Monday, March 12, 2012

Ah, Memories

Miss Ulschak's second grade class, Wilkinson Elementary, Williston, North Dakota. From the ancient world when there was no color, only shades of gray. Adorable seven year old me is in the middle row, fourth from the right. Sporting a closed lip smile that hid my half grown in front teeth. I was the new kid, having relocated from Ray, ND over Christmas break.

Voila! In color, my confirmation class. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, again in Williston, ND. Between the previous photo and this one, we had moved away to Aurora, CO for a couple of years, Las Vegas, NV for 13 months, then back to Williston once more. At this point I had been back in town for about four years and was no longer the new kid. Interestingly, at least to me, probably for you too if you're still reading, there are five other girls common to both photos in addition to me. Judy Peterson is anchoring the back row all the way to the left. Same position seven years later! Judy was the first real feminist of my generation that I was aware of. She had the audacity to want to enroll in shop class when we were freshman in high school. Most freshman girls took Home Ec, but she wasn't interested. She wanted to learn to build stuff. Use the power tools. Show people that femininity/masculinity is about who you are, not whether you're in the kitchen or the garage. Went all the way to the school board for a decision, but she got in. Two other girls, whose names escape me at the moment, in the back row and fourth from the left and back row second from the right are also in the second grade photo. Back row sixth from the left and middle row third from the left respectively. I'm in the same position in both photos, and just to the right of me are the same two girls with their positions swapped. Sonja and Sherry, then seven years later, Sherry and Sonja. And on the off chance that any of you reading are in either or both of these pictures, clue me in. Or set me straight if I'm wrong.

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