A SILVER BADGE

From the first day I was old enough to  walk to school and waited for the student crossing guard to send me across a street, I wanted to be a member of the AAA Safety Patrol!  (To be honest, I wasn’t as interested in the safety of my classmates crossing  quiet Streets of Millville as I was in getting an official patrol boy web belt with a real badge that you got to keep - and 60 years later mine is still in my jewelry box!)  But just wanting did not guarantee getting this honored position.  To be  made a guard one had to be nominated by you teacher because you had displayed “good citizenship” and better than average grades.  (Note:  Patrol “Boys” were appointed at the end of their fourth grade year ( In the 1950s only “boys” because most educators and most parents thought girls were much too fragile to stand outside in the cold until the late bell rang. Thankfully that is not the practice today)

During the last week of my 4th grade year Miss R. asked, “Would anyone like to be considered for this duty.  And only 2 hands shot up and one was mine - safety patrol duty was a big commitment that few wanted to do because you had to get up early every day for the whole school year. With just one competitor, for the last few days of class I was on my best behavior and made sure my mom bought a nice “Thank You” card for Miss R.  Plus, on the last day of school I took one of my grandmother’s prized African Violets in a pot wrapped in tinfoil, a gift which I hope would cement my endorsement to our Principal who made the final decision. 

All that  summer I thought about the badge!  A couple of weeks before school started again, Mom got an official letter from the Millville Board of Education informing her that I had been appointed to the Safety Patrol and that I was to report to the Millville Police Department for training.  I was jubilant - but my mother wasn’t.  She said, “You know you’ll have to get up early every morning...and never be late if you take this job?”  Among many worries, she always worried about my propensity for lateness and the amount of sleep I accrued each night.   I assured her that I was ready and willing to diligently do my duty.  On the appointed evening I reported to the City Hall with a bunch of boys from all of the elementary schools in our city - a couple of dozen new recruits. 

The police chief welcomed us and introduced us to a policeman who stressed that we were about to "embark" on a very serious task.  In other words, no fooling around on duty.   First up we saw a film about speeding cars, distracted drivers and the horribly outcomes of not looking both ways!  A lot of this stuff I already knew as I had walked to school with a brigade of whooping kids since first grade when my grandmother stopped “walking” me to school - she walked with me to make sure I actually stayed there after she left me.  

Next the officer had us stand and practice the way we would stop and cross the students safely.  All posts were displayed on a big map.  And lastly, we were ordered to stand, raise our right hands and take the pledge…

“I  swear to perform my duties faithfully. Strive to prevent accidents, always setting a good example myself. Obey my teachers and officers of my school  patrol. Report dangerous student practices. And strive to earn the respect of fellow students.

Then the moment I had been waiting for, the Officer presented us with a white web belt and badge and I was now a certified Patrol Boy Guard! 

The first day of school I wore it proudly over a new school clothes shirt.  I reported to my“post” a few blocks from my house and the only cross street on the way. My task was to cross  about a dozen sleepy-eyed daily crossers.  Our 6th grade Captain rode by on his bike and told us his Lieutenant would be visiting each post during the coming week to make sure we were doing everything required for safe crossings.  When my first crossers came to my corner I stopped them with a stern and simple  command - STOP! My arms outstretched just like we learned on the film - I had practiced it for a half hour in front of a mirror.   The student stopped immediately because if he didn’t I could report him to the principal and he would face the fate of an unsafe crosser.  Several more students lined up behind him. (BTW he was my competition for the job)

My major task was to be on the lookout for a kid who might bolt and wildly dart across  the street risking life and limb.  I looked both ways and professionally barked, “You may proceed...and have a nice day.”  The group groaned in unison and continued trudging to another day of readin, writin and  etc!.  I was sure they all thought they were much too “big” to have a patrol boy telling them the road was empty for miles.  However, both coming and going my charges obeyed my “directions” and  my worries disappeared because my all my crossers that day, including my cousins, had followed my directions.  And from that day on, all my classmates were respectful and  I was never late, even in the rain and snow.  That year I learned that March wind was indeed my enemy. 

All year I dreamed about being named next year's captain and getting a special blue badge. 

On the last day of school right before recess I was summoned to the Principal's office - this was it, I was going to get the promotion!  Mrs. McC spoke to me in her most serious way that we had heard many times during assemblies. “Mr. Iszard, I drove by your post many times this year and you were always on time and doing your duty.  And so with your teacher's recommendation I am appointed you as our new Captain of the R.M. Bacon School Patrol. 

That day I learned a lesson that I would never forget -  if one comes early and does diligently - you're mostly likely  bound to get a badge.