineffective feedback, it leaves you crushed. Man, I even won the Academic that year. Ok, this was written 37 years ago, I'm sure no one will think worse of me for not getting a commendable progress for "Appreciates Good Literature" These were the years of 'Dick and Jane' and then I think either at the end of this year or beginning of next we were introduced to 'Mr. Muggs'. It was the era of the primer for Pete's sake! Dwelling, dwelling....

Raymond Chandler on literature:
"When a book, any sort of book reaches a certain intensity of artistic performance it becomes literature. That intensity may be a matter of style, situation, character, emotional tone, or idea, or half a dozen other things. It may also be a perfection of control over the movement of a story similar to the control a great pitcher has over the ball. Every page throws the hook for the next. I call this a kind of genius."
(From a letter by Raymond Chandler to Earl Stanley Gardner.)
Source: Kate's Book Blog

Grade 3 Term 1 1974/75

"She seems to get into the mood of the story which makes me enjoy listening to her read."

"Application of different kinds of sentences would improve creative writing attempts."

Here is some specific feedback. The praise point indicates that I am an engaged reader with strength in oral fluency-expression. The next steps indicate that I should incorporate a variety of sentence types to improve my creative writing attempts. I can only find a body of writing from my prolific grade 2 seven year old self. I wonder what these grade 3 attempts looked like?

Grade 5 Term 1 December 1976

"Her stories and written assignments show imagination, thought and originality."

So, I am still writing in my junior years. The only written artifact that I have saved is a Christmas poem that I wrote. This is the one of the last pieces of writing that I can find during my formative years. It seems as if I have gone from avid reader-writer to avid reader. Have to wonder what may have led to this? Was it the shift to the content -test focus of schooling that is now evident in these report cards. I consider these two conflicting comments which both focus on the importance of note making and test taking.

"Science: Good test result. Note-making skills are developing well."

"Social Studies: Judy's test results are excellent. More care should be exercised in note-making."

An Early Writer

The Grave yard

One night, the most terrible night in my life it was 12 midnight and I was awake. I got dressed and went out side to the grave yard I opened one of the blod yest spokeyest graves it was the cowents grave and there he was I screamed and I yelled he was raising I paniced I went astericel then the colk sturck 1. the cowent fell back into the grave I shout the grave and ran home. Grade 2 1973

Marvin the cat

Marvin was a cat who liked to play jokes on peple. one day Marvin played a joke on sizly his sister. sizly Who was very pretty Marvin said she was very ugly, sizly went crying to Mother. sizly said Mother never belve Marvin becuse he's always jokeing sizly. one day Marving said to his mother there's going to be a heracane Mother. oh marvin hurry get ready Mother Marvin and sizly got ready nothing happed oh one ov your tricks again Marvin said sizly yes! said Marvin. one day Marvin saw a man the man said theres going to be a heracane today. Marvin ran home mother said Marvin thers going to be a heracane today one of your Jokes again Marin no don't fool me Marvin. Marvin got ready for the heracane buy sizly and Mother din't they went off the land Marvin never saw them again he never played a joke on anyone.

Halloween

It was a dark scary night cats howled with horrer I was alone exseept my mom was with me so I wasit so scared. The moon was hi and scary. It startedtopoor rain. I wanted the rain to stop someone knoxed at the door it was the wind noxing the pumpkin over. It was a lowd bang and I jumped to the celen. and then Halloween was over Grade 2 1973

Lion! Lion!

I look upon my favorite tree,

What in the world do I see,

A lion eating some deer meat,

What a yucky treat to eat!

Lion! Lion get out of there,

Or Snaglespuss will beat your hair,

Grade 2 1974

Stereotyping: How the past shapes the future

This is my 'School Days Treasures' book where mom and I saved a variety of artifacts to chronicle my elementary school years. The book was made of pockets - one for each year of school. On the back side of each pocket was the page you can see in the photo on the right. It provided spaces for topics such as 'New Friends' and 'Awards'. The bottom section is what now fascinates me.

"When I Grow Up I Want To Be -"

Boys were asked to consider checking the following boxes:

Fireman, Policeman, Cowboy, Doctor, Astronaut, Soldier, Ballplayer or Teacher

Girls were asked to consider checking the following boxes;

Mother, Nurse, Teacher, Actress, Airline Hostess, Model, Secretary, Artist

Each year I diligently checked a variety of these 8 boxes. Most often mother, nurse, and teacher appeared. I knew over time that I was not model material. When the neighbourhood gang played Charlie's Angels, I was never once nominated to play Jill - the coveted Farrah Fawcett role. I was always thought of as Kate Jackson's Sabrina Duncan, the plain, smart tomboy. Come to think of it I was also never selected to be the princess or the baby - two other roles I dearly wished to play. So, model stopped being checked. Only once, in grade 4, did I write on the optional lines below. I wrote 'lawyer.' I don't think that I knew exactly what a lawyer did, but I thought they were smart and besides 'lawyer' was not listed in the boys domain, so I figured it was fair game. I never checked anything listed in the Boy column, because, of course, that did not apply to me. Apparently the profession of teacher was suitable for either gender, but while a parental role such as mother appears for girls, no thought was given to boys framing their mindsets around becoming fathers.

What is fascinating to me is that when I look at this list and think about what I did become - a mother, a nurse, and then a teacher, I can't help but wonder if this was already embedded within me. Maybe I became what my past conditioned me to become.

book blog regarding my night light and blurring fiction and reality http://judytownson.blogspot.com/2010/01/say-youre-one-of-them.html