{"id":199,"date":"2011-06-06T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2011-06-06T13:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=199"},"modified":"2025-04-23T14:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T18:50:30","slug":"the-junior-high-jungle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=199","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 11: The Junior High Jungle"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>New School<\/h3>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>I Don&#8217;t Know if It&#8217;s Right<br \/>\n<\/strong>Evelyn Champagne King<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Evelyn-Champagne-King-I-Dont-Know-If-Its-Right.mp3\">I Don&#8217;t Know if It&#8217;s Right &#8211; Evelyn Champagne King<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9835\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9835\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9835\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-seventh-grade.jpg\" alt=\"My seventh grade school portrait\" width=\"335\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-seventh-grade.jpg 866w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-seventh-grade-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-seventh-grade-404x600.jpg 404w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9835\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My seventh grade school portrait<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Mom sent me off on my adventure the first day of 7th grade in September 1978.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With my D-4 pass in hand, I caught the &#8220;big bus&#8221; around the corner on Willow Street.<br \/>\nIt was intimidating at first, with a new school (Hammarskjold Jr. High on Rues Lane, East Brunswick; since completely rebuilt and unrecognizable) and tons of new kids.<\/p>\n<p>My homeroom teacher was Mr. Belcheff, and on the other side was Mr. Decesare. We were in the &#8220;portable&#8221; classrooms.<\/p>\n<p>I eventually got used to getting around the place, and like every rookie, was awed by the oldest in the school, the ninth-graders. They were HUGE.<\/p>\n<p>I soon became aware of one kid who was a year older, who also went to my church. I\u2019d seen him in Walther League (our church youth group), and he was in the eighth-grade confirmation class.<\/p>\n<p>My fancy began when Mom happened to point out that M. resembled Larry Wilcox. Unfortunately, my crush on M. got hot fast but I was scared to death to approach him.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9701\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9701\" style=\"width: 928px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9701 \" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/HJHS-floorplan.jpg\" alt=\"The HJHS I was soon familiar with\" width=\"928\" height=\"772\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/HJHS-floorplan.jpg 564w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/HJHS-floorplan-300x249.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9701\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The HJHS I was soon familiar with<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>Whenever I Call You Friend<br \/>\n<\/strong>Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Kenny-Loggins-Whenever-I-Call-You-Friend.mp3\">Kenny Loggins &#8211; Whenever I Call You Friend<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>He was one of those lofty, unreachable jocks who were simply on a different social wavelength.\u00a0I had quietly confided my feelings to two friends in Confirmation class, Nancy M (daughter of Mom\u2019s nursing friend Judy) and Michelle H.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6615\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6615\" style=\"width: 301px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-6615\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/grease-album-cover.jpg\" alt=\"Soundtrack to &quot;Grease&quot;\" width=\"301\" height=\"304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/grease-album-cover.jpg 927w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/grease-album-cover-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/grease-album-cover-297x300.jpg 297w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/grease-album-cover-594x600.jpg 594w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6615\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I got this for my 12th birthday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Well, this somehow got out to goofball Roger H, who was in M\u2019s class. He wasted no time informing M. of my lovelorn plight. I was mortified.<\/p>\n<p>How humiliating\u2014especially since M. was no more interested in me than Larry Wilcox himself.\u00a0That was a year of pining, hoping to see M. in church and in the halls at school, and envying everyone he hung out with. One time, I found out he was taking a 9th grader, Holly W, to the dance.\u00a0With such sophisticated competition, 7th grade me was doomed.<\/p>\n<p>Nick Gilder\u2019s <em>Hot Child in the City<\/em> reminds me of visiting my old friend Barbara B.\u00a0Barbara gave me the <em>Grease<\/em> soundtrack album for my 12th birthday in November, when a few friends shared a nice lunch with me at <em>Farrell&#8217;s<\/em> and came back to my house to hang out, dance, and listen to music.<\/p>\n<p>Mom was usually working when we got home from school, but since I was technically of babysitting age, Mom trusted the situation, as I&#8217;d demonstrated enough maturity at the time.\u00a0Steven\u00a0went out on his bike and I liked to hang out watching TV in the house letting the junior-high stress evaporate.<\/p>\n<p>When I started at Hammarskjold with its much larger pool of kids, I met quite a few classmates of middle-Eastern descent, including two girls named Usharani, a brother and sister Ruby and Raju R, and Ranjan G.<\/p>\n<p>Though predominantly Caucasian by nature, East Brunswick\u2019s schools increasingly reflected a more diverse population, including Black, Middle-Eastern and Asian kids.\u00a0We all went to class and hung out together, and I never heard of any racial problems.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)<br \/>\n<\/strong>The Bee Gees<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375806049492\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Bee-Gees-Fanny-Be-Tender-With-My-Love.mp3\">Bee Gees &#8211; Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>The Orchestra was conducted by a thirty-ish staffer possessing a loud mouth, a militant manner and wacky sense of humor; one Gordon J. Tedeschi. (Mom and I would later joke that I was \u201cstuck\u201d with Mr. T all through high school and beyond, in various ensembles, as will become apparent later on in the narrative.) While Mr. T was tremendously talented musically and got results, he had a rather abrasive manner that sometimes put us off.<\/p>\n<p>I started private violin lessons with Mr. T, and was a member of the school orchestra as a second violin. Goofy Ron L was my stand partner for most of junior high.<\/p>\n<h3>First Visit to World Trade Center<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_558\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-558\" style=\"width: 418px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-558\" title=\"World Trade Center Skyline\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/World_Trade_Center_Skyline.jpg\" alt=\"World Trade Center Skyline\" width=\"418\" height=\"331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/World_Trade_Center_Skyline.jpg 400w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/World_Trade_Center_Skyline-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 418px) 100vw, 418px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">World Trade Center Skyline. WE WILL NEVER FORGET<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I had my first communion that October.\u00a0To celebrate my special day, our family went into New York City to see the World Trade Center and ride the Staten Island Ferry.<\/p>\n<p>It was a cold and miserable day outside, but that did not dim the experience for me.<\/p>\n<p><em>Don\u2019t Look Back<\/em> by Boston was a big hit then. Dad had witnessed the Towers&#8217; construction over a period of several years while on the job in the NY area.<\/p>\n<p>We were captivated by their sheer size and stately beauty!\u00a0On the top floor, I remember tapping on the thick glass of the window, marveling how sturdy and fortress-like that place seemed.<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>Don&#8217;t Look Back<br \/>\n<\/strong>Boston<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Boston-Dont-Look-Back.mp3\">Boston &#8211; Don&#8217;t Look Back<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>From Tower Two, we gazed across the way to the other with the big antenna on top. It was incredible.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9326\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9326\" style=\"width: 100px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9326\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/astropop-e1428084502929.jpg\" alt=\"astropop\" width=\"100\" height=\"274\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9326\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Astro Pop. It lasted all day!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Who could imagine <a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?p=3079\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">what would take place 23 years later<\/a>, and the inevitable resulting shift in global political climate.<\/p>\n<p>Steven and I got <em>Astro Pops<\/em> (clear, rainbow-colored lollipops in a cone-shape) in a gift shop, and they lasted all afternoon.\u00a0It was a rainy, cool day that wasn\u2019t great for sightseeing, but I was thoroughly impressed with the World Trade Center Towers. They seemed invincible.<\/p>\n<p><em>Baker Street<\/em> by Gerry Rafferty, <em>Time Passages<\/em> by Al Stewart, <em>Double Vision<\/em> by Foreigner, and <em>Hold the Line<\/em> by Toto were popular.<\/p>\n<p>Mom was still being monitored regularly, and seeing Dr. Wu, her oncologist. Mom\u2019s story of their first meeting described a rightfully perturbed and impatient Lucille in his waiting room, as she lingered for over an hour.\u00a0When she finally eyeballed him in his office that day, she declared that SHE TOO was a medical professional and ought to bill\u00a0<em>HIM<\/em> for\u00a0<em>HER <\/em>time.<\/p>\n<p>Needless to say, the Doc was taken by her spunk, and sheepishly admitted fault, rendering an apology. And so began a warm and caring doctor\/patient relationship that lasted until the end.\u00a0\u201cLucille was different,\u201d Dr. Wu affectionately told Dad later on, describing her strength, wit and will to fight the damned disease.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>What A Fool Believes<br \/>\n<\/strong>The Doobie Brothers<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375806125471\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Doobie-Brothers-What-A-Fool-Believes.mp3\">Doobie Brothers &#8211; What A Fool Believes<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>Since I was regularly plagued by migraine headaches since I was a little kid, Mom used all her professional know-how and connections to get me the best treatment possible. These attacks were controlled pretty well by a host of strong medications.\u00a0Mom brought me to a neurologist and biofeedback clinic as well.\u00a0It was handy to have a Registered Nurse in the house!<\/p>\n<h3>King Tutankhamun Visits The Big Apple<\/h3>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>He&#8217;s the Greatest Dancer<br \/>\n<\/strong>Sister Sledge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Sister-Sledge-Hes-The-Greatest-Dancer.mp3\">Sister Sledge &#8211; He&#8217;s The Greatest Dancer<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure id=\"attachment_561\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-561\" style=\"width: 350px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-561\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/king_tut.jpg\" alt=\"King Tut Gilded Burial Mask\" width=\"350\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/king_tut.jpg 350w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/king_tut-234x300.jpg 234w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-561\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">King Tut Gilded Burial Mask<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That was also the time that Mom took me into New York City to see the King Tut exhibit at <em>The Met<\/em> with her friends.<\/p>\n<p>We caught a bus from East Brunswick into the city, and it was exciting to be out of school for the day and included in Mom&#8217;s outing.<\/p>\n<p>I remember seeing the gilded burial mask, which hasn&#8217;t left Cairo since that tour.<\/p>\n<p>I attended another King Tut exhibit at Discovery Times Square years later with my husband, and remembered that first special trip with my mom. I took my time as an adult, enjoying learning about every piece.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">When our group returned to East Brunswick that day, we had a nice dinner at the Sandalwood in the Sheraton hotel.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">What a great day with Mom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Of course Tut&#8217;s American tour gave entertainer Steve Martin plenty of material to goof on.\u00a0His <em>Saturday Night Live<\/em> routine and radio single went viral (or what would have passed for pre-Internet &#8220;viral&#8221;).<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-container youtube4-3\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wgTPH5y1-ZI?rel=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3>Projects<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9704\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9704\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9704\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Bambi-book.jpg\" alt=\"Felix Salten's &quot;Bambi&quot;\" width=\"335\" height=\"479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Bambi-book.jpg 380w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Bambi-book-210x300.jpg 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9704\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Looks like a &#8220;real book&#8221; to me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One incident stands out as an injustice that happened in one of my classes and pointed to a teacher&#8217;s obvious ignorance.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Zila, who taught Language Arts, assigned us to write a book report on our favorite work of literature.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, I chose Felix Salten&#8217;s <em>Bambi<\/em>. As soon as I declared my intention, she dismissed it as &#8220;not a real book&#8221; and told me to select another.\u00a0I was taken aback and very upset. <em>Bambi<\/em> was more than a Disney movie. I swallowed my 12-year-old indignation and knuckled under.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I wish I would have protested this. But teachers held ominous power back then. I forget what my second choice was. I&#8217;ve actually fantasized about looking her up and settling the dispute with a nice copy of the novel. I haven&#8217;t followed through with that because, you know, too creepy and all.<\/p>\n<p>Another time, we were assigned a task to come up with a product advertisement and present it in class.\u00a0Goofy Ron L and I teamed up to put together a ditty on a hair tonic, &#8220;Super Grow.&#8221; I&#8217;d created a label and slapped it on a bottle of Mom&#8217;s Phiso-Derm shampoo. I know, it was lame.<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"300\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\" width=\"60\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/td>\n<td width=\"414\"><strong>Keep On Dancin&#8217;<br \/>\n<\/strong>Gary&#8217;s Gang<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375886788807\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Keep-On-Dancin-Garys-Gang.mp3\"><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6618\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6618\" style=\"width: 369px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-6618\" title=\"Superman Poster\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/superman-movie-410x600.jpg\" alt=\"Superman Poster\" width=\"369\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/superman-movie-410x600.jpg 410w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/superman-movie-205x300.jpg 205w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/superman-movie.jpg 608w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6618\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A 1978 blockbuster. \u00a9\u00a0Warner Brothers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Another assignment was to make a kite and then test it outside on the soccer field.\u00a0I chose a &#8220;Scott Sled&#8221; and made it with dowels that Dad cut for me, duct tape and large lawn bags.<\/p>\n<p>I think it remained afloat for about a second before meeting its demise in the cold grass.<\/p>\n<p>We were also assigned research and preparation of a speech on the subject of our choice. Gawd, the very thought of a speech gave me fits. But I dutifully went to the school &#8220;media center&#8221; and gathered up enough information for an outline and note cards.<\/p>\n<p>My speech was on wildlife conservation. I recall a passing reference to the National Audubon Society. I used my best news anchor&#8217;s voice. I think I earned a B.<\/p>\n<p>We also sold magazine subscriptions, hoping to cash in on the grand prize, a pop-up TV\/VCR\/radio unit.\u00a0I was disappointed when Leni V&#8217;s name was announced over the PA, but I got some HJHS stuffed toys.<\/p>\n<p>HJHS had some cute occasions like &#8220;Hat Day&#8221; and &#8220;Hush Day.&#8221; On Hush Day, everyone would receive a button in homeroom (green for boys; white for girls). The object was to avoid talking, lest the closest person to you immediately confiscate your button.<\/p>\n<p>One day, I lost mine to scheming Chris K.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9699\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9699\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9699\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/HUSH-button.jpg\" alt=\"Keep quiet, or lose this!\" width=\"335\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/HUSH-button.jpg 400w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/HUSH-button-300x271.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9699\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stifle or pony up!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He noticed the ring I was wearing, Mom&#8217;s Peridot birthstone, and asked if it was a diamond. By the time I corrected him, his outstretched hand indicated I&#8217;d been hustled.<\/p>\n<p>Those with the most buttons at the end of the day &#8220;won&#8221;. No doubt the teachers must have adored Hush Day.<\/p>\n<p>That spring brought the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/three-mile-island\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Three Mile Island crisis<\/a>, in which a large part of the region feared the rupture of a hydrogen bubble. It was all over the news.\u00a0Nothing happened, but I recall feeling genuinely scared.<\/p>\n<p>New Jersey also experienced an earth tremor that year, which can only be described as a mild flutter. I didn&#8217;t feel anything in school, but Mom did at home.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Chapter 12: On To Eighth Grade\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=242\">Chapter Twelve: On To Eighth Grade<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-13050\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/drum-avatar-thumbnail-sm.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" \/> <a title=\"Return to Memoirs\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=13681\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Return to Chapters<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New School I Don&#8217;t Know if It&#8217;s Right Evelyn Champagne King I Don&#8217;t Know if It&#8217;s Right &#8211; Evelyn Champagne Kingmap :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false} Mom sent me off on my adventure the first day of 7th grade in September 1978. With my D-4 pass &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=199\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Chapter 11: The Junior High Jungle&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14228,"parent":4,"menu_order":12,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-199","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=199"}],"version-history":[{"count":48,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17796,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/199\/revisions\/17796"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}