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I Was a Member of the Mentally Gifted Minors Program Mgm

Mr. Norris At Sierra Vista

By: fourfelines
Written on August 4th, 2009

Hi,

I was trying to recall details about what we jokingly called the Mentally Gifted Monkeys program, which I participated in. This was at Sierra Vista School in La Habra, in the early 70's, and once a week we were entertained by Mr. Norris, who had a fascinating waxed mustache with ends that pointed laterally. He often taught about extra stuff we would not have learned in school at that time, like the tragic Romanov family, glass making, and what have you. Sometimes he would lapse into strange reveries of beautiful women who all had to have, he declared, 'thin lips." I never did understand that, but he did.

I was wondering if anyone else remembered their experience with Mr Norris or even shared the class with me. I just Googled MGM and was surprised to find this site. Now I will back up and read more about the mysterious program I participated in. I don't even remember how we qualified to be in it. My brother and sister, both older than me, were also in it.

Holly

By: fourfelines
Age: 41-45 , Female
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  • mitchnh
    mitchnh

    I, too, had Mr. Norris, but across town at Tierra Rica Elementary. I absolutely loved the classes. I remember that we purified sewer water, cast lead soldiers, blew glass, and earned points for learning about history. I don't recall any stories about women with thin lips, but do remember Mr. Norris acting out Huns attacking...He had a wonderful old bread truck that he allowed the students to paint on, called the puddlejumper. It was stock full of scientific equipment and books and if you answered enough questions correct in class you got to pick something out of the truck.



    And while I do remember being made fun of for being smart and in the program, I don't remember it being any worse than being smart and being made fun of in the regular class--and it was a whole lot more fun.



    Before I transferred to La Habra, I had been in MGM in Brea at Laurel elementary with Mrs. Currier. Maybe it was a gender thing, but in her class we made puppets, put on a show, and travelled to LA to see Richard Chamberlain play Cyrano de Bergerac. Very different, but also a wonderful time.



    Mitch

    Jan 31, 2012
    1 like