My elementary school was pretty run of the mill. But in high school I sort of started developing my personality, I guess. Our senior class sort of ran in a pack and would do everything together. At one time I could get you to every town in this little community by the back roads! (Laughs) We had our nights when we went to dances in all the different areas, you know, and just had a great time.

I had a very small graduating class. There were only 18 in my class. And we still are very close and meet yearly, what few of us are left. We’ve lost quite a few of our graduating class to early death. Um, gee, I don’t know….um, I guess that, ah, maybe we were sheltered? I don’t know just how to say it but I think we were protected more from a lot of the things that go on in the world than what the kids are today.

I remember one time getting put off of the bus. Many times I had to ride the heater box because I was acting up, I guess, but really it was just I had a crush on the bus driver. He was really good-lookin’ you know. I just wanted to get up there to talk to him! (Laughter) You didn’t realize what you were getting into!

He put me off the bus and made me walk simply because someone had taken railroad ties and covered them with corn shucks and pumpkins to block one of the roads. Guess who got blamed for it.

He said, “I know you didn’t do it yourself but,” he says, “You are guilty! You were in on it!” and honest to God I wasn’t that time!

I didn’t do it but boy I took the blame! (Laughs) I took the punishment for it I had the reputation of being kind of a…rowdy.

But I never did anything! You know, nothing real bad, we just liked to do the normal things kids do. Back then you made your own fun. There weren’t all the things there are now for kids to do, but there was a lot of school activities and I took part in all those. I was in both the junior and senior plays and that kind of stuff.