Fifty-five years ago when nearing high school graduation day, as chairman of the class gift committee, I approached the high school principal to get a suggestion as to what the class might leave to the school with our left-over funds. You know -- maybe we could purchase a flag for the auditorium or provide a bit of landscaping outside. Well... he looked me right in the eye and told me, in no uncertain terms, that the school was taking our left-over money and adding it to the general fund -- that the school did not want to remember our class. He went on to say that he had 21 diplomas on his desk that he was thinking of withholding." (He also took away our class outing.) It was stunning. He was usually such a kind man in red socks. Not sure what I said in response (probably nothing), or how I reacted (other than shock), but ... the memory of his anger has stuck with me. I find the whole thing somehow amusing in retrospect, because I grew up with those people the school didn't want to remember. I was one of them, and I always have wanted to remember them. Still do. People you grow up with are special - shared memories are just one bond of many.
Looking back at the whole situation -- there was the organized "gathering" of the official signs of rival schools and a recurring "relocation" of the cannon in the city park ... both inconvenient to those adults supervising the youth of the time ... but nothing harmful or damaging really. (Well some of those school signs and perhaps a rather large concrete statue of a guardian lion somehow found their way inside the school and did scratch a counter, but that was "fixed" by a local factory owner. It seems that the owner of that company happened to have a son who may have been involved in that episode. Then again later on -- there was the lassoing of a car on Main Street that involved members of the Class of '67 on both sides of the issue -- culprit and police officer ... but I digress.... People of the Class of "67 know all about this. It is a bond we share really. Just one of them.)
For the most part though -- our class went on to good/important things. Many went on in various branches of the military to protect our country. One made the ultimate sacrifice in Viet Nam. Others went to work in local factories or on nearby farms, or continued their studies for one thing or another. Many married and had families. To be sure some had struggles. As my mom used to say, "We all have our own bag of rocks." For the most part though - normal stuff really. Times of hardship, times of triumph. Life is like that... a variety of challenges and successes. Sadness and happiness. Anyway -- talented in a huge variety of areas -- interesting people all.
See the thing is -- I just spent a large part of last weekend with some of the remarkable people of the Class of '67 during the events of our 55th reunion. As I moved throughout the gatherings, I heard many memories of our years together - some sort of scary and many that might have been/probably were a bit of a challenge to authority, but the class of '67 has a special place in my heart for sure. The weekend was a gift of laughter and of poignant moments. I am thankful to know these people and to have known them. I enjoyed spending time with them. I remember our growing up years. I always will. Special people, special times.
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