Andrew Stefancik:  

Well, taking a hint from the story wizard I hope friends remember me as a good thing. I had some trouble at Precious Blood high school in September of my senior year, and ended up at Holyoke High in October of '66. I was a 4.0 student, but was on a troubled path. When I realized at Holyoke High that the teachers didn't care if you did your homework or not, I took advantage and skipped school I think around 35 times that year. Did my share of time in detention. At PB, if you didn't do your homework, the nuns would make you wish you had. But all my friends went to HH, and I was happy as hell to be there. Most of you probably hated HH by the senior year. Bobsy Stoltz was in my home room, and Myra Cohen was in my history class, and I had learned to work my locker (we didn't have those at PB high school). Also enjoyed some good fights in the halls. We never fought in the halls at PB, it was always after school. I had gym and enjoyed it, as we didn't have gym class at PB. I remember St. Patty's day that year. After the parade we were all hanging in the Friendly Ice Cream parking lot. The one by the high school. Someone ran up to me and said, "you can kiss any girl you want, they are all letting anyone do it". I never did too good with the girls in high school, but knew the basics, so my first choice was Bobsy, then her friend Naomi. I made my way up to the front of the store, and I kissed this one girl and the world stopped. We had a great time that night, but I managed to mess that up. When I got home my parents were grilling me on where I'd been (was around midnight) and I said something I couldn't take back, and that was the end of that, or us. Who knows, maybe that girl was my salvation. So I took a girl from my old high school to the senior prom. I managed to graduate with about a C average. Saved my money and went to HCC the next fall. Kind of had to back then, or you would be drafted. In the summer of '67 the Hippie culture was starting to show up in pockets around Holyoke and the neighboring cities. At HCC I became friendly with 3 teachers. A Sociology, Art and Physics teacher. In the fall of '68, the Soc and Art teacher, myself and 3 other students decided to make a set of demands and take it to the students. I only remember one demand, that girls could wear jeans and miniskirts to school instead just skirts 3 inches above the knee. We mimeographed copies and held a meeting at the student union in the Elmwood neighborhood. We figured 20 or so students would show up, but were a little shocked when about 700 showed. SDS came down from UMASS and the Vets were there. Standing room only. The Dean showed up, but was asked to leave as this was a student meeting. So I was chosen to kick it off. It looked that way, but the Soc teacher and one stud...Expand for more