Vicky (Small) Struble ’64
In 1964 a bus ride 1-way was 10 cents. We had one friend, Fred Salaices, who had his own car so a group of us ended up giving him our bus money to help pay for gas if he would take us to school and back home. I am sure he made out as gas was only $.30 a gallon at that time, but we wanted to ride in a car not the bus.
On November 22, 1963 we were all assembled in the auditorium for a special assembly. Someone came onto the stage and told us that President Kennedy had been assassinated. We were stunned and then everyone seemed to be crying. We could not believe our President was dead.
The ROTC Drill Team was invited to perform in a parade in Hayward to show their moves. I had a great time being the on bus and taking pictures on the parade route. The ROTC guys did great and I could not have been more proud of them.
Mrs. Massey was the Home Economics teacher and she also was our mentor and advisor. We had a competition with other schools to send bars of soap to another country that badly needed them and we outdid the other schools. Also many a weekend, we were at her house for other projects. We had a great time with Mrs. Massey.
Once, a group of guys took a car (I believe it was a VW) and placed it on the breezeway near the Auto Shop.
Many a weekend there were impromptu flag football games that many of us would attend and play in.
We would go to football games and many of us would sit at the top bleachers so that we could look over at the Raiders practicing on the field next to ours.
I have many happy memories of my years at Oakland Tech. Mr. Borum was our Principal and Mr. Don Madera was a physical education teacher. Both of them showed up at our 30th reunion! Mr. Borum flew in from NY. Mr. Madera was also my son and daughter’s math teacher at Acalanes High School!