NUTZ NOTES

(Originally run 2/29/04 on our old site)

NOTE: All photos referenced in this piece can be found at http://groups.msn.com/searcymemories .

Don Thompson

Yes, Judy Deener was an interesting gal. Her handwriting was indeed distinctive and artsy.

The reason the salutation is "Dear T D" is she called me Tonald Dompson and I called her Dingbat (Archie Bunker, were you listening?). I'm not sure who first nicknamed her Dingbat. It may have even been me. I do remember looking it up in the dictionary. It means “nitwit” or “kook.” Well, she was not that, but the name seemed to fit. I was not to be outdone by her stylish scroll and green ink, so I came up with my own green ink signature.

Cheers!

EDITOR’S NOTE: A dingbat is also a small piece of artwork used in the printing trade. How appropriate as a nickname for someone with decorative handwriting. (If you’re in Word, go to Insert>symbol>and then, under “fonts,” take a look at “Webdings” and “Wingdings”). I’d forgotten the green ink. –tlp-

Anita Hart Fuller

Thank you, Roland, for answering about the jackets. I happened to be talking with Bryant Quattlebaum recently on the phone, and asked him. His memory is that the school paid for them; he doesn't remember a booster club buying them. We talked about the basketball team getting sweaters, but didn't mention the track team, which you were on, too. Did you get anything for lettering in track? And, in l950 I think it was, Searcy launched a girl's basketball team for the first time in many years: did they get jackets? Does anyone out there still have theirs? Bryant thinks Dick Phillips still has one of his football jackets.

And Tom, let's get the band kids cranked up over these band letters - that Bob got and I didn't!

I recall getting one, totally sans any ceremony at all. Or maybe I just took it from the pile of stuff that kept accumulating in the fax room, for lack of a better place to put them. 53-54, 54-55, 55-56 I do not recall any formal letter award ceremony in Band. –tlp-

Dan E. Randle

I saved a copy of "The Lions Roar" from May of 1957. I guess if anyone is interested I could scan the whole paper (4 pages) and put it on the site.

The question has been asked about how the jackets were paid for and what the name of the organization was that helped raise money for the football team. "The Lionettes" raised money in various ways to help out. I remember my mother making candies to be sold at the games to help raise money. Mom always made up a batch of divinity, which was one of the first things sold when the plates arrived at the booth. Those of you who remember how light and fluffy her divinity was understand. I have tried without success to find someone that can make divinity that light. It is always heavy and thick. I even tried to make it but, like all the rest, it turned out a little heavy and not so fluffy. A lot of moms baked cookies and made candy to sell at the games. I’ve put a picture of the 1957 Lionettes on the photo site; http://groups.msn/searcymemories . In looking back, this seems to be the year the Lionettes started.

There are a lot of stories that can be told about the antics of the 50's. How many of you remember the drag races on the Rosebud highway, or out by the airport? Ernest and I used to line up and drag, Ernest in his 49 flathead Ford V8, and me in a 53 Chevy 6. That little six really had a lot of torque coming off the line. I could usually beat him, unless I missed a shift. The biggest trouble is, I don't remember the other dragsters. I also remember a night that Frank Thompson (riding shotgun) and I went up 4 Mile Hill on two tires. Or at least there was only one line of black tire tracks up the hill and the car sure was leaning over!

I think back over all the stupid macho things we did as kids and wonder why I'm still alive.

I remember my father talking to one of his old high school buddies and commenting, "You know, if we'd ever catch our kids doing what we did at their age, we'd probably kill them -- if whatever they were doing didn't kill them first."

Some things never change in the human condition. -tlp-