Terry Crowell Kindley ( she now calls herself Lily sometimes)

MEMORIES

* Couples: The red-headed guy you mentioned with Patty Davis was Steve Smith.  I know this because I "dated" his brother Bruce in junior high and our freshman year until his father retired and they moved back to Tennessee. Steve came to one of the reunions I missed because I remember seeing his picture on-line later. Bruce was voted Freshman Class favorite with Susan Carrison my freshman year.  (OK. a little clarification here.  I started with the class of '67, but ended up skipping my sophomore year. At Shaw Junior High, there were about ten of us who took Freshmen English, Algebra I and one of the history classes when we were in 8th grade, so by the end of our freshmen year we had enough credits to be juniors the next year. Tommy Jacobs was in that class with me. As far as I know, we were the only ones who stayed at HHS and graduated in '66.  That's funny because I haven't thought about that in a long time. That's actually how Kathy Burrows and I became such good friends. I was in her English II class my first year and we hooked up like long-lost sisters and remain close still today.)

*Hot Cars: You left out the 64 1/2 Mustang my father bought--gold, white top, black interior.  Even though you lived around the corner, you probably didn't see it  a lot because I was usually in Don Wilson's car.  I mainly drove the white Lincoln Continental Marian Jackson and I nicknamed "The Tank".  It was so huge and seemed to "float".  It was like trying to drive a boat down those narrow country roads. After Daddy retired, he took over my grandfather's aviation business in Charlotte and he ended up parking "The Tank" at the airport where his plane was.  It was so big that he eventually turned it into a gigantic tool box for all of his tools! You did mention Don's parents' car, and it reminded me of a night when for some reason his father let him drive it for our date.  It must have been a special ocassion or something because I remember that both of us were dressed up.  Don's back yard connected to my back yard (which was very convenient!), but he always drove around and picked me up. We had only gone past the junior high school when Don lit a cigarette and immediately tossed the lighter out the car window. He was used to using matches in his car since it didn't have a lighter, so we spent a good part of that date walking up and down the road looking for the lighter since we weren't supposed to be smoking anyway. Yes, we did find it, but I laughed so hard while we were looking for it that I almost wet my pants.  (Nowdays, at this age, that would have been a certainty.)  And this reminds me of one more funny incident with Don and cars---the drive-in movies. As we were getting ready to leave after a movie one night, they made the standard announcement about remembering to remove the speaker from your window before leaving. I can still hear Don saying how stupid it was that people had to be reminded as he drove off ripping the speaker from the post (since it was still hanging on his window)!  I also remember a stretch of the road going to the HS that measured a perfect quarter of a mile and the late night competitions that sometimes happened there. I remember almost all of the cars you mentioned. I know I remember John Kelly's daddy's T-Bird (?) with the hard top because I vaugely remember that in messing around with it one day, one or more of us were almost trapped in the trunk since that's where the top went when it was lowered.  Actually, John probably did it on purpose. I do remember it being a very cool car.  I think I also remember one of your cars being totalled by a deer--- is that right or another figment of my imagination?

The Teachers:

Dear Mrs. Sanders---I, too, remember her predictable digging of the elusive bra or slip strap and when I first started teaching and felt the need of an adjustment of my own, all I could do was giggle thinking of her. BUT, I'm still not sure how or when it happened, but we had several individual conversations about history and one-on-one, she was a wonderous source of information. She could actually make it very interesting with the individual stories she told, rather than dates, names of battles, etc.  One influence I know she had on me was her insistance in calling the Civil War the War Between the States explaining that in a civil war, one side was trying to take over another the other side's government,. Her contention was that the South was trying to create their own government, not take over Washington's government. Be what it may, I still call it the War Between the States much to the entertainment of some people. I had already developed an interest in history in elementary and junior high, but believe it or not, I'm actually glad I had Mrs. Sanders because she kept my interest alive. 

Of course, it was an experience having Mrs. Jackson since Marion and I spent so much time together. I remember that at one point, we were in the same class together. I had spent the night with them, so I rode into school with them that morning. When we got in class, Mrs. Jackson told us to get out a sheet of paper because we were going to have a pop test. Marian screamed, "Mama, you didn't tell me. That's not fair!" Mrs. Jackson just gave her a smile and began with the first question. She was always the epitome of professionalism.

Mrs. Gantt was the cheerleading sponsor, so I saw her a lot out of class at practices. She was definitely one of the sweetest ladies I can remember. Her husband, Mr. Gantt, was my 6th grade teacher and a great one, too. One of the fringe benefits of having him was the fact that he used to play American Legion ball with Bobby Richardson and they were great friends, so in the off-season for the Yankees, he would come back to Sumter and visit. He always spent a half a day or more in the classroom with us. Boy, did we think we were special!

I remember a lot of other teachers, too, but I can't remember the name of the long-haired, guitar playing Spanish teacher who taught me to sing about a cockroach in Spanish!

Mr. Merritt was a special person to me. He had been my principal in elementary school as well as high school. I think in the back of my mind I felt like he was being promoted with me. Anyway, over the years, he came to know me and my family well. I always thought highly of him.

I remember other teachers I had, but can't seem to be able to recall any incidents in class or whatever.  There is one teacher I will always remember, and that, of course, is Mrs. James. I had her for my junior and senior English classes,  I worked on the annual my junior year and was editor my senior year so I had quite a lot of contact with her. I loved her classes (with maybe the exception of split infinitives!), but her strictness with the grammar paid off in college. More important than that was her approach to literature.  I come from a family who loves to read. (I remember when I was younger, my mother decided that my brother, my father and I would not be allowed to read at the table anymore. My father always had the newspaper, and my brother and I always brought a book, comic book or something to the table since we thought it was the norm to read while you were eating. After all, we didn't do it in public or when we had company. Well, the new rule didn't last too long because a fight broke out on who was going to get to read the cereal box at the table! My mother gave up and said we were beyond hope, but at least she had tried.) My point is that I entered Mrs. James classes as an avid reader, but I left as a lover and student of literature with a desire for more. (At this point, I'm sure there are many of you gagging, rolling on the floor, or at least on your way to mix a stronger drink, but Hell's Bells, if I can't tell the truth now, then when can I? At this age, I have no shame!)  Mrs. James was the teacher I needed because she did expect so much from us and held us to such high standards. She is the reason I majored in English, and continue reading and learning even in retirement. (Or maybe I just have too much time on my hands!)

*Places and Happenings:  There are so many places  and things that bring back memories that I'm just going to list some now and tackle descriptions, incidents, etc. later!

 Big Jim's, Lilford's ( ?) Restaurant, Wateree, the store across from school (?), the base pool,  the tennis courts, base theater, and the Teen Club (You made me remember that one and I spent a lot of time there---must be selective memory or something.)

The Pines,---Am I crazy, or did we really meet somewhere in the woods called "the Pines" to party?  And if we did, where was it???? 

I can't remember the name of the store that was built in Sumter that had the first automatic doors , but they attacked Marian and me. We had gone to the grand opening of the store, but were more fascinated with the doors that would open and close all by themselves when someone came up. We stood on the sidewalk a while watching them operate and then decided to get a closer look at how they worked.  Well, while we were studying the doors, someone came up, the doors were activated and because these doors swung open automatically (instead of sliding as they do now), Marian and I discovered ourselves penned behind the doors up against the stores glass wall. We laughed to the point of tears at which time the manager came out to see if we were hurt. We explained that we were just thoroughly entertained and would come back to visit again.  Where is a camera when you need it? The visual of the two of us smashed between the doors and the wall like bugs still makes me laugh.

All of these bring back memories, too:  cheerleading, American Legion games, fund raisers, Oakland Plantation, Thomas Sumter's Tomb, Sam Young's Riding Academy, Stamey's Auction, Carolina Cup, Dinkens Mill Pond and intergration. These are all things I've started writing about and maybe I'll actually finish them.

The most special place to me was always Pawley's Island beginning in the second grade. It is the one place I won't ever allow my mind to forget regardless of everything else it loses! I'm sure so many can share memories of Pawley's or just the beach. I'll enjoy writing about it.

The train just left the station. (That would be my train of thought again.) I'll let you decide if you can use any of this, but I'm having a ball doing it just for my own sake. 

Once again, I'm really looking forward to Friday, and who knows, maybe my communication skills will improve enough to keep up with you and others better than I have been!

                                                                           Peace Out Brother! 

 (Sorry, just another one of my flashbacks!---Not really. I may not remember everything, but I know for sure I never said, "Peace Out, Brother!"  I just couldn't think of a way to close this thing, so I'll just sign off WITH LOVE AND LAUGHTER---Terry)