I was born in california and my family moved to hollidaysburg Pa in 1961 when I was two years old. My mother was from the area so it was a logical decision for my family since the aircraft business was in the practice of hiring for work then laying off my family. We moved back to a very conservative small town and to let credence to my opinion here is an article from the local newspaper of how little the community has changed in many generations. Ask and you share receive but this is ridicilious........I could not have timed writing this post any better if I tried. If you read this article I want you to know I was a constituent of congressman Shuster area.
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I have no recollection of anything that was different about me when I was very young. I am sure the gears were already turning but I don't recall any specific memory. By 1964, a brother and sister were added to our family so there were the five of us now. We had joined the "picket white fence" image of America in 1964 when we moved to a rural part of Hollidaysburg , PA. The population might have tip the scale at 10k but I doubt it. The economy was reliant up the railroad which had the "world's largest railroad car repair facility." The railroad had three shift which ran 24/7.
I was somewhat defiant like most kids and we were a strict catholic family. My definition of "strict" in this sense was my aunt was sister in the catholic church and my family was about to enroll me in St. Mary's Catholic School. From a five year old's perspective, the last thing I wanted is to dress up in dress shirts, ties and dress slacks. The other kids made fun of the mandatory uniforms. But, I had a plan and my family was definitely not to be on board with me.
I remember telling my brother that I will take care of this but did not say it that loud because if my family ever found out the beatings would never stop and since corporal punishment was in the homes and schools I would be in deep trouble. Hell, back those days the sisters used rules on your hands and the principals paddle children on a regular basis and parents told the kids if you get spanked in school and we find out you get spanked at home too. Welcome to the 1960s-70's. More on this later in another post.
So, I remember someone came to pick all of us up to take us for "little innocent Donnie's " test to get into catholic school. I must have been laying the map out as we made our way to the school because I said to my mom, " the shy is green and the grass is blue." My mom said no, "Donnie, the grass is green and shy is blue." No way in hell was I going to Catholic school I was determined to put a end to this that day. I took the test and I know I followed through on the plan because I failed the test.
I figured what is the big deal I can go to public school like everyone else. Wrong, again!!!!! By the time we arrived home my mom was crying and I was wondering what the hell did I do ? My dad came home and wanted to go speak to the Bishop of the Catholic Church about getting me into the catholic school. Holy hell was breaking lose and I was ground central.
In later years, I could not convince my mother I was not color blind. I told my mother once that I passed the color blind test to get into the marines and she responded, " you are color blind." I gave up and rolled with it because no way I was going to try and convince her otherwise or any one else in the family. And, that is why myself and my brother and sister went to public school and not catholic school. My father commended later in life that was one of the smartest things I ever did so at least someone knew I did it on purpose.
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