Bring back the smoking pit!

[Scott Humphryes]

As some of you know, there used to be a smoking pit outside of Oak Hall at HHS. Sadly, I missed out on the opportunity to enjoy the experience of smoking a few butts between classes with my peers. As a consequence of this, I regretably didn't take up smoking full-time until well after high school, undoubtedly hampering my social skills and directly contributing to my poor performance in school, as well as my inability to "become a man" until my early thirties. If we really care about the future of the next generation as we claim, let's do the right thing and give these kids a place to smoke.

[Jimmy and Linda Stone Holmes]

The reason the smoking pit was closed in 1986 is that there were a couple of fires in the woods behind Oak and one was even a 5 alarm!!!! Pressure from the Board and parents also contributed to the decease of the pit but the fires and a few black eyes and blood didn't help. jdh

[Jimmy and Linda Stone Holmes]

I personally think it was a disgrace and a discrimination against females (lawsuit pending). The girls restroom by the boys gym was the female hideaway to smoke. You could always walk between Oak and the Art Room with a guy and steal a few puffs. Glad I stopped 35 years ago. LSH

[Becki Jacks Burchfield]

I'll help you, Linda, and we'll get some more and make it a class action suit. I remember one time the only guy I knew well enough to ask was Daniel Johnson and he had an unfiltered Camel. I almost choked to death on it.

[Eddie Weaver]

Actually girls finally got the right to smoke while i was there. Think it began the 73-74 school year.

[Joe V. Potts]

Back in '63-'66 --- we called it the "hollow" and you had to bring a note from your parents to smoke. Of course, we forged the notes !.

[Ken Helms]

Yeah David Dillard caught the woods on fire twice and the second time, they had to call the fire department and evacuate the Oak Building. After that no more smoking. Sorry you never got the chance to smoke in school.

[Irish Hester]

I remember it catching on fire but I didn't know David caused it! LOL God, he was a character!

[KATHY SOUTHALL BUSBY]

oh, I remember that like it was yesterday!

[Kevin Hawkins]

It is a shame that they closed the smoke pit. This forced dozens of trailers to huff brake fluid behind the band room after they finshed their Carlton 100 they stole from their Dad that morning. Opening the smoke pit would give the fire department something to do besides washing that stupid fire truck everyday and going to Iron Works.

[Richard Maxwell]

I just thought they moved it to the field house parking lot. That's where we always went.

[Regina (Pitts) Mayfield]

That is funny...I thought in was in the girls bathroom in the Oak building!! Glad I gave up smoking 15 years ago!!

[Jim Morgan]

It was good while it lasted... I remember the fire of the smoke pit... And someone caught it on fire....Come to think of it was David....Just moved to the parking lot and the bathrooms...Getting caught was always fun...I remember they mad me pick up paper around the school...which I did not I just took the that time to walk around and smoke some more...