20 years ago, in the 2nd grade

In September of 1991, I entered the second grade at P.S. 193 "The Gil Hodges School." My teacher was Mrs. Berrenberg. A running assignment throughout the school year was a journal in which we had to write a few sentences and a corresponding illustration. These are scans of each entry from 20 years ago, in the second grade.
04/7/12
1 year ago
2 notes
“For President” This is one of those entries that shows you how little the world changes in 20 years.  It also shows you how superficial politics actually is.  At eight years-old, I had already figured out one of the major fictions that get people elected.  Of course, if we analyze the terminology of this entry - specifically “give people jobs” - I could be advocating for some hyper-wealthy industrialist who can literally hire everyone in the country for his nefarious plan of corporate global domination.  I’m sure not, though.  

“For President”

This is one of those entries that shows you how little the world changes in 20 years.  It also shows you how superficial politics actually is.  At eight years-old, I had already figured out one of the major fictions that get people elected.  Of course, if we analyze the terminology of this entry - specifically “give people jobs” - I could be advocating for some hyper-wealthy industrialist who can literally hire everyone in the country for his nefarious plan of corporate global domination.  I’m sure not, though.  

01/8/12
1 year ago
14 notes

“Right what you herd that happened in the world.”

So, the Soviet Union is now part of Russia.  I must have been so proud of this little gem of knowledge.  I probably “herd” this on NPR during breakfast or watched something about it on Sixty Minutes.  I used to watch the whole show waiting to see crotchety Andy Rooney at the end.  Whats funny is that today my attitude towards nationalism is just as flippant - some made up fantasy is now being called by some other made up fantasy.  The illustration shows a Russian building in the process of raising up the new flag.  

The facing page drawings are of a Jack of Spades playing card and a monster ball toy.

11/5/11
1 year ago
13 notes
“If you had to vote for a class pressident, who would it be” And here we see an early manifestation of my anarchistic tendencies.  20 years ago, I refused to choose a leader even for something as meaningless as second grade class “pressident.”  It should be noted that if we even had a class president, he (we were seven, so gender roles were fairly solidly established) would have been relevant only for the length of the process to elect him.  I’m going to guess that the president was my best friend, Matthew, who was the best. 

“If you had to vote for a class pressident, who would it be”

And here we see an early manifestation of my anarchistic tendencies.  20 years ago, I refused to choose a leader even for something as meaningless as second grade class “pressident.”  It should be noted that if we even had a class president, he (we were seven, so gender roles were fairly solidly established) would have been relevant only for the length of the process to elect him.  I’m going to guess that the president was my best friend, Matthew, who was the best.