Dahlgren School 90th Anniversary Essays

Dahlgren School in 2008 is a lot different from the school that once stood 90 years ago. For one, its location has changed, and more houses have been built around the school. The school itself has also changed. Since 90 years ago, the school has had a gym, and a library built in. So now, the school has more conveniences. Dahlgren School also has a tall flagpole that looks over the one-story building made of burgundy-red bricks. The tall, steel flagpole is surrounded by our beautiful garden. The school’s front entrance has big white doors with bronze door handles that are rusted due to all the hands that have disturbed it over the years.

Some differences that our school has versus the school from long ago are that the students have electives that they can choose from such as AVID, piano, drama, and Spanish. Another thing that also varies from the school now to the school 90 years ago is that the students have the privilege to go home for lunch. They also don’t have busses to ride for transportation. The majority of the students either walks home or rides their bikes. The school also provides after-school activities such as basketball, track, peer mediating, garden, and newspaper club.

Technology has also played a big role in the charming school that stands now. The school has a lot more computers and TV’s (for educational purposes, of course.) The staff also uses Smart Boards, so they can walk their students through online websites. The students also have more advanced hand-held calculators. The school offers online classes, too, such as Spanish. The students also take online quizzes.

Some similarities that both of the schools have is that both schools, even though separated by time, still remain small and quiet. Everybody knows each other, and we are all friends for the most part. Both schools also have a library. The students are still not allowed to have weapons, and they still don’t have to wear military uniforms, as some people that don’t live on-base may think.

One way or another, I think we can all say that Dahlgren School has changed dramatically over the 90 years that it has stood. And I’m pretty sure that it will change more throughout the years that await us. I wonder what our lovely school will look like ANOTHER 90 years from now. Is it still a one-story building with the same old burgundy-red bricks that we have all come to love? Are the students still able to go home for lunch? Or is the school STANDING at all? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

By Rachel, Dahlgren 8th grade student

The bell rings as a start of a new day. The big white doors swing open as many boys and girls file in crowds into the building. Down the halls they rush, chatting as they hang up their backpacks on hooks and opening their lockers. Minutes later, they are all in their classrooms ready to begin the day. And I am the new student joining them.

The first thing you would notice about this school is the size. To me, I was very surprised; all my other schools have been quite large, swarming with crazy kids. Here, it’s a nice, calm, and very small school.

Mathematics, science, history and language arts are the academic classes. Every other day we go to the gym for P.E. There, we run, stretch, and play games like football or hockey. The teachers keep us busy through the day by giving us plenty of work to do on worksheets and out of textbooks. In math, here we are, contemplating our textbooks and tapping away on calculators. The classes I enjoy the most are History and Language Arts. Constantly we head to computer lab to research or type up some assignments. It is very uncommon if we are not assigned any homework…

Many other electives include chorus, drama, Avid, and a Spanish online class. Taking an online class is a great experience and a good opportunity to learn a new language.

Usually after a few classes, it’s time for lunch. If you think we all head to the cafeteria, think again. This school has no cafeteria at all, so most of us get picked up or walk home for lunch. I live at the very end of the base, so it’s a long walk for me if no one picks me up. I have to drag my feet along the sidewalk for fifteen minutes. When I arrive at my house, I gobble up my food then I’m gone, back to school.

After lunch, we hang around in the back of the school until the bell rings. Then all of us rush back into the building to finish up all our classes for the day. We all flee to the different corners of the school to continue our classes.

RING! RING! RING! The bell hollers again for the end of the day. Students run out the doors, carrying their backpacks and clutching their books. While some walk or ride their bikes home, others stay behind at the school. Many of us are associated with after school activities. Some of them consist of Art club, garden club, peer mediators, and basketball.

So that was a typical day at Dahlgren School. I have been to many schools, but this is my favorite so far-- not only because of the size, or going home for lunch, or basketball. Overall, it’s everything put together that make the days here more worth it.