Janice Hall

Sitting in front of my computer, not really knowing where to start, should it be at the beginning or at the end. I guess, the best thing to do would be to just jump in and let my fingers do the talking. I came to Sharon at the beginning of 4^th grade, Mrs Stressinger was my teacher and left at the end of 8^th grade. I have many fond memories of Sharon. Too many to list. From Sharon I moved to Amherst, Massachusetts, there is where I graduated from high school in 1965.

After graduation I remained in Amherst working at different locations. I took classes at UMass while being the secretary of the college paper (the Daily Collegian). I really enjoyed that because I was a part time student, included in all the parties and getting all the benefits and salary as a full time employee.

In June of 1973 I took the plunge and married a Southerner. Moving to North Alabama. What an adventure, not to mention a cultural shock. I have a daughter, Christy and an adopted son, Scott (I seem to have lost him in the divorce settlement). Christy graduated from Auburn University in Alabama and is a registered Medical Technologist at a hospital in North Alabama. She is married and they have two adorable daughters. Cailee will be 6 in May and Allyce will be 4 in February. In November of 1989 I moved to Fairhope, Alabama. Right on Mobile Bay and only 35 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Fairhope is great, as someone local told me “Fairhope is a northern town in a southern state”.

While in Fairhope most of my work has been dealing with ships. I have just completed a contract job working as an Engineering Technical Analyst. We were working on the conversion of a Russian vessel to a US flagged ship. I loved putting on my steel-toed boots and hardhat to go onboard and investigate all the components. Many of the Russian crew remained here to work, especially in the Engine Room. They were some of the nicest people I know. Being very helpful and showed nothing but respect. With the ending of this job, I knew it was time for me to follow my dream and return to the best area in the country…New England.

In just a few days (January 29^th), I will leave Alabama, driving through Tennessee on up into Pennsylvania and finally into Massachusetts. There I will use Amherst as my home base for job searching and interviews. I have kept in touch over the years with a few from Sharon. Now with the Sharon High reunion people search, I have again found other friends from my childhood. What fun I have been having. Thanks for giving me the pleasure of being a part of such a rewarding experience.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.