Peggy Walters Lemons

This afternoon as I opened my e-mail I was shocked to find one of my "Gurdon High Class of 1966" had passed away. She was married to Huey Lemons.

Peggy was more than a classmate, she was the one that took my innocence (no, not that kind), she was the first girl to break my heart.

I moved to Gurdon my senior year but this story starts earlier than that. I knew Huey long before I knew Peggy. Huey moved to Bearden while I still lived there and we became friends. It has been so long ago but I think he only lived in Bearden a few months. Peggy has actually known Huey long before he moved to Bearden.

After moving to Gurdon and making a total ass out of myself for several months, I found myself seated next to Peggy in science class. After a few months I asked her out and she said she would have to get back to me on it. Later she broke the news, I had to meet her parents (things were different in 1966).

The Beatles were popular and I had "the hair" but was smart enough (with Peggy's
suggestion) to wet it down and comb it in a more traditional style when around her parents. Her mom seems to like me but I can't say the same for her dad, but dads never like the daughter's boyfriends. Mom won off and we were now a "couple".

We started dating and she was my date for "senior prom". We didn't actually go because I was having brake troubles with my 1957 Plymouth and found we were late to the prom and decided not to go in after arriving at Arkadelphia.

After graduation Peggy attended Ouachita Baptist College and moved back to Bearden and found a job. We dated for several more weeks but she finally dumped me (smart girl).

"Puppy Love" always holds a place in ones heart. I will always cherish her friendship and am truly saddened by her passing. My thoughts are with Huey and her family.

Teachers

Yesterday while unloading 1/2 pints of school milk, I noticed the side of the carton asking kids to nominate their teacher for "Teacher of the Year".

As a student of six different (seven it you count going to one 2 different times) schools, I have had my share of teachers. Most were OK, several had no business in the profession, and 3 were outstanding.

Mr. Stark,
As a young boy who had lost his father this teacher was special to me. He lived on the back side of my block across the open field we all used as our playground. Mr. Stark was elderly and several times he asked if I join he and his wife for dinner. Sometimes I would go over and just talk with him. I can't recall anything we ever talked about and that wasn't really important. Just the fact he was there to listen.

Mrs. Roach,
She and her husband were both teachers. He taught History and she taught English. They were in the twilight of long teaching careers and were childless. She made me realize that my poor grades had little to do with my intelligence. She was the one that administered the standardized tests and I always scored a lot better than my grades indicated that I should.

Mrs. Slayton,
My senior year and in a new school. I was a very scared and angry teenager. I was trying to act tough and not let everyone see my real feelings. Six years after my dad had died, my mom married his younger brother. To make matters worse, I was plunged in a house without a bathroom and a first cousin/step-brother my same age. He was honor student and a nerd. I had always been the quiet (cowed-down) type but at a new school, I could appear to be anything of my choosing. Mrs. Slayton saw thro to the real me and helped me fit in.

These three teachers might or might not have been great classroom (but I think they were) teachers but they possessed the greatest characteristic a teacher can have. They believed in me when I did not believe in myself. That is huge!