Started school in a brand new Eisenhour School in 1956 that went to the 8th grade . First year schools
were consolidated and integrated here . The American Automobile Association sponsored the program .
You had to have at least acheived the 6th grade with high marks to be nominated for the safety patrol
and your peers voted on your worthiness . Starched white cross shoulder/waist belts supported your badge which reflected your rank according to the color of the center . We were kept from being total
NAZIs by the voting process and the fact that after school we could get the crap kicked out of us because we had no rank and had to answer for our sins as individuals .
The perk , besides having authority during the day , was that if you remained on the Patrol in good standing to the spring of your 8th grade class you got to go to Washington ,DC during cherry blossom
time .
AAA funded , parent chaperoned , 3 day whirlwind tour of WDC in private autos . Awesome to the 7 of us that got to go . 5 of which had never been more than 10 miles from the coal camp they were born in or ever stayed in a motel .
We had a wonderful eyeopening time . The one down note was when a resturant in Falls Church , VA
refused to serve Sharon Clark ,our captain , because of the color of her skin .