CHAPTER FIVE The First Day of School

The BIG day has arrived.  It is a very happy day for the Smithville mothers, and not so happy for some of the children.  It is the opening day of school in Smithville..

Muriel Lamper, being both a mother and the only teacher at the school, is very busy trying to get the day started.  Clothes to find, lunches to pack, breakfast to prepare and eat.....it is a hectic morning.
Annie and George will be going with her.  It is George's last year in school, and Annie is in fourth grade.  Herbie is busy with his delivery service, and Edward has some students coming to the house for singing lessons.

Winifred Switcher is taking baby Caroline over to the Sewell's. Claire has agreed to watch both
Caroline and Beth while the mothers are busy getting everyone ready for the first day of school.

 
Freddy Sewell is so nervous about the first day.  He is new to the school, and he is stuck wearing Victorian clothes that are way out of style.  In fact, he cannot eat his breakfast.  He is so nervous that he is quite sick to his stomach.  Beth and Caroline, on the other hand, have no problem eating their
oatmeal and drinking their juice.  They are both soon settled upstairs playing with Beth's toys.

Mrs. Sewell can see that breakfast is just not going to work for Freddy.

"Freddy, why don't you go upstairs, brush your teeth, and then you can pick out a favorite toy or book to take to school with you.  I'm sure Mrs. Lamper would let you share it with the rest of the class."
So Freddy went upstairs, slipped his favorite thing under his jacket, and off to school they went.

When they arrived at school, the students were mostly milling around on the playground.  Mrs. Lamper had not rung the bell to call  them into class.  So Mrs. Sewell kissed Freddie good bye and left for work.

Soon some of the other students noticed Freddie standing alone.

George called out,  " Hey, where did you get those funny pants.  What are those things called?"

Red faced,  Freddie almost whispered,  "knickers."

"SNICKERS!"  George almost yelled, laughing loudly."

Soon all the other kids joined in, "  Where did you get those clothes?"

"Ha, ha, ha, look at him!"


" Fancy pants...fancy pants.....fancy pants!"

With tears in his eyes, Freddy ran off and hid behind the school building.  After a bit of a cry,  he took out his favorite item that he had brought from home.  It was his trumpet that he loved to play more than anything.

After a good bit of playing his trumpet,  Freddy felt so much better.  It really settled him down, and when he looked around,  there were all the other students.  They had come around the building to see who was playing the trumpet.

"Wow, you are really good!"

"Play some more!"

"Man, you can really play that thing!"

Freddy smiled.,  And just then George Lamper stepped up.  "Freddy, you must join our brass trio, and then we can be a brass quartet.  We have needed  one more player.  All our music has been written for four parts.  You are so good, we might even win the talent contest!"

And from that moment on....Freddy fit right into life at Smithville School.