I was in several plays at the high school.  One was called Act Your Age.  Another was called Damsels in Distress.  I still have those copies.  We did a one act play, Utter Relaxation.  (I still have that play as well.). We competed with it in the district.  Our play won and we went on to BYU, where we competed with other schools our size around the state.  One of our critics was Dr. Pardoe, who was chairman of the Speech Department at BYU.  One of the buildings on campus was named for him.  I was given the Excellent level Award of Merit "presented to Alma Dawn Anderson for ability in Characterization."  He then talked to us and said I had given more feeling and expression in my character than any of the others.  I was bowled over.  I remember my plaque was hung at the high school.  For some reason, Mother was at the school once and happened to see it.  She had no idea!  I must have told her but it hadn’t sunk in. For a while, I had a church calling to teach MIA (Mutual Improvement Association).  Some of the kids were older than I was!  I was nervous, but I accepted the calling.  I really enjoyed it.  Some of the boys from the class asked me to be one of their cheerleaders during their games.  They pleaded and pleaded, but I just couldn’t do it.  They didn’t get mad at me, but I had disappointed them.  I just couldn’t get out there and make a fool of myself.  I really had no confidence in myself to be that coordinated. Another calling I had was to direct a play at MIA, The Hickory Stick.  I still have the copy.  Because I had been in a few plays at the high school, I had some skills.  I enjoyed being involved and encouraging others to come out of their shells.  One night, while I was at the church for a rehearsal, one of the guys from Richfield that I quite liked at the time had gone to my home and, not finding me there, he had inquired other places.  Then he had gone to the phone operator in town and asked if she knew where I was.  She had the right answer and sent him to the church.  It is funny that we lived in such a small town that the phone operator knew where I was.  I’m sure I was grateful to her and ended our rehearsal a little early. I learned that being in a play or giving a reading seemed to help overcome self-consciousness.  We had some young guys in the drama class who were refusing to be in the plays.  They were too shy.  But we got them involved and they became some of the most fun kids in the class.  I loved that we all grew more friendly and kind to each other while working on a play. One of my readings I will copy here.  I can barely read it, the print is so faded.  It is about sixty-five years old. Aunt Martha at the Movies Oh, is this the picture show, Thomas?  I’m so excited!  You know I never did go to a picture show before in all my life.  No, we haven’t a picture show in Harmony Junction.  We only have one store.  It’s been over twenty years since I have visited the city, and I have been hankerin' to see one of these movie-things all this time.  You don’t think my preacher down home would object, do you?  He’s pretty strict.  Oh yes, I think I had better tell him about it.  It wouldn’t be right not to. Dearie me, isn’t it dark in here? (Grope blindly) Wait a minute, nephew, now you wait a minute!  It’s worse than a stack of black cats. (Put out hand in front of you.  Jerk it back) Oh, I beg your pardon!  Why, Thomas, I put my hand right on that man’s bald head!  Hee! Hee! Hee!  I thought it was a post! Right in here, dearie, right in here? (Sweetly to an imaginary occupant)  You’ll excuse us, please, excuse us?  It’s a shame to disturb these good people, Thomas.  I think I see some empty seats right over here.  Are you coming, Thomas? (Pass several occupants)  My, it is as dark as a thunderstorm! (Start to sit in imaginary chair left of real chair: bounce up and fall into real chair)  Hee! Hee! Hee! Why, Thomas, I sat right down on that young feller’s lap! (To imaginary occupant)  You’ll excuse me, won’t you?  You’ll excuse an old lady? (Much embarrassed, you fan vigorously) Oh, I’m all out of breath.  I’m all a fluster.  I—I—I----------------- (You stop fanning gradually as you see picture and are struck dumb with astonishment.) Well, well, well!  I-wish-I-may-never-stir!  Did you EVER in all your BORN DAYS see ANYTHING like it!  Oh, how big they look!  Regular giants!  And what large eyes!  And-------OH, HE’S GOING TO SHOOT HER! (Gasp and fan vigorously) Now, anyone that read that reading can be embarrassed for me.  Believe it or not, when I did a reading, it went over very well.  It was a different age and people were much more easily entertained!  When I was ready to return to Provo, my speech teacher came to my house and told me and my mother that I must stay with dramatics.  He said I had a rare talent.  Did I mention that he had asked me out for a date at one time?  Of course I said, “No.” I am getting ahead of myself. Jean Marie and I were asked to be in some pageant.  I still don’t know what it was all about.  It might have been trying out for a county ‘something.’  I told them I didn’t want to do it, but Jean Marie talked me into it.  I didn’t have any talent except for giving readings.  I can’t image what Jean Marie did.  We were the two girls chosen to represent Salina.  I think we had fun but I can’t remember anything else.  If it hadn’t have been for the pictures I have, I would have forgotten all about it.  By the way….I didn’t win whatever it was. Christmas  One Christmas I went up the canyon with some friends.  One of the guys helped me find just the right Christmas tree.  We cut it down and brought it home.  Trees look a lot smaller in the forest.  My dad took one look at that tree and went to get the saw.  He had to take at least a foot off from it and still, we had a tree that almost touched the ceiling.  Such fun memories! Jean and Keith came to visit us one Christmas.  They brought lots of records with them as gifts for me.  I was a normal teenager and was just ecstatic!!  I can see me now, down on the floor with my little record player, playing those great records!!  Such a wonderful Christmas for me!  Jean always had a way of knowing what to get me for Christmas.  When I was young, it was paper dolls and coloring books.  One Christmas when I was older, she gave me a box with Evening in Paris perfume and body powder.  Oh, how I loved that!!  She even went online a year or so ago and found Blue Waltz, the perfume we had loved as children (given to us by a young married woman).  She gave it to me for my birthday.  I still have it.  Mother always did the cooking.  I never did.  I did dishes.  I mopped floors, vacuumed and dusted.  One time I was being so thorough, I moved the piano to clean behind it.  I wrenched my back and could hardly move the rest of the day.  I’m sure it was the first time I injured my back and I did it periodically after that. For our Seminary graduation, our teacher took us to Bryce Canyon.  We stayed in the Lodge.  It was so fun to hike and enjoy that unique, beautiful place.  I remember running down those rock steps leading to the floor of the canyon.  So exhilarating!  While we were there, Cecil Sorensen and another young man showed up.  This was the first time Jean Marie and I met him.  Jean Marie nabbed onto Cecil, for which, looking back, I am very grateful.  Cece told me later he had wanted to go with me; but then I probably would never have met Scott.  Jean Marie did marry Cecil shortly after we graduated from school.  I won. Junior officers. Class picture