EHPJ - Firsts: Boyfriend, Date, Kiss, Dance.

Is that Lester behind me? Memorial Weekend 1935

My first boyfriend, John Lester Skinner (we called him Lester) nicknamed me "Red" because of my hair. Lester was voted most handsome boy in Smethport High School. He stood 6' 2", brown hair, blue eyes and had a beautiful smile. I remember for Valentine's Day he gave me a fancy lace valentine, a manicure set and a heart-shaped box of candy. I kept them for all for years.

October 20, 1934 was our first date. My first date! We went to a movie after a football game.  I can't remember the movie, but I remember that Smethport beat Coudersport. I also remember that one of the songs we listened to that night was "I Only Have Eyes For You".


About six weeks after we started going together I got my first kiss. It was just a peck on the cheek good night, but I remember it well. Times sure have changed!

We would "hang out" at Johnson's Drug Store in Smethport after church. It was only ten cents for a quart size milkshake. Sure spoiled a lot of Sunday dinners. One of my favorite drinks was a lime phosphate - you can't get those any more.

We spent lots of Sunday afternoons taking long walks. We thought nothing of walking five or six miles at a time.

My first dance was when Lester took me to my Senior Prom. He borrowed Coach's car and drove to Coudersport from Smethport. I wore a green dress that I later shortened to street length. Dinner was at the Consistory and, unfortunately, the salad made me sick so we missed most of the dance.

One of the biggest problems I had in Sr. High school was having to leave Lester in Smethport when we moved to Coudersport the second half of my Junior year. Leaving Smethport was also one of the big regrets of my life. If I had to do it all again I would have insisted on at least finishing out my Junior year in Smethport.

As with many posts in this blog, the original content was taken from Evelyn Henrietta Johnson's "Grandma, Tell Me Your Memories".