As a 1970’s Caverna Elementary School student in Horse Cave, Kentucky I did what all kids across the state did every Friday. I went to the cafeteria for fish stick day.
“The teacher lines up the whole third grade. Ooh Ahh Yum Yum It’s lunchtime now and we can’t wait Ooh Ahh Yum Yum Friday’s here! We’re excited We’re delighted Fish stick day! Fish stick day! RUN, RUN, RUN to the Cafeteri-A!”
As a college student at Western Kentucky University I did what all cool, pseudo-punks did on Thursday night. I went to Picasso’s to drink beer and hear our favorite local band, Government Cheese.
In that tightly packed dive bar I was mystified to learn how beloved Friday fish stick day was with my Generation X peers. The dance floor was packed and everyone shouted “OOH AHH YUM YUM!” as we bounced up and down like we were dancing on pogo sticks. It was a ritualistic celebration of our shared rural childhoods.
But I felt like a faker. I had a deeply held secret. I hate fish! Friday was Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookie Day! Ohh, Ahh, Yum, YUM. I traded those disgusting fish sticks for the ultimate comfort food made with cocoa, butter, peanut butter, milk, oats and vanilla.
Government Cheese performing “Fish Stick Day” at a reunion show. Age and sobriety a difference.
The Yoga Cowgirl 
Oh dear, we weren’t lucky enough to have fish sticks on Friday in elementary school in the 1960s. Or at least I don’t remember having them… Too bad you didn’t care for them but at least you found a way to make the best of the situation! Glad your cookies didn’t have raisins. Everybody seemed to love raisins when I was a kid — except me!
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1970’s Kentucky was all about Fish Sticks. The real story is my still beloved. Chocolate NoBakes. More to come. Oh, like pineapple, raisins should never be cooked!
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And I remember longing for Fish Stick Friday in my 1950s grade school years! I loved them, and if I nagged long enough, sometimes I’d get them for Sunday supper at home, too. Even now, I sometimes pause in front of them at the grocery store, but I’m smart enough to know that the reality never would match the memory.
However: there’s also this. When I read “Horse Cave, Kentucky,” I wondered if it might have been somewhere near my first experience of Kentucky. It’s actually pretty close. My parents’ best friends lived in Clay, near Sturgis. We’d go to visit almost every year, and one of my best memories is of taking the two-car ferry across the river — a ferry pulled by ropes. Amazing. There’s even a photo of me, my mom, her friend and the friend’s kids. I’m the baby.
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The link doesn’t show up as a different color on my screen; it’s the words “I’m the baby.”
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Thanks, let me look!
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I am stumped. The linked worked for me. Try this as you dance like you are a 21-year-old in 1989! https://youtu.be/GuuUs2kG4rk
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The link worked for me to, but if I didn’t know it was there, I wouldn’t have noticed it, because the text was the same color. It’s a mystery!
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Well, I’ll say this for the song — it has energy!
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I misunderstood your previous comment!
LOVE the photo! What fun.
I remember a hand pulled ferry from my childhood when I was with my grandparents in very rural West Ky. Scared me.
There is still a ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park that I often have to cross. Even as an adult I still hate ferries! Funny what stays with us.
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Ah, the nostalgic moments from our younger days. I love it, thanks for sharing Sarah ❤ going for my 1st float therapy session today, I’m so excited 😊
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Yes!!! I want to hear how it goes for you!
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I will report back, absolutely!
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Hahaha! I don’t recall having a special fish stick day at school and I was rather indifferent to them. We sometimes ate them at home when Mom and Dad went out for dinner.
I just looked at my chocolate no-bake recipe about 5 minutes ago, I swear! Thinking it’s time to make a batch.
I was on that ferry at Mammoth Caves just a few years ago. Looking for a camp site, but ended up staying at a state park instead (neither was a good option – should have gotten a hotel room😆).
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I LOVE no-bakes!
Sounds like you were looking for a camp site at Maple Springs and ended up at Nolin (pronounce no-LYNN) State Park. You were officially in the back end of nowhere!
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Yeah, it didn’t have much to recommend it. And a noisy generator to keep me awake all night.
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