The Camp Fire

Jimmy lived across the street from me when I lived on Mercer Avenue. He was my best friend until the Atlantic Coast Line moved his family to Jacksonville, Florida. His father was a Ham (Amateur Radio Operator K4RVE) and worked at the ACL. That is where I got my interest in radio and years later I would also become an Amateur Radio Operator K4DPC.

Now that the statue of limitations are passed I can tell this story but in doing so I take full blame for what happened. I guess at the time we were  5 or 6 years old maybe 7 but no older I am sure. It was probably around the summer of 1955 or 56 and Jimmy Walker and I were building a camp on a hill in the woods behind the church between Mercer and Live Oak Avenues. We had picked an area on top of the hill at the edge of a young pine thicket because it was hidden from view. Next to this pine thicket was a broom straw field.

After picking our location we began collecting small pines and stripping them of limbs to make the framing of a tee pee like structure. To give it a little stability we used a large live pine in the southern wall. Once the framing was done we used green pine limbs with needles to cover the walls. After this was finished we dug an entrance under the north wall. Last we dug a pit the size of the inside about 10 foot across and 2 foot deep. The camp was finished and was hard to see even if you were close by. 

Now it is time for the camp fire which all camps must have. We were in the process of gathering sticks to build the fire when we realized we didn't have matches, so we sent Jimmy's little brother back to the house to get some matches. Upon his return we started the fire inside the camp made of pine straw. Now we were ready to cook, but again our planning fell short. Now this time we left Jimmy's little brother at the camp tending the fire, while Jimmy and I went back to the house to sneak hot dogs to cook. Just as we reached Jimmy's backyard we heard something. It was his little brother telling us to wait for him. As we turned and asked why he wasn't tending the fire, nothing we said really mattered at that point. Big columns of black smoke and flames were filling the sky. 

Thank goodness it was not far from the street and it form a natural fire break and things were a little different back then, no police involved, but you can bet the fire was no hotter than the seat of our pants went our parents got finished with us. Luckily the fire only burnt to the road and was put out by the local VFD.

Roland Grise Jr High School

This is not my handbook but the year I was
there the only difference was the date.

Roland-Grise Junior High School
School teams: Black Knights
School colors: Black and Gold

When we moved to Masonboro Sound it was quite a change. One of those changes was a new school. I was no longer in the Chestnut Jr. High district but was in the Roland-Grise Jr. High district. Roland-Grise was also one of the newest schools and along with that it had a reputation of being the school where the 400's where. Now you have to know 400's where the rich kids but not just rich but snobs and just by going there you might be classified as a 400. Strange as this may seem most of the money families at the time were at Chestnut, but who knows why kids think what they think. Once I got to Roland-Grise I found that they were just like the kids a Chestnut, a few from money but most like me with parents that lived from paycheck to paycheck. One thing I have found over the years it isn't how much money you have but the attitude. Many of the kids I thought were rich came from families that had no more or less than mind. Most no matter what were great kids and many friends with parent from all walks of life. I learned early that it isn't what you have but what you have inside that really matter. Guess that is one reason I don't get impressed to easy.

No longer a  Chestnut Street Bear I was now a Roland-Grise Black Knight. Later long after I left that campus some weak kneed administrator got scared that some poor weak minded politically correct simple minded soul would be offended and dropped the word BLACK. 

Even though my grades were not the best I was allowed on the track and field team and ran in the 440 relay, broad jump, and high jump. I was just average and by high school I dropped the idea of sports. looking back I probably would have been better in cross country. If nothing else it got me out of a few 8th and 9th periods.

This was the year that I met my first real girlfriend. In the 2 years at Roland-Grise 8th and 9th grades there were many crushes but there is one that I still wonder why in the world did you break up with her. The only answer I have is I still do stupid things. Guess it was for the best because the summer between 9th and 10th grade she moved away.

My favorite subject in the 9th grade was art and Mrs. Lynch brought the best out in me. She found what I was best at and worked with me on it. Between her and Miss Mary Adams I learned school could be fun and I really enjoyed the years at Roland-Grise.