Kathy Payne:  

My 3 brothers and I grew up in Northside attending St. Patrick's Catholic grade school, but then because money was tight, we all attended Courter Tech. We lived within walking distance -- altho it was MIGHTY cold walking up over that Ludlow Viaduct every winter. If the weather got below 10 degrees, my Mom would give us a dime to ride the Metro bus, but we had to walk about 5 blocks just to get that. I LOVED high school. It was the best time of my life and I'd go back in a minute, if I could!!! I wasn't part of what you'd call the popular crowd, but I was smart and involved in lots of activities -- FTA (Future Teachers), Guides, school newspaper, yearbook staff, Honor Society, class Officer. I also worked in the school office one summer with Vicki Hirsch and Patty Bunger. I remember learning how to use one of those old-fashioned switchboards where the "operator" pulls the cords up and plugs them into a hole. We also did filing and typing. I typed from the time I was in 8th grade. I got an old black manual typewriter for my birthday when I was 14 and my Mom wouldn't let me type on it until I took a class and learned how to type the right way. So, I took a Summer school typing class at Central BEFORE starting there in 9th grade. The class was mostly Seniors who needed 1 more credit to graduate, so I was definitely the youngest and smallest in the class. The teacher called me up to his desk one day and asked me if I felt out of place or if anyone was giving me a hard time, since I was so young and small compared to the rest of the class. But, they all liked me and looked after me. And -- most importantly -- I was learning how to type FAST!!!! Most people don't know this, but I did a lot of typing for teachers at Central while I was there to earn some money. I typed up tests for Ms. Jablonski (sp??), some thesis papers for teachers getting their Masters degree, a grammar book for Mr. Heinke and other things. If only you had known!!! You could have bribed me for advance copies of some of those tests!@!@! I hung mostly with the kids from Northside -- Mary and Rita Fitzjarrell, Vicki Hirsch, Patty Bunger, and then Gary Beck. My circle of friends also included Garrett White, Jerry Harding, and Elio Citadino. We had some GOOD TIMES in the cafeteria before school every day and at lunchtime!!!! Gary Beck used to walk to school too, and usually came past my house about the time I was heading out. So, we walked to school together for a while, until he got a '56 Chev. Then we drove to school -- and hung out at the Frisch's on Central Pkwy. on the weekends -- if we weren't up at Mt. Airy Forest necking!@! Towards graduation, Mr. Lowe called me in and told me that, becuz I was Valedictorian, he had a 4-year scholarship to U.C. for me. I had not intended to go to college -- my Dad was all about working (hence all the secretary classes). I attended Hughes HS at night my senior year to get enough of the right science credits to even get into U.C. I attended U.C. for about 1.5 yrs., and hated it. I was not into the peace demonstrations, hippies, drugs, war protests, sit-ins, etc. that came at the height of the Viet Nam War. I felt very out of place. The campus was full of all of these activities, and I wa...Expand for more