Randy Pratt
- I think we went to the Bronx Zoo in the 4th grade on DeCamp buses but I don't remember anything else, 4th grade walking trip to the Berta Pl pond, a trip to Jockey Hollow and the Tempe Wick house, a small group from my Freshman English class (Mr. Mieskalski - aka Fred Flintstone) went to an evening performance of a Shakespeare play in Princeton, dinner included - we all struggled through the ordering process.
- Perhaps there should be a special category for behind the wheel drivers ed. Mr. Ayers always impressed me with his calm in the face of impending danger. In addition to me, my car had 3 girls, 2 of whom didn't take naturally to driving. Once one of them making a left turn uphill from Henry Street to Finley Avenue barely engaged the clutch with the engine racing we inched through the intersection. The car was full of the acrid smell of burning clutch back to the school.
- When we gathered for a yearbook picture of National Merit Scholars in front of the auditorium, Mr. May walked by. He didn't believe I should be there and accused me of sneaking in and dragged me the few feet to the office. Some time passed as he complained to Mr. Keeler and investigation continued by Mr. Dolman. After awhile one of the secretaries told me I could rejoin the group. I always thought Mr. May should have apologized even in private but he didn't.
- Some of you may remember the Radical Raisin Party. Because of our efforts we were sternly lectured by Mr. Keeler and perhaps some one else. They were more concerned about the write-in voting campaign than the obvious offense of raisin possession and misused. Since this was a serious breach of conduct naturally our parents were called in. Unfortunately, my cause was not helped when my Dad laughed at them. In the end I don't think we were punished. I also learned that despite administration rules votes for our campaign were secretly counted and we won.
- Calculus was immediately after lunch for some of us while the everyone came from other classes. Mr. King's room was at the end of a wing. So some of us got to the classroom long before the others. It was spring and someone was bored.
The eraser throwing didn't start as a wild melee but much slower. I have no idea how it started but somehow by those early arrivals from lunch, Porter and/or Macchiaverna and perhaps me or others marked one floor tile with a chalk x. Whoever stepped on it was hit with an eraser. Since the arrival rate was spread out, time to reload was available. This remained so for a while but then more squares were added with safe entry into the room becoming more difficult. I remember the most graceful dance over and around the tiles was by Penny or Linda, the least graceful is unremembered. Eventually it got totally out of control at which time Mr. King ended the fun.