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Mountain Musings with Uncle Mott – Be True to Your School

Aug 21, 2024 | Uncle Mott

Uncle Mott at Mottsville entrance sign

Now that school is back in session, it’s time to kick back and enjoy life during school hours and enjoy life with all the interruptions and demands of the younger set. And speakin’ of the set, when the little he!!…s are here, they just wanna watch cartoons, when I wanna watch CNN. I mean the whole world is about to blow up and those kids are darn’d lucky they don’t have to go to school over in the Gaza strip (I always thought that was some kinda’ bandage… oh well, that’s just me) where over100 children died when that Yahoo fella bombed a school in Gaza. Holy Cow, what’s next?

Anyhoo, I hope all you youngsters got some new backpacks and clothes at the backpack giveaway in Crestline, of which this newspaper is one of the proud sponsors. Keep your nose to the grindstone (not literally) and study hard so you can get good grades and then go to college and get a high-paying job and raise a family of your own. But first and foremost…

When some loud braggart tries to put me down and says his school is great, I tell him right away, now what’s the matter buddy, ain’t you heard of my school, it’s number one in the state (Hey, hey! Take it away! Get that ball and fight!) So be true to your school now, just like you would to your girl or guy, be true to your school now and let your colors fly. Be true to your school! (“Be True to Your School” – The Beach Boys – 1963)

Wow, 1963! I was a junior at Tustin High School, where I was the noontime DJ in the cafeteria and used to play that and other Beach Boys records. OK, I know what you’re thinkin’, what the heck is a record? Well, it’s a black, vinyl disk with grooves that send vibrations through a diamond needle to an amplifier that makes loud music. It looks kinda like a licorice Ppizza.

But the best thing about being a student DJ was getting out of PE 15 minutes early so I could set up my backstage sound equipment. Another bonus was not having to shower after PE class, cuz’ I’m quite modest and, besides, they would be jealous of… umm, me getting out of PE early.

And another thing, don’t ditch school, like I used to do. The principal had a paddle for such transgressions, made by the boys in woodshop that had holes drilled in it, which made your backside look like Swiss cheese.

I got a letterman’s sweater with a letter in front I got for football and track, I’m proud to wear it now when I cruise around the other parts of town. Be true to your school. (Do it again, do it again, we like it, we like it.)

Keep it flyin’,

Uncle Mott

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