I was reminded the other day just how ancient I am. The physical therapist I've been seeing for my ongoing dizziness had me walking the long hallways at the hospital. We came to a corner where we turned back to the PT area at the same time as a few other people. I stopped to let them pass before turning. I made the remark "I feel like I should signal my intention to turn." The therapist looked at me questioningly. I held my arm out to show her the sign for a right turn. Then laughed at myself because I realized of course she had no idea of signaling before turn signals were invented. So I told her how we had to roll down the window and hang our arm out to let those behind us know we were going to turn or stop and tried to show her the motions.
I mentioned that she had probably seen bicyclists signal that way. It often seems amusing to me what the younger generations don't understand. (I had also had a conversation with her about what it was like to be a woman in those days before most women had any autonomy.)
For some reason thinking about using hands out the window to signal turning reminded me of Driver's Education classes when I was a highschool junior. Our driver's ed car was a new 1959 Studebaker Lark similar to the one above. The color is right, but it was a four door and, I think, had white sidewall tires. It came with standard manual transmission and was equipped with dual controls so the DE teacher could take control if necessary. I do not remember if it had turn signals which were optional and weren't standard on most cars until in the 1960's. But I do remember using the hand signals when turning or stopping. And I remember acing stopping on a hill and then proceeding by letting the clutch out, taking my foot off the brake and giving it some gas all in one smooth motion - no coasting backwards or stalling the engine for me. I had learned to drive the family car with column stick shift and the pickup with a floor stick shift.
I also remember that Mr. Boston was the teacher, that there were a number of students in the class and we took turns with three students at a time going out to drive. The other two I remember most often driving with were my friend, Ellen Sullivan, and a sophomore, Steve Currie.
Mr. Boston also taught Physical Education, but I only had him for Driver's Education. He was a kind and patient teacher - one of my favorites. Just thinking about him made me wonder about the rest of his life. Thanks to the internet I found his obituary.
Lawrence Boston was born September 12, 1926 to Lawrence I. and Anna (Small) Boston in Keokuk, Iowa. He attended school in Keokuk, enjoying athletic events, especially football and golf. He continued his education at Simpson College, but this was extended because he was drafted into the U.S. Army on September 16, 1946 and served in Korea prior to his discharge on June 3, 1947. Lawrence returned to Simpson where he was a member of Kappa Theta Psi and graduated in 1950. He was again drafted into the Army and served two years at Camp Fort Riley in Kansas. After being discharged, he lived for one year in Des Moines.
Lawrence and Ila Mae Lundquist were married on June 21, 1952 in Corning, Iowa. In the fall of 1953, they moved to Melvin, Iowa and began their teaching careers. Wanting to teach driver's education, they spent two summers at Iowa State University.
In 1955, they moved to Corning where Lawrence taught and he spent his next three summers at Colorado State University College of Education and earned a Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education. While at Colorado State, he was initiated into Phi Delta Kappa, a professional fraternity in education. His three children, Loren, Jill and Thomas, were born while living in Corning.
They moved to Huxley in 1961 after Lawrence took a job teaching elementary physical education in the Ames school district. They moved to Ames in 1966 and most of his 28 years in Ames were spent at Sawyer Elementary. Retiring in 1989, he enjoyed so much his time golfing, bowling, and traveling all over Europe. Lawrence was a member at First United Methodist Church in Ames.
Lawrence died July 11, 2017 at 90 years of age.
He is survived by his children, Loren (Susan) Boston of New Canaan, Conn. and their children, Alex, Tyler, Morgan and Sydney, Jill (Mark) Noah of Springfield, Mo. and their children, Luke Daniel and Emily, and Thomas Boston of Ames.
Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ila Mae Boston; and his brother, Raymond Boston from Keokuk, Iowa.
Which was accompanied by this photo. It looks just as I remember him only with a little less hair and a little older, but still the same smile.
What I did not know (or forgot) was that his wife and her family were from Adams County and neighbors of my parents. I did know her sister Rowena and her family who attended the same church as we did.
I don't have a picture of Mrs. Boston, though there is one of her and her family in the Adams County History Book, but here is her obituary, too:
Ila Mae Boston was born July 17, 1927 to Arthur and Grace (Walter) Lundquist in Adams County, Iowa. She attended a rural elementary school and graduated from Corning High School. She went on to Simpson College where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. After graduating in 1948, she started her teaching career in Des Moines for 5 years as an elementary teacher.
She married Lawrence Boston on June 21, 1952. In the fall of 1953, they both taught in Melvin, Iowa. In 1955, they moved to Corning and it was there had their three children, Loren, Jill and Thomas. The family moved to Huxley in 1961 when Lawrence took a teaching job at Sawyer School in Ames. They moved again in 1966 after building a home in Ames.
Ila worked at a teacher's aide at Crawford Elementary School from 1969 to 1989. After retirement, she became active in the United Methodist Women, Church Women United, and as a volunteer. Ila and Lawrence loved to travel visiting many places in the world.
Ila passed away November 1, 2016 at 89 years of age.
Ila is survived by her husband, Lawrence Boston; her children, Loren Boston of New Canaan, Conn., Jill Noah of Springfield, Mo. and Thomas Boston of Ames; seven grandchildren; and three sisters, Rowena Milliken, Velva Allison and Arleta Westbay.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
I did not mean to go down any rabbit holes when I started this post, but I'm gratified that I did.
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