High School Days

I went to high school in McHenry, Il. from 1962 until 1966, when I graduated. My first day at high school didn't start out very well. I guess my mom and I got the time wrong for what time I should be there. She dropped me off and for some reason school didn't start for a few hours. I didn't know what to do since I didn't see anyone else so I found some steps inside the school and just sat there until other kids started to show up. We had to have 16 credits in order to graduate and take 4 years of gym. I still remember our gym uniform. It was a dark blue one piece short set. We had to have our last name sewn on the back. Mom did that and I can still see how nice of a job she did. Every time I cross stitched something, I thought of my name on the back of my gym uniform! The girls had to wear dresses or skirts that were long enought so that if you kneeled on your knees it would touch the floor. No pants or shorts for us! On one of the first days of school, I met a girl named Marilyn Cima. She became my best friend all through high school. Every day before school we would meet at the same place outside our Latin class. She taught me to knit so I was able to make a pink sweater for my home ec class. I got an A on it! I didn't like school too well. I didn't get very good grades but I made it to graduation! I never went to many places with friends especially when we went to live with my aunt Eloise. We were allowed to go to only one place a week. I usually went to a dance with Marilyn held on Sunday night from 7-10 at the roller rink. Sometimes I walked to another friends house not too far from us. We would usually listen to her record albums. My sisters and I always had to clean the house at Eloises on Saturday. I remember cleaning and cleaning and Eloise would come home and would say that it was not good enough. We would also have to do all the cooking, laundry and babysitting. I did date a few boys during my high school years. After I graduated I wanted to become a stewardess on an airplane or a veternarian. I had no idea how I could even do that so I never did either. The day after I graduated from high school I went to live with my grandma and grandpa. I worked at an office supply store called SOS (suburban office supply).

I remember...

I remember catching lightening bugs. nightcrawlers and polywogs.

I remember going on my very first date with a boy. His name was Jim Pitts. We went to a dance at a lodge with a lot of old men!

I remember going up north with my Aunt Hazel, Uncle Carl, little grandma, little Carol, cousins and my family.

I remember watching The Wizard of Oz for the first time with my dad while we were eating steak.

I remember lieing on the grass and looking at the clouds figuring out what they looked like.

I remember watching my cat having kittens and I was very scared.

I remember walking to school while in elementary school.

I remember while in elementary school going with my friend Judy to buy our moms mother's day presents. I bought a cookbook (which I still have) and a flower.

I remember getting my mom a jewelry box (which I also have still) for a special occasion.

I remember mom giving us sugar mixed into butter to stop us from coughing,

I remember for a bedtime snack having a slice of white bread with milk poured on top and sugar sprinkled on top of that.

I remember all the pick carnations in the front of our house.

I remember when I was about 4/5 and sitting with my cousin, Bruce, scribbling on paper and insisting that I was really writing something.

I remember skating down a hill trying to get to my cat before she ran away (she was an indoor/outdoor cat) and falling. I still have the scar from that.

I remember watching my neighbor friends eating a whole raw onion and thinking that it looked good. I went home and got one. It was awful.

I remember my other neighbors family liked raw potatoes so I tried them too. They were also awful.

I remember my very first present from a boy. Jim Pitts gave me a necklace watch for my graduation. (yes, I still have that too)

I remember getting cologne from another boyfriend. It was called Prophecy by Prince Matchibely (sp) Bob Hammerstone was the boyfriend.

I remember taking square dance lessons at school. My favorite one was called the Virginia Reel.

I remember my dad bring some type of smoked fish home and having some with him. I can still taste it. It was really good.

I remember having to go through all of our pictures and having to take out any with my dad and giving them to my mom.

I remember when in elementary school having to say out loud that I did not have a dad and I did not know what kind of job he had. The teacher was asking everyone. There was only one other person without one besides me. I was very embarassed.

I remember getting my first transister radio for Christmas. I stayed up most of Christmas night waiting for music to start to play. (Yes, I still have it)

I remember having my very first banana split. I was a junior in high school. Another boyfriend named Billy Joe bought it for me.

I remember going to a real restaurant with my family and having pizza. That was the only restaurant I remember going to with my mom and brother and sisters.

I remember standing on the front steps of the house with the record player playing an Elvis song and showing Debbie and Joan how to dance. (like I knew myself how to)

I remember the first 45 record I ever got. It was called Let's Dance. (You guessed it-I still have it)

I remember catching snow on my tongue.

I remember seeing my mom in her casket.

I remember holding Debbie's hand at the funeral home because she was crying.

I remember not being able to live with my brother after my mom died.

I remember liking to watch Lawrence Welk on tv and seeing the Lennon sisters.

After mom died...

This is one of the last pictures taken of my mom. My brother, Rob, my Aunt Janet and I am also in the picture. It is taken in the living room that we would be living in, in a few months.

This is my Aunt Eloise, Uncle Jack, cousins and us 3 girls. All but my 2 older cousins, Bruce and George lived in the house.

There were 3 bedrooms. Ours is in the front, right of the house. My 2 cousins had a room and my aunt and uncle had the other.

We didn't do too many fun activities while living there. We did get to take baton lessons and walk in the Wonder Lake parade. I have no idea where we are in this group of girls!! The day after I graduated from high school, I moved out and in with my grandparents. Eventually Eloise dropped Joan and Debbie off at my grandparents. Joan stayed with grandma and grandpa. Debbie went to live with my Aunt Janet and Uncle Gene. Rob was staying with another aunt and uncle all this time-my dads sister, Carol and her husband Tom.