School Story:
Unfortunately, my father was transferred to Anchorage, Alaska half way through my senior year - Thank you so much USAF! I was, of course, heartbroken because I loved LHS & can honestly say I spent "the best years of my life", as they are called, there. I remember how nervous we all were on that first day. Seniors trying to sell elevator passes to some of the unfortunates, being yelled at for stepping on the LHS emblem on the front steps, trying to find our classrooms in that huge unknown building. Very small fish in a big pond! After Junior High where girls used to fast dance together, our most embarassing moment as a first day Soph. had to be in the Lounge (as I think it was called) when one of our favorite tunes came on the juke box & two of us girls got up to dance, whereby almost at once we were pelted with pennys! Someone then informed us that girls didn't dance together in High School - Oh the humiliation! My life was over! I recovered & later was so proud to be singled out as a hostess for the Thanksgiving Ball - followed by the absolute necessity of a new Ball Gown, matching shoes, purse & gloves - fathers had no idea how important it all was! Tears, tantrums & cajoling finally resulted in success and I DID go to the ball with my handsome prince & was presented with an orchid corsage - the ultimate corsage! Bliss! The highlight of Junior year has to be Joy Night! As a member of Junior Girls Glee we performed songs from the shows. In class, dancers were asked for to do a tapdance to 'Night & Day'. I had 3 tap classes when I was 8 or 9 so I stuck my hand up and was chosen, along with several others who actually had been to dance classes! Never mind, I soon picked it up and away we went. We performed for Joy Night & then toured schools with our song & dance troop. Oh - Fame as last! There was one girl in the class, Ludmilla Dubovsky, who really did have the most fantastic voice & was so nice with it. When we sang "Bell of the Ball" she said it always reminded her of me. I never forgot that. I thought it was such a lovely thing to say. I wonder if she remembers? Of course there were the boyfriends - no names - but one did involve another embarrassing moment when we were caught kissing in the hall - cringe! Another boy I nearly dated, but knew absolutely that my father would not approve because his sideburns that were not 'regulation' length - even if he was on the gymnastics team, so unfortunately a non-starter - tragic! After that, I went for 'Older Men' - One year older to be precise and the two, sort of, alternated for the remainder of my LHS time until I left half way through my Senior year. We left for Alaska just after Chrismas so the months leading up to that painful departure are a bit of a blurr because most of my world was glimps through my teen aged tears. There was the Thanksgiving Ball, football games, Peppers, Pep Rallys & dances but what was the point in joining anything when I knew I would be leaving? Although I was not at LHS for graduation and went through all the important 'Senior Moments' at Anchorage High - Senior Picnic, Senior Prom, Graduation Day - I even earned a scholarship! - I am proud to say my Diploma was still from my beloved LHS. There is some justice!
