Classroom Haircut

Lou was the principal at Strack Elementary School from August 1953 - June 1956. This story is yet another illustration that working with elementary age kids offers a variety of experiences!

Obviously, not an actual photo of Raymond, but you get the idea!

Raymond Lucero was a very quiet boy with very blond hair and big blue eyes. His hair had probably been shaved in June, and since it was now September, he had a pretty good growth of hair. It went straight up all around like a beautiful blond bush!

Johnny Wilson sat right behind him with a pair of scissors. The temptation was too great for a creative (and very ornery) first grader. So in one quick cut, he had a big chunk of that blond hair! Then another, and another, until he had five or six places where you could see his scalp.

Being very timid, Raymond just sat there, probably not fully realizing what had happened. Someone else held up her hand and told Mrs. Austin to come look at Raymond’s hair.

Mrs. Austin showed him to me right after school and asked if it was all right with me if she got permission from Raymond’s mother to take him to the barber shop, which she did. Mrs. Lucero was very pleased to have Raymond with a haircut, even though it had to be very short. She had twelve children at home!