(Names edited to protect the innocent, (and a few REAL scoundrels!)
Monday, June 04, 2007
With several sleepless nights with excitement and anticipation of attending my first Center Grove Alumni Banquet it finally materialized on Saturday evening.
I began teaching at CG in 1957-58, and taught there for seven years. I did come back about three times after that time. The past couple of years either by telephone or e-mail or both I have kept in contact with several of my former students at CG, Jeff B.('67), Lanna M.-F.('66), Bill Y.('66), Kathy R.-W.('65), David R.('65), and Vernon W.('64),
Mary Lee and I arrived at the banquet about 5 p.m. with 4 posters in hand. Each poster had pictures of my sixth grade students for the classes of 1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, and 1960-61. Mary Lee and I had brought pictures from WV and we put the posters together so that the people at the banquet could enjoy them.
Jeff B., from my fourth year teaching, gave me a tour of the high school. I could not get over the enormity of the school, and how the school had grown in 50 years when I was there. I got to see where my first classroom was which was in the tunnel by the old gym. Then when I moved to teaching junior high, I saw the room that I taught before I left CG.
I returned to the cafeteria where the banquet was to be held, and I met Mary Lee there. It was so wonderful to be in that atmosphere. The attendance at the banquet was around 170. Mary Lee and I got to meet my first year student Vernon W. and wife, and his older brother, Ruel. I can still remember seeing Vernon for the first time in the seat in front of me with his wonderful grin. A table was designated for the Legan party at which we sat. It was such a pleasure to see Kathy R.-W., from my second year class, with others from the class of 1965 Danny F. and David J.. Jeff B. would come around frequently.
After the meal the program began. The classes of 1957 and 1967 were honored. Jeff did acknowledge before the group my attendance there which I appreciated so much. I did talk to other students from other classes in which I never taught but remembered them. We had such a great evening, and it was hard to see it end. It was also sad that more of the former students of my era were not in attendance.
Mary Lee and I will hold dearly the memories of that evening.
Mr. Legan
Thanks for the nice visual, Mr. L.!
Others that attended... got anything to contribute?
4 comments:
Just got back from visiting with Mr. V. He's not feeling very well but he looks good. He says he just doesn't feel like himself. He had just got into his chair from a nap when I got there.
Mr. V was delighted to hear that Mr. Legan came to the Alumni Banquet and said he wished he had gone. He said he thought Mr. Legan should have said a few words to the group while he was there!
It was a very nice Banquet. Wish more of our classmates could have joined us for the laughs we had.
Bo
Sorry it took so long to get this up on the blog, its been an industrious week (Nice way to put it anyway). I enjoyed the Banquet and learned some new things concerning our class, teachers, and other stuff! Really enjoyed visiting with Mr Legan and Mary Lee and Kathy R. I was in Miss Hicks class, but the stories and memories traveled throughout the old middle building. Hey Joker, a fellow named Alva Surface was mentioned several times with fond memories attached; and it was good to see several who had graduated in '64'. I talked with (this really ages me) three guys I played fast pitch softball against at Smith Valley Community Center my sophomore thru senior summers of high school; Barney Stewart, Bill Walker and Marvin Doty. They were all several years ahead of us in school, we were the young "hot dogs" as one fellow from E.U.B. there in the Old Valley used to call us.(I don't think it was a meant as a compliment), but Barney, Bill and Marvin were all good guys. Marvin still plays on a slow pitch team out in Danville every Wednesday morning with some other guy named Steve Witty.(That name is familiar). We remembered Mrs Ford (Music) and we recalled some of the songs that we sang and her rather "unique appearance" gold slippers and all! Kathy R. laughed about the accordion Mrs Ford ALWAYS had with her and I mostly remembered the portable electric keyboard she always carried with her.
We talked about the first sectional at Whiteland when we got snowed in. Kathy R. missed all the excitement, she went over to her Aunts? behind the store on 31 and stayed there that night. I remembered the lights all coming back on in the Gym and the horns and buzzers all going off and there was no one there to turn them off. Finally, someone turned all of the noise off and they decided to have a sock hop to keep everyone occupied. I remember that Ronnie Garner showed up with a really pretty good looking tall gal and they cleared the dance floor dancing the gitter bug or swing, but no one knew who the mystery girl was. It turned out that it was Ronnie's cousin (Ronda?) who had come to the game and ended up trapped with the rest of us. Ronnie really played it to the hilt and had the last laugh for sure. Well say, I had better stop this and get off of here. We did have a good time, and for those who couldn't make it this year but might be able to next year, try to get it on your schedule early, it could use some extra support from the class of '65'. And to Bo and Mr Legan, the joke I promised you will be on its way tomorrow. Best to everyone!
dj
DJ.
Mary Lee and I enjoyed our evening too with students of the past. You wrote a very nice article. So glad you left out the "sticky" stuff. ha
Waiting for an e-mail from you.
Best,
Mr. L
DJinIndy,
Thanks for the news from the alumni banquet, especially about my grandfather, Alva Surface.
The thing I remember most about Mrs. Ford was that platinum blonde hair and her acordian.
I went to almost all the basketball sectionals and tourneys and remember the 'snow in' in Whiteland, but didn't go to that one. Didn't it seem like we always had a snow storm around sectional time?
Again, thanks for the gossip, it brought back good memories.
Post a Comment