The Saga continues.

 Consolidation was not a choice for us, it was mandated and I think for me it was good because it eased my way into high school. One of the larger country schools was made into a junior high. Twenty-five students from Lake Fork and Donnelly attended this school with only one teacher, seventh graders on one side of the room and eighth graders on the other side. A water cooler in one corner near the pencil sharpener and the bathrooms one for girls and another for boys were outside. Another large room was kept closed off most of the time but in winter it had a ping-pong table, where we held endless ping-pong tournaments. In warm weather we played softball every recess. The Donnelly/McCall high school was only five miles away so we were bused there for a hot lunch and also to join the high school band for daily practices. I didn’t have any problems settling in to this new school. I made friends easily and compared to the other girls I was a good softball player and always one of the first girls chosen to be on a team. I found out quickly that my grades were mediocre compared to the other students’ as visions of honor student floated right out of my head. I was content to get average grades and never really learned good study skills.

I soon had a boyfriend. I wore a “dog tag” necklace with his name and he wore one with my name. At school we made no secret of this but each night when I went home the necklace was tucked under my shirt so my parents couldn’t see it. Most of our conversations were carried on via notes passed by friends or at the water cooler, as we just happened to get thirsty at the same time. We shyly sat next to each other on the bus as we rode to lunch, giving each other sidelong glances. I went to band practice and he to study hall. This romance was short lived as I soon saw him flirting with another girl at the water cooler and returned his necklace. 

One of the best parts of this change in schools was the hot lunch program.  I had eaten a cold sack lunch for five years and hot lunch was such a treat. Hamburger gravy over mashed potatoes and chili with homemade rolls were two of my favorites. We could have all of the bread and butter sandwiches that we wanted but were not allowed to waste anything. I was in heaven except for the occasional serving of canned peas that I had to choke down before returning for seconds. 

Our introduction to high school was a field trip to Boise and included all incoming freshman. We toured the Capitol Building in Boise and the Idaho Statesman Newspaper offices. We were supposed to get acquainted with the freshman from McCall but there was very little mingling on the long bus ride, everyone stayed with their familiar group or their own little click. Girls had to wear dresses on this trip and also would be required to wear dresses everyday at school. It was here that I began to notice the differences in clothing that became more apparent as the years went by. 

A school dance or mixer as it was called was held on the afternoon of the first day of school. I remember one girl in particular, a cute blond. She was blond, petite and knew how to dance. She wore dress shoes and nylons to go with her full-skirted dress as she twirled and bobbed around the dance floor, blond curls bouncing. She danced every dance and flirted with first one boy and then another as they all clamored for her hand. I sat on the sideline in a plain dress wearing saddle oxfords and bobbie socks, watching, palms sweaty, wanting a boy to ask me to dance but also afraid that they would because I didn’t really know how to dance. 

One boy did ask me to dance and he said to me, “I saw you watching ‘her’, you know don’t you that pretty is as pretty does”? 

“I know.” I answered, “But look she is so popular and cute.” 

I envied her through high school and her talents became even more apparent as the years went on. She could play the piano and made the honor roll. She was the first choice for the lead parts in the school plays. She changed boyfriends often and had a date for every school dance. Boyfriends, dates never happened for me but it didn’t stop me from going to dances and parties. I sat on the sidelines with my girlfriends and waited for girls choice. and I found my own nitch in the band program and as a member of “Girls Club” where I served as Vice President and President of the organization in my Junior and Senior years.