More memories of first grade

Age 6
My first grade teacher was Mrs. Stringham.  I remember learning to read from Dick and Jane books.  See Jane, see Dick, see Spot.  See Jane run, see Dick run, see Spot run.  Eventually Dick and Jane did more things than just run and we learned new words.  We learned by repetition and memorization.

I remember once we were told to read from a new book while sitting at our desks.  Mrs. Stringham said that if we came to a word we didn't know to raise our hand and she would come and explain the word.  I came to a word I didn't know but I didn't want to ask the teacher so, I just skipped over the word.  That's like not wanting to ask for directions when you're lost.  It's a man thing.  Anyway, I finally realized that I hadn't raised my hand yet and maybe I had better do this or the teacher would become suspicious.  So when I came to the next word I didn't know, up went my hand.  The teacher looked at the word and then pointed out that I had already read that word eight times on that very page.  "How come you suddenly forgot that word?" she asked.  I was so embarrassed, and then I made an even more dumb comment which was:
"I have a very short memory."

Grandpa's wisdom: Later in life I determined that I was not the only person who had said dumb things

     President Calvin Coolidge: "When more and more people are thrown out of work unemployment results.

     Marion Barry, Washington, D.C., mayor: "Outside of the killings, we have one of the lowest crime rates."

     President George Bush: "I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."

     Chicago mayor Richard Daley: "Get this thing straight once and for all.  The policeman isn't there to      create disorder.  The policeman is there to preserve disorder."

          And the dumbest of all:

     Nancy Pelosi, giving instructions to the U.S. House of Representatives: "We have to pass the bill in order to know what's in the bill."