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oldalgebra

Sept. Retired Teachers Table (aka: The Old Gals Get Together)

oldalgebra
13 years ago

Actually, this is not yesterday's original table, as I forgot to take pictures. However, these are the same

elements repositioned for dinner tonight. Can't really make them out, but the place cards are pencil sharpeners.

For those of you who attended parochial school waaaaay back when,

the green book is what was known as The Cathedral Series of the

old Dick and Jane readers.

Remember?



Boy! What memories this book brings back.

I'd forgotten about the Holy Water fonts next to each door.

Comments (19)

  • Purplemoon
    13 years ago

    How cute, especially the tablecloth being a pile of pencils!! And you having a school bus is perfect.

    Yep, brings back memories alright. LOL. Tho in my case not the fun ones. I hated school, being cooped up inside was like prison to me! Grade school not so bad, but high school was horrible. All I wanted to do was be outside, and especially be at the stable with my horse and all the other horses. I really wasn't a "people person" at all.
    Tho I have always loved to read and loved words, so that part was good. I actually wanted to be a writer...who lived on a ranch full of animals. LOL. My perfect dream.

    Maybe if I'd had YOU for a teacher things would have been different!

    hugs, Karen

  • luvstocraft
    13 years ago

    How neat that you found fabric with all those pencils on it, and I love how you used pencils all around the vase too. Just right with the little bus and the apple candles too. How fun!

    Now you know I'm staring at your picture of your table still trying to figure out the answer to the "mystery item" you gave me today. Does it have something to do with the tops of the apple candles????? LOL I'm stumped!

    Luvs

  • oldalgebra
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yes. You're almost there! Give up?

  • jeannespines
    13 years ago

    Oh this is way CUTE, OA! Definitely a "teacher" theme...apples & pencils! Love the linens & apple candles...B&R dishes & flatware...yup, "school days!" I've never seen parochial school primer...looks like the Dick & Jane that I read (but no nun in my books). Learn something new everyday! (especially from good teachers!) Your flowers are beautiful, too & cute pencil vase idea! A fun table! TFS! Jeanne S. (I'm still gardening alot with the weather a bit cooler for a couple days again...love it)...but I've been TS'ing & am planning some t'scapes soon! LOL! Enablers, here, here!

  • luvstocraft
    13 years ago

    Okay, I got it! The candle tops were cut out so you could slip votives inside--and that's what the neat little gadget you gave me today is for! Love it, didn't even know they made a gadget like that! TFS.

    I love the old Dick and Jane books. Mine didn't have nuns in them either, but it is fun to know there was also a Catholic version of them.

    Luvs

  • kathleen_li
    13 years ago

    OA, that is so clever! I love the fabric, and the colors you used are wonderful with it!
    I did go to Catholic school,right through to Grad school, and remember the holy water fonts. I must ask my gkids if they have them in their school.
    Great table.

  • oldalgebra
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Kay,
    Bingo! You got it. The cutter is made especially for cutting out holes just the right size for tea lights. You can even cut pillar candles with it, but they need to be softened first. Press and twist.

    Kathleen,
    Where did you go to college? I went to a small Jesuit school in California, Santa Clara University. My father went there (when it was all men). And my daughter graduated from there too.

  • plainjane425
    13 years ago

    OA..what a fun table this is!
    I love all your cute ideas with the fabric, the pencil vase and even the little school bus!
    I too loved 'Dick & Jane' books.
    I had Nuns for CCD class, and I remember some were fun, and some you didn't want looking your way!

    jane

  • oldalgebra
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    You know, it's interesting that you say that. I hear it all the time. I was one of the lucky ones, I guess. I had a fabulous elementary school experience. My grammar school years were wonderful. So much so, that Going My Way seems completely real to me.

    The order of nuns that ran my school often fit the profile of the teaching nuns you've see in movies (strict and unyielding), but we loved them (and their deep, deep pockets) just the same. We had 45 to 50 classmates in one classroom. It's no wonder those nuns were cranky!

    My class had a boy who suffered from epilepsy and a severely mentally handicapped girl. Both remained with us from first to eighth grade. And we all thought nothing of it. I don't now what happened to the girl, but the boy graduated from college.

    When people talk about their unhappy experiences in Catholic School, I know they're being truthful, but I have pretty pleasant memories of it all. Now that I think of it, it seems that people have fond memories or horror stories. Thank God, or rather, thank Sister Mary Damien, that I fall into the first group.

    If you haven't had a chance to see Late Night Catechism, it's worth the price of admission. Lots of fun! I understand Late Night Catechism III is being performed around the country right now.

  • plainjane425
    13 years ago

    Funny you should mention that OA...I had cousins and close friends who went to Catholic School, tell me similar stories about the 'Strict/Nice' nuns.
    I remember being so nervous attending Catechism, not wanting to do anything that would get them angry. I don't know if your nuns would use a 'Frog Cricket', if you were doing something wrong. They would keep it in those deep pockets, and click it to get your attention, and with just one look, you would freeze.
    I must say, they did a splendid teaching job, and the education level was the best. (I remember my friends' homework and overloaded school bags they had to drag home each day)... Without their presence in many of the Catholic schools today, the Education standards have dropped (so I've heard). Seems there are too many 'new teachers' using the system to get experience then move on to the higher paying Public Schools.
    A few of my friends, who attended Catholic School, have seen 'Late Night Catechism' and have raved about it. They say there's lots to relate to, and it seems there's always 'One Nun' that each remembers, with some fond/or otherwise memory!

  • lynninnewmexico
    13 years ago

    What a great table, OA! You have such a creative imagination . . . I love the props you've used! My best friend just retired from teaching this past May and two more good friends the year before. I'll have to remember to show them your table; they'll love it! Never went to a parochial school, but remember those holy water fonts from church and catechism classes. I've never seen those particular Dick & Jane readers, though. How interesting!
    Lynn

  • nana2010_gw
    13 years ago

    I love your table, just perfect for this time of year. School has started here in NE PA. NanaKaren

  • christmascandy
    13 years ago

    Great idea, but you forced me to go shopping to create a new table!!

    I hope you don't mind that I used your idea with some TS dishes that I had already, and just needed a couple of things to make my table a back to school theme.

    TFS,
    Candy

  • creativeangel
    13 years ago

    Love it!!

    Thanks for the ideas...especially the pencil flower holder.
    Very unique.

  • oldalgebra
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Creative A,
    I don't have an original thought in my head. I saw that idea somewhere - on the internet, I think. Just wrap them around a used tin can.
    Have fun with it.

  • kathleen_li
    13 years ago

    OA, I loved going to Catholic school, and for the most part I had wonderful nuns.
    I went to Franciscan University in Ohio, and then Villanova in PA for graduate school the following year.
    My sister just retired from teaching in a Catholic HS in TX.

  • oldalgebra
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hey! I've heard of THAT school. Seems they've had one or two pretty good basketball teams over the years.
    Go Wildcats!

  • janet1_2007
    13 years ago

    OA, I started to post much earlier to tell you how much I liked your table and during the time I was typing it, I got interupted and just realized that I never got it posted. I appologize for beeing so late. You really put a great table together, all the little inspirational ideas take me back to the first grade in Darlington, Md about 1952 and the Dick and Jane books. Wasn't in a Catholic school (probably didn't realize there was any thing other than Methodists ) but it sure brought back memories. We had just moved from NC to Maryland and I started to school about 2 weeks after the school year had already started. I wasn't old enough to start in NC, but was in MD. I was a very sheltered little 5 yr old, and I remember the first day we had dried apricots on our trays. I had never seen apricots before and went home and told my DM that we had "ears" for lunch. I"m sure I was quite a challange for my teacher. What a trip back in time. Janet

  • yachter123
    13 years ago

    OA, another cute school themed table, love the pencil vase, the school bus & the apple candles!

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