Sibling Assignment #183: Rediscovering Sunnyside School

Brother Bill gave the assignment this week.
" Last night I was in Best Shots. I admired how it looks now and remembered what it looked like over forty years ago. It triggered memories and stories about the Kopper Keg back in my college days. Write about a place you have been to recently in Kellogg, Cd'A, Moscow, or anywhere else, that is different now than it was in your late teens or early twenties. Write about the physical place then and now and the memories and stories the place triggers. " You can find his here.

I am going to revise the assignment a bit and write about a physical place that is different now than my elementary school days. When Dave Smith Motors continued to grow on the corner of Cameron Ave. and Division St. in Kellogg landmark buildings disappeared. The Rena Theater was replaced with the Service Department building, the veterinarian office became a sales office. Our playground from elementary school became a place to park cars. What did remain intact, but is now used by Dave Smith Motors is Sunnyside School. If you look closely in the picture, you can see the silver Sunnyside School letters still there on the brick.

Last fall we decided it was time to replace our car. I had never been to Dave Smith and as we went from car lot to car lot first, then into the sales room, and then by a fireplace, I was a bit overwhelmed. While the details were being worked out, our saleswoman told us of a restaurant that was down a hall and then around a corner. What I didn't realize as we meandered to this small deli was I was walking back in the elementary wing of Sunnyside School. 

I didn't recognize the rooms or the floor and the pictures of Dick, Jane, Sally, Spot, and Puff had been removed from the walls, but slowly my mind made sense of where we were. When I looked out the window while we waited for our food I was really mixed up. How could Macri's  house be out this window? I actually stood up and walked around and realized I was sitting in the foyer in front of the principal's office of Sunnyside School. The view from the window helped me figure it out. You can't come in the front door of Sunnyside School where the office was, but then I did recognize the door. The glass display cases were gone. There were no October pumpkins, January snowmen or spring flowers created by students on display. I think it was just a wall.

We were all sad when the Rena Theater was torn down. Even though I couldn't figure out how  the sales rooms are connected to the elementary wing and principal's office, I am pleased the company kept the Sunnyside building. The older part of the building looks the same. I believe much of it is used for archived paperwork. I heard workers can use the gym. There is a nice grassy area out front that almost helps you forget our hard, dirty kickball/football field of childhood.

On Monday mornings a line would form outside the Sunnyside office as students purchased their strip of red lunch tickets for the week. I was back in line, but I wasn't getting lunch tickets . I think I purchased a chef salad. The dress shirt clad salesmen with their permasmiles was a big departure from Mr. Koepl as he loomed over us in the foyer, clearing his throat and scaring us with his deep voice. 

I should have stayed longer to see if the Borax soap dispensers were still in the bathrooms with the rough, brown paper towels. Of course, the satellite  dish is new.