Bemis Elementary School

I remember fondly the first major decision my mother let me make as a child. I had attended Niles Elementary School in Troy, MI from 1st-4th grade. I have a very clear memory of bringing home a packet of information about a new school that had been built very close to my home. It was an exciting new school because it was being built with a new "open classroom" design centered on a media center, and the new building was to have solar panels on the roof--the first school of its kind in the US. This must have been 1977 or 1978. Some of the incoming 5th graders at Niles had a choice of staying with their old school, or moving to Bemis Elementary, the new school. I recall my mother sitting me down to explain all this to me, and she let me make the decision.

Well, I chose the new school. It was very exciting to be part of the new school. During my middle school years, new elementary schools with the same floor plan popped up all over Troy. The one by my new house, Hamilton Elementary, had a woodchip berm built around it that made it possible for teenagers like me to run quickly, plant a sneaker on the brick wall, and lunge up high enough to grab the edge of the roof and climb up. So you can bet we spent a lot of time monkeying around on the roof of that school!

But back to Bemis and my mother's decision. Clearly the easiest thing to do would be for her to make the decision for me. I remember really liking the fact that I could make the decision; I felt legitamately empowered. One thing that always stuck with me: she read something or told me the story of how the school got its name. Bemis Elemenary was named after a long-serving custodian in the Troy School District. I am being totally serious when I say that this fact impressed me: I knew enough about the world to understand that it wasn't every day that buildings were named after working people like custodians. My dad worked in a number of buildings in Detroit, all named after banks for famous politicians. The fact that this school was named after a custodian made me happy and proud. This made a deep impression on me, and I was only 10 or 11 at the time!

And so did the solar panels! The school staff and teachers took us to see them; the were written about in the paper and featured on television news. This was the energy crisis! Those solar panels are long gone, but the school newsletter is still called "The Solar."

I also remember that the staff holding a school election to select the school's mascot. I seem to remember that the mascot that was selected was "The Satillites." I remember that's not the one I voted for, and I think I can picture a hand-made sweatshirt with a picture of a satillite on it. From looking at the Bemis website, I can't see if they have a mascot or what it is.

So, this memory lane trip has been interesting. With the recent death of my mother, I find that positive memories of her are just hitting me at random times. Thinking about watching the movie Paddle to the Sea at Bemis Elementary reminded me of all this stuff. I am impressed that my mom included me in this big decision, and I am equally impressed that that first staff of Bemis held an election for the mascot.

The excellent education I received in the Troy School District made me want to become an educator. And I think my life-long love and respect for school employees started when I attended the school named after a custodian.

-----
I sent a link for this post to the current secretaries at Bemis.