Today is Columbus Day, a federal holiday since 1934. But these days it is much more complicated than that. Here in Colorado, Columbus Day is no longer a state holiday. But in Denver, the city celebrates Indigenous People's Day, and so all the schools are closed. Back in Illinois, my native state, they do recognize Columbus Day as a state holiday, but Chicago, where I grew up, also celebrates it as Indigenous People's Day, and the schools are closed there, too. And this makes me think back to when I went to Fort Dearborn Grammer School in Chicago's South Side Brainerd neighborhood. I hated school, and any day off was like a gift from the Gods. And to be honest, I wouldn't have cared if we were celebrating Columbus Day, Indigenous People's Day, or Alfred E. Newman Day. A day off was a day off. And in honor of this holiday, whichever one you are celebrating, I am featuring the photograph above, taken by me years ago, of Mrs. McCormick's classroom at Fort Dearborn back in the early 1960s. I think I got caught taking that photo, but happily, she did not confiscate the camera. And so perhaps this is the only photograph ever taken of a Fort Dearborn classroom from the early 1960s actually in session. Probably worth a fortune. Perhaps ChatGPT will know for sure.
What a wonderful nostalgic story! Your reflection perfectly captures how holidays evolve over time while preserving personal memories, especially that rare classroom photo from the 1960s. Such a treasure.
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