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This was taken in June of 1964 behind Thomas M. Balliet Elementary School in Springfield Massachusetts. The students were in Mr. Johnson's sixth grade class in Room 12. The happy looking kid in the second row is my late brother, David Vennell. He's the one on the left side of the photo looking towards his left. View full size.
Discretion precludes me from naming the boy in the front row giving the Nazi salute. He lived a couple of houses down from us.
He grew up to be somewhat notable in his field of endeavor.
The last day of school brings memories of both mischief and loss. Even in the suburbs, there'd always be a kid or two who would move away & you never saw again.
We'd have a blast harassing the teachers and one another, though. And maybe we'd get to watch "Skater Dater," or something like that, in 16mm.
These kids will be completely different people by Fall - ask any seventh grade teacher to compare their class to the sixth graders.
Despite the clothing, this group of youngsters looks very modern, as I'm sure they considered themselves to be in 1964.
The Beatles had just appeared on Ed Sullivan in February, while later that summer, civil rights worker James Chaney was murdered in Mississippi and the North Vietnamese attacked US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Times Were A-Changin' (1964)!
Please accept sympathies for the loss of your brother.
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