Poll Vault: What do you remember about the first day of school?

This is going to make me sound like a cranky old woman, but when did the first day of school turn into a pep rally?

Back in my day — really, I’m only 41, not 92 — when the bell rang, you walked into your classroom and found a seat. That’s it. No performances by the marching band. No teachers wearing the mascot costume. No principals giving kids high-fives on the playground.

Why, I’ll bet my classmates and I had to walk up a hill, barefoot, in 2 feet of snow to report back to class. (By the way, get off my lawn.)

What do you remember about the first day of school? Was there any carnival atmosphere associated with it? Do you think first-day pep rallies and the like help generate enthusiasm for learning?

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Images: Suburban students head back to class