Franklin School Memories

Franklin School Memories
I remember our school day began about 8:30 AM and ended at
about 3 PM. We ate lunch in the school gym which was converted
to a cafateria in the middle of the day. It was a 2 story gym
with the second story being an indoor running track which covered
about 6 feet completely around the gym with the remaining space
being open 2 stories. Mr John Gaug our Principal, had his office
on the second floor and would walk out to the 2nd story track
and look down on us and quiet us up if we were being too noisy.
I think lunch period was about 45 minutes which was about all
the time needed. If if were too long we would have grown bored
after eating lunch and caused trouble. The job of children at
times is to be irritating and we did that job by blowing bubbles
in our milk cartons and popping lunch bags. I must mention again
I had Chicken on a stick (Breaded Chicken) as school lunch many
times in Franklin School and it was very good and I have never
seen it anywhere else. When we were done eating we would go
outside in the front fenced in area of the school. This area
was also used for dodgeball and kickball. Our Kickball was a
big red ball that was kinda squishy and at rare times someone
would kick the ball in a way that got it caught on a spike in
the fence and it would pop, so we would have to retrieve another
one to continue playing. Sometimes for gym class in Mr Nicholas
Burke's class (6th grade) we would walk over to Franklin Park
and play baseball.
Typically, 11th Zone Rescue Squad was where we went to vote on
election day but on occasion for whatever reason sometimes we
voted at Franklin School. I remember going to vote and seeing
the inside of the school for the first time in many many years
and being impressed with how much it looked just like it did
in my days there as a student. It even smelled the same.
I checked to see if they still had those tiny painted chairs
in the library and they still did.. I wonder if they still
have them there now.
Just one more observation. I remember the globe in one of
our classrooms had much of the middle east as British and
French Mandate areas..in other words that globe was pre-world
war two. My Franklin School days were the early 1970s and I
left there in June of 1974 on my way to the great Junior Four.
If you have any memories of your old school you would like
to share add them to the comments and if they are big enough
I will make a post out of them:)

UPDATE
Ralph Lucarella adds...
Hi Mac....In the 1930s, when you were just a gleem in your
mother's eye. I stood outside the gym door trying to get in
to see the big guys play basketball. They charged to see
them, so I asked to carry their bags and that would get me
in. It's hard to believe that an elementary school would
have such an attractive gym. The running track above the
gym was really something. Best Regards.

Mack adds..
Hi Ralph:)...Actually my Mom wasnt even around in the
1930s...SHE was a gleem in my GrandMa's eyes. I think
the builders of Franklin School always intended the
Gym area to be multi-use (for gym and as a lunchroom
in midday) and thats why it was so nice. I forgot
to add Franklin School had a nice Auditorium as well.
Franklin is now around 100 years old and still looks
magnificent:)