The negative sleeve says 1963 Safety Campaign, but the billboard has 1964 stats, so, who knows?
Hokey set-up photos were standard at small papers. So, what’s a tip-off that this is a fake? First off, I never saw Al Spradling III, left, that interested in anything before in his life. Secondly, we have Ron Marshall and Carolyn Penzel diligently painting a sign without looking at it and with nary a paint can in sight.
I cringe to think I shot this photo and the one that follows. I may not have sold my soul for $5, but I sure rented it out a lot of times.
Billboard features my pictures
Looks like my wreck photos (including the ones that got me started in the news biz) were big during Safety Week. A picture of Joanne Bone in front of another bulletin board featured a bunch of my crash pictures.
Notice how Ron is carefully applying paint to something that had been created with a stencil (and without looking at it). I knew Ron was slim, but he’s so thin he hardly shows up from the side. He, unfortunately, is another of our classmates who is no longer with us.
Coming events
Sometimes the stuff in the background is as interesting as the primary subject. The Coming Events board is cut off, but I can see there is going to be a basketball tournament; an 8 a.m. meeting with [someone] Robert Edgar; the district teacher meeting, the Red Dagger Play, Safety Week, Senior Class Party, the end of the quarter and what I assume to be Easter (not Spring) break.
The motivational poster on the right assures students that “This may sound like ‘OLD STUFF’ When the Great Scorer comes To mark against your name, He’ll write not ‘won’ or ‘lost,’ But how you played the game.” The Great Scorer might do that, but I don’t recall Coach Goodwin ever saying that.
OMG. Remember the horrific “Death on the Highway” film they showed near prom time. They’d also park a smashed wreck on the grounds and have a highway patrolman give a speech. Worked for me. I still don’t drag race on blacktop roads.
Ken learned the paintless brush technique first-hand with Frony a few years earlier.
http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/34710
Dang all these years I thought Carolyn was painting the sign at time of the picture! and the Photolog showed up at the perfect time! Now I will will wonder it all the pictures that Ken took over the years were shot the same way…where all the basketball shots staged? Is the whole world only happening when Ken has his camera set up? Gess….I need a drink!…but do I have to wait until Ken’s camera is set up before starting my usual Rum Punch at 10:00 am…
That other safety-minded guy in Photo #2 is my brother, Jeff Halter.
Thanks. I drew a blank on his face.
Photo#2 that my older brother Jeff Halter. He lives in Tenn. now