The Last Gasp . . .

This is the last blog prior to the reunion. At last . . .

The last edition of Janith Sue's poem . . .

SENIORITIS . . .

Finally, our long awaited senior year arrived,

And 95 of us had ultimately survived!

I didn't make it into Mrs. Lackey's college prep English class according to my plan,

Oh no, some of us ended up with Coach Jones, the original multi-tasking man.

He issued us a challenge on that very first day:

"Get something published and you've earned your "A".

Well, Linda Bradley wrote a question to the Courier Journal that appreared in print,

And waving the paper triumphantly up to his desk she went.

She reckoned she'd met the standard just fine,

And would take her "A" for the course now if he didn't mind!

Opal Hanshaw and I and all the rest boys

Signed up for physics, one of life's little joys.

We learned all about mechanical and electrical energy,

But we often had trouble with all the male synergy.

One day after class we were discussing our demises,

Which often happened after one of Mr. Cheek's little quiz surprises.

We shared a secret, I've kept to this day

About which funeral home in town would put us away.

We decided then and there that upon our departure from this earth,

We didn't want Jim Young to see us in our suit of birth!

Government with Captain Hayes was THE most fun;

He teased us and quizzed us all one by one.

Remember how he teased all the guys about asking the girls out for a date

And, suggested that those who couldn't dance would never rate.

He made our prom days sound like the party of a lifetime, where the damsels were to be wined and dined,

Then he recommended corsages of wild onion and stink weed for those who fretted and whined.

He taught us about history and government 'tis true,

But he always wanted us to be aware of the socially right thing to do.

Every class period was filled with learning, be assured

But he taught us about life with humor, which more often endured.

Mrs. Jackson deserved at least a medal for producing our senior play

And for giving each of us an opportunity to be a "star" for a day!

I'm sure she had her doubts but stood by us all the way.

Mrs. White used her wisdom and talent to help us keep our memories on track,

By helping us produce the first ever, ad-free Scarlack!

It wouldn't be right, if I didn't include a word or two

About Principal Roaden, whose favorite line was "I will not tolerate uh huh and hun huh from any of you!"

He'd pace and he'd strut across the gym floor with his mike wire trailing behind

He was disciplined, no nonsense, believed in the rules, and was always firm, but kind.

Since I shared with you my lesson about my first kiss,

If I didn't tell you my prom lesson I would be remiss.

Mr. Hayes rallied us into such a fury with talk of the prom and how exciting it would be

That my best friend Shelby and her date decided to find an escort for me.

Next on the agenda was a dress, which we borrowed for the night;

It had tiny spaghetti straps and little black polka dots on a field of white.

The most perplexing problem we had to overcome was quite unique:

It was the total lack of my upper body physique,

And how I'd be able to support the strapless underwear

Or how I'd make it through the evening with nary a care.

Our incredibly simple solution to this little problem didn't teenage girls perplex,

Why we'd give me some shape by stuffing it with a box of Kleenex!

Need I tell you my horror when it came time

To pin that corsage on that fake chest of mine?

While everyone else was dancing and drinking the punch,

I was sitting there worried my Kleenex would bunch!

Bet you're wondering what lesson from this incident I could glean.

It was always to remember things may not be at all what they seem.

Here it is the middle of May and we have 73 folks coming to our 50th class reunion. These are CONFIRMED. Cheryl Pauley and her husband will only be there on Friday and Willis Wheeler and his wife will only be there on Saturday.

To the left is a picture from our senior play. Linda Blaine Roberts is on the left, Claudia in the middle, and Janie Wilson to the right.

A Newspaper Article and 4 more folks . . .

Today I received money from Tommy and Genevieve and Mont and Nancy.

That brings our grand total to 51 (I had already been counting the Burns'). There will be more to come, I'm sure. When I get back from Virginia -- I'll be gone a week -- I'll send you lists of folks who are on the fence and you can help me wrangle them.

Nancy Karen sent me a newspaper article from The Big Sandy News about the 20th Reunion. It didn't scan well so I've only put up a pic of the beginning of it (above left) and will retype the entire contents so you can read it easily. I've also reformatted the article a little to make it easier to read. Forgive any typos,please.

'61 CLASS HEARS EX-SUPERINTENDENT;

PRESENTS LHS PAINTING TO LIBRARY

A highlight of the 20-year reunion of the Louisa High School Class of 1961 was the presentation of a painting of the old building to the Lawrence County Public Library.

The painting was by local artist and former LHS band director Richard Wilson.

The festivities opened with an open house at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Lyon of Franklin Street, July 3.The classmates enjoyed this time of reminiscing after their many years of separation. On July 4th the class participated in the Independence Day parade.

A highlight of the reunion was a buffet dinner at Lawrence County High School on July 4. Master of ceremonies was Sam Lyon. The invocation was offered by Melvin Salyers and guest speaker for the event was former superintendent William A. Cheek.

The long-time educator recalled many humorous encounters with the class when they were students and shared with the group his rendition of the poem "The Touch of the Master's Hand." The class honored Mr. Cheek and Bascom Boyd, with engraved school bells as symbols of appreciation for the influence these two educators had on them.

Another highlight of the dinner was the presentation of an oil painting of Louisa High School to Mrs. Charlene O'Daniel representing the Public Library.

The presentation was in memory of Glenna Ruth O'Daniel Litton and James "Butch" Wellman who were members of the Class of 1961. The painting is on permanent display at the library.

The group honored the following returning classmates:

Changed the most-- Harold Butler and Sherry Workman Cottle

Most grey hair -- James Young;

Baldest -- Tom Burns

Twins -- Cheryl Paulery Henderson, Nancy Patton Lemaster,

Linda Bradley Boggs;

Youngest child -- Jessie Thompson Coffey;

Oldest child -- Karen Rose Chapman

Grandmother -- Betty York Pavlovski.

Changed the least -- Bobby Stansberry and Jane Wilson Salyers

Most children -- Betty York Pavlovski

Traveled farthest -- James Young and Clyde Adkins

Married the longest -- Karen Rose Chapman.

The class hosted several of their former teachers who attended:

Mrs. Katherine White, Mrs. Ruth Jackson, Mrs. Nola Chambers, Richard Wilson, Mrs. Louise Kingsmore, Mrs. Jaunita Keeton, Mrs. Beulah Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Rice.

Classmates and spouses attending were:

Mr. and Mrs. Dan May (Linda Walters),

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Frazier,

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Burns,

Mr. and Mrs. Mont Wheeler,

Mr and Mrs. James Boggs (Linda Bradley),

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lemaster,

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lyon,

Mrs. Judy Preece Parks,

Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Lemaster (Nancy Patton),

Mr. and Mrs. George Hardin (Linda Wilson),

Fred Coffey,

Mr. and Mrs. Les Blevins (Linda Patton),

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Burke (Linda Ferguson),

Mr. and Mrs. Les Nelson (Linda Nickell),

Mrs. Glenna Pfost Walker,

Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Preece,

and Mrs. Barbara Phillips Bush, all of Louisa.

Other classmates included

Brad Wright, Blaine,

Mr and Mrs. Harold Butler, Frankfort,

Ernestine Moore Spillman, Frankfort,

Mr. and Mrs. Gobel Copley, Ashland,

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Jordan (Donna Holbrook), Ashland

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Davis (Freeda Blair), Flatwoods,

Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Stansberry, Catlettsburg,

Mr. and Mrs. James Howard, Lowmansville,

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Whitt (Ruth Thornsberry), Grayson,

Mrs. Linda Roberts Dahlman, Lexington,

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hardin, Rush,

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Coffey (Jesse Thompson), Louisville,

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Short, Columbus, OH,

Mrs. Rhoda Preece Ross of Columbus, OH.

Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Adkins, Germany,

Mr. and Mrs. James Young, Germany,

Mr. and Mrs. George Wilson, Virginia Beach, Va,

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pavlovski (Betty York), Chesterland, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Chapman (Karen Rose), New Buffalo, Mi,

Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Campbell (Violet Wright), Middlesport, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Arthus Augenstein (Myrtle Workman), Marion, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Cottle (Sherry Workman), Southgate, MI,

Mrs. Ceryl Pauley Henderson, Hancock, MD,

John Wright, Barboursville, WV,

Mr. and Mrs. Wes Albright (Nancy Moore), Levenworth, KA,

Fred Martin, Moncks Corner, SC,

Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Salyers (Jane Wilson), Lakeland, FL.

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hammond, Maryville, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Short (Ruth Thompson), Thornsville, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. David Bond (Vicki Cheek), Mesquite, TX.

Others in attendance were Mrs. William A. Cheek, Herb White, Jim Moore, Hugh Kingsmore, and Max Young.

The LHS Chorus of 1961

To the left see a picture of the Louisa High School 1961 Chorus. Nancy Karen sent it to me and she's seated at the piano at the left.

If the picture won't enlarge when you click on it, go to the Louisa High School 61 group on Facebook to get an enlargement.

I received a check from Kenneth and Kay Lemaster which makes an official count of 51 (that doesn't include folks who have told me they'll be there but haven't sent in their money.

Today I've heard from Sherry Faye (Workman) and Melvin Salyers. That's four since they are bringing their respective spouses which brings us up to 49, I think. I know there's at least one or two more that have SAID they are coming. I wish they'd get their money in.

The picture is of Tommy, Bob, and Jimmy in the senior play.

Janith Sue (now SUE)'s high school poem, part 3

Janith Sue at our 40th reunion (to the left).

Below is part 3 of her quartet of poems written for the 40th reunion.

JUNIORESQUE

By the time our junior year rolled around in the fall of '59,

There were even greater challenges for my unchartered mind.

There was chemistry with Mr. Cheek

One of my favorite classes week after week.

I loved his "Cheekisms" that flowered his speech.

And was awed by the fact that as principal

he had a big paddle close to his reach.

He'd always tell us to "ask more questions than a

shunk makes tracks around a chicken coop,"

Which was his way of explaining how to get the scoop.

Only years later did I fully understand his message

And realize that the man was a veritable sage.

And when he said, "this frazzlin' noise has to come

to a screeching halt," we knew

We'd better straighten up, for that was our cue.

The most excitement we had in that class came

during a bad thunderstorm one day

When one of the big, old trees out front crashed

through our window and came our way.

With glass and debris flying all about us.

He mumbled something about it being enough

to make a preacher cuss.

For we were in the middle of a review for a quiz,

And a little old electrical storm wouldn't

interrupt a story of his!

One faculty member I never really had the

privilege of knowing

Was Mrs. Becknell in Home Ec., who taught more

than mere cooking and sewing.

While my friends were planning their dream homes

and making nice,

I was knee deep in Chemistry trying to outsmart Herb Rice.

Mr. Wells taught our guys in VoAg everything

from judging to public speaking,

Especially if a career in agriculture

they were seeking.

That was the year Latin was added to our curriculum

And, if we had college in mind, we'd be be

conjugating some.

Latin gave us an opportunity to translate from

Caesar's commentaries.

And, according to Mrs. Keeton, learning those

root words increased our vocabularies.

Why, once I translated an entire exercise with

the wrong word,

Which caused the entire story to be quite absurd.

I learned the difference between liberos and libraire

the hard way,

And certainly didn't please the teacher very much

that day.

Many of us signed up for typing and shorthand with

Mrs. Stewart, the best dressed,

Whose husband owned the local department store,

but who'd have guessed.

Her fashion influence on me has guided me through

forty some years,

Why even today if I can't have matching accessories,

I'm reduced to tears!

Oh my, lest I should forget, there was geometry

for those who were "smart"

But those nasty angles both right and obtuse

were not for the faint of heart.

There were so many cracks in that chalkboard of his

That I once solved for the wrong angles on a weekly quiz.

Remember the day he caused us to have heart failure about

When he drew that circle filled with 100 lines and angles

and wanted us to figure it out.