Did roughly two miles going and coming from grades 7 to 12 in all weather. If my mother was working I would wear jeans so I would get sent home to change into something “legal” for school. I told the teacher that I lived two miles away and that it would take me a few hours or so to complete the journey - it didn’t matter, so, I got a free pass from the Man to skip school for a half a day or so.
In Jr. High We had an "Insider" that worked in the Attendance Office that checked US in after We went to Our first Class they made Us show to be Present for the remainder of the day.
We could walk almost all the way back to Home via the drainage ditches. We'd pop up at the Quicki Mart and buy a few Quarts of Coke(in the glass bottles) to mix Rum & Cokes with and back down in the ditch until We only had 1/2 a block to the House where We drank, cooked Baked Potatoes and Rib Eyes for the rest of the day.
Yes We were considered the Heathens of the Neighborhood.