Charles E. Burchfield's Dreams, Journals, January 7, 1934

A dream last night – I was a half-grown boy going to school, a school that was a strange mixture of the Gardenville School and the Fourth St. School at Salem, Ohio. My children were there too, and although I was only a boy, I was conscious that I was their Father. I had difficulty finding my class, first going into the 7^th grade, where all the pupils were unfamiliar to me but one, Arthur Brian, who looked as he did when I went to the grades with him long ago. I now told the teacher I did not belong here and she said “Well, you’re big enough” – then she said “I suppose the 6^th grade is good enough for this country bumpkin”. This hurt my pride, and I said haughtily “Do you realize that I have pictures in museums all over the country” – but she was unimpressed and led me to the 6^th grade where that wonderful part of the dream took place. It seemed as if the school was located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, close to the water’s edge, and this room situated in the northwest part of the building. A March storm was raging out of the north; the roar of the waves penetrated the room and dominated all other sounds; then it seemed as if the waves came right into the room, covering part of it, and then receding thru the walls as tho they were made of mist; and then kept surging thru again & again. Once I saw a girl walking down the aisle almost engulfed; outside thru the window I could see the phalanxes of waves rushing toward the shore. I was filled with delight that I was to be in this room where the elements were so close, and came into the room.

Charles E. Burchfield, January 7, 1934