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We were offered "free" school lunches for our six kids when we lived on my meager military pay. We refused, and I worked as many as three jobs simultaneously. I have no regrets. Am I bragging? No. Just letting you know how, and what I believe.

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Norm, when I returned home from the Army I worked for the Corp of Engineers clearing ground in the Land Between the Lakes for two years. We were laid off in the winter both years and young fool that I was, I refused to draw unemployment. So I know what you mean.
 

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Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 10-30-2020, 09:47 AM:
 
When I was a kid growing up, we were offered free/reduced lunch at school but we were too proud to accept hand outs even from the government!
 

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 10-30-2020, 10:53 AM:
 
I have no way of knowing for sure, but I probably qualified for free lunches. I know I took paperwork home to apply for it every year. But it was never even considered.

Different times, eh?

[ 10-30-2020, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]
 

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Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 10-30-2020, 12:24 PM:
 
In my times, you either had 25cents for lunch or u didn't eat. I didn't eat most days and then had basketball practice after school and then hitchhiked home (10 miles) after practice.

Guess I didn't know much as this was normal for me. If they had free lunches, no one told me!

(I did finally get a job delivering newspapers starting at 4am and done at 6am and made 50cents a morning - I was flush then!! )
 

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 10-30-2020, 02:16 PM:
 
When I was about 15, I got two paper routes -- the Louisville paper in the morning, and the local E-town paper in the afternoon. Talk about being flush!

I had a pretty good routine. I would get up early, walk to the distribution point for the morning paper, walk my morning route, then walk my friend's house so we could walk to school (about a mile). Then I would walk to the distribution point for the afternoon paper, walk THAT route, then come home.

I think lunch was 25 cents for us as well. In high school, it went up to an astounding 35 cents. Even then, the school district sent home applications for the free lunch program. With two newspaper routes, I was good.

[ 10-30-2020, 02:18 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]
 

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Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 10-30-2020, 03:34 PM:
 
Ukcatfan, not trying to one up you but we had to hitchhike 28 miles after practice. I lived in a little town (Grand Rivers) and it was at the far end of the county.

Can you imagine in today’s world parents or schools letting that happen?
 

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Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 10-30-2020, 04:19 PM:
 
Handy - hitchhiking in the dead of winter, with the sun down and without a heavy coat did make that evening "commute" something to always remember.!

p.s. Handy also times should have changed as coaching b-ball now days mean that the coaches have to make sure all student athletes get home each day after practice. The ones that don't have a ride, you take him home if he asks or at the minimum wait with him at the school until his ride gets there...

Fortunately, I coach varsity and most have cars, the JC coaches are the ones that have most of the extra duties..

[ 10-30-2020, 04:26 PM: Message edited by: ukcatfannfl ]
 

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Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 10-30-2020, 07:03 PM:
 
In the winter of '80 my coach would drive his pickup to my end of the county and Me along with a couple of other guys would ride in the back of his camper shell covered truck for the 14 mile trek! Thank goodness he had a few blankets and sleeping bags to curl up under to try and stay warm.
One day somehow I missed the pickup so I had to ride the bread truck from the elementary school to the High school in order to attend practice!

I grew up in Milton KY and our high school was located in Bedford!

[ 10-30-2020, 07:05 PM: Message edited by: m hamilton ]
 

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Posted by MEL (Member # 141) on 10-30-2020, 07:13 PM:
 
I hate to one up all of y'all but I use to walk to school every morning. Then go to school all day before heading over to practice. After practice I would take a shower because we didn't have running water. Then I would walk home and get home just in time to grab a bite to eat before heading back to school. It took about 6.5 hours to walk to school and then 6.5 more back home. The teachers couldn't figure out why I wanted to sleep all day !!! lol

MEL
 

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Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 10-31-2020, 11:22 AM:
 
I lived with my dad and wicked stepmom in the 3rd grade - he had money and I paid for lunch every day. Every year other than 3rd grade I never paid for a lunch. My mom worked but made just enough to pay rent and keep us fed. We never went without. She did a great job, but paying for lunch for three kids would've been really hard. Covington schools always had free lunch for just about everyone. We ate what they served or we didn't eat. I learned to like tomato soup which I always hated. If you use enough salt and pepper, anything will taste okay enough to eat.
 

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 10-31-2020, 01:12 PM:
 
Don't know if the rest of you know this, but I used to teach at the same high school that PaulCat went to.

Small world.
 

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Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 10-31-2020, 04:02 PM:
 
I wish I would've taken one of your courses, Tip. Just think how much better my life might be.

I will say this, you get out of school what you put into it. Holmes doesn't have the greatest reputation, but I actually cared about school and listened to my teachers. I earned a 4-year ride to NKU. Can't ask for much better than that. Without the guidance of the teachers and counselors at Holmes, I wouldn't be half as blessed as I am today.

[ 11-01-2020, 07:40 AM: Message edited by: PaulCat ]
 

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