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kicking and retrieving my own ball to kick again. I became a good drop
            kicker both from straight on and from an angle to the goal posts. I could
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            so looked forward to playing football in high school and, hopefully,
            becoming the kicker for the team, I had no strength. I was so weak I
            didn’t even ask my parents permission to play football. It was a terrible
            disappointment but I had to face the fact that my body was simply too
            weakened to play.
                   In the 1930s, there were only three high schools in Salt Lake
            City – West, East and South (which was new). The rivalry between East
            and West  High  was  both  traditional  and  strong,  whether  the  aspects
            were sports, military, etc. East High students considered themselves the
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            western part of the city and part of the “Avenues” (the streets on the
            north hillside of the city). Most of us at West rejected the idea that we
            were inferior in any way.
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            straight up to me. She asked, “Aren’t you a Holmes boy?” I agreed that I
            was. She immediately said, “I’m Miss Fitzgerald, the vice principal. We
            are so glad to have you here. Your sister Laurine was Vice President of
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            good scholar and captain of a cadet company. We’re happy to have you
            here!” What a welcome! She had me in the palm of her hand. How could
            any decent person fail to respond to such a welcome? I was determined
            from that moment that I would measure up to her expectations.
                   In Junior High my reaction had been that we were treated like
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            tory class. The teacher, Mr. Curtis, called on me when I raised my hand
            to answer a question.  He said, “Mr. Holmes.” I involuntarily turned
            and looked behind me, thinking my Dad must somehow have entered
            the room in the rear! If a teacher would call me “Mr. Holmes,” you can
            bet that I would show him similar respect and courtesy in his class. Mr.
            Curtis was a good teacher, and his technique of treating us like adults


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