Misbehaving in 4th Grade

Welcome to Windsor Manor Elementary!
Windsor Manor as I remember it.
All of us children went to Catholic school until the year I was in 3rd grade and Joe and I went to Windsor Manor Elementary. That year I had Miss Tyson and it is the year I realized that I never wanted to follow the crowd. I still remember when I had that epiphany (if an 8 year-old can have an epiphany).
Windsor Manor's Outdoor Classroom
Playground where I had my epiphany.
I realized that the largest group was always average and I didn't want to be average - I wanted to be exceptional. So my little 8-year old brain noticed that a small number of kids got As, and a small number of kids got Fs so I figured if I stick with the "road less traveled" I had a 50% chance of being with the high achievers. I also realized that there was a 0% chance if I followed the crowd.

In 4th grade I had Mrs Fackler and I was completely out of control. I would do pushups in the back of the room, crawl up to visit my friends in front of me, etc... I really was a terrible kid, and in that generation, the contrast from normal behavior was huge.

That year I began to play the trombone so it helped get me out of the room and provide Mrs. Fackler with some relief. At the end of the day she would always have me read to the class so that too kept me occupied. For math class she sent me away to the music room to work my way through the math book without guidance. If I had a question I'd go ask, but for the most part I just did all the exercises in the book until I was done.

When my parents were informed of my school arrangements that summer I had been transferred to Mazie Gable and one of the other boys who was one of my co-conspirators Keith Kinard, was shipped off to Edgar Moore. Eric Myers, the 3rd co-conspirator, stayed behind at Windsor Manor. So in the end Joe went to Windsor Manor while I went to Mazie Gable. Eventually a school was built in our neighborhood and Joe transferred to that, but by then I was in Junior High.
Building
Mazie Gable Elementary School

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