Chapter 2: The Extraordinary Life
Chapter TWO: 1955 - 1959
Hail Hail Rock and Roll
I would have thought this might be a pretty short chapter to be honest because in the grand scheme of things, like a lot of ten to fifteen year olds, I was essentially caught in the crossfire between what parents, particularly dad thought my life should be like and me experimenting with everything from record collections, in my case a rather substantial one. In my case it was basically from the moment the seven inch 45 RPM records came on the scene, to more interests overall than one could possibly imagine I think. I was going through all the phases of life one experienced back then, I thing many at the same time if that's even possible then along came the best one of all, going through puberty and oh yes, discovering girls.
I wondered for a while, what was it that exactly happened in these years that was influential, spectacular (as there will be in other chapters) or quite honestly, even interesting to write about. Well, as it turns out, pondering can be revealing and these days I had plenty of time for that but had to actually work up the desire to do so. Then as I struggled to make notes, oftentimes over several days, not putting a word on paper, just alone, in a quiet room, waiting for inspiration to happen. Suddenly, all these years came roaring back to life.
I did think about it for many days, I finally realized that these might have been the real formative years of my future life's work, desires, needs, wants, ideas, you name it. I now think this actually showed me a pathway to my future, if not completely, a great start for sure. One major event which initially I thought a waste of my time and their money and everything else was my parents decision to buy a used upright piano, find a piano teacher with the patience of a saint, and insure that I would become the next Liberace. But in hindsight, I now understand why they thought, in fact became convinced, that my interest in music dictated that piano lessons were a natural progression I guess.
Liberace, burst on the scene with a weekly television show I simply could not get enough of. I was absolutely fascinated by this very flamboyant yet extremely polite, soft spoken gentleman, who literally made this 88 key instrument do anything, play anything at the speed of light, or so it seemed and never missed a note.
The only one that didn't believe that after a painful two years of practicing an hour a day and not progressing to the concert halls of the world, was ME.
Well, I can say I tried, going on two years and the second book of John Thompsons piano course and more. I started to lose interest when I realized how much practice was involved. But I have to give the parents an A" for trying.
Once we all realized that their insistence and my resistance would never find common ground, the somewhat imagined pain and suffering ended. I bid the piano teacher goodbye. I wonder to this day who was more relieved by it all and could not imagine what might be next. I would soon find out.
This came in short order in the form of ballroom dancing lessons each and every Friday night at the New Bedford Hotel. Once again, resistance to their wishes proved futile and I grudgingly at first accepted my fate, all in the name of cultural training. Well, it was here, that I met the very first love of my life. It was here I found Donna. You see, part of the training was that all the boys all dressed up in a white shirt, tie, and sport coat, gathered roughly 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the Friday night classes in a hallway like area above the ballroom. All the girls gathered in a room at the end of that hallway. It was the boys duty and responsibility to ask one of the ladies to be their "date" for the evening.
The singer Richie Valens had the first few words certainly of his huge hit absolutely right. „I met a girl, Donna was her "name," song right about the very same time and has a special place in my memory to this day as a result.
After three or four weeks, I couldn't wait for Friday nights to arrive. We learned the waltz of course, the tango, the mambo, the Cha-Cha and whatever else.
Most of the time I really had no idea of what was going on, sort of like my feet were on auto pilot I guess. I was too busy watching and being with her. It was as they say "puppy love" and chuckle to this day recalling those days as one sick puppy.
Of course the 50's were most marked by the birth of Rock and Roll. 45 RPM records had an "A" side and a "B" side and sold for from anywhere from seventy-nine cents (79 cents) to ninety-eight cents. (98 cents) depending on where you bought it.
Elvis became the superstar of this era with what we all thought, at least initially was the multi-million selling "Hound Dog." It seemed later on that Elvis was on the stove for some months before becoming the superstar he is to this day, even in death many years ago. Rock and roll "artists" literally came out of the woodwork. Some had a long shelf life, some fell off the shelf almost immediately. Chuck Berry, Little Richard and of course Buddy Holly were all the rage. There were so many others like the Everly Brothers and J.P. Richardson, AKA the Big Bopper. There were also any number of what we called „one hit wonders" in the music business. Some of these single s were big hits, some never got off the launch pad, but everyone wanted toi be a rock and roll star, of that there can be no doubt.
It was also in this period where we moved from the highlands of Fall River to South Dartmouth, a place called 54 Oak Hill Lane. I found that both curious and interesting, the 54 that is. because we were the only house on the lane. But it was a beautiful, four bedroom home in the what I would call the "almost affluent section, "where one could break out any day to become truly somebody's or those that didn't but did want to flaunt it and make everybody think so. The little village of Padanarum was about a mile away where all the rich and semi famous people, members all of the prestigious New York Yacht Club) gathered. You could "belong" if you liked and you didn't even have to have a sailboat or for that matter, any boat at all.
Dad was not only climbing the ladder at work, he was also trying to climb the social ladder wherever and whenever he could. He joined the prestigious New Bedford Country Club in North Dartmouth as he was a fairly avid golfer.
He was quick to make friends and he thought it would be great for my brother and I to be caddies at this club which is where we both spent a good deal of our time during the summer vacations and on weekends in thre spring and fall. We caddies did however get to play golf on Monday's for free, so I can't say it was a bad deal at all, just boring much of the time.
I was told it would be great to attend this very prestigious private school, located on Tucker Road in North Dartmouth. This is where all the children of the rich, famous and social butterflies went and not only would it be a good education, but I'd be awash in gaining social skills by going here. Well, truth be known, I was really coming into my own, should we say independence in those days.
My opinions about the teachers and the teaching methods often clashed with some of the teachers, particularly one young, single, social studies teacher. My interest among other things was in astronomy back then and a part of that were a number of opinions on how earth was actually created. She insisted on one theory and I insisted on another. That didn't make for a good grade especially when that very question appeared on a final exam I was taking in her class. I was convinced she put this question on the test deliberately, just for me as a test of wills. I still think so. Well, we tested, I answered it my way and of course got it wrong. I guess I showed her. NOT !!
I must say I did enjoy whatever classes were held outside on a nice spring day but beyond that it was not my cup of tea. If I was going to move up the social skills ladder, I wanted to do it my way. There was this event I cannot forget that was held every spring at the school. It was a lot like what I initially thought of the idea of that first ballroom dancing class i had taken. The ladies were all schooled and taught skills in all of the social graces of life, They were I guess considered to be in a coccus of sorts and at this event and dance that followed in the spring before the end of school year, the ladies after this evenings events would come forth as beautiful butterflies in the social world.
That did it for me, I wanted no more. I can't remember how I managed to let the parents know, but I did. I i attended the 8th grade at the Elmer Poole public school in Dartmouth. That was like a breath of fresh air. I was I thought among the "real people" again.
There was one, well actually two memories most prevalent there and they were actually two teachers. One who was in my home room and taught English I believe. She in any conversation or conversations would end every other sentence with "you see". Of course all of us "guys," soon to become perfect men, thought that was hilarious. In those days, it didn't take to much apparently to get our attention. The other was a real blessing of a gentleman I learned to admire and respect greatly. He taught science. Kozako was his last name. He had two fingers on his hand that were paralyzed for whatever reason but pressed on, never referred to it even though you could not help notice.
The ninth grade, first year of high school, was at Dartmouth High, right next door to the Poole School. Honestly there were some interesting classes, some interesting teachers a lot of interesting girls but the only real thing I remember were the high school football games as the team was pretty good.
So now its 1959 and a brand new Catholic School is opening just up the street from Dartmouth High at 500 Slocum Road. They would only have a freshman class and each year to follow would admit another freshman class only so that those in the first class would be the first graduates of the school come 1963. Id have to repeat the 9th grade, but I figured, so what. I wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere at that young age. Well, to this day, I have to say it was probably the very first best decision I ever made. Of course I had my dad's help making that decision, didn't ewe all at some point, but that might have also been the very first time we agreed completely on anything come to think of it. But it was a great decision.
The downside showed and reared its ugly head almost immediately. SILENCE when changing classes, square corners when turning corners and UNIFORMS. White shirts, paisley ties and sport coats for the boys. White blouses and skirts below the knee for all the girls. I figured, if I can tolerate this, I can tolerate anything and would you believe, to this day I can honestly say it helped....a lot.
What I didn't know because I could not possibly be aware of at the time, the next three years sophomore to senior would be unbelievable and from graduation at Bishop Stang to joining the Air Force, (yes the draft was still on big time back then) would only be better and in places more unbelievable each and every day, well, almost every day.
I KNOW I've peaked your interest now so shall we move forward ?
The 60's are next
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone