To some, Clarion seems like just your regular old college town. You could drive right through it without really noticing anything unique or amazing. To those of us who grew up within the confines of this magical little town, know that Clarion is so much more than what meets the eye.
1. The C-L/Clarion rivalry was the most important rivalry in all of sports.
Whether it is basketball, volleyball,baseball and of course the holy grail, football, every seat in the house is packed to see who will win the backyard brawl. Neighbors turn to enemies as these two high school's battle it out to see who will have bragging rights. I'm still not over several high school basketball games that I witnessed. Your heart either bleeds orange and black or blue and gold. Those loyalties never change.
2. The County Seat breakfast was a sacred ritual.
Growing up, I always went to The County Seat with my family after church. When I entered high school, anytime students had to be at school early for a test or a club event, fueling up on pancakes was a necessity. As I'm in my 20's, I now meet my friends at The Seat when I'm home from school to catch up with everybody and consume my body weight in delicious breakfast foods. I've been in college for 3 years, and the waitresses STILL know my drink order. The County Seat staff is a family and the minute you walk through the door, you're home.
3. Jumping off of Toby Bridge was a right of passage.
"Don't you dare jump off of that bridge, Jessica. You'll break your neck!" My mother said this to me, as I'm sure many mothers said this same sentence to various other children of Clarion over the years. Summers in Clarion are spent down at the river because if you don't have a boat, chances are, a close friend of your's does. Around the time the preteens of Clarion enter junior high, the dares to jump off of the bridge begin to circulate. Our parents thought we were stupid, but the bridge really isn't that high...right???
(My friend Derika jumping off Toby Bridge back in '09...don't worry she's a lifeguard)
4. 75% of your graduating class probably went to CUP.
Around Clarion, we aren't really overwhelmed with the possibilities for higher education. Most of my graduating class went to Clarion University. A friend of mine who goes there said she never goes a day without seeing at least 5 people that we went to high school with. Don't get me wrong, CUP is a fine university, but for those of you who went to C-L or Clarion the saying "High school never ends" takes on a whole new meaning.
5. One of the highest forms of entertainment is a gentleman's club called "The Sugar Shack"
The funniest part about The Sugar Shack, is it is ACTUALLY A SHACK. The dilapidated structure somehow always seems to have cars parked outside, though the business is a mystery. Over the years I have heard stories of a one-legged dancer and a mother-daughter act. I might just have to take a trip out to the "Shack" one of these days and see if any of these rumors are true.
6. Oldest debate in the history of time: Vinny's vs. The Pub.
HOW CAN YOU CHOOSE!? Pizza Pub is place to go after a victory at the ball fields. I have probably consumed 500 pizzas with my teammates over the years in my dirt-stained softball uniform. Vinny's Pizza is delicious and even more delicious over A.L.F. when I pay $1 for Buck-A-Slice. I can't and will not choose between these two beloved pizza joints. I love them both with all my heart. Pizza is bae.
7. You know everyone you went to school with...like everything about them.
I graduated with around 80 kids, one of the biggest graduating classes CHS has seen in a long time. On graduation day, there wasn't a single person I didn't know. In fact, I knew everyone's first and last name, where most of them lived, their hopes and dreams, their first kisses, their mother's maiden names and their blood types. These people were my family. People don't really move out of Clarion that often. Getting to know people in your grade was easy and inevitable. Now that I'm in college, I go to school with 8,000 people. Sometimes I miss knowing everything about everyone. It's nice knowing that people care about you and always have your back.
8. Clarion was way uglier until Mr. Jones and the art kids took over Main Street.
If you drive down Main Street, you will see beautiful works of art created by the kids of the art department of CHS. Mr. Jones and some very motivated students have made it their mission to provide Clarion with beautiful street art. What started has just one piece, has now turned into almost a piece on every single block. As an alumni of the program, one of my favorite parts of coming home is seeing what is going to be on the streets of Clarion next.
9. A.L.F...It's a marathon not a sprint.
Good lord, A.L.F. I don't have enough room in this article to discuss my love for the food at Autumn Leaf Festival. Every year, I get goosebumps when the booths arrive and begin to set up. I strategically plan out what I am going to eat on what days, as to not miss any of my favorites. Everyday there is new fun to be had, whether it be admiring old cars or buying crafts at the craft show. By the time the festival comes to an end, I'm ready to hibernate until it's time for A.L.F. the following year.
10. Summertime was spent at the ballfields behind BiLo.
Baseball and softball season officially meant that summer had arrived in Clarion, Pa. On the upper hill, the boys played baseball and girls would fawn over them. Down below, softball was played and this is where I spent a majority of my youth. At least half of my friends had their first kisses somewhere on the property of the baseball complex. In between games, we would wander off in the woods behind the senior league field or walk up to Sheetz for food. C-L and Clarion kids always became friends in the summer because so much time was spent together at the ballfields. For 3 months, no one cared what school you went to. We were all there for one thing: America's past time.
11. The first day of deer season is a bigger holiday than Christmas.
I've never seen a group of people get more passionate about hunting than the people of Clarion, Pa. We shut down our schools, for goodness sake! Most of the town can be seen wearing the traditional colors of the deer holiday season: orange and camo. Deer remains will be slung over car hoods and taken to O'Neil's to be processed. It is an honored tradition in the Clarion area, one that results in the most tasty jerky I have ever tasted.
