My High School Days
MAY, 2008
To my grandkids with love,
This is the month of school graduations. From Kindergarten, to Elementary School, to High School to College, you name it we are all involved with at least one of these. I attended a graduation and graduation party of a very dear friend of mine who is graduating from High School. I have known her since she was one. Sarah and her family have included me in school functions as well as birthdays and other family functions throughout her 12 years and before. So she seems like one of my grandkids.
It‘s not like I won‘t see her any more as she is going to ASU next year on a full scholarship. Following her so closely again makes me realize how different my high school days were as opposed to hers. There is little to compare educationally.
The closest high school was in Wauneta, Nebraska, a town eight and a half miles from our farm. It was familiar to me as that was where we did our shopping and carried out business transactions. When Mom or Daddy announced they were going in to town, we knew they were going to Wauneta. We often went there on Saturday nights in the summers to get groceries and socialize with neighbors.
Even so, I came in to high school with fear and trembling. I was the opposite of the vivacious outgoing cheerleader type that all the boys wanted to date. I was scared to death the teacher would call on me in class. I had a very poor self-image and never conversed more than necessary with the opposite sex. Francis Fekkers invited me to the freshman initiation party and I accepted. However, I was uncomfortable, being much taller than he was, and every bit as shy. What misery that turned out to be!
The only thing that saved me was that I had three or four girl friends. Two of the girls I had gone through grade school with
were Verla and Darlene Kitt. We also attended the same church. So whenever I could I would hang out with them. The last two years they rode with me and we drove to school and back in an Oldsmobile Coupe that daddy bought for that purpose. If you are good at antiques someone might be able to tell the year. My guess is around 1936
Part of the time my parents let me drive and part of the time I stayed in Wauneta Monday through Friday. with my paternal grandmother, Mildred Miller. They would come get me for the weekend and grandma often would come too.
Grandma Miller was as sweet a grandma as one could have and I
loved staying with her. She lived close enough that I could walk to her house for lunch. No such thing as a cafeteria or school lunches on lonely evenings in the winter she would teach me to crochet and embroider. She taught me how to make a rag rug. She taught me love and kindness and accepting others. I don‘t ever recall her saying an unkind. . word to anyone or about anyone. even though my mom sometimes said some rather demeaning things to her. A neighbor, Mrs. Greer, would come over almost every day and tell us everything that was going on in the neighborhood but none of us ever considered that gossip. Grandma was always kind to any of our friends that we invited in for games. She was very lonely and I think she was glad for me to be there.
When I was a senior I had the lead part in a three-act play that was traditionally called the Senior Play. It was called “Aunt Suzy Shoots the Works”. I think the reason I did so well was that this character was totally opposite of my personality at that time. It gave me a chance to be outgoing, boisterous and obnoxious! There wasn’t a shy bone in her body!
Academically, the subjects that I remember were Math, English, American History, Home Economics and Typing and Shorthand. Anything relating to Math or Science I disliked and struggled with. Most of the other subjects I did quite well. I made several things in Home Economics including my formal for the Junior, Senior Banquet. I liked Typing and Shorthand. I have used those skills throughout College and continue to use them.
There were only 35 in my graduating class. There were a few who bragged about getting drunk on the weekend but drugs was an
unheard of vice. When I went back to one of my class reunions there were quite a few who still lived out on their family farm and that was as far as some of their life experiences went. I was thankful that was not the case with me.
Now you can see that there was not a lot of glamour and glitter to my high school days. But I suppose I was gradually learning to grow socially and academically. even though it was a slow process. I was ready to try my wings and do something different!.
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