In the early 1940's I started first grade in a small one room school out of Carrywood, Idaho. My parents raised four of us, two girls, two boys, on a Dairy/Beef cattle ranch.
I loved going to school and one day the teacher asked us to name our favorite color and write about it. I immediately wrote down Red, White and Blue. She advised me I had to pick just one. I refused to do so.
When I left school that afternoon, I carried home a note to my parents. In it the teacher stated the problem and indicated she would like to speak to them. Since my Mother didn't drive, that meant my Father would have to take time out in his busy day to drive to the school.
Both parents did attend . . . and I do believe it was one of the shortest Parent/Teacher conferences ever. I can remember listening to them talk. Dad never said much but had served his time in the Navy and asked just one question. "Do you have anything against being Patriotic?"
I still refused to choose just one color . . . and to this very day, if someone asks me what my favorite color is I will say Red, White and Blue. I love our flag and what it stands for. This is the greatest country on the face of this earth. Let's hope it always remains so. |
