Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Click on either bill to see an enhanced blowup of all the signatures.

A Redneck "Short Snorter"

by Bobby Cochran

Class of '64

The Centennial of the Civil War (or, as the Yankees called it, "The War of the Rebellion") was celebrated 1961-1965. One day in the early spring of 1961 my dad made a quick shopping trip to his favorite place, Montgomery Ward's at Parkway City, to purchase some parts for our lawn mower.

While he was taking care of the purchase, I was "browsing" in the store. One of the clerks was handing out copies of old Confederate notes, and he handed me half a dozen or so.

I took one of the notes to school with me a few days later, and some of my classmates had seen them, too. This was 9th Grade, and I was in Mr. Blackburn's home room - the infamous Chemistry Lab.

I don't remember why, but I asked some of my classmates if they'd like to sign the note, and several of them did. I don't have it in front of me as I write this, but I believe the Seaver twins signed it, and the late Bill Boone, and Terrell Wampler, Eddie Paulette, Jerry Brewer, Robert Walker, Mike Jett, Gary Collier, and several others.

Without realizing it, I had created a "Short Snorter."

The "Short Snorter" came about during the early days of commercial aviation. When trans-oceanic flight was still considered something of a feat, it became the custom for older memebers of this vaguely defined club (usually the crew members of an airplane) to sign their names on a single piece of paper money which then served as the owner's "membership card," to be permanently retained and shown on demand. Failure to produce that signed note at any time meant a penalty had to be paid, generally a dollar or a drink ("Short Snort").

The practice really spread during World War II. Troops all over the globe participated, and when there was no more room to sign a note, they just taped another note on and kept signing. You can see from the photograph that "chains" of notes became the norm.

After my father passed away, I found a couple of "short snorters" in his effects. They're really treasures to me. One of them is signed by a buddy of my Dad's, the man he named me for. Some years ago I gave up collecting coins and switched to paper money. I arranged to meet Tommy Towery two years ago at a large paper money show held in Memphis every June. I think he enjoyed seeing all the material and the exhibits, and he purchased a sheet of reproductions of the Military Payment Certificates that were used in Southeast Asia when he was in the service.

I wasn't eligible to serve in the military, but I know that many of my classmates did. Were the troops still creating "Short Snorters" in Southeast Asia?

(By the way - does anyone remember the tiny little room just inside the door of the old Carnegie Library downtown? It was about the size of a phone booth. On the walls were dozens of old (genuine) Confederate notes. They weren't worth much more than the paper they were printed on in 1961; but the demand for Confederate currency today is overwhelming!! If you or anyone you know has some genuine notes, tell them that "The South HAS risen again!!")

Below is a Hollywood publicity shot featuring a string of Short Snorters.

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A Modern Version of

The Short Snorter Bill –

The Challenge Coin

by Tommy Towery

Class of '64

As I was editing Bobby’s article, I felt that I should respond to several things he mentioned.

First of all was the Confederate Bill. I find it amusing that soon after he had mailed his bill to me I was going through some of my stuff that came from my mom’s house, and there in the pile were a couple of the same bills that he had classmates sign. I remember vividly going out to Wards at Parkway City and getting the bills. If any of you remember, 1961-1965 was the 100th anniversary of the War for Southern Independence and many activities and sales promotions had Civil War themes. That was the case for Montgomery Wards and giving out the bills. I think this was one of the times that I went from department to department asking for a bill from the cashier in the respective departments. Anyway, I still have mine.

The other question that Bobby asked was whether or not the military still had Short Snorter bills. In my 20 year career, I did not see one, but the tradition still lives on – in an altered form. The bills were replaced with coins that are referred to as “Challenge Coins.” Many units, clubs, and organizations give the members a coin about the size of a silver dollar that is to be carried at all times. Members can challenge other members to produce the coin and if it is not produced by the challenged in 60 seconds, then the challenged member has to buy the challenger a drink. If the coin is produced, then the challenger must buy the drink. This tradition still lives on, and I am sure many of you classmates that are veterans still have at least one coin somewhere in your stash. They are still produced today and are collected by many. Just try an e-Bay search for “challenge coin” to see what I mean.

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Subject:Cold Cases

Cherri Polly Massey

Class of '66

Tommy,

I've been thinking that we should probably start finding some of our "lost" classmates pretty soon. What do you think about making this a "Cold Case" project and everyone get in touch with any classmates that they know their address for and encourage participation on the website. Also, in looking through the internet white pages, I think that there are quite a few still living in Huntsville. Maybe we could come up with a generic letter that could be used to send to those in the white pages that we believe belong to us. What do you think?

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Subject:Chruch Story

Collins (CE) Wynn

Class of '64

Up until 8:30am this past Sunday morning I would have sworn that my note about the Methodist Church was a myth and a true urban legend. I was surprised to learn that there was an actual accident and stunned that the victim was from Jimmy Durham's family. It turns out to have been a tragic event.

Walt was absolutely right about his comments on why we visited the Central YMCA so often. We spent a good bit of time there playing basketball, swimming, and shooting pool because everything was free and we were broke most of the time. Whenever we left the front of the building and turned right heading home we saw that church steeple. It was so big and massive it was hard not to notice it each time. Since we were all 11-12 year old knuckleheaded boys in 1957-1958, we repeated the fall story to each other often - I suppose out of a sense of wonder and apprehension about how such an event could have occurred. To be completely honest, I never quite believed it (ah, go on, get outta here!) (did so; did not; did so; did not, etc).

And, stunned is the right word to describe the effect of Jimmy's comments. What makes it really odd is that I was good friends with Jimmy and Bobby both and visited their home many, many times. I can validate this claim by telling you that all us kids had to take our shoes off before we went into their house so we wouldn’t soil the carpet. Jimmy, I think, had an electric guitar and we would take turns trying to mimic Duane Eddy's playing style. The song I remember most is "Rebel Rouser" from the Jamie label in 1958 (*I had to do a Google search to make sure I had this right). There is no telling how many hours and days we spent together. Isn't it odd that the steeple story never came up although I suppose there is no reason to think that it should have unless we had been standing on that corner together looking at the steeple which obviously never happened. I am glad we have had a chance to set the record straight in memory of Mr. Steele.

Just think, it took nearly 50 years to connect the dots on this one. Honestly, this story, the one on the Ring, the one on naming our school and other similar revelations are what makes the site truly interesting to me. I have to admit I am addicted.

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Guest Book Entry

Suzanne Kennedy Paige

Class of '68

Tommy, I love your website, this is great and it is so fun to see what people have done and to remember the good times...thank you, thank you for all your hard work....Sue

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We have one classmate who correctly named the right price of the Mustang in the ad, although he admits it was not a guess.

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Harold Shepard, Class of '67

Since I collect old automobile ads, I guess this isn't fair but the ad reads $2368 f.o.b. Detroit. This does not include shipping and taxes. It also adds if you desire white wall tires add another $33.00 The model shown is equiped with six-cylinders with three-speed manual transmission. The options list back in '64 was endless.

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Wayne Gentle , Class of '65

The picture of the Mustang brings back many memories as I was a Mustang owner for a short period of time. I bought a brand new 1965 Mustang, honey gold in color immediately following graduation. I believe the price was $2900, can you believe it. I can remember many great stories associated with my Mustang, but I better not relive them in the newspaper. It was a great car, though I had to get rid of it when I married in 1966. I bought another classic that also caught the girls eyes at that time, a 1958 Edsel.

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Joan McCutcheon Baber, Class of '64

The car is either a '64 or '65 Mustang. The '66 Mustangs had three chrome extensions in the indention. I had a 1966 Mustang Coverable and it cost more because it was a convertible (Yellow) with back interior. It was, as I recall around $5,200. May some odd dollars more. The best and most beautiful car I have ever owned. I would not have anything else, and waited A LONG TIME for the salesman to call and say one was in. FACT: Only 9.000 mustang convertibles were made.

I kept it for years in perfect condition, having waxed and washed it a lot to include the leather seats. It bought lots of good times and good friends in college, as the add said said it would. I would get more people to ride home with me from Auburn that anyone else. Making money of course. Later on while doing my undergraduate internship in Social Work, we had to attend a social Service Agency each week, anyone who went with someone who had a car, in which the Mustang was the most popular, had to pay me. Top down and we would be off both winter and summer. In the winter, the windows up and the heater going.

It had four in the floor and I loved that ! Still do today (love four in floor).

I suspect the car in the picture would cost approximately $4, 700.

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Tommy Towery, Calss of '64

My Mustang story involves two vehicles. I fell in love with the Mustang when I first saw it the day it was unveiled. It took me another 30 years to actually own one. I bought a 1990 black one in 1994 during my divorce. I don't think my soon-to-be ex-wife appreciated that, but didn't really care. I loaned it to a friend about six months later and he was broadsided by an 18-wheeler hauling 50,000 pounds of soy beans. The Mustang was totaled but he survived. I replaced it with a 1989 white Mustang convertible, which I loved. I was hit on the freeway about six months later and pushed into an 18-wheeler. The car was totaled, but I survived. I don't have a Mustang now.

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Jim Pierce, Class of '64 was close with his guess of $2347, as was Terry Davis, Class of '64, at $2345. J.R. Brooks, Class of '64, did not go over with his guess of $2000.

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By the way, the host of the TV show was Bill Cullen.