Mommy's Piggy Tales - Second Grade

Another Thursday is here, and it's time for the next installment of Mommy's Piggy Tales. I'm really grateful that I took the time to record some memories when I was in college. So, even though there are only a couple of paragraphs devoted to second grade, it's probably more than I would remember without that memory nudge. Enjoy!
"During my second grade school year, we had a Lamanite girl live with us. Her name was Josephine Colelay and she was an Apache from Arizona.** Although she was ten years old, she was in the third grade. It was really hard for me to have my authority as the oldest taken away sometimes, but it was probably hard for her because I was more responsible.""Mrs. Gray was my second grade teacher, and she was fantastic. I guess I was lucky, but all of my teachers have been terrific. I loved school and enjoyed all of the things I was learning, probably because they came fairly easily."

Here are some more pictures my mom saved. I remember she made our swimming suits. (That's one way to make sure they're modest!) We had swimming lessons at a local high school, and one day I remember going to the ice skating rink afterwards. I thought that was pretty cool. Once or twice a year we would drive up to the Sierras to "play" in the snow, and almost every Sunday evening we'd visit grandparents (both sets lived in our same city).

** Here's some history of the program just in case you're interested. What I personally remember from the experience is the willingness of my parents to follow the prophet. It took hard work and sacrifice to do so. What a great lesson to teach your children!
The Indian Student Placement Services was established among native americans by the LDS Church in part to fulfill the obligation felt by the Church to help care for the Indians in the Americas (2 Ne. 10:18-19). The program places Indian students in Latter-day Saint homes, where they live while attending the public school of the community during the academic year. Another goal of Indian Student Placement Services, in addition to giving Indian youth better opportunities for education, has been to develop leadership and to promote greater understanding between Indians and non-Indians.

The program started in 1947 in Richfield, Utah, when Helen John, a sixteen-year-old daughter of Navajo beet-field workers, requested permission to stay in Richfield to attend school. As an outgrowth of this request, Golden Buchanan of the Sevier Stake presidency and Miles Jensen, with Elder Spencer W. Kimball's support, organized an informal placement program that grew from three students in 1947 to sixty-eight in 1954, with foster homes in four western states.

In July 1954 the program was formalized under Church Social Services and the Southwest Indian Mission. For the next several years the program grew rapidly, peaking at 4,997 in 1972. The policy for participation was that the natural parents had to request the placement; then foster parents (recommended for the program by their bishop) provided free board, room, and clothing for the Indian children to help them have additional educational, spiritual, and sociocultural experiences. The Indian children, had to be at least eight years of age, baptized members of the Church, and in good health. In 1972 the responsibility for recruiting and screening students for the program was given to local priesthood leaders, and the number of students leveled in the mid and late 1970s to around 2,500 a year.

Comments

Karen said…
What an experience to have a sister in your class. Did you do your homework together?
Meg said…
I remember having a hard time with our foreign exchange student because she was older than me, and I should have been used to that! So I can only imagine what it was like for you!

Oh, and I really like your Mormon.org profile. I'm so blessed to have you as an example to follow as a mother. Reading your thoughts on modesty almost made me want to sew... almost. :)
I'll bet having an indian girl stay with you was an unusual experience, especially at that age. Nice memories to share with us.

Beth from Group 3
jenettew said…
I remember one of my best friends in 7th and 8th grade was Rosalie in the placement program. I was so excited that she came the second year! She was in good health, however, she had a disability with one of her legs. Her foster parents helped her to remedy that. Thanks for helping me remember this sweet girl.
Anne said…
Though you may have been a little displeased at the time, sharing your family with another child must have been an amazing learning experience for both of you! How fortunate that your parents participated!