Basic Youth Conflicts
In the summer of my last year in Forest, our church solicited any of our youth to go on a trip to a seminar in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a week long affair in The Omni called Basic Youth Conflicts to help teens deal with the pressures and problems that confront them at a young age. I was 15 at the time so I was one of 10 youth that volunteered to go. Now, I don't like to stand out so I always tried to get the back of the bus on trips such as band or church functions. When we got on our 14 passenger church bus (similar to the picture), the back seats were already taken by fellow church youth, David Mitchell, Oleta Mayo, Chad Halford, Martha Thomas and Sara Henry. Reluctantly, I took a seat close to the front in the old style bench seats. To my surprise, fellow Methodist choir members (Good News Singers) and band mates, Gina Lackey and Diane O'Bannon took seats on either side of me. We all knew each other fairly well but that trip brought our whole group closer together as we shared stories of band, experiences, and other things young people normally talk about. We were chaperoned by our pastor and choir director along with their wives; Rev and Mrs. John Case and Rev and Mrs. George McClung. My greatest passion has always been music and I learn songs with the whole lyrics to popular songs of that time period. "Jesus Christ Superstar" was one of the new broadway and movie hits then as well as an excellent musical soundtrack to accompany the same. Somehow Gina and Diane talked me into singing some of the songs off the soundtrack. It was part of growing up and losing some inhibitions as we transform from adolescents into teenagers. A good trip but unfortunately, after Forest, I never had the opportunity to stay at any other high school longer than 1 year to enjoy the camaraderie of my peers. Somehow we struggle through our difficult years and it helps to strengthen us and prepare us for the next chapters in our lives. My sisters do not share the same memories of appreciation for Forest as I do as they were just beginning school at Hawkins Middle or finishing up school at the Elementary level when we moved. But Forest will always have a special place in my heart and memories.
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- Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Mark Welsh January 28, 2022, 4:15 am
- School Life after Forest in the 70's - Mark Welsh May 9, 2022, 4:48 am
- The Good News Singers from Forest United Methodist Church - Mark Welsh May 2, 2022, 5:30 am
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- Old Fashioned Fun and Pranks - Mark Welsh February 23, 2022, 1:20 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Steve 70 February 17, 2022, 5:27 pm
- Mrs Willie Mae Mitchell - Mark Welsh February 17, 2022, 2:20 am
- The Beautiful Dog River - Mark Welsh February 16, 2022, 2:43 am
- The Wild Hogs - Mark Welsh February 15, 2022, 2:01 am
- Driving the Carr - Mark Welsh February 14, 2022, 12:48 am
- Don't Stop the Music - Mark Welsh February 12, 2022, 1:15 am
- Basic Youth Conflicts - Mark Welsh February 11, 2022, 2:26 am
- Mississippi Drivers License - Mark Welsh February 10, 2022, 3:47 am
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- Field Day at School - Mark Welsh February 8, 2022, 1:48 am
- RE: Meadow Hill Drive - Mark Welsh February 3, 2022, 1:47 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Mark Welsh February 2, 2022, 9:40 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Mark Welsh February 2, 2022, 4:12 am
- Recognize - Lu Ann Gould February 2, 2022, 9:54 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - nancy chambers January 28, 2022, 12:57 pm
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Steve Clark 70 January 28, 2022, 11:36 am
- Re: Life in Forest in the Early 70's - Lu Ann Gould January 28, 2022, 9:27 am
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