Third-grade photo capture's Obama's grin

[bigtree]

A former Manoa resident sent President Barack Obama an old photo of the two of them taken while they were third-grade classmates at Noelani Elementary School, requesting an autograph more than six months ago. He recently received the autographed picture back, as well as a personally signed thank-you note.

Scott Inoue, now a chiropractor in Stockton, Calif., said the small, black-and-white photo had been stashed away for almost 40 years at his childhood home in Manoa. For some reason, Inoue said, as he was growing up he always remembered that photo and wondered what became of "Barry."

The picture -- with the words "Scott & Barry 3rd grade 1969" scribbled at the bottom by Inoue's mother -- shows Obama almost a head taller than Inoue, with their arms around each other. Against a background of Christmas tree drawings, Obama is smiling more broadly than the shyer-looking Inoue.

"He was a lot taller than me; he towered above most of us. I don't know why I remember that photo, but maybe it's because he had one of those personalities. Possibly because he was the only African-American" in a school predominantly attended by Japanese, Inoue said.

read more: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20091228_third_grade_photo_captures_obamas_grin.html

[Froward69]

1. Every AMERICAN Kid in the 70's

Had that same plaid shirt...

:rofl:

Nice story.

[Yavin4]

12. That's Why The 70s Rocked!!!

Plaid shirts, baby!

[Ilsa]

2. How sweet, to find a pic of yourself with the POTUS!

There's a pic for next year's Christmas card!

[Phx_Dem]

3. Can you imagine digging that old photo out! Here's me the President of the U.S.

in third grade! LOL

Love it.

[Cha]

18. Really!!

[Adelante]

4. Adorable, but wasn't he living in Indonesia that year?

Maybe he spent more time in Hawaii than we knew, but I thought he lived in Indonesia from age six to ten?

The article says:

Widely published biographies say Obama lived in Indonesia from 1967 through 1971, and none mention his third-grade year at Noelani, Inoue acknowledges. But he said Obama attended at least part of his third-grade year at Noelani in 1969, perhaps during a visit back to Hawaii, and moved away.

Interesting.

[silverweb]

8. It was Christmas-time.

Maybe it was just a holiday visit to his grandparents, with a couple of weeks in the local school.

My feeling is that even if he was only in Hawaii for a brief time that year, his mother would not let him skip on school.

[Adelante]

9. Yeah, that's what I think, too

Of course, it will become part of conspiracy lore one way or other. We can bank on that.

[silverweb]

10. Of course.

That's a given. :eyes:

[silverweb]

13. I just revisited this thread and received a shock.

It appeared as though my last post to you, with the eye-roll, might seem to have been directed at you rather than at who I intended, the conspiracy theorists.

It's much too late to edit, so if it appeared that way to you, I sincerely apologize for not being more clear. I do hope you understood my comment in the way it was intended -- directed at the loons.

[Adelante]

21. No worries

I didn't take it for me :)

[silverweb]

23. Good.

Thanks. :)

[Kind of Blue]

5. Aww, they're so cute! Thanks for posting this.

KnR

[tabatha]

6. Wondeful picture.

I thought Obama was supposed to be at a Muslin school at that age - why all the Christmas tree drawings?
(sarcasm)

[FrenchieCat]

14. He actually never attended a Muslin school.....

except when Teabaggers look into their teacups while watching reruns of the Twilight Zone....

[denem]

7. "Scott & Barry 3rd grade 1969" - Noelani Elementary School. That's strange.

[Cha]

19. Why is it "strange"?

[bigwillq]

11. Great pic.

K and R

[Arctic Dave]

15. Is Obama flashing a gang sign?

:hide:

[Renew Deal]

16. It's outrageous that Obama betrayed his "progressive" base in the cafeteria by not standing up

against "religious" celebrations in school like Christmas! I'm voting for anyone but Obama in 2012!!!!! :argh:

[Adelante]

22. LOL

There you go :hi:

[Cha]

17. Verklempt!

So sweet:cry::)~ Barry became Barack and the rest is History:patriot::dem::party:

[Clio the Leo]

20. Second cutest thing I've seen all day! NT

[MzShellG]

24. Awwwww.....tooo cute

And Sasha sort of favors him from this picture.

[quiet.american]

25. Glad to be the "44th" rec on this. :) nt

[Scurrilous]

26. K & R

:thumbsup: