Lowell Tuttle
Lowell Tuttle
Some Heights memoris
I used to dream that when I got to school, I had forgotten to put on my pants.
Mr. Simms used to read to us after lunch, but, first he would just leave our classroom completely empty, which for the group there, was quite risky. Where was he? I am pretty sure he longed for Ms. Craft's kids, because he would go there and tell them stories before he came into our class...One book he read us was The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck. Probably banned now...China story.
In Ms. Halliburton's class, we used to play Jacks. It was a craze. That was the only time I ever took up that sport.
Each class room used to play softball against each other. I don't think we had gloves, but I remember we were the Lomax Losers in 4th grade.
At random football scrimage would evolve sometimes on the playground. There would be 20-30 receivers on each team, a center, and a quarterback. The two quarterbacks were David Grant and Bobby Fleming. I don't think anyone kept score, or won any game.
Our classrooms had somewhat of a library. I remember reading biographies, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, as well as Children of the A Bomb. I think that one's banned now too.
In 5th grade, the whole Heights class wore red or white, or blue shirts and we all lined up in the shape of the State of Texas. We sang The Stars at Night, and Texas Our Texas. I know we practiced in the Heights gym, but it was too small for a performance. For the life of me, I can't remember where we performed the show. I may have been sick for it. (edit) We also sang Big D...and maybe Rag Time Cowboy...
Living basically in the middle of the 700 block of Newberry, there were two directions I could go home. I would walk down Floyd to Newberry and then left down to 727, or I would cut through someone's yard on Ridgedale, and head down the Newberry alley...Or, I would exit the Height's playground/property on the NW side, where there was an alley cut through. Those folks who lived on that part of the street, Weatherred, hated kids going through there...But, we would head N on Weatherred to it's end on Ridgedale, and we would cut through someone's hard to the alley to get to the back yard of my home on Newberry..
I got into one of my only two fights with Wade Atterbery scheduled by us to be after school near that playground exit point. We both showed up for the fight and a few kids were there to wach it, just like in the movies. But, we didn't fight, we made up, and actually walked over to my house arm in arm, lovey dovey...
I fisted Bobby Cedarberg one time, but as I did I became very scared as he got extremely mad and started chasing me...I turned and ran home.
That was the only time I ever hit anyone, other than by brother.]
I had a few short term friendships at Heights during the three years I went there. Bubba Bostick Stan Dixon, Bobby Kirkpatrick, Steve Healy (though that was longer timer,) Cedarberg, Wade A., Steve Sturman,
Lots of sports stuff with YMCA football, summer baseball (I was on the Rebels with younger guys...Randy Talley, David Darr, those guys...Also the Rinky Dink Lions guys...both Heights basketball as well as the Richardson sport stuff basket ball with a bunch of kids including Cedarberg, Ben Wallace (his dad coached us)
We would also go play touch football over at Duane Anspon's house...There was Gentry, Mike Marks, Duane, and more...
Maybe I'll think of some more stuff. Girls started being friends with me in 6th grade, but i was very shy...and I am even shy talking about it now...The girls from Richardson were so pretty...sigh...
Trying to think where we "cut through" someone's yard on Ridgedale, to get to the alley, and our back yards on Newberry. Folks didn't lock their gates, and frankly, I think, it was accepted that cutting through was a valid way to get home.
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