I was raised in the Denver Public Schools. Then I was known as “Susie Cook”. I started kindergarten in 1956 at Stephen Knight Elementary School. I took the bus from my Virginia Village neighborhood (brand new homes at that time, that my parents purchased for $8,000!). I loved school, my teacher and my “best friend” Sydney. In the first grade, Miss Brickel used to have us all lay down on the tables to rest after lunch. If you fell asleep, she just let you sleep until you woke up. Because of my reading abilities, I was allowed to “skip” the 2nd grade...along with 2 other students. I remember that as quite a 'happening' in my young life. My third grade teacher was Mrs. Walsh and fourth, Mrs. Harrison. I remember my bus driver, Jimmy...we even used to take him presents on the holidays and I have a picture of myself with him on the last day of school. One of my fondest memories of Stephen Knight was taking group piano lessons. I still play today and credit DPS with the origin of many years of musical enjoyment.
I attended fifth and sixth grades at McMeen Elementary – a brand new school that I walked to. It was difficult to leave a lot of my friends at Stephen Knight, but now we had our own neighborhood school. Mr. Balistrere was my sixth grade teacher and I remember receiving my first dose of oral polio vaccine (it was a brand new thing) while at this school. Like another story, I remember the “fervor” over “the rings” on the playground, along with hopscotch and jump rope!
Junior High years (grades 7-9) were spent at Merrill. Here I was reunited with some of the kids I went to school with at Stephen Knight. These years began my long time friendship with Karolyn; my favorite classes was English and Biology. I learned how to sew in Clothing class and participated in “Academic Field Day” every year, winning first place in the blueberry muffin making contest one year. I also remember being in the halls of Merrill the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
The ninth grade class at Merrill was split between South High School and George Washington – with me and my best friend going to Washington. I followed my sister (Jan, 4 years older) all through school – she was in the first graduating class at Washington in 1964. I graduated in 1967. I remember how hard it was to get from a science class (in the 'basement' of the west wing) to a math class (on the 2 floor of the east wing) in the short “passing period”. You couldn’t get caught in the hall after the bell rang or you’d be in trouble, so you had to walk outside to make it. We couldn’t be outside otherwise, because it was a “closed campus” then. The “Dean of Girls” used to call into her office anyone whose skirt might be too short...if you knelt on the floor, your skirt had to touch the floor! We couldn’t wear pants, then!
I have many great memories of my years in DPS and thank you for allowing me to take this walk down “Memory Lane”. I found this website because I am considering using my degree in child development to be a teacher in Denver. I am the parent of two and the grandparent of three! Maybe I will be a teacher...and maybe my grandchildren will be in the Denver Public Schools!
Susan Franzen