22- 1965 Nov: Bridge Club, First ‘Boyfriend,” and a Florida Thanksgiving
May I share that I can barely contain my excitement in perusing back through all this history? If you have any curiosity about everyday life in rural Georgia back in the 1960s, you’ve landed in a great place. I wrote a few lines everyday of my young life from the time i was 11 years old until I was 18 and in my first year of college.
I’ve kept diaries all those years with the hope of one day sharing them or at a minimum using those early writings to generate ideas for writing someday. We live in an amazing time now! I can share with people all over the world through this Medium platform.
People mentioned in this story: my mom and dad, Terry (older high school student), Laurie and Wanda (same-grade friends), Hal (first crush, who lived in Atlanta), Mr. Clegg (junior high principal), Uncle Frank & Uncle Rody (my mom’s brothers)
“16 Nov 1965, Today Mom had her bridge club here at our house. I had a great music lesson. Made 100 on my Science six weeks test. 17 Nov 1965, Today our junior high team had a basketball game. I GOT TO PLAY ONE WHOLE QUARTER! I also got inducted as the Beta Club president. Terry pinned the membership pin on me. 18 Nov 1965, Today I did pretty good in basketball. Wanda came by the house and we studied together. I made 100 on our Math six weeks test. 19 Nov 1965, After school I went to Columbus with the family. I totally forgot about my music lesson. Had a Geography six weeks test. We picked out prints from the earlier picture session in Columbus.”
In a post from last year I wrote about 7th grade activities from October 1964. That story included a picture of me from junior high basketball days. If you’d like to read about these October experiences of 1964 just click here [19 -1964 October Tales -the Fair, Birthdays, Presidential Campaign & Halloween]. These were the days when girls’ basketball was not a full court experience. Three forwards played one end of the court and three guards on the other. Each of those groups of players on the same team could not cross the center court line. Each goal scored was worth 2 points, no matter where the location of the player on the court. If free throws resulted in a goal, the value was one point.
Going into a photography studio to review prints, as prelude to choosing the best picture was an experience separate from the day of the photo session! Now-a-days with digital photography, we have instantaneous review of several different poses or photos and can select the perfect one immediately. In 1965, a family went in for a photo seating and it could be a week or more before the film was developed and the different poses were ready for viewing
“20 Nov 1965, Hal is here for the weekend visiting his grandmama. Oh, I do like him sooo much. I know he doesn’t really even know that I like him and likely doesn’t like me in that way. I’m so glad he finally came to visit again. He also has the cutest little dog I’ve ever seen! 21 Nov 1965, I went to Sunday School and Church as usual. We ate dinner (noon meal) at the S & S cafeteria. Tonight I studied for my Literature test. 22 Nov 1965, Mama and Daddy celebrated their 18th anniversary. Mr Clegg talked about our time of the month during PE. Laurie was absent from school. I hurt my thumb. 23 Nov 1965, They’ve started putting up Christmas decoration uptown. I had a music lesson. My thumb hurts so bad!”
Such a crush I had on Hal! He was the friend from Atlanta who visited his grandmother periodically. He had been my brother’s friend until I hit age 13 and discovered he was only a year older than I . He went from being a goofy kid friend of my brother to someone of possible interest, although at this point I don’t think he really knew I was interested. His visits still focused on spending time with his grandparents and kicking around with my brother.
Columbus holds my first memories of eating in a cafeteria. I recall Morrison’s and the S & S existing in that same time frame. One of the things I enjoyed most about the S & S cafeteria was walking with my tray down the food line and seeing such a variety of food. The choices were amazing. My mom often chose as a salad a favorite gelatin-like salad called tomato aspic. My brother loved the fish with tartar sauce. My dad and I switched things up rather than sticking with any standard, since we ate there at least once every couple of weeks. When one got to the end of the buffet line, a waitress/waiter would greet you and take the food-filled tray to the chosen table. The custom was to tip the tray carrier right as they spread the goods onto the table
The custom in 1965 was that Thanksgiving weekend would be the time when first Christmas decorations of the season appeared in stores and along city streets. Please see another writing piece from my previous stories which includes detailed descriptions of Christmas season and celebrations. Click here. [21 -1964 Early December Ushers in the Season.]
“24 Nov 1965, I got out of school for the Thanksgiving holidays. We drove to Gainesville, FL and are spending the holiday weekend with my mom’s brother, Uncle Frank and his family. I’m fixing to go to bed. 25 Nov 1965, We had Thanksgiving dinner here with our relatives in Gainesville. So fun. Aunt Gladys and Uncle Rody along with their grown daughter and two grandchildren are here, too. One of them is four years old and the youngest is only 2 months old. Our whole family has been playing Yahtzee all night. 26 Nov 1965, We’re still in Florida. Went roller skating tonight. I have the worst sore throat on earth! Oh, it hurts so bad! 27 Nov 1965, We arrived home from our Florida trip. I am so sick. Fever of 102 degrees and a terrible sore throat. I feel awful.”
Road trips to Florida to visit relatives were fairly common from 1964 through the year I graduated high school. Gainesville FL was about a six hour drive from my hometown. That distance wasn’t bad for a three or four day weekend trip. Adie and I had cousins in Gainesville who were very close in age to us.
Roller skating represented a swinging cool time for me. My small hometown had no roller skating rink! Well, by this stage, my small town had very few activities to captivate young people. Our only movie theater was on the way to closing down. The closest bowling alley was in Columbus or Americus — some 30 miles away.
“28 Nov 1965, I didn’t go to Sunday School or Church. I’ve been in bed all day. Am feeling a little better. Watched Julie Andrews Show on TV. 29 Nov 1965, I stayed home from school today. I am a lot better. I guess I’ll go back to school tomorrow. 30 Nov 1965, Boy, it’s BEEN COLD! below 30 degrees. I went back to school today. I didn’t take PE class since I’ve been sick. I’m tired and COLD!”
The month of November brings stark reminders that winter was on its way. Having just returned from a fun-filled and family shared Thanksgiving, I had picked up the all too familiar cold bug and found myself missing a day of school before settling into the December season which was filled with Christmas reminders everywhere.
