Royal Oak Dondero

David McKercher

Fun Memories

We all get a bit nostalgic at times and sometimes it is fun to just jot down memories that are just there. Here are a few of mine. Many are centered on Jane Addams.

Ms Richards' Class

For some reason this class had more than its share of strange events.  She had a habit of always being rather late to show up for this first hour class and us kids being kids used that time for mischief or whatever.  One day we locked Bob Menzies in the coat closet.  When class started and Ms Richards was busy teaching her heart out Bob got tired of being in the closet and started making scratching noises on the door. Ms Richards at first ignored and then became scared. She had no idea what was going on but glared at the class looking for some clues. The class of course was "absorbed" in our work. Finally, she could stand it no longer and went to the class next door to ask Mr. Stansbury to come rescue her. He opened the door and of course there was Bob cowering on the floor.  I recall there was a serious scolding but nothing ever came of it.

She kept a goldfish in her class. One day we arrived to find the goldfish floating in the bowl. I believe it was because she kept the bowl adjacent to the window and it was wintertime - the fish froze.  Her room was immediately above the front entrance to the school on the second floor. When we saw her coming up the walk we threw the fish at her feet. I am not positive, but believe it was Lynne Buri who did that evil deed. We got another lecture.

Mr Bott's class - the famous Roberta Braman story

Mr. Bott was a very tall and robust teacher - nobody messed with him. One day he had to leave class to take care of some business. We were instructed to "read" our assignment. Roberta, being Roberta could not resist the urge to get up and chit chat all up and down class. She was busy chatting with her back to the door.  Mr Bott came back and saw what was going on.  At the top of his lungs he yelled, "ROBERTA"!!!   Roberta absolutely froze. She was caught dead to rights.  Then she slinked quietly back to her seat. I know this loses a bit in the translation but watching her slink back was truly memorable.

Janet Harley's Arm

It was reputed that Janet could throw a baseball further than any guy in the class  -- of course that was just reputed. We never really knew.

Ms Meraw

Does anyone else remember her dark blue dress that ALWAYS had chalk dust on it?  Again, when she was out of the class and Ed Stutz was acting up -- someone pulled his "shackled" pants down to his knees.

Snider vs. Sturgell - track meet.

Everyone believed that Jerry was the fastest human alive on the track in the 100 yard dash. One meet Frank beat him.  Nobody could believe it -- including Frank.

Mrs Hoffman

On the first day of Advanced Algebra Mrs. Hoffman took one look at the class and evidently was concerned there might be some rowdiness. The class was mostly an assortment of football players and other jocks all wearing white socks and letter sweaters.  She then announced in a very authoritarian manner that she did not put up with any nonsense in "her" class. Any misbehaviour she said was impermissable and that the had ways of dealing with it. She said she was bigger (might have been) and stronger than anyone in the class and if there was trouble, "out the window you go, and may I remind you, we are on the third floor".  She won, hands down. She was the best teacher I ever had.