Destined To Live By A School
I love living around the corner from the elementary school.
Yes, I realize that this might not be a popular sentiment, especially during drop-off and dismissal times. I understand that the traffic gets a little overwhelming, and one has to take extra care when driving in the area to watch for little ones who are crossing the street. However, there is just something wholesome and quintessentially Americana about living around the corner from a school.
When I was growing up, I lived a few blocks from the high school. I remember sitting out in my backyard during times when games were being played on home turf and I could hear the cheers from the crowd as one of the teams (hopefully ours) scored. Band practice was always a favorite, because the wind carried the sounds of music softly. The hypnotic melody of glockenspiel, brass and drums as they blended together was as soothing as the breeze they floated in on.
As newlyweds, my husband and I rented a home that was directly next door to Mattlin Middle School. Every night, we climbed the hill behind the school and made our trek up to the track at John F. Kennedy High School for our nightly run. The convenience was something that I wouldn’t have traded for anything. My husband, who lived on the opposite side of Mattlin during his youth, agreed that there was nothing in the world like living near a school. Here, we were also able to hear not only the students as they practiced for teams like track and lacrosse, but the sound of young children who used the hill at Mattlin for sledding during the snowy winter months.
During our newlywed years, as my husband and I began our search for our first home, our realtor made it a point of avoiding anything in close proximity to schools. “It’s noisy,” she lamented, “and people just don’t want all that noise, when they are attempting to relax in their yards.” Sharing that both my husband and I grew up near schools without an issue, I jokingly told her we were destined to live near a school. When she brought us to the house we eventually purchased, I was able to see the elementary school from my front window. Class was being let out for the day; what would be considered cacophony for some was like joyous music to my ears. It was yet another selling point for what would become our family home.
Having a school around the corner has been a delight for us, especially as our daughter was growing up. Money was tight, and the thought of purchasing a swing set was daunting. However, having a wonderful playground a block away was something that our daughter delighted in. Even after we purchased a “jungle gym” set for her, she frequently requested a trip to the school because she enjoyed the variety, as well as the “tire swing.” My husband could be seen for long intervals, pushing our daughter and her friends on that swing. To this day, she’ll ask me if I “feel like taking a walk around the block to go play on the swings.” And I’m always down for the trip.
Living around the corner from a school is one of the nicest parts about living in a community like Hicksville. We’re no longer a part of the public school forum, as our daughter is now a member of campus life at college. However, whenever the children are outside for recess or gym, memories stir, and I’m reminded of how much I love living around the corner from a school.
