Report Cards

Midway through my first grade year, my family moved from Addison, Illinois to Roanoke, Virginia. The following is my first grade report card:

Looking inside, you'll notice that I received an "U" or UNSATISFACTORY in reading with a note:

My teacher added a corresponding note that said, "Does not misbehave, but draws when he should be practicing reading". As I recall, I got in trouble for that and you'll notice that my reading grades improved from that point on- and Mrs. Smith didn't even give me an "E" in art (ha, ha)! I loved rediscovering this many years later... proof positive that I was discouraged from becoming an artist at the earliest points in my life, but kept following my heart.