Library Skills and Attitudes--5th grade, 1973

Library report card--5th grade
Originally uploaded by rochelle, et. al.

Back when I was a whippersnapper and had to walk 3 miles over hot coals to get to school, we got library instruction in school. This was in the late 60s and early 70s, when technology meant filmstrips, overhead projectors, thermofax machines and 16 mm projectors and when Bill Gates was still a slacker nerd flunking out of Harvard.

When I visited my mom recently, she gave me all my grade school report cards from Hudson Grade School. There were lots of extras tucked into them, but I got all giddy when I saw my 5th and 6th grade library skills reports from my first librarian role model, Mrs. Hanson.

I had always remembered that I loved our school library and Mrs. Hanson, and most of what I know about how to use a library comes directly from that instruction. But, I had forgotten just how much I loved it and that I was an aide. So, here it is, evidence of my librarian pre-destiny. If you click through to Flickr, you can also see my 6th grade library report card. Even though I was on bed rest with Rheumatic Fever for the entire 2nd half of 6th grade, and had a tutor who came to the house, Mrs. Hanson still filled out my report card, indicating that she was pleased that I had kept up my reading and saying that she had missed having me as a library aide.

My girls were with me when I opened the report cards, and regarded Mrs. Hanson's comments as near Nostradamus-grade portents of my future. They also saw my 6th grade autograph book and wondered why in the world everyone was calling me "Fuzz," including my teachers. I still don't have an answer for that one.

Comments

[Shelly]

Wow, you were taught library skills in 5th grade? I didn't come close to that until I worked in the high school library, and even then, the most I was taught was how to shelve my fiction area (Mc though O). I'm impressed.