Big Fish in Small Pond vs Small Fish in Big Pond

One concept that the School Board and the whole parish is struggling with is whether it is better to continue having all these small community schools or go with the suggestion given to us by the out of town consultants that would combine at least 4 schools into one large new, modern building.
I started writing this blog a week and 3 days ago. I don't believe staff anticipated the out-cry from the citizens of Blanchard. Blanchard is a beautiful community and the excellent school is it's heart. It reminds me so much of the community of Swartz where I grew up and the school was the heart. I was a BIG fish at that little pond. The teachers knew the whole family and several of them had taught my mom and dad. In first grade I was elected favorite of my class. In second grade I was elected favorite and queen. The teacher went to the principal's office and came back and said they had made up a rule that no one could be both. So I had to give up one; I could be either favorite or queen, my choice. So being the very thoughtful child that I was, I said "I choose to be queen, because I will still be favorite because I got the most votes." I've always been a pain. And by being queen I got to pick a cute boy to be my king. I was already into boys. Mom was so glad to make me a beautiful gown to wear to the coronation. In third grade, when it was time to vote for queen and favorite, they had made a new rule that no one could be queen but one time in grades 1-4 and one time in 5-8. So the teacher said I could not be nominated. When it came time to vote for favorite, I was nominated along with a couple of other girls. So we were sent out in the hall while the class voted. The teacher told the class do not vote for Charlotte, there are other girls in the class. That hurt my feelings because I thought it meant she didn't like me. I never did trust her after that. Anyway things pretty well continued like that through 8th grade. But when our small school was fed into Ouachita High School the large majority of the students were from Ouachita Jr. High, so no one knew me or any of my classmates. I was overwhelmed. I never did like going to such a large school where one could never get to know everyone. But I made the best of it. Popular kids adjust but I think unpopular kids must just feel that much more unpopular.
Today I have great memories of that small pond call Swartz and when I think of Ouachita I still feel like a minnow being tossed by the sea.
I have been replying to the hundreds of emails from concerned Blanchard citizens. I tell them that I love small communities and schools like Blanchard and I do not agree with the plan to close it. They send back their thanks to my reply and tell me that out of 12 Board members, I am the only one who answered their emails. I can't help but believe it is because I am the only one who comes from a very small place. The rest are city folks from Shreveport. I think in a big pond you believe you can hide with the crowd.