School Days in the Canal Zone
In honor of the end of summer vacation and the first week of school for the Fall 2021 semester here at the University of Florida we are posting a few objects from the collection that many of you might recognize as well as some stories that describe getting ready for the first week of school for many Canal Zone students.
Once everyone had either arrived back in the Canal Zone from vacation or had finished up their Summer Recreation Program, the commissaries were there to help with everything the students needed from the latest trends in clothes and shoes to all their school supplies.
There was also advice for those students leaving for college.
The school publications were working to make sure the first day of school was a success for Canal Zone students.
Gallery of Documents from the Canal Zone Schools. Click the arrows to move through the images: Canal Zone Schools Pass (2001.078.012), Notebook from Curundu Junior High School (II.2019.10.49), Cristobal District School Buss Pass (2005.097.019.004), Canal Zone College Student Handbook 1970-1971 (1999.021.018.001), Registration Form for Canal Zone Schools (2002.152.034)
What do you remember about the first day of school in the Canal Zone Schools? What was your favorite back-to-school purchase from the commissary? Did you ever fill out any of these forms or have a pink hall pass?
11 Comments
Scott Boykin
I attended Gulick Elementary School in 1974. I don’t remember the first day, but once a large group of spider monkeys invaded the parking lot, and one of them bit my teacher. My time in Panama was a great adventure. It was a great place to be a kid!
Dawn Bethea
I went to Curundu Elementary School, 3rd grade in 1972. I believe Mrs. Tatman was my third grade teacher. We learned Spanish and about the Panamanian culture. When we moved to Fort Amador, I changed schools.
Robert Dryja
You knew when you were becoming a “big kid” if you were selected to be a road monitor at an elementary school. A road monitor wore a special bright yellow belt with a badge on it. He would hold his arms up and sideways to stop children from crossing the street while a car drove by. Several students would be selected at the start of the school year and rotation of students would occur every several weeks. The most demanding location to be a monitor was by the bicycle rack. The monitor had to make sure bikes were parked correctly in the rack. A rack may held 50 bikes.
Patt Earl
AAA Safety Patrols.
With a sense of importance, it was so much fun, as mere grade-school Kids, being able to direct traffic !
All those cars stopping when, wearing your bright yellow safety patrol belt, you led other kids across the street.
The kid with the blue badge was the Captain of Patrols. That was the most superlative Honor!
At year end, the Safety Patros students were given tiny Pins bt AAA.
I still have both of mine.
Karin Long
That’s my mother! Mrs. Foscue….she was a 1st grade teacher for many years!! These are great pictures!! Thanks! School in the Canal Zone was wonderful….highly educated teachers who caresd about their students.
Marian Morgan
Does anyone remember and/or have stories of my aunts, Marian Moomaw Roberts and Frances Moomaw, teacher and principal in the Canal Zone in the 1920’s-1950’s, or of my uncle James Roberts, an Englishman, who looked after ships’ captains on land as their ships were piloted through the canal? Thanks so much!
Marian Morgan
Asking for memories of James Roberts and Marian Moomaw Roberts, and of Frances Moomaw, my aunts and uncle.
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Lee Austin
Hello, I have a book from Fort Davis Elementary School entitled, “The New What Next?” It was for second grade classes. Does anyone remember this book. I live near Tallahassee, Florida. I found it in the trash.
Eunice (Anita) Ervin
I went to Curundu Elem., Fort Kobbe Elem., and Curundu Jr. High. I had a friend named Lisa Walker whose mom was Panamanian and her dad was American, we went to Curundu Elem. and Jr. High together. My teacher’s name was Ms. Edwards and at Fort Kobbe Elem. one of my teachers’ names was Ms. Beavers and my Spanish teacher’s name was Mr. Gato but he passed away while I was there in 5th grade. We moved to Panama in 1974 and were there until 1977. Please if anyone was there during that time, please contact me at the email above.
Gary roach
I went to Cristobal elementary from 1968 -70 I lived in france field if anyone has any pictures of the school or France field please send them to me. Anyone know what happened to France field looking forward to any and all conversations on this. Thank you