by Debbie Stine

Created on: March 16, 2009   Last Updated: October 02, 2010

I think for many people, memories from those first days in school are a big factor in how they come to view education throughout  their lives. If it's a positive experience, they usually continue to enjoy their education. On the other hand, a bad experience may keep them from enjoying what should be a great time for learning and socializing with their peers.

When I think back to my one and only memory of kindergarten, I am usually amazed that I actually came to enjoy school and even went on to get a college degree. It probably wasn't as bad as I thought but for a five year old, the memory I have made an impression on me that is not easily forgotten.

When I started school as a kindergartner, my family and I were living in a big city in Pennsylvania where there was a lot of crime, so it wasn't the best area to be in. Because we only lived a few blocks from my elementary school, I had to be walked to school or driven by my mother every day.

Even though I don't recall, I'm sure I was probably excited prior to the actual start of school, but my only memory is getting there the first day and deciding that I didn't like it. At that point I must not have thought that kindergarten was something I needed or wanted to participate in. I don't even recall whether I liked or disliked the teacher, only that I wanted to go home.

As the first day progressed and I disliked it there more and more, I simply gathered up my belongings and headed out the door for home when my teacher wasn't looking. I recall coming to a busy street close to the school and wondering how I would cross it with all of the cars going by so fast. A man finally came to the same street and since he appeared to be going the same way as I was, I asked him if he would help me cross to the other side. He was kind enough to help me cross the street and must have figured it was unusual for someone my age to be wandering around a city on my own. He asked me where I lived and he accompanied me to my house where my surprised mother answered the door to find me holding the hand of a strange man.

This occurred more than 40 years ago and I was lucky enough to find someone kind enough to help me out. It was a dangerous thing to do, especially because of the area we were in, but at the age of 5 I wasn't feeling fear, only the need to leave the school and get back to the safety of my own home.

Needless to say, my mother did not see the situation the same way I did. She quickly gathered up my younger brother and sister to return me to the school. Of course, by that time I had been missed by the teacher. I continued to dislike the school and attempted to leave the school several other times.

My parents finally realized that for my well-being, they better move out of the area we were living at. After a few months, they bought a house in the suburbs and it is that point that I came to enjoy school. I never tried to leave again. Thankfully, the bad memories did not overshadow all of the other wonderful memories of school that I came to have after kindergarten.

Learn more about this author, Debbie Stine.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.