Kids walk home BY THEMSELVES!!! Oh, the humanity....

[Stosh]

My kids like to go to the free school lunch.  It's 2 miles away.  All summer long, I get calls and knocks at the door to let me know my kids were far from home.  Yes, I know.  I let them go.  They're fine.  Sometimes these helpful neighbors are even annoyed that my kids won't get into their car.  I've taught them that they are not allowed to ride in other people's vehicles without my permission- even if we know them.  

 

It was school policy that if one lived within 2 miles of school, you would NOT be picked up by a school bus.

[NJCubScouter]

It was school policy that if one lived within 2 miles of school, you would NOT be picked up by a school bus.

Until I was going into the eighth grade, we lived in a town that had no school buses at all. Everybody walked to school. For me it was probably about three-quarters of a mile. (On days when it was pouring rain, one of my parents would drive us - but it had to be really raining, a drizzle didn't count.) We generally walked with other kids, and there were crossing guards at the busiest streets and "patrol boys" (this was the 60's, so it was all boys) making sure nobody got run over at the less busy crossings. (Somewhat related to the subject of this thread, I wonder whether such things as student safety patrols still exist, at least for public street crossings - I can just imagine some insurance underwriter having a stroke at the idea of 13- and 14-year-olds officially appointed by the school to decide when it is safe for other kids to cross the street.)

 

And generally, I remember walking around a lot as a kid, all by myself, probably from the age of 11 or so. These days it's a different story.

[Stosh]

Our area has crossing guards but they are all adults, most retired people with a lawn chair and a stop sign.  

[moosetracker]

......"patrol boys" (this was the 60's, so it was all boys) making sure nobody got run over at the less busy crossings. (Somewhat related to the subject of this thread, I wonder whether such things as student safety patrols still exist, at least for public street crossings - I can just imagine some insurance underwriter having a stroke at the idea of 13- and 14-year-olds officially appointed by the school to decide when it is safe for other kids to cross the street.)

 

My area must have been more progressive, I was a patrol girl in the 60's, but all I can remember is the white patrol belt with harness over the shoulder and badge I wore, can't quite remember what I did, it was something outside, not hall monitor or anything.. Also I had the position at a much younger age.. Probably 2nd or 3rd grade, so I doubt I did much in the directing of traffic..  I think we only had one of those  (an adult) at my elementary school, at the crosswalk directly into the main entrance of the school.. Otherwise we were crossing the street all without help..

[qwazse]

... were crossing guards at the busiest streets and "patrol boys"..., I wonder whether such things as student safety patrols still exist, at least for public street crossings -...

And generally, I remember walking around a lot as a kid, all by myself, probably from the age of 11 or so. These days it's a different story.

The district next to ours has no bus service and uses student crossing gaurds, they have an adult guard at each school's entrance.

 

And kids from that neighborhood do seem to walk around a lot more!

Edited June 3, 2015 by qwazse

[Stosh]

In our area (1960's as well) it was a program known as Safety Patrol and was opened to both boys and girls, usually 8th graders who would monitor and help younger kids safely cross the streets around the school.  I somehow had the feeling that I was kinda set up because I was picked but I had two intersections to monitor a block apart.  The kids complained because they had to wait for me to take a group down to the next block to cross there and return for the next group.  After about a week of that mess turned in my badge and belt and went back to study hall.

[NJCubScouter]

Stosh, I recall a similarly brief stint as a "patrol boy" though the specific reason(s) why I quit are lost in the mists of time.

[CalicoPenn]

Our elementary schools were too far away from the Junior High School to have Jr. High patrol boys and girls so the 6th graders would be tapped - I was a member of the safety patrol but didn't get assigned a street crossing - I was assiged to lunchtime recess duty - our belts were orange.

 

In the summer, from age 11 up, my parents didn't see me from 6 am to about 9 pm unless swim team practice was cancelled, it was troop meeting night, or we had a swimming meet. - I had practice from 6:30 to 8:30 am, then stuck around either taking or helping with swimming lessons, then practice from 12-1, then stayed around for open swim, then practice again from 5:30 to 7, then open swim to 8:30.  The only reason they saw me at 9 was the pool kicked us out for adult swim. - when I was 14, I got to stay for adult swim so then I wasn't home until 10.

 

Today's parents would freak at a schedule like that.

[Gone]

Our elementary schools were too far away from the Junior High School to have Jr. High patrol boys and girls so the 6th graders would be tapped - I was a member of the safety patrol but didn't get assigned a street crossing - I was assiged to lunchtime recess duty - our belts were orange.

 

In the summer, from age 11 up, my parents didn't see me from 6 am to about 9 pm unless swim team practice was cancelled, it was troop meeting night, or we had a swimming meet. - I had practice from 6:30 to 8:30 am, then stuck around either taking or helping with swimming lessons, then practice from 12-1, then stayed around for open swim, then practice again from 5:30 to 7, then open swim to 8:30.  The only reason they saw me at 9 was the pool kicked us out for adult swim. - when I was 14, I got to stay for adult swim so then I wasn't home until 10.

 

Today's parents would freak at a schedule like that.

Most middle/high school kids I know get up at 6am (or earlier), are at school by 6:30-7am for band or sports or such, after that are at school for "tutorials" before school starts, then school from 8:30-4pm, then the after school tutorials or sports or band, then off to non-school teams or other activities until 8-9pm. THEN they are studying until 11pm.

 

Not sure what your kids are doing, but nearly all the kids I know in my city and region have schedules like this starting in 6th grade.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[christineka]

My kids are homeschooled, but I do child seat safety events at schools and also drive by schools.  I see kids, who appear to be 5th or 6th grade, who help the little kids cross the pickup loop or the street directly across from the school.  Further away are the adult crossing guards.

 

Our local school is around the block.  The one with free lunch is 2 miles away.  Most parents drive their kids.  I don't feel the need.  We are okay with providing our kids with lunch and I don't like torturing myself.  (If I go, I have to watch my kids eat and then watch them throw away whatever they can't or don't want to eat, all the while, I eat nothing.  The rules, which call for food waste really bother me.)

[Troop185]

Another old story for your scouts:

 

I attended a public school in 3rd - 6th grade back in the mid 50ths, and was a member of the safety patrol 4th through 6th grade.  In 5th and 6th grade, I was assigned an busy intersection with an retired adult, who was the safety officer.  The intersection was about 3 city blocks from the school, and then another 4 blocks to my house.  I always rode my bike to and from school. We would sit in his car, talking and eating popcorn, waiting for the kids to show up (no one worry about 1 on 1).  I enjoy talking to him, and I think, he must had liked me (he always brought the popcorn).

 

In 7th grade, I switch to a Catholic school, and there, the safety patrol was 7th graders.  I was tired of doing it, and said I would be a substitute for the safety patrol.  Two of my friends, were the Captain and Lieutenant of the Safety Patrol, and they would let me sub anytime I wanted to get out of school early. One day, someone reported my two friends for jay walking.  I could write a book about the 7th grade nun, but needless to say, she was not happy.  Our classroom was on the 2nd floor, and she took both of my friends, and actually, threw them down the first flight of stairs.  "Now you go back to that intersection, and walk across the street, the way you were taught to do!"