its name from the school’s location in the eastern quadrant of the City, and its position on the dividing line—East Capitol Street—which separates northeast and southeast.
The first day of school was quite exciting, and we met a lot of new people. Because of the school’s location to Capitol Hill, many of our fellow students had parents who served in Congress. The school was quite large and classrooms were located on three floors. We each had a locker in the hall outside of our homeroom, and it was on that very first day that I met Jonathan Miller. In the beginning, we used to joke about having the same last name, but we soon became an on-again, off-again couple, neither of us realizing at the time that we would eventually marry some eight years later.
High school opened even more doors for us than junior high school had. Eastern High School was big and encompassed a wider geographical area of students. We were typical teens of the fifties. The girls wore pleated or poodle skirts with sweater sets in pastel colors, bobby socks, and saddle shoes. Rolled up dungarees with rolled up blouse sleeves were reserved for weekends. And the guys boasted black leather jackets, dungarees with tee shirts, and slicked down hair.
Music of the fifties was more than just rock ‘n roll. Crooners like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Jo Stafford, and Dinah Shore were all vastly popular, but rock ‘n roll soon became the rage. Developed from a blend of Southern blues and gospel music with an added strong background beat, it became popular with teenagers who were trying to break free from their conservative middle-class upbringing. With the advent of rock ‘n roll, a host of new dances quickly became a part of that rage, as well. Our parents weren’t as taken with these new dances and their suggestive moves backed up by loud upbeat music, but we loved them. As we entered the glorious age of Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark, the frenzy of the time took over. It was great to be a teenager in the fifties, and The Fabulous Five lived it to the fullest!
Sock hops were informal dances held in the high school gymnasium or cafeteria where in order to protect the floors of the room from scuffmarks and scratches from street shoes, teens were asked to remove their shoes before entering and dancing. At Eastern, sock hops were usually held once a month on Friday nights. The concept was a simple one. Teenagers paid a nominal fee to get in. Their hands were stamped with an inkpad stamp to show you had paid, and a teen volunteer was the “DJ” who played the top records of the week and various other good dance tunes.
We dressed up—girls in dresses or skirts with sweaters, and boys in slacks and shirts, that at times included jackets and ties. It was a wholesome way for us to meet other teens, spend time with our friends and simply have a lot of fun. There was a concession stand that sold cold sodas and chips which was also run by teen volunteers and whatever teachers were pulling chaperone duty. If you left the gym and went outside for “a smoke” or to get something from the concession stand, all you had to do to get back in was show your stamped hand.
We all had 45 rpm record collections and the small square record players to play them on. Mine was pink and gray with the large spool that fit the record hole without having to insert a yellow plastic disc that was required to play them on conventional phonographs. Each Tuesday, the new releases arrived, and after school we made a beeline to Al’s Record Shop on H Street before they sold out.
It was also a way for Judy and Tony to spend time together. Even though her parents had allowed her to attend the graduation dance from Eliot with Tony, she was told in no uncertain terms that it was a one-shot deal!
There were various youth groups throughout the area and many of us joined them. Some boys joined the Masonic sponsored
The first day of school was quite exciting, and we met a lot of new people. Because of the school’s location to Capitol Hill, many of our fellow students had parents who served in Congress. The school was quite large and classrooms were located on three floors. We each had a locker in the hall outside of our homeroom, and it was on that very first day that I met Jonathan Miller. In the beginning, we used to joke about having the same last name, but we soon became an on-again, off-again couple, neither of us realizing at the time that we would eventually marry some eight years later.
High school opened even more doors for us than junior high school had. Eastern High School was big and encompassed a wider geographical area of students. We were typical teens of the fifties. The girls wore pleated or poodle skirts with sweater sets in pastel colors, bobby socks, and saddle shoes. Rolled up dungarees with rolled up blouse sleeves were reserved for weekends. And the guys boasted black leather jackets, dungarees with tee shirts, and slicked down hair.
Music of the fifties was more than just rock ‘n roll. Crooners like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Jo Stafford, and Dinah Shore were all vastly popular, but rock ‘n roll soon became the rage. Developed from a blend of Southern blues and gospel music with an added strong background beat, it became popular with teenagers who were trying to break free from their conservative middle-class upbringing. With the advent of rock ‘n roll, a host of new dances quickly became a part of that rage, as well. Our parents weren’t as taken with these new dances and their suggestive moves backed up by loud upbeat music, but we loved them. As we entered the glorious age of Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark, the frenzy of the time took over. It was great to be a teenager in the fifties, and The Fabulous Five lived it to the fullest!
Sock hops were informal dances held in the high school gymnasium or cafeteria where in order to protect the floors of the room from scuffmarks and scratches from street shoes, teens were asked to remove their shoes before entering and dancing. At Eastern, sock hops were usually held once a month on Friday nights. The concept was a simple one. Teenagers paid a nominal fee to get in. Their hands were stamped with an inkpad stamp to show you had paid, and a teen volunteer was the “DJ” who played the top records of the week and various other good dance tunes.
We dressed up—girls in dresses or skirts with sweaters, and boys in slacks and shirts, that at times included jackets and ties. It was a wholesome way for us to meet other teens, spend time with our friends and simply have a lot of fun. There was a concession stand that sold cold sodas and chips which was also run by teen volunteers and whatever teachers were pulling chaperone duty. If you left the gym and went outside for “a smoke” or to get something from the concession stand, all you had to do to get back in was show your stamped hand.
We all had 45 rpm record collections and the small square record players to play them on. Mine was pink and gray with the large spool that fit the record hole without having to insert a yellow plastic disc that was required to play them on conventional phonographs. Each Tuesday, the new releases arrived, and after school we made a beeline to Al’s Record Shop on H Street before they sold out.
It was also a way for Judy and Tony to spend time together. Even though her parents had allowed her to attend the graduation dance from Eliot with Tony, she was told in no uncertain terms that it was a one-shot deal!
There were various youth groups throughout the area and many of us joined them. Some boys joined the Masonic sponsored
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