Unpublished Stories

Whatever year MLC started is when my mom, Sally Svitavsky, started there. I think I started when I was in second grade—so, 1968 I believe. I spent kindergarten and 1st grade in a conventional school. I was really shy and unhappy in this setting. Sally always told me one of the reasons she was so interested in being a part of starting MLC was to find a different type of school for me. At MLC I felt like I had been set free and I came alive. I became much more outgoing, made friends, and was very happy there. I had so much fun doing what I wanted to do and directing my own activities with my friends. When I started getting older and realized my reading skills were getting in my way, I lived in the reading room for a year and went through many levels of reading to gain grade-level competency and more. I did the same thing with math and other topics. My education at MLC was perhaps a bit uneven, but it spurred my creativity and my passion for learning. I really liked to be able to immerse myself in a subject. I’ll be forever grateful for my time at MLC. It felt like a big family. In our home room with all ages I felt like I had big brothers and sisters to help me. Later on I could help others in this way, too. The teachers were so fun, supportive, and interesting. It was a magical time in my life which I’ll never forget. (David Svitavsky, started in the 1960s)

I remember the early days of MLC. My homeroom teacher was Gail Brooks, I was in the B1 band, and I did artwork with Betty Mayther. After grade school, I continued to stay in MLC, through high school. I loved the freedom, to do art, and with music. My freshman year I was able to take classes outside of the school, at Lincoln and Jefferson high schools and on the swim team at the Arrow Club. MLC had so many great qualities. Being able to stretch myself from one school to another gave me the opportunity to get involved in many different musical programs. I remember the first time I sang at an art show in the auditorium at MLC. Betty Mayther was raffling off a quilt and my sister Ricia Smith [Parcher] was in a play. I sang You Are the Sunshine of My Life, and I got Tom Grant to accompany me. Wow that was a fun day. I also got to tour with the Jim Little stage band at Jefferson high school for two years. I graduated in 1980 and the graduation was on the River Queen on the Willamette River. At that time I was singing with my father's band, Carl Smith & the Natural Gas Company, and they hired them to play at the graduation ball. What a night to remember. I went on to be lead vocalist with the band. Since then I’ve done many music projects and made a full CD. My father has retired from music. I now work [circa 2018] with a '60s rock band in Portland and we tour the west coast area; so much fun (seymourband.info). My sister Ricia and I loved being part of MLC, and look forward to the reunion this year, 2018. (Carlee Smith, 1970s, student)

Sitting at my lunches with Zigi in the shop. Building a boat with him with our class. The exuberance of Betty every solstice. I have so many happy memories of MLC. (Anonymous, 1980s, student)

The High School performed the rock opera, Tommy, under Bob Anderson's tutelage. My son, Nigel, was one of the musicians. They all put their heart and soul into that performance, and I think Bob contributed more than a few bucks. What a guy! Also, I went to Camp Hancock with my daughter, Mariel. It provided so much opportunity for growth in a supportive and loving environment for 4th and 5th graders. I actually cried when we left. MLC was a rich and wonderful community experience. I now live in a co-housing community and am grateful for the ways that all community experiences have enriched my life. (Bev Stadick, 1990s, parent)

TO OUR CHAGRIN, these four stories, written in 2018, did not make it into the 50th Anniversary magazine published at that time. All offer praise and gratitude for the experiences MLC provided. The first is by MLC alumnus David Svitavsky, son of founding teacher Sally Svitavsky! The second is by alumna Carlee Smith, one of a remarkable and remarkably large group of professional musicians who emerged from MLC. The third is anonymous, nearly as short as a haiku. And the fourth is by Bev Stadick, parent of Mariel, and of Nigel who participated in a circa-2000 MLC production of The Who's rock opera Tommy. We are pleased to include them here at last.

Image excerpt, album cover, The Who's Tommy (ultimateclassicrock.com)