When I graduated in 1967, there was only one high school in our area. Therefore students from two towns attended our high school. Students from the other town were somewhat better off than those in our town. Although we became friends with everyone, we tended to stick closer with those who lived in the same area.
Through the years, I've sadly only kept in contact with a handful of those friends. The fact that I went away and lived in Illinois for 34 years exacerbated that outcome.
A group of classmates from our class of about 400 students get together each month and for milestone reunions. I think I've only been to a couple of those reunions a long, long, long time ago. That button below was from one of those events. I was grateful for the buttons so I could identify classmates that stopped to say hello. And yes, that's Art's high school photo.
As the years pass, I'm even more reluctant to go to any reunion because my memory is so bad and I feel as though everyone has moved on to different lives or have kept in contact and know each other well.
My friend and classmate, Diane and I are both reluctant to go to these reunions. Her husband, on the other hand attends and enjoys his reunions regularly. He reminded us that those classmates who organize and host the reunions work very hard to try to get reluctant classmates like us to show up. Sigh... It's true. We know....
Art meets with his small group of high school friends every few months and they enjoy their time together updating each other on their lives and reminiscing about their high school days.
Still....
I'm reluctant. I'm such a gutless wonder.
Do you attend your high school reunions? Do you keep in contact with high school friends?
Through the years, I've sadly only kept in contact with a handful of those friends. The fact that I went away and lived in Illinois for 34 years exacerbated that outcome.
A group of classmates from our class of about 400 students get together each month and for milestone reunions. I think I've only been to a couple of those reunions a long, long, long time ago. That button below was from one of those events. I was grateful for the buttons so I could identify classmates that stopped to say hello. And yes, that's Art's high school photo.
As the years pass, I'm even more reluctant to go to any reunion because my memory is so bad and I feel as though everyone has moved on to different lives or have kept in contact and know each other well.
My friend and classmate, Diane and I are both reluctant to go to these reunions. Her husband, on the other hand attends and enjoys his reunions regularly. He reminded us that those classmates who organize and host the reunions work very hard to try to get reluctant classmates like us to show up. Sigh... It's true. We know....
Art meets with his small group of high school friends every few months and they enjoy their time together updating each other on their lives and reminiscing about their high school days.
Still....
I'm reluctant. I'm such a gutless wonder.
Do you attend your high school reunions? Do you keep in contact with high school friends?
I have gone to only a couple of my own, high school reunions, but have gone with my husband to all of his. He graduated from the same high school as I did, two years ahead of me, so I know quite a few of his classmates.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is a major "thing" that people in other cities do too, but here in the St. Louis area if anyone meets another person who grew up in the St Louis area, one of the first things discussed is what high school they went to.
Nah, I was the quiet sort of loner and no one would remember me.
ReplyDeleteI am my class locator and every year I send out a seven page class newsletter to all my classmates. I have done this for 22 years. A classmate of mine started that while he was still in college. He passed it on to a woman from Oklahoma City and she passed it on to another woman from Arkansas. My class was the class of 1953. We had nearly 300 members. I think there are 121 of us left. Of course, we are 84 and will be 85 this year. Our last reunion was our 60th, several years ago.
ReplyDeleteI have never missed a class reunion and I usually helped organize them.
ReplyDeleteHere's my story on why I don't go. In the midddle of 9th grade which was junior high we moved from MD to GA. There 9th grade was highschool and it included 8th grade. In the middle of 11th grade we moved to VA so I graduated from that high school. Now I must say that I didn't live in MD from birth that was stop #4 in my life. We moved there when I was in 3rd grade. So you see I didn't have those long friendships that are required to keep in touch. I know no one from any of those places I lived! And college? I'm in Christmas contact with my freshman roommate only but that wasn't the college I graduated from. I ended up moving myself my junior year and graduated from a college in DC. No reunions for me. I don't have enough memories of all those places.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really have a chance to get to our highschool reunions, esp that i am out of country and my busy schedule. However though, sometimes it's nice to reconnect to be reminded how silly you were or fun you were.
ReplyDeleteI keep in touch with the friends who were my own group of friends, though sadly, one died within the last year. My mobility issues kept me from our 50th reunion in 2013. But you must not feel as though attending your reunion is some sort of stern obligation!
ReplyDeleteDavid and I both attend our class reunions. We see Diane's husband at David's reunions. There he is, taking the class photo, which we always purchase. I hang out with my high school buddies, never with my college buddies.
ReplyDeleteYou have barely changed which would be a good reason for you to go to the reunions. I had a history with one school but left in my junior year and didn't graduate with them. The school that I joined in my junior year was huge compared to my old one. I am invited to both reunions but have been to neither. Distance one reason and realizing how many are no longer with us the other. Also I like remembering them as the fresh faced youngsters we once were.
ReplyDeleteI don't, but from time to time I news from the grapevine.
ReplyDeleteI went to my 15 year and could hardly recognize anyone! I was such a partier so I don't remember much from those times - sad but true.
ReplyDeleteAs an Air Force brat, I went to many different high schools and hardly knew anybody well. I went to one reunion many years ago and wish I knew how to get ahold of some of my old friends, but I don't. You really don't look all that different today, Kay, from that picture! :-)
ReplyDeleteI went to the 10 year reunion. We hadn't changed all that much in those 10 years, but I could see that more changes were coming down the pike. There have been many deaths in the class over the almost 50 years since graduation. I have not kept up with any of my small class of 99 except to note deaths when printed in the paper. So, no, I have intention of going to a reunion, but I doubt there will be one.
ReplyDeleteI used to go to all of my class reunions, and used to be involved in the planning of it. They were a lot of fun especially since my husband was also a classmate and he really enjoyed meeting up with people he hadn't seen for awhile, drinking with them, talking stories, and singing karaoke. Ever since he passed away 5 years ago, I haven't gone to class reunions. It is different now. A big part of me is missing and so I don't feel it is important to go anymore.
ReplyDeleteI went to my 50th reunion and realize my friends weren't there just the study body leaders, in group-football land cheerleaders-haven't been back. I too moved from California to Utah and lost contact.
ReplyDeleteI went to one reunion, 12 years after graduation, to celebrate the retirement of a popular science teacher. Had a great time. Then I went to my 25th. It was okay, but so much time had passed, we had all drifted so far apart. That was enough for me.
ReplyDeleteI have attended all of the milestone reunions that mark decades. I have not kept up with any of my classmates, mostly because I moved from the country to the big city and left my home town hundreds of miles and a different culture away.
ReplyDeleteI do keep in touch with a few school day friends, especially at Christmas-time.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I graduated in '61, Kay. There were 75 of us. My best friends are gone. The ones who remain are the ones who never left, who organize all the reunions, who have always hung together. They felt superior to me then, and still do.
ReplyDeleteI was so unpopular. I was depressed and anxious even then. My hubby went to his 50th. He was OK with it!
ReplyDeleteMy first was a few years ago. I opted to skip it. There are some I'd rather not see again.
ReplyDeleteI have no desire to attend high school reunions so I don't.
ReplyDeleteThere were over 1000 kids my my high school graduating class in '72 in OKC. I've never gone to one of the class reunions. About 300 of us were in Band together, which included the students two years older and two years younger than I. We Band kids mustered a Band reunion in '85, bringing our Band Director to OKC from his later job in Alaska. At less than 65 years old, I've already lost my two best Band buddies and close friends, one I'd known since 7th grade. Visited the Band Director in Portland, OR 3 years ago for a wonderful week, but he had the beginnings of Alzheimer's. At least he still remembered me (his Drum Major,) and stuff we did in Band. We had the best Marching and Concert Band in Oklahoma for 3 years straight. Lots of memories of goofy times in my heart. Learned more about life in those 3 years and since because of that Director. He always followed us in our lives for over 48 years+ after graduation. Several of we Band kids still call or visit him. When we play music, the light turns on. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! 1000 students? That’s amazing! It’s so wonderful that you had such an amazing band/musical experience. Your band director sounds like an awesome person and I love it that he followed you throughout your lives.
DeleteWe all have our preferences. I finished high school 63 years ago. there were eight of us. Yes , the ones I see are very happy to make connections.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh! From DrumMajor’s 1,000 to your 8. You must have all been very close.
DeleteHi Kay. Wow, I'd never recognize Art from that picture!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately my Senn H.S. is a long way from home. Too far to attend reunions. But I DO drink coffee every day from a mug with the Senn bulldog mascot's picture and written Class of 1963 50th reunion.
I've lost touch with the classmates. Guess I prefer to remember them as kids.
I’ll bet it’s the mustache. :- )
DeleteYou are definitely far from Senn High School, Dina. I hope everything is peaceful where you are.
This is our 50th year after High School, so we’ve been meeting many times this year, after a gap of 49 years! I’m the chief organiser & love arranging the whole thing. We even had 2 week-long trips together. And believe me it was just as fun as when we were in school together.
ReplyDeleteI've never attended a high school reunion, but then have lived across country from my high school. We had a small graduating class and I moved away right after college, lost touch with all classmates. I rec'd a call when we lived in AZ and I was pregnant with my second child urging me to come back for a reunion, but I had to decline for a number of reasons though I would have enjoyed going. Years later one classmate came nearby from where he lived and taught in Honolulu and we got together. Years later the twin bro of a friend found me through the Internet as his sister wanted to reestablish contact which we've done. I found a classmate on the Internet who was living in Chicago, retired from Univ Ill. and we've kept in contact.
ReplyDeleteSome people get hung up worrying about how they'll look and how others might judge them as a gal (a beautician) here I knew did. She went to her reunion every year, making an effort long before the event to lose weight and using extra hair and cosmetic efforts to alter and lessen aging signs. She was thrilled with the wrinkle remover she obtained soon after it was marketed, demonstrating to me with a sample how effective it was, long before it was so prominently advertised.