Elm Street: Memories of a Home

by Scott Douglas Vaughan

In 1965, Frank Wilcox and his friends enter Acorn Primary School in Acorn, Georgia—about forty miles north of Atlanta. Over the next eight years, Frank and his close friends grow up together through the school and their nearby hometown. Fun-loving Charlie Keller, thoughtful Lester Freemont, kind Pete Yancey, and loyal Wendell Mann all play important roles in Frank’s world as he comes of age.

While written as fiction, Frank’s childhood adventures are closely based on the childhood memories of author Scott Douglas Vaughan. In Frank’s new love of writing, readers can see the seeds planted for Vaughan’s own communications career.

Vaughan’s tales include obsessing over school spankings, exploring an old house with Cub Scout friends, confronting a school bully, struggling with the cursed honor roll, ushering at Georgia Bulldogs football games, and many other adventures from school yard to the Acorn courthouse square. In vividly written stories, Frank gets his first look at the world beyond the family farm. With the support of his parents, other relatives, and wonderful teachers he learns how to dream big and pursue his goals.

This series of wholesome stories will bring out the child in all of us.

348 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2016

About the author

Scott Douglas Vaughan has been paid to write for more than 40 years, starting with a submission to his hometown newspaper when he was 12 years old.
He is a former award-winning writer for newspaper members of both the Georgia and South Carolina press associations. He is a professional public speaker, writing his own speeches and the illustrations (stories) within them.
As a lifelong professional communicator, he has served organizations, including churches and small businesses, with strategic communication planning.
Scott has written two books, Brookwood Road (www.brookwoodroad.com) in 2014 and Elm Street (www.elmstreetmemories) in 2016. Both books are fiction based on Scott's stories from his life growing up in 1960s and 1970s north Georgia.
Scott is a board member for the South Carolina Writers Association.
Scott has been married for 31 years. He and Vicki have four grown sons and one daughter-in-law.

Reviews

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book paints a picture of school like no other. Growing up is hard and being a student at a young age is hard as well. This book was a down home view of life in school and all that comes with it. Frank and his friends go through school where they face bullies, spankings, and all the normal childhood antics. 

This book was heartwarming in many ways. It brought me back to my school days when mischief was bound to happen and when parents and teachers could bring you to the brink of fear, but they could also be the ones to make your day better. I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and well written. It was exciting to see what this group of kids could get into. Great read all around! 

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[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a terrific story teller Scott Vaughan is!--his pacing, his timing, the build-up, with just the right amount of dry humor slipped in like a mischievous wink. A true pleasure. And...a particular accomplishment in these times...to pen a memoir that flows from honest gratitude without a lick of saccharine. Scott Vaughan's unassuming authenticity makes you hope he'll take you along a few years more, with at least one more book about Frank Wilcox.

[Al Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following up on his first book Brookwood Rd., we find Frank Wilcox starting school and beginning new adventure and mis-adventures with his new friends. Anyone who attended school in the 1950s and 60s will have a great appreciation for Elm Street. Scott Vaughan weaves a wonderful set of stories from childhood featuring a cast of characters everyone can identify. The class clown, the straight A student, the quiet unassuming one, and of course the trouble making bully. Vaughan's character Van Piper seems destined for a career in the Georgia penal system, (not as a corrections officer), and the worst nightmare is a hilarious ride from the past.

Every elementary school teacher will find humor and inspiration within the pages of Elm Street. I enjoyed this book immensely, recalling my own memories like they happened yesterday instead yester-year. I hope everyone who reads this book will recommend it to a friend. Great job Scott! Bravo......Please give us more.

[Bren Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

These memories echo my memories

Like Frank, I grew up in the rural South during the sixties and early seventies. I remember clackers, Joey Heatherton, Laugh-in, and the tension between the emerging protest movement against the Vietnam war, for civil rights and women's rights led by the younger generation, and the horror, anger, and confusion this rebellion caused in adults. I remember the adults who taught me in Sunday School at the Waldheim Methodist church and the teachers who guided me at Fifth Ward Jr. High, a school not unlike Acorn Community School where children attended from first grade through ninth grade. My children did not experience a childhood like Frank and I did. Neither will my grandchildren. But if they can someday catch a glimpse of it through these stories, then I am very grateful to Scott Vaughn for bringing it back to life.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful nostalgic look back to a simpler time, but a time of change. Vaughan blends the innocence and joy of a simple childhood with growing up in the 60s. Television was coming into its own. Rock and Roll was evolving. Counter culture was beginning. The Vietnam War was ongoing. Everyday life was coming up against all the changes in the world, even in small town America. Vaughan's stories, set in rural Georgia, resonate with honesty for all of America in the 60s.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a time in American culture when the landscape was dotted with small towns. Where men and women attend county fairs and when people knew their neighbors and cared about one another children as their own. This book is a collection of short stories about small town elementary and junior high life during the 1960's and early 1970's. The author brings to life the bittersweet memories of growing up and leaving child hood behind. A very good read bringing back a lot of good memories!!!!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scrumptious!

I was so excited when this book came out. Brookwood Road was so good that I knew a continuation of the tales would be worth a read. Now I'm looking forward to the next book. High school, dating, maybe on to college? I'm sure there are more stories rolling around inside Scott's memory. I will be watching and waiting...

Amendment: Ah, I just found Hickory Trail! Fabulous! The story continues to unfold for Frank. ❤️ Ok, back to reading...

Thank you Scott!

[Ally Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Excellent and simply written, a good ‘read aloud book’ about days bygone. This is the second book I’ve read from this author

[Vicki Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott does a great job reminding all of us of public school, the times that shaped our lives, and the value of those first friends. He is a great story teller.