School Story:
I just remember how much fun I had in high school and wish I could live just one day over again. Probably live it a lot different now. I remember going into Ms. Tetter's office for her to give us our scores that we had made on the state test to see what we could do with our lives. Everyone before me had made high grades on their scores. I entered her office and she asked me "Where was your head?"........I told her that I was sitting across from my boyfriend and I couldn't concentrate. I had no plans to go to college. I just wanted to be a wife and mother. Of course, my parents weren't very happy with my scores because they wanted me to go to college. I remember every lunch hour going to upper Alton to the Windmill Cafe with Jeff Miller the first half hour of the lunch and the second half I would sit and talk with Jim Brown while he ate lunch. You ask how come I had an hour lunch? I told the high school I ate lunch at my grandmother Kodros's on Edwards Street. So I had an hour lunch. I will always remember cheerleading the first year at AHS with Joanie Holland. We were both Substitute cheerleaders for Varsity and then my junior year and senior year I got to cheer varsity. Margie Baron, Jo Ann Secor, Jackie Houston, and Janet Hiller.Those were great times and made memories. Janet Hiller, Judy Long, Cindy Phillips, Lizzy Halpin, and myself cheerlead for some great sport teams my junior and senior year. We had an outstanding football team and basketball team. Our track and baseball athletes were tops.
One of the funniest times in my life and I don't know that Nancy Russell will think it was that funny but if she will remember right we both had talked our parents in letting us go play tennis at the tennis courts up at SIU on College Avenue. Now neither one of us played tennis. We mainly wanted to get somewhere where we could try a cigarette and look grown up. We sure didn't do it very well. We both smoked a cigarette looking around the whole time to see that no one was going to see us do it. All of a sudden, in the back seat of the car, smoke started rolling out. Nancy and I jumped out of the car and got into the back seat and there was a hole in the backseat where the smoke was coming out. We both started spitting in the hole and laughing at the same time. It really wasn't funny but I think we both were so scared that we had caught the car on fire and what would happen to us. I think they had to call the fire truck to put it out. Nancy was a good friend and always so much fun. She and I both worked for her uncle during our high school years at Honke Pharmacy.
I can remember having tatler parties at my house and going to other peoples homes when the tatler's came out. I remember graduation night going over to Elizabeth Grigsby's home for a party and getting to stay out all night. Lanny Darr kept us in stitches most of the evening. Lanny Darr is still funny and can keep a party going.
When I started school at Washington Grade School I should have known that those same people would be long life friends of mine. The whole class are still very close. We went all the way through school together. Sandy Bryden, Peggy Michaels, Patsy Perkins, Lois Weber, Sharon Hickey, Mariyln Twitchell, Maureen Gill, Mary Ann and Diane Dooley, Shirley Cox, Judy Pea, Penny Ruhe, Don Lahr, Tom Butler, Tim Graul, Mel Giberson, Larry Buhs, Sam Schmidt,Larry Beasley, Ronnie Clark, Howard Shumacher, John Ford, Jerry Ellington, Don Radcliff, Dale Grace, and Ted Morkel. I hope I am not forgetting anyone but we were lucky that we lived through the late 40's and 50's.
How many of you remember knowing all the people on the school board when you were in grade school. Mr. Leamon (Charlie Leamon's dad), Macy Pruitt , Mr. Ready, and J.B.Johnson. They made tours throughout each school at least once a month and you learned to be respectful to them at a very young age. When we got to AHS I remember Mr. Juresiz and G C Davis standing at the top of the steps at AHS and you knew that you better be good or else. I don't know that kids of today show the same respect we had for our teachers.
I remember Jack Lenhardt giving me the book the Deer Slayer to get a book report done for Mrs. Perry's class. Jack was always very bashful but had it not been for him giving me the book of notes on that story I wouldn't have been able to get my book report done because I really hated to read.
Teachers I respected were Ardyth Browning, her husband Dean Browning. They were a couple of teachers that really took you in under their wings and made sure you were working up to your potential and even would take you to colleges to look at them and maybe sign up. Miss Colonius was probably one of the most outstanding techers we had at AHS. She demanded respect and she got it from me.
Funny story. David Stupprich and I were in the same typing class with Mrs. Brecker. It was her first year of teaching at AHS. She would give us time tests and Dave would always have trouble with his typewriter and I loved to type so I would hurry up and type my paper up and then do one for Dave. Didn't realize it till Ms. Bricker pointed out to me that he had a pica typewriter and mine was an elite. Difference in type so I got in lots of trouble and Dave would sit back and just laugh at me. I miss him. He is one of our classmates that has passed away.
It is funny how life goes on but when I think back about high school I will always carry good memories about those times and wouldn't have had it any other way.
