We Had Our Very Own Talent Show

Hey, Y'all,
Every once in a while, I hear a song that takes me back to my days of teaching, when near the end of the school year, we would have a talent show with the kids performing and then some of the teachers (myself included, of course) would do a talent skit near the end of the show. Naturally, the kids loved it and we did, too. I believe that by performing in the show, we demonstrated that we were just people like they were.


The school was an old one that had been built in the 1940's and then added onto and renovated as the years went by. I began teaching there in the late 1960's. I became full-time librarian in the 1970's. I think maybe the talent shows began in the 1980's. Two of the third grade teachers came up with the idea and of course, I was happy to be a co-conspirator. We began with sign-ups of those who wanted to be in the talent show, and then there were auditions. Since I had a large room for them to have the try-outs, we used the library in the last part of the day for them. 


The kids would bring their audio tapes to perform with, and we had some dilly of auditions (almost like American Idol, ha) Our teachers had fun with the talent show, too. It was something that brought all of us together, in a good way. You should have heard the hootin' and hollerin' when the principal and the secretary came onstage to do Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing "Islands in the Stream". And then, of course, when three or four other teachers and I came onstage to do "The Twist" (Chubby Checkers). 

Some other songs we did through the years were , Madonna
"Manic Monday", Calloway  "I Wanta Be Rich", or a Wynona Judd song (can't remember which one of hers we did, but I was "Whinona" and wore a wig and danced around. (You gotta know I was in my late 50's at the time...ha ha). Some of the teachers in the show worked out the choreography each time and then we had to learn it. It was never really complicated, other wise I wouldn't have been able to learn it. We did a different song each year. I know there must have been other songs we did during the years, but they escape my memory right now.


But the thing is, we had fun, and it was a time when the teachers and kids could connect in a way that couldn't be done in the classroom. I have fond memories of those talent shows, and I'm sure the other teachers and the kids haven't forgotten those times either. Then the county built a new school, and we moved into it. Our principal was retired, and we had the advent of the dragon lady, who knew not the old ways, and so we no longer had that kind of fun. I heard recently that the retired principal had passed on. He is sorely missed, I know.


I have named no names here, so that only those who know the subjects mentioned are "in the know". 


Tomorrow, I have Lasik surgery on my right eye to remove scar tissue and I hope it turns out as well as the one on my left eye did. I have been working on Carol's queen sized quilt and it is nearing completion. I am connecting the two sides of it today. (After I complete today's blog, that is.) I worked on that yesterday and the day before, as well. Lots of basting to be sure it connects up well. I have already prepared my Sunday School lesson while my eyesight is right for it. 


I am learning a little more about my new cell phone, too. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. More later.