Clayton Junior High 1973-75

Clayton Junior High held annual track and field meets. The blue ribbon was for high jump. The landing pit was sand, which eliminated the Fosbury Flop. They let me jump off two feet, which is illegal but not rigorously enforced at the junior high level. Mr. Bell was my science teacher. He was short—shorter than me in the seventh grade. He must have been a high jumper in high school because he had good form. He insisted on participating and was not satisfied until he out-jumped me. I still remember his satisfaction when he did. I don't know how high the bar was, but it was high enough that only Mr. Bell and I could clear it.

I don't recall what the other ribbons are for. That data has been lost to time and is likely never recoverable.

I did not win any awards for citizenship. The attendance issues in Beginning Guitar were because Ultraman, a Japanese television series about a giant superhero who fought monsters, was on at that time. I was only able to watch a few episodes as a youth. It was not broadcast in Utah except on cable from the Bay Area. The show started at the same time that I had to leave for school. Sometimes I caught the first part before my mom forced me out of the house. One day I devised a plan to watch a full episode. I stayed up later than everyone else and turned the main circuit breaker off, planning to turn it back on an hour later. All the clocks would then be an hour off and I could watch the whole show. The power company would get the blame. I fell asleep and awoke to my Mom in a panic about the mysterious, localized electrical outage.

Eighth grade was when my fanzine publishing career started. April 6, 1975 to be correct.

Condas and Boyle Golf Course. John Condas was the course designer, while I provided most of the labor. The mini-golf course was at McKeen Ellison's (later Worthen) house on Harvard Avenue.