Although I didn't smoke cigarettes in high school until late in my senior year, I spent a lot of hang time in the Smoke Hole at BTW between classes.

Highlights of my smoke hole memories were:

Tim Joha's ('79) various BUL BAL BO antics and graffiti.

I took what could have very well been the first big boom box to BTW and blasted music in the Smoke Hole.

Rhett Matthews ('79) showing up in the morning in his pajamas. He'd been temporarily suspended from BTW and had driven Leon Harvey ('81) to school that morning.

Susan Farthing ('81) and Marcia Real ('81 Bishop Kelly ) pulling each other's tube tops down.

I actually don't ever remember smoking cigarettes on the BTW campus. I couldn't stand the smell of cigarette smoke. Ironically, I picked up a very nasty smoking habit in college and continued to smoke for twenty years! In November of 2002, I finally put the butts out. I'm coming up on almost a year of being smoke-free.

I thought everyone who hung out around there was a dopehead! I think growing up w/ a father and a mother who smoked scared me away from it. I hope all of you who smoked were able to give it up like Dan, that's a hard habit to break...

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No wonder you`re all mixed up. You got a white man`s 1st name, a Spanish man`s 2nd name and a black man`s 3rd name. -- Mickey Rivers to Reginald (Reggie) Martinez Jackson

The place to conduct all your after school and weekend plans, probably some of the best talk and deals were made in the smoke hole. I have fond memories, my pack used to last me a week, and in the winter, the smoke would rise, it looked like the mid section of the school was on fire. I guess we just had to have our cigeez. I loved it.

Smoke free Cat since 1990

[This message was edited by Cat Bray on Mon March 15 2004 at 07:47 AM.]

Next week I plan to see the new building, I hope the smoke hole is still there, if not, I sure hope that it was bronzed!
Cat

[This message was edited by Cat Bray on Mon March 15 2004 at 07:48 AM.]

It all started with sneaking my mom's More Reds when I was 14 - remember getting reeeealy lightheaded...

I don't remember actually getting up the nerve to smoke in the smokehole, rather an intimidating environment for me. Regina Robinson, Denise Fly & I preferred to hide behind bushes, around a corner where we wouldn't be seen, etc. I remember those kids in the Hole looked so confident - I didn't think I could hold my cigarette right & EVERYTHING, too much pressure (heehee!)

Finally gave up smoking in 2000. I'd been wanting to quit for years for health reasons, I've always been athletic & smoking was getting in the way. Nothing worked til I had a younger boyfriend - had to keep up appearances & all so I quit for good. Shallow?

Reading that blows my memory of Erica Ripley! I never knew you smoked!

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No wonder you`re all mixed up. You got a white man`s 1st name, a Spanish man`s 2nd name and a black man`s 3rd name.


-- Mickey Rivers to Reginald (Reggie) Martinez Jackson

quote:

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Originally posted by Cathy Sandschaper:
Well, please forgive my bad spelling on my reply regarding the wonderful BTW smoke hole

Next week I plan to see the new building, I hope the smoke hole is still there, if not, I sure hope that it was bronzed!
Cat

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Hey Cat, I could never get up the nerve to "hang out" in the smoke hole, hence I'd grab a pepsi and go sit at the back door of the theatre and attempt to wake up with Tony Gorrell and Kristin H. I'm sure the coversations were much better in the open air than our little doorway. I wonder how different the ole "new" school looks? Hope there is something there familiar when you go.
Jer

I hated the smoke, but thought the brazen crew that were in the smoke hole were either very interesting to watch or total idiots for smoking (couldn't stand the smell meself).
I too thought the Theatre door was the best place to hang out - much warmer in winter.
Hmmm. the warmer in winter thing still seems to play a big part in my desire of where to hang out...Oh well, some of us never grow up!

I always thought it was kinda scary. Of course now i see that was silly. But then it was filled with all you counter-culture types. See back then I was a counter-culture type and didn't know it yet. It took college to find that out.

My one cigarrette my whole life was smoked in the smoke hole! Now I tell my students that waaaaaay back in the day students were actually allowed to smoke on campus. They really don't believe me.
Once I had to sweep the smoke hole I think, after skipping school with my best friend Tammy Pittman ('76) to go with her to Tulsa University to hang out in the coffee shop and "pretend" to be a college student.

Okay, alright, I was a smoke hole hanger-outer. I confess!!!

I had no idea that we were seen as counter-culture or anything til I read this thread! I had no idea I was so cool to the other kids..

I don't think I started hanging out there 'til at least my sophomore year. Keep in mind, smoking was obviously so much more accepted then than it is now. In fact, if the 'legal' age had been 18 then, I probably would have been smart enough to never start once I was of age.
I have a few photos of the bronze-worthy smoke hole somewhere around here. If y'all want, I will post them... but only if you agree to plead the fifth!

Whole Lotta Love,

Monica

Post those pictures Monica, I'm sure we all would love to see those gems!

I loved the smokehole. I think I learned more there than in any other room in the school except the theatre and Mrs. Enochs room.

When I went back and taught at BTW for a semester in 89, I smoked in class, with students acting as look-outs. I got a call from one of the seniors of '89 who told me at their reunion they talked about how each one thought they were my pet because I'd pull them out of other classes to go buy me smokes. I was a very very bad person. But had a really great group of students. About six of them have shown up in Seattle at various times after I went home. BTW alumns remain wonderfully adventurous.

I am a '94 alum. We used to hang in the back parking lot to do the things we weren't allowed to in school.

After reading your memories, I'm curious where the smoke hole was. It will be interesting to compare times. Take care. And much love.

Hey Sam,

The smoke hole was between the east outside wall of auditorium and the west outside wall of new, or what was new, walk way/hallway, leading up to new wing second floor. And the west outside wall was pretty much all glass windows, so, EVERYBODY could see the smokers. I'm sure that wasn't what it was set up for, but, you should see the rush to get outside between classes to go have a few puffs! There was a double door leading out from the south end of the smoke hole, you either went left or right, if you had a class in one of the pre-fab buildings, then you had to go outside. I should have taken a stroll through there before they closed the building when I had the chance. Oh well. Loved my days there!

[This message was edited by Cat Bray on Mon March 15 2004 at 07:54 AM.]

It is so interesting to hear about this history. When I was there we just breased right through that area with out a second thought. We didn't know that you all had all of those memories there.
Now a new school is built on my memories and the smoke hole of my day and hundreds of students will go there everyday not knowing they are standing where the "happy van" parked, or where I first parked my car when I drove to school the first day after getting my license. And many others...It's sad, yet special. Amazing how things change, yet stay the same.

Yeah, Sam you're right. The back lot was the smoke hole in the early '90s at least. Of course, you were not allowed to smoke at school then; although, it really seemed like no one cared. I do remember Schoates coming out to the back stairs and looking for smokers to bust. I think you had to be on his sh*! list to get in trouble. I was never very discreet and I never got in trouble in 4 yrs. I can't believe the back lot is gone. Many memories of course. I actually have some videotape of the back lot and in the old building (and some at Wood's annex too). I may see if I can convert it to quicktime and post it somehow. I love all of the old stories, too. The pictures posted of the '79 cats on the back stairs and of the back lot are amazing. It looked exactly the same as I remember in the early '90s except for the cars. It's cool to think these guys were all doing the same things at the same place with many of the same teachers when I was 4 years old (in '79).

although I did not smoke cigs, I did park and hang out in the back lot. It was also the quickest exit for activity period.

classic Leon Russell...Leon is part rock and roller, part tent revival preacher, part shaman, part carney, put it all together and you get that Master of Space & Time effect!

Thanks Zach for reminding me and the mightly class of 79 that you were FOUR! when the 79s were doing the Hornet thang when you were asking your mom for cookies and milk!!! We love ya.

Times changed and for the better, for our lungs. Don't see smoke holes and too many teens smoking these days.

Cat

Yeah, sorry Cat. I know I probably shouldn't have brought that up. It was great to see the pics of your classmates.