Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

I went first to the 1st Grade; the door was locked, so I went thru the desks were gone, replaced by little tables – one change there was, the desks were gone, replaced by little tables and chains. Two little girls just learning looked up curiously at me. I said
“I used to go to school here, in this same room. Can you imagine that?”
One of them giggled, but the other, considered a moment then gravely replied
“No, I can’t” –
I nest saw that the Fourth Grade door was open, a few children inside, and the teacher at her desk, eating lunch. Thinking perhaps I should explain my presence there, I went in and introduced myself. She was very cordial, and sympathetic to my wish to look over the scenes of my boyhood. Presently she said “Miss. McKee is in the second grade, I think, – would you like to speak to her?”
Miss McKee, I thought – Strange, it was a Miss Amanda McKee who taught me in the First grade, 45 years ago, she would be dead long ago, odd that there would be another Miss McKee. But why should I meet her, and besides I was overdue for lunch at Mary’s – But she (Miss Smith) persisted and we went over.
She called to her “Miss McKee,” there’s a gentleman here to see you,” – “Miss McKee” came over, and to my utter astonishment, my first grade teacher stood before me in the flesh, apparently unchanged (for our minds always keep the same age relations between us and those we come in contact with, no matter how long the interval between meetings). The war had brought her out of retirement –
After the first astonishment had passed, I glanced about the room – Here nothing was changed – the same little mahogany colored desks, (perhaps [journal page cut off] 1902) the teacher’s desk the same – the same tall