School Picture Day: Parents Love It, Children...Meh!

Just look at that cute angelic face. I was 7 years old and a member of a second grade class at Central Elementary in Lexington, Ohio. I was sporting a fresh hair cut, probably received at home. Notice the shirt's Nehru collar and the bright white turtleneck underneath. I'm pretty sure that was not an outfit I picked out. in fact, I'm also pretty sure I did not look forward to picture day. It meant dressing in something new and "itchy". It meant worrying about keeping it clean through morning recess and sometimes lunch. The process of getting the picture taken was simple: Step to the line, stand up straight, tilt my head slightly to the left and smile. Done! The next step was to take the order form home and my Mom and Dad would decide how many of each different size we would need. We've since gone through that process with our daughter and are still going through that process with the Grandkids' pictures

I do recall liking my fourth grade picture a little better. I was working on some new teeth but my hair was longer.

From fifth grade thru ninth grade I wore glasses which, for me, meant pics that I would not like. Thankfully my family did.

The early teenage years meant acne and picture day would inevitably collide. For this one, I was sprouting a third eye in the center of my forehead. It was a matter of timing and timing did not favor me. In addition this photo will forever be remembered for the silk shirt. The one my sisters called "the shirt that tells a story". It was also the start of my disco phase.

The junior year photo was a step in the right direction. Contact lenses instead of glasses. I had started wearing my hair parted in the middle and feathered. A friend named Fran, that I have completely lost track of, was cutting my hair back then. I loved the silk shirt and disco-style vest, bell bottomed pants and platform shoes. Yet I still couldn't dance well. Oh yes and the acne found new spaces to occupy on my face.

Finally, the senior pic. I liked this one. Still do. Gerald's Studio in Ashland shot this session and I was proud to trade this photo with classmates.

Even though we now, thanks to camera phones, have more pictures of our children and grand children than we will ever need, official school pics are a much appreciated record of a child's life during those years.