Bond with classmates still strong 50 years later
When I started working at The Wichita Eagle in 1980, I was hired to write the social column, a beat that no one else in the newsroom wanted to touch with a 10-foot pica pole. Being new to the newspaper world, I liked the job just fine.
I wrote about a lot of high school reunions and remember being in awe of the 50-year reunions. I thought, “These older people graduated a half century ago and they’re still ready to party.” Well, last weekend it was the North High Class of 1965’s 50th reunion. And there I was, one of those “older people” ready to party. It was a blast.
We had more than 600 in our class. More than 100 are now deceased, and some couldn’t be located. Some simply have no interest in taking a trip down memory lane at a reunion so they have never shown up.
What a contrast this reunion was compared to the first one we had in 1975. This time it felt like we were all in this together. And “this” would be aging. There is definitely a bond with the people you grew up with. Maybe that’s because we learned so much in high school, and I’m not talking about in class. We learned from each other, and we learned about ourselves.
“It is so important to me that I remember where I came from and who was part of my life,” said classmate Gene Stevens, who was one heck of a basketball player in school. He was pleased to report he received lots of hugs and kisses and shared many laughs.
How fun and interesting it was to see how some things never change. Our class president, Steve Holmes still has that laugh you can hear a mile away. Sharon Powell Quincy is as organized as ever and headed up the whole weekend. Greg Parish is still crazy and funny and always ready to help out. John Naramore is still philosophical. And tall. But he’s not as tall as Brian Collier who married classmate Kay Nutting. After 48 years, they’re still a stand-out couple on campus.
One observation: gray hair changes a person’s appearance, or in the case of Danny Massey, a very long gray beard.
Carol Tillery Massey (not related to Danny) claimed, “I have remembered everybody.” When I gave her the look I’ve always given her when she exaggerates, she added, “When they told me who they are.”
For nearly two years, the reunion committee worked and planned and met and laughed and planned some more. The weekend expanded to more and more special events including grade school and high school reunions. Before it was all over, the North High Marching Band played “War Cry” for us. Linda Bird Burditt, one of the three twirlers in 1965, just happened to have her baton and away she went. I gave cheerleader Paula Arbuckle Weber a little push and told her to start cheering. She did, and while she and I agree we forget lots of things at this age, she had the movements down pat.
It’s always fun to see the people who live out of town but have stayed in touch. It was also fun to catch up with those classmates I didn’t know well. One of my favorite moments of the weekend was when Dianne Estes walked up at the mixer and told me she was very, very shy in high school, but now she wasn’t shy and wanted to introduce herself.
Some people from North and other schools have told me they didn’t like high school and have no reason to go to a reunion to remind them of that fact. To those people I say, “Give it a try.” Go, and if you let yourself, you’ll feel the bond you have with people who shared those years that influenced your life.
As Sharon, who worked countless hours on the reunion, website, meetings, etc. said, “For me, seeing our classmates from the past isn’t only about reflecting back into that time, but also celebrating the value it held for us and sharing that with everyone who attends. Now we can appreciate the good, old-fashioned, deep affection for the time we shared at North, and the appreciation we have as adults for one another’s friendships.”
Go to your next reunion, but I must warn you: Don’t be surprised if you’re tired for a day or two afterward. Actually you may be really tired. Every time I sat down on Sunday, I went to sleep. (Couldn’t have been the conga line, right?)
But while you’re resting up, you’ll reflect on the events, grin, and you’ll be glad you went.
Reach Bonnie Bing at bingbylines@gmail.com.
This story was originally published October 10, 2015 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Bond with classmates still strong 50 years later."