On July 3, 1979 I first stepped foot on the Martinez Early Childhood Center as a summer volunteer. The place was huge by my standards, nestled on the other side of Alhambra Creek and centered in an old church that had once been at the foot of the hill. In those days it had an infant program, a preschool and an extended care program taking children from 2 months to 12 years old. I stuck to the older children because I thought babies were even more terrifying.
I was 13 years old.
My summer of volunteering turned eventually into some substitute work then into some part-time work then into a full time job. I became one of the three teachers that ran extended care and worked every day in high school and through my first two years at college and then occasionally when I could. I practiced all the cognitive development I could on the children there, trying out new ideas in my spare time in between giving time outs and making snack. My last summer was right before I started my masters program at San Francisco State. You can bet that the first time I practiced giving an IQ test it was with some lucky child at MECC.
I mention this now because the gravity MECC cast upon my life was fairly intractable. All my good friends subbed there, and everyone who worked there became a friend. I’m still friends with the retired director and some of the teachers. Many of the children grew up to be local supporters of the beavers as well or parents of children who come to the festival. The current executive director leads the parade at the beaver festival every year. And yesterday she posted a photo of their creek-side visitor on Christmas Night.
Are you sitting down?
By the way, day care is half a mile up the creek from the junior high, so these beavers are getting around. He apparently sniffed around the incised bank for a bit and then climbed back down to the creek. Merry Christmas to you, too.
How’s 2019 been so far? Mine is looking so far a lot like 1979.
