Big Rapids High School ca. 1953

       More Letters From Paradise
    Big Rapids High School ca. 1953
      "What was high school like back then?" the boy asked.
      "Well, as I remember we had a real good time.   The high school was on a slight hill on U.S. 131, across the street from the Dairy Queen.  When it opened in summer you could buy a milkshake for 25 cents."
      "That's pretty cheap."
      " But it wasn't back then.   I had a paper route that paid me five dollars a week."
       "But what about the school?"
       "Well, you had to buy your books at the bookstore in the school.   I remember it cost me $12.00 for the year, and I always tried to get good used books."
       "But get on with it, what about sports?"
       "We had football and basketball."
       "What about swimming?"
       " We didn't have a pool.   At the end of the football field there was a a large bell held up by bricks which was rung by our team as each player passed under it."
        "That sounds pretty cool."
       "Basketball was played just as you play today, except that girls played only half-court.   And after each football or basketball game there was a record dance in the gym."
      "We don't do that today.  What about homecoming?"
      " For homecoming the freshman class was charged to build the bonfire.   Every year the freshman class tried to build a bigger one than was built before.   The whole town was searched for cardboard boxes.  The huge pile was built just below the school, and when it was lighted, a firetruck stood by."
       "That  must have been something."
       "Yes, it was, and that's not all.  We made a snake dance."
       " What's that?"
       "We all joined hands and went up the hill into town and wove our snake in and out between parking meters and formed circles in streets where they came together."
       " That sounds like a lot of fun.   What else did you do?"
       "Well, we had political rallies."
       "What was that?"
       "The students divided themselves into two political parties, called the Congress Party, and the Independent Party.   Paper badges and posters were made.   There were speeches, and the band divided to support their particular candidate.   Then everybody voted."
      "Wow! that must have been really neat."
      "We also had an annual musical show called  the "Band Follies.  There were plays too."
      "We have plays too.  Did you have driver training back then?"
      "Yes, we did.   We learned on a Ford, with a manual shift, and the car had dual controls for the teacher."
      "We don't do that."
      "We had to drive around in first gear for some time.  Then shifting into second gear, after another week."
      " That's pretty dumb."
      "Maybe so, but have you ever tried to ease the clutch and give it the gas while on a steep hill?"                  
     "No, I haven't."
      "I think they make it too easy for you kids today."
       " It looks like you danced a lot.
       "Yes, I suppose we did.  You must remember that this was just after the war.  We were still dancing to the music of that time.  This was just at the end of the era of the big bands.   We had Ray Anthony and his band in our gym, and he led the bunny hop all the while playing his horn.  Other bands rode their buses into town and played either at our school or at Ferris Institute.  I also saw Jimmy Dorsey and Billy May, and their bands."
      " I have heard of them."
     "It was a good deal for the bands, because sometimes they would spend two nights in town.
     " What sports did you play?"      
     " I didn't, because I had a heart murmur.  I sang in the choir, danced in the Band Follies, acted in the drama club, and was a projector boy."
      "What's that?"
      "A few boys were trained to thread and operate 16mm movie projectors.  We took them to class rooms and operated them for teachers."
      "No t.v.?"
      "No, not yet, just slides."
      "What subjects did you like best?"
      " History was my favorite, and I enjoyed typing class.  We typed on upright machines, and it was difficult on winter mornings to get your fingers working."
     "We don't do that anymore."
      "Yes, I know."
      "Were you guy always so good?"
      "Of course not, we smoked and had a beer, if we knew someone who would buy it for us."
      "No pot?"
      "No, not back then.  Cigarettes were cheap, and easy to buy. My father would send me to the store for a paperback book and a pack of Camels.   We didn't know about the danger of smoking back then."                    
      "I don't smoke."
        "Good for you, it's a nasty dangerous habit."
         "Anything special you remember?"
       "Yes, the "Swing Out Assembly.  It was the first time seniors would appear in their caps and gowns.   Students had assigned seating area, juniors on each side, sophomores in the rear, and seniors in front.    Everyone was seated and they marched in and took their seats.  The class shovel was presented to the president of the junior class."
        "That must have been pretty emotional."
        "It was."
       "Is there anything else you could tell me?"
        "Oh, there is a lot more, but I'm pretty tired now."
            Aloha
            Grant