Sunday, July 24, 2011

PIRAZET, 1959---The Way We Were--Part 1

I HAVE INTENTIONALLY AVOIDED RE-LOOKING AT OUR 1959 PIRAZET YEARBOOK UNTIL I HAD THE BLOG UP AND RUNNING. WHY? TO ATTEMPT TO DRAW UNAIDED FROM MY FADING MEMORY THOSE EXPERIENCES WHICH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOUND THEIR WAY INTO MY MEMORY BANK. ANOTHER REASON IS, I KNOW WE HAVE LOST SEVERAL CLASSMATES AND I SELFISHLY WANTED TO AVOID SCRAPPING THE SCAB OFF THE HEALING OF MY OWN GRIEF. 


1. The Forward contains the line "In it you will find a record of some of the highlights of our high school days." I have often wondered if we, collectively and individually, achieved the dreams and goals we had in those wonderful and optimistic days of 1959. Maybe a better question might be; have we become, and are we becoming, the kind of person God wants us to be? This question assumes greater relevancy as we age and become increasingly aware of our own mortality. The sand is falling rapidly through His Eternal Divine hour glass.


2. The Dedication to Mr. Walter Weiss says volumes about our appreciation for him but also our willingness to Dedicate to someone no longer on the school staff. Mr. Weiss was a student's principal. He put students first and students instinctively knew it. Here is a revelation that few, if any, of you knew. I coached the 7-8th grade basketball team during our Junior year. Of course, I wasn't paid. From time to time he would shake hands with me and leave a $5 bill and mutter, "This is for gas." This money came from his own pocket.


3. The Administration, with the exception of Mr. Harris, seldom came into our area of immediate concern. Maybe that's the best kind of leadership. My folks never said anything about any of the Administration. This is probably a case of "No news is good news."  


4. Faculty  More on this section at a later date, maybe.


5. Graduates:  It is this section of our photographs and activities that causes me great joy as well as great sadness. Call me sentimental; call me immature, call me nostalgic, call me frozen in time, but please don't call me selfish for always remembering the joy and mutual enrichment we brought to each other. Every life, I mean every life, is an Academy Award winning biography. At 17 years of age, I sure didn't know that; but I sure do know that now.


MORE LATER

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