One bad
thing about attending a small school is all the things you miss out on. One
good thing about attending a small school is all the great things you get to
participate in. I got a part in a school play when I was in the 8th
grade. There were not enough high school boys interested in getting up before a
live audience and acting or they did not want to take the time to memorize a
three act play. But their slackness became my opportunity.
The school put on two plays, one in the fall
of the year and one in the spring. I performed
in every play for the rest of my years in public school. Back in those days I could
memorize my part in a three act play from the time I was given the part on a Friday
evening and came to school on Monday morning. My first parts were very small
parts with very little dialogue. But by the time I entered high school I had a
major role and most times one of the lead roles. Some of the plays were about
country hicks so I had no trouble being in character. All I had to do was
memorize the words and then just talk naturally. Most of the dramas we did were
more laughs than serious stuff.
We always
played to a packed audience. There was not much competition in the way of entertainment
in a small community, no television, no Movie Theater, etc. The money we raised
paid for the books and the fee that the company who published the plays charged;
and the rest, which was most of the funds, went to the school.
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