Chapter 7: Making High Marks

Chapter 7: Making High Marks

Chapter 7: Making High Marks

Chapter 7: Making High Marks

As I started high school, I felt that I would be behind those students who had gone to Catholic schools for eight years. So I applied myself with all my might to my studies. How surprised I was to see myself getting all "a's" and finally even achieving "The Bishop's Cross" award for excellency in religion. A whole new world opened up to me and I discovered that I was really very intelligent. Previously I had only thought of myself as an agile athlete, especially as I could bat and throw a ball very well from our neighborhood baseball games. I was also quite a runner as I jumped the hurdles on the track during gym classes. Now at Notre Dame Academy I took up archery, ping-pong, tennis, bowling and basketball. I especially excelled in ping-pong, but only made the second string in basketball. I truly enjoyed all of my sports and the friends that I made along the way.

What a hoot high-school was as I think back! I met two of my dearest life-long friends: Darrah and Sheila.Darrah and I constantly vied for best grades, yet we also encouraged one another in impish pranks and hilarious conduct. I can remember hiding behind a pillar when our ancient history class visited the museum and throwingan orangeacross the room when the Latin teacher turned her back. This was the only teacher with whom I tried such things, since she seemed to be in another worldwhen she was teaching.

Happy memories were pajama parties, and ping-pong tournaments, speech tournaments and special feast days when we wore our white uniforms. Other times we wore navy blue serge with plastic collar and cuffs. But we always wore our nylons lest we be caught and made to wear black stockings from the convent. Summertime brought a change , as we could wear cotton uniforms of any single color. My mother, being an excellent seamstress, made me uniforms of yellow, red, green, and light blue. She really loved to do this as she had made many of my outfits as a child and throughout grade school. I remember that we spiced them up a bit by exchanging belts with one another. thus you could have a yellow uniform with a red belt, that is, until your were noticed by a teacher.

One day the principal announced that we were to make sure the water was turned off in the lavatories. So always wanting to conform, the next time I used the sink, I gave the handle an extra push. Much to my surprise, the handle came off in my hand and I felt that I had to report it to to the principal. As I walked into her office I said, " I was justing trying to do as you asked." She looked at the faucet handle and laughed.

It was truly a different time in the fifties and it is difficult to comprehend with today's mentality, but we truly had good times, learned much and were given a definite set of values.

Another important thing that happened during my high school time was that one particular teacher took it upon herself to help me to overcome a definite stutter which I had had from age five. My mother had taken me to the doctor and he said that there was nothing physically wrong but that I thought faster tha I could speak and that I would outgrow it. It did not happen all the time, but mostly when beginning a sentence. My throat seemed to tighten up. The teacher told me that I was not to try to answer right away when this happedned and that she would wait. With her constant encouragement, my parents were very proud when I entered the speech contest and did very well. Finally I told Jesus that if he wanted me to be a teacher, he would have to assist me with the problem. Today people are surprised when I tell them that as a child I stuttered.

It is a mystery what things we remember and what we forget. I believe that our memories are precious treasures that enable us to learn life's lessons. I have often thanked God for my memories and said that I have enough good memories to last me the rest of my life.

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