Those of you who attended Triadelphia will remember Miss Beneke, the Dean of
Girls (jeesh, we weren't even considered women back then). She was tall, blocky, unfeminine...let's just say BUTCH.
About 1969, my youngest brother Colin was still at Triadelphia. A popular guy, he was President of his class, a great student, quarterback of the football team, and captain of the basketball team. He decided, during that "hippy" era to let his hair get long, shoulder length...clean and combed, but long.
He and his buddy Dave Cochran were walking down the second floor hall where Miss Beneke's office was and she lurked in the doorway as usual giving students the evil eye. As Colin walked past she remarked, "Put a dress on him and you would think he was a girl!". Dave immediately turned and said, "Put a helmut on her and you would think she was a Green Bay Packer!!"
You know, as kids, we never saw the whole picture. Check this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://wheeling.weirton.lib.wv.us/history/people/hallfame/1990bene.htm
Regardless of Miss Beneke's later philanthropy, she was the scourge of many of us young woman at THS. I can honestly say that I cannot remember one kind word, one helpful suggestion, or anything that, even today, could prove to me that Miss Beneke was "human" in the caring, compassionate way that one would expect a Dean of Girls to be. Yes, I've forgiven her all the horrible things she did to me and my friends, but she definitely left scars. Perhaps in later years she changed for the better.
ReplyDeleteWow, could I have blocked some memories? I don't remember anything really bad about Miss Beneke. I just remember that she was a "presence" and I never wanted to cross her.
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