Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Now that Somerville has a new high school, I asked our friends to share their funniest stories about the old high school.

“Class of ’71, The wooden floor on the basement level was warped from a flood. One day Ted Kennedy was touring the school and as I walked by I overheard him tell some Somerville official ‘Get these GD floors fixed!’”

“Class of ’82, there was an Oreo cookie on the hallway ledge leading to the cafeteria on my first day. EVERY day I’d see that lone, abandoned cookie on my way to lunch. Three years later on my last day that cookie STILL sat in its original spot. I like to think somewhere in the new school it still waits.”

“Leaving school for lunch, going to get a $1.25 Johnny’s special, and then having to break back in.”

Oh boy, how I missed those subs at that price.

“Trying to get back into the building after a trip to Nan’s for lunch without getting caught by Mr. Joyce. He was everywhere at once!”

“Not so funny, meeting a new girl in my sophomore home room, making a date to get together one evening. She lived in West Somerville, stood in front of the Venice for over an hour and got stood up. That relationship went nowhere. Ran into her about eight years later as my wife and I were dining at a local restaurant. She was our waitress.”

“Music in the auditorium. Cheerleading practice in the caf and hanging out in Joe Pignatelo’s classroom to hide.”

“Class of ‘83, I remember the big walk out sophomore year in protest of no heat in the building. I jumped out my home room window (Mr. Hughes). It ended up being the hottest day on record for that day but we still walked out. We also had a dress code walkout that was epic!”

“Nan’s Sub Shop was across the street for years. Great place!”

“Second to last day of school junior year, a friend and I walked past the office down the main hallway smoking a joint. Good times.”

“Mr. Sweet having the principal, vice principal and superintendent come to his room to celebrate the last time anybody would be in his room 210 at 2:10 p.m. on 2/10. Before the first renovation when they moved the voke up to the high school.”

“My first day of Somerville High, walking through the corridor outside the cafeteria, intimidating older kids lined up against wall, my older cousin Christine yelled out, ‘Hey everyone, this is my cousin Carol. Look at her good and there better be no body messing with her or you mess with me!’ Miss you Chris.”

My favorite memory of the old high school was before a big concert. The boy’s glee club was on stage behind the stage curtain. The director, Mr. Smith, was talking to the audience. All of a sudden, we all started singing the Schaefer beer jingle: “Schaefer is the one beer to have when you’re having more than one!” Mr. Smith went berserk with anger. Good times.

I hope the kids in the new high school have as many great memories as we do of our old high school. Wave high.