By John Hotaling
Our school building is no more, the lockers and classrooms, shop rooms, band rooms, auditorium and lunchroom, locker rooms and showers and chem labs all gone.
What remains of CHS is US, our memories, our triumphs and failures the exceedingly happy days and those overwhelmingly sad, wins and losses on the field and wins and disappointments in the classroom, teachers who did their best to give us a decent education and a positive start on the rest of our life when we received that Diploma or GED. Our recollections of those days and the people we shared them with, are our CHS no one can bulldoze it, cover it with sand and clay and say it’s gone. It is no more gone than your memories and mine.
I have started collecting and sharing personal look backs/recollection short essays from our Highlander crew from different eras of CHS/Clermont think about what you might share.
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By Nancy Gallup Pruitt (CHS class of ’69)
Spring Way Back When
I remember the big event for the entire town in the spring was the Orange Blossom Festival (I think that’s what it was called, it was a long time ago). There was a large picnic outside Jenkins Auditorium, called All States Picnic for the snowbirds who joined us for our warmer winter. Tables were set for the many northern states or group of states who were represented. As a part of that celebration, Clermont sponsored the Miss Clermont contest (pageant) for young ladies who lived in the area or attended Clermont schools. There was a Little Miss Orange Blossom for the little girls also.
I remember Bell Ceramics donated a beautiful ceramic doll for the newly crowned Miss Lake County in 1968. The pageant as well as entertainment was performed on a large flatbed trailer, usually used for hauling large crates of freshly picked citrus. In my day, yes I am old, there was no ‘spring break’ for Lake County students.
We felt lucky to have Thursday, Friday, and Easter Monday off. I do recall Darla and I burned the miles on Highway 50 between Clermont and the Navy base in Orlando. My car did not have a radio but I had a large 8-track player, so we sang, loudly across the miles!
We were in the middle of basketball tournaments, running concession stands for basketball, track, and baseball. If the weather was warm Jaycee Beach and boats were calling us to play. Cheerleading tryouts were coming up so interested girls were preparing their best cheers. The Junior class was in the middle of preparing for Prom. Raising money, plans for the theme, getting committees ready to finish details were in full swing. Girls were looking for dresses, guys deciding who to invite to Prom, and finally what to do after. Party? Go to Daytona? Stay home to work?
We were blessed to have choices. I’m glad I had the opportunity to grow up in a small town like Clermont. My parents knew where I was-not because I told them!!! The village was there to raise all of us when we were younger!!! We were safe and I am so thankful for the village today!
I enjoyed this little stroll down memory lane
