Be mine for Valentine's Day

It's the day for love again. Valentine's Day is the one holiday each year, when romance is in the air. There will be wonderful gifts and cards, and many fancy dinners. My favorite Valentine's Days were long, long ago.

I was in the fifth grade at Bryan Elementary School, here in Nevada. Our teachers had helped us plan a Valentine's Day that I still remember.

For several days, we had been working on building special mailboxes out of heavy construction paper. These mailboxes were designed to tape onto the sides of our school desks. On Valentine's Day, we would receive valentines from all the kids in our class.

As was generally the case, the mailboxes that myself and the other boys made, were pretty shabby in comparison to the decorative ones that the girls carefully designed and pasted together.

We didn't mind, all we cared about was whether they would hold together, and more importantly, hold lots of cards. It was a guy thing, even at that age. What can I say?

In that time we still had dime stores located on the Square. For a very small amount of money, you could buy a variety package of valentine cards.

We were expected to give each of our classmates a card, so we had to sort through them, to find the right one for each kid in the class. This proved to be a lot tougher than we had thought it would be.

For our best guy friends, we wanted to find the silliest or funniest card to send to them. One that they would find hilarious.

Our next pick was even more difficult. I had one girl who I really liked, and yes, I admit it here on the record, a couple of more I liked almost as much. I had not yet heard of the words faithful or gallant at that age, so I had no problem sending "VERY" special valentine cards to more than one girl.

Once I had selected these, I had to pick a card for everyone else in the class, and for my teacher too. Once this was done, we were instructed to address the cards and sign our names to them,

We helped our teacher decorate the room for Valentine's Day. We cut lots of red hearts and pictures of candy and such, to put on the bulletin board, and around the walls of the class.

On Valentine's Day I am not sure how the teachers ever managed to have school, considering how excited we were. The plan was for each class to have a class party after lunchtime.

In those days the grade schools still had a morning and afternoon recess. Weather was never an issue for us. We were like mailmen; nothing could keep us from our appointed rounds on the playground.

Once we returned inside, all of the six classes were lined up and walked to the cafeteria. In those days the PTA seemed to be a larger and more organized group. Many of the mothers were stay at home "housewives," and there was never a lack of numbers for a school activity, even in the daytime.

On this day, they had prepared several Valentine's Day treats. There were iced cookies in heart shapes, and lots of different kinds of candy, including the famous candy hearts.

On special party occasions, the milk suppliers provided us with chocolate milk. I can't imagine the bravery or tolerance that those teachers and mothers displayed, considering the sugar highs we must have incurred.

There were some party games, and after a time, the teachers set up a record turntable. I have no idea if they dance in grade school anymore, but if they don't they are certainly missing something special.

At least once a week after recess, our teachers took the fifth and sixth grade classes into the cafeteria for dancing. We had been practicing different types of dancing and steps for weeks.

We usually began the session with square dancing. Our teachers would call out the different moves, and I assure you we were pretty good.

One of our favorite steps usually followed the square dancing, and that was the polka. Now you must remember we were about 10 years old, so just imagine how we polkaed our way all over the cafeteria.

The best part was yet to come. Our teachers had also taught us to do what we called "slow dance." Our instruction was not to do the bear hug style you often see these days. We were shown the proper way to dance with your partner.

The guys were taught to take the right hand of our partner in our left, extended straight out from our bodies. Our right hands were placed behind the back of the girl, while her off hand rested upon the area between our neck and shoulder.

The basic steps we were taught were for the guy to lead the steps, and turn mostly to his left. One of our favorite dance songs was the Tennessee Waltz, by Patty Page.

Somehow even as fifth graders, we managed to end up dancing to that famous waltz, with the girl that we sort of thought was our favorite. I can still remember asking my favorite girl (no names here, we are protecting the innocent), if she liked the card I had sent her. I was all smiles when she grinned and told me it was the best one she had received that day.

Yes, those simple Valentine Day parties are still fresh in my mind, and to be very honest, they hold more meaning for me than many of the ones of the recent past. I just wish I could go back and have one more fifth grade dance with that girl. Happy Valentine's Day.