By age 15, his skills as a cartoonist were rapidly evolving, as evidenced in contemporaneous notebooks.[1]
Daniel began high school as a sophomore, at age 15. In a notebook he drew a very fine comic strip about his anxiety about entering high school band.[2]
Even though he experienced the rigors of major depression he had in junior high school, as soon as he recovered he seemed to forget it ever had happened. As was his wont throughout the years, he repeatedly romanticized the past. In 10th grade, this is demonstrated by comic strips idealizing his junior high school.[3] Later, possibly before leaving for Abilene Christian University, a thing he dreaded, he wrote a song called “I Dream of High School,” idealizing his time at Oak Glen, though his time in high school had its series of ups and downs.[4]
[1] Many pages in NB76A, previously NBZ076. (There is some great Sassy Fras stuff on p. 11.)
[2] NB76A, pp. 25-26
[3] NB76A, pp. 25-26
[4] NB80F, p. 134