OWP

Julie Hamilton

Beautiful Rural America

I love this community. After years in the city I was finally able to secure a home for my three young children in the country and in a community with strong values. When my husband died 7 years ago I wondered how I would ever survive. Moving to Walterville settled my worries. This is a true family community. We are the same. I can trust that not only will I be looked out for, but that my children will be loved and cared for by others as if they were their own.

It's September already. My children are looking forward to starting. They love their school. I just saw Mrs. Baker at church last Sunday and she said that she had met Dale's new teacher and that she seemed real nice. She mentioned she was new - from Eugene. We decided to attend the "Ice Cream Social" to meet her before school began, just to ease Dale's mind. As it turned out, Dale didn't want to come, so I went alone, means to how I had already planned on it and all. It was all rather hectic with so many of us trying to offer her a warm welcome to the school and community. I didn't have a chance to ask many questions, but when I ran into Beth and Sarah we grabbed a few moments in the back of the room to chat. They said that she seems real pleasant but doesn't know anyone in the community. Beth wished her good luck and told her about our fellowship group that holds the teachers and students of Walterville in prayer each Wednesday morning. Beth said that she had responded with a smile but didn't mention her own church or fellowship. Poor thing, she was probably just overwhelmed. I asked her if she needed a ride home, or if her husband was picking her up. I had noticed she wasn't wearing a wedding band, but I felt it would be so inconsiderate of me not to at least offer. She looked at me very strangely and said that she drove herself, but thanked me anyway. I hope Dale does OK with her. He is accustomed to so much nurturing in our school. It's always been just an extension of family for him. Maybe I will stop in after school starts and tell her how important it is to Dale to feel connected to his teacher.

The first two weeks of school have whizzed past like they always do. Everyone seems to be settled into the routine. I keep asking Dale how school is, but he just says, "fine", or "fun", or "boring". He says that he likes his teacher, but it seems like there is something more he is not telling me. Beth said that Nancy told her the class doesn't say the "Pledge of Allegiance". Sarah said that Isabella told her that there were books in the room on how bones and muscles work and that there was an outline in it of a child without clothes on. Jenny told Mary that the class was beginning a literature unit on "Fantasy". This is disconcerting. She probably just doesn't know what children are like, being new and all. I'll talk to Mary, Beth and Sarah about getting together to express some of our concerns. We can help guide her to a greater awareness of the dangers confronting our children and how crucial her role is in protecting them. I hope she knows that we are here to help her, not judge her.

I am stunned. Sarah told Mary, who told Beth, who told me, that one of those Harry Potter books is on Dale's teacher's Book Fair Wish List. She must not know. How can she not know? We've been talking about that book in bible study for the past 4 months. I can't believe teachers actually ask us to buy them books.