Fuller dumb rock gave me quite a laugh. Also, I want to go back in time and kick that 3rd grade teacher square in the ass–tho' if I were to do that, I'd have to spare some time to dispense with some of the same attention to some of my teachers as well. 1970s rust belt culture wasn't very accommodating to divergent points of view, particularly from kids. Having acquired some of the experience you write about myself I can look back at some of those teachers with some sympathy given the narrowness of the environment, but, man, it didn't have to be like that, did it?
Yeah, I notice how barbaric the 70's were when I look back. Even the cartoons and other shows I watched. My dad being a high school gym teacher/wrestling coach during the Vietnam protests was one of the teachers that would haul kids off the floors when they did sit ins or blocked entrances. And he was the keeper of the paddle for the kids that had done whatever crime that warranted a paddling. He would bring back broken paddles from school and give me warnings to "be good or else". I didn't get paddled too much😁.
Yeah, your dad didn't give off the "I have patience for hippies" vibe when I met him the few times I did. As for 70s culture, yeah, the culture did love itself some violence. We got Dirty Harry & Charles Bronson's Death Wish series out of that time which explains a lot of our current troubles, I think.
This is a really great piece Fred, and well written( especially the story of being humiliated in front of class)
Thanks! Always interesting to look back at the creative journey.
Fred, you are an excellent writer. Your teacher could have had more empathy though.
Thanks Janice! I would have liked a little more constructive criticism!
Fuller dumb rock gave me quite a laugh. Also, I want to go back in time and kick that 3rd grade teacher square in the ass–tho' if I were to do that, I'd have to spare some time to dispense with some of the same attention to some of my teachers as well. 1970s rust belt culture wasn't very accommodating to divergent points of view, particularly from kids. Having acquired some of the experience you write about myself I can look back at some of those teachers with some sympathy given the narrowness of the environment, but, man, it didn't have to be like that, did it?
Yeah, I notice how barbaric the 70's were when I look back. Even the cartoons and other shows I watched. My dad being a high school gym teacher/wrestling coach during the Vietnam protests was one of the teachers that would haul kids off the floors when they did sit ins or blocked entrances. And he was the keeper of the paddle for the kids that had done whatever crime that warranted a paddling. He would bring back broken paddles from school and give me warnings to "be good or else". I didn't get paddled too much😁.
Yeah, your dad didn't give off the "I have patience for hippies" vibe when I met him the few times I did. As for 70s culture, yeah, the culture did love itself some violence. We got Dirty Harry & Charles Bronson's Death Wish series out of that time which explains a lot of our current troubles, I think.