Sunday, February 1, 2009

Leveritt Massey - School Days


Elementary school was at J H Giles Elementary just seven blocks from the house on 4075 Congress Ave.
W L Straughn, Charles Taylor, Pat Gowling, Walter Freeman, James Fulgrum were part of that 1st grade class that also finished the 11th grade with me.
In the second grade I was a part in a school play. Never again did I stand forth in school. But was the shy - timid kid. Ms Love was I believe my 2nd grade teacher.
Mr. Brown the janitor lived in a house on the back corner of the school ground. (about 2 city blocks). He built ___ stroke skiffs in his spare time that was real interesting to me. we had a cut down model A Ford lawn tractor with steel rear wheels (Made by the shop at High School) that pulled a gang of three 48” reel type mowers. High school boys were employed to keep all the crabgrass and other weeds out of the school lawn. The lawns were always clean and beautiful.
In high school (1 mile from home) with no plans to go to college I guess I specialized in shop. 1st year (8th grade) we had three months of wood shop, machine shop, auto shop and the the 2nd year we chose one for me it was auto shop, the senior year we were allowed to take 3 hours of shop for which we received 2 credits (no study hall). With a chance to go to Lamar Jr. College (which was integrated with the high school some classrooms and teachers were shared and buildings). I had to take Physic and Chemistry during the summer to get in. I graduated with 18 1/2 credits instead of the 16 required. Was guilty of taking a 5 gallon bucket with a charcoal fire up into the one cold football night drew a crowd when word got out, finally took it down to the track out of the stands.

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