As the 46th President of the United States begins his term today, my memory propels me back to Inauguration Day, 1961.

Spoiler alert: This posting has nothing to do with Irish genealogy, and it would be a stretch to say it's family history. 

In January 1961, I was in second grade, one of six students at Happy Hollow School in (very) rural South Dakota. As I recollect, the other students during the 1960-1961 school year were 7th graders Bob and Dennis, 5th graders Della and Tom, third grader Judy and me. Six of us in four grades.

Our teacher was "Miss Bauer," whose parents lived a few miles away. She'd completed two years of college so was likely only 20 years old as the term started that September. In retrospect I wonder if Miss Bauer was lured back to teach at Happy Hollow and break up her college studies because the position was so difficult to fill. However I remember her as a very good teacher, empathetic and well-organized, able to maintain discipline despite the often-mischievous "big boys." It's remarkable, really, as I look back.

We'd discussed the 1960 election in school, the race between Republican Richard M. Nixon and Democrat John F. Kennedy. I remember differences of opinion at Happy Hollow about who the best candidate was, but we were all interested and curious about what happened when a new U.S. President was elected.

January 20, 1961 was a Friday -- OK, I admit I had to look that up -- but what I recall is a field trip of sorts. That morning we packed up our desks, took our metal lunchboxes and were driven to a neighbor's house. We circled the television and while munching sandwiches, we watched as President Kennedy was inaugurated. We heard his words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

It's a strong memory, like another Friday a few years later (November 22, 1963), when that same neighbor telephoned the school to tell us President Kennedy had been shot.

Our country has been through troubled times before. I'm optimistic we can do it again.