This was 1964-1965.

We had a play, this year I think, at night for the parents. All the boys wanted to be part of the Iwo Jima marines planting the flag. Here is an image of that famous photo by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press. That photo was the basis for the famous statue in Washington, DC, that we would see on a field trip to Washington, DC, in 5th grade.

TG, GC, and I were not in that group. We were the trio with the flag, drum, and fife for that part of the play.

In 3rd grade, a student (do not remember who) did not like the teacher, Mrs. Bucher, and somehow found out that the word for "the books" in German was "die Bücher" which, in a twisted way, was close enough for his purposes.

I remember looking out the window a lot and thinking but not always paying attention to what was going on in class. I was learning a lot, but mostly by reading and thinking and not by paying attention in class.

In about 1996, I visited the nursing home where Mrs Bucher was residing. In her 90's, she still drove a car. We talked for a while. I recall her talking about the changes when prayer was no longer allowed in school, which had happened the year before.

more to be added