Yes, I too wished I could speak Finnish. Whenever my father & I visited, usually on Saturdays, my grandparents, their conversations were always in Finnish, I never understood what they were saying. They no longer had cows at that and my grandfather had suffered a stroke in 1954 that affected the use of one arm. Our visits were at that time were mainly to check on them. My grandparents were resident aliens, they never became citizens. No health insurance and minimal Social Security. No luxuries like visiting nurses etc.
On the topic of school, Ralph had it better than I did. I remember being wacked on my left hand by a wooden ruler because I was writing with my left hand. Also if you 'forgot' to do you homework you stood up, palms up, and got a wack on each hand. If you talked in class while the teacher was teaching you had your lips taped shut with these white paper tape. If you pressed your tongue against you could easily make a hole. So it was more symbolic, no chance of suffocation. I went from C's to A's by the time I reached 8th grade. Actually we had numerical grades, I graduated with a 98.3 average, highest in the class.
On the topic of athletic Finnish girls, in addition to Diane Maki and Leona Korpi, I would add Susan Korpi and Linda Somero (now Kivela) as well. I was a first base umpire in 1960 for the girls softball team and admired their athleticism.
Yes, I too wished I could speak Finnish. Whenever my father & I visited, usually on Saturdays, my grandparents, their conversations were always in Finnish, I never understood what they were saying. They no longer had cows at that and my grandfather had suffered a stroke in 1954 that affected the use of one arm. Our visits were at that time were mainly to check on them. My grandparents were resident aliens, they never became citizens. No health insurance and minimal Social Security. No luxuries like visiting nurses etc.
On the topic of school, Ralph had it better than I did. I remember being wacked on my left hand by a wooden ruler because I was writing with my left hand. Also if you 'forgot' to do you homework you stood up, palms up, and got a wack on each hand. If you talked in class while the teacher was teaching you had your lips taped shut with these white paper tape. If you pressed your tongue against you could easily make a hole. So it was more symbolic, no chance of suffocation. I went from C's to A's by the time I reached 8th grade. Actually we had numerical grades, I graduated with a 98.3 average, highest in the class.
On the topic of athletic Finnish girls, in addition to Diane Maki and Leona Korpi, I would add Susan Korpi and Linda Somero (now Kivela) as well. I was a first base umpire in 1960 for the girls softball team and admired their athleticism.