The Port Arthur Package

Introduction • Chapter 1 • Chapter 1-Page 2 • Chapter 1-Page 3 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 2-Page 2 • Chapter 2- Page 3 • Junior Year • Junior Year-Page 2 • Junior Year-Page 3 • Junior Year-Page 4 • Head Hunters • Black Friday • We Beat Beaumont • Sweethearts • Wrapper Page 1 • Wrapper Page 2

Chapter 1

Junior High School Football

There was considerable pressure placed on several of the boys at St. Joseph’s Elementary, who had blurted out their intentions to transfer to public school in the seventh grade. Some were smarter and kept quiet. We all knew we wanted to go to Thomas Jefferson, and why. But we weren’t sure passing through Woodrow Wilson, was such a good route to get there, especially after hearing all the rumors about big kids whacking 7th graders just for fun. We all lived in the wrong district to be able to attend Edison, the newer and more “genteel” school, located in the old TJ building. It was either Woody, or Bishop Byrne.

When Sister Leonard (Sister Lizard we called her) heard the news about our plans, she felt it was her duty as principal, to point out the error in our young judgement, and tried to convince us to stay on. She reminded us of our duties as Christians to continue to support our faith by attending Byrne. And, hadn’t they just won the state championship a couple of years before? And where was our loyalty to the sisters, and our friends, and to our parent’s tuition? Each one of us was asked to stand in turn, and give good cause why we were compelled to leave. Don’t misunderstand; we got a great education there, our friends were hard to leave behind, and the teachers (save one) were the best. This had nothing to do with our faith, but with an itch we all had that would not be scratched under those current circumstances. As we all glanced around the room at each other, Bobby, Randy, Freddy, Greg, Charles, John, Mike, Val, Wayne, and a few others all realized that Woodrow Wilson suddenly looked a lot better.

On the Monday after Labor Day, in 1960, I rode the public bus system down Proctor Street, and got off at the library. As I walked down the boulevard, trying to be invisible, I looked up at the gold dome of the school, and really saw it for the first time. It had a considerable impact on me, and it seemed I was about to absorb more in one day, than I had originally planned. Walking around that place, lost as could be, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Finally, gym class came along, and a new challenge. How to step into an athletic supporter without falling down, was the newest trick. We lined up in the gym and the teachers, (coaches) strolled through checking roll. As he passed me, he said “stand up son “. When I did, it was apparent that I was nearly as tall as he was. He said “you want to play ball don’t you son?” “Sure coach! That’s why I’m here”. He told me, and Randy, Bobby, and Big John, and some others to report after school for uniforms, and first practice. I was in! All I had to do now was stay in.