Keno High School Debate Team, 1939

My father, Harold Putnam, is front row, second from right. These are members of the junior and senior classes. The interesting detail to me is the condition of the boys' boots and pants, stained and worn, boots very dirty. This was (and is) a remote country school. Most of the fathers and older brothers were loggers, millworkers or farmers and nearly all families very poor. I would be willing to bet that those pants and boots are hand-me-downs from dads and older brothers.

The flying K sweater insignia stands for Keno Eagles, the school sports teams. Dad was on the track & field, basketball, baseball and football teams. After graduation he was on the Klamath Falls city baseball team and bowling league. To say that he liked sports would be an understatement. The girl in the flowered blouse became my 8th grade home-economics teacher. I learned to sew from her. I suppose I cooked, too, but I had very little interest in cooking and that is still true.

AA336 Long ago