A special thank you to all those who have participated in our “I Remember Rippey” series. Your remembrances have allowed readers to share in our town’s history, activities, sports, school, church, and daily life covering 150 years.
We will continue posting online here, using “I Remember Rippey” remembrances received prior to April 30, 2020. If you would like to read more Rippey history, you may also click on the History tab of the Rippey Library website: https://www.rippey.lib.ia.us .
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Easter Bunny Visits Kindergarten Class At Rippey School by Marna Rittgers Parker
Let’s see, I can’t remember exactly what year that Rabbit showed up – maybe 1951-52. I was in Maxine Johnson’s kindergarten class. It was spring – almost Easter. We had been outside for recess. When our class got back to the classroom, what do our shining eyes see?! Footprints! Footprints all over the floor. They were big and white. Miss Johnson said they looked like rabbit tracks. What?! No way!
But as we looked at them, sure enough they looked like rabbit tracks. And there was candy! Candy – for the children! How did that rabbit get into the classroom? Footprints led to an open window! While we were outside, somehow, some way that Rabbit came in through the window, scampered around the classroom leaving candy, and exited the way he/she came in. Wow! We couldn’t wait until we got home to tell our parents that the Easter Bunny came early to our school!
As I got older, I later surmised that this had been a set-up by Miss Johnson, our beloved teacher, and Charlie Wishman, the school custodian. The white footprints were most like chalk dust. What was used to make the footprints, I can’t say. All I know is this was one of best days in kindergarten.
Another story about Charlie Wishman. He always kept track of birthdays. If it was your birthday day, Mr. Wishman would pay you a visit and give you a birthday “horse bite” on your knee! How did he know it was your birthday day? Probably because you were wearing a crown that Miss Johnson had made especially for you. You got to tell her your favorite colors and she would fashion a crown from construction paper. You got to wear the crown all day. And later in the afternoon, your mother would show up with treats for the class!
Those my friends, were just some of the grand days of growing up at Rippey School.