The Traditions Of Flynn Park School

Introductory Note by Max Reif      For our first few years at Flynn Park School, we had the kind, elderly, and charismatic (at least that's how I remember her) Miss Rossi as principal. She may have been there since the school opened in the '20s. The one-way street going along the tennis courts, up a small hill to traffic school at the front of the school, is still named Rossi Drive.      Miss Rossi created traditions at the school, some of which, you'll see as you read below, would be illegal today. I remember them, though, as kind and, truly--in the parlance of education's "old school"--character-building.      And when I read them today, I think: "Why didn't I listen?"       But maybe a little bit did seep through.      Peter Kerr's sister, Martha, 5 years our senior, recovered for us everything on this page except "The Flynn Park Band", a sort of school song, accompanied by motions that mime the playing of a trombone. I pulled that out of my memory, word for word. I never forgot it.

 

The Flynn Park Prayer

(spoken by Miss Rossi every morning over the PA. this page, courtesy of Pete Kerr's sister, martha)

Kind heavenly father help us to receive this day as a gift from Thy hands, and to use it earnestly and joyously .  Give us for each task vigor of body, clearness of mind, and definiteness of purpose; but above all, the right spirit and a pure heart.

The Flynn Park Creed:  

Let me be a little kinder. 
Let me be a little blinder to the faults of those about me. 
Let me be when I am weary, just a little bit more cheery. 
Let me praise a little more. 
Let me serve a little better, those that I am striving for. 
Let me be a little braver, when temptation bids me waiver. 
Let me strive a little harder to be all that I should be. 
Let me be a little meeker with a brother who is weaker. 
Let me think more of my neighbor and a little less of me.

 

School Song: "The Flynn Park Band"

Have you heard the Flynn Park Band?
Opmpah, opmpah, opm-pah-pah.
Don't you think that it is grand?
Oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah.

We all stand in a ring,
and we sing the same old thing,
then the leader pulls the string,
and we all begin to sing:

tra-la-la, la, la, like the birdies in the trees,
tra-la-la, la, la, such a pretty melody,
tra-la-la, la, la, won't you come and play with me,
tra-la-la, la, la-la, la, la
la-la-la-la-la!

FP motto:  Safety 1st and always for us.
Rules:  Voices low, hands to yourself and walk, it's safer to walk.
School colors:  blue and white
School flower:  American Beauty Rose

And don't forget WHSO  (work, help, study, obey) the radio station.  Each class had their own "call letters".  Kindergarten was "KG"  (kind and good); others were "abc" (always be courteous), "VL" (voices low), "WOW" (walk on walk) and more.  The daily am broadcast always started with a bugle.  Do you know who the bugler was when you were in the higher grades?

And the clubs!!!  These mostly got started when I was older, and many were formed after I left, but among my most favorite was the "tie your shoe(lace)s club" for the first graders.

Jackie (Friedman) Saylan writes:

     I was surprised at how many of the Flynn Park traditions I remembered--brought back a flood of great memories--and a few more to share:

     T he Maypole celebrations; the Spook House at our carnivals (which were in the band room off the boys gym) and the White Elephant sales that were there, too; separate gyms for boys and girls; the "secret stairway" across from the boys gym that led to the kindergarten room; the safety patrol and the boys yelling "Tiiiiime Offfff" as only they could do; the hill on the side of the building that we sledded on; the Flynn Park parade on the last day of school, which so conveniently began right in front of my house, and ended at Heman Park; the Flynn Park Tidings;

     the evening Christmas program where everyone wore a red cape and we sang Christmas songs (and nobody cared about being politically correct); the cafeteria that opened up to the gym and the benches along the wall where all the teachers sat; Camp White Cloud; the Good Writers Club; the secretary, Mrs. Theis, who scared the weebie jeebies out of everyone with her stern voice and rigid face; the wonderful playground separated by a fence down the middle; the incredibly beautiful and picturesque park with all the magnificent trees and sidewalk running through it to the red brick steps leading onto Kingsbury; the circle drive in front of the school; the Bookmobile; Carl, the driver who provided transportation to and from school in his black car ... 

 

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