Like all Philadelphians I have many memories of my "growing up"
years in Philadelphia, not all happy. I spent many hours in Mrs. Barnhill's
backyard, often playing with Mabel (Thompson) Alexander. One of those times
resulted in an unpleasant and unforgetable memory. There was a restaurant
on the corner of the Barnhill lot. Two men had started fighting and came
outside and fought on until, one had killed the other. Mabel and I watched
to the bloody end and such an incident does not leave a young person's memory.
My mother, Mrs. Etta miller, taught school
at Philadelphia for several years and had the misfortune of having me in
her room. In an English class on a certain day she made a grammatical error
and I in my "smarty" way corrected her. Immediately I wanted to
remove my tongue. Later at home I expected to "catch" it and when
I didn't I apologized. My mother then and there taught me a valued lesson,
"Don't ever apologize if you know that you are right." Many of
you also have memories of my mother as your teacher.
Peggy Miller Lacy