A seventh grade memory

So many of my memories about school involve the seventh grade and are unhappy.  The year 1938-39 was unhappy for the nation.  The economic depression worsened every year; the threat of war became a reality as Japan invaded China in 1937, and Hitler backed up his threatening speeches by invading Poland in 1939.

Years ago I concluded the seventh grade was made so tough academically not to prepare students for high school but to flunk a large percentage of students to avoid exceeding the high school capacity and making it necessary to employ more teachers.

I suppose the class was as boring for our teacher, Mr. Trout, as it was for us.  I've related how he spent a week building bird houses and how he became so angry when some people stole gum drops off  of his thorn Christmas  tree.

He related  stories of unusual events that he claimed he was involved in.  For example he coached a seventh grade football team that defeated the high school team.  That's the part of the story that is somewhat believeable. Then, he claimed, the seventh grade girls challenged the boys to a football game and won.

One of his typical stories was about the star hurdler who ran without opposition and still lost the race.  It seems that no other hurdlers qualified, but the star hurdler ran anyway, hoping to set a record.  At that time a hurdler would be disqualified if he hit three hurdles or the last hurdle.  In this race the hurdler had hit two hurdles as he approached the final hurdle.  He knocked it down so was doubly disqualified and lost the race although he had no opponent.  Whether that was true I don't know.  Today a hurdler can hit all hurdles and not be disqualified unless he knocks down a hurdle deliberately by foot or hand.