Paul Blanton:  

When I graduated from M.B, Smiley I had just turned 19 and my dad had a full time job lined up for me. I went ti work for Allied Industries on Clinton drive as a helper. I think that I was making $1.10 per hour. I drove a 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 two door hardtop with a 289 4bbl and a 4peed. My car was hard to miss because it was Canary Yellow with a black interior. No... It didn't have AC... that would haavew dragged down my engine. FOr those who remember I drove a red 1954 trympth TR3 with a white convertable top. I was dating a girl, Ddiana Garrett, who had transferred to Aldine. I would put .50 cents worth of gas , at the Homble station, on East Houston Rd (now Mesa) pick up Diana, Take her to school at Aldine and come back to Smiley in time for class. I would do the reverse in the afternoon after school. I believe that I was a sophomore then. I had a good friend, Barbara Shilling, who lived about four block up and two streets over from my house. Barbara, as most of you know, became the feature twirler in our Jr. year. She was a very popular girl though she didn't know it at the time. I gave up on Diana as being geographically undesireable. I took Barbara to school and brought her home when she didn't have twirling practice. I genuanly loved to talk to Barbara and we had a great time in those days. I'm sure that several guys remember her practicing her reutined in the street, in front of her house, in s psir of white short shorts. When I drove down Crestview I could see the white shorts in the distance and quickly turned in their direction.Graduation night fineally rolled around. Some people couldn't wait for graduation. I hated to ...Expand for more