Top Ten Things I Remember about Hinckley

Top Ten Things I Remember about Hinckley

10. Watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in the Newcomb’s living room at Remington (one of three television programs I saw at Hinckley- the others: the JFK funeral and the first Super Bowl).

9. Swimming in Martin’s Steam on the first of May- ice still clinging to the sides of the stream. I believe it was a ritual.

8. Getting lost on a walk for recreational skiers before the snows fell and Mr. Vickers careening through the woods in his Land Rover to recue us. Frost bite on to fingers.

7. Work detail in the kitchen- so much better than the job I got fired from, setting tables for dinner.

6. Saturday shopping in Waterville: Pendleton skirts, round collared blouses, knees socks and sweaters- Villager too and don’t forget the Weejuns

5. Mr. O’Conner’s movie club: Casablanca, and The Great Escape - every year. I still love those movies and think about Hinckley every time I see them.

4. Sneaking out of the new girls’ dorm- they said it couldn’t be done- and toilet papering the campus just to let them know it could.

3. Mr. Hernandez’s Spanish class- “But Senior, what was wrong with Castro?”

2. Boys harmonizing to “In the Still of the Night” on bus rides to games

1. Morning chapel: Mr. Vickers looking over his small square glasses. Every time I see those glasses, I think of him and our years together in the wilds of Maine- and the snow, snow, snow-from our return from Thanksgiving break to the mud season of May! Oh Youth…