The Kids in School with Me

When I studied my A-B-C's

And learned arithmetic,

I also learned in public school

What makes America tick:

The kid in front

And the kid behind

And the kid across the aisle,

The Italian kid

And the Polish kid

And the girl with the Irish smile,

The colored kid

And the Spanish kid

And the Russian kid my size,

The Jewish kid

And the Grecian kid

And the girl with the Chinese eyes--

We were a regular Noah's ark,

Every race beneath the sun,

But our motto for graduation was:

One for All and All for One!

The kid in front

And the kid behind

And the kid across from me--

Just American kids together

The kids in school with me.