Kiddie Academy, The Final Day

Last day at Kiddie Academy today and instead of being joyous, I was teary all day. In the morning The children from the two three year old classrooms came up to my desk and sang "We Love You Miss Mary Jane" and each one handed me a paper flower they had made. Their teachers handed me a paper crown that said "Manatees Queen of the Day"(Manatees being the name of the classroom). Then they presented me with a book entitled "17 Reasons Why We Love Miss Mary Jane." Each child drew a picture and gave a reason like "She plays dinosaurs with me." The parents of one child gave me a gorgeous caramom/orange candle. Then later in the day I got a dozen purple roses with a thank you balloon, a potted plant of little yellow daisies and thank you cards from two other classes. Lots of hugging of teachers and teariness through out day. It was like leaving comrades in the battlefield as well as a troop of children I have grown to love. I wrote a poem for the teachers and put a copy in each of their in-boxes before I left (except for two evil teachers who have hated me like poison since day one.) Director said, "Come back anytime you want to." So I know even though it was a terrible job in a lot of ways, at least I did it well. And made some excellent new friends.

Chain of Fire (excerpt)

I know myself linked by chains of fires
To every woman who has kept a hearth
in the resinous smoke
I smell hut, castle, cave,
Mansion and hovel,
See in the shifting flame my mother
And grandmothers out over the world.


Elsa Gidlow