Fond Memories of the Yellow Chair Room (Prompt 4)

I had the chance to roam around campus in the spring of 2024 and while the bones, rooflines, and outlines of what I remember of campus were still there, the details, interiors and newly opened and renovated areas made the school seem like a totally different place. 

Where we had the old school, Joe Liles photo darkroom and screen printing art lab has been replaced with high tech, digital art computers. No one has ever seen or heard of any yellow chairs, much less the beloved yellow chair room in the basement of Hill House (??). And the main building's lobby elevators, scene of many an epic prank, now appear small and unworthy of attention. The whole entry section of Bryan was once elegant and dark wood panelled but now filled with more mundane materials and child friendly colors. Did we really roll Dean Collin's VW bug into those elevators - yes we did senior year! 

I remember classes held outside on the large X shaped picnic tables under the trees, along with dinners and ice cream socials. 

Today's students will never know the joy of running laps in the front parking lot for PE with Branson; tossing Dr. Miller into the pool or playing water basketball; trying to study at the stupid double side student desks we had in Hill House, or napping on the body trays in the morgue. 

I remember the laundry room on 2nd floor Hill House and the Sign In/Sign Out slips and board that was up in the Hill House lobby. How many times did I get Phased for forgetting to sign out? A lot! I remember the big bulletin board where people would leave notes, homework and the occasional red rose. I remember the yellow school buses that took us to and from our Community Serviceo they even have a Community Service requirement anymore? That's a blog for a later time!  

The iconic old 'front entrance' to Watts was always locked and officially off limits but we all went into that wing anyway. It's lovely to see that area has been renovated and is used as a main entrance again. 

Our memories are as old as the cracked linoleum, our school is not the same as school the current students enjoy today - it is theirs and theirs alone for a wonderful two years; and our time there, like the yellow chairs, has come and gone. 

Getting into the new school (Prompt #3)

By Grace Han Cunningham 

Honestly if it weren't for all of the scraps of papers, test scores and letters I received during the application process, I would have very little recollection at all of the process. The only thing I do remember was the onsite visit with my Dad to the Durham campus.

My scrapbook tells me a fuller story, beginning in the spring of 1980 when my Dad submitted a nomination. Dad received a confirmation letter from Ola F. Stringer on Feb 14, 1980 and I received an acknowledgment letter with the Application for Admission. This letter mentioned a special Visitation Team that would be in the area in March or April to answer questions; and details would be sent later. 

I, like everyone else, took my SAT on Sat 3/22/1980 at Jordan High School in Durham. We were snail mailed our scores and on the paper, our school code was 341077 and NCSSM was listed as a nonpublic school with less than 100 students. We self reported activities, interests and awards, as well as our high school GPA and grades, we listed our part time hours worked, there was a lot of self reported information on the Student Report! My ethnic group was shows as "Oriental" - my how times have improved. I scored 590 for both the verbal and math section. 

One April 19, 1980 I was invited to interview and undergo additional, in-person testing at 8:00 am at the Carroll Junior High School in Raleigh. I have no recollection of what happened on this date but I did save the letter and my name tag! I do recall meeting Ola Stringer but only vaguely. 

On May 9, 1980, I received a letter stating that I was selected as a semifinalist. Out of 900 fellow 10th graders, 225 were selected as semi-finalists. We were then invited, along with our parents, to tour the school on Saturday, May 17, 1980 at 9:00 am. When we got there, we were given another letter stating along with the tour of the campus, the dorms, etc, the School decided to forego any further interviews and would be making final selections based on the data received and we should hear back within the next week. This letter was signed by Charles R. Eilber, our fearless Director.

On May 30, 1980, I received a Letter of Acceptance, which I had to sign and return no later than June 6, 1980. The letter stated "We are pleased and honored that you will be with us this year. You, and your fellow students, will be part of a unique and truly exciting endeavor, the beginning of a new school." We were further instructed that we would receive further information over the summer.

Now, all the letters were on the old letterhead - brown and orange logo (now referred to as the 'flaming diaper' and oh-so-cool font with no caps. It was very 80s. They all appear to be hand typed for the address line and probably copied for the body; and all hand signed by both Ola F. Stringer, Head of Admissions, and Charles R. Eilber, Director. I seem to recall they all had offices in the Main Bldg. where the dark panel wood offices of the hospital executives must've been. 

And looking back, I imagine that school faculty and staff were creating structure, curriculum, rules, etc making stuff up as the need arose and as the weeks progressed. 

The Durham Sun ran a short article on who was selected for the school on Saturday, May 31, 1980. Twelve students from Durham and Orange Counties were among the first class of 150 students. The article even listed our home addresses! Six were from Durham - me, John Armitage, Tricia Townes, Beverly Adams, Christopher Staffa and Amy Gilbert. Janeen VandHooke was listed for Hillsborough. and 5 students were from Chapel Hill - Susan Anderson, Clovis Peres, Doug Appleyard, Sean Campbell and Sarah Krigman. Students from nearby counties included Angela Jean Royster, Suellen Howell, Richard Arnold II, Percil Watkins and Alex Daughety. Our class of 150 represented 63 of NC's 100 counties at the time.

For the on campus visits, I have one memory of sitting in the cafeteria or some large room in the Main building with my Dad, looking around at all the other students and parents. The parents were the only ones paying attention to the speakers - we heard from faculty and residential staff; from Admissions, Senior Staff, etc but the students were excited and not paying much attention to the talking heads, I know I didn't! I remember thinking that the students looked smart and not at all the typical high school stereotypes.

I'm fairly certain I sent in my letter of acceptance the same day I received it. I was ready to move on. I finished up year 8 at Durham Academy and went with family to celebrate at Carowinds!! Y'all remember Carowinds - the self proclaimed "Entertainment Capitol of the Carolinas"?

The summer passed quickly and the next thing I knew, I was getting a letter from my roommate, Alison Newby! 

Writing Prompt #4 - Watts Hospital

Prompt: Describe some memorable aspect of the NCSSM campus as it existed in 1980.

Deadline: May 12, 2025

Details: The state of North Carolina renovated and used the buildings (and the grounds) of Watts Hospital to create a new campus for the School of Science and Math.  Those buildings, built in the Spanish Revival style, are very distinctive; and Watts Hospital was historically and culturally significant.  Describe any aspect of the campus (as it existed when you attended school between 1980 and 1982) that you found personally meaningful or memorable.

Background: 

Watts Hospital

Watts Hospital first opened on the corner of Buchanan and Main Street (near present day Duke East Campus) in 1895; but new buildings were constructed on a much larger property at the corner of Broad Street and Club Boulevard starting in 1908.  All of these buildings were made possible by the donations of George Washington Watts, a partner of Washington Duke, Sons and Company.

Watts Hospital was (and still is) a remarkable collection of buildings. Between 1908 and 1910, the new hospital (which was designed by a notable Boston architectural firm) was built, in a Spanish Revival style, just outside the city limits of West Durham, on 60 acres of land "with a grove of hickory and oak".  

The "Main Building", operating room, breezeway, "Men's Pavilion", kitchen, laundry and morgue were completed in 1909.  "Wyche House" (the dormitory for the Watts Hospital School of Nursing; now known as Royall House) and the "Women's Pavilion" were completed in 1910.  The larger "Valinda Beall Pavilion" (named for the first wife of GW Watts) was completed in 1927 with a new entrance to the hospital on the west side of the campus (near where the main entrance to NCSSM now stands).  

At the heart of the complex were the three large pavilions, with tile covered roofs; all linked to the Main Building, with its distinctive cupola, by sun-drenched covered breezeways, filled with arched floor-to-ceiling windows.

Besides the beautiful design, the materials were exquisite. "The front lobby walls were paneled in quarter-sawn oak". And in the operating room, "The walls and floor were of marble, tile, and terrazzo." [Watts Hospital - Preston Reynolds]

Over the years, the hospital expanded.  In 1945, Hill House was built with new nursing school dorms and classrooms.  And in 1953, a large and modern brick addition was built adjacent to Beall Pavilion.

For over 75 years, Watts Hospital served primarily the White citizens of Durham, while Lincoln Hospital served primarily the African American population. Those two hospitals essentially merged in October 1976, and moved all of the patients, and most of the services to the newly constructed Durham County General Hospital (now Durham Regional).  Only a few administrative offices and ancillary services remained at the former Watts Hospital when Durham took an interest in using the property for an entirely different purpose.

The Durham Proposal

In September of 1978, the city of Durham, North Carolina, provided a detailed proposal, to Governor Hunt.  They proposed that the School of Science and Math should be located in the city of Durham, and that the former Watts Hospital campus (including the property and facilities) be used for the new school.  [Durham Proposal for the NCSSM] 

The proposal included a letter of support from (among others) former North Carolina governor, Terry Sanford; who at the time was the president of Duke University.  He, in turn, had solicited numerous letters of support (for locating the School of Science and Math in Durham), not only from professors at Duke, but also from administrators and professors at UNC in Chapel Hill.  (Coincidentally, Terry Sanford was the first to explore the idea of building residential specialty schools in North Carolina; such as the NC School of the Arts, which was established during his term as governor in the 1960s.)

With a mixture of bravado and humility, the proposal concluded that "Durham’s resources and facilities for science and mathematics are without peer.  But we ask that you also note the warmth and humanity with which these are offered." [Durham Proposal for the NCSSM]

In his letter in the proposal, John B Flowers III, of the Stagville Preservation Center said, "This complex is so significant that it should be reused now that the new Durham County General Hospital is open. To tear this fine complex down would be a cultural crime." Mr. Flowers saw, in Watts Hospital, a chance for Governor Hunt to "show that North Carolina deserves her national reputation as a leader in historic preservation." [Letter in The Durham Proposal]

So in 1978, when Durham made its pitch, Watts Hospital lay largely dormant. According to P. Preston Reynolds, who describes the history of Watts Hospital in detail (along with photographs edited by Joe Liles), "Representatives of Durham, combining the availability of the Watts Hospital buildings and campus with the resources of Duke University and vocal support from community leaders in business and the the arts, won the competition for the new school in November 1978." [Watts Hospital of Durham, North Carolina. 1895 ~ 1976. Keeping the Doors Open; P. Preston Reynolds]

Becoming the NC School of Science and Math

The title for the historic Watts Hospital campus was passed from the Durham County Hospital Authority to the State of North Carolina, on August 24th, 1979, to become the new NC School of Science and Math.

In December, 1979, the Archeology and Historic Preservation Section of the State of North Carolina nominated the former Watts Hospital for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places; an honor that was approved on April 2, 1980.  The following is an excerpt of the architectural description of the buildings, by consultant Janet Silber:

“Buildings constructed at Watts between 1908 and 1926 all share certain visual qualities characteristic of the Spanish Mission style . Typically they are horizontally-oriented massive white stuccoed buildings capped by overhanging red-tiled roofs supported on projecting rafters . Rich classical detailing and arcaded entrance porches lend grace and formality to the most important buildings . Whimsical Moorish ventilating towers, arched windows, patios, and an overall picturesque, coloristic quality lend charm, texture, and congruity to the entire complex.”

[Architectural Description, Janet Silber, Consultant; US Department of Interior, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form; Continuation Sheet, Item #7, Page 1]

Within a year, the school was renovated, retaining most of the iconic exterior features of the architecture:  terracotta tile roofing; stylized cupolas and roof vents; stucco covered walls and open-air balconies; and huge windows letting sunlight into the semicircular lobbies of the three pavilions and the spacious breezeways.

In 1980 the Wyche house nursing dorm and a portion of the Main building were converted to male dormitories and the Hill House was converted to the female dormitory.  Basement classrooms in Hill House and in the pavilions were renovated.  The 2nd floor of the "Main Building", which once contained Labor & Delivery and a Maternity Ward, became the location for computer, biology, and chemistry labs.  The first floor of the "Brick Addition" became the administrative wing of the school; and the "Old Kitchen" became the music hall for orchestra and chorus.  Most famously, the original "Operating Pavilion" became the art studio.

[Illustration of The Watts Hospital Campus, found in "Watts Hospital of Durham, North Carolina; 1895 ~ 1976; Keeping the Doors Open".  Written by P. Preston Reynolds.  Illustrator - Joe Liles]

[Postcard of Watts Hospital circa 1953.  Courtesy of John Schelp.]

Fame (Prompt #3)

By Steve Gallup

Some time during the week of May 22, 1980, I found out I had been accepted to become a member of the first class of the NC School of Science and Mathematics. It was less than a week after my 16th birthday.  Best birthday ever!

Later that summer, before classes began, I was contacted by a reporter from The Raleigh Times, an afternoon regional daily paper, serving primarily the citizens of Wake County.  The reporter, Mary Burch, wanted to interview me about my admission to the School of Science and Math.  Naturally, I agreed.

So Ms. Burch came by my house and brought a photographer.  It was a pleasant, sunny day, so we talked outside, where the photographer could get a few shots.  I spent a long time answering the interview questions.  At least, it seemed like a long time.  A day or two later the story came out on the front page of the paper.  It was the lead story; right below the banner.  There are five head shots of rising 11th grade students, including a picture of me right smack dab in the middle.  The headline read, "Science-Math Hi -- Wake has five in cream of crop".

This was my 15 minutes of fame!

From my wide ranging interview (which I like to imagine was full of wit and wisdom), the writer took the following quote, and the layout editor put it in a caption right beneath my grainy black and white picture: 'I think it's a real honor to be chosen, because if you knew the other people going, they're such good students' -- Steven Gallup, from Broughton.  

Ugh!  What a horrible quote.  What a horrible picture.  If this is what fame looks like, I don't want it anymore.

But we all became a little more famous that summer; the summer of 1980.  We became members of the first class of the widely anticipated public residential high school for gifted students in North Carolina.

I don't really remember much about that summer; but I do remember watching an unheralded film about another group of high school students, coming from dissimilar backgrounds to apply for and attend a specialized high school in Manhattan.  Although the storyline was fictional, the high school was real. These students were from New York City; and the school was the High School of Performing Arts at 120 West 46th street. The movie was "Fame"; and it was released across the country on June 20th, 1980.

Here is the Wikipedia description of the characters, as they are introduced during auditions for the school, at the beginning of the film:

"Accepted in the Drama department are Montgomery MacNeil, son of a well-known actress; Doris Finsecker, a shy Jewish girl with an overbearing mother; and Ralph Garci, who succeeds after failed auditions for Music and Dance. In the Music department, Bruno Martelli is an aspiring keyboardist whose electronic equipment horrifies Mr. Shorofsky, a conservative music teacher. In the Dance department, Coco Hernandez coolly hints at how she could join any of the three departments while Lisa Monroe is talkative and nervous. Leroy Johnson attends to perform his part of a dance routine for an auditioning friend, but the dance teachers are more impressed by his talents than his friend's."

As the plot unfolds, the students advance from year to year in their education and in the daily struggles of their lives.  Montgomery discusses his homosexuality and comes out to his classmates.  Doris overcomes shyness and blossoms, away from the hovering of her helicopter mother.  Ralph experiences the highs and lows of life on stage, while also dealing with an attack on his little sister (and the magical thinking of his mother).  Coco finds herself unwillingly undressing on camera for an amateur film maker's "screen test".  And Leroy is dealing with illiteracy that could spoil his chances for graduation and future success.

The stories in the movie are actually deep, frightening, complex, and messy.  For every jubilant and spontaneous "Hot Lunch Jam"; there is a moody and sobering "Dogs in the Yard".  The songs that accompany the action, span a range of emotions.  One of them, "Out Here on My Own" was sung at the talent show held on the campus of NCSSM, later that fall.  I think we could all identify with the struggles and the stress of the characters in the movie, even though we were only beginning our own transformative journeys.

In the movie finale, all the characters come together for an end of the year performance of  "I sing the body electric", a song based on the poem by Walt Whitman.  In the scene, parents and faculty look on, in a supportive body, as students from all branches of the school rise to sing enthusiastically:

"I sing the body electric

I celebrate the me yet come

I toast to my own reunion

When I become one with the sun"

That part always makes me cry. 

The full article:

{Raleigh Times - Monday, September 1, 1980; "Science-Math Hi; Wake has five in cream of the crop" - by Mary Burch; Times staff writer}

Writing Prompt #3: The Application Process

Prompt:  Write a story about your application to attend (or work for) NCSSM in 1980.

Due Date: April 28, 2025

Details:  Describe any part of the experience that you had, of completing the process of application to the NC School of Science and Mathematics in the Winter and Spring of 1980.  Alternatively, you may write a story about your acceptance to be a member of the first class (or staff or faculty) of the school.  You may write more than one story about the process if you like. 

Background:

"To select a diversified student body of gifted and talented students with interest and potential for high achievement in science and mathematics is the goal of the Admissions Office".  This was Ola Stringer's report to the Board of Trustees in March of 1989.  The admissions process for NCSSM began with the hiring of Ola Stringer, in December of 1979, as the Head of Admissions.

The office of admissions began soliciting support for student applications to NCSSM by using Regional Education Centers across the state for school representatives to meet with public school superintendents, "to assist in clarifying the school's purpose and to enlist a cooperative support for its program."

After statewide distribution of admissions criteria, Mike Collins (Dean for Student Personnel Services) and Ola Stringer returned to the Regional Education Centers "to meet with parents, students, school personnel and community representatives."  Dean Collins and Mrs. Stringer listened to the feedback at these center; which included concerns about the nature of the new school's athletic and music programs; the "standards, values, and culture" of faculty and staff; the "guidance and supervision" of the residential life program; and the allowance for humanities and electives outside of science and math in the instructional program.  They undoubtedly sought to address these concerns, back in Durham, where the process of planning for a school student body was still underway.

Early in 1980 the nomination procedures and the criteria for admissions were developed through a collaboration between the office of admissions, the school administrative staff (which included no faculty at the time), and several advisory groups.  A one page nomination form was developed; and those forms (along with parent/student permission forms) had to be completed by February 29th, 1980.  

Admission packets were developed that included as much information about the school as could be provided at the time.  Keep in mind that the school was brand new.  Many of its programs and services were as yet unknown.  In addition to an application form, the packet included "an Instructional Program Summary, a Student Handbook Summary, a Description of the Campus and a Sample Weekly and Daily Student Schedule."  Those admission packets were distributed to the 913 students had been nominated.

Admission was restricted to rising 11th grade students who were legal residents of North Carolina, and demonstrating "a sincere desire to learn and the willingness to commit themselves to the idea of total development."  Applicants had to complete the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which that year was administered on Saturday, March 22nd. (A few applicants had to take the test in May due to a prior commitment to a regional band competition.) Scores would be available by the end of April; before most final selections were made.  High school transcripts were also required.

In addition, the nomination form (often completed by a teacher) included 11 questions to gather information on the student's "academic and personal" qualities.  And on the application itself, the student was asked, in two questions, to give their "perception of what the School can do for them and what contributions they can make to the School."

Next the student applicants would meet at one of eight regional locations, for interviews conducted by school staff, on one of four Saturdays from March 15th to April 26th.  At the same time as the interview, testing would be performed with the Alpha Biographical Inventory (a measure of scientific creativity) and Raven's Progressive Matrices (a test of intelligence and abstract reasoning), to help "determine aptitude and potential for high achievement."  886 applicants went to the regional sites for testing and interviews.

Back in Durham; a fourteen member selection committee was formed to select at least 225 semifinalists by May 9th, 1980; but ultimately 242 were selected.  In a Raleigh Times article, Ola Stringer said, "It was really very heartbreaking at times.  I would sit here and look at two files and feel I had lost my ability to discriminate."  And, "We agonized over our decisions and we prayed over them, and I empathized with the parents and with the students who weren't chosen."

Subsequently, the semifinalists and their families were invited for a final interview and a campus visit on Saturday, May 17th, when they could also meet the administrative staff and the newly hired faculty.

Besides academic and personal qualifications; regional, ethnic, and cultural diversity were considered in the selection process.  Finalists were announced on May 22nd, 1980; when 150 finalists were given admission, and 42 alternates were chosen.  The finalists came from 63 of the states 100 counties; and minorities made up 24% of the incoming class.  Still, nine students declined the offer of admission before classes began.

{Raleigh Times quote is from "Wake has five in cream of crop", by Mary Burch; The Raleigh Times; September 1, 1980}

{All other quotations and dates are taken from the "Admissions Office Report to the Board of Trustees", submitted by Ola F. Stringer, on March 6, 1980; Attachment #1-A to the NCSSM Directors Report to the Board of Trustees on March 7, 1980.  This document is found in NCSSM Historical Collection of the NCSSM Digital Collections.}

[The current logo of NCSSM]

[Some examples of the Raven's Progressive Matrices IQ test questions]

Waiting for My New Life to Begin (Prompt #2)

By Steve Gallup

Yes.  I was a little nerdy in middle school.  

I tried to hide it a little.  But it came to me so easily.  

I had no qualms about dissecting a frog.

I created a report on the unusual properties of arcs and tangents for my geometry teacher.  I don't think she even asked for it.

In Algebra 1, I understood quadratic equations right off the bat.  Everyone else seemed so confused.  Except for one other student.  She and I could do the quadratic equations in our heads, most of the time.  It just seemed... simple.

I always got good grades.  I was polite.  I raised my hand.  I usually knew the answers.

I tried not to be the teacher's pet.  To be known as the favorite could make you a pariah.

But when you know things, it can also make you useful.  Sometimes, when other students realized that I knew how to solve math problems, they asked me for help.  I tried to keep that sort of activity on the down-low.  I would help.  Of course... I would help them; but I did so quietly... unobtrusively; like a POW with a plan for escape... keeping the conversations hush-hush and secretive.

"So you add the numbers here, and you multiply the numbers there.  Shhh.  I'll explain it later."

I also took up soccer; and I played for junior varsity.  I tried not to be so nerdy.  

But I also played in the band.  I played the flute.

When I went to high school (which started with 10th grade, back then), I dropped the flute and joined the percussion.  Our percussion section created a cadence to play when the band was on the move, between songs.  I still remember that cadence today.  Dum dum dum. Dumbidum dumbidum dum.  Dum dum dum.  Dumbidum dumbidum dum....  

That seemed pretty cool.  I felt a little less like a nerd in marching band.  (Sidenote: I had never played the drums.  So when I switched instruments, I was put on cymbals; which meant that half the time I was holding the cymbals for one of the drummers to play.  The other half of the time I was counting measures and rests like my life depended on it; because if you clap the cymbals on the wrong beat, pretty much the whole band knows you blew it.)

But I digress.

In 10th grade, I think I took the following classes: Biology, Algebra 2, AP English, Latin, Typing, Computer Science, and Marching Band.

In AP English we learned about the different writing formats:  Narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository.  I learned a lot.  More than just big words; although my habit of flipping open Grandpa's Merriam Webster to random tabs, was still paying off.

In Latin we learned to conjugate verbs.  Amo, Amas, Amat... Amamus, Amatis, Amant.  And we learned Latin puns: Semper ubi sub ubi (Always where under where).   I think I took it because I had heard that it might be useful to learn Latin and Greek roots, for various branches of science.

I took typing, because it seemed like it could come in handy for the computer.  I had gotten a home computer when they first entered the market.  I got it for Christmas.  I don't know what brand it was.  Probably an Apple.  I learned Basic pretty quickly.  You could create pictures on the screen by coding where to put a letter, or letters, line by line.  On the computers at school, I created bigger and better pictures.  I guess I learned a little programming too.  

I remember that there was a primitive lunar module landing game, on the computer at high school.  You tried to slow the rate of descent just right, so that the module landed gently.  I think you had to tap on the arrow keys to do it.  If you didn't control the module just right, you either cratered badly, or your module flew back off into the void of space.  I didn't know it, but I was getting ready for a whole wave of arcade computer games that were about to usher in a golden age of coin-operated, joystick controlled, dopamine fueled activity at the mall.

Biology was my favorite class. My teacher was Mr. Braddy.  (That's not a typo.  He spelled his name Braddy, even though it was pronounced like Brady.)  He was a good teacher; patient and bright.

We learned how to create a dichotomous table to classify a bunch of mythical beasts, which was fun; but we also learned how to use a dichotomous table to identify a tree from it's twigs and other physical characteristics, even in winter.

We learned about Taxonomy and Binomial Nomenclature.  We learned about Kingdoms and Phyla.  We learned about Protozoa.  The Euglena was always my favorite.  Still is.  I used to have a small or medium yellow T-shirt (I was awkward and skinny back then) with a picture of the elegant Euglena screen-printed on the front.  It was very, very nerdy.  I had a talent for learning about weird creatures, and for memorizing odd facts.  (Sidenote: It really paid off in college when I took Invertebrate Zoology; the most difficult course of my major; the one that weeded out the A's from the B's.)

We learned about Botany; about xylem and phloem;  about plant reproduction.  We even went on field trips.  Once we went to a forested area in early Spring to see the emergence of the Spring ephemerals on the forest floor (before the leaves emerged in the canopy above).  I knew I was hooked when we uncovered the funky spotted brown flower of a sprig of wild ginger, lying hidden beneath the pine needles and leaves.

Mr. Braddy wrote my letter of recommendation, when I applied for NCSSM around that time, the early Spring of 1980.  He must have seen how much I loved Botany and Zoology, even though I was only one of a hundred of his students... or more.

I love everything about science.  I learned that the first time, back in middle school.  (And I learned it again... remembered the thrill... 30 years later, when my two girls were in middle school, and I volunteered to be a parent helper for NC Science Olympiad.)  So when I found out that there was a School of Science and Math opening in the Fall of 1980, I jumped at the opportunity.  It really seemed like a no-brainer.

Now, there were other reasons for me to apply.  Free room and board was a substantial incentive for me and my family.  My father had died in 1976, and my mother was living on social security payments for her two children, and a little spending money from a morning newspaper route.  I was getting up mornings at 4:30 AM to help on the paper route; and I was ready for that to be over.  Seriously ready!  Getting free food at a residential high school seemed like a way to reduce our burdens.

Basically, I felt like I was ready to get out of Dodge.  I was ready to start over.  And what could be better than starting over in a place, just a little way away from home, in a school full of like minded nerds.  It was a perfect opportunity.

My mother gave her blessing.  (She's the one who showed me the newspaper article in the first place!); and I got my letters of recommendation, and started the application process.  I was ready for my new life to begin.

NCSSM Invitation Acceptance (Prompt #2)

 By Gerry Sherman

[Writing Prompt #2:  Write a story about your personal reasons for applying for the School of Science and Math in February of 1980, and for accepting the invitation in May 1980 to enter the first class.  (Try not to focus on the application process.)  

Describe in action, dialogue, and/or details the reasons that you chose to apply for an unproven public residential STEM-focused high school rather than attending the high school in your own hometown.]

I returned to North Carolina in 1979 to spend the summer at my grandparents’ home in Holly Ridge, a small town 30 miles north of Wilmington and about 5 miles inland from Topsail Beach.  My intention had been to enjoy the summer and then return to Connecticut to complete high school.  In the past, I had spent many years in North Carolina, having attended several grades in both elementary and middle school.  As a result, I still had many friends in the area with whom I’d grown up and fell easily back into old friendships.  Later that summer, I was persuaded by some of my friends to attend a pre-season football camp hosted by Dixon High School.  I knew many of the coaches and players from my participation on previous sport teams, and once again found it easy to fall back into a very familiar and comfortable environment.   At the conclusion of camp, I felt very positive about my future and the opportunities that living in North Carolina could offer.  When the time came for a decision, I decided that North Carolina was the best place for me to be.

My sophomore year at Dixon High School was memorable for a variety of reasons and marked a time in which I felt like I was coming into my own.  I participated on the Football and Track teams and won all-conference honors in Track.  I learned to drive and received my full license upon turning age 16… I also had my license suspended after a few months, but that’s a story for another time.  Academically, I did well in all of my subjects, but I didn’t feel particularly challenged.  My favorite subject had always been math, and I excelled in Algebra I as one of only two sophomores in an otherwise junior/senior class.  The second sophomore was Keith Beasley, who would later join me at NCSSM as a member of the first graduating class and as my first roommate.  Algebra I was the highest math course offered at Dixon, and I was advised that more advanced courses could be available at Jacksonville High School or Coastal Carolina Community College, about 30 miles from my home. 

I had decided at a very young age that I wanted to become a pilot, and over the years this dream evolved into becoming a Navy pilot.  My grandfather was a retired Navy veteran and the most influential person in nurturing this idea.  I had decided to pursue the U.S. Naval Academy as the starting point for my education and career path, and I was focused on the achievements that would form the basis of my application; knowing that a higher-level math would be a necessary component.  In early 1980, my math teacher came to me with an opportunity for a new residential high school that was being created to provide advanced instruction in math and science.  This new school would address my math course availability issue and possibly strengthen my application for the U.S. Naval Academy; however, the program would be primarily academic with very limited sports and located several hours from home without the allowance for personal cars.  On this basis, I supported the idea to move forward with an application but was still uncertain about leaving my friends and family and the present environment in which I was thriving.

Upon being accepted, I spent a great deal of time weighing the decision on whether to leave a personally fulfilling life, or to pursue a path that offered great promise but with great uncertainty.  My grandmother provided the insight that would ultimately be the deciding factor, and words that I will never forget.  She stated that the decision was mine alone and she would support me regardless, but was confident that I would do well on whatever path I chose.  She asked me to consider the possibly regret I might have in declining the offer and reassured me that if I decided to go to NCSSM and found that I wanted to come home, she and my grandfather would come to get me immediately without question.  With that guidance, my decision became infinitely easier and would ultimately prove to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

 

 

 

 

 

Fund Raising in 1976 (Prompt #1)

Fund Raising in 1976

By James Lisk

Of all the things I dreaded as a kid, fund-raising by selling overpriced trinkets was one of the worst. Every year, groups ranging from the school, the YMCA, the band, and the Boy Scouts had fund raisers that expected the kids involved to sell a minimum amount of something. If my family wouldn’t buy the minimum, then, uhg, I had to go door-to-door and ask the neighbors. With three younger brothers each also trying to peddle something, like the same thing for the same group, I often had to go door to door.

The “don’t talk to strangers” safety motto was indoctrinated into me, and I thought most of our neighbors were strange. Some were old with bad hearing, some had mean barking dogs, others had bigger mean kids, and one or two had previously told me to “get outa my yard.”

The band sold Texas Manor fruitcake every fall. As fruitcake went, I grew accustomed to it, but we still gave a lot of fruit cake to aunts and uncles at Christmas. In my class, a girl named Alicia would always get the prize for selling the most; her mom took the order form to work. I had no sympathy from my mom on this; her kindergarten students were the wrong market demographic. No, she was selling World Book Encyclopedias and sometimes Tupperware, and sometimes both to the parents of those kids. To her, learning to sell was a life skill I needed to master.

In 1976, I was twelve years old and America was celebrating “The Bicentennial”, the two-hundredth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Every store had patriotic merchandise like red, white and blue hats, t-shirts, coffee mugs and shoelaces. I think one of my brothers was selling Bicentennial pencils for a school club. Fair warning here, 2026 marks the two-hundred and fiftieth anniversary.

And in 1976, my Boy Scout Troop, Troop 567, was selling Bicentennial themed brass medallions and key chains to help cover our expenses for the district hike-o-ree to the Guilford Courthouse Revolutionary War Battle Field. While excited about the upcoming two-day event, which included a live musket and canon demonstrations, and battle reenactors; I dreaded selling those trinkets. You might eat fruit cake, but to me, these medallions were useless. I’d earned the coin collecting merit badge, so I knew the difference between a real collectible coin and a cheap gimmick medallion. The key chain was usable, if you snapped the heavy medallion off.

I took my stash of medallions and key chains to church and tried to sell them there. “Sorry, but I already bought one from Derrick,” was repeated three times and I gave up. Derrick was one of my best friends and also in scouts. His mother played the church organ, so he’d arrived early and sold all of his medallions to folks as soon as they walked in.  I think the story of Jesus driving the money changers out of the temple was taught that day.

The next night, Monday, was the Boy Scout meeting. I’d sold two key chains. One to my mom and one to myself, using money pulled out of my coin collection. Dad didn’t want one. I reported my total to Mr. Thomas, the Scout Master, “Only two? Derrick has sold his twelve, and we’ve given him twelve more. You must not be trying very hard. Have you gone door to door?”

“No,” I replied, wondering why I’d joined the Boy Scouts.

“How about your grandparents or relatives?”

“We haven’t been to see them this week.” Seems every other Scout had relatives next door, but ours were an hour’s drive away.

“How about at church?”

“I tried. Nobody wanted any.”

“Teachers?”

“Do you know how many kids are trying to sell stuff to the teachers?” Derrick had gotten to the band director too.

“Well, you need to use some salesmanship. Tell them that these historic medallions are solid brass and they are specially made to commemorate the Bicennential. And years from now, they can remember the celebrations and be proud of our country when they look at it. I’m sure your neighbors will buy some, just wear your uniform so they see you’re official.”

Later that week, after school, I put on my Scout uniform and trudged around the neighborhood, walking house to house on the long gravel roads. Many folks weren’t home, or were hiding from the Boy Scout selling trinkets. The mother fixing dinner with the crying baby didn’t want one. The old man with the barking dogs didn’t want one. My friends on bikes said that their mom wasn’t home, which might have been true. One fellow with groggy eyes opened his door, wearing pajama bottoms and a grubby t-shirt. I’d waken him from his sleep before working the night shift. “Sure, I’ll buy one,” he said. The same guy had bought fruit cake from me in the fall.

My sales total reached three. The next week at Boy Scouts, Mr. Thomas encouraged me, “Keep trying! You’ve got to sell at least twelve, so only nine more to go.” I was able to sell the others, mostly to my grand-parents who said they’d make nice gifts. Dad broke down and bought the last one, so I did sell the minimum.

And no, after I sold my minimum, when Mr. Thomas asked, I didn’t want to try and sell any more.

The hike-o-ree that June was quite the experience. The police insisted on rerouting the hiking route at the last minute to avoid busy streets, obviously without concern for the distance we had to walk. The promised short hike turned into a sort of death march in the sweltering heat with our overloaded back-packs. Being my first backpacking trip, I had packed two of most everything I needed, just in case. On the second day, the concept of packing light was making more sense. 

Several volunteers drove cars and picked up the boys that weren’t going to make it. After about four hours hiking, I asked for a ride. Apparently, I didn’t look tired enough and the driver shouted “you can make it.” Another hour later, my troop was ahead and out of sight, and my legs and feet were sore, my boots seemed to have transformed into lead and my shirt was drenched in sweat. My canteen was empty and my throat was parched.

“Come on get in, you’re the last one,” the driver said with a twinge of pitty in his voice.

But it was only a half a mile further, if I’d made it this far, I could finish this.

“No,” I said, “I can make it.” Trudging on, I was the last Boy Scout to enter the Battle Ground. I found my troop and dropped my backpack in the pile and collapsed on the ground.

“Where have you been?” Derrick asked me, “you missed the musket demonstration.” 

I did get to see the cannon demonstration and get some water before piling into the back of a pickup truck and riding home.

The next Scout Meeting, Mr. Thomas handed out the awards for completing the hike. We each got a red and white ribbon with a bronze Bicentennial medallion.