In the fall of 1944, the Fred continued his studies at the Bible Institute and the children returned to school with Barbara starting seventh grade at O’Keefe Jr. High School.  Seventh grade started better for Barbara as she was familiar with the school and knew a few other kids from the previous year.  What was even better, Barbara discovered the school library and would spend her spare time at school there finding many books to read.  They lived on Peachtree Street which was several blocks from the school so Barbara would ride the streetcar to school.  On some days after school Barbara would take the streetcar with some of the other school kids to the end of the line where there was a drugstore where they would get a Pepsi and peanut butter crackers.   

The war continued and to help with the war effort, on Fridays the students met in the auditorium for assembly where they sang:  

“Any stamps (or bonds) today,
Stamps (or bonds) are freedom,
That’s why I’m selling, any stamps (or bonds) today.
Scrape up the most you can,
Cause here comes the freedom man,
Asking you to buy a share of freedom today.”  

While the music played a teacher dressed like Uncle Sam came on stage.  The children then ran up to her (it was always a woman) and purchased either a ten or twenty-five cent stamp for a book.  When you had filled the required number of books, you could buy from the school a United States Savings Bond.  Barbara’s younger sister Dixie wrote in her memoirs: “Selflessly, as usual, depriving myself of lunch, starving myself for my country.  I am somewhat consoled, by later learning that those bonds paid for Gary and Cork’s college educations, even though all of the girls had to get married and work, deprived of any opportunity for higher learning.”

Updated: 11-30-2021

Morris joins the Navy