Anchor, a Good Memory from Valdese

Ideas, some fly by me and I don’t have time to catch them. I just missed one. But yesterday, as I sat behind a stopped school bus, I thought of School!..... (I attended 4 different schools growing up......) 

At the bus stop, I saw parents who had driven their kids from a subdivision to the highway. None of the houses could have been a mile off the highway. Cars and trucks sat there as the kids boarded the bus.

 (All photos from the internet)

Much is said about the changes in lifestyles of this day and time. I was never ‘fortunate’ enough to ride a school bus. We always walked to and from school no matter the temp or weather. I have friends who say they were never ‘fortunate’ enough to be close enough to ‘walk’ to school and HAD to ride school bus. LOL. (Is that one of the ‘grass is greener’ thingies?)

The distance we walked was at a few steps, up to 2 miles. I wonder the determining factor on riding school buses or walking. 

The parents driving their kids’ one block to catch the bus?  But there was never any apparent danger of walking, except maybe a scrap or two between hot headed boys during the walk, or staying out of the road since many places there were no sidewalks.

 (I lived about 100 feet to the right of this photo)

It is HOT but these kids will have A/C on the bus and in school. I remember all our schools had one wall completely lined with windows. They were always open in the summer heat, some rooms had a huge oscillating free standing fan.

  (Faculty minus Principal and coaches)

My mind eases back to the BEST school I ever attended. Valdese, NC. A small mountain town. The toughest teachers I ever had, looking back they were also the best. There were two mascots at the school. One a huge St. Bernard named ‘Anchor’ (I never knew if he belonged to anyone or where he ate). He was allowed to wander in and out of classrooms, kids would pet him as he passed their desks. At times he would spend a whole class time with us. I am not sure if Anchor ever had a bath. Some of us would spend recess untangling his long hair. He enjoyed that.  There was never a more loved stray dog. Anchor was also the only St. Bernard I remember seeing in the flesh. I still wonder about him.

 In Valdese, One step put me on school grounds. Our house bordered on the HS property. I never saw Anchor during summer break, but he was there first day of school. Only 3 years in Valdese, but I met lifetime friends and have great memories.

I hope to talk about Jim tomorrow night the sneaky mascot.

  

Nite Shipslog

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 These cars, 1952 & 1953 were new when I attended Valdese jr & HS

The 1951 Buick, dad owned one of these.