The axiom says, "You can't go home again." Perhaps that's true, but a visit I made with my parents Tuesday afternoon certainly felt like a trip back in time.

My father, Oscar Mehler, was honored that day as a board member emeritus at what is now the Children's Center of Mercer County in Hermitage. My mother, Carol Mehler, and I were on hand that afternoon to see him receive the accolade.

For me, entering the building was like going back to elementary school. I was a student there from kindergarten through sixth grade when it was called Mercer County Crippled Children's School. Nearly 18 years later, I was pleased to see some things remain as I remember them.

The meeting Tuesday coincidentally was in the last classroom I attended before leaving to start seventh grade at Notre Dame School in Hermitage.

"Did they cut the room in half? It looks so much smaller," I remarked.

The room's current incarnation is one for preschool-age children with various disabilities, not that of elementary students.

I remember sitting at my desk in front of the chalkboard, listening to and learning from Gladys Ayers. While each of her students had a disability of one form or another, she never ceased in her encouragement and worked tirelessly to push us academically. To this day I am convinced her gentle prodding and constant motivation made my transition to "mainstream" schools much less traumatic.

While the school no longer provides a kindergarten-through- 12th-grade education, it was heartening to know young children with a multitude of disabilities could still begin their academic lives within those walls before matriculating most often to mainstream schools.

Traversing the hallways Tuesday, I was overwhelmed by memories at every turn. The scent of chlorine brought back recollections of swimming classes in which I never did learn to float but had a great deal of fun with my classmates.

I looked at the lobby and saw a mental image of the huge Christmas tree which stood sentinel there during the holiday seasons. A glance at a doorway made me recall time spent in the gymnasium either for activities, lunch or chatting in a corner with friends during our free time. Going inside what is still the physical therapy room, I remembered the first day I sat in my very first wheelchair; feeling so independent and grown up at age 5.

Now, at age 31, those times seem so very long ago.

While I don't for a moment regret the decision my parents and I made to move on to mainstream schools, I am thankful for all the wonderful people of Crippled Children's School and know I have been forever shaped by the years I spent there.

No, it may not be possible to go home again. But, if you're lucky, the memories will live forever.

Staff Writer Lisa Mehler is a feature writer for The Herald. You can e-mail her at lmehler@sharonherald.com