Rites of Passage and Rituals of Humiliation: Circling the drain during the high school years of the 60's.

Rites of Passage and Rituals of Humiliation: Circling the drain during the high school years of the 60's.

In ancient cultures brief, intense rites and rituals mark the transition to adulthood. In America these trials are intense, but they are not brief. The rites and rituals are spread over a period of time we refer to as the high school years. The memories of the ordeals we weathered during this period remain with us throughout our lives. Whether we view that period as positive or negative, they are the times we cannot forget. An unexpected move from his suburban Chicago home has left fourteen year old Jerry Weis friendless and faced with starting over in the small Kansas farming community of Chanute. Blessed with neither athletic ability or scholarly dedication, he struggles to find not only friends, but also his identity. His attempts to navigate the crucial high school years will bring him face to face with challenges that range from school administrators and teachers, students, employers, dating, and even ministers seeking his salvation. Unfortunately, not all of his encounters can be chalked up as victories. Humorous and often touching, Jerry's efforts to deal with these years provide proof that not all of life's lessons are easy to learn or taught in the high school curriculum. Anyone who has made the journey from junior high school to the coveted diploma will find that Jerry's experiences bring to life the triumphs, near disasters, and misadventures of the high school years with both honesty and candor. It is a memoir that brings the past to life again.