Abo Elementary School

I went to Abo starting in 1979. I had a good time and a wonderful elementary career. I'll never forget the 3rd grade. I got swats 9 times because my teacher didn't like me.(I might have had a little something to do with it.) I'll never forget her, she smoked and drank a lot of coffee and stunk like an ashtray. I'll never forget the walk from the principles office back to my classroom drying my eyes as I walked through the cafeteria so no one in class knew I had been swatted....oh the good ole days......

Yep -- I certainly remember the basketball area, which I guess actually was the "roof" for a lot of the underground area. There were other neat aspects of that design -- it made a big hill that you could run down to the playgrounds for recess, and on those windy March New Mexico days, we would open up our windbreaker jackets and run down the hill as fast as we could, and pretend we were flying - it almost felt like it sometimes. My first grade year was 1966. I think our teacher was a Mrs "Hull" or "Tull" or something like that, but I can't recall for sure. I just remember she let us bring one toy from Christmas, one week, and Ray Holly & I brought our "Major Matt Mason" spacemen lol. I also had Mr. Anderson for music class. We used to have to do that music / dancing game where you hop between the moving bamboo poles, and no matter how careful you were, someone would always end up getting whacked really hard on the ankles, & tripping, etc....good times (LoL).

Dose anyone remember the sound of other classes at recess. I can still hear the echos of basketballs bouncing on the roof of our classroom. How about the roof leaking and running down the walls. I seem to remember something about kids picking the tar out of the cement joints.(ha)

Mrs. Tyson was one of the first grade teachers in 1962. Mr.and Mrs. Anderson were both teachers at Abo. Mrs. Anderson tought second grade and Mr. Anderson was the music teacher as I recall taking piano lessons from him at his home. I always thought they were rich because they had an indoor swiming pool, (got to swim in it once after a recital.ha.) I think my third grade teacher was Mrs. Barttlet. I don't remember to much about her except I thought she was very strict.I can confirm Mr.Settlemires memory of the school layout with three entrances and metal covered walkways. There was also an office above ground. Above the entrance doors leading down two flights of stairs I can recall the three triangle symbol for a fallout shelter. Nice to be part of a little bit of history. Abo 1962-1965

I only went to Abo for one year - 4th grade, which would have been 1969 or so. Didn't really think about it until several years ago when I wanted "Trinity and Beyond: the atomic bomb movie." What an amazing piece of history. I remember many details about the school... the padding on the walls of the classrooms which I suppose was meant for bedding. Also cartons of food and water stowed behind the padding. I recall one kid digging into chocolate bars and passing them all around. My teacher was Mrs. Laughlin. Mostly, I recall sitting on the floor in the combo cafeteria/theater and watching the scratchy old black & white doomsday films about atomic preparedness. "Duck and cover," and "Yertyl the Turtle." I guess life as we knew it could have ended any moment. God, I miss the Cold War.

Also, I don't believe the current photo of the school, above, is Abo -- unless thats partially done with ground-penetrating radar or or unless they built on top of the older structure, or something. The photo looks like its probably the newer school they built next door to replace Abo -- "Yeso Elementary" I think....From the air, Abo should look like a rectangular concrete slab, with 3 little "block-house" entrances on top and metal covered walkways connecting them.

I also attended Abo elementary from 1966-1971. Some of us grew up in that environment, just assuming that we would all work for NASA when we grew up. The school was leading edge for its day. I don't remember anyone ever being bothered by not having any windows, like I've read about in some articles. I always thought it was kind of neat and futuristic. I do remember feeling a little odd about the big lead doors (fallout shelter) at the top of each of the 3 entrances. Mr.Tillery was my favorite teacher. If anyone remembers the name of our first grade teacher, please post it here or send it. Her's is the only name I cannot recall...Thanks