Reflections–Junior High School & High School–continued

It was Fall, 1967, and continuing from Junior High School to High School, the summer spent between the two was a bit of a challenge. This was due to the fact my dad wanted me to attend Episcopal High School in Alexandria and was so committed to the idea that he had enrolled me at birth. The challenge arose as I wanted to go to my public high school in Arlington–Washington-Lee High School (W-L). How was this challenge going to be resolved?

Certainly, after a long and uncomfortable discussion with my dad, it was agreed that I would attend a summer session at Episcopal and see how that went hoping the experience would coax me into attending in the Fall. There’s no doubt Episcopal was and is an excellent school and I was a bit challenged academically during that summer session. I believe having to go to school during my summer break added to the challenge, as was getting to and from Episcopal, attempting to fulfill my summer job commitment at Colonial Village cleaning apartments and doing lawn work, delivering my Evening Star paper routes, and playing baseball for a team in the Senior Majors at Barcroft Park. Certainly, I’m not complaining–just busy and being busy is a good thing!

“Back in the day”, Episcopal was an all-boys school and they didn’t play sports very well. W-L, on the other hand, was co-ed and played sports well. Yes, I happened to like girls and hoped I could be part of a successful sports program. W-L, as well, had a tremendous academic record and was cited as one of the best public high schools in the nation. I did endure that summer and successfully completed my summer session at Episcopal keeping my commitment. Now, it was time for another long and uncomfortable discussion with my dad. If you’ve been following the blog, you’re well aware of the history where I have continually disappointed my dad and could never quite measure up to his expectations which has ultimately caused me to suffer from a lack of self-confidence. Well, this discussion went no differently as I, once again, disappointed my dad with him relentingly allowing me to attend W-L which made me very happy!

High school was a huge leap from junior high school for all the obvious reasons. I quickly realized my many weaknesses which forced me to take measures to avoid any unpleasant results–I learned I wasn’t quite the guy I thought I was. W-L was large with a substantial student population made up of all of those who had attended Stratford Junior High, the vast majority of those from Swanson Junior High, and a small number from Kenmore Junior High. Thus, there were a lot of familiar faces along with many new faces to become acquainted with.

Academics were a bit more challenging at W-L than they had been in the past and I found myself at times struggling somewhat with certain subjects. I was good in math and survived Algebra/Trig, but a Math Functions class was way over my head. Mr. Armstrong was the teacher of Math Functions and when I let him know early on my desire to drop his class he certainly understood. He was an avid fan of the W-L Generals attending all of their sporting events and said he looked forward to seeing me on the football field. The Baby Boomer also survived both Chemistry and Biology thanks to some extremely bright lab partners–dissecting frogs and other things wasn’t particularly appealing. Looking back, it wasn’t that these classes were that difficult, it was more that science didn’t really interest me. The same held true with Spanish class as it wasn’t very inspiring, but a necessary prerequisite for college admission.

The classes I most enjoyed were History, English, Government, Psychology, and Business Law. Coach Levin and Coach Pond were two of my favorite teachers. Coach Levin taught History and was a very successful basketball coach at W-L whod himself had to be 6’8″. In class, if he caught you not paying attention, talking, or falling asleep, you’d better watch out ’cause a thrown eraser was heading your way and most likely finding you square on the head. Coach Pond was the Psychology teacher and helped coach football, wrestling, and baseball. He was my most favorite coach as his demeanor always remained the same and was always encouraging ending a personal one-on-one session (good or bad) with a pat on the shoulder or backside. The gentleman I had the most respect for was our AD, Mr. Youngblood. I was fortunate enough to be selected my senior year to work in the athletic office during my study hall period and learned so much from him–his respect for the individual was next to none–he was the “best of the best”!

I found during these teenage years in high school I suffered from being a bit obsessive/compulsive, somewhat manic/depressive, and certainly if I wasn’t being mentally challenged then the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder would kick in. With the Baby Boomer being an only child I was a loner, introverted, shy, a bit anxious, had low self-esteem causing a lack of confidence. A major regret which I know affected me socially at W-L was I could become extremely sarcastic, sometimes even caustic to a point where I was hurtful to others and I’m very much ashamed of that characteristic. I never really “hung out” that much with other kids while growing up, other than the “Big 3” (Fred, Gary, and Bob), spending most of my time with my folks and naturally other adults resulting in my being aloof and eccentric when with those of my age.

Coach Mitchell followed our class from Stratford and was our JV football coach and taught Health/PE. In the Fall, I was a grunt on the offensive side as a right tackle and on the other side of the ball playing defensive end which was my position of choice. I didn’t enjoy blocking nearly as much as I enjoyed rushing and tackling. We had a very good team and at the end of our season several of us were invited to join the varsity team where we were merely the tackling dummies for the month prior to the Old Oaken Bucket game played annually against George Washington (GW) at 11AM on Thanksgiving morning before nearly a crowd of 15,000. We didn’t get to play in that game, but we were able to suit up and be on the sidelines. Unfortunately, the next year, 1968, was the last year the game was held having been a tradition since 1935.

In the Spring of my 10th grade year, I made the JV baseball team coached by Mr. Kurcis who also had followed us to W-L from Stratford. Just like football, we had a very talented team and I was fortunate enough to play both first base and right field. Bobby, an extremely talented all-around athlete and a “cutup”, convinced me to try a chew of tobacco (a first for me). Playing right field at St. John’s in DC, I was so focused on not swallowing any of the tobacco and learning how to spit the juice out, when being caught off guard, a long flyball was hit out to me and sailed over my head (a play I should’ve easily made) causing me to swallow the tobacco. After the inning, I told Bobby what had happened and he said for me to hold on as I was going to get sick and feel awful. Right he was and the next day we had another game where I was hoping I wasn’t going to play when Coach Kurcis let me know I was starting at first base. I’ll never forget the look and the lecture I received from Coach when I told him I didn’t think I could play and why. OBTW, Bobby also got a real earful. Needless to say, it was my first and last experience with chewing tobacco.

Coach Wisler was the varsity football coach and I had been acquainted with him since elementary school where he would visit weekly to teach PE. Coach was a rather gruff man and one, for some reason, I never took a real liking too. He, along with others associated with the W-L football program, graduated from George Washington University and he also played for a semi-pro team called the Virginia Sailors. As a side note, our team trainer, another GW guy and W-L graduate, was Bernie Swain who later founded the Washington Speakers Bureau. Our football team, in 1968, was very talented and successful being led by our running back, Reggie Harrison, who later played for the Pittsburg Steelers during their Super Bowl winning years. Our 1969 team was also very talented, but not nearly as successful and I still wonder why we never rose to expectations.

I was encouraged (told), by Coach Wisler, to play a Winter sport in order to stay in shape and Coach Levin, since I was 6’3,” wanted me to try out for the basketball team. I told Coach I was clumsy as it was, couldn’t dribble the ball, and wasn’t a huge jumper. He didn’t believe me and scouted me ONCE during PE class. Needless to say, he discontinued his pursuit of me. Coach Cavallo was the wrestling coach and he invited me to join the wrestling team which I did for two days. The room we practiced in really stunk, the thick blue mat we practiced on was wet with years of sweat, and putting my head in someone else’s armpit or my arms through one’s groin area was a bit gross. Coach Cavallo didn’t quite understand why I said no more after two days, but did tell me I had to go tell Coach Wisler. So, it was decided to stay in shape I needed to practice with the crew team in between baseball and he knew Coach Butt, a world- renowned crew coach, would keep me in shape.

In 1969, not only did W-L win the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia, but the Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames in London. During the grueling practices, team “stadiums”, as another side note, were run up the steep stairs in Georgetown, where at the top of the stairs, stood the home where “The Exorcist” was filmed and Father Damien lay dead at the bottom of those same stairs at movie’s end.

Coach Norwood was our varsity baseball coach at W-L and our 1969 and 1970 teams were both extremely talented and successful winning the District Championships. Although I was part of the team, I seldom played doing my best to be a good team member and assisting Coach by keeping score, relaying scouting reports, and keeping pitch counts. Coach Norwood was somewhat set in his ways and normally stuck to one lineup which normally didn’t include me. A last side note was the fact that one of Coach Norwood’s sons, Scott Norwood, was a place kicker for the Buffalo Bills best-known for missing a game winning field goal in Super Bowl XXV.

“Back in the day”, teenagers didn’t normally “hang out” like they do more of today. Instead, we dated and the Baby Boomer, although shy, made several sparse attempts at dating. One place we did, however, “hang out” was at church dances more often held on Friday evenings. Live bands would play current songs and guys would ask gals to dance, especially, slow dance. The most popular churches holding dances were at St. Agnes Catholic Church, St. George’s Episcopal Church, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, and my “fave” at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. The best of all the dances, though, were hosted by the W-L crew team at the historic Potomac Boat Club at Key Bridge.

There were a number of young ladies I attempted to date while in high school, but truly only one in particular I went “steady” with–Dana. I remember taking Rhoda to our Sophomore Prom, Nancy who was very sweet and who I stole a first “smooch” from on her front porch dating that same year until she moved to Germany, Karen asked me to a Sadie Hawkins dance and was very nice, Debbie who I really liked and would’ve tried to go steady with except she went to Yorktown as we went out a number of times, Martha who was a year younger had some time together in my Junior year along with Joy, Sidney such a sincere person, Kathy who must’ve not appreciated my giving her the Tommy James record “Crimson and Clover “turning her nose up at me”, and Dana, my steady, beginning second semester of my junior year and all of my senior year. I remained good friends with Diane who was still cheerleading, but for some unknown reason we really never dated. I also teased and had fun with, in the classroom, Christine, Susie, another Diane, Lisa, Jean, Mary, Marilyn, Nancy, Pam, Adele, Sharon, Beth, Melanie, and Melinda who was the nicest and married to Fred who we lost way too early. Reflecting, it seems like a lot of young ladies, but not really as our class size was 740 strong.

Other than the “Big 3”, most of my high school male chums were associated with sports and were teammates. Of course, there were “cliques” at W-L and the term for “yuppies” from “back in the day” was “collegiates”. Most athletes were associated with being “collegiates” wearing khaki dress pants, blue Gant dress shirts with a “fruit loop”, Bass Weejuns loafers, and a blue Peters jacket with the leather strap in the zipper slider. For “collegiate” girls the dress was Villager dresses, sun dresses, or wool slack suits, and either Bass penny loafers or Aigner brown leather shoes, sandals, leather or basket handbags, and Aigner leather jackets.

A huge regret of mine was a result of going “steady”. When you’re going “steady” your tendency is to devote all of your extra time and effort being with your, in my case, girlfriend Dana. Of course, going “steady” meant the giving of a “friendship ring” and your life being taken over by your relationship which meant most, if not all, of your other friendships were ignored and put on the side–thus, my huge regret. I remember a lot of couples going “steady” where the only real perk was having your picture in the advertising section of the yearbook with your significant other (LOL). In school, you’d see each other in the morning, meet in between classes and carry your “girl’s” books, ate lunch together, and if you had a same class try to sit together and pass notes. In the evening, you’d write a note to give to one another the next morning and talk on the phone for hours at a time (Ugh, ugh, ugh). Dating involved going to high school events, movies, dances, proms (our Senior Prom we double-dated with Fred and Melinda enjoying dinner at Trader Vic’s before heading to the prom at the Washington Hilton where “Jay & The Techniques” performed), Putt-Putt, shopping, and eating at Hot Shoppes.

One last reflection is being picked-up by Fred during our senior year in his dated green Ford Falcon station wagon. Fred worked at Crowell Realtors delivering mail to their three offices and running some errands driving their dated green Ford Falcon. Fred was able to keep it for his personal use and although it certainly wasn’t fancy, it proved to be a rather dependable mode of transportation to school. Thanks, Fred!

The Baby Boomer could probably go on and on about the good life at Stratford and W-L, but I’ve been far too wordy as it is. I’ll just close as I began by having reflected on those wonderfully blissful years from “back in the day” when living was carefree and without any real responsibilities