CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

High School Days Challenge

Back to school at Memory Lane

Lu Skerdoo has challenged me to reveal my deepest darkest high school memories. And who can resist that? Here is Lu’s article:

Lu Skerdoo knows that I cannot resist a good challenge. So, first… here is a list of the questions, ready for you to cut and paste:

1. What is the year you graduated? 2. Did you carpool? 3. What kind of car did you drive? 4. It’s Friday night football — Were you there? 5. What kind of job did you have? 6. Were you a party animal? 7. Were you considered a jock? 8. Were you in the band? 9. Were you a nerd? 10. Did you get suspended? 11. Can you sing the fight song? 12. What was your High School mascot? 13. If you could go back and do it all again, would you? 14. Are you still in contact with people from high school? 15. Do you know where your high school crush is? 16. What was your favorite subject? 17. Do you still have your high school ring?

And now, all of the answers to all of the questions:

1. What was the year you graduated?

1975.

2. Did you carpool?

No need. I was at a boarding school, and I lived on campus.

3. What kind of car did you drive?

No need. Everything was within a one-mile radius of walking distance.

4. It’s Friday night football — Were you there?

Yes, but… I don’t think electricity had been invented yet. Our football games were always on Friday afternoons. And yes. I was almost always there. And here’s a link to a story I wrote about trying out for cheerleading.

5. What kind of job did you have?

House cleaning. The thought of THAT makes me laugh, as I am a bit of a mess in my own house. I also had a work scholarship job as a janitor in my junior year, and as a waitress (for faculty luncheons) in my senior year.

6. Were you a party animal?

Living in a dorm made it feel like a continuous slumber party. But also, it was a religious school, so even when we had parties, things were always pretty calm. There was however a snack bar (on campus) open on school nights, and we were allowed to go hang out there for thirty minutes. It’s amazing how rowdy you can get, even with a thirty-minute time limit.

7. Were you considered a jock?

We didn’t have sports for girls to play against other schools, back before “Title IX” came along. For those of you who never learned or can’t remember Roman Numerals, we would say “Title Nine.” While Title IX was signed into law in 1972, it did not show up in my high school as initiating a sports program for girls until several years after I graduated. We did have intramural sports, and I remember playing volleyball and field hockey as we competed against other classes. Here’s my field hockey story: When I was a senior in high school, there were three or four very athletic girls in the junior class. We referred to them as “the Amazon women.” They were tall, thin, muscular, coordinated, and athletic. I guess they were jocks. We had no prayer of beating their team in field hockey. For one thing, no one had ever taught us any of the rules. They just gave us shin guards and sticks, and whatever happened, happened. Oh… waitaminute. One quick tangent here: there was a thing in field hockey, called “turning on the ball.” It was, apparently, illegal to put your body between the ball and a player of the opposite team. Dumbest rule I ever heard of. How else were we supposed to gain control of the ball, to run it down to our end of the field?

“What is the obstruction rule in field hockey?

FIH/USA Field Hockey/NCAA Rule 9.12: Players must not obstruct an opponent who is attempting to play the ball. A player who runs in front of or blocks an opponent to stop them legitimately playing or attempting to play the ball is obstructing (this is third party or shadow obstruction).Aug 31, 2020"

So let’s get back to my field hockey story. You’ll recall we were up against “the Amazon women,” and our chances of victory were slim to none. But we had this idea…

Remember little Cindy Lou Who from Dr. Seuss’s story about the Grinch? She’s one of the first people in fine literature who successfully sported the hairstyle known as the Whale Spout. (This is a link to a pretty cute picture in an article called “Covid Haircuts” or something along those lines.)

In my senior year, our intramural field hockey team as a show of solidarity, united in sporting whale spouts, and blue hoodies over our heads and shoulders. The blue hoodies were tied on, around our heads, and then left to drape over our shoulders, as if the hoodie was a superhero’s cape. You should have seen us swooping around that hockey field that day.

Eventually, “the Amazon women” registered a complaint, saying that our look (senior girls) was too distracting for them (junior girls and Amazons) and that we should be forced to “look normal.” Had they met us? Our gym teacher and chief referee consulted the rules book, and found NO rules against “playful attire.” “Continue play,” she said, authoritatively as she blew her whistle and re-started the clock.

That may have been our best victory, that day.

8. Were you in the band?

My boarding school did not have a band. But I was part of a 16-voice singing ensemble called “Madrigals.” And here’s a link to a story I wrote about being a drummer in the 7th-grade band, back in public school.

9. Were you a nerd?

Yes. Finally, a question to which I can answer: YES! My favorite subjects were math (geometry, trigonometry, calculus, statistics) and science (physics, biology)… nerdy enough for you?

10. Did you get suspended?

While I never really ever got suspended, I did get “dormed” for sneaking out one night and going tobogganing with my boyfriend and his brothers and their girlfriends. The girlfriends were also classmates of mine in the dorm, and they were two of three triplets who had names that rhymed.

11. Can you sing the fight song?

We didn’t have a fight song… we were a religious school. But we did have a song called the “interfrat” which was four different sets of lyrics all set to the same tune. So, there were four versions, one version for each of the four clubs (2 fraternities, 2 sororities). This song could be sung by any one club as a stand-alone song. OR it could be sung by all four clubs at the same time with the names of the clubs being spaced into the last line of the song, all ending with the word “Academy.” At homecoming events, we would join into one big circle, mixing students and alums from previous years, with preferably no two people from the same club standing next to each other. The goal was for people to out-sing the other clubs while all four versions were being sung simultaneously. There was great pride if your club’s version of the song could be heard drowning out all the other clubs.

12. What was your High School mascot?

Lions. It was a church school. Of course, it had to be something Biblical.

13. If you could go back and do it all again, would you?

I would love to go back, but I alternate between two opposite wishes: Should I go back, knowing now what I didn’t know then? Or, should I go back, knowing EVERYTHING I’ve learned in the years that have gone by? Which would you choose: knowing, or not knowing?

14. Are you still in contact with people from high school?

Yes. I have two besties from high school, since 2000 we have met at least once every year, to spend 24 hours together, catching up. I’m also in contact with and best friends with the siblings of classmates from high school.

And here is a link to a story about THAT:

15. Do you know where your high school crush is?

My high school crush, my first real boyfriend… last I heard, is transitioning to become a woman, with blue hair. That explains a lot of confusing things that happened, back when we were dating. She still lives in the same town as when we were in high school. I’m sure it’s been a tough journey for her. I will always wish her the very best.

16. What was your favorite subject?

Math and Science. For more details about that, refer back to that nerd question… #9.

17. Do you still have your high school ring?

No. It was stolen… Sad story. Here’s a link for that one. Go to question #8 in the Brolentine’s Challenge.

So. There you have it. All the answers to all of the questions. My favorite question was #13.

13. If you could go back and do it all again, would you?

I would love to go back, but I alternate between two opposite wishes: Should I go back, knowing now what I didn’t know then? Or, should I go back, knowing EVERYTHING I’ve learned in the years that have gone by?

How about you, Dear Reader? Which one would you choose: knowing? Or not knowing?

February is really flying by, as it always does. Please forgive at least a mini Shameless Wall o’ Tags. Thank you to everyone on my SWoT team! I’ll just tag the last 25 ish folks with whom I have most recently interacted. If you don’t see your name here, please know that you’re still on the SWoT team in my heart!

Feel like doing this challenge? I would LOVE THAT! Please tag me!

Brett Jenae Tomlin Ilona David Perlmutter Lu Skerdoo Ginger Cook Zoe Roberts Joanne Cipressi, CNLP, CHt Pamela Oglesby Just Jenn Elesha Bennett Blogs by J Paula Shablo Tonya S. Ware Autistic Widower ("AJ") Séverin Makengo Joe Merkle Anne Bonfert Gartan Faja Robin Klammer Nicole Dake Debra Goldyn Kerry Purvis Wire Editor Newman Joejohn Black Sheila McCall Gerald Washington Lucy Socha

Much love to one and all! Thanks for being here!

Thank you for reading! Love, Denise

©Denise Kendig 2023, All rights reserved.

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