15.What school activities and sports did you participate in?

I was never much for sports in school. I did play basketball in seventh and eighth grade but we only had barely enough girls to have a team. We were only a three room school and played other country schools in the county. I don't remember anyone being very good. Those were the days that girls only played half court.We didn't have a building and played outside on a dirt court! It was fun but I was never good enough to make it on a "real" team. Therefore when I went to Iuka in the ninth grade I didn't even bother to try out for the team. I would never have made it. We had one of the best teams in the state and had some really good ball players on our team.

Academics were more my speed. I had graduated the eighth grade as valedictorian and when I went to the ninth grade I was a little lazy. For the ninth and tenth I didn't really try hard but then I decided to pay a little more attention and pull my grades up. In the fifties we had what we called a "coronation". It consisted of four girls and four guys from 9th, 10th, and 11th grade and five from the 12th. Mr. and Miss Iuka High School was chosen from the 12th grade students and was revealed that night. The students were the ones with the highest grades from each grade. We would have a special performance to announce the winners. We had it in the Gym and all the other students and parents would attend. I was honored to be in it for the 11th and 12th grade. While I didn't win Miss Iuka, it was an honor just to be selected for the court.

The local television station in Tupelo, MS had a show called Quiz 'em on the Air. It was comprised of junior and senior students from schools in northeast Mississippi. I was fortunate enough to be on the team both years. It was a question and answer format with the winner returning each week.

When I graduated from the 12th we didn't have valedictorian or salutatorian, we only had honors such as most athletic. or citizenship, etc. However the highest honor was to graduate as a member of the Beta Club and have a special seal on your diploma, and be honored graduation night. I was fortunate enough to receive this honor.

I was lucky enough to attend and graduate from a small school and because of this I could participate in many clubs and activities including the annual staff, 4-H Club, Beta Club, FBLA, Coronation, and the Junior and Senior play.

When I look back now I realize now that those were some of the happiest years of my life. Each year the editors of the annual selected sayings that would best suit the personality of each graduate. Mine reads "Happy-go-lucky, fair and free; there's nothing in the world that bothers me." I don't think they could have picked anything that would have suited me better!!!!!