Sharing Memories: (Week 25) Brownie Girl Scout

About 1966-67, Brownie GS

The Brownie Girl Scouts was an outlet for me to use some of my creativity and meet others my age. I truly enjoyed attending the meetings and going on fun trips with a bunch of other girls. The Girl Scout leader, Mrs. Betty, lived right up the street from us and she had two daughters close to my age, Theresa and Debbie. After getting to know them well enough, I was allowed to sometimes spend the night with them and we had a ball! We were allowed to stay up a little late as long as we behaved ourselves and kept the noise down. We would get a big plate out and fill it up with snacks from the fridge or the cabinets. Then we would pile up in their bedroom and watch television or listen to the radio. We played card games, board games or did crafty stuff such as creating pompoms from yarn. They had a few cats and a dog and sometimes we would play silly with them, dressing them up in doll clothing.

However, we were NOT always good. Theresa and Debbie had a few little tricks up their sleeves sometimes. For instance, they would make prank phone calls to people. Yep, the famous "Prince Albert in the can" joke was just one of them. They also enjoyed experimenting with their mothers makeup. We would try on eyeshadows, rouges, and false eyelashes. We would find one of her bras and slip it on, then stuff it with toilet paper. Next came the clamp on earrings. When we were finished dressing up, we looked like miniature hookers from Bourbon Street. We then turned on some music and danced around in their bedroom, acting like silly little girls. Oh, but what fun it was!

If we got a little too loud, we would hear their mom call out... "Okay girls, what are you into?"

"Oh nothing, Mom... sorry, we'll turn the music down", one of them would reply as we all snickered.

We went on some great field trips with our Girl Scout troop. Some of them included a trip to the the Shrine Brothers Circus and a camping trip in Slidell. Mom and Dad were very supportive of our troop, helping us out with field trips and such when they could. They came along on the camping trip to Slidell. We stayed there the weekend... swimming, learning how to build a campfire, roasting weiners and marshmallows, splitting into teams and playing games.

Those were the "good ole days"... just pure simple fun. So why did I have to grow up???

Sharing Memories: (Week 24) My Friend Lois

 The Mystery Date Game was popular with Lois and I

My friend Lois lived across the yard from us in a duplex facing ours. She was about 2 years or so older than me but only one grade above me in school. We usually walked to school together and spent a great deal of time together... until her family moved. Her father was an alcoholic. I remember that he stayed gone a lot and when he did come home, he usually had a beer in his hand and also smelled like one. Her mother drank too, but I don't think she drank as heavy or as often.

Lois was a very pretty girl with tan skin and long black wavy hair. I admired her long thick hair and often wished mine was like hers. She was an only child and had a bedroom of her own filled with all sorts of games and such. She had a record player and we often sat in her room playing games while listening to music such as tunes by The Beatles and The Monkees. One of our favorite board games was Mystery Date. Another was Hands Down. We shared a lot of girl talk, Lois and I. She seemed to know a lot more about things than I did. 

When I heard the news that Lois was moving, I was sad and depressed for a while. She and I had become close friends, mainly because we lived within a few steps of each other. I missed her greatly when she was gone.

A few years later, I was at another friends house... and I saw a girl playing next door whom reminded me of Lois. As I walked closer to her, I realized that it was indeed Lois. She didn't recognize me because I had grown quite a bit since she had last seen me. We talked a lot about our old times together and laughed about the truths she had exposed me to. Her mother had remarried and was doing well. Lois was attending school and doing just great. She agreed to keep in touch with me after that, but she didn't. I have sometimes wondered whatever happened to her.

Hands Down was a popular game in the 1960's

Sharing Memories: (Week 20) Westwego Elementary School

Some things change very little over time. Westwego Elementary School still looks the same as I remember it, back in the 1960's. It was built in 1940 and still serves the same function... I find that incredible. This building is nearly 70 years old! I attended this school from first through third grades.

My first grade teacher was Mrs. Marquis. I remember her being a stocky older woman with short gray hair. She had a double chin that drooped with loose skin. Ugh.. like mine will be in just a few short years. She wore red lipstick and black eyeglasses. She was stern yet kind- she would not have allowed students to act unruly in her classroom. Of course, back then teachers were shown more respect, from both students and their parents. I remember those first grade readers... "Run, Jane, run!" "See Spot go!".

My second grade teacher was Mrs. Songy. She was a tall thin lady, probably in her 40's back then. She was very plain and also strict.  Her classroom was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.  If one of the students got out of line, Mrs. Songy was quick to get her paddle out.   She was serious about the rules in her class room, but she earned everyone's respect. 

During third grade, I had a wonderful teacher... Mrs. Marrero. She was a lively younger woman, probably in her 20's. She was also very attractive, with her blonde pixie cut hair and blue eyes. The little boys often fell for her. She was enthusiastic about teaching and went the extra mile to ensure that we understood the lessons. Mrs. Marrero encouraged summer reading programs, penmanship programs and volunteered to stay after school to assist students as needed. While in third grade, I was the Spelling Bee Queen. I looked forward to our spelling bees because Mrs. Marrero always had a neat little "prize" for the winner and runner-ups. I breezed through them, beating out the other nerdy kids every time.

Behind the school there was a huge shady playground. During our breaks, the girls would usually play hop-scotch or jumprope, weather permitting. Sometimes we would split into teams and have a hop-scotch contest. Our little hop-scotch maze was drawn out onto dirt with limbs from the nearby trees. I wonder if modern kids even know what hop-scotch is. The ropes we used for jump rope were those heavy straw-colored ones... what a good way to build arm strength! We had certain little tunes we would sing along to as we jumped. I don't remember them now. Then there were the little hand games we played. As we clapped our hands together up and down, in and out, we sang more little tunes, and the one who missed a clap lost the game. There was a "chinese jump rope" game we played as well. We used a big stretchy colored rubberband that was pulled taut between two of us while the player held the band around her ankles and performed various jumps with it. We had to follow a certain pattern and when we missed a jump we were counted out. The person who accomplished the most jumps correctly in the pattern won.

In the spring, we would have "free" days when we would gather on the playground and have lunch on the grounds. We were each responsible for bringing a boxed lunch and the teacher would number the boxes. We would draw a number and find the box that matched it. We would then sit in groups on checkered blankets and have lunch with our teachers. There were times I wished I was able to keep my own lunch though. 

Of course, we had our little crushes then. Boys would pick on the girls, and the girls would whisper to each other about the boys. Love notes were exchanged... "I love you, do you love me? Check yes or no".  I had my share of crushes... but most of the time I was too shy to let the boy know it.

One of the things I remember best about those days is the sense of respect. Children respected adults. We were expected to behave in school, or else! Teachers did not have to deal with smart-mouthed kids who made the classroom their personal two-ring circus. If someone stepped out of line, they were either paddled by the teacher or sent to the principal's office... to be paddled. Then, when they arrived home their parents usually paddled them more, or punished them. We were taught more responsibility toward our fellow students and school property. It is far different in some schools of today.

During the mid-60's, the schools remained segregated. I don't recall seeing children of any race other than white while attending Westwego Elementary. Soon that would all change.

Example of a chinese jump rope

Typical hop scotch drawing