Today I saw "HIDDEN FIGURES", based on the TRUE STORY about 3 BRILLIANT BLACK WOMEN who had an impact on successes at NASA in the 1960's. Up for an OSCAR for BEST PICTURE, it is an EXCELLENT movie. The acting was wonderful too, with OCTAVIA SPENCER competing for BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS.
The movie brought back THREE VERY VIVID CHILDHOOD MEMORIES for me - about "COLOREDS", MATH, and THE SPACE PROGRAM.
MEMORY #1
- In 1962, at 10 years old, I traveled with my grandparents from PA to NC with a stop at THE NATURAL BRIDGE in VA. There were 2 drinking fountains there - one had a sign that said "COLOREDS". I asked my grandparents what that meant and they explained it to me - my grandfather actually said "That's for the Niggers." They grew up in the SOUTH and were no strangers to prejudice. I remember being stunned by the concept that "COLOREDS" couldn't drink from the same drinking fountain as us, nor use the same bathroom. I'll never forget that.
- MATH was always a VERY EASY subject for me. I consistently got 100% on my quizzes and tests (or more if there were bonus questions), particularly in ALGEBRA. In my senior year, in 1970, someone came to my ENGLISH LITERATURE class and said there was a NATIONAL MATH EXAM taking place upstairs, in case anyone wanted to participate. Since I couldn't stand ENGLISH LIT, it was a perfect excuse to leave class - taking the TEST would be FUN!! Was I ever surprised to find out on GRADUATION DAY that I got the HIGHEST TEST SCORE in my school. And there were some REALLY SMART BOYS in my class too!
MEMORY #3
- Since MATH was my easiest subject, I decided to MAJOR in it at college. I was thinking it would be interesting and fun to work in the SPACE PROGRAM (just like in this movie) - our solar system, the stars, the Milky Way, MARS and VENUS all fascinated me. My other dream job was to do RESEARCH about DNA (a new field then). My first semester in college I took CALCULUS, with no prior knowledge of what it entailed. Unfortunately, it was like a foreign language to me. I was shocked that I couldn't make heads or tails over it and barely passed with a D!! (Might it have had something to do with my BUSY SOCIAL LIFE?????!!!). Sooooooo, I figured that I had better change majors right then and there. But, I had the darnedest time trying to figure out what else I could do with my life....... so I fumbled around with basic Freshman and Sophomore classes, while "thinking". Then in Junior year, when I transferred, I decided to major in ART EDUCATION and taught HIGH SCHOOL ART for 4 years after I graduated.
Back to the movie....... although it was EXCELLENT, MY pick for BEST PICTURE this year is "LION". But I have yet to see LA LA LAND, which seems to have all of the BUZZ......
JOAN
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