No.2: Church Street Elementary School

Church Street Elementary was one of only four elementary schools in Tupelo when I was a child -- the others being Joyner, Rankin, and Lawhon. Joyner was my alma mater. When I started there, Joyner went through the fourth grade, but a fifth grade was added before I was that old. Mary Frances Beard (Miss Mary) was our principal. Looking back, I remember her fondly. At the time, however, she seemed a rather imposing figure because of the rumor of her "electric paddle." No one wanted to be sent to Miss Mary's office; that's for sure. The principal's office was also where the volunteer moms performed the annual ringworm check in Miss Mary's dark closet with the aid of an eerie purple light. I never knew of a case of ringworm in those days, but we figured it must be awful because they kept checking us for it.