The “special” school
Aug 30th, 2005 by Accidental Thinker
When I was a kid, we had a school in town that we fondly (or maybe not so fondly, I’m embarrassed to say) called the “special” school. This school catered to the special education needs of kids throughout the county—mostly those with mental and physical handicaps, emotional issues, and maybe even a few disciplinary problems. Yet at the other end of the spectrum, it was also home to the county’s gifted program for elementary students. Since someone at some point decided I was gifted (and I use that term loosely), I had the pleasure of being bussed once a week to the “special” school. A former gifted classmate remembers being teased about that. I don’t recall such taunting, but perhaps I’ve just blocked it out.
In any case, I attended the “special” school and looking back now, I’m glad for the experience. However, I have a confession. I’d love to be able to write some profound words about the impact of an advanced gifted education, or the beginnings of my social conscience. And maybe what I would write would be true. But do you want to know the truth about what I remember most from the “special” school? The rolls they served at lunch. After all these years, that is what sticks in my head more than anything else. I would LOVE to taste one of those rolls again.
My sincerest apologies to the honest taxpayers of Charlotte County who funded this gastronomical memory.
I didn’t go to special school, but skipped a grade. That was a trip –
being younger than everyone else. Of course that was a time in life
when you added “and a half” to your age.And WHY would anyone ever NOT want to take a nap??? What was I thinking???
Monique, thank you for those sweet words you posted at my site, I’m
humbled by the attention that post has received. At the same time I’m
totally thrilled that it has inspired you to join the ranks of the
resolve to support our soldiers. It’s the best of highs, because they
do so appreciate receiving some kind of word from us. ^0^They
seem to like getting drawings and gifts from children too. My
great-grandson sends all the toys he receives with Happy Meals still
sealed in the package. They write and say to tell him “thank you” and
it really thrills him. Let me know if I can help get you started.
That’s so funny!!! You are comically honest!! Great story!!
Can I tell you that last week I was going through a childhood memory
thing, and I kept thinking about the rolls from elementary school. It
got so bad, I had to go searching on line for recipes for ‘school
cafeteria rolls’! I found two different recipes, and tried making one
of them this weekend….they tasted really yummy, but I screwed up on
rising the dough, so the consistency was wrong. I’ll just have to try
again!!!
Funny what sticks in our memory banks, eh?
They put my son in a gifted class and took him and some others from the school by bus just as you said.My son didn’t like it, so I told the office that I was pulling him out.It
nearly took an act of Congress to do this. I guess they’d never had
anyone NOT want their kid in the gifted class. I don’t think being in
that class or out of it made a bit of difference.
I remember sloppy joe and two potatoes being my favorite lunch in high school. I can taste it now. Just a roll? C’mon, you’re an aspiring writer. That demands details.
Hey — we had those huge yeast rolls, too! The rest of the food left much to be desired, but those rolls were great.
Chepin, I assure you that the rolls at the “special” school were even
BETTER than the ones we had at Meadow Park. I don’t know what it was
about them. Bring those recipes with you when you come down tomorrow
and we can try to make them here. Except I probably don’t have any of
the correct ingredients.Dave, sorry for leaving out the delectable details!!!
Well, if anyone comes up with a recipe that does justice to those rolls (we had them as well in little ol’ Galena Park ISD,Texas), please post it! They must be an “industry standard” for so many of us to have such great memories of them! Where are all the retired “lunch ladies” who fed those warm, succulent things to us?!