Snapshots of Summers Past

No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher’s dirty looks

School’s out for summer
School’s out forever!

“California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA” were big summer hits for the generation before us, but for our generation, the first song that comes to mind when we think of the lazy days of summers past is Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.”

We thought it would be fun to see which of your favorite summer songs instantly come to mind. And since songs always conjure memories, we invite you to share your most memorable summer experience(s) -- and they don't have to have occurred in the Philippines.

Comments

[Myrna Nickelsen]

I spent three summers in a row (77-79) with the Trevinos. The summers of 77 and 79 seem to stand out, though remembering life with them, in general, is guaranteed to make me laugh. A house with six teenagers, becoming seven when Kathy Teator, 75, also moved in, is an experience one never forgets!

Summer 77: Peter (80) was too young to get a job, so he would trek to the Post Office to buy stamps and charge me, Doreen (76), Karen (78), Ricky (79), and Rebecca a 20-25% premium over face value. He was merciless, giving credit only to the few he trusted to pay him back.

Dishwashing days -- we took turns -- turned into moneymakers for Peter & Rebecca; use every dish, pot and pan in the kitchen so that the person on duty would rather pay than deal with piles of dirty dishes. Those days were also perfect for "punishing" those we thought were being mean, and Karen and I loved to "punish" Kathy and Doreen. We LOVED cooking on their days, especially food that would stick like glue to the pans -- so that Rebecca and Peter would charge Kathy & Doreen double/triple their rates when they had money or slave for hours doing them if they didn't want to pay up.

Getting a job as a waitress at a Vietnamese restaurant that first summer...Doreen applied, but the owner thought she was "too tall" and not "Asian looking enough," so Doreen told her I would be perfect.

Karen and I selling Rainbow vacuum cleaners for $600 during the summer of 79. To convince Karen to take the job too, I cajoled, manipulated, guilt-tripped, etc. We got paid $7 for every demo and $200 for every one we sold.

These vacuum cleaners used water instead of filters to trap the dust and dirt! Karen's first paid demo was at a friend's mother's home. While switching attachments, Karen accidentally placed the hose on the wrong end, and muddy water blew out rather than sucking in the dirt. I think she made that sale because the vacuum cleaner did such a good job of cleaning it up! Karen and I hated that summer job...the door-to-door knocking during training, the rah-rah cheerleading during the sales meeting, the cold calling after we exhausted the people we knew...

Summer 79 was also the summer that Larry Jones (77) sent me a plane ticket to visit him and his parents in Honolulu, and I nearly drowned him while snorkeling because I went too far out and thought I would drown. Larry taught me that summer that when you're around people who smoke, all you have to do is puff yourself to keep the smoke from bothering you. (His then girlfriend smoked, so as far as I'm concerned, he is responsible for my having started to puff in the first place!)

And the songs...while at the Trevinos, it was disco all the time! There was the summer of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, then Grease...the fake IDs (I used Kathy Teator's driver's license from the PI) to get into the discos before Karen and I turned 18.

[Dana Williams]

The day I moved out from my parents house at Travis AFB to Merced CA (near Castle AFB). It was 2 week before my 18th birthday and I'm doing 90 mph in an orange, '75 Volkswagon Rabbit. The cop who pulled me over said that he didn't even know they could go that fast. It was my first ticket and he sent it to my parents house! So much for my "independence" that day.

[Nina Pierce]

Mark, did you get your job because of your "shady past" or in spite of it!

ps I spent three weeks in the summer of '78 stuck at Travis waiting for a space-A flight back to Clark. If I never go back, it'll be too soon.

[Mark Anderson (78)]

Another Summer Memory---exactly 30 years ago at least six Wagnerites departed Clark AB for the final time. On June 9, 1978, boarding Flight J252 from MAC terminal, Steve Fernandez (78), Mike Fernandez (79), Dave Wilson (78), Liz Wilson (79), Joe Avalos (78) and Mark Anderson (78) deros'd PCS back to the world.

Anniversary Date: courtesy of Mike Fernandez

I'd do it all over again!

[Gabe Montes]

Mark,

Now that's one helluva summer vacation. Funny, you don't look like an ex-con... LOL!

[Mark Anderson (78)]

The Summer of My Discontent (1977) turned out to be the experience of my lifetime. Long story-short: Space-A hop Clark to Yokota, arrested (no visa), ordered back to Clark by Wingking,(not my plan) dodged MPs, missed flight, re-arrested, placed on C-141 along with casket to Travis barely missing Gov. of Japan deadline for IH. Commercial flight SF to Wash.DC. Lived in van, cleaned base housing for $500 per job. Made lots 'o jing. Partied all summer! Made enough cash for commercial flight back to SF in Aug. BUT, No space-A avail from Travis back to Clark for 3 months (Category 4), must get there in 2-weeks for start of Senior year. Used all $ but $30 to get on next commercial seat to Manila (in 2-weeks.) With $30 in pocket and help from USO at SF, toured every sight in SF on foot, saw everything. Showered, laundered, ate and slept at airport and USO. Landed in Manila with 2 days to spare. Day after I got to Clark, Frank Fontenot left for States. The rest is history.