We had a nice gym with basketball hoops and gym rings. We also had ropes and wooden poles which we climbed up on. This was part of the physical conditioning the children were expected to have. We had a female Physical Education instructor who taught each class in turn. I still remember her wearing a sweat shirt, with a whistle around her neck, holding a basketball. Nowadays, the kids just sit around school staring at computer screens. No wonder they're out of condition and overweight. Getting back to rope climbing, it was somewhat embarrassing for the girls who always wore dresses. the higher they went, the more that showed. That's why the teacher always kept the boys back, so they couldn't sneak a peak at something they shouldn't. Well! Would you want to have to teach a class of pint-sized perverts!
We had a Wood Shop in which we made things like jewelry boxes. We also worked with clay and fingerpaints and watercolors. My teachers always stressed that we should be creative. Creativity expands the mind and enhances Common Sense. My parents and teachers would give me some crayons or a bunch of building blocks or TINKER TOYS and tell me to do something with them. One of the most sought after play kits during Recess were those famous LINCOLN LOGS. They don't do that too much in school anymore. The kids are not being taught to be creative and independent. They are being taught to follow the Party line so that they will become slaves to the World when they grow up.
One thing I remember was that whenever there was a school function, such as a student play, which usually took place on Friday nights, the parents would always show up. My father and the rest of the fathers, even though they had worked hard all day, always showed up with our mothers to support the kids. These days, kids are lucky to even have a father. Even at that, the guy might not show up. Parents and teachers always supported us kids to the limit. You'd be hard-pressed to find any graduate of JAMES ELEMENTARY who had turned bad. Our upbringing and education was very solid.
Lunch time was the next best thing to Recess. Those who opted, could go to the cafeteria for a nice hot meal. The teachers and cafeteria workers always stressed nutrition for growing bodies. My mother was born a country girl; therefore, we were were raised on beans and cornbread and biscuits and gravy, which me and my brother really liked. I don't recall which grade I was in, but all the school kids had to turn in a report of what they had for breakfast, so the school nutritionist could see if we were getting proper nourishment at home. She saw that the twins, that's what everybody always called us, had put down biscuits and gravy. All the other kids put down stuff like bacon and eggs, cereal, toast and juice etc. She thought we were making it up and called our mother. My mother had to explain that we weren't making it up. The nutritionist didn't think that biscuits and gravy were a proper breafast for growing kids. Let me tell you something. The people who started and built AMERICA were plain, simple folk who were raised on beans and cornbread and biscuits and gravy. My mother did not want me and my brother to grow up to be like politicians who are two-biscuits-short-of-a-full-breakfast. This reminds me of a story in the BIBLE where DANIEL refused to eat the King's meat and chose to eat plain food instead.
A real treat was that for a two-week period, the 6th Graders got to work in the cafeteria, such as washing dishes and cleaning tables. We not only learned responsibility, but we got free meals. Those of us who brought our lunches ate in a special room or gym. One time I was spinning my orange on the floor. MRS. CAMDEN, who was my brother's 6th Grade teacher, thought it improper to entertain my classmates by spinning an orange on the floor, so she made me eat alone. I usually ate lunches I brought to school in the famous brown sacks we all are familiar with. A hot lunch was a nice treat, but I preferred those brown sack goodies. I think it's because mothers always packed a lot of love with those lunches. I can't explain it, but a sandwich made with a mother's love, tastes a whole lot better than anything you can get in a cafeteria.
We never had any big-time celebrities as such graduate from JAMES that I know of. But, we did have me and my brother, of course. Then, there was JACKIE LAND, whose father owned LAND HARDWARE across from BUDD PARK, which I guess makes him a celebrity. She went on to become a Cheerleader at THOU DEAR. There was CARL CLELAND, who was Sergeant-at-Arms for the NEHS JUNIOR CLASS along with BILL GULLEDGE, who was Co-President along with JACKIE LAND. There was STEVE JACKSON, who I believed played drums for an area combo band. There was SALLY AMBRO. I was in the same 6th Grade class as her sister, LINDA. They both lived down the next block from me. SALLY got her a FORD MUSTANG and from that time on we called her MUSTANG SALLY. Later on, a song came out on the radio about a MUSTANG SALLY, but the NORTHEAST area had the original.
Just before we graduated from the 6th Grade, we were taken to NORTHEAST JUNIOR HIGH where we met up with 6th Graders from other Elementary Schools. The purpose was to let us see our new school home we would be coming to after Summer vacation. One of the highlights was that I got to carry the sign that said JAMES, in reference to our school. You're right! I did have to put up with those JESSE JAMES jokes! I assure you that neither me, nor any of my classmates ever robbed a train while in school. The principal and teachers frowned upon such activities.
One disappointment that I did have while attending JAMES, was that me and my brother were always put in different classes. Relatives, especially twins, were not put together for some idiot reason. I think brothers and sisters should be in the same class together, if possible. They can help each other with homework, play together at Recess and eat lunch together.
To my teachers at JAMES SCHOOL, I give a very heart-felt thank you. And, if the custodian who cleaned up the mess I made in 2nd Grade is still around, let me say this: "I'm sorry I barfed up all over the place, but you know how it is with that OVALTINE."
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NORTHEAST JUNIOR & SENIOR:
I remember that nutrition and exercise were always stressed when I was growing up. Except for very severe weather, we always walked to school. Me, my brother and friends walked a mile to school. It was fun walking through BUDD PARK. We were always going up and down stairs. JAMES had 3 flights and NORTHEAST JUNIOR & SENIOR had 4 flights. I remember one time I had Print Shop on the 1st Floor at the South end of the building. I had to leave there, go up to my locker above on the 4th Floor to pick up my lunch and then go to the cafeteria, which was on the 1st Floor on the North end. That didn't leave a whole lot of time to eat. We always had either milk or water, no soft drinks. The exercise I got helped condition me to face the many injuries and sicknesses I would face as I grew older.
I started this NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL History Website, because as I have looked through the old NOR'EASTERS, I became very proud of the school I graduated from. I wanted to share the past with my VIKING Classmates. I also wanted to pay honor and tribute to those teachers and other employees who helped thousands of growing kids learn what they needed in order to enter into the responsibilities of adult life. I think that growing up in the 50's and early-mid 60's was the greatest time in this country that kids have ever had. I cannot say enough good things about my Grandparents' and Parent's generation who gave all of us a happy childhood and a strong education, which enabled us to have a firm foundation to go through this life.
GO VIKINGS!!!
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FLORIDA COLLEGE Sep-Dec 1968:
I attended FORIDA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE in TEMPLE TERRACE (TAMPA), FORIDA for the last 4 months of 1968. It was called FLORIDA BIBLE INSTITUE originally. It is now just called FLORIDA COLLEGE. When I went there, it was a 2-year college. It is now a 4-year college.
I don't have a whole lot of exciting things to say about my college time, but there are a few items worth mentioning.
Some of my Classmates were from ALABAMA. According to them, GOVERNOR GEORGE WALLACE and the ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD could have won the VIETNAM war in 24 hours. Considering what happened, I'm not so sure that they weren't right.
Flying back home on THANKSGIVING vacation, we had just left the airport at BIRMINGHAM and were still in ALABAMA airspace. I saw the seat belt light come on. I didn't know what was going on, but I buckled up. I'm glad I did, because about two minutes later, the plane started jumping up and down like a bucking bronco. I held tight to the armrests of my seat and started asking JESUS to forgive me of sins that hadn't even been invented yet. It was scary, but after a short time, things settled back down again as we flew into calmer air. I know they say it was just air turbulence. Maybe so, but I still think it was the ghost of GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE shaking the plane because of us YANKEES on board.
Coming back from THANKSGIVING vacation with my two buddies, who were also from KANSAS CITY, we had to land at MIAMI because TAMPA was fogged in. We had our choice of taking planes that if TAMPA was still fogged in, we would go either to CHICAGO or HOUSTON. We chose the one that would land in HOUSTON, because CHICAGO is pretty cold in the winter and we didn't want to get stuck there. From what I understand, the plane that we didn't take, was hijacked to CUBA.
I remember one time when the stewardess (They had some cute ones too!) asked us something like where we were going, I jokingly said we were going to TAMPA if we didn't get hijacked. The remark got a few laughs. But, later I found out that some Government officials were checking up on me. I didn't know this, but you aren't even supposed to joke about hijacking. The FAA and FBI took hijackings very seriously. From then on, I told no more jokes.
We did go through a hurricane when I was down there. Or actually, I should say that the hurricane went through us. There was a lot of rain and wind, but it had already weakened and wasn't a severe threat. Some of the guys ran across the street just to say that they had been in a hurricane. I can think of a lot easier accomplishments.
About the biggest thing that I accomplished in college was that me and two other guys decided to form a crime-fighting team like BATMAN & ROBIN. We were the CHRISTIAN CRUSADERS. I was DEACON DASHNER, another guy was CARDINAL ST. LOUIS and the third one was BISHOP TRAVIS, which was his real name in reverse. We planned to swing down on ropes while yelling, "JESUS Saves!" and hit criminals on the head with wooden crosses. We disbanded in December of 1968 because of CHRISTMAS break. I know what we did sounded stupid, but consider this: Ever since we broke up, the crime rate has continually risen in this country.
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ELECTRONICS INSTITUTE 1976-1977:
I attended ELECTRONICS INSTITUTE which was in the old ALL-STAR BOWLING LANES building (I bowled there when I was 13) across from the KATZ, now SKAGGS Drug Store. I received a diploma in Electronics.