1921

I went to a junior high school concert on Monday to support a young friend. It was held at a school that proudly proclaims it was built in 1921. Looks like it, doesn't it?

The auditorium is fairly small, but wide, with a large stage and ornate trimmings that were typical at the time. 

The concert had me sitting at the edge of my seat.  Not that it was that good; it was typical junior high stuff--short and sweet, thank goodness.  No, I was sitting on the edge of my seat because the chairs are so narrow.

I think the chairs might be the original wooden seats, or at least the original metal seat brackets.  I have no idea really.  All I know is that I really had to squeeze in, and it was uncomfortable so I sort of sat sideways, which made the lady behind me happy because she couldn't see over me if I sat straight, being short herself.  She tried to move over a seat, but discovered that the inner seats were even narrower than the aisle seats we were in.

Were people smaller in 1921, or were the seats simply built for skinny junior high kids?  Well, many are not so skinny any more; I saw a few on that stage who wouldn't have fit in the seats either.  Can they go see the school nurse during school productions?

If they ever take up a collection to remodel the auditorium, I'll be sure to donate if it says "wider seats,"  especially if they have some padding or at least ergonomic tendencies. 

As if all that wasn't enough, I stepped on gum and it took ages to get it off my shoe.  And then, one of the kids' teachers was telling us how he needs to get his homework done, how many tardies he has, and other things that are not our business, right in front of his sister and some other students.  I probably ought to report her for privacy violations.  But that's off the subject; it just added to the dismay of the experience.

My friend seemed happy that I came to see her sing, and that's the important part. That's why I was there.