These next photos from my high school years might show one of the reasons for my interest in sports. These were taken from 1966 to 1968 at my home and at Montebello High School in Montebello, California. Montebello is just East of East L.A.
I was on the Song leader squad in my junior and senior years. The first few photos are from my junior year.
Every Friday before game time we would have a Pepster Squad Dinner at one of the Pepsters’ homes. When the squads came to my house my mother would prepare a Russian meal. We enjoyed this time together before game time. It was easy to lose 5 pounds in one night of cheerleading.
This was my best friend and she was a flag twirler our Junior year. In our senior year we were both Song leaders.
Some more of my friends Judy, Shelly and Bet. The hanging of Dumbo is a long story.
It was crazy hat night at our Basketball game. Looks like we were playing the Whittier Cards? Shuffle the Cards was our motto for the night.
Our uniforms changed every year but they were always some combination of blue and gold our school colors. This was my senior year.
It was crazy hat night again.
We’d always go out for fast food after the game to try to gain back some of the weight we’d lose in the course of cheering during the games.
The Pep squad would have their own Physical Education hour together to practice our routines and to learn all the rules connected with the different sports we would cheer on the sidelines for. I remember studying the rules for football and learning all the referee signs. It has come in handy in understanding what’s going on when I watch sports now. These were the days when you had to have your P.E. uniform washed each weekend at home and brought back on Monday pressed and ready for the week. After class you were also required to take a shower in those group shower stalls and get your name checked off. I don’t think kids use uniforms anymore for Physical Education. Did you have uniforms in high school for P.E.?
We had a very quiet Monday here. After all the excitement yesterday with the Super Bowl it was nice to have a quiet day. Katie and I are talking about going to the Super Bowl parade in Seattle on Wednesday.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, our new dishwasher is coming to be installed. I’ll have to learn a different technique in filling the new one.
How’s the first week of February in your world?
1. Enjoying our home team winning the Super Bowl! There’s something so rich about unbridled joy.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 