I always have and alway swill consider Holtville California as my Hometown. As I grew up there until the fifth grade, surrounded by my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and some that we just called cousin. In September 1954, Myself, Meredith, and Douglas, all started school at Pine Union elementary. Now I am Very sad to say, I am the only one left living of us three. One other Classmate from that class I know has Also Passed, Paul Denton. and I am sure others. But the memories of those three are wonderful, I loved the Halloween Carnivals, Hay Rides, and trips to the desert and Salton Sea, I was looking forward to reliving my youth at 17. Meredith and Wayne were also excited as we had always been close, while living up north I had spent many summers at their house. Now we would be reunited. I was a senior and Meredith should have been but was struggling with school work. Wayne was on the Jr. Varsity Football team. I reported to school and was given my schedule, when the counselor saw that I had had Senior English in Hughson he put me there again, but told me that it was not required in this school to graduate. I tried to get out of it but he said no go ahead and take it. which lead to some good times. Mr. Eikleberry was the teacher, and also assisted the student putting on the Jr & Senior Plays, I got to help him build scenery, and work behind the scenes which i actually prefer to being in the spotlight. Also After my "Checkout" interview at Semester, and I found out all I had to pass for my diploma were my 3 state required classes, I went to Mr Eikleberry, and informed him that since i did not have to have his class, I would park myself in the back and as long as he did not bother me, I would not disrupt his class. This worked, and often i would ask to leave and go to ag shop to work on something which he always allowed. When it came time for finals, he made his request. As he handed me a copy of the Test I said "why do I need that I am going to flunk?", he Replied, i accepted your terms now I have a request. "I would appreciate it if you would look through the test and see if you have absorbed anything the past semester!!" I answered maybe 10 out of 100 and got those ten right lol and asked if I could go to Ag and finish my project. He approved, and after Graduation He was the first teacher I seen downtown, and I walked up and said "Hi Burt!. How is it going!" we visited a little and haven't seen each other since.
After Meredith got put on a 1/2 day schedule when he got caught smoking, he and I would skip a lot of class. and another friend also liked me to skip with him so I missed a lot of school the rest of the year LOL, My sister Pat was an adult and could write excuses for me so that was a plus. Dad worked all day and went to the bar at night so was pretty much out of the loop. Living in My Aunt & Uncles house across the driveway from them was a plus. Many an afternoon found a small group of friends playing pool on their patio, while Pat wrote excuse note signing the appropriate names to them. Jerry, Meredith, Wayne Patton a few times, and a couple of others. We never got caught. My first class was study hall, and in would walk Jerry or Meredith, and tell the librarian the Mr. Hart wanted to see me in the Ag Shop, lol and away we would go to town or even to El Centro 10 miles away. Funny thing is it was never all three of us, it was Me and Meredith or Me and Jerry. But after all that I managed to pass all my state requirements and in June 1966 became a graduate of Holtville High School.
Another Teacher that was one of my favorites at Holtville, was Mr. Hart, the Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. He was really easy to get along with, and all the kids liked him. we usually got away with cheating on our Classroom test too. LOL one afternoon we walked into class and the desk were spread all over the room. He said NO Cheating on this test. Well of course after the test started you could hear desk scooting across the floor. One particular time, was the annual "Farm CO-op" test which was a contest within the FFA. We supposedly did not cheat on that one, and I placed third in our class. Not Bad but not good enough to go to Regional. Well after the test when results were announced, a kid named Steve Merton that had placed 2nd told Mr. Hart " I cheated on this test I copied off Larry Pigg, the first place student. Steve said I would like to see Dickey go to regional with Larry. WOW what a deal. I indeed go to regional and at regional, I placed ahead of Larry, but again placed third in Region so did not advance.
The FFA was in charge of concessions for the school athletic events, and Mr Hart put me in charge of that. We would sell popcorn, and coke and candy, and the money would go to the club. That was great, partly because I got into all the games free. But also a lot of responsibility When we have tournaments I would be tied up for 2 or 4 days. The best game I could remember was when the Harlem Travelers came to town. One of their players came over during the game and said "Give me a bag of popcorn", the kid serving was shocked and didn't know what to d since it was obvious the guy didn't have money on him. He looked at me and I say just give it to him. He walked back on court and stood there eating is pop corn while the game went on around his. At one point the other team had the ball, and he handed the popcorn to the player with the ball and took the ball away from him.lol Since my uncle Cecil was a janitor, I was allowed to go into the locker room to meet some of the players. What a rush...
Well that year came and went and soon There we were at Graduation. What now I had no plans, Vietnam was getting hot, and I really did not want to fight but did not want to go to college either!!!!!!!! I laid around until September and then gained employment with the Holville Alfalfa Mill along side my Dad.
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