It seems that high school boys know all about cars. I don't think my son knew all the cars' models and engines when he was in high school during the 90's. BUT during the 60"s I knew all the cars, by year, model and engine size.
My first vehicle was a motor scooter.... a Vespa. They are still around today... a hit on the college campuses. Scooters could be driven at 14 and many folks had them. They were replaced by Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha mini motorcycles. I never did that route but bought a 1954 Vauxhaul.... a little English Ford. But then as a Jr I bought a 1955 Chevy Two Door Belair Coupe.... white with black and red interior. It was hot! I loved that car with it's 265 cc eight cylinder engine with 3 speed on the floor ( I installed it). George Woodsby had a yellow 55 Chevy Belair, but his was not a coupe!
Before I bought my Chevy I drove my parent's cars on my dates. Studebaker and Chevy.... big front seats but really family!
Don Roberts had a 60 MGA that he shared with his brother, but for dates, he used his parents Pontiac Catalena. This was a great car that I double in several times and his brother Tom still own it today. Sometimes when I was without date, Don would borrow my 55 Chevy, with the big front seat and give me the MGA since I had no girl to smooch.
Let's see what I remember...
Marian Jackson's folks had a big Plymouth with a 383.
Roland Alston had a small Dodge Dart that hes swore would beat me in quarter mile...( did not show up to race)
John McTamney had a small Simka that he and Adrianne would fold down the front seats all the way.
Don Wilson's family had a hot 1965 Chevy.
John Kelly and I help rebuild a 1954 Jaguar that we took to Pawleys Island. He also had a 1964 Ford with a 406, 4our speed and his dad had a 59 Ford hardtop convertable. Very cool cars.
Tim Gipe had a big Thunderbird and Bruce Thomas a small old white one.
Pete Aynesworth always had VW Bugs
Gary Murphy had a white Dodge convertible... hot!
Lou Ann Busselle had a burgundy Olds 442. very hot!
I know more but will have to think about this
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Teacher Memories
Now all of us can remember our favorite teachers or teacher. As a former teacher myself, I tried to emulate my favorite one, Mr Elmore. He was great in the classroom. He had a great sense of humor and made learning fun. Now he was algebra and did I struggle at Hillcrest and college too. So maybe I had too much of a good time and did less learning. Maybe I was not destined to use algebra in my life. I did major in science, political science and later picked up a masters degree in library science. But no one ever asked me about algebra.
I remember when I was first teaching ( it was Hillcrest) there were a bunch of young teachers there. When we were at HHS, I got the feeling our teachers were just days away from social security. In this category I put Mrs Sanders, Mrs Jackson, Mrs Cuttino, Miss Gaston, Mrs Kenny, Mrs Estornelle, Mrs Cooper, Mrs McCutchen, and maybe Mr Merritt. ( I did cheat and look up three of these teachers in the annual)
I do not have many memories of these, but just snippets. My homeroom teacher in 9th grade was Miss Gaston. She made us all read a verse from the bible each morning. John Kelly really objected and refused, but she persisted. When it came John's turn, he said the shortest verse in the Bible...."Jesus wept!" Ha... she went speechless!
I had Mrs Riley Bradham for world history. Now she made this real boring. Later I learned she was an excellent golfer and left every day to hit the links after school. Well her mind was elsewhere. My class was mischievous and maybe I played a role. She locked the door always between class so she could run and have a smoke. Several of us took turns putting a pencil in the lock and breaking off the lead in the door, so a key would not get in to open it. She never was really pissed, but tried, called Charlie the janitor, and he got it open. Once they had to take off the door. No one ever caught! ( later I taught world history at HHS and she was teaching the same down the hall...we never talked)
Mrs Sanders brought her husbands Ku Klux Klan outfit to class one day. She said it was not his but a neighbor's, but we all knew. I loved US History and Government. I wish we would have had someone to make it come alive more. I just remember her reaching down the top of her dress and pulling up her bra or slip strap every day... we would wait for it and giggle!
We had a Latin teacher that died during the first or second year and then we had Mrs Stevenson as a long term sub. I do not think she had Latin since high school. We learned little. Thanks to Kris Shekitka for being a Catholic acolyte and knowing all the Latin... it saved us. Later we got Mrs Cuttino. She was ok, if you liked Latin.
My senior year some of us needed another credit, so a couple of us took French under Mrs Kerfoot Kinney.
Now she was footsteps away from the nursing home. John and I had a great time there. We had some freshmen in there that were in awe of us and we took advantage... especially with the girls. Mrs Kinney would have us take a vocabulary test every day. First she gave us 15 minutes to learn the words and then she wrote on the board the french words and never looked back at the class. Every one was talking, sharing ( cheating) and then we gave the papers to someone in the isle next to us and we graded them in class. What a waste of time and education.
A quick note to some others...Mrs Estornelle loved my experiments... alcohol effects on hamsters ( my dad's Canadian Club) and the liquid oxygen one I got from the base. She loved off the wall stuff. She did not love me blasting glass everywhere while making hydrogen. (her grave is 8 ft from my spot at Holy Cross Church in Stateburg... scary!)
I never had Mrs Jackson, but I did have her daughter... not in the sexual sense...but we did date and had some excellent times making out in her living room right next to Mrs Jackson's bedroom! I never made out at HHS. I might be in the minority here.
I do remember and may come back later and talk about Mrs James, Mrs Shuler, the coaches, Mr Alston, Mrs Gantt and one more that I cannot remember her name in 9th grade, but she was beautiful!
Oh yes.... Mr Merritt and Mrs McCown!
I remember when I was first teaching ( it was Hillcrest) there were a bunch of young teachers there. When we were at HHS, I got the feeling our teachers were just days away from social security. In this category I put Mrs Sanders, Mrs Jackson, Mrs Cuttino, Miss Gaston, Mrs Kenny, Mrs Estornelle, Mrs Cooper, Mrs McCutchen, and maybe Mr Merritt. ( I did cheat and look up three of these teachers in the annual)
I do not have many memories of these, but just snippets. My homeroom teacher in 9th grade was Miss Gaston. She made us all read a verse from the bible each morning. John Kelly really objected and refused, but she persisted. When it came John's turn, he said the shortest verse in the Bible...."Jesus wept!" Ha... she went speechless!
I had Mrs Riley Bradham for world history. Now she made this real boring. Later I learned she was an excellent golfer and left every day to hit the links after school. Well her mind was elsewhere. My class was mischievous and maybe I played a role. She locked the door always between class so she could run and have a smoke. Several of us took turns putting a pencil in the lock and breaking off the lead in the door, so a key would not get in to open it. She never was really pissed, but tried, called Charlie the janitor, and he got it open. Once they had to take off the door. No one ever caught! ( later I taught world history at HHS and she was teaching the same down the hall...we never talked)
Mrs Sanders brought her husbands Ku Klux Klan outfit to class one day. She said it was not his but a neighbor's, but we all knew. I loved US History and Government. I wish we would have had someone to make it come alive more. I just remember her reaching down the top of her dress and pulling up her bra or slip strap every day... we would wait for it and giggle!
We had a Latin teacher that died during the first or second year and then we had Mrs Stevenson as a long term sub. I do not think she had Latin since high school. We learned little. Thanks to Kris Shekitka for being a Catholic acolyte and knowing all the Latin... it saved us. Later we got Mrs Cuttino. She was ok, if you liked Latin.
My senior year some of us needed another credit, so a couple of us took French under Mrs Kerfoot Kinney.
Now she was footsteps away from the nursing home. John and I had a great time there. We had some freshmen in there that were in awe of us and we took advantage... especially with the girls. Mrs Kinney would have us take a vocabulary test every day. First she gave us 15 minutes to learn the words and then she wrote on the board the french words and never looked back at the class. Every one was talking, sharing ( cheating) and then we gave the papers to someone in the isle next to us and we graded them in class. What a waste of time and education.
A quick note to some others...Mrs Estornelle loved my experiments... alcohol effects on hamsters ( my dad's Canadian Club) and the liquid oxygen one I got from the base. She loved off the wall stuff. She did not love me blasting glass everywhere while making hydrogen. (her grave is 8 ft from my spot at Holy Cross Church in Stateburg... scary!)
I never had Mrs Jackson, but I did have her daughter... not in the sexual sense...but we did date and had some excellent times making out in her living room right next to Mrs Jackson's bedroom! I never made out at HHS. I might be in the minority here.
I do remember and may come back later and talk about Mrs James, Mrs Shuler, the coaches, Mr Alston, Mrs Gantt and one more that I cannot remember her name in 9th grade, but she was beautiful!
Oh yes.... Mr Merritt and Mrs McCown!
Monday, March 21, 2011
1965 Football Season
My senior season was one of the best teams Hillcrest had ever dressed out. Whenever we have a reunion, several teammates always bring up our great senior season and what it meant to them. I am afraid that some of those memories are starting to fade and I really want to get them down in writing and hope others can remember and share some of the great times
Our Wildcats were seven wins and two defeat. The two losses were to the two teams that won the state title in their divisions... Lower Richland and East Clarendon. I cannot remember too many of the other games, but some of the plays of these games have stuck with me for over 40 years.
Let me see if I can remember the players. I played right guard, George Woodsby was center, Clarence Strickland was tackle and I Rick Ransbottom was the right end. On the other side of the center was Charlie Stubbs as left guard, Don Roberts as tackle and Chappie McCown as end. Not this was on offense. I am a little fuzzy about defense. I know I played left end, then Don Roberts as tackle, I think Charlie Stubbs was also left guard. I think George Woodsby was center and Kris Shekitka was right guard, Clarence Strickland was right tackle and I can not remember who was right end.
Now the backfield was often changing. I know John Kelly was always the quarterback. The Lindler twins, Bill and Dick were often in the backfield as was Charlie Craven. I think we had others in the offense as well, but I cannot remember. In out defensive backfield, I think we had Kelly, the Lindlers and maybe Craven too. Someone has to help me out here.
I entered Hillcrest my freshmen year and had never seen a football game in my life. My first one was at Lamar and I had not a clue what was going on. I really did not learn that much by my sophomore year, but I went out. Hillcrest teams had a reputation of never having a winning season. If they won 4 games it was a victorious season. I figured I would probably play a little. I was athletic and in good shape. Later that year I made the varsity basketball team and the track team. But apparently I did not take to football too well, or at least the coaches did not think so. We only had about 23 players on the team. I went to most every practice, ( except the 4 days I missed while in the hospital for being dehydrated) and dressed for all be two games. However, I never was sent in to play one play all season...not once!!! I have never forgiven those coaches....never. The next season I started every game and almost played every minute all season.... go figure!
I bet Chappie, Don, Charlie and Clarence remember the games and the season. I have memories of the East Clarendon game when I had to punt because Kris Shekitka was hurt. I was terrible. I may have cost us the game. I recall Lower Richland because we played in the Sumter City Stadium and both of us were 6 and 0 at the time. Mooney Player, their coach ran a trick play in the beginning and we did not catch it! They scored on the first play and we never recovered. We lost 13-7 I think.
I want to say that my year with those guys were the greatest. We became a team and great friends that have stayed that way until today. We sweated, showered, and slaved together on the hot summer, dry field of the HHS practice fields. We were respected in the school, in the community and among parents. I think that season gave us all a sense of pride that many of us still have today. My hat off to you guys! And the girls who cheered us on and dated us too.
Our Wildcats were seven wins and two defeat. The two losses were to the two teams that won the state title in their divisions... Lower Richland and East Clarendon. I cannot remember too many of the other games, but some of the plays of these games have stuck with me for over 40 years.
Let me see if I can remember the players. I played right guard, George Woodsby was center, Clarence Strickland was tackle and I Rick Ransbottom was the right end. On the other side of the center was Charlie Stubbs as left guard, Don Roberts as tackle and Chappie McCown as end. Not this was on offense. I am a little fuzzy about defense. I know I played left end, then Don Roberts as tackle, I think Charlie Stubbs was also left guard. I think George Woodsby was center and Kris Shekitka was right guard, Clarence Strickland was right tackle and I can not remember who was right end.
Now the backfield was often changing. I know John Kelly was always the quarterback. The Lindler twins, Bill and Dick were often in the backfield as was Charlie Craven. I think we had others in the offense as well, but I cannot remember. In out defensive backfield, I think we had Kelly, the Lindlers and maybe Craven too. Someone has to help me out here.
I entered Hillcrest my freshmen year and had never seen a football game in my life. My first one was at Lamar and I had not a clue what was going on. I really did not learn that much by my sophomore year, but I went out. Hillcrest teams had a reputation of never having a winning season. If they won 4 games it was a victorious season. I figured I would probably play a little. I was athletic and in good shape. Later that year I made the varsity basketball team and the track team. But apparently I did not take to football too well, or at least the coaches did not think so. We only had about 23 players on the team. I went to most every practice, ( except the 4 days I missed while in the hospital for being dehydrated) and dressed for all be two games. However, I never was sent in to play one play all season...not once!!! I have never forgiven those coaches....never. The next season I started every game and almost played every minute all season.... go figure!
I bet Chappie, Don, Charlie and Clarence remember the games and the season. I have memories of the East Clarendon game when I had to punt because Kris Shekitka was hurt. I was terrible. I may have cost us the game. I recall Lower Richland because we played in the Sumter City Stadium and both of us were 6 and 0 at the time. Mooney Player, their coach ran a trick play in the beginning and we did not catch it! They scored on the first play and we never recovered. We lost 13-7 I think.
I want to say that my year with those guys were the greatest. We became a team and great friends that have stayed that way until today. We sweated, showered, and slaved together on the hot summer, dry field of the HHS practice fields. We were respected in the school, in the community and among parents. I think that season gave us all a sense of pride that many of us still have today. My hat off to you guys! And the girls who cheered us on and dated us too.
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