NEWS

Dover native writes about high school in 1959

SUSAN BLOOM
Correspondent

In 2012, as Francine Buono Moody's granddaughter was preparing to enter high school, Moody, 69, had an eye-opening revelation — that she'd been in her granddaughter's shoes some 50 years earlier.

"I found the French-English dictionary I'd used in French class at Dover High School in 1962 and realized I was part of history now," Moody, 69, said.

At the same time, she enrolled in a creative writing class at her local church, where she was asked to write about a significant memory from her past and found herself harking back to her early teens. Moody fished out a diary she'd kept during her first year of high school along with her yearbook, school newspapers, the program from a school play she'd been in, and even the beanie she'd had to wear as a freshman.

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"It was enough to give me some ideas," she said — and to draft what would become the first chapter of her 2013 book "Freshman in '59," a coming-of-age story about 14-year-old heroine Anne Duncan and her experiences growing up in Dover and navigating the excitement and anxiety that accompanied her first year in high school.

On Saturday, residents of Merry Heart Assisted Living in Succasunna enjoyed a presentation by Moody, who shared passages from the book and remembrances from a childhood in 1940s-1960s Dover.

Though a work of fiction, "many of the places and events in my book were real," she said, including school dances, "hang out" time at the local soda fountain, Saturday afternoon football games where she and her friends cheered on the Tigers, shopping at stores in downtown Dover such as J.J. Newberry's, where she worked as a 16-year-old, and walking down Morris & Prospect Streets to attend church.

"Dover was a unique and special place to grow up, with its nice little shops and hometown feeling," said Moody, a former teacher who graduated from Trenton State College and has lived in Carlisle, PA — a town which she fondly describes as "a lot like Dover was when I was growing up" — for the past 40 years.

With her debut book, Moody set out to inspire both young and old alike.

Once a freshman-year teacher herself, "I know that ninth grade can be a scary time for young people, who can be dealing with anxieties about fitting in, making new friends, and keeping old ones," she said. "I wanted teens to know that they're not alone — the feelings they have today are the same as the ones we had years ago and the theme presented in the book are truly timeless. The book even discusses the topic of bullying and how Anne meets the challenge."

While she hopes that the book can help young people gain strength and perspective, "I also thought that other seniors and Baby Boomers like myself might enjoy the opportunities that the book presents to reminisce about things and experiences from the past," said Moody, whose Saturday presentation included a display of vintage technology referenced in the book, including a rotary phone, a record player, and a typewriter, items which inspired lively dialogue among attendees about how life was years ago and how much technology has changed society since then.

"We were delighted to have Francine share her book with our residents because it offers a great look back to 1959," said Jovit Balagtas, activities coordinator at Merry Heart Assisted Living, a seven-year-old facility which currently houses 79 residents, one of whom is Moody's mother. "Our residents love to read, reminisce, and discuss history and they all enjoyed and were very interested in what she presented."

Though much has changed in the past half-century — including the original high school building that Moody attended in Dover, which still stands but currently houses an art school instead — she hopes that the enduring themes and emotions shared in the book will resonate with readers of all ages.

She currently presents on "Freshman in '59" to audiences at local book stores, coffee shops, and facilities like Merry Heart and looks forward to the possibility of writing a sequel, "Sophomore in '60."

"I hope older readers will enjoy reminiscing but also realize that the present is the best time and place to live," she said.

Francine Buono Moody's book, Freshman in '59, is available at Barnes & Noble, on Amazon, or through Tate Publishing at www.freshmanin59.tateauthor.com.

Do you have a high school memory to share? Email eabreu@dailyrecord.com