More Charleston Elementary Memories

Fall always brings thoughts of old school days...

Over the summer I had the need and opportunity to visit the Charleston Administration Center on Pole Avenue (thanks, Lisa!), and long dormant memories came flooding back again. Last year about this time (starting here), I wrote about going to kindergarten and part of first grade there when it was Charleston Elementary. I still have a soft spot in my heart for that place, since it was my introduction to Lorain's public school system.

Lorain's S. Dohanos Elementary
(Photo courtesy Lorain Schools)

I gotta admit, I still like that boxlike 1950's style of school. The one-story design made sense, and the building was probably easy to empty during fire drills or actual emergencies. Today's typical Ohio public school design (at left) to me is a strange style – like a prison – and the multi-story layout seems kind of dangerous.

Anyway, during my visit to Charleston, I walked down the same narrow hallways that I did back in 1964 and '65, and it was eerily familiar after all these decades. I even found my old kindergarten room, number 7. It was a strange feeling, and when I peeked into the room, I half-expected to see a vision of my old classmates sitting there. I guess I've seen too many Twilight Zone episodes.

"Come in, Dan" said the ghostly voice. "We've been expecting you for 45 years!"

I also stuck my head into the auditorium (or was it the gymnasium?) to get a look at the stage, where my kindergarten class posed for pictures all those years ago. It sure shrunk over the years!