James Spence

Took a river cruise in France. Saw the wine country, lots of Roman ruins, spent two day in Paris. Can't wait to go back.

Mostly I hope to get out of bed, and move around. Travel. Go to Rome, take a cruise.

Going out for JV football 2 weeks late. Walking down the hall with Becky and me entwined. All the dances. Especially the summer one on the tennis court where I learned to slow dance.
Becky leading the line dances. Dances at TeenTown (the kids used to make a circle and watch Becky and me dance, and no I'm not making that up).

Mr Gray 10 grade world history. The first teacher to encourage me to think. Gave me the first A in every made in school. All that led directly to me getting a Master's in US History later on.

Can't remember. All my embarrassing moments have run together

Band of Gold by Don Cherry. Anything by the Platters. Cherry Pink and Apple Blossum White by Nate King Cole. Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis (actually at first I hated Elvis, mostly I suppose because of the girls loved him, but I got over it). Anything by Fat Domino. Like wise the Everely Brothers. Unchained Melody by ?? Banana Boat song by Harry Belafonte.

Has to be the 52' Chevy Deluxe Coupe. It was a two-door. The backs of the front seats use to come off unexpectedly. Sometimes, that was a real convienence.

Got older. Learned a few things; forgot somethings; pay attention and live everyday. Don't understand nearly as much as I thought I would by this time in my life.

Perservere. Don't look back, they may be gaining on you.

I worked by way through college at M. Netter's Dry Goods. Ran the elevator; dressed the windows; unpacked everthing that went to the second floor. Worked my way up to selling on the floor--coats, suits, furs. Best day selling--I sold $1200.00 worth of coats to my mother and her friends. All the other sales ladies hated me for it. In 1962, $1200 was a lot of money.

Mostly, though, I'm a career educator. Give or take I've done almost 50 years in K-12 education, mostly as a high school principal although I have been an assistant superintendent and superintendent. Retired from that and am now an Assistant Professor at Chapman University. Up to years and counting. Still love to be on stage. That's what the front of the room is, you know, a stage.

Not all of it was always exciting, but it was all interesting.

Teach, read, write, go see my 7 grandkids.

Still working on that novel. Some of you are in it. It's called "The Darling Buds of May." I starts out, "Evertime I tell this story" on March 15, 1959, and ends at a class reunion.

I have always told my students that high school is the best time of your life. I know it was for me. It was a grand time.

You'll have to read the novel.

On other thing: I told this story at the 20 reunion: A bunch of us we are teen town when somebody suggested that we go out to Jane Walker's place by the James River. Steve Emmanuel was the only old enough to drive and he had an old Studebacker convertible, a 48 or 49, I think. So we took off down Glenstone, with the top down (it was freezing) with us all hollering and caring on. We spend an hour our so parked down by the construction site necking.. Let's see who else beside Becky and me was there: Jerry England was there; of course Steve, Jane was there. I'm no longer sure who was with who, except me and Becky. I believe that they was also another couple. The short versions is that when it came time to go, we were stuck in the mud and like to never got out of there.

But before that it was all misty and romanic and very quiet except for a lot of deep breathing.

No doubt about it. It was sweet, funny and memorable.