BUCK'S BAND......

or rather the
PUHS PANTHER BAND.
.
The first time I met Buck was the summer before his first year teaching at PUHS. He was a little "rumpled" looking, at least in the clothing department - and I wasn't impressed.

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The second time I saw him was at a pre-school year get together he called with some of the band members at his Bellevue Street apartment. I was pleased to be included in the group.

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He shared his vision of what the band could be - and I was impressed. I had been in band under Mr. Wayne Kemper (1951-52) and also under Mr. Charles Costarello (1952-53) but I had never seen the possibilities for the band with them the way I did when Buck explained it.

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As I had been the drum major the previous year he chose me as his first drum major also. Buck had definite ideas on how I should appear in the role: "Point your toes at the ground, step high, arch your back. Oh, and I want you to march about twice as far as the band because while they are marching straight ahead I want you to strut back and forth across the street in front of them." I did it, it worked, and I was his devoted student from then on.
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Buck could visualize things for you in such a way as to make you understand that it could be done, and you could do it. I went on to play clarinet in the U.S. Coast Guard Band of the Pacific. I played in college dance bands and sung in musicals and choirs (still do) Other teachers can take the credit for teaching me the mechanics of music, but it was Buck that taught me that I could stand up in front of people and have the confidence to actually perform.

This photo was taken from a printed postcard that Buck had made up especially to promote the band. The back side states, "PORTERVILLE UNION HIGH SCHOOL BAND is one of California's most up-and-coming musical groups. Its repertoire runs from the Traditional to the Modern in band music."
Buck Shaffer, wearing a dark suit, is on the right, standing in front of a Tuba player. I am in the left front row wearing the dark colored Drum Major uniform.

GUNS ON CAMPUS - THE RIFLE TEAM

As I listen to the news today about the Virginia Tech shooting by the, unnamed, (by me anyway) disturbed student with "ismail ax" written on his arm I can't help but think of some of us actually taking guns to school. I remember the shop projects where kids would sporterize cheap WW-2 rifles that were purchased through the "Civilian Marksmanship Program" How many student pickup trucks had rifles on display on the racks built across the rear window? (another ag-shop project)

The big media theme this morning seems to be, "if we had tighter gun laws criminal acts like this wouldn't happen"
(photo taken from the 1954 El Granito)

DARREL DALEY LOOKING TOUGH.......

and in the typical 1950's football pose.

Many times these photos were glued to a piece of thin plywood and cut out around the player's body outline. That cutout was then placed on a stand so that it could be displayed on the mantel by the proud family.

Thus it took it's place beside all the other mantel Knick-knacks, which could well include a violin playing stuffed frog that was made by some cousin that was into taxidermy.

Ranks right up there with paintings of dogs playing poker.

DEMISE OF THE GRANITE BUILDING

The inscription above the building entrance reads:
"PORTERVILLE UNION HIGH SCHOOL - This building was erected by the people of Porterville Union High School district for the education of their boys and girls"

The dedication in the 1954 "El Granito" yearbook reads:
"The great white pillars, the smell of chalk dust, the sound of footsteps in an empty hall, we loved it all, every tiny part of it, for it was our school.

In the summer of 1952 the mountains that stand guard over our San Joaquin Valley, grew tired of the same scene. They moved a bit and the valley floor trembled and shook. We survived the shock and our building stood, but the bricks were loose and the mortar had turned to sand.. We moved from the building and left it deserted. Now it is gone forever, nothing left, except the shining image in our memory.

To our school, we dedicate, this, the 1954 El Granito. Through our book we wish to record the last days of that wonderful building that housed so much happiness and sadness through so many years."
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It was an honor to be one of the last of the "boys and girls" to attend school in that building.
Thank you, Porterville Union High School district people.

WE COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT.....

..... at the Winter Ball.
I believe this was my sophmore year. (1951) We are (L to R) Mary Lou Kemper (my date), Jim Todd (me), Lou Ann Rutledge, Reynold Rutledge, Karen Lindgren and her date, Monty Hodgson.
Besides being friends most of us went to the "First Christian Church" and attended it's "Christian Youth Fellowship" (CYF) group. As I think back on it I realize we were a pretty tight knit bunch.
I'm glad we were!

WE LOVED OUR CARS

Darrel Daley and Jim Todd showing off their wheels. Darrel's is an English "Singer SC-1500" and Jim's is an "Austin A40 Sports". Both of these cars had back seats (unusual for British run abouts) so we could haul our friends around. Dig those caps we are wearing.

THE BLOGGER IN 1953

This early evening picture of me, Jim Todd, was taken near California Hot Springs.

Photograph by Claudia Haulman
(1958 PUHS graduate)

WHERE I STARTED -

This is the house at 851 West Morton Street that my grandfather and father had built for our family while I was in Junior High at Bartlett School. Note that there is very little landscaping as we had just moved in. We lived there all through my high school years. My grandfather also bought me the Cushman Motor Scooter that is beside the building for my fourteenth birthday - I was issued my first traffic ticket that same year.

xa