ThE EmAnCiPaTiOn oF pAmMiE

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Sunset Monologue 70

Going Back To Highschool



Howdy! This weekend for some reason, has been all about High School,lol lol. First this is the 20th reunion weekend for those who graduated in 1985 from my alma mater, then mini-me and I went to see "Sky High" which as far as I'm concerned is the best movie of the year up to this point. I hope to go see it again! I hadn't started this blog when I had mine last September, so I didn't get to give you all the 411 on mine, hell I haven't even developed the picturs, but I am going to do that by the first anniversary of the reunion end of September, lol. I was riding home thinking about we all have this period in our lives where we just felt 'safe' and right at home. Well Highschool (I know, I know - crazy ain't it) was that for me. I honestly wouldn't mind rolling back the hands of time and going back there. I probably would only change maybe two things (1) NO GLASSES and (2) more boyfriends, lol Otherwise it was all good.

I don't like blogging about seriousness on the weekend - so I thought what fun it would be to take you back to my High School, lol So for those that graduated in the 80's put on your leg warmers and madonna lace and come on with me.

(I know some former classmates visit here quite often - I'll try to keep it on the up and up, lol)

Introducing MY HIGHSCHOOL



Booker T. Washington High School (1924-Present). In the days of the segregated south, Washington opened in 1924 as the first public high school for African Americans in the state of Georgia. As such, in 1986, the school was placed on the National Registry as an historic site.

Our Hall of Fame:


My Journey

I started Highschool in September 1979. I was 13 years old and in the 8th grade. At the time, there were no middle schools, or I hadn't heard of any. I came from JC Harris elementary and so like mini-me, I didn't know anyone - most students didn't feed from my school to there. I felt like a baby with all those students, but I met that very first day at sub-freshman (Lord we wern't even freshman, lol) two people who would be part of my inner circle and best friends my entire High School tenure and one is still one of my dearest friends.

I had all the usual angst of being in High School from immediately falling in love wtih a Sr. and pining away for him - to having my first boyfriend, who happen to be the ex-boyfriend of a girl my brother wanted to get with, lol lol He broke them up and then the ex started going with me, and we all hung out together, lol. Had my first real kiss and everything with him.

I never had any problems fitting in, making friends etc. I had a 'unique' kind of popularity all thru High School. I wasn't the prettiest, or the coolest, or had the most money, or the most freedom or any of that - but people graviated towards me. I was just that gal Pam. I was cool. I had enemies, but that was to be expected, lol Everyone in High School had enemies, lol Personally, I had me a ball in Highschool as I've said before - so my complaints even about the people who I didn't like and who didn't like me are minimal. Hell I never got in one fight in High School, lol. Drama - yes; Negativity - no!

No matter where we moved, I stayed at Booker T. I graduated in June, 1984, in the top 10%.

The Highlight Years



If I had to pick a specific time that I single out as the best of my years there - it had to be Jr and Sr. year of course. Those years are forever engrained in my mind. I think for all of us it couldn't get any better than this, lol. We moved from the main cafeteria to the private one for Jr/Sr. and though we were scrubs up in there, we had three lower levels that were scrubs to us, lol

This was the time where music was blossoming and alot of us turned in our negro cards and got on the Madonna, Culture Club, Duran Duran Train.

We had the best band in the City and for miles around, I must say. It was all about football, band, boy/girl friends and our clubs.

During my 11th and 12th grade years, social clubs were VERY popular. They were fashioned after Fraternities and Soroties and you had to have membership and there were rules and regulations and initiations etc. Your popularity pretty much depended on either forming or being a part of one of these groups. Our group was called the 'Preps'. We also had 'Echelon' 'Omega Knights' and a few others that are slipping my minds. It was like Grease, lol We all had tables, secret meetings, nametags, jackets, rivals etc. What a cool time to be 16, lol lol

I came into my own during that time as well. I was Jr. Class President, A Sub then full fledged Debutante, Queen of My Homeroom, in other clubs as well and my social life was out of control.

What was interesting about me is that my preferred social circle was the fellas. I was for a time the only girl in the entire Preps. I brought my best girlfriend in, but to be honest - she was a 'token' girl most of the time. She was my friend and they never let me forget that,lol. I have ALWAYS found the male species alot more interesting. Now the otherside of that was that I was in some underground talk, the biggest non-sex having whore around, lol No one could fanthom these guys would let me into the inner circle if I were not doing something. As well as, I had some shall we say boy like qualities such as I cursed like it was nobody's business, lol lol I mean to the point where it got offensive to the guys,lol. I also developed my early fascination with pornography, but I was a girl and I liked dressing like one. I wore heels thru most of my High School tenure, lol lol even if I did keep them in my locker, lol.

This Love and That Love

I have also always been in love with love. From the 4th grade when I feel in love with MC who sat next to me, I have been having one imaginary love affair after another. High School was no exception. I was in love every week. My mom had her foot on my neck, so dating and boys were pretty much out of the question above board, but I had plenty of boyfriends. I had at least one every school year and when I hit the 11th grade I had several. We moved out of district - so the perception was that I never had a boyfriend, I did; it was just that they went to another school, near where I lived off Campbellton Hwy. In my 11th grade year I think I had 3 boysfriend a couple of them at the same time. We all liked each other at various times for various reasons. One other thing I developed, was my shoot for the stars mentality. I always fell for the absolutely top of the crop,lol and spent quite a bit of time in dream land behind these dellusions, lol. I quite enjoyed my High School love shenangins and wouldn't change them for the world.

Proms, Queens, Debs


I was blessed to have an opportunity to get gussied up quite a bit during my last couple years of High School. I went to two proms as a Jr. and was a Sub-Debutante and a prom and came out as a Debutante as a sr. I also was queen of my homeroom a couple of times and was elected Miss R.O.T.C. now that holds a special place in my heart because I wasn't IN R.O.T.C. to have that many guys decide that you should be their queen means alot. I held the highest rank and had a white suit and saber and all that good stuff. Lots of fun! Lots!

The Debutante Honor was the highest I felt I achieved in High School. It was classic Southern Charm and I was all for it. Debutante's are honored for their civic, academic and moral high standards. You had to be an A student, do something for the community and be a.....VIRGIN. Now I'm sure back in the day, they checked that stuff a bit more rigorously, but since I was - worked for me, lol

It also is the closest I would ever get to my Daddy walking me down the aisle (R.I.P). When you are a Sub-Debutante, your job is to help the Debs and you do a bonafide dance to welcome them to 'adulthood'. When you are a Deb, you basically wear a white 'gown' and your father presents you to society and then you dance with your father (what a blessing) a waltz no less and he gives your hand to your Jr. Escort (as a symbol you are of dating age) and then you dance off into the sunset with him. Alot of pomp and circumstance and I can't wait until it's mini-me's time.

(I will not reveal the names of the Brothas in the pictures, but I will show thier faces - if you know these brothas, let me know - I would love to say hello! I haven't seen any of them (well my Sr. Prom date I have) in over 20 years!)

Debutante Ball 1984



One of my Jr. Proms went to mine and his


Sr. Prom

21 Years Later

I was the head of the planning committee for our 20th reunion. It was held last September and it was one of the best adult experiences I have had. I rank it up there with the birth of my daughter. Really. The love and joy in that room, I'll never forget - I won't even forget the tension because it also was just what the join needed. I love those folks, I really do.

Posted by Pamalicious :: 7:45 PM :: 2 comments

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