Welcome to first grade in the 1930s in Massachusetts: We walked to school by 9 a.m. through sometimes horrible weather. We walked back home for lunch and returned by 1 p.m. and were released at 3:30.

Our three-room schoolhouse had about 40 students in one small room for both first and second grade, led by one teacher who had to be a female and unmarried (by state law).

We accepted that all our female teachers were advanced in years and rarely, if ever, smiled.

Third- and fourth-graders were together in the second room, and fifth-graders had the third room. After fifth grade, we moved to a big school downtown.

There was no coddling of students in first grade, and hard discipline made the double class arrangement work well.

For most of the day there was no sound except the teacher's voice, and in winter, noises from the heating pipes.

We were instructed to fold our hands on our desk and look straight ahead when teacher was talking. We had to raise our hand and get recognized for permission to speak. There were often wet seats due to delayed permission to go to the restroom. We were assigned scholastic exercises while the teacher worked with second-graders.

Cacophony exploded only during the morning and afternoon recesses. Midmorning we relished a cold bottle of milk and one graham cracker.

Fun times came twice weekly when the art lady arrived on Tuesdays and Fridays and the only male instructor, an old music man with a portable pump organ, came to teach the arts.

We had no homework until eighth grade and then only a few minutes' worth. When we got out of school we could relax and play. By high school we started preparing for college and getting used to heavy homework. Many of us went on to college and did okay.

Today's classrooms, from my past observation as a classroom helper, appear to be less disciplined, and that makes for wasted time trying to bring order.

As always, education of our young must be the No. 1 priority for society. Elinor Gustafson Thousand Oaks