I can remember my first day of school as though it were yesterday. I was afraid of bears. There were big black bears in that country, and I was sure they were hiding behind the big trees.

They could be two or three miles from home. They all had bells around their necks that made different sounds. My brother and I got so we could tell which cow it was just by hearing the bell.

Carrying the water just with your arms over a long ways was just too hard on you. With the yoke the weight was on your shoulders.

I remember how vocal and passionate Chicago's late Mayor Richard J. Daley was about dreaming when the day would come when businessmen could catch fish from the Chicago River during their lunch hour. Today that dream is true.

They get to miss a day of school for the trip. They are very excited about that. It should be a fun weekend and we really wanted to reward the boys for all of the hard work they have done.

It scares me to think that one day I'm not going to be in school anymore.