1- 1965 January Part I, Family and Friends
I am beginning a New Year of continued writing based on diaries I kept as a young girl growing up in Southwest Georgia. The small town drama of Junior High School roared into full gear.
I thought it might be fun with this next series of sharing to include more exact excerpts from my diary. From my 1964 writings I wove a tapestry of stories about life happenings from my childhood writings. As I continue, I’m exploring ways to share which will be a little different from what I’ve already endeavored. I may shift or change as I go along. I’m looking for the right rhythm and a way to share which will be engaging and insightful for any reader.
A New Year of 1965 unfolds for a 12 year old seventh grader with the following annotations: “1 Jan 1965, Today begins a new year. The weather is warm. Hal is here from Atlanta visiting his grandmother, Mrs. Peagler. Laurie is spending the night with me. I think she might be trying to take Hal away from me. 2 Jan 1965, I got a permanent wave in my hair! Miss Bonnie always does such a great job. Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Woddail moved away from Lumpkin today. They are heading to Alabama. Nan will join them later. Hal left to return to Atlanta. Oh shoot!! 3 Jan 1965, I went to Sunday school and church. We ate dinner (the noontime meal) :) in Columbus at the S & S cafeteria. Mama went to church tonight. 4 Jan 1965, Today I started back to school. I had a piano lesson which turned out very well. President Johnson was on TV tonight.”
“5 Jan 1965, Today we had a Science test. I think I am going to play first string guard in basketball! Jackie and Ken (brother’s friends) were here awhile after school. 6 Jan 1965, Today Debby got Steve W’s ring. Nothing exciting ever happens to me! I didn’t go to my music lesson. I don’t think Laurie likes me anymore.
7 Jan 1965, Mama and Daddy picked me up at school at 1:00. We rode over to Barnesville to check on some leftover issues at Gordon Military School (brother was in school there in the 9th grade and a few weeks of his beginning 10th grade year). We arrived back home by 8:30. Parents picked up groceries in Americus as we drove through. 8 Jan 1965, Today is Friday, finally. Mr. Cox (math teacher and junior high basketball coach) talked with me and told me I had to work harder as a guard for the basketball team. I went to Columbus with Mom and Dad.”
Looking back, I see the patterns of my family life (and the similarity in other town families) in my writings. Some things are fairly standard events in our small rural town. Spending night with friends, eating in Columbus for a Sunday meal, basketball practice, getting my hair “permanently curled” every so often, recurring girlfriend squabbles or misunderstandings, thinking the grass is always greener on the other side, grocery shopping, counseling sessions with teachers (or coaches!), and some TV viewing were all a part of normal routine. The realization that a childhood friend would soon move away was a big disruption in the sense that Nan had always been just across the street and seeing her parents leave was a reminder that the everyday routine would change soon. Through all that, I see a thread of continuity and predictability which I think helps ground us as children.
“9 Jan 1965, It’s Saturday! I went to the Junior Garden Club meeting. Tonight was our homecoming basketball game. I went with Laurie and David. Laurie is so lucky to have David, but Hal, wooohoooo! 10 Jan 1965, I went to Sunday school. Buster and Carol announced their engagement today. Nan is still recovering from her broken arm of three weeks ago. 11 Jan 1965, It is getting colder. I had a music lesson today. Mr. Cox announced that we would be playing against Americus tomorrow for basketball. I love Hal.
12 Jan 1965 Mr. Joe Cherry was buried today. Kay’s grandmother died also. We had our basketball game in Americus. They beat us. 13 Jan 1965, I had a piano lesson today. Mr. Cox fussed a lot about my guarding at yesterday’s basketball game. Well, I think Laurie and I are on the ‘outs’ for awhile. Things just aren’t going well between us.
14 Jan 1965, Mom and Daddy went to the dentist over in Eufaula. Ken and Jackie have been here at the house awhile today; they left and came back tonight to visit Adie. I went up the street to see Grandmama for a little while this afternoon. 15 Jan 1965, We started our semifinal exams today. I had an English exam. Went to the show (picture show, [movie theater]) tonight with Adie, Sandra and Jackie. We saw Frankenstein.”
I am reminded again and again of the importance of the ‘after school’ events that were the fabric of our lives. Clubs kept us engaged. Sports instilled a cohesiveness and a spirit of teamwork, sometimes riddled with frustration. Sunday School and Church attendance was a given. Boyfriends and girlfriends provided topics of intrigue. Neighbors celebrated life events, whether engagements or deaths of loved ones. Going to the picture show was a special occasion with family and friends. A trip to the dentist was necessary even in the depth of wintertime and a visit with a grandparent added a ray of sunshine. The comings and goings of friends — a part of the rhythm of our lives. More to come!
