School Story:
I must admit that high school was a rather difficult time for me. Due to the start of the busing program I attended three different Junior High schools. Roosevelt for 7th grade, West for 8th grade and East for 9th grade. During this time period I lived in the same house on the east side of town. Upon arriving at Alton High, I was very thin and weighed only 130 pounds at graduation. Like many teenagers, I felt awkward and for good reason. I was awkward.
I loved sports but a 5'10" flyweight had little chance, especially one that had no speed. I will always be grateful to Sherrill Hanks for allowing me to try out for the basketball team and mercifully allowing me to survive the first cut. Other than that it was the minor leagues for me and even there I struggled. I remember a softball game in which Larry Donahue was an outfielder. Larry is a great guy and was a powerhouse. He picked up the ball and threw it to me near home plate. The impact of the ball hitting my glove knocked me to the ground. The guy had an arm! Needless to say, I avoided Larry after that episode.
We had some great teachers and coaches and a principal (G.C. Davis) who absolutely terrified me.
Some of the teachers I remember are Mr. Bruno. I remember how he always leaned back on the rear legs of his chair. I remember one day the inevitable happened. He hit the floor with a thud but continued his lecture as he went down and got back to his feet. Of course there was Ms. Paul the College Prep. English teacher. How slowly the clock hands moved in that room. How I dreaded her method of going around the room methodically asking you questions. Even if I knew the answers, I was too shy to speak aloud. What if I gave the wrong answer? At that age I feared failure and risk.
To her credit, Ms. Paul was a great teacher. In college, I found that I was way ahead of the rest of my classmates in English skills. One of my dearest teachers was Ada Klump. She took me aside and instilled the confidence I needed. She evidently saw something in me that I failed to see in myself. In retrospect, I think that one of the greatest attributes of a teacher is to see the potential in their students and to open the possibilities so that the student begins to look at himself in a different light. I am thankful that I had a number of those teachers.
Time has allowed me to think better of my high school years. After all, we all know that Senior classes reached their all-time pinnacle in 1960. It's been all downhill since then. We had great sports teams, bands and orchestra, a great drama department and we were smart, good looking kids ( well most of us). Come to think of it, Alton was even named an All-American City in our era. I don't know how you feel, but I am still a teenager or twenty something year old in my mind but I am no longer 130 pounds and the last time I checked my body was threatening to drop below 5' 9" in height.
In looking though the class roll I am saddened to see some exceptionally good people are no longer with us. I was especially touched by the comments some of you made regarding Anita. I look forward to seeing you again at the reunion this year.
