School Story:
I see the image of the auditorium at Culkin on this webpage and see the photo there on the wall of Senator John C. Culkin for whom the school was named. A painting of my dad was up on that wall for a number of the later years when the Culkin still operated as an elementary school. I wonder where that painting is now.
Seeing the rows of seats in the auditorium reminds me of walking across them from one arm rest to the next while my mom played the piano when no one else was there except for the two of us. I remember having piano lessons there too from Mr. Fred Setaro, who was band director after Mr. Boochie retired. His wife, Mrs. Opal Setaro, was choral director and a close friend of my mom's. I remember sitting in the first row of the auditorium seats next to my mom on many evenings in the springtime during practice for the annual Senior Play. She enjoyed directing the play and was proud when it raised funds for the annual Senior Trip down to Biloxi or later to Long Beach Resort in Panama City, Florida.
I also remember my first day of school standing in the left side aisle to have my eyes tested and how I had tears in my eyes and was afraid my mom was going to leave me there. And in second grade I remember coming down the aisle with Leon Henry when he was my escort in a beauty pageant, of all things. And I remember sitting in those seats at many, many school programs over the years. My favorites were always the Christmas shows, which were referred to as Christmas Pageants, but they were just one type of many programs held there every year - assemblies, PTA meetings, spring concerts, graduations and more.
I also remember many days going into the auditorium after school and spending time with Louise Price and her husband William when they were cleaning and getting the school ready for the next day. The memories of that auditorium for me are complex and of huge significance. I remember the "This Is Your Life" program that one senior class did for my dad when I was in the 6th grade, Mrs. Wilkinson's, and Stan came home from Ole Miss to surprise Pop when he walked out on stage. And I remember election night crawling around on the floor and under the table while my dad and Mrs. Campbell and others counted the votes in the evening since Culkin served as an official polling location back then.
So, I can go on and on about Culkin and all the things that happened when I was a youngster. Mary Rowland and I and others in our class hung out on the campus after school on many days. Claudia Beasley and Kathy Corbin and Lois Melton who lived quite near the school came and played football or softball with us on the lawn between the two teacher's homes up on the hill - especially on those afternoons when Mrs. Rowland was off driving her school bus route.
Cheerleaders came and practiced their cheers there on the lawn too between those houses. During the holiday season every year Pop would install loud speakers and play music for all to hear during lunch time and any other time he thought he could get away with it. I can hear the Robert Rheems Orchestra playing "Silent Night" or "Oh Holy Night" even now. Pop was also very fond of Guy Lombardo and The Royal Canadians albums, so he played "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" and "Winter Wonderland" until we were all fully satisfied and wanting no more.
Some time I'll have to tell the tale about how Mary Rowland and I got a lesson in the birds and the bees from one of the high school boys. I'm trying to remember his name. It happened in that room just off the stage in the area where the Coke machine was located. Seems like a quaint, funny story now, but it was pretty scary and at the same time very exciting back then.
