A Midland Memory

By Dean Fullinwider '51

Introduction:

Paul Squibb and dear Louise founded the school the same year I was born, 1932. I have never known a couple more dedicated to what they believed in. My mother heard about Midland from a friend - sent me there to by-pass the pitfalls awaiting me at Oxnard Union High School. She taught high school courses (typing, short hand & journalism) in an effort to raise my brother and me after a divorce during the heat of the depression. We had moved to California from Colorado because she had been offerred a substantial increase in salary. She taught one year there and gave up teaching forever. I have a short but very important (I hope) message that just might stick in the minds of one or two.

The story:

Shortly after graduation in 1951, I enlisted in the Air Force and found myself at Parks AFB near Pleasanton in the Bay Area. My grades at Ventura Junior College were not good enough for me to avoid the draft any longer (to me it was either fly over it all or crawl into the muddy, freezing cold trenches - I chose the latter). During basic training I was presented the opportunity to enter pilot or navigator training due to a shortage of both at the time. I spent two full days taking exams which, I felt sure I would flunk since C's were all I could muster through my 4 years at Midland. After it was all over and done with, I was told that 95% of the applicants had flunked and that I was in the 5% who had been accepted - yes, with my C's from Midland, I had made the top 5%. My eyes were slightly less than perfect so I went on to become a navigator & radar bombardier on our our most sophisticated long range bombers, the B-47's & B-52's. I don't say this to brag, but to make the point of what Midland made me - a Major out of an Airman Basic in less than 10 years. I have Paul & Louise Squibb, Ben Rich, KG Moore, my dear Mother and God to thank.