"You can't go through,  you can't go round',  cause we're the kids from Highlandtown...

        ...HIGH - LAND      ---------   TOWN,  TOWN,  TOWN !!!"

I hope that some of my classmates who were athletes, cheerleaders and those members of the Patterson marching band will have something to add to this part of the Patterson "ship's log." Although I was too slight of body and talent to be on a varsity or junior varsity team when I was in high school, I was athletic.  I could ride horses (still can), play tennis on the wonderful red clay courts in Clifton Park, and when Herring Run would freeze during the winter, I played ice hockey with several of my friends from the Belair Road, Herring Run Park neighborhood where I then lived.  My family moved to northeast Baltimore, from Baltimore and Clinton Streets, in the mid-1950's.

Although a member of the Patterson "artsy set", I, like so many of my classmates were loyal supporters and fans of all the Patterson sports teams.  We followed them to football, baseball and basketball games all over the City of Baltimore.  No one had to guess who we were;  we had blue and white "P's" and stars, sewn on our sweaters, blazers and Patterson jackets.  We travelled by transit buses and streetcars, two, sometimes three, to see Patterson play schools like City College, Calvert Hall College, Polytechnic Institute, Forest Park, Mount Saint Joe, etc., etc.  Mr. Fleming took 5 or 6 of us to the Mount Saint Joe game one year (of course all of the girls wanted to sit in the front seat next to Mr. Fleming) ...and I'll never forget those fancy Forest Park girls --- so "avant-garde" we thought!  (We had just learned a new word in art class).  "Rich and overdressed" would have been more suitable.

I felt especially proud of my school when the Patterson marching band would come onto the field and march with spirit playing  --- "Cheer, cheer, for Old Patterson,  Wake up the echoes cheering her name,  Send a volley cheer on high,  Shake down the thunder from the sky!...".  We had much to cheer about as the football, basketball, baseball and soccer teams were always top contenders in the high school leagues in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.  The Patterson cheerleaders were all so pretty - in their blue and white pleated skirts, wearing a white sweater with a blue letter "P" on the front.  They led us in so many cheers --- which are still fun to remember!

Boom-a-lacka,    Chick-a-lacka,         Bow,  Wow,  Wow 

Boom-a-lacka,    Chick-a-lacka,         Chow,  Chow,  Chow 

Boom-a-lacka,    Chick-a-lacka,         WHO  ARE  WE?

PATTERSON!,    PATTERSON!,      YES  SIR   RE!

GO  PATS   GO !!! 

              Christopher  Newman         January  5,  2011