Wayne T. Mangum:
CLASS OF 1984
Essex County Vocational High SchoolClass of 1984
Bloomfield, NJ
Orange High SchoolClass of 1984
Orange, NJ
Orange Middle SchoolClass of 1980
Orange, NJ
Central Elementary SchoolClass of 1977
Orange, NJ
Park Avenue Elementary SchoolClass of 1972
Orange, NJ
Wayne T.'s Story
Life
Born in E.O 9-2-1966 lived in Nwk.Went to Springfield Ave. Comm.School until I was 4. I went to Park Avenue, Central Elementary, Orange Middle. Orange High and Bloomfield Tech..University of Maryland, City Colleges of Chicago,and Devry....whew!!(do 6 associates equal one Masters Degree?)
I went to Orange High as a Freshman and I also grew up in Orange so I consider it my home!! ...My soph.year I became a student at Tech.
I remember Chorus at OHS and singing in the cafeteria in the mornings at OHS with Snoop,Hassan,Super John..we'd sing " You Got to be a Special Lady" or "Sitting in the park waiting for you" or when we were in Science class cracking on each others moms with Joey Artis and "Munchie" and Otis James. aka "Abdul" Or Shepherd "Malik" Miller in Mrs Pollock's class.
"Your Mom is so stupid that she thought kool aid was new kind of government assistance program and wanted to know where she could sign up."
"Your mom's breath is so stank that the EPA shut her down.
My childhood friends Eric & Greg Moyles Terry Dudley. and Joey Triano.
Mike Brown, Arthur "Bucky" Lambe..Michael Tu..Snoop, Hassan, L. Jackson.
And so many others.
My cousin Deborah Derricott,girl you know you could run!!!!
Special shout out to all those on the OMS track team!!!
We should have all been on the Olympic team.
We could run couldn't we!!!
Harvey remember when Doris's father chased us out of her crib?? ..... Pat Farrell, where you at little buddy???
Remember(OMS)
Mrs. Willie Lawings everyday statement..."This I promise You" or the "Orange High Song? Oh Orange high we praise thee...damn did that song ever drag...lol
Mr, Bryant saying go to class young man!!
Track and Field with Mr.Curtis Richburg aka "Daddy Rich"...who married my second grade teacher Ms.Hargrove...two good teachers who left a lasting impression on me.
We need more Black Teachers like some of the ones I've listed!!!!
Mr. C.T. Hannibal "Time to meet Woody"-ouch!!! Only teacher I've ever had who taught Black History as it should have been taught.. Up until the 7th grade I thought Cleopatra was white.
Thank You Mr Hannibal!
My girlfriend Wendy "Smoochy" Moses remember the fight with Trent Sales defending your honor on that school trip??
Stephanie Daniels gave me the nickname Skeeter. Donna Thomas, Sandy, Lawanna...
"Yep I was a NERD!!!
Waring Todd Miller who initials were the same as mine Wayne Tyrone Miller.
Your mom and I mine were real cool when we were young. To the cats on Snyder st. and Parrow St. Much Love!!
Special shout out to my long time friend Amy Catchouny. aka "Chu Babe"..We go way Back!
Central Elementary, Park Ave. Eric Simone, Scott Simmons,,Patricia Bradley....I could go on and On.
(For those that are confused on my last name..I took my step-dads last name which is Mangum but it was Miller.)
My Bloomfield Tech Years:
Mr. Stanzial aka Mr. Scratch & and, Sniff...Mr. Alvarez....Mr Greenwood, Mr. Fiorini, Mr. Knoblauch(Rest in Peace) Mr Bromberg words can't describe my distaste for your ass. Mr. Doyle. Psst..gimme another football ticket.
My Classmates:
Kimiko! I miss you boo! My partner Tony Bright. Joey Triano aka "Thumper"
Lavern P.,Yaminah (I'm sorry wish I could have explained.)
That young lady who lied on me..You Gets no love boo..even now!!!!
William M., Joe A.- true statements in the Fashion Dept.
The Barrett Twins Eddie(Eddie pass the Bacardi Man!!)and Edgar,.Abu...Bear,Mumbles,
Russell the human ATM machine, always wanted interest on his loans..
Anthony "Malik" Love, David V., Conrad, Phillip, Allison, Amanda with the luscious lips.
I saw Marlowe in Germany!!
Tool & Die!
Remember the Sober fest!(hiccup).
Mr. Jones!!!
Remember the substitute teacher who passed out on the field drunk?
Joined the US. Army in 1983 on Delayed Entry ..Why? cause I didn't want to go to college!!! Ended up going anyway....(go figure)
Been to Ft.Knox Ft.Hood, Ft.Bliss, Ft.Sam Houston. Ft. Ben Harrison. Germany, Italy, France,Spain....and a bunch of other places..
Married with three beautiful daughters, and a house all in sunny ass Florida but I am a Joizy Man for Life!!!!!
Now Pass the Courvasier.
School
School was cool...I was a lot smarter than I acted and I can honestly say looking back, that I didn't apply myself as I should have.... I hated transferring from Orange High, even though I made a lot of friends at Tech.... Mom made me transfer cause she was worrying about...Expand for more
me making a baby or failing ..like it couldn't happen at Tech....Parents..sheesh!!!
Orange High seemed to have a more family atmosphere to it...maybe because everyone I had grew up with went there.
I always wanted to be a writer or English teacher since English was my best subject. I also spent a lot of my time clowning and making people laugh...lol..come to think of it,I still do.
Looking back I don't regret any of my decisions too tough...I see those who were suppose to be smarter, those destined for greatness in present situations of despair and unforeseen troubles and I wonder how they got themselves into these predicaments..and I see those who were thought destined to be failures, those deemed as social outcast as ambitious and prosperous people with direction and much positive growth in their lives....
I guess in the words of Rick James .."When your standing on the top there is no where to go but down, down, down...
So I would presume its safe to say that your life is truly what you make of it and that because you started the race off in first place doesn't always mean that you'll finish up in first place...
Life has a way of throwing a mean curve at folks.....I've seen a lot of my friends when I come back home to Jersey and I'm like whoa!!!!
What the hell happened to you????
So I don't judge....Live long and prosper....Love life and Love yourself....Forever a Tornado in Spirit. and a Techster at heart....."Wayne T. Miller or Wayne T. Mangum aka "Skeeter G" or Mag or Magnum" whatever you know me as.....
Military
I first of all want to say I loved the military, I think there is no greater honor than to serve your country.
Now having said that..
I will say this..The military is not for everyone!!!! I won't go all into what I did or what I saw, but I will say this much..I made a great many friends and a few enemies ...I saw life and I saw death..I found love and I lost love...I saw compassion and damnation, Ignorance and brilliance, maturity and stupidity at all levels.
You have to remember that no matter what you achieve in the Military..you are and always will be a Soldier first...a lot of people forget about this concept.
The traveling was great and if you're imprisoned in thought, then the military will free your mind by showing you the world in a different light. A world that does not live Status Quo or by American laws.
I do believe that as far as racism & prejudice is concerned the Military has led the way in destroying certain myths about certain groups of people. It has shown that we are all equal as humans and that we all bleed the same types of blood and breathe the same air. It shows that we are diverse and that all classes of people can be rich or poor, smart or stupid,good or bad, and that ones color won't make a difference on these personality/economic traits.....
I also think that its creates a false haven about the real world we live in.
For whatever changes socially in the Military,may remain socially unchanged in the real world.
Racism and Bigotry and prejudice seem to rear their ugly heads back in the real world where the "Uniform" does not unify us anymore and the social stigmas and economics walls that keep us divided as a nation re-appear.
Adjustments have to be made when going from a world within a world and assimilating back into the existing society seems to be more of an effort than it was to leave it in the first place............. Your mind set has changed and matured but the real world has not matured with you.
I only offer this advice.....remember that you existed before you became a soldier, that you were a man or a woman, someones son or daughter,and try to hold on to your common sense, if you have any.
Open your mind to new things and accept the challenges that will come your way, Because you will be challenged daily and constantly!!!
Being a soldier on your terms and being a soldier on the military's terms isn't the same,and regardless of what you feel or how you think..it's their terms that count.
And if you don't believe me on this then you are doomed as a service member already.....
But when all is said and done..and you feel like its time to close this chapter of your life...then do so with no regrets.
Enjoy the life you had and the country you served regardless of what you feel...it is a privilege and a honor.
"Rock Steady and Steady Rock."...
God Bless the United States Military......
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