Back to School, Where the World Is Your Oyster

By Linda Cicoira

Students anticipating the start of a new school year think about making and keeping friends, fitting in, getting lost, missing the bus, not knowing how to find the bathroom, and getting the wrong answer to a teacher’s question in front of the rest of the class.

It can be a trying time.

Of course, there is also the thrill of wearing new clothes or shoes, seeing friends who were missed over the summer, engaging in new or challenging studies, checking out the new kids, and getting out of the house to socialize and learn. Yippee!
Yes, it could feel like a prison, or it could mean freedom, depending on how one views it.

Perhaps the saying, “The world is your oyster,” means even more here on the Eastern Shore, where aquaculture rules. One has complete freedom and opportunity to do whatever one chooses. Potential is limitless. The phrase comes from the idea that oysters contain valuable hidden pearls. And while breaking open the shell takes effort, the goal is uncovering the rich, rewarding, or life-changing opportunities the world has to offer.

Eastern Shore students will return to school this year with a staggered start, as the first day is Aug. 24 in Northampton County, Aug. 31 at Broadwater Academy, and Sept. 8 in Accomack County. The fall semester at the Eastern Shore Community College began on Aug. 17.

Preparation deadlines are looming.

The most popular color for a book bag or backpack is black because it matches any outfit, looks clean, and hides dirt well. Try putting a bright ribbon or another accessory on your bag for quick identification. Other popular colors include navy blue, gray, and light pastels like pink or lavender.

Early American schoolhouses were painted red because iron oxide paint was the cheapest and most accessible option. Rust or iron was mixed with linseed oil to protect wooden school buildings from mold, rot, and weathering.

Pencils are yellow due to a marketing strategy. In the late 1800s, the best graphite came from Asia. A company there painted its luxury pencils yellow to honor Chinese royalty and show it used high-grade materials, which started a global trend.

School buses are yellow because human eyes notice this specific color faster than almost any other, and peripheral vision spots yellow 1.24 times better than red. The majority of school buses are 35 feet long. Officially named National School Bus Glossy Yellow, the hue was chosen in 1939 to maximize safety, visibility in dim light, and contrast with black text.

Yellow is also the color of most highlighters.

There are about 130,000 public schools in the United States, and about 3.7 million teachers. The majority of those instructors, or 76 percent, are female.

If you are complaining that your summer vacation wasn’t long enough, think again. There are 180 school days in a year in Virginia. In Japan, students attend classes for 240 days a year. Luxembourg spends the most money per student on education. Finland asks its pupils to do less homework than any other country. South Korea has the highest high school graduation rate, or 99 percent. The country with the most students is China.

And here’s a fact that might come in handy: before standard erasers existed, people used pieces of white bread to rub out pencil marks.