AtoZ Letter U~Useless vs Useful Scraps of Information...

...of an Underclassman.
Sandra Sue Pittman
Room 8-A Jr. High
Having written my name and location on the inside of the cover of my first scrapbook was probably the most useful piece of information in the whole book.

It survived mostly due to the cover being a heavier weight paper than the rest of the pages which have yellowed and deteriorated.  Scotch tape, Elmers glue and manila paper were not Acid Free.  I don't think Acid Free was invented yet, and if it was it wasn't free. 

Being as it was my first scrapbook and being an 8th grader with little to no momentous scraps of information to paste on the pages about myself, I proceeded to cut and paste pictures and articles from the school newspaper about Upperclassmen.

For instance on the first page the headline read...
G-R Sweethearts Crowned September 2: Crouch, Warner Receive Honors
Irma was crowned Band Sweetheart and Charlotte was crowned Football Sweetheart during the half-time of the first football game.
Now I ask you, of what use would that information from September 1960 be at the time...everybody got the school paper and were at the football game to witness the crowning and watch the Cowboys Brand the Longhorns In The Season Opener. 

Useless Information... Until....Charlotte's sister Sharon became my sister-in-law then it became a Useful bit of family trivia when reminiscing about the good ole days over Thanksgiving dinner at Tommy and Sharon's with Charlotte sitting across the table.

As I look at this newspaper photo of my brother and his Grand Champion Crossbred Lamb, I have no doubt I considered it worth saving and pasting in my Scrapbook.  He was not a scrapbook kind of guy, and I felt sure the day would come when this...at the time...Useless Information would become Useful.  Now is the time....

 

Hi Tommy...Here's your chance to be useful.  First, what category of crossbreed was your Grand Champion?  Second, what ever happened to Bud Allcorn?  Lastly, please ask Sharon if we beat Borden County for Bi-District in Andrews. 

 

I have saved this clipping and these pictures, but cannot find the clipping to know if we advanced to Regionals.  She will probably remember since the article lists her name before mine as starting forwards, and her cousin Lea was mentioned as a starting guard after Nancy.  (FYI...Sharon and Lea were Sophs...my friend Nancy and I were Fish...it was Upperclassmen vs Underclassman)

Picture #1...back row l-r...Sophia, Irma, TLee, Sue: front row l-r...Charlotte, Sharon and Nancy...Varsity Basketball Team 1961

Picture #2...l-r...Sharon, Lea, Sue, Nancy and Manuela...Starters for Bi-District game in Andrews.

 

Usually, I like to tie all the loose ends together with something profound if not down right prophetic.  In this instance I may have already covered the prophetic part way back in 1960-61...who would have guessed my brother would marry the Upperclassman who could pass a basketball so hard and accurately that my fingers spent the better part of the season in splints.  Who could have known that Queen Charlotte would one day be a part of my family holidays. 

 

No one would have ever predicted that Guard Lea...who threw my clothes in the girls locker room shower on a daily basis and forced me to walk home looking like a 'drowned rat'...would someday become a fun and friendly cousin-in-law.  I forgave her for the locker room shenanigans, but I'm still working on the 'SNAKE' that slithered out of my locker!

 

As for the profound...There is no such thing as USELESS information!!!