1959 – 1961

Things I remember from Washington Junior High in Green Bay.

Shop Classes

I think I enjoyed the shop classes as much as any class I took in middle school. I remember building as small wood desk ornament in woodworking, an electric magnet in electrical, and typesetting in printing. All of those were fun, but the one I liked most was drafting.

I ended up an engineer, but I sometimes feel that I should have become an architect. I have always had a creative streak. I think my talents and my imagination would have made me a very good one.

YWCA Dances

My first girlfriend was a girl in our social circle. We used to hang out after classes at an ice cream shop. I was way too shy to ever kiss her or even hold her hand, but she was one of very few girls that I was totally comfortable talking with. We never really dated, but we did spent a lot of time together.

Every Friday our group met at YWCA supervised dances for middle school kids, girls on one side, boys on the other. We spent those nights dancing together. I remember those being my first sensual feelings with a girl.

She ended up being sent to private high school and we lost touch.

Science & Math Classes

Both those subjects were very easy for me. I am blessed/cursed with a very logical, analytical mind. I always thought math problems were fun. I especially remember enjoying a physics class taught by a very entertaining teacher where he had us do hands on projects to illustrate physic principles.

I was given special tests during that period. My parents came in to get the results, but did not share the results with me. It was all very hush hush. I later found out they considered me “gifted”, but I suspect that was more because I had so much fun doing those subjects. It was not until I was an adult that my dad shared the results of those tests with me.

Equipment Manager for basketball team

Those that can play, play, those that are too small and lack talent end up being the equipment manager. I know only nerds did that, but I wanted to be part of the team. I did develop one hell of an accurate side shot in basketball, when the team practiced at the other end of the court.

Dad buying cottage at Shore Acres

I remember my father buying a couple of acres on the bay at a place called Shore Acres, 17 miles north of Green Bay, Wisconsin for $5,000. After buying it, he found a contractor, drew what he wanted on a piece of paper and then built our original cottage on the beach.

I do know that my most vivid memories are of various events and people I hung around with there. I loved that place.

My father later built a more permanent home on that site in the late 1980s to move into after all of his children were grown and had left home.

Unfortunately, just as my parents moved into that house, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, The next couple of years she suffered greatly before her death. They were not good years for all of us, especially my father.