I Thought That Day Would Never End

By FLORIAN KANA

In the 1950s, and no telling how far back in time, there was a day set aside at La Grange High School called “Fish Day.” This was the day when all the freshmen or “fish” in high school had to submit to all the higher classmates. They had to do chores like carry their books, sharpen their pencils, open doors for them and all sorts of other silly things. But the worst part I thought was being ordered to wear a girl’s blouse buttoned in the back, red lipstick, and ear bobs on that day. Well, if that was required of me—a simple country boy from out of town, then that’s what I would do. When that designated day came around I dressed in a turquoise blouse buttoned in the back, non-matching socks, donned some “ear bobs,” put on a little bit of lipstick and waited for the bus to pick me up. After the bus driver opened the bus door for me and saw who or what he was to pick up I wondered if he wouldn’t just shut the door and leave me standing there. But, pick me up he did and we proceeded on to school.

Now here is the other side of the story. For some reason to my dismay, when I got to class that morning and after everyone quit laughing, I found out that Fish Day had been postponed until next week. Since we had no telephone at home and no other way of being notified, I was the only one in school dressed like this. Talk about embarrassment. I just felt like crawling in a corner that day and hide. I did manage to roll my pant leg cuffs down to hide the unmatched socks. I also wiped my lips clean and ditched the ear bobs, but the blouse had to stay. I felt I had done my job as a “Fish” and refused to dress up a week later, no matter the consequences. At least I didn’t have to carry someone’s books or do any of the other stuff for the upper classmates. So I guess I really got the “last laugh” after all.

NOTE: This day in La Grange High School history happened over 60 years ago. At the time, I explained to my mom about that fish day coming up and that I had to borrow a blouse from my older sister along with that other stuff. She just smiled OK but it was better not to tell my Dad about any of this. He always said he was sending me to school to learn Reading, Writing and Arithmetic and not for foolishness like this. In the four years that I attended high school, the only time either one of my parents set foot on the school ground was when I graduated and they were invited to commencement exercise. My dad figured that the faculty and the supervisors would give me a good education.

If we fast forward from 60 years ago till now that fish day consisted of what we might consider a form of “bullying.” But it was all in fun. What the schools are trying to teach young students in grade school today is “plain foolishness.” Maybe more fun and less political beliefs is the answer to productivity in our schools.