The Great Paperbag Escapade
Police draw guns on paperbagged Dreher students
By David Adams

Most students didn't anticipate attending assembly at Dreher in 1963. Listening to a boring speaker or watching a silly musical just didn't motivate us, so we would cut assembly as much as possible.

The administration knew we would do this, so they would position male teachers, coaches, etc., around the perimeter of the auditorium to stop us. Of course, we could out run them and escape, but they would recognize us. When we returned to school they would call us to the office for punishment. We had to devise a better plan of escape: DISGUISES!! PAPER BAGS WERE THE ANSWER!!

There were about 10 of us in the beginning when we designed our "bags," painstakingly painting them to resemble our favorite teacher. But when the appointed date came, most chickened out. Only Alex Graham, Robert Mullis, Jack Turner, and myself carried out the grand scheme.

We donned our bags and raced out of the side door of the auditorium facing Millwood Avenue. We could see Mr. Culberson, Mr. Branch, and other teachers start to chase us. Running as fast as we could and crossing Millwood, we realized we had a problem we didn't anticipate. The bags bounced around our heads so we couldn't see through the eye holes we had cut.

We were lucky not to have been run over by cars.

Passing through the bank parking lot, we headed down Devine Street towards Five Points. As planned, we had out distanced the teachers.

When we arrived at the corner of Sims Avenue, we stopped to catch our breath (even 16- year- olds get winded). Just then, we heard our names and saw Barry Kight and Henry Jacobs in Barry's car. They were even slicker than us! They were cutting the whole day! As we were climbing into the car, all hell broke loose. THE COPS!!! It seemed like all of the Columbia Police Department were there, and they had guns drawn!

The police thought we had robbed a bank! After talking with us for a few minutes, they realized there was no bank robbery, but they were a little puzzled about why we were running around with paper bags on our heads and not in school. They took us back to Dreher, and by the time we got back, assembly was over and regular classes were starting. We were led up the steps of Dreher, and we received a hero's welcome! Students were hanging out of the windows hooping and hollering at us.

We were taken to see the principal, Mr. Whittinghill. I have never seen a man so upset. He almost seemed ready to cry. Naturally, we were kicked out of school for a few days, and our parents were notified. More trouble awaited us at home, but that's another story!