Aldine1958

[sharon]

What memories do you have of your classmates and/or school that you would like to share with the rest of us? Your tale may be long or short, but all will add to the "big" story of life in Aldine.

[sharon]

Once when Don and I were on a date, we got lost. This was before the days of navigation systems, remember. Don looked out of the window, found the Big Dipper, and found our direction. He was already looking at the stars, finding his way. Who knew this was a preview of things to come, when he would create the idea of the "Kessler Syndrome?"

[sharon]

June Roark and I were good friends and were usually in line together when we would get shots at school. She usually fainted and I was always worried about her hitting her head. Later she told me that if she could have a baby, anyone could. I thought of her when I had my first daughter.

[Don K]

[sharon]

In American History class Ken Blake sat a few seats in front of me. I remember that he was always so focused and serious about school work. I remember thinking how smart I thought he was. And look at his biography. I was right!

[KenB]

[sharon]

[sharon]

I always appreciate people who make me laugh. Pete Hicks and I were in the same class (typing, I think) and he made funny comments about life and class and made me laugh. Thanks, Pete.

[sharon]

In junior high school I remember being sent to the office (for talking, probably) and David Magrill was sent, too, along with a few others. I was terrified! The only thing that kept me sane was knowing that we would probably be okay because David was with us. Do you remember that, David?

[sharon]

When I was principal, I hired all the good teachers I could find. And guess who I found? Anne Barnes (Rebecca Shaw)! So I hired her on the spot.
She was a terrific teacher!

[sharon]

Sitting next to Gloria Gist on the bus one day, I couldn't help but stare at her face. She had the most beautiful skin. I really wanted to ask what she did to keep it that way, but I was way too shy to do that. So we just talked.

[Pete Hicks]

[KenB]

Ken's high school football adventure:

At some point early in high school, I got the insane idea that I should be a jock. Even more insane, I "went out" for football. I weighed about 90 pounds soaking wet--my nickname was "bird legs". I hated the way I looked (did anyone like the way they looked at that age?) and read all the Charles Atlas advertisements that promised results in 30 days. I couldn't afford Charles Atlas, so I decided to use the football program to beef me up so that handsome buff guys would never again kick sand in my face at the beach.

On my first day, I was assigned to Coach Billy Chapman--anyone remember that sadist? He never smiled. I saw myself as a wide receiver, sailing into the end zone, catching the winning pass over my shoulder. Naturally, Chapman decided I was lineman material.

On the first drill, Chapman established two single file lines facing each other. The first person in each line would get into their stance and crash into each other on his command. When it was my turn, I didn't have a clue about how to go about this, but I put my head down and kind of clawed my way toward my opponent. Apparently, I didn't do it right.

Chapman pulled me out of the line, and told me to take my stance. He took his stance in front of me. I thought: "Aha, some instruction." With no warning, he crashed into me and knocked me backward several feet. Without saying another word, he just went back to the drill, leaving me lying there trying to get my breath.

Nobody laughed--I would've probably died of embarrassment if they had (I almost did anyway). I got up and limped back to the end of my line. Just in front of me, there was a big, tall guy named Lloyd something. As I recall, he had a look of pity on his face as he said something like: "That hurts dudn't it." It was almost as though he had experienced the same thing. I was trying not to cry, so I couldn't answer, but was able to shake my head in agreement.

I don't remember the rest of the day. Somehow I made it through it. That was the end of my career as a jock and my quest to look like Charles Atlas. Now I play golf and nobody crashes into me.
_________________
Onward through the fog!

[Don K]

Although not an Aldine function, Troop 700 of the Explorer Scouts was a home for Aldine students. Active members of our class included David Koinm, Paul Upton, Joe Rogerson, and David Magrill, but also there many members from neighboring Aldine classes. The Koinm family provided land for us to meet under a nice pavilion. Someone donated a beautiful hand carved oak pool table with a heavy slate top to be placed under the pavilion for our use.

Being Aldine students, none of us knew how to play pool .... but we did know how to play ping-pong. As an adult, I can not believe what we did to that pool table to convert it to a ping-pong table.
_________________
Don