The Good Ol’ Boys tell all

Three score and four years ago, their friendships began.

If you are ever at Ginger’s Café in Noblesville on the fourth Tuesday of the month, you will see a group of men in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. They are the Good Ol’ Boys who taught or were administrators in Lawrence Township Schools in the 1960s.

Except for a COVID break, they have met every month since 2001. Over the years, their numbers have subtracted from over 20 to 10.

They invited me to sit and listen to their conversation this past Tuesday. My husband is one of them. To say that I was “entertained” is not an exaggeration.

I came with a list of questions. Five minutes after they all arrived, I tossed my questions and listened. Boy, oh boy, did they have stories to tell.

I will tell you that these guys have not taken their retirement as a reason to slow down. Most have been retired for over 25 years. They have bucket lists and they keep adding to them. They have been movers and shakers. They still are, but they approach it more slowly and gently.

Pete Apple had always wanted to skydive. So, what does he do on his 90th birthday? He has the pictures to prove it. Pete, at 92, still tutors second and fourth graders in reading. Yes, you read hat right.

Dick Patterson published a book for his family, And then, I met Miss America – such an intriguing title. Many know him as Kyle Guy’s grandfather. If you follow basketball … you know.

Chuck Leonard, at 85, is still golfing up to three times a week and occasionally shooting his age, which he says is getting easier as he gets older.

I heard stories of them using ditto machines and watching as students immediately sniffed the paper when it was handed to them. They loved the “sweet chemical freshness.” IYKYK

It was a big day when overhead projectors arrived in the classrooms. Teachers loved them.

One administrator (not my husband) hired a lady to be on the faculty who had her time as a go-go dancer on her resume. It turned out that she was a fantastic teacher.

One day, a principal was notified that a high school student had left class and was hiding in a tree. The student could not be persuaded to come down, so the fire department was called.

One administrator was sent several bouquets of dead roses after a parent was unhappy with his decision concerning his son. There is so much more to that story, but that’s all I’ll say in this column. In today’s environment, it would make the six o’clock news.

It was brought up that a particular female teacher would have the girls kneel on the floor to make sure their skirts were long enough to touch the floor. That teacher would have a come-apart today.

The ceiling in the teacher’s lounge at Lawrence Central High School was stained yellow from all the cigarette smoke. Back then, smoking was allowed and was quite common. (Even the students had an outside smoking area.)

The guys agreed that cell phones and social media have changed schools and teaching. They had much to say about sports, which could fill an entire column.

They say that you can take the teacher out of the classroom, but they will still be teaching, one way or another. As I sat there listening, I realized that was true. They may not know much about the latest technology, but they know how to live well.

They have lifelong lessons to share if you take time to listen. I love their perspective on life.

Here’s to more things crossed off their bucket list, including being interviewed by Chuck’s wife.

Thank you, Good Ol’ Boys, for the invitation. I’m glad I tossed out my questions. You provided answers to questions I never would have thought to ask.

A side story is that a few months ago, when they went to pay their bills, they found out a couple sitting near them had paid all their bills. They told the server they enjoyed overhearing their conversations and wanted to pay for the entertainment.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.