YESTERYEAR
“Memories Are Best When Shared With Friends”
A Classmate Snapshot of Friends
Saranac Lake High School
Class of 1981
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An Introductory Note:
“Connections & Memories become more cherished through time. Each of us remembers in ways both individual & unique. I wanted to share some of mine.”
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“CANARAS” 1981
One Of My First Poem’s Made Page 1!
“YESTERYEAR”
A Seeming Eternity, Learning, Growing
Starts So Small, So Unaware
Laughter, Loving, Hurting, Knowing
First Things First, We Learn To Share
Fast These Precious Days Are Flowing
Meeting Peers, Friendships Sprouting Everywhere
The Time We Had, The Memories Glowing
Years Go By, We Hurt, We Care
The End Is Here, We All Leave Knowing
We Will Yearn For Yesteryear
Richard T. Monroe, 1981
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Author’s Note: I guess the above poem counts as my first “Published Piece”.
Full disclosure, I had an “In”. Our SLHS Yearbook Editor that year, Missy, was one of my very best high school friends.
And My First Official Editor Too!
“Missy- I Sure Hope You Don’t Mind
I Borrowed A Few Old Yearbook Photos”
Thanks!
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Greetings!
Richard T. Monroe
SLHS Class Of 1981
My Saranac Lake High School Senior Yearbook Quote:
“When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical. And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily, joyfully, playfully, watching me. But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, responsible, practical. And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical.”
“There are times, when all the world’s asleep, the questions run too deep, for such a simple man. Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned, I know it sounds absurd, but please tell me who I am.”
“The Logical Song”
SUPERTRAMP
“Breakfast In America”
copyright 1979
Looking back, That Song Proved Rather Prophetic
I Still Seek The Answer
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When You Grow Up “Adirondack”
Memorable Moments Occur In The Woods
At Least Some of Mine Did
“My Phelps Mountain Buck”
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Growing Up In & Around the High Peaks Region
We were protected by some “Forever Wild” superheroes.
For me, one of them was my dad.
Smokey the Bear worked for him.
Smokey The Bear even came to my birthday parties!
Smokey The Bear Says:
“Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires”
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Woodsy Owl Says:
“Give A Hoot, Don’t Pollute”
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I have truly come to enjoy reconnecting with old friends, sharing memories, and making new ones through these Adirondack Outlaw Blog Posts.
I thought it would be fun to create a Post where we could share memories together.
I Wonder What The Statue Of Limitations On Memories Is?
Some Of Mine May Be A Bit Revealing!
Just Some Cheerleaders Lookin’ For Dates to The “Drag”
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Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
Thursday, June 26, 1975:
Middle School Honor Society Inductions:
I’m Not Entirely Certain What Happened
It All Seemed To Start Respectably Enough!
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“Boy Scouts Of America”
“Oh Yeah! THAT’S What Happened!”
Ours Was A Bona Fide
“Outlaw Troop”
“Pass The Spinners”
Boy Scout Code For:
“Pass The Bait”
“Artificial Lures Only”
“Special Trout Waters”
En route To Summertime Scout “Camporees”
I think My Troop Figured We Had An In House
“Get Out Of Jail Free” Card
Namely ME!
I Was The DEC Regional Director’s Son!
For one “Outlaw In Training”
It was All Downhill From There
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Here’s How Yesteryear Comments Will Work:
Stroll Down Through This Post, Enjoy Memories Along The Way
In The “Comments” Section At The Bottom Of The Post
Please Share A Brief Memory Of Your Own
I Will Also Periodically Update & Add To This Post
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Please Respect Three Rules:
Rule # 1: BE NICE!
Rule # 2: Nothing Raunchy, No Vulgarity
Rule # 3: Please Be Concise
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Here’s An Example:
Remember When SLHS Athletes were
Known as the Saranac Lake “REDSKINS”?
CANARAS yearbook photo
Now I COULD Have Said:
“Remember When Saranac Lake Redskins
Kicked Tupper Lake Lumberjack Butt?”
But That Would Have Violated Rule # 1
So, I Didn’t
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Two Saranac Lake Redskins Gridiron Legends
“Dupe” “Monk”
(Missing from photo: “Mike”)
Mike went “Wide Right”
He got “Blown Up & Stuffed”
Canaras Yearbook Photo
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A Little Know Fact:
“Monk’s” Redskins football career nearly came to an end before it even got started. I trotted onto the field late one day for practice.
Long Story Short :
“Cheerleader”
Monk got distracted
Coach Raymond accosted me; “Hey Monk – You’re LATE!”
Monk said something stupid
BAM!
“Turn In Your Gear!”
Shortly thereafter, that same afternoon, Mr. LaGasse, my math teacher, spotted me, slumped alone in a seat in the back of his classroom. I told him what happened. He took pity on me. Mr. LaGasse approached Coach Raymond. He pled my case. Coach Raymond relented. Monk almost got stuffed. Mr. LaGasse saved my Redskins career.
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Saranac Lake High School
Our Alma Mater
The Scene of Many a Crime
More Than A Few Empty “Dead Soldiers”
Hide Out Back in The Woods
School Lockers Still Likely Stuffed
With Some Skeletons Too!
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Hopefully My Three Simple Rules Will Suffices
If Not: BEWARE!
I Am Sure Dr. Houth Patrols These Halls
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“Beg Your Pardon Mr. Pond?”
Canaras Yearbook Photo
“That Monroe Kid Did WHAT??!!”
(An Anonymous Advanced Biology Lab Partner & I skinned our lab rat, stuffed the hide full of paper towels and hid it in a girl’s bathroom toilet with the head sticking out, to scare the girls, as a prank. One detail we neglected- my lab partner & I had the only spotted rat in Mr. Pond’s class. One of the cleaning ladies found it and screamed. We quickly got SNAGGED.)
“Richard Monroe -Please Report To The Main Office”
Yup! You Guessed It….
Monk Got Ratted Out!
Me & my lab partner got a 2-day internal suspension for that one!
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“Doc” Houth Does Monitor This Site
He has a Comment Posted On “Blown Up & Stuffed”
So If Anyone Misbehaves
They WILL Serve Detention!
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Some Other Confessions:
My SLHS Bowling Team “Parole” Certificate
Yes! We High School Bowled
Until Our Team Got Caught One Night
Drinking Vodka & Grape Kool-Aide
On The Bowling Team Bus
Tasted Less like “Screwdrivers”
More Like a “Wrench”
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In My Defense:
It Weren’t Me Who Brung It!
I Just Drank Some
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Dr. Houth Passed Sentence:
Another 2 Day Internal Suspension
Now I Was A Bowling Delinquent Too!
Well, This Actually Preceded My Rat Caper
There May have Been Other Offenses
I Ain’t Sayin‘
I’ll Leave That to You
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I guess That’s It For Now
Please Check Back In Later
Scroll Down
Read & Post New Comments
I’ll Post Updated Mug Shots
From Time To Time
Who Knows:
Maybe Someday One of Them Will Be Yours!
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Right Now I’ve Got To Keep Movin’
“Monk” May Yet Have Outstanding Warrants
Still Lives Life On The Lam
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Until Our Trails Cross Again:
Thanks For Stopping By
I Enjoy Hiking With Old Friends
ADKO
AKA: “Monk”
About The Author
rdmonroe5
Lifelong NYS resident. Raised in Saranac Lake. Cornell graduate(ROTC). Army veteran, Airborne/Ranger qualified, 10th Mtn Div, stints in Honduras and with JTF VI. 3rd degree Black Belt; 3x cancer survivor; published writer with several featured stories in Adirondack Life Magazine. Residing in Watertown NY with wife Robin & our 3 adult children. Loving Life. Living in the Day I am in.
WOW, this brings back memories, Dick!
I don’t have any as colorful as yours, but I do have an interesting anecdote: as you were writing this—even before you sent the first version out—I was working on an SLCHS memory of my own…how I got into throwing the discus in my senior year of Track and Field.
Now, isn’t that crazy? Creepy?
Creepy minds think alike!
We were both on the same wavelength! I was going to put that off for next week’s post, but because of this (your) post I’ll post my discus memory this Friday…then come back here and post the link to THIS comment section, which will serve as another “Memory” for YOUR post.
Now, another memory: I wasn’t the smartest in our class, but I wasn’t the, um…
(Dr. Houth….)
…least smartest either. In fact one year, I’m not sure which one, I actually received the Most Improved academic award for my class/school? Not sure which year, since my dad still has that award on his desk back home. He was really proud of me for having picked up my grades.
And, BTW, “Special trout waters?” THAT WEREN’T NO FISH!
I found this comment in my trash bin. It was stuffed inside my Advanced Biology rat skin. I pulled it out.
Good save! Always nice to be found out for what I am…. 😉
Oh, and I also had the same patches you had, Woodsy Owl, Junior Forest Ranger, and Boy Scouts.
Why do I somehow find that a bit scary?
“Creepy” and “scary” go together, brother!
Yeah, very…creepy and scary?…how these posts of ours relate to each other….
Okay, Dick, here is my promised SLCHS memory! It’s called “Saranac Lake Central High School, 1979: Discus Throwing 101,” and it may be read at: https://fpdorchak.wordpress.com/2020/03/06/discus-throwing-101/
This was cool that we both were unknowingly thinking along the same lines! Again, nothing so cool as your stuffing a “taxidermied-in-the-rough rat” in the school toilet, but it’s my offering to your nostalgic post!
Thanks Frank! I appreciate the compliment and the link. Though I suspect I can try for the remainder of my “writing career”, but Neither “Monk” nor my stuffed rat memory will ever rival “That Weren’t No Fish”!
You crack me up!