Tag: Michigan

A counselor was recently asking Donald  (Grandpa Hill) some probing question about his childhood. She was trying to understand Grandpa and help him understand himself and feel better about the world he lived in. Donald, as Grandpa Hill recalls his answers to the lady that was trying to help him and shares his answer with his children, and grand children. In the fall of 1964 Donald was in the second grade at Hamlin Elementary School in Rochester MI. There was a struggle going on. Donald had, in his mind, invented numerical bases for counting, and used them fluently to do his math work.  He was interested in second grade level books but not to read them. How and why things worked were mysteriously interesting to him especially the abacus. So varied and unusual were his interests that Donald was oblivious to his classmates, and at times did not “hear” nor heed his teacher Mrs Crocket. The disruptions had to stop. An intervention was necessary! The intervention started with a startling and terrible report card with a couple of  “U” s for his unsatisfactory performance and behavior. This was followed by a parent teacher conference where Grandpa suspects the details of the intervention were worked out. On that fateful day, in the fall of 1964, Mrs Crocket and Donald’s mom intervened. The event included a speech therapist, a math researcher (tutor) and an opportunity for independent work. If Donald made the right decision his life would be changed for the better, forever! Semloh a new character to Grandpa Hill’s true stories joins Gorf and Marshmallow to help explain Grandpa’s problem.  Semloh observes thinks and explains the details as best he can. He is a wise observant and understanding character that help’s Donald think and helps Gorf, Marshmallow, Grandpa’s children, Grandpa’s grandchildren, and all children to understand how to be very much like others while being happily quite different.