140519 May 19, 2014
The Class of 1964
50th Year Reunion
by Tommy Towery
LHS '64
If you click on the list above you will get a larger version of the picture which is much easier to read. Should you do so, you will see the names of the approximate 200 people who are listed on the official graduation announcement for that class. We know this is not a complete list of those we recognize as being members of the class of 1964, but it is the official announcement used for our graduation service.
This list has been color coded in red with our known list of those who are no longer with us. The names highlighted in yellow is the list of those we know who are officially registered to attend the upcoming reunion. Those who are not highlighted in red or yellow are the ones we really do not know about or the ones we do know their whereabouts or those we do but have failed to send in the required registration form to attend the reunion.
A small group of your classmates are working hard to plan the best possible reunion celebration which they are capable of doing, but are being hampered by not knowing exactly how many people actually plan to attend.
As of this date 24 registration forms are all that have been returned; only 24, representing 40 people who have signed up. This number also includes several names of members of other classes who understand that all are invited to help us celebrate this event. Members of the committee are working on several items that require an accurate head count including personalized name tags and a couple of items to commemorate this historic event. To do so they need to know how many to order.
According to the registration notice, June 1, is the deadline to return the form with payment. Although we know several others not already on the list who have said they will attend, they have yet to return their form as of this date.
Memphis, TN - I had a great but short visit to Huntsville last week for my speaking engagement at UAH. It was great to have dinner with Linda Taylor and Alice Preston and to talk over the plans for the upcoming reunion.
We still want the people from the other classes to know they are all welcome and invited to attend as well.
A Reflection Back to 1964
From My Book In Progress
Friday, May 15, 1964
136th Day - 230 days to follow
Clear
Walked to school and got there second period - I had to retype some of my project. The journalism class gave me a certificate today. Went to M's, then home. Just messed around till Paul picked me up at 7:00 P.M. and we went riding around. Went to M's at 8:00 P.M. and ate.
Went over to Brenda S.'s at 8:45 and talked to her till 10:45 P.M. Then Paul and I went out to J's and met Bob. Janice and Michelle came by later and we all rode around with them.
Mother and Clozell came in tonight but stayed over at Aunt Helen's. I came in at 12:15 A.M. because I thought they might be here. Pretty sleepy so I guess I'll go to bed.
This night was spent as many of my nights were, with me and my friends who “rode around” as stated in my day’s entry into the journal. It was a local teenage ritual enjoyed not only by me, but most of my crowd and crowds from the other schools as well. For us, it normally involved covering a route between Shoney’s Big Boy on the north end of our strip and Jerry’s Drive-In at the Southern end. Often we did not even stop to eat at either place, but just drove around through one place’s parking area several times then driving down to the other place and making laps through the other one’s lot as well. Repeat as often as it is still fun and the car still has gas. Both of these places had car hops and parking slots with speakers to place your order and then you waited until the car hop brought your food to you. Because of the built in wait period, it was often hard to tell who was really ordering food and waiting and who was just occupying a slot to watch the continuous parade of cars full of teenagers circle around.
Today, neither of the places still exists. A few years after I moved to Memphis Jerry’s went out of business and a couple of years ago Shoney’s did the same. As far as I know there was no replacement for them and the ritual of cruising as we knew it had vanished from society. It was actually a harmless activity, but wasted a lot of gas and time in some people’s minds. To us it was fun and a social activity involving real contact with our friends rather than today’s social contacts via computer social media web sites. The closest thing I know to this type of activity today is the antique car cruises that take place in various cities around the country. Here in Memphis car enthusiasts drive their collector’s cars over to a large parking lot and park to show them off. Other people drive to these events and walk around the lot looking at the cars put on display with their hoods open and the chrome equipped engines and custom interiors on display. Unlike my time when we drove around in cars and looked at people, today people walk around parked cars for social interaction.
It also makes me sad to look back at this day’s activity and remember the friends with which I had social contact on that day in 1964. Of all the friends I mentioned, I find myself only close to one still, and that is Janice. One I only see at reunions every five years, one I haven’t seen since graduation, and two were lost to cancer.
How I would love to go cruising with all of them one more time.
The 2000 Reunion Pictures
by Niles Prestage
LHS '65
Hearing your request for content in the last issue, it reminded me to send you this link to the 2000 Reunion slideshow that I did last year. Like the other two, it is made from the video, so all of these shots are pictures that were never taken!
From Our Mailbox
Subject: Rawhide Trivia
John Drummond
Clas of '65
1) The show began with a narration voice-over setting up the plot by Gil Favors, the trail boss.
2) The theme song was performed in two subsequent feature films: "The Blues Brothers" with Dan Akroyd and the late John Belushi. and the animated film "Shrek 2" with Mike Myers.
(Editor's Note: It was also in the animated movie "Happy Feet Two.")
