Growing Up in Williamsport, Ohio

Bottom Row L-R: David Brown, Ray “Billy” Horch, Claude “Mike” McCafferty, Carroll Whitten, Harvey Rutherford, Gene Stonerock, Earl Christopher, and bus driver. Top Row L-R: Verna Lawson, Alice Rigsby, Marilyn Francis, Mrs. Ida Ware, Jeanette West, Judy Anderson, Agnes Carle, and Doris Willis.
 
Trip to Washington, D.C. 
 
As far as I can tell, our entire senior trip was organized by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was from Sunday, May 4, to Friday, May 9, 1956.
 
My roommates for the trip were Agnes Carle, Doris Willis, and Alice Rigsby. We all got along well together so no problems ensued. A tour bus picked our class up in the mornings and took us on our adventure. Two things about Washington surprised me. One was how beautiful it was. All of the electric lines were underground, which was uncommon at the time. And two, grits were served every morning on our breakfast plates. I had never tasted them before and had to ask what they were.
 
We went to all of the usual hot spots in Washington. The Iwo Jima Memorial had just been dedicated in 1954. There was no fence around it like there is today. We could literally go up to the base and touch it. For me, it was the most impressive monument in Washington, and I cried. I still cry today when I see it.
 
We went in the Washington Monument. I think it was David Brown who suggested that we run down all eight hundred plus steps. Our legs felt numb about half-way down. When you are young, you can do anything! At least we thought we could and we did!
 
We also visited the unfinished Washington Cathedral. It is shocking to me that it was only finished in recent years. I guess everything in Washington works at a crawl.

©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2021
Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck