My Favorite Class at Lee

Craig Bannecke

LHS ‘65

I suppose my favorite class at Lee was Ms. Minnie Hedden's Art Class, which I usually took in 6th period. Drawing had always been a favorite of mine and probably partly responsible for my not making better grades than I did. It was simply because I was always doodling and drawing when I should have been listening. But, Ms Hedden knew art and I learned a lot about visual design, drawing, composition, and layout. 

All these and other art skills served me well in college as I majored in Graphic Design at Florence State/UNA. Another asset to the Art class was J.L. Boone who, besides being a hoot and us always keeping one another laughing, J.L. was a very creative artist himself. He and I both, did a lot to use our Art skills to support the cheerleaders, Key Club, Art Club, and many other school functions that required an artistic touch.  

I'm not sure where J.L. went to college, but I remember he or someone telling me at one of our reunions years past that he was head of Graphic Design for Southern Living. I went on to become a Civil Service illustrator, and then a Visual Information Specialist. Ultimately I became a Director of a Training Support Center (TSC) at Fort Gordon, GA. An Army installation TCA was the sole source for providing all graphic, photo, audiovisual, auditorium, and training device production and support to the Installation. 

I can thank Ms Hedden for keeping that spark of creativity alive and well in me while at Lee. 

The Wayback Machine

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

Once again, as I was doing my daily walk last week and listening to Oldie Goldies as is my normal custom, I heard a song that sparked a memory of the past. It was a hit before Lee High School days, but we were old enough to remember it. I asked the Wayback Machine to play that song for me.

It was a foreign language song, which I never knew the words to, but below I give you the English translation. Don't scroll farther down yet, and see if you recognize the song with the translation.

I think a dream like this never comes back

I painted my hands and face blue

Then, suddenly, I was kidnapped by the wind

And I began to fly in the infinite sky

Flying, oh, oh

Singing, oh, oh

In the blue-painted blue sky

Happy to be up there

And I flew, I flew happily higher than the sun

And even higher

While the world slowly disappeared far down below

Sweet music was playing just for me

Flying, oh, oh

Singing, oh, oh

In the blue-painted blue sky

Happy to be up there

But all dreams in the dawn vanish because

When the moon goes down, it takes them with it

But I keep dreaming in your beautiful eyes

Which are blue like a star-studded sky

Flying, oh, oh

Singing, oh, oh

In the blue of your blue eyes

Happy to be up there

And I keep flying happily higher than the sun

And even higher

While the world slowly disappears into your blue eyes

Your voice is sweet music that plays for me

Flying oh, oh

Singing oh, oh

In the blue of your blue eyes

Happy to be down here

In the blue of your blue eyes

Happy to be down here

With you

"Nel blu, dipinto di blu", popularly known as "Volare" is a song originally recorded by Italian singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno. Written by Modugno and Franco Migliacci, it was released as a single on 1 February 1958.

The song spent five non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in August and September 1958, and subsequently became Billboard's number-one single for the year. In 1959, at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards, Modugno's recording became the first-ever Grammy winner for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Winning the eighth Sanremo Music Festival, the song was chosen as the Italian entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958, where it came in third place out of ten songs in total. The combined sales of all the versions of the song exceed 18 million copies worldwide, making it one of the all-time most popular songs to come out of Sanremo and Eurovision.

Thanks to Cecilia LeVan Watson and Woody Beck for following up on my Limbo request last week. Woody even sent in a photo of him doing the Limbo at a party at the Russell Erskin Hotel while Buddy Miller (and two unidentified people) watched. Does anyone recognize the mystery guests?

LEE LUNCH BUNCH

FOR THE CLASSES OF  ’64, ’65, ‘66

CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL

 Thursday, October 26, 2023

11:00 AM

Please save the date for our group’s fall lunch gathering. We will once again meet at Carrabba’s Italian Grill located on the upper parking level of Parkway Place Mall in Huntsville. We have a reserved area that will accommodate our group. I received many compliments this past spring about us meeting there since there is no charge for the space, the food is good, and they are so very nice to us. Carolyn Burgess Featheringill ’65,  arranged for our class of ’65 to meet there at least the last couple of reunion weekends, and everyone seemed to enjoy those times as well. Perhaps I will be able to find us a new place to try for next spring.

October is a great time for fall road trips, so if you do get out on the road, make Huntsville one of your stops to join your group for lunch.

Please do let me know at least by the morning of the day before if you plan to come so I can tell the restaurant a fairly accurate count.

Thanks and hope to see you soon!

Patsy Hughes Oldroyd ‘65

keithandpatsy@att.net  or Facebook

H (256) 232-7583

C (256) 431-3396