Russ Swain

Yeah, that's exactly right. My mom was 46. years old when I was born, so I was essentially being raised by someone of other kids' grandparents' era. Penmanship was very important back in those days, and so my mother, who was also a schoolteacher, had been really strict about teaching us really good penmanship. It happened that my penmanship matched the penmanship style of the previous generation.

Yeah, that's exactly right. My mom was 46. years old when I was born, so I was essentially being raised by someone of other kids' grandparents' era. Penmanship was very important back in those days, and so my mother, who was also a schoolteacher, had been really strict about teaching us really good penmanship. It happened that my penmanship matched the penmanship style of the previous generation.

Yeah, that's exactly right. My mom was 46. years old when I was born, so I was essentially being raised by someone of other kids' grandparents' era. Penmanship was very important back in those days, and so my mother, who was also a schoolteacher, had been really strict about teaching us really good penmanship. It happened that my penmanship matched the penmanship style of the previous generation.

So being raised in Ogden, Utah, which is a ski town, we wanted to go skiing every chance we could. And so that meant we had to slough school. So I could write these really well-crafted excuse notes that looked like it was legitimately from someone's parents, because kids of this generation don't write with that kind of penmanship. And so I thought, this is easy.

So being raised in Ogden, Utah, which is a ski town, we wanted to go skiing every chance we could. And so that meant we had to slough school. So I could write these really well-crafted excuse notes that looked like it was legitimately from someone's parents, because kids of this generation don't write with that kind of penmanship. And so I thought, this is easy.

So being raised in Ogden, Utah, which is a ski town, we wanted to go skiing every chance we could. And so that meant we had to slough school. So I could write these really well-crafted excuse notes that looked like it was legitimately from someone's parents, because kids of this generation don't write with that kind of penmanship. And so I thought, this is easy.

Please excuse my son Ralph's absence from school. He has a dentist appointment, a doctor appointment, whatever.

Please excuse my son Ralph's absence from school. He has a dentist appointment, a doctor appointment, whatever.

Please excuse my son Ralph's absence from school. He has a dentist appointment, a doctor appointment, whatever.

and it worked and pretty soon kids that i didn't even know were coming to me asking me for excuses i need to slough i need to go skiing i need to do whatever and it worked really well the problem was we were skipping so much school that we were going to be grounded for life if we couldn't get our grades up also nobody's teeth are that clean come on right four times this month

and it worked and pretty soon kids that i didn't even know were coming to me asking me for excuses i need to slough i need to go skiing i need to do whatever and it worked really well the problem was we were skipping so much school that we were going to be grounded for life if we couldn't get our grades up also nobody's teeth are that clean come on right four times this month

and it worked and pretty soon kids that i didn't even know were coming to me asking me for excuses i need to slough i need to go skiing i need to do whatever and it worked really well the problem was we were skipping so much school that we were going to be grounded for life if we couldn't get our grades up also nobody's teeth are that clean come on right four times this month

That's exactly right. So now the grades are slipping and how are we going to fix that? And I thought if I can forge these excuses, how hard would it be to forge a report card? A little bit of paper and ink again. So I started manufacturing for my wayward friends report cards. And I'd say, hey, for a buck, I'll get you the excuse to get you in and out of class.

That's exactly right. So now the grades are slipping and how are we going to fix that? And I thought if I can forge these excuses, how hard would it be to forge a report card? A little bit of paper and ink again. So I started manufacturing for my wayward friends report cards. And I'd say, hey, for a buck, I'll get you the excuse to get you in and out of class.

That's exactly right. So now the grades are slipping and how are we going to fix that? And I thought if I can forge these excuses, how hard would it be to forge a report card? A little bit of paper and ink again. So I started manufacturing for my wayward friends report cards. And I'd say, hey, for a buck, I'll get you the excuse to get you in and out of class.

But then I'm going to have to have five bucks. And that was a good chunk of change.

But then I'm going to have to have five bucks. And that was a good chunk of change.

But then I'm going to have to have five bucks. And that was a good chunk of change.

Oh, this was in 1967, 68. You said five bucks for a report card. That's $47. Holy smokes. That'll get you a ski pass in those days, but it was worth it. And the well-heeled students in the class would come and say, okay, I need a report card.

Oh, this was in 1967, 68. You said five bucks for a report card. That's $47. Holy smokes. That'll get you a ski pass in those days, but it was worth it. And the well-heeled students in the class would come and say, okay, I need a report card.