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You’re know you’re from Port A if …

By Pam Greene

I am not one of those people who play games or any other entertainment on Facebook, but I am addicted to a new page created Friday, Aug. 5, 2011.

Lee Ann Richey Schob create the open group and people have been bombarding it with memories of Port A. Anyone can join, whether you were born here, raised here, have family here or spent any part of your life here. Everyone’s memories, stories, pictures and memorabilia are welcome. I see people way younger than me and also those older than me.

Each is sharing.

There have been contradictions, identifications, and just plain “I remember” by the hundreds. Actually, when I wrote this article, there were close to 400 members and more than 1,400 posts which include words, photos, and videos.

AWESOME!

In addition, people have started posting photos, and that has sparked even more posts. It is so cool to see people of all ages, from all over the country, interact and enjoy there favorite memories [good and bad, and sometimes a bit illegal], that I can’t wait until I can get on again.

I have mentioned several times [and will continue to do so] that PAPHA would love to have you share your photos for our collection, and several have indicated they would. I also think it would be great to have several interviewees from the bunch, as PAPHA has been working hard on adding people’s stories to our collection.

I have copies some photos from the site and will share it with you in this issue of the newsletter, along with some of the posts.

My dreams for the future include an idea some of us board members had before the Museum was open: having a kiosk in the Museum that we can video record visitors sharing their memories. We then could put them on disk for people to watch along with our existing collection. Another dream I have is to have something like the World War II Museum in New Orleans has: a virtual postcard. You go into the booth and record a message. Your videod message can then be sent by email to anyone you want. I love it [well did after I figured out what I wanted to say. Thankfully, I was able to do the recording over until I was satisfied with my performance!]

So please enjoy these excerpts from “You know you’re from Port A if …”, and go see the site yourself.

 

Teresa Yeager [posted photo of Coach Doyle Marek]

Leslie Willey Jr: Pi r square. I owe a lot of brain cells to that man.

Nona Lynn Stiewig Turnbull: he’s still coming around! Came to grandpa’s funeral!

Timi Baird: I think I wrote more TIMERS than I did anything else for that man! 8th grade math!

Marcia Shaw Faltynski: I remember going up to his desk to ask questions & there he was, smoking cigarettes at his desk. Those were the days!!!

Carol Chandler: I don’t know where I would be without his direction. Great BB coach and Math teacher. Loved that paddle, bend over grab ankles and get three strikes, didn’t make any difference if you were a boy or girl. Only took once for me. LOL

Brian Martin: I remember the pencil trick he used to use to stop the hiccups. Still talk about that to this day. Great man indeed.

Pam Greene: what’s the trick?

Eliesha Barr: COACH

Jacqueline Faye Craven: God love him, I know we all did.

Jacqueline Faye Craven: I got my spanking from Fortson at the same time Leonard Dreyer got his from Mr. Marek. We had a fight and got caught. Someone told on us. I can’t remember who it was. Maybe Leo can remember.

Laurie Chestaine Mosher: I just loved Mr. Marek, I had to do timers everyday because I talked too much and I had a “special” desk called JAIL by the lockers and next to his desk everyday…he also taught my Mom Mary Martin.

Carol Chandler: We all loved that man … GOSH I told my granddaughter about him and us not getting cokes or anything with carbonation in them, no candy. If we bought it anywhere in PA, it got back to him, and it was hell to pay, laps, laps and more laps. But love the structure he gave us, I think that’s why there were not fat girls in Port A. LOL

Laura Cameron: Mr. Marek….what an awesome coach, he always used to tell us that he would never yell at us during a game, that we would always be able to hear his voice…and we could…and an amazing teacher and so kind, sure miss seeing him

 Amber O’Brien: I loved Mr Marek!!! He gave me the HARDEST time but it just pushed me to do better!!!

 Cookie Whiteside Matthews: He lives in George West. William Mayfield takes care of him. Still a great man.

 Anetra Dawn Skene Mason: Awhhhh Mr. Marrek!!!!!!! I think he gave every 1 of us a hard time LOL

 

 

Barefoot” Posts from “You’re know you’re … 

 David Smith: getting tar on the bottom of your feet was no big deal, sometimes even in your hair!

Jody Horn Watkins: you could be walking barefoot all over town and the soft tar spots would feel so good until one would break open gush up between your toes..ouch!

Lisa Cheney: Thank goodness for baby oil.

Anna Lister Woodward: my husband said he bought me my first pair of shoes because I was always barefooted

Shelley Woodward: I’m still always barefooted…LOL

Randy D’Herde: my mom would get mad at me when we would leave the island and I would “accidentally” forget my shoes

Brucette K. Beitz: As I remember it, flip-flops were the shoes of choice….!

Ann Studeman Krahn: I’m the blonde girl on the left side of this photo. Barefoot. Growing up I almost NEVER wore shoes. Only in cold weather or if I just had to. Anyone else remember “stone bruises”? Used to get them from going barefoot all the time. They hurt, but they REALLY hurt when the doctor had to lance one of them. I still don’t wear shoes unless I really have to.

Cookie Whiteside Matthews: Me either Ann, My husband couldn’t believe I was going to the store barefoot the first time after we married. haha. To please him I wear them only when I am not at home. The first thing I do each day when I get home is shoes come off before I put my purse down. Guess we really are Island babies with too much sand between the toes. haha

Betty Revell Guenter: Oh yeah, me too. I guess that’s what comes from walking on sand. Hey, why don’t you put up the picture of us that grace the cover of the history of Port A. Maybe someone will remember us. Yeah, right! [She did, they did!]

Steve Sanders: I remember getting the soles of my feet so tough after walking on all the shells that even fresh sticker burs could pierce them!

Carol Chandler: I have lots of pictures with not tops when I was 8 and under before buds. LOL of course no shoes either. LOL

Brucette K. Beitz: Oh, remember the “goat burrs” behind the school during the summer…oh, I hated those things! I still go barefoot all the time OR I wear Toms which are the closest thing I can find to being barefoot AND if you buy a pair, they give a child a pair of shoes! Happiness all around!

Heather Collins: ”goat burrs” are still behind the school/playground beginning of school year

Robyn Dombroski: I was harassed unmercifully by Marcia Shaw’s mother for always being barefooted!

Leslie Willey Jr: I always get asked “where are your shoes” I look down and say “Oh my gosh, I’m barefooted”. People want to be a REAL islander, just need to kick off their shoes, right.

Christina Bell: if you can walk anywhere barefooted, and no one notices…..

Lela Caldwell: Went to school barefoot.

Charlette Nolte Hagedorn: walking barefoot on hot asphalt…and not minding!

Dayna Belle Ming Chezem: Yeah walking barefoot all the way from the Pod House (I am guessing our address was Ave C and 1/2?) I don’t remember.. Over the HOT dunes and finally the Young Life pool…Felt so good on the hot feet.

Charlette Nolte Hagedorn: Ours from Lantana to 12th for the “young life pool”…Now can’t walk barefoot if I tried! ROTF!

Lee Clanton: Walking barefoot on the oyster shells, which a lot of the roads were, and not minding…

Charlette Nolte Hagedorn: Heck…my driveway still has oyster shells in it! ROTF!

Polly Anna Nixon Ayala: If you walked barefoot in the summer and left your foot print in the tar!

Heather McElyea: Or burnt the bottom of your feet!

Lisa Cheney: Always went bare foot!!!

Ann Studeman Krahn: I posted a picture earlier with a reference to always going barefoot. I come by it naturally. This is my mother, Nellie Teller Studeman. Check the feet.