A chilly, out-of-town high school ride

NANCY SMITH-BOGAR

Derry Township High School

Class of 1948

I’m a girl but my best friend from my school years was a boy, Elmer Denlinger. Nothing romantic, just best friends. We were country neighbors and frst met during the summer when we both turned six years old, he in June and I in July. Our fathers went to the school board to have the bus pick us up for school.

We started our education at the one room schoolhouse in Maitland. There we met another friend, Butch Richard. Then it was on to the one room Hoopes School. Elmer took private piano lessons from our music teacher, Mr. Shade. I took lessons from Miss Kephart in Lewistown. He learned to play, I didn’t. After a year at Yeagertown Elementary it was onto Derry Township High School on the hill in Yeagertown. In High School we were in lots of activities together. We both took academic courses. I sang in the choir and octet (he was the pianist), band, class plays and about anything they had. One time the band played at a football game when it rained all evening. The band director made us march – in and out of our shoes. On the band bus one night, Elmer ended in the bass drum!

I usually had the car but after our class play, Elmer’s dad let him have the car with the stipulation that he not leave town. So as soon as the play was over, Elmer, Butch, Alma Aurand and I headed for State College. Halfway there, a deer jumped through the windshield on Butch’s side and was completely out. It was very cold, so I had my bandana to wear. Elmer’s side was all cracked. Then it snowed. I don’t know how he saw to drive. Alma kept crying and saying her dad was going to kill her. Elmer replied, “What do you think my dad’s going to do to me?”

We fnally got home and Elmer had the task of wak-