Photo Memories - Mike's School Photos

I've shared a couple of Mike's first grade photos. They are just delightful to me and I am so very thankful that his mother held on to them. I love seeing what he looked like all those years ago and imagining what sort of child he was.

I've found several other school photos and decided I would share them in a post. I've tried to parcel out some of the photos to his two children but I also want to record some here where they will be all together.

Mike is not certain which photo matches what grade. But, we have sort of put them in a chronological order as best he can remember.

First Grade

Since Kindergarten wasn't a part of the public school system back in the day when we were in school, we think this photo is one that was taken at about first grade level or about five years old. Look at that buzz haircut! Can't you just feel the velvety softness of it prickling against your palm? 

He tells tales about a barber here in this community who would cut his hair and often would nick his ears. That made me chuckle. 

My great uncle was a barber and Mike said he got haircuts from him sometimes. We both talked about how Uncle Carroll always gave patrons a piece of bubblegum after cutting our hair.

We are guessing that the photo above probably came next in his timeline. I'll bet if he had smiled big for the first photo, we would have seen a snaggle-toothed little fellow. This one sort of looks like those missing teeth have been replaced by new ones and a new hair style has been adopted. 

What a mischievous look he has! His auburn hair and a similar tint of shirt tells me it is a fall school picture in all likelihood. 

I am impressed that his mother sent him to school in that shiny white turtleneck. I'm wondering if it looked that pristine when he stepped off the school bus in the afternoon. I'm also guessing this might have been a time in his life where the barber might have snipped his ears a little. (I'm guessing he probably was not still as a statue sitting in that barber chair!)

When I look at this photo, I wonder how on earth his mother got him to dress up so much for a picture. I'm wondering if it was a school photo or maybe one made in a family portrait session at their church. He still has that impish look to him, though.

This is kind of how he looked when I first remember meeting him. I was in fifth grade. He was not dressed up in a fancy collared shirt and sweater vest and didn't have his hair combed into a nice, neat curved shape because we were at the state fairgrounds with our dairy show calves. Yet, that is the smile I remember. I like to think of this as his Opie days. He really did remind me of a young Ron Howard back then and this photo is proof to me. 

The photo above is one that is a window into fashion of the 1970s. Those floral stripes were all the rage and so were the larger collars that were in the previous photo and this one. Mike claims he was quite the ladies' man at this point. I, of course, roll my eyes but I was a bit smitten with him shortly after this, myself! Again, the auburn locks were probably part of the magnetism.

I hate that this photo has such a glare. Mike played football in middle and high school and obviously he was not one of those 'pencil-necked' guys that a former co-worker used to reference as a high school football coach. Mike has fond memories of those times and tells tales about hauling hay and playing ball - football, baseball, and softball during those years. 

These were the days that folks like my father and Mike's father were fussing about guys wearing such long hair. Mike says he wishes he could grow his like this today!

We both think this photo was taken during the time when we dated as high school student. He probably was somewhere between the ages of sixteen and seventeen in this picture. Oh, the youthful innocence of those days! Very little responsibility and big dreams. Ten foot tall and bulletproof with lots of swagger!

Finding these school photos has made me notice how much his grandchildren share many characteristics. It has given Mike the opportunity to share some long bygone tales of his youth. It makes us smile at the fashions and hairstyles. One thing I really like about all of them is that he is smiling in them. I wish boys would smile in their photos today so that years down the road their descendants will notice what a happy childhood is like. I think most of the young guys today try to look macho and tough and don't smile for photos as a result. Yet, most of them are full of smiles and giggles and laughter hanging out with their friends.

I'm inspired to dig through some of the things Mama has given me and share some of my own school pictures soon. Stay tuned!