GROWING UP IN THE SMALL TOWN OF PLANO
Brenda Kellow
April 28, 2013
Brenda Kellow
April 28, 2013
If you grew up in a small town in the 50s and 60s as I did when Plano was small you know the
following was true. Certainly, it is nothing like today!
*I knew everyone in my graduation class [there were only 43 of us].
*All twelve years were in the same building, Plano High School a.k.a. (Cox Administration, Mr. Cox was our long-time janitor) except for a couple of months at Mendenhall Elementary; our colors were maroon and white; mascot was the Wildcat; school song was “Dear Plano High;” Superintendent was Mr. Sigler and Principal was Mr. Williams. The entire class attended the same graduation party.
*We knew what FFA and FHA were and belonged to one or the other.
*We went on church sponsored hayrides, wiener roasts in the country, and visited spooky houses on
Halloween.
*You gave directions by references to the stoplights, stop signs, peoples’ houses, picture show, funeral home, Hayes Café, football field, churches, or train tracks, and it was Highway 75 until 1957 when it became K Avenue. All our streets were two-way streets.
*You could not help but date a friend’s ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.
*If you lived in the country, your car stayed filthy from driving over white rock roads.
*We referred to residents in brick houses newer than 1950 as ‘rich people.’
*We wore fashions from Miller’s, DeVasher’s dress shops, Titche's or Sangers like those pictured in magazines like Photoplay.
*We could find anyone at Harrington or Allen drug stores, or Dairy Freeze on summer evenings. Some stopped at the drugstore fountain and asked a "pine flot." That was a glass of water with a toothpick floating on top and it was free.
*Country kids drove tractors and family pickups from the age of ten while town kids drove family
cars by the age of 14 when it was legal to have a driver’s license. I drove in downtown Dallas at age 14.
*We marveled at the latest farm implement bought and driven by John Thomas Brigham.
*Coaches suggested athletes work on farms in the summer to build their strength.
*The FHA teacher, Mrs. Hickey, suggested babysitting, learning housekeeping from our mothers, or
helping with teaching crafts to adults for extra credit during the summers.
*We paid 50¢ to see a movie at the Palace Theater, but we called it the ‘Show.’
*We walked the few blocks to school and back—a pleasure rather than a hardship.
*Some of us rode only on school busses when traveling to the State Fair or sports games.
*Teachers called some classmates by their older siblings’ names. No one knew my nearest sibling
because she was 18 years older than I was.
*We could charge or write a check without showing ID at the two grocery stores, drug stores, bakery
or dress shop because everyone knew everybody else.
*We had Hays Café, The Duchess Café, Harrington and Allen’s drug stores which had soda fountains, Weatherford's Jewelry [our wedding rings came from Weatherford's] and Vavera’s bakery, but no McDonald’s, donut shop or Starbuck’s.
*Dallas was our closest big city. McKinney was our biggest Town.
*Fathers pushed reel type push lawn mowers.
*Did we have restrooms in town in case of emergencies? I do not remember one.
*A few people only went by nicknames, but everyone knew everyones’ names.
*The boys kept their rifles on gun racks in their pickups so they could go hunting after school. Most
kids had been hunting with a gun since seven or eight but fished much younger than that.
*Most boys could repair their bikes and many could tune a car’s engine.
*Farmers could actually trade their eggs and milk for groceries at the two grocery stores, Co-Op and Brannan’s.
*We went swimming at Vickery Park swimming pool in Vickery, located between Plano and
Dallas.
Most of us would not have wanted to grow up any other way—or any other place. It was the best! For
more on my early years in Plano visit www.genealogyresearch.weebly.com and click on Memoirs of My Early Childhood in Plano.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries
to: [email protected].
following was true. Certainly, it is nothing like today!
*I knew everyone in my graduation class [there were only 43 of us].
*All twelve years were in the same building, Plano High School a.k.a. (Cox Administration, Mr. Cox was our long-time janitor) except for a couple of months at Mendenhall Elementary; our colors were maroon and white; mascot was the Wildcat; school song was “Dear Plano High;” Superintendent was Mr. Sigler and Principal was Mr. Williams. The entire class attended the same graduation party.
*We knew what FFA and FHA were and belonged to one or the other.
*We went on church sponsored hayrides, wiener roasts in the country, and visited spooky houses on
Halloween.
*You gave directions by references to the stoplights, stop signs, peoples’ houses, picture show, funeral home, Hayes Café, football field, churches, or train tracks, and it was Highway 75 until 1957 when it became K Avenue. All our streets were two-way streets.
*You could not help but date a friend’s ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.
*If you lived in the country, your car stayed filthy from driving over white rock roads.
*We referred to residents in brick houses newer than 1950 as ‘rich people.’
*We wore fashions from Miller’s, DeVasher’s dress shops, Titche's or Sangers like those pictured in magazines like Photoplay.
*We could find anyone at Harrington or Allen drug stores, or Dairy Freeze on summer evenings. Some stopped at the drugstore fountain and asked a "pine flot." That was a glass of water with a toothpick floating on top and it was free.
*Country kids drove tractors and family pickups from the age of ten while town kids drove family
cars by the age of 14 when it was legal to have a driver’s license. I drove in downtown Dallas at age 14.
*We marveled at the latest farm implement bought and driven by John Thomas Brigham.
*Coaches suggested athletes work on farms in the summer to build their strength.
*The FHA teacher, Mrs. Hickey, suggested babysitting, learning housekeeping from our mothers, or
helping with teaching crafts to adults for extra credit during the summers.
*We paid 50¢ to see a movie at the Palace Theater, but we called it the ‘Show.’
*We walked the few blocks to school and back—a pleasure rather than a hardship.
*Some of us rode only on school busses when traveling to the State Fair or sports games.
*Teachers called some classmates by their older siblings’ names. No one knew my nearest sibling
because she was 18 years older than I was.
*We could charge or write a check without showing ID at the two grocery stores, drug stores, bakery
or dress shop because everyone knew everybody else.
*We had Hays Café, The Duchess Café, Harrington and Allen’s drug stores which had soda fountains, Weatherford's Jewelry [our wedding rings came from Weatherford's] and Vavera’s bakery, but no McDonald’s, donut shop or Starbuck’s.
*Dallas was our closest big city. McKinney was our biggest Town.
*Fathers pushed reel type push lawn mowers.
*Did we have restrooms in town in case of emergencies? I do not remember one.
*A few people only went by nicknames, but everyone knew everyones’ names.
*The boys kept their rifles on gun racks in their pickups so they could go hunting after school. Most
kids had been hunting with a gun since seven or eight but fished much younger than that.
*Most boys could repair their bikes and many could tune a car’s engine.
*Farmers could actually trade their eggs and milk for groceries at the two grocery stores, Co-Op and Brannan’s.
*We went swimming at Vickery Park swimming pool in Vickery, located between Plano and
Dallas.
Most of us would not have wanted to grow up any other way—or any other place. It was the best! For
more on my early years in Plano visit www.genealogyresearch.weebly.com and click on Memoirs of My Early Childhood in Plano.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries
to: [email protected].
