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Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Lloyd, you went about it differently from the way I remember it at Garden Oaks.  I got my disk at Mark's Jewelry (without my Mother's permission, as I remember).  And, we did not talk with the boys we liked - we had to pass messages through our girlfriends to the boys we liked.  And, of course, trading disks was serious business, but even after the deed was done - no actual conversations.  Tommy Gilruth and I traded disks and I can't remember there ever being any verbal communication.  We even went on a "group date" in parents' cars, but we never spoke with each other.  Can you imagine?  That was in 6th grade.  So, Lloyd, your bravery to actually run to Chylene to "ask" her to trade disks - PRICELESS!

Teddie Jordan

Lloyd, what a great story. I had forgotten the fad of trading disks with a girl. Your story made me laugh out loud.

And I was already having trouble getting the picture out of my mind of you walking around your house with your bathrobe on over your clothes, a knit hat, and a three day old beard. It kinda reminded me of the late and great actor Walter Mathau in the movie Grumpy Old Men! He walked around his house dressed like that and freezing to death. Maybe you could write a screenplay.

Susan Howard (Bowman)

I wish I had known all of you in elementary school.  I was a late comer - started at Black Junior High as it was called back then - not middle school - in "high" 7 th. grade.  They don't have that any more either.  I am trying to remember who was in my home room - I think Terry Hurzeler, Charlotte Hyams, Dennis Hansel, ????  Was it all alphabetical - I am probably not remembering correctly.  Jimmie, were you and Charles in the same homeroom?  Does anyone remember?

Lloyd Pond

Alphabetical as I recall With me in Mr Clausen's class:Gilbert Ornelas,Barbara Porter were around me

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Susan, luckily NOT alphabetical.  Met and fell in love with Charles 1st day of 7th grade when we were put in the same homeroom - Mrs. Marshall.   Charles didn't know I was alive until 10th grade.

Jan Barnes '65 (Nimtz)

What great memories!  I had forgotten about trading disks until mentioned on this forum.  I don't think I ever had one.  My husband (from Spring Branch HS) had one and traded it with a girl in 8th grade.  He still has it today... says "Julie".

Do any of you girls remember wearing "circle" pins?

Scotty Croom

lloyd, you really are reaching back....mr. clausen.....of course, robt. crocheron and i were on other side of room...have hooked w/gilbert o. on facebook...

Teddie Jordan

Yeah I was in Mr. Clausen's home room too. I can remember that's where I first met James Dickey Holcombe and Phillip Jemison. Mr. Clausen was a hoot with his sayings, I remember he would always say, "Mary Jane Hoop and Holler". I guess that was January '58 when we mid-termers started low 7. Black had not been open long.

Robert Derrick

What great stories about elementary school. I went to Cooley and don't remember disc. But we had dancing partners and we had to hold hands. That was pretty special at the time. I seem to remember Paulette. ??? Wayne Lake should recall. He was the popular guy back then. Anyone else on the site lately from Cooley?.

Wayne Lake

 Robert,

Was it Paulette Skelton (class of 63 1/2)? She lived next door to Paige Talley on Brookwood and as I remember a real hottie of our hood back in those days. 

On another note, if I was ever popular at school, I never knew it.

wtl

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Jan, I don't remember circle pins.  Tell us about the significance of those.

Lloyd Pond

Circle pins? Oh yeah! I wore one on each collar point.

So Jimmie, fell in love on the first day of 7th grade? How sweet is that? A good Valentines story no doubt. My moment of truth was a lttle less romantic and a lot more scary. Ferrell and I went out to ride skateboards down the hills of Austin. Friends, if you or your loved ones are so inclined, please, please wear your protective headgear!!! So we are cruising down the street and suddenly I'm riding solo. Ferrell is not beside me. I hop off and look back up the hill and there she is spralwed out pretty near unconcious in the street. I ran back and she was coming around very groggy. I got her back to the Health Center and found out she had a concussion. Called her parents, Mrs Bedell was there in about 2 hours..normal drive time was3 1/2 hours. Anyway, sitting by the hospital bed, there was a lot of soul searching for me over the next couple of days. Lads and lassies, I decided I did not want to be with out her. When she got out of the hospital, I popped the question.

Teddie Jordan

Lloyd, with all due respect to the seriousness of the situation,  I'd say you two fell head over heels in love!

Jan Barnes '65 (Nimtz)

The circle pin is a classic piece of jewelry that was particularly popular in the 1950's and 60's and often worn on a cardigan or blouse. There were apparently different stories about the pins and their significance. It was said that they had different meanings depending on the pin style and where it was worn. Here are some examples of what wearing a circle pin might mean in the 50's and how they were used.

"Circle Pins mean you're a virgin." The story is that a circle pin was given by a guy to a girl in the 50's to show that they were dating. It was also a symbol of one’s state of virginity. Supposedly once the deed was done the pin couldn't be worn again. Some sources say that if the pin was worn on the left side it meant you hadn't "done it" yet. Afterwards, you would switch the pin to the right side. The musical Grease has a famous part involving the iconic pin: In one scene, Frenchie uses a "virgin" pin to pierce Sandy's ear.

"Circle Pins symbolize undying love." The circle symbolizes eternity. Wearing a circle pin was a way to get "pinned" and show that you are going seriously steady without The Ring. A pin with a pearl meant one true love. Other gems and shiny additions on a pin would often have made up personal meanings by high school lovebirds. For example, a pin with a bow might mean "we're tying the knot."

Other meanings for the pin included friendship and eternal love, while most of the moms back then were so obliviously un-cool that they just used them to hold their scarves in place.

Circle pins came in every price and style, from the cheapest, simplest dime store version to the diamond studded and designer interpretations. The one thing they had in common was their ubiquity.

Maybe the first example is why they were so scarce and hardly anyone remembers them.  My mother bought me one at Palais Royal on 43rd and made sure I wore it every day.

And Lloyd wore two!  Good for you!

Beau Wann, Jr.

I dont know how yall remember all that stuff about school...I  didnt remember we had homerooms in Jr High...dont know who my HR teacherwas...WAIT A MINUTE, NOW I REMEMBER,  IT WAS MR MILLER..YOU REMEMBER THE ONE WITH THE TRIUMPH SPORTS CAR!!!!! As I recall, there were two Mr Millers...the other one drove one of the school buses???? My Mr Miller always reminded me of Perry Como... I think JC Mosier and Phil Young and Jimmie Lee and er uh, dont remember who else was in there, but at least those were, I THINK...I remember JC telling me to play intermural basketball with them, so I'd get a letter for a letter jacket or sweater...I didnt get to do after school activities...had to be home, plus my grades were always in the terlette, (Archie Bunker for toilette) so it wouldnt have mattered much anyway if I had stayed after school... I was about as graceful playing basketball, as a pregnant giraffe on roller skates...

Mr Miller and Mr Clausen and Mrs Simpson are the onliest (east texas for only) teachers I remember from Black...When I got to Waltrip, I started working at Mangum Supervalu, AND grades were bad, so extrcurricular activities were verboten for moi !!!!!  Never had a pin until I got my Honorable Discharge pin from the Navy, and I lost it...I do remember the discs, but only from other folks having them...I thought they were cool though, how they matched up...I thought that was a marvel of higher learning...really mystified me how they got em to match up...I probably wasnt the sharpest knife in the drawer back in them good old days...

Female girls scared the bejeebers out of me, especially from Oak forest Elem, till I graduated from Waltrip...I was a nervous wreck when it came to girls...I grew out of it eventually...last week!!!!

*A footnote, I finally boiled some eggs successfully, and made a killer breakfast saturday morn...I have always been able to multitask, and now thats the problem, not good at multitasking anymore...But, if that's the worst that happens to me, I be forever grateful...* I know everyone is relieved about that...right??? I know I am...

Church today at the little country church in the city, and right across from Black too...usual 25 suspects...DW and the bell choir played today, and they sounded heavenly...dang BC director cornered me and is trying to abduct me into the hall of bell choirers...MAN, I JUST DONT WANT TO BE IN NO ORGANIZED NOTHING...

Returning to Black, I liked all the girls, but man, I'd a had a heart attack if one of em would have actually spoke to me like I was a potential "boyfriend"...playing in the dirt had it's drawbacks...didnt learn much about the opposite female girls, but a lot about dirt...I'm still a pretty good "dirt expert" though...

OH HEY, JIMMIE LEE AND JC ET AL, YALL REMEMBER OUR LAST DAY AT BLACK???? PHIL Young had a motorized car, about the size of a Mini Cooper, and we, our homeroom piled on it and rode it to Waltrip...at least I think thats what happened...if anyone else has a clearer picture of that, sing out...no one seems to know what happened to Phil Young...I thought he was so cool, had an outside door to his bedroom...he lived on the corner of DuBarry and Wakefield...he was certainly a good looking young man, wasnt he!!!! Probably still is too...

Racking my brain trying to remember Jr High...Of all the Teachers, Mr Clausens science class stands out, somewhat...he brought a crank magneto from one of the old crank telephones...had us all hold hands and the two kids on the ends would touch the contacts,Mr Clausen would crank it,  and  shock the stuffins out of us...He got such a kick out of that...I guess you could say we did too, literally...

Mr Miller, our HR teacher, was so nice...very quiet also...I remember the boys on his intermural basketball team called themselves the "MILLERS HIGHLIFES"...I never connected it to beer until he said they would have to change the name next year...just wasnt proper having a Jr High team named after a beer...wow, we were sooooo bad...

Does anyone remember me from Black???? Did I have fun???? I hope I was nice to folks!!!!!  I remember very little about Jr High...

Hey Teddie, you remember WE use to skateboard down "postoffice hill" at Sam Houston State???? It was a steep hill, with a 90 to the right, and an immediate 90 to the left at the bottom...if you didnt make the first 90, you wound up in the girls dorm, King Hall...at least, thats what my mind is conjuring up...someone broke their leg, so they stopped us from skateboarding...oh well, dont think any of us would have made the X GAMES...

Anyone want to have a WABEC lunch meeting??? This week, I can on Monday and Tuesday...any other week  only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, until Summer...We havent had a WABEC lunch since sometime last year...there's lots to be cussed and discussed...

Time to turn in...keep those memories coming, boys and girls...

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Just got home from seeing Star Wars in 3D, no less!  It was great to see again - but a little long - 2 hours and 15 minutes!  I guess they are going to reshow them all, only in story order this time.  That should be interesting!  Go see it if you liked it the first time!  The special effects are fantastic!  Any body out there a Trekkie?  Used to love Star Trek, too!  Wouldn't miss it when it was on every week!  

Beau, I don't remember a lot about junior high, either.  I think I spent a lot of time just trying to get adjusted to a move and making new friends.  I do remember some of my teachers.  They say you remember the really good ones, or the really bad ones, but never the mediocre ones.  I can actually remember the names of my 2 kindergarten teachers (they were great!)!  As far as discs and circle pins?  I missed out on that somewhere!

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Yes, Beau, we were in Mr. Miller's homeroom out in one of the shacks.  For some reason they moved some of us out of Mrs. Marshall's HR to Miller's - wasn't he C. Miller?  I kind of remember that car of Phil Young's (I dated him a while when we were in 10th grade (Charles still didn't know I was alive at that point).  And, yes, Susan, we do remember our best teachers and mine @ Black were Mrs. Wilborn (English) and Mrs. Marshall (typing).  They and Mrs. Gaugler were the reasons I majored in and taught English and business subjects.  Mrs. Wilborn taught me my favorite thing (Beau, your least favorite) - diagramming sentences.  I failed my 1st shorthand test in Mrs. Gaugler's class and that truly shocked me into perking up and ending up with As.  Charles had her for typing and she made him promise to never take typing again and she'd pass him.  Maybe that happened to Beau and others and, thus, the reason y'all type with the "hunt/peck" method?  I feel we were very fortunate to have had the teachers we did - even the really "bad" ones seemed to impart some knowledge to us (Mr Mulholland - wonder what would have happened to him if he had been in today's teaching environment).

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Ya'll have to remember that I was a lowly '65 Waltripper.  But i do remember you Beau.  You were a very cute person, I think we all thought you were, however, you were just South of normal, still are, so I was AMAZED when I came on the Forum and saw your current pic, as a big burly-type Harley guy with a dewrag as opposed to the slender blonde-type that was shy around the girls.  And your gift of gab and comical nature, superior as opposed to your quietness, guess you were just trying to figure out yourself back in those days. (I was too).  We are so blessed to have your daily (almost) burst of comical everyday happenings told with a writer's (Leon Hale) you must have his DNA somewhere.  We all come from different households and what we encountered there, and some were strict, cultural, dysfunctional, etc. which makes us who we are today.

For myself, Sue and I started Black  Jr. High, from Fonville Jr. High, when we moved to Shepherd Park Plaza.  It was too big a change for us, we stayed maybe a semester or two, met all the "clicky" girls that had grown up together, don't get me wrong, they were sweet to us, invited us to their homes, etc. but we hadn't grown up with them, went back to Fonville with our friends from Hardy Rd.  I remember we had some good friends in SPP that helped to change our views, and, long story short, instead of attending Sam Houston HS, we chose Waltrip and took D.E. I went to work 1/2 day at Sakowitz and Sue at Foleys, downtown, which consumed us until we graduated and went to SHSU.  I would have loved to have grown up with all of you in Oak Forest and had such wonderful memories together.  Sam HS still emails me of the important events, and if I want I attend their events as well, so it is nice to be included in with all of you.

Scotty Croom

jimmy, i had ms. gaugler for typimg also...in spring 61, she asked me if i was taking it again,my reply was no because of other courses...she sighed a long one of relief...but, that  class helped me in military and every job get positions by typing skill...still use hunt and peck....i remember black teachers like mr. davis,prappas, duff, and ms. carnes,seitz and snapp..also coach yeager...they shaped our lives and education...

Jim Taylor

The "Early Pics-YEARBOOK" section of this site includes a copy of the ninth grade exit party program from 1961 when we left Black to go to Waltrip.  It includes a list of all of our homeroom teachers along with the names of which ones of us was in each homerum that year.  It includes a lot of names I had totally forgotten.  Test your memory.

Richard Meek '65

Greetings Waltripians. After the first of the year I thought this Forum was getting to be like the '65 Forum where someone posts something every two weeks. Now the messages are really flying. It's great to see that. Paige and I just spent a very nice weekend in San Antonio. We stopped in Buda on the way and had a really good lunch at Garcia's with her daughter in law. All the other relatives were out of town. Then went down to the river walk for dinner and strolling amongst the crowd. We went back to the river for lunch. If you're there eat at Ostra. Really excellent food and service in a beautiful setting. It's right across the river from La Posada Hotel.

After lunch we went to a Memorial Celebration for Franklin Smith, Greg Smith's dad. It was a wonderful gathering with a quite a few people from Oak Forest. Friends of Franklin and Katherine and Greg and his younger sisters Cathy and Anne. As well as grand kids. For all you folks that have a long memory about Oaks Presbyterian Church, Jack Williams and wife Ellie were there. Jack was the founding pastor at Oaks. I believe he pastored there for about 10 years. He and Ellie now live in Boerne. Soon to be moving to Phoenix where their daughter lives. Jack spoke during the remembrances and he brought back a lot of good memories. It was great to visit with him. My family and the Smith family moved to Cheshire the same year, 1950. So Greg and I have been friends since I was three and he was four. Sixty-two years is a long time. Greg gave the Eulogy and he really caught the essence of his dad. I knew exactly what he meant when he said that he strives every day to live up to the example his dad set. Me too with my dad. Whenever you saw Franklin he was always smiling. He and Kathryn enjoyed their almost 68 years of marriage. We ended the celebration with a Martini Toast. We did that because for the past several years when anyone would ask Frank how he felt he would reply "I fell like I want a Martini." We had great day remembering treasured memories and in the process created another treasured memory. With that thought in mind just remember to keep on dancing and dance like no one is watching!

Rich LH

PS You'll have an opportunity to keep on dancing at the mini-reunion in April. Plan to be there!

Scotty Croom

richard,when did greg's dad die?? never saw it in paper..have known greg since oak forest...

Richard Meek '65

Scotty, Frank passed away back in November. It took a while for Katherine to decide on where to have it and what format, etc. They have been living in San Antonio for quite a few years. I don't know if they posted any notices in the Chronicle or not. Frank worked for Exxon for 40 years. 20 of those years he worked for ESSO Eastern. They lived all over the far East in those years. From Japan to Australia with travel all over. They thoroughly enjoyed their time there. For you vets out there. He was a WWII vet. Wounded in a bombing raid over Germany in 1944. I'm not sure what his job was. Greg can tell you. There was an Air Force major there to present a flag to the family in honor of Lt. Franklin D. Smith.

Lloyd Pond

I remember an English teacher at Black. She appointed me to sit in front of the room, by the door, and take roll. It was a fun class she was a good teacher. So one day she says, Today write a story about anything you like. That made for a fun assignment. So I write about a WWII fighter pilot going out for a mission and returning after a few dogfights. I thought it was pretty good. I get the story back and teacher said OK but I wish you had picked another topic! That set my writing creativity back for a few years. Another time, 3 girls, came in and.  sang a singing valentine. Good harmony

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hey Lloyd, I know what you mean about the writing assignment. I dont remember which teacher it was, but they said to "write a story about whatever you want"...the fine print read, "as long as it's something I want you to write about. I wrote a story about some such action in WWII, and it was received very coldly, and probably got a D for effort. Oh well, too bad doodad...

When I remember stuff, it may be in black and white, or color, but always a "still", or snapshot. Dreaming, however, is generally in color, and 3D movin pictures. Odd how the brain works, or doesnt work.
Ya ever notice, when something is not necessarily to someones liking, but the try to be nice, or clever, and say that the subject is "interesting", "provocative"...and when you tell something you thought was funny, they say, "oh, that's funny", but they arent laughing...must not a been too funny, eh what!

Ok all you scientist types out there, is the commercial really quoting an axiom from physics???? "A body in motion, tends to stay in motion, while a body at rest, tends to stay at rest"...????????
Sounds like bullshoot to me. My too sharp DuBarry brain dispelled that theory from the git go! Hence...If a body in motion, lets say a red Ferrai, hits a body at rest, lets say a 6 ft rubber ball, then the body in motion, is no longer in motion, but becomes a body at rest, and the body at rest becomes a body in motion. HA! You've got to get up pretty early to pull one over on perfessor of silly.

Hey Kay, nice words, I thank you. It's always nice hearing good things about yourself. But for the life of me, I just dont remember much about Junior high school. Except for 7th grade, and I went to Aldine Jr High. Seems some of us that lived on the other side of the tracks and Mangum, were zoned for Aldine in 1958. Man, that was an eye opener. It was a very rough school. the kids were tough hoods, and I was a scared 100 pound skinny blonde boy that tried to blend in with the scenery. WOW that was culture shock for me. I did do pretty good in the grade dept, never made less than a C...mainly because there was no D. 70 to 80 was a C etc. Below 70 was failing.

Some of the members of the Laura Koppe gangs kids went there. almost ever guy had a ducktail, and wore a leather jacket, or a shirt with the collar turned up. At least thats how my brain remembers it. I remember it was so far off the beaten path, once I left in 59, I was never able to find the Aldine Jr High physically. It was down some dusty shell road, 20 miles away from DeMilo. Use to catch the bus on Viking, and go out on Antoine, which back then was barely an asphalt road, then up to Little York and from there, out on 45, then I have no idea where it went. My first day there, I thought it was another planet.

Black was a little more hospitable, more to my liking, plus I had friends there...thank goodness...I remember some of the guys at Black, JC Mosier, Teddy, Skeeter, Phil Young, and a few others, and only one girl...Jimmie Lee Smith...I mentioned earlier that I was terrified of the female girls...Maybe some of the names will come back to me...It certainly isnt a slight on my fellow students, but a testament to elapsed time...and a retired brain...well, I'm gettin my brain in shape for the olympics, by golly!!!! I am starting to multitask again. Had supper waiting on the stove for the little woman today. Yup, steak and potatoes and hominy and navy beans with jalapenos, and a glass O sweet red wine. I didnt burn it either, not the wine, but supper. And,. I fed all the critters whilst cooking said fare, and vacuumed the house and cleaned the bathrooms. HA, take that retired brain...

Ok, time to stop the bus trip down memory lane. Gonna say goodnight Gracie. "Goodnight Gracie"!!!
yore ol frien and perfessor brother DOD