West Highland Elementary School and Living on Buffalo RD.

After Weakley Creek Rd. we moved to Buffalo Rd right across the street from the hospital making it easy for Mom to get back and forth to work.  It was here that my mom made one of the worst mistakes in her life.  As I have said earlier that I was basically a good kid, so I do not know how this came about.  I had started to school at West Highland Elementary School in the 3th grade.  It was 2 blocks up the road. 


One day she told me that she and Bill had been talking and he wanted to send me to reform school at Jordonia.  Well, she told me this and I did not take it too well at all.  When I got home from school the following day,  Bill was there laid up on his fat ass.  I asked him about the comment and he said yes he had said it.  At that point I went to the kitchen and got a butcher knife and chased him around the house on the outside.  I would have cut him if I had caught him.  I made him stay out of the house until Mom came home and made me let him in.  They eventually got a divorce but I think it was while I was in Vietnam. These things begin to run together and the timing is all messed up in my mind.  I know that Bill is probably the only person in my life that I have not forgiven basically because he died before I could get to him.


The atmosphere at West Highland and my classmates had a lot of effect on my life.  We were a small school by the standards back then.  I can't think of a single classmate from those days that I didn't like.  Joe, Terry, Tommy, Susan, Connie, Anne and Peggy just to name a few.  All of elementary school memories were positive. 

The teachers were 3rd grade, Mrs Bailey, I think she was the oldest of all them.  I do remember her pointing out the scripted alphabet on place cards above the black board.

Mrs. Carpenter gave me a love for Geography.  I think she loved it which came across.

Mrs Reynolds was the fifth grade teacher and was one of the hardest in elementary but definitely not the hardest.

Mrs. Cole from the first grade came up again.  She was our 6th grade teacher.  If there was ever a teacher I loved it was here.  I guess it was because she knew where I came from in my short life and I think had a lot of sympathy for me.  I always felt that I was the Teachers pet for the first time in my life. 

OK,now for the first teacher that I clearly did not like.  Mrs. Hester was a mean woman.  I did get one thing from her which was my excellent penmanship up until a few years ago.  Time has became more of an enemy to good penmanship especially with the`advent of computers.  Later in my carreer people would come to me and ask me to interpret my writing.  Heck I cound not read it myself, how could they?

Mrs Brewer was the eighth grade teacher.   Mrs Brewer was so nice.

Mr. McCrory was our principal.  He wore old dark rimmed glasses and would look at you over the top of them.  He was very imposing at least to us boys.

In the eight grade they came to my class and asked for more boys to go out for the choir as our school was going to be represented at a competition at Middle Tennessee  State College.  Well, we did not have many boys in our school at that time.  They made all of us boys to go out for the choir.  After the tryouts they told me and Joe that we were now in the choir,  they told me though to learn all the words to all the songs and when it came time to sing for me to just look like I was singing along and not to let anything come out of my mouth.  Turns out I looked good for the choir (I guess) but could not carry a tune to save my life.

They started a basketball team while at West Highland and I think all you had to do to make the team was be one of the few that went out for the team.  I for one can tell you that I was not one of the most atheletic kids around.  I went out for the team and made the starting team as a forward.  I do remember the county tournament when I got the fist possession and drove on my opponent and scored on the opening play. The coach (dont remember who) said,  "that is what I have wanted from you Mac".  I never scored the rest of the game. Never did my mother, sister or brother in law come to see me play.  That really disappointed me.  But here again that was a different time.


Also in the eighth grade I had my first and only date in elementary school.   Don't quite remember how it all came about so here is my recollection.  Anne, who was Connie's best friend asked me if wanted to go to the Saturday afternoon movie matinee as Connie's date.  I said heck yes as it was probably a double feature western.  We were to meet inside the theater, good, that meant that I did not have to pay.  When we got there I let them pick where we sat.  Anne went in first then Connie then me on the end of the isle.   After an hour or so they as I would realize the rest of my life, they both had to go to the bathroom at the same time.  One thing I never understood about women is this point.  But this time I found out.  Anne came back first and said "Mac aren't you having a good time?  I said, "heck yes they were good movies".  Anne said "no I mean with Connie".  Here I don't remember my comeback but I'm sure it was a positive comment.  Anne then said if you like her you should put your arm around her.  I was astounded and said you think she would let me do that.  She said," sure she wants you too".  Boy, I was on my way, good movie and pretty girl.  Well, Connie came back about this time and sat down.  Well, you men will understand what came to my mind next, how could I accomplish this without being so obvious.  The obvious fake yawn and raised my arm.  Here, I made a bad mistake.  I rested my arm on the backrest of the seat and it started to go to sleep.  I tried to move my fingers to stop my arm from going to sleep.  Connie looked at me and and said, "if you want to move your arm it's OK with me. " I said " great and moved my arm."  Boy, was I gonna be a loser at this dating thing. 

The one girl that got my attention in the eighth grade and continued through high school and after was Peggy although I never had a date with her until our Senior High School Prom.  Those of you that know me now would not understand but in school I was very shy at that time.  I was afraid to come up to girls. More on that later. I really liked Peggy but I dont think she ever kew it until it was too late. My mother was the only one that probably had this figured out.

While on the subject of the H.S. Senior Prom.  Let me thank Nina.  I had never been to a dance and was insecure and nervous about dancing in public.  I did the only thing I could think of ,  I asked Nina to give me some dance lessons.  I went by her house a couple of night and she gave me lessons.  I at least made it through the Prom but still for many years I was nervous to dance  that is until Chevy's opened in Nashville.  More later but I became a regular at Chevy's dancing to oldies and still love it if I felt better.  If I ever get my back to no pain and find a partner I will take some dance lesons.