High School(s)

Guess I might have gotten off the subject a little bit in my last post...but so much happens and different things come to mind.

The reason that my title is 'school(s)' is because of desegregation that happened in my freshman and junior year. New laws mandated that students from my neighborhood be bussed to a different high school, resulting in me attending Billy's high school (Richfield) for a year as a "Jefferson Moore Sophomore". Richfield was located where Waco High is now. Jefferson Moore was located where the AJ Moore Academy is now, downtown, just around the corner from the Waco Police Department.

I did not have to actually ride the bus but a couple of times as my friend Kathy had a car, then Beth and I shared a car. Jefferson Moore had the 'open classroom' concept with movable walls separating most classes from each other. It was interesting to hear other classes, but you soon had to learn how to tune them out and concentrate on your own work. This was especially true for me and Kathy in French class. Mai oui, mon ami! Our library was 'open' to classrooms as well: it sat on the first floor with classes encircling it above, kind of like a pit.

During my sophomore year, I continued with Drama class - teachers I recall were Ms. Sandboat (from Chi-ca-ga), Mr. Masters and Reba Cooper. CaSandra was right there along with me. The strange thing was when we (Jeff Moore kids) competed in UIL contests (poetry, acting, etc.) we had to compete with our own classmates who were Richfield kids. I remember Teresa Cook and I doing the same scene from "The King and I"...and she was much much better. I think that is when I made one of my first 'out of town' trips with school. Thought I was so cool!! Most classes were great, with the exception of Geometry with Mr. Urive. That class proved to be my Downfall, as I got a "D"...when all other classes were "A"s...and Grandpa sent me a card with money, saying 'this girl's A-OK in my book'. That D was just for one semester. When I changed teachers - and had more help from Kathy - I pulled it up to a "C".

I had 'drivers training' at Richfield with Coach Moore. We had the simulators for several weeks and classroom instruction before we got behind the wheel. I remember cruising along and him telling me to 'slow down', but the stop sign was far ahead. He said it again, then slammed on his brake, cause there were HUGE potholes in the road. Guess I wasn't too observant! Still, I passed the driving part at the license bureau. Parallel parking was the worst!

I remember PE class in the gym, or going to the gym to watch the guys play basketball. Once when I was trying to walk up the wooden bleachers, one of the seats was loose, and it pivoted when I stepped on it, causing me to fall 'into' the bleachers, leaving one leg hanging out and me holding on for dear life with my arms. Several of the basketball players came to my rescue. Ouch!

Billy used to give me a ride to Richfield, letting me out at the door opposite of where he would go in! He drove a little white car - a falcon I think. His friend George called me 'little Billy' and of course, Billy would not speak to me in the halls.

Another embarrassing moment(s) for me was falling down the stairs after English class...several times. Big chunky shoes and slick stairs will do it every time! No broken bones, though.

I had my first date at 16 with a guy from Drama class nicknamed "Woody". We went to Shakey's Pizza Parlor and then to the movie "Papillon" starring Steve McQueen. It was a VERY long movie!! Gosh, we held hands!! I even remember what I wore: baby-blue pallatzzo pants and a blue/white striped shirt with a baby-blue vest that had little tiny buttons. He was nice, but I didn't want to go out again, so we hung around at school between classes.

Billy graduated in '74 and I went to Jefferson Moore from '75 - '76.