Growing Up in Williamsport, Ohio

Williamsport students in the photo at the National Honor Society Banquet in the Circleville Coliseum were: First Row: third from left- Beverly Minor (?); Second Row: first from left-Judy Anderson, Jeanette West, and fourth from right-Marilyn Francis; Third Row: third from the right Marcella Anderson (?), and Norma Jean Anderson. I believe there are others from Williamsport in the photo though I can’t tell you their names with any certainty.

The Dog Ate My Homework
 
I wrote earlier that when I was in the 4th or 5th grade, I started having academic problems. For one thing, I got German measles and missed a lot of school in the 4th grade. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was essentially a year younger than most of my classmates since my birthday is in May. I was seventeen years old until a few days before I graduated from high school while many of my classmates were already 18.
 
I think people are either good in math or language. Math was not my forte. I tried hard but to no avail. I was doing math homework in about the 4th grade and crying because I couldn’t do it. My Dad was good at math but he only went to the fifth grade. My brother Bob tried to help but he actually quit school after the eleventh grade, probably because of math.
 
Bob’s advice for me was, “Tell the teacher the dog ate your homework.” That conclusion had two problems. First, it was a lie and secondly, someone had poisoned our dog Jack, so we no longer had a dog. I’m not sure if I told the teacher, Mrs. Winona Ramsey, that or not. If I did, it would have been uncharacteristic for me. She would probably have said to herself, “Yeah, right”, anyway. 
 
In high school, I took Algebra my Freshman year, Geometry my Sophomore year, and Chemistry my third year.
 
I wanted to be on the honor roll but every year I got one C in Math. When I became a Senior, I took General Math and “voila”. My struggles had paid off. I actually got “A”s.
 
My Math problems had kept me off of the Honor Roll, from getting B and Better Certificates and the Honor Society. With my new and improved Math grades, I was tapped for the National Honor Society in my Senior year of High School.
 
My mother had age related health problems and was unable to come to the Tapping Ceremony. She sent my sister Kathleen in her place. I was surprised and honored to be tapped by Norma Jean Anderson on March 23, 1956. My mother saved the calendar with the date marked on it. I know she was proud.

​©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2020
Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck