JOHN CLARK:  

I WAS BORN AND RAISED UP IN THE COUNTRY IN PALATKA. HAD 2 BROTHERS , WILLIE JAMES AND EDDIE LEE CLARK. WE WERE RAISED BY OUR GRANDPARENTS, ANNIE AND JAMES WRIGHT. I STARTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OUR CHURCH, PASTORED BY MY UNCLE JOE HUGHES. MY FIRST TEACHER WAS MRS OYELLOW. SHE WOULD NEVER EVER PUT HER ELBOWS ON ANY SURFACE, WITHOUT FIRST PLACING A NAPKIN UNDER THEM, KEEPING FROM TURNING BLACK. WE ALL WOULD LAUGH ALOUD. A GREAT TEACHER. THEN WE WERE MOVED TO CENTRAL ACADEMY HIGH (C.A.BULLDOGS)THEN AND THERE I FELL IN LOVE WITH A VERY VERY BEAUTIFUL GIRL MARY ELLEN LONG. SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE IN MY LIFE. I'D NEVER FORGET WHEN MARY ELLEN INVITED ME TO HAVE DINNER WITH HER AND HER FAMILY. HER VERY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER WAS MRS LONG OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIAN WITH BEAUTIFUL GREEN AND PURPLE TINTED HAIR. HER FATHER DR LONG WAS OUR FAMILY DOCTOR. I WAS AND THE ONLY ONE TO TAKE UP HOME ECONOMIC,A SUBJECT MEANT FOR FEMALES. I ONLY TAKEN IT BECAUSE OF THE CRUSH I HAD ON THE TEACHER THERE, WHO ALSO WAS MY HOMEROOM TEACHER, ..MRS LOISE L. OSGOOD, WHOSE HUSBAND WAS OUR FAVORITE RADIO DJ AT WWPF AM MR OSGOOD. I HAD MANY FRIENDS THERE AT C.A.HIGH JOHNNIE RAY SMITH, ALTON BENJAMIN, JIMMY NELSON (1957 CHEVY IMPALA) FREDDIE BOSTIC,GERALD THOMAS FRANK COWAN, ROBERT ISLEY, BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, MARY ELLEN LONG LILLIE BELL,HARRING,DORIS LEE RICH, MARY SARAH WILLIAMS, MAXINE HAMILTON, NATHANIEL WEST(KILLED BY GREYHOUND BUS,RIDING HIS HORSE ON THE OLD JACKSONVILLE HWY)MR FRED BROOKS OUR PRINCIPLE, MR WRIGHT MY TYPING &SPANISH TEACHER, THE BUS DRIVER(MR THIGPEN) I'D CATCH ON THE MAIN HWY COMING FROM INTERLOCKINGS, FLA FLOREHOME,FLA.OH YEAH THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF CLOSENESS, LOVE, PEACE AND HUMOR. UPON GRADUATION NIGHT JUNE 1959 I LEFT WITH ONLY MY DIPLOMAL. DIDN'T GET THE GRADUATION RING I'D PAID FOR, BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT BEEN RE...Expand for more