I wore 401 overalls to school

From the time I was four years old until I married we lived by the Holland - Grimes Cemetery on Route 4, Elba, AL. I had no problem visiting the cemetery and looking at the tombstones. Here I am in my 401 overalls that Daddy bought me at Perry's Store. Mama didn't really want me wearing overalls, but Daddy had his way. Daddy wore 401 overalls and I wanted some like his.

I loved my overalls and recall the first day I wore them to school at Curtis. I was in the first grade. Leroy Rushing had a pair just like them, and I couldn't wait to show Leroy my overalls. Notice the little Sears Roebuck brown oxfords I had on, too. I got a new pair every school year. It just so happened that the morning I walked into the first grade class at Curtis with my new overalls on that Leroy Rushing was standing behind the little table and chairs talking to other class members. I came in smiling from ear to ear. He spotted me, and not my overalls, mind you, but my smile, and he bellowed out in his roughest voice, "It ain't funny, Glenda Williams, I can tell you that." I replied, "I was smiling 'cause we have on overalls alike. I didn't know what you are telling." Then he told me about someone getting killed or dying, and that's the end of that story. I don't remember if he even noticed we had on overalls alike or not. I think I'm still a little miffed about that.

As I think back about being in Mrs. Lena Grimes first and second grade class, I remember those little tables and chairs. I guess six people could sit at one table in the first grade. One day I was sitting down and decided to lean back in the chair. Well, guess what! I turned over backwards and hit the floor. It knocked the breath out of me, and that was my first and only time to experience that. It was very frightening.

One day another male classmate and I exchanged shoes. I think it was Leroy Rushing or either Murray Johns. I had on my little brown lace-up oxfords, and we decided to exchange shoes.

Immediately when we finished lacing them up, Mrs. Grimes called, "Bathroom time." "Oh!" I said, "We have to change shoes first!" Then the rush was on. We finished just in time to take our place in the line as we marched down the hall to the bathroom.

First and second grades were in the same classroom at Curtis School. Mrs. Grimes taught both grades. The first graders had tables and chairs. The second graders had desk. One day I stood up beside my desk to stretch while Mrs. Grimes was teaching the first graders. She told me to sit down. I told her, "You shut up." That's a story for another time...