Over the weekend, my mother sent me my letter jacket, which (I think) is the last vestige of me-stuff left in her house. Scarily, the jacket still fits, albeit a little bit snug in the shoulders.
I think I've mentioned this before on this blog, but when one Tulsan meets another, the first question isn't what they do or where they live, but what high school they went to. I've heard apocryphal stories about Memorial grads not hiring Edison or Washington grads purely on high school diploma. I don't know why it's this way, but it is.
I graduated from Edison 15 years ago, and I guess there's still some identity with the place, but my college alma mater has long sense taken precedence. Still, I get the question no matter who I run into from Tulsa (Nancy Pearl asked me the first time she met me), and saying "Edison" instantly brings back the old stereotypes -- socially connected, a little arty, rich but not as smart as the Washington/Memorial contingent.
And the jacket, honestly, is U-G-L-Y. Kelly green with white sleeves? I'd love to blame it on 80s style, but I can't.
Comments
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It brings back memories to me too...I have very nice photos on my bookshelf of two very handsome fellows in these jackets!
Posted by: Gramma | May 4, 2005 04:52 AM
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So what does it mean if someone went to Central? (My grandfather was a Central '32 grad.)
Posted by: Steve Casburn | May 6, 2005 04:36 PM
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Well, since there was only one high school in 1932 (the WPA built Webster, BTW, and Rogers), there really isn't a meaning.
By my era, though, Central was mostly lower class kids and terrible sports teams.
Posted by: dw | May 7, 2005 12:25 AM
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Dylan: I guess Tulsa *was* a lot smaller back then (and high school wasn't mandatory yet).
So where did Nancy Pearl go to high school?
Posted by: Steve Casburn | May 7, 2005 03:43 PM
