School Story:
1966 moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Bethesda . Father was a USPH officer transferred from Indian Health Service to Parklawn, US Public Health Service.
I am a military brat who had attended 9 different schools before WJHS and stayed no more that 4years in each state. I have attended some form of educational institution in Seattle, Tacomoa, WA, Winona, Ellicott City, Winona, MN, Front Royal,VA, Scottsdale & Phoenix since I was 2 yrs. old.
It was in culture shock from the move west coast to east coast. I wore go go boots in Sept. and people told me it was not snowing. I spoke west coast slang which no one understood. Also I have a Jewish last name but I was Roman Catholic. I was told by some Jewish acquaintances that I should wear a crucifix necklace so I would not confuse any Jewish boys. I was taller than most girls with large hands and feet. I felt like I was one of a kind. I did not fit in socially.
Of course, every girl hates PE class but I remember waiting in line for the release bell, and a mean girl told me that I would be cute if I was a boy with my wavy hair,tall, long eyelashes, and strong jawline (tall dark and handsome?)
The academic program at WJHS was grilling. I was an A/B honor roll student since 3rd grade and now I was struggling by with C's. My middle eastern history & current affairs called World history class and chemistry class was torture since I ill equipped with a lacking background knowledge.
Mid year in my sophomore year, I was switched from A classes and put in a B sections. MD tracks students by A,B,C - A outstanding, B average, C below average. After being placed in B sections, I began to not care about school achievement and just got by with C/Bs. These incidents changed my self view. Did not discover that I was Dyslexic until I was 35 yrs old while I going for my Masters at SU.
My reaction was I was not to attend college. I thought it would be too difficult. SO I applied to the Washington Secretary School but my parents rejected this idea. So I applied to only one school, UMCP. I could only pay for one college application fee. I was shocked that I was accepted. I was ranked in the top half of my class because my freshman credits from Arcadia High School were all A and one B in PE.
I moved from home 2nd half of freshman year to come a live-in nanny, cook, children's chauffeur, and housekeeper to an Royal Iran /American Jewish couple with 2 sweet girls 3 and 5 yrs. old. Their mother was in her last year at UMCP's Library Science MA program and husband took a job at Stanford.For 3yrs, I worked part time at the NIH for the Deputy Director, Dr. Thomas Chalmers in his Liver Library to pay for all of my college and living expenses. He offered to pay for my medical physician degree but I declined because I did not have the confidence and belief that I was smart enough to become a Dr.
I did not participate in after school programs because I was the afternoon/evening/weekend caretaker for my much younger 3 brothers; 2, 5, and 8 yrs old. I had few friends which were acquaintances really since I was always homebound.
My batiks was placed in the Art Show 1967 but my parents and I did not attend since I was told that art was frivolous and could not support yourself as an artist. My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh .
The best memory I have of WJHS was Gourmet Foods/ Family Living. I loved to cook and work as a team in the kitchen. Going food shopping in the "magic Bus" with my cooking team mates. I developed life long friendships with one student.
I have no pictures in the yearbooks except the portrait. No one remembers me at three class reunions I have attended. The last one I attended I took my daughter and sat with the industrial arts students. Very few friends attend them and even fewer on on this website. I remember the names of a few students that were sitting alphabetically in homeroom because that did not change from year to year.
My college room mate stole my yearbooks and mailed them back in 2009 when she was moving even though I thought they were worthless. I threw them out. I did not have one signature because I receive my yearbook too late for friends to write in. ( last period of last day)
I have lost touch after many years with some friends, kept in touch with a few, and regain contact thru FB with others. I would like to renew friends as FB friends.
I was in a group of outcasts, not a academic, athlete, drama, or artist/musician; not straight ( different meaning in 1969) nor a head. In high school I loved music, art, dramatics, cooking, biological science and nature.