Childhood Songs and My Greatest Challenge

Mon 12/28 Blog Prompt: What songs did you sing as a child? Where did you sing them?

I remember going to music as a related arts class when I was in elementary school and we learned lots of folk songs. I talk to teens today and they have never heard of them. I think this is such a shame because a lot of our history is from these songs. I learned about John Henry building the railroad, and the Erie Canal being built. I learned the basic songs like She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain, Shenandoah, Oh Susannah, Oh My Darling Clementine, and songs like this. I learned about the Happy Wanderer that a bunch of us sing while we are hiking along the trail. I have such great memories of learning these songs and I think we are really doing a disservice to our young people by not teaching them these traditional folk songs.

Tue 12/29 Blog Prompt: What was the greatest challenge you faced?

My greatest challenge was getting into the university that I wanted. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to college and wanted me to go to a local college that I might be able to pay for. They also were old fashioned and felt that I needed to live at home. Instead I applied to Furman University and could only afford one application fee so this was the only place I applied to attend. I figured that if I got accepted, then I could worry about financing. Through loans, scholarships, and work study, I was able to attend all four years and paid for it myself. My parents were very unhappy that I was going to be 800 miles away from home but I was determined. As the baby of the family, I was pretty sheltered and had never been away from my parents before. I was also younger than most people who went to college because I was only 17. Yet, this was a major dream in my life and I would do anything to get this. I knew if I could accomplish this goal, I could do anything in my life.

Original image: 'Chorus line'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37718498@N00/4141214476 by: Anna M