home » stories » by mesearch within stories
Family Stories
A potpourri of stories about various family members or events
Memories from grades 1-12
A few memories from my 12 years of public education.
Kindergarden
I couldn't go to Kindergarten since we lived about 6-7 miles out of town, and it was only for half of the day. The bus service did not return rural morning students nor pick up rural afternoon students. Because my parents had only one car, Kindergarten was not an option.
First Grade
I know my teacher's name was Mrs. Genevieve Schentzel, and she just died at age 99 last year (as I learned reading her obituary). I do know that about 8 years afterwards, her husband (Ed) was the boss to Lou and me as we helped trim Christmas trees somewhere in Sherburne County (when Dad had connected us to him). After our second year, he asked if we wanted to go to Wisconsin for a week to help a friend there, which we did.
I have a few memories from my first year of education. I remember when I was first learning to read, the text would often say things like "Sally cried...". So many people were crying, and I couldn't understand what was wrong with them. I also recently learned that this Central Elementary was on the same block where the Union School was located, which Grampa attended.
I remember having my classroom on the third floor of Central. Our gym was on the first floor, and one cold day during P.E., our teacher had all of us take off our shoes and place them in a pile on the gym floor, and we gathered in a circle around the pile. Someone mixed up all of the shoes, and the contest was to see who could be the fastest to find their shoes, put them on, and then tie them. (No velcro back then.) I was quick to find them and put them on, but that night I asked my parents to teach me how to tie my shoes.
Second Grade
I am not certain, but I think my teacher was Ms. Quail, and this was my first year at Lincoln Elementary. She was generally nice, but I recall an event where I wouldn't describe her that way. After we came in from recess, we were all supposed to wash our hands with soap and get them clean. I must have slacked in this regard (at least) one day. She called my name and asked me to come to the front of the class. Then she asked me to show everyone my hands, and asked me whether I had washed them or not. I sheepishly admitted to not doing so and was instructed to go do so.
One interesting thing about the class was that it was a mix of about half second graders and half third graders, a way of combining two "odd lots" (financial-speak, if you want to look it up). A side benefit for me was that I listened not just when Ms. Quail taught us second graders new ideas, but I also often listened when she was talking to the third graders. In particular, I learned how to do multiplication as she taught this to the third graders. I had a friend from my bus (Kelly Weis) who was a third grader in my class, and I helped him at least once with his math. One year at Lincoln, and perhaps this year, I let someone dare me to touch my tongue on the heavily frosted fence post that was on the border of our playground. Yup, I pulled away when I felt the resistance, and it hurt. I never dared anyone else to do that.
Third Grade
For some reason, the name Mrs. Stensrud comes to mind as my teacher. In finding her obituary, I see that my spelling was correct (confirmed being at Lincoln -- for 30 years). I don't remember anything too significant about this year, though I do think I went to some speech therapy about once a week for several months. I don't recall what the issue was, but I was told to go, and so I did. Apparently, this resolved the issue. The other thing that I know that happened this year, or the next (or both), was that I started a hobby of collecting spent lunch tickets. Each person had an orange ticket about 1.5 x 3 inches that had either 5 or 10 punch locations, and when the last one was punched, I asked them for the ticket. I have no idea why I chose this, but I did, and people cooperated, yielding a large supply. If I recall correctly, I got my first grade of D this year: handwriting. I believe also this was the year that I was on crutches after a motorcycle accident; see [link to future story].
Fourth Grade
I think my teacher's name was Miss Montgomery. She was likely in her late 30s or early 40s, and she was a good teacher. I remember using cuttings from magazines in my art time, and I made a mosaic of an indigo bunting, which I thought looked quite good. Toward the end of the year, I rode my bike all 6+ miles to the school, and I may have been a tad late. I liked this year.
Fifth Grade
We had moved to Fargo for a few years, and this was my first year there. I am confident that my teacher's name was Miss Sorkness. She was older, strict, demanding, but fair. (I found a Facebook post from 2015 after Ruth died, and it confirmed the name, school, and almost the same wording I used for her.) I do remember that we had to memorize the Gettysburg Address, which paid off since on our trip east the following summer, our last stop was at the Gettysburg War Memorial. The Jefferson Elementary school was about 7 blocks away, and it was sometimes cold in the winter to walk that far. It never even occurred to ask about a ride. I have two memories that were of a formative nature.
The first occurred within the first month or two of school. There was a boy in my grade, but I don't recall if he was in my class or not. He started picking on me on the playground. He was taller than me and just employed some mild bullying tactics. I don't know if I had ever heard of Jesus' teaching about turning the other cheek, but that was my response. As I think back, I am not sure what motivated me to ignore him, but that is what I did. However, he increased his level of needling, and at one point, I finally responded with something like "So, are you looking for a fight?" He gave an affirmative response, and I then hit him hard with my clenched fists on his mouth. He was dumbfounded and never hit back at all, and walked away. There was a small crowd that witnessed this, and I guess I must have attained some points from them. I don't remember any school authorities finding out, nor do I remember ever telling any of my family members (though I think I told Marcia after we were married).
The second event was serendipity, but I was somehow chosen to help load films on projectors that teachers in the school were going to use that day. I threaded the film through the channels and got it to the beginning, tested it for the right amount of loops and volume, and then checked it off as done. I learned some responsibility in doing this and developed some mechanical aptitude, both of which helped me in future years.
Sixth Grade
In Fargo, elementary schools were K-5, and the junior high schools were 6-8. So, in the fall of 1969, I headed about two blocks south on University Drive to Agassiz Junior High (named after the ancient lake that used to cover the Red River valley). That was an interesting year, with so many changes at this new school, particularly having different teachers for each subject. I recall that in social studies, we needed to learn the locations of each of the states on the US map and spell them and their capitals. Then we repeated that for the South American countries.
What was fundamentally different was that I signed up for a band class with Mr. Wilson. He was one of those classic band instructors who had a good heart but was demanding. For some reason, he suggested that I play a trumpet. I don't think I even knew what one was, and I don't have a clue why I signed up for band. The only other sibling who played an instrument up to this point was Becky, on the piano. And she had to endure our constant harassment of complaining about her playing. I was able to bring home a loaner trumpet to practice at home. After a few months, my parents surprised me by taking me downtown to a musical instrument store. They had found a used trumpet that they could buy on time, and they asked me if I was serious about wanting to play. I was overwhelmed. This was our second year living on a meager budget while my dad was a graduate student at NDSU (but also teaching a little). Their willingness to buy that spoke volumes, and I honored my commitment by staying with the trumpet for those last three years we were in Fargo. However, when we moved back to St. Cloud, I gave it up (among other things). I do remember we went back to Jesse Hibbard's for Christmas this year, and I played a short piece from the top of the stairs. How in the world did all of us fit into his place, and how did Grandpa stay sane?
Seventh Grade
One memory from English class is that we had to memorize a list of (103?) prepositions, in alphabetical order. I certainly learned what a preposition was in that class. For some reason, I took one semester of Spanish and no more for many years (until when we realized that we were gaining a son-in-law for whom Spanish was his native tongue). I am still not very good.
I continued in band and worked hard to become part of the first trumpet section. I also started doing both a math and science curriculum, where we did three years in the next two years, which was great for me (and also explains why I was chosen). I think it was shortly after Christmas that I took over the paper route of someone, and that became a job for me until we left Fargo at the end of eighth grade. I also remember that after Christmas, when I saw my second (and last) D grade, I knew that I needed to reform. I received it in my art class. In the fall, I didn't try hard (partly since I knew I was not very good, and I didn't like the teacher), and I was also a bit sassy to the teacher. In the spring, I stopped being sassy and put in a good effort, and I got a B, averaging to a C for the year. That taught me something! I think I tried out for basketball, but I don't have much of a memory about it other than not being very good. I am a tad better now. Actually, I do recall playing a lot of horse with the neighbor girl, Veronica, across 6th avenue, and I did well (and she was decent, at basketball and in looks).
Eighth Grade
I remember really enjoying both math and science that year, especially doing algebra. This year and the previous one were self-paced in math, which is partly why I was able to get so much done. In science class, at the beginning of the fall, I decided to start writing my name on my papers as "Al", instead of "Allen". Then I did so in other classes as well.
I continued to do well in band and really enjoyed that, including becoming good friends with fellow trumpeters Scott Schnell and Rick Gunderson and others (including some girls). I remember being in a small group, which we now call TAG (Talented and Gifted), in which I chose to study and track the market prices of 5-10 stocks (with more to it that I don't recall now).
I decided to go out for wrestling, and so did Louie (only Lou much later). We both tended to do extra running after practice since the coach thought it might help us to run up and down the hallway. At any rate, we both did better than we expected. I think I took first place in my weight class for the final tournament of the year, which included Fargo and the surrounding regions. I recall that my mom took time to watch, which surprised me so much. I had no expectation of this. I believe that I also went out for track in the spring, but nothing grand came from it.
My last memory to share had to do with what my science teacher said to me one day when I was walking down the hallway, mostly alone except for him watching me walk toward him. I was wearing shoes that were too tight for me, and I hadn't asked my parents to buy replacements. They made me walk oddly. He called out, "Hibbard, get your dad to buy you some new shoes!". He knew my dad from NDSU somehow. I had already taken over buying my own clothes since I got the paper route, but I guess I just hadn't purchased new shoes yet.
Ninth Grade
In August 1972, we left Fargo and moved back to our St. Cloud home. Even if we hadn't moved, I would have been changing schools by going to Technical High School. I was assigned to take Biology and Geometry, both a year ahead of schedule, because of accelerating things the previous two years. I was with my friend Kelly Weis in my biology class, and I became friends right away with someone else in the geometry class, whose name I will call Jeff. He talked to me after class on the second or third day and complained about how hard it was. Jeff said that he was thinking of switching to an easier level. Since we had become friends over these first few days, he cajoled me into joining him. I didn't want to drop, but I let him talk me into it. That was a mistake. The class I ended up taking was so easy that I could do the work in 10-15 minutes, though the instructor, Mr. Steve Strandemo, allowed us to go to the gym if we were done. Later, I learned that he was a top-level racquetball player with some instructional videos.
I signed up for a German class, and I enjoyed that with Mr. LeRoy Pauley (who, I later learned, lived in Haven Township). I took a typing class, which was good to learn how to type.
Very early in the fall, I found that Cross Country had started, and I asked about doing that. The coach told me to run with "those guys". They took off quickly and were such strong runners and so large that I had trouble keeping up. I hadn't run to prepare for this, and the coach didn't ask, so I decided to quit. I wish I hadn't given up so quickly. I also didn't sign up for band, even though I had had three years of that (and was good).
In talking to Kelly, I learned that he was out for wrestling (again), and he encouraged me to join him, especially after he learned how well I had done in 8th grade. I hadn't had a haircut in over a year, and I knew I would need to do so to participate. A friend from my time at Lincoln school, Keven Kiffmeyer, and his dad (the wrestling coach) both talked to me several times about joining, but I kept saying "No". I said "No" to too many things that fall.
But one "No" was a good choice. A girl in my homeroom and who also rode on the same bus as me, invited me to come to a party at her house in early October. Though I didn't have any spiritual inclinations at this point (not having gone to church in about 5 years), I just felt a warning signal in my mind about this (as she seemed a little "off" at times). I made up the excuse of going to watch Kelly at a wrestling meet. I somehow knew that this was the right choice. Thank you, God.
Regarding wrestling, we had a unit on that sport in Phy. Ed. and following this was an intramural wrestling competition that occurred in the mornings for several weeks, before classes started for the day. I didn't need to cut my hair, so I signed up. I did well, and I think that I took first place. I was surprised by how big the audience was for this event.
Tenth Grade
I did take Geometry this year, which put me back on the normal sequence for mathematics. Following biology last year, I took a chemistry class with Mr. Gary Anfenson. Ironically, about 8 years later, I helped him a bit when he was taking an abstract algebra class at SCSU. I recall learning how to use a slide rule for our computations in this class. I had a literature class with Connie Crane (I think), which I enjoyed.
In Phy. Ed., the previous year I had moved quickly from the initial white shorts to red and then blue, but this year I moved up to gold. I tried this year and the next to achieve green, but I was off a bit. (My brother Keith was the first at Tech to achieve this top level.) I participated in the morning wrestling intramural competition again and did well. I took the college entrance exam PSAT (or P-ACT?).
In my chemistry class, there was this girl in her senior year who sat behind me after we were reassigned seats in alphabetical order. Her name was Marcia Hopkins. Due to her proximity, we became lab partners, and we started getting to know each other. For the rest of that story, check out How Marcia and I Met. One thing not stated there is that I was surprised at how interested she was in whether I passed my driver's license exam in January that year. As things turned out, Marcia and I began dating in the spring, and this was also a factor in my choosing to become a born-again Christian in March.
Eleventh Grade
This was a busy year. First, an administrator offered me a position as a Junior Rotarian, which meant that I attended the St. Cloud Rotarian meetings on a rotational basis (about 4x per year). I don't recall if it was related to being a Junior Rotarian, but one boy was selected from the three high schools to participate in Boy's State. (See below for a photo of the three of us.) This was a program to acquaint high school students with democratic issues, and I hope to write a story about that in the future. Another year-long activity was that I became part of our Student Council, and I was active in that.
Boys State Participants
As a new Christian, I wanted to integrate my faith with my classes, where possible. I had a speech class, and in one of the speeches I gave, I talked about how I chose to become a Christian. I also had a writing class with Connie Crane this year. My recollection informs me that another person and I would sometimes write Bible verses up high where the board wasn't going to be used. I also recall writing a persuasion paper in that class; see To Him Who Believes.
I enjoyed taking physics (from Mr. Erv Austin?) this year and will never forget this calculator that was in the lab that was the size of a stack of current (2025) laptops, 6-8 deep. This could not only do the four basic functions quickly, but it could also do square roots and even cube roots. It was so much better than the slide rules from the previous year. I think in German this year we took a bus ride to Wisconsin to participate in their Oktoberfest (sans the beer), and we also performed German dances, with me in my lederhosen.
Twelfth Grade
After having three years of math and science, I knew I really enjoyed both and thought that maybe I would pursue engineering in college as a blend of these two. In order to be ready for calculus in college, I needed to take the Precalculus course in my senior year. However, in my junior year, Marcia and I continued dating and became closer. To that end, with her two years ahead of me, I thought I would take all of my last required classes in the fall and start at SCSU in the spring (and then transfer to SJU). In the spring of my junior year, I talked to Mr. Bob Latterell, who was going to be teaching Precalculus in the fall. I asked him about the option of starting his year-long course over the summer and then finishing it in the fall. I asked him what sections he would cover in the fall and what in the spring, and if that could work out. He looked surprised and skeptical, but agreed in principle. I got a copy of the book and worked on (most of) the fall's chapters during the summer, and then took tests over them (either in the summer or the fall, I don't recall now). To help me, I bought a new fancy calculator that cost more than $100 and could do all of the scientific and mathematical functions that would be needed in college. As an aside, one of the first things I did with the calculator was to use the factorial (!) button to see when I would "blow up" the calculator. See Blow up the Calculator. I did finish the second semester in the fall, and I learned a lot. Most importantly, I learned how to learn on my own. That was the most valuable outcome of this experience.
In the fall, I heard that soccer was being offered as an official sport, but not at the varsity level since this was the first year offered. I really enjoyed playing the midfield position. I tried to bike to school in the morning so that I had a means of getting home. If biking didn't work, I ended up hitchhiking home if I couldn't find another means. I got some miles on my shoes.
I was on the student council again, and my experience hitchhiking home from soccer motivated a new council project for me. I researched what would be involved in creating an activity bus for those needing transportation after a school sport or other activity. I proposed it at the student council and helped work with the administrators to implement it. It didn't benefit me, but it was added either the next year or the following. However, I think it was short-lived due to low demand; too many cars.
I did finish all my courses in the fall to complete my graduation requirements. My last day was mid-January, but then I started classes at St. Cloud State University when their spring quarter started, perhaps early March. I remember taking a writing class, macroeconomics (and hearing Milton Friedman speak on campus), a BASIC programming class, and one more that escapes me right now. In the late spring, I was surprised, but pleased, to hear that I was as part of the Top 10 (highest GPA) in the class of 435 with whom I graduated. These 10 were not publicly ranked, so I have no idea where I stood, and I never thought about checking. In the fall, I started classes at St. John's University, from which I graduated 3.5 years later.
First half (alphabetically) of Top Ten
My blurb
Last, I became friends with a muslim whose first name was Mohammad (Mo). We played together on the soccer team, and we connected this year. I recall giving him my ten-speed bike in the summer after our senior year so that he could get around campus as he started studying there. I had just bought a new bike and didn't need that one.
Published 2025-08-30.
If you find any error(s) in the text, please let me know. Thanks. Contact me with errors or comments using hibbardac@gmail. [Back to the top] [About the author, Al]
Blow up the Calculator!listing of family stories by me A Fender Bender in South Bend