David Downs

Hello Fellow 1965 Graduates!
Well, it’s happened – we are 50 years older. Who would have believed that we would pay $1.50 for WATER or $1.00. for AIR to fill our tires (two items that were free in 1965) in our waning years??

I hope the following isn’t too much information!  I graduated from Cape Cod Community College with an Associate in Arts Degree in 1968. Then, I worked for the 7 Up Bottling Company – 1968-9 and Friendy’s Ice Cream Company – 1969-70. I married Jane Brown, a 1969 Graduate of Needham High, in 1970. I received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1972 from Framingham State College. I Taught 3rd grade in Rehoboth, MA from 1972 – 2005. During that time I earned a masters degree in Creative Arts in Education from Lesley College. From 1960 -2006 I continued doing magic shows for children. I’ve been entertaining adults at Libraries and Senior Centers with a “Downsizing Your STUFF” program since 2006.
I never did grow up! Some of you may remember that Don Ward and I gave out free lollipops on Fridays during our Senior Year. We had many of our friends and classmates meet us at the door for their free pop. We continued our antics during college! Don and I created a stuffed animal called the Glump and sold almost 300 as well as “adjustable belly button muffs. I made my living clowning around both during my shows and in the classroom. What can I say? I’ve always enjoyed a laugh.
Jane and I just celebrated our 45th anniversary. We’ve lived in Attleboro for the past 43 years. We have two daughters – Tammy 1974 and Melissa 1976 and two grandsons – Josh 2005 and Caden 2014.
I’ve enjoyed my retired years more than any other stage in my life. I’ve enjoyed spending time with family and friends, especially my grandsons. I’ve been involved with many Historical groups but the Hornbine School (a one room school house museum in Rehoboth, MA) is my favorite.
For those of you who are still reading this “ramble”, I feel we are the lucky ones. We have survived the past fifty years. I trust you have had a good fifty years and I wish you all the best for the future. 

School memories
I moved into Needham at the beginning of 8th grade.
In 8th grade, at Pollard Junior High, every boy had to make a “pump lamp” in shop. How many of you guys still have yours? I was way behind on my project at the end of the year so I brought my pump lamp home and shellacked it with my father’s old shellac. The shellac never did dry and dust collected on it. So, I have a “Fuzzy Lamp”!
In 9th grade, Mr. Brock would give his Algebra tests on Fridays. He soon realized that the classes after lunch were getting much better grades than the morning classes. So one Friday, he gave a different test to the afternoon classes and several afternoon class students got a zero. They had just copied down the answers, during lunch, given to them by their friends who took the morning test! They never looked at the test questions in front of them! 
I had a hard time writing (still do) and hated the term papers we were required to finish. I would work very hard to finish the assignment which had to be at least 2,000 words long. I had two classmates during my sophomore year who thought they’d save some time. One wrote 1,000 words and then wrote, “If you want the other 1,000 words, you can read this over a second time!” Another student wrote a 1,000 words and then added a picture! (We all know a picture is worth a 1,000 words!) They both failed!
I was involved with the arrangements for the sophomore prom. We had very dedicated committee members who built the side of a shack; a foot bridge which arched over running water; and a fountain as well as many other things. We were very far behind schedule as the date for the dance approached. So, each afternoon, we hid a student in the Art room until after the class advisor left to go home. When the coast was clear, the student would let us back into the locked building and we’d keep working. Finally the janitor put an end to that. We were still plugging leaks in the fountain hours before the prom.
I had Mr. Eastman for Earth Science in my junior year. He was retired from the service and was relatively strict. He was a “sequential” – everything had to be just so. After graduation, in the late 60’s, I heard he had disappeared off of Cape Cod. They found his empty boat afloat but he wasn’t in it. I always found it hard to believe that he would fall out of his boat. I’ve always wondered what happened to him.
One memory (I have many) from our senior year sticks out in my mind. I was a member of the Centennial Committee. Somehow, Joe Guccione and I volunteered to help the Needham Historical Society. We helped to place historic markers on old houses around town. There was an old member who lived in a house on Nehoiden Street who was in charge of the operation. His yard was full of stuff. Although it seemed like junk to me at the time, I bet there were some real historical gems in and around his home. He’d be called a Historic Hoarder today! I remember him telling Joe and I where to nail the historic marker while he was standing out in the middle of a very busy and dangerous intersection on Central Ave. Joe and I were more concerned for his safety than attending to the job at hand.
And we all remember the songs that were popular during our high school years! I’ve enjoyed looking at my year book after all these years. I hope to meet some of you at the high school tour.
Dave