My memories Jean (Gallt) Fisher

Class of 1963

Great memories came out of growing up in Geneva--believe me, Ohio is so different from the Northeast!  

I remember Kris Madsen on crutches as the only kid that stood out in kindergarten. 

As an eight year old on up, neighbor kids and I'd pack our lunches for the day and go out to the "2nd woods" and play until late afternoon, making forts, swinging on vines, enjoying nature.  Evenings in summer brought lightening bugs put into jars to watch in the bedroom, and Kick the Can games. 

In Mrs. Kuhl's 2nd grade, taking turns carrying the hampster home for the weekend---how many got loose and never returned on Mon.?  Half of Mrs. Musselman's third grade was spent in the hall, hiding in corners in case Mr. Siegel came by.  By 6th grade, I did get "expelled" because I disobeyed one of Mr. Unger's (Mr. Anger!) decrees----that 2x2 stick was so scarey as he banged on the desk to get us to obey!!

We'd save our money ($.05-.10) to buy a few red hots (4 for a penny) and button candy at the Rose Garden to eat on the way home. Movies were 13 cents, later a quarter.  Putting your ear on the RR tracks to listen for oncoming trains, then putting a penny on the tracks, hiding when the train came by, and finding a flattened penny afterwards.  Finding the sometimes warm embers of the train "bums'" campfire, and being warned by parents not to go there unless with other kids. Picking pussy willows in snowy spring to bring home to force open.

How sore we got the first week of band camp in late Aug. as we practiced "9 to 5" (9 steps to 5 yards) under Mr. Renner.  He worked us hard, but what great pride to have one of the best marching bands in the area, modeled after OSU, complete with the Script "G" at half-time--remember Cameron Marcy on the tuba, Nancy Raymond, a majorette, & marching down Main St. pre-game from the school to the football field?

Remember the Latin banquets when we were slaves the first year and "royalty" the 2nd. (Joel and Kris copied off my Latin tests--& Mrs. Mynderse didn't know!)  Jeanne Jackson was a better teacher than any English one I had in college. Mr. Caton always had a smile--how did he know so much what was going on. Jim Osborne was a hero at basketball, and Bill Keener, at football. Campaignes for class officers---George Naddra was our man!  Fun dances after football and basket ball games--boys on one side and girls on the other. Rainbow Girls.

Summers at Madsen's Donut Shop---working with Joel, Julie Kolb, Jack Sargent, Kris, Pete & others --we laughed a lot, even when half asleep!  Winters had huge frozen waves at Lake Erie and ice skating on the pond near where the train steam engines stopped to get water; hot cocoa and warm bonfire. 

Fun years, fond memories.