Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Peppermint Patty and Ducky Duddle*

I have any number of file folders with labels such as "Stuff," or "TTK," or "Bulletin Board." Over the years in the office, I dropped clippings from articles, things I had posted on the bulletin board, and in general things that interested me at the time. Occasionally I will pull one of these folders from the file cabinet and reminisce a bit. Sometimes I think, "What was I thinking?"

The cartoon above may be a reminder of a time when your student, or perhaps you yourself, had such an experience in your classroom. That may have represented a difficult childhood moment. But I look at Peppermint Patty's dilemma today and see it in a whole new light, for this experience is becoming more and more commonplace in my daily living. I find frequently I know exactly what I am thinking and I know that I know the word I want as well as I know my name, and yet it will not fall off the tip of my tongue. Very frustrating. There is a scientific name for this phenomenon, but I can't think of it at the moment.


I kept a supply of these little forms in my desk drawer. Occasionally a student, or a staff member, was the recipient of one of these. Good for making paper airplanes, or it might have been placed in the circular file. Whatever the case, my writing was not limited to reprimands and directives. One wonders, though, which sorts of notes had the greatest effect on a person's behavior.
There is another thing that happens when one gets old. He muddles in nostalgia and wonders what might have been. Or even what was.

*When I was in first grade, we sang a little song that went as follows:
A little Ducky Duddle went wading in a puddle,
went wading in a puddle quite small.
Said he it doesn't matter how much I splash and splatter
for I'm only a Ducky after all.

Now how's that for nostalgia?

13 comments:

Shelly said...

I loved the comic, and it is all too true. Your happy grams are great. I have something I use in the classroom like that too. I need to use them more often. Sometimes the day is so busy I forget. Thanks for the reminder~

Jim said...

Somewhere around here I have a folder with a few pages in it of doodles I made in class in high school. I ought to blog about that sometime.

And my favorite song from the second grade included the lines:

Got on the Sunny, didn’t have my fare
Conductor said, “What’cha doin’ there?”
I jumped up and made for the door
And he cracked me on the head with a two-by-four!

Lin said...

I used to sing Ducky Duddle to my kids when I would give them baths! That's so funny--I thought I was the only one who knew that song!

Vee said...

Often I can't remember what I planned to do when I went into a room, but I do remember all of the words to Ducky Duddle. Should I be worried that something from the the past is easier to recall than things in the present? Maybe.

Secondary Roads said...

I had never heard of Ducky Duddle. Could I substitute Itsy Bitsy Spider?

I particularly enjoyed this post today.

Anonymous said...

Never heard of Ducky Duddle - I can, and do, go all "old fart" when it comes to music tho...

Happy music memory from toddler-hood: Me performing "I'm a Little Teapot" for friends and relatives - as shy and quiet as I was as a child I was always up for a performance!

vanilla said...

Shelly, teaching is all about direction, correction, encouragement and recognition, or so I believe. Wishing you great days in the classroom as you wind down another year!

Jim, I would very much like to see some of those doodles. Do it! Ouch! What a mean conductor.

Lin, I am thrilled to know that someone besides me and my sister remembers that song. I was beginning to think Duddle was a local character.

Vee, one does begin to wonder, especially when things that happened exty-ex years ago are more vivid than are yesterday’s occurrences.

Chuck, c’mon, sing a new old song! I like Itsy Bitsy Spider, too.

Grace, I am picturing Little Grace as the Little Teapot. Bet that was really cute!

Marsha Young said...

Haven't read that rhyme in years. :)

Have a great day - Marsha

vanilla said...

Marsha, thanks for stopping by! Please visit again.

John Cowart said...

Hi Vanilla,

"There is another thing that happens when one gets old. He muddles in nostalgia and wonders what might have been. Or even what was".

Great line.

Last night Ginny and I tried to think of a common word... We gave up and settled for the phrase, "Legal stuff".

vanilla said...

John, thank you. As for the mental glitch thing, finally someone who understands. Only Sister mentioned that. Others no doubt wanted not to offend, or they were embarrassed by my admission, or they are just too young to relate?

Sharkbytes said...

I'll be a little Duckie in a puddle!

vanilla said...

Shark, *splash, splash!*

You did me the courtesy of going way back to here to catch up and commented on each post. So I will return the favor and respond to each of your comments. Hang on!