1964 – The Class We Adore',

Here I go with another reunion wrap-up.  It’s a week later.  It’s cold and gray and rainy – very different than last Saturday when the weather was warm, the sun was shining and the sky was blue.  Last week we were all together, having a great time reconnecting and reminiscing and today I’m alone with this computer trying to recapture the gaiety and excitement of the reunion weekend.

For some of us, things started rolling before the weekend began.  On Thursday evening the District 220 Educational Foundation sponsored an event, Barrington High School Alumni Legends, which featured our own Hank Paulson, former Secretary of the Treasury.  The first part of the evening was an interview at 6 o’clock in the high school auditorium between Hank and his “childhood friend,” Jack Train.  Some bought tickets in the high-priced seats ($50 each) while most of us who went opted for the cheap seats near the back ($10 each).  I think there may have been almost 20 of us there from the Class of ’64.  (Actually, the first rows were for the people who paid $1,000 to go to dinner with Hank afterward.)

It was an interesting evening, watching two guys we knew as kids sitting on stage as 68-year-old men.  Jack asked the questions that gave us some insight into what Hank’s life was like before, during and after Washington.  Hank was very forthright answering questions about his tenure as Secretary of the Treasure and others Jack asked, such as “how will history remember you” and “what impact did your Barrington education have on your life.”  He also talked about what he is doing now with the Paulson Institute at the University of Chicago and his work with his wife, Wendy, in nature conservancy.

Jack’s interview lasted about half an hour and then there were questions from the floor for another half hour.  Many referred to the financial crisis while others concerned the future of the U.S. given the things Hank said about the impact of China on our country.  Later Hank said he wished there had been more questions from students and from women.  Linda Mabbs said she was wildly waving her hand to ask about his advice to women in business but we were way in the back and I guess Jack never saw her – until later.

After the interview and Q&A session, Hank, Jack and their mothers (yes, Mrs. Paulson and Mrs. Train were there and we commented that we hoped we would look that good in another 20-some years!), were ushered out the back door to get to Barrington Hills Country Club for the fundraising dinner.  None of us wanted to pay $1,000 a plate to have dinner with them but we wanted to be a part of this noteworthy event.  So Joy and Art Rice treated about 10 of us to burgers in the downstairs grill of the club. 

Of course, some of us (I won’t say who) didn’t know how to get downstairs so we went in the front door only to be greeted by Hank and Mrs. Paulson – just like the paying guests!  We got to see the guests of honor again on our way out but thought we shouldn’t take up their time as so many other people wanted to have a moment with Barrington’s newest “Legend.”  After writing this, I see that our behavior of “getting in the back door” was reflective of some of our antics of younger years – or am I only speaking for myself? 

Our opening ceremonies actually started Friday evening at the Kelsey Road House with the Kick-off and Pizza Party.  It started at six o’clock but some of us had traffic problems – and not just with the Kennedy and Jane Adams Expressways.  That day, the Aurora Air Traffic Control Center was shut down because a disgruntled employee set it afire and caused more than 1,500 flights to be cancelled at O’Hare and almost 500 at Midway.  Southwest suspended all flights at Chicago and Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee as well.  The ripple effect also caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the country. 

Bob Ritzenthaler and his wife, Grace, left Tampa Friday morning and didn’t get to the party until 7:30 Saturday night.  Bob said they went through four different airports to get to Chicago.  Linda Mabbs was really fearful as she planned to be at the party only from Thursday through Saturday morning.  She had a concert appearance in Washington, D.C., Saturday night and had “cut a deal” with the conductor to miss the Friday rehearsal because being part of the 50th reunion was so important to her.  She never dreamed when she left the East Coast on Thursday that she would have any problems getting back Saturday afternoon.  Fortunately, she did make it in time to sing Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 Saturday night.

Meanwhile, at the Kelsey Road House the parking lot was full when I finally got there at 6:30 and I wondered what was going on.  It was all for the Class of ’64!  We had the whole place and we really filled it up.  It was so crowded that it was impossible to make the rounds and see everyone who was there.  Ray Dickinson had made our name tags again with everyone’s picture.  There was a lot of conversation about how we hadn’t changed a bit (ha!) and how some of us (not me) looked even better. 

As in past years, there was a lot of squealing as old friends found each other and lots of catching up as we talked about kids, grandkids, retirement and the passing of many of our parents.  Nancy Sullivan Doughty had put together the “memorabilia” table with our year books, albums of other reunions and scrapbooks of memories past.  There was also the board of our classmates, “Gone but Not Forgotten,” and this time we know of 34 who have passed away.  Of course, that number may be higher since we still have 24 classmates on the “not found” list. 

Saturday dawned warm and sunny again and we headed to the train station to get ready for the parade.  Our class was named Grand Marshal because of an interesting turn of fate.  Don Thompson from the BHS Alumni Association contacted Joy to say that there was a call for the reunion classes to participate in the making of a video that would highlight memorable events that occurred during our high school years.  Our Reunion Committee thought it would be fun to tell the story of “How the Dinosaur Got on the Roof of the Library” as our memorable event. 

(I think it’s posted on the website somewhere because I wrote it up following the 45th reunion after interviewing the culprits who claimed to be involved.  Since that time many others have come forward to question my investigative reporting, saying they were part of the thieving team, but such are the tricks of memory at our age. ) I should point out here that John Roth maintains our website so if you have anything to add, please contact him at john.roth@ibuilderz.com.

Anyway, Art Rice went to the high school on the appointed day to tell our story and he was the only one who showed up.  It seems the other classes had nothing to say or just were too shy to participate.  So he was videotaped, it was “aired” at the homecoming pep rally and, because of Art’s participation representing the Class of ’64, we got to lead the parade.
The parade was a lot of fun.  Marsha Williksen, who works at the high school, keeps us apprised of what’s important, and serves every year on our Reunion Committee, told us that the theme this year was “One Thousand and One Tales of Arabian Nights.”  Again, true to their costume tradition, Barbara Putta and Carol (CJ) Gerhardt came dressed as Scheherazade.  But Jo Ann Allison also got a bunch of harem girl veils for the ladies and turban hats for the guys to wear on our “float.”  She also got us a huge flat-bed truck – the kind used to haul bulldozers and heavy equipment.  There were bales of hay down the center to sit on and I think there must have been more than 50 or us riding on the thing.  Joy had some banners made that said “Our 50th Year of Tales of ’64 Nights – BHS Class of ’64” and there were red balloons flying off the back with numbers 6 and 4.

We were behind the police and in front of the high school marching band so we could sing all the school songs as they played.  We had lots of candy to throw to the kids along the route but we were told not to do that because it was so dangerous, probably because our truck was so awesome.  However, some of our stalwart classmates stepped off to put the candy in the outreached hands of the little and not-so-little kids, which gave them a chance to ask the moms about nut allergies as we had lots of Snickers and Reese’s Pieces.  How things have changed!

After the parade, many of us stayed at the high school to take the tour.  In addition to being awed by the renovation of the swimming pool and the new (and confusing) layout of classrooms and administrative offices, we were surprised to see the greenhouse on the east side of the property where the horticulture classes are held.  What will they think of next?  We were glad to see that our “senior hall” was somewhat the same and the washrooms certainly didn’t seem to up upgraded at all.  Also the hallway by the study hall looking onto the inner courtyard is the same.  But the rest of it is so different.  Our guide took great care to point out places where the original construction from 1949 was still in place but I don’t think he thought we were old enough to have been there then!

As in the past, we walked back into town to have lunch at Baloney’s and take our places at the tables set up in the Catlow Theater lobby.  This brought out more conversations about how glad we are that the Catlow was saved and still operates much the same as when we were kids.  It’s funny how many of us have poignant memories of the place from our high school years but I’ll leave you to your own reminiscing.

After lunch it was back to the high school to watch the football game against the Schaumburg Saxons.  What a game.  The final score was Bronchos 56, Saxons 6, and Barrington was playing their third string.  It looked like there were almost 75 players on the benches so I guess it was nice that many of them got to play.  The cheerleaders this year were impressive. They did back flips and handsprings after every touchdown and as the count got higher I’ll bet they were really tired. 

The halftime entertainment was great, as usual, with the band doing tricky formations as they played our school songs.  We also watched as the homecoming court was announced, giving all their impressive academic and volunteer credentials and plans for the future.  One maybe not-so-new thing is the homecoming queen and king, so there were ten students on the field along with their five little attendants carrying the crowns.  The day was perfect for the game, sunny and warm –almost hot.  But we had to leave to rest up for the big party in the evening at Barrington Hills Country Club.

Again the committee did a stellar job of picking the layout and the food and the weather.  There was ample time to meet and greet again over appetizers and cocktails.  And then Cal Doughty assembled everyone for our group photo.  It was a little precarious this year because there were 77 of us registered for the party Saturday night.  That meant the tall ones had to stand on chairs in the back row so everyone could be seen.  Some of the more limber guys sat on the floor, probably some former gymnasts.  Then Cal took pictures of groups according to grade schools so we can keep track of those we played with when we were little, which will be important as we lose more memory.

Art served as master of ceremonies, welcoming everyone and then introduced Joy, thanking her and the Reunion Committee of doing the million things that came together to make a great weekend celebration.  She encouraged us to help find classmates on the “not found” list and to urge others to come to the next reunion.  Art asked for a vote and it sounded like everyone wanted to do it again in five years.

The dining room looked beautiful with center pieces arranged by Dawn Larson Edwards.  And the memorabilia table was another center of attention as we entered the space.  The buffet dinner was terrific and there was an ice cream bar of dessert.  Some of us thought we were going to get Eskimo Pies but were delighted to find we had a choice of ice cream and all types of toppings.  It was just the right amount of sugar to give us energy for the dancing, which was a lot of fun. 

Once again, Mel Ott got us a band that knew all the songs from the ‘60s.  Toward the end of the evening it seemed they didn’t want to quit as it was announced several times that “this is the last.”  Cal was in great demand with his high energy and unique dancing technique.  At one point everyone else stopped and formed a circle around him as he demonstrated that he has no arthritis!  As he moon walked to the perimeter of the circle he pointed to whom?  I cannot remember who went first!  But then he pointed to each of us, one by one, to take a turn as a solo in the center of the circle.  It was hilarious to see the guys doing their gyrations and kick dances while we girls were so much more subdued, except for – oops, I almost started naming names here!

Finally it was time to call it a night, to pack up the year books and memorabilia and head home to rest up for the Sunday brunch.  This year I don’t know if there were any after parties.  I do know that some out-of-towners were staying at the same hotels so it’s possible.  Others were staying with classmates who live in and near Barrington and many of those conversations went into the wee hours.

But again, morning came too early and when Joy and I arrived at Biltmore Country Club there were already many gathered in the “Class of ‘64” room.  It was funny when a woman from another class wandered in. (There were several classes having brunch in various rooms at Biltmore that morning.)  She looked around and said that she knew she was in the wrong room because we were so young.  She asked if we were from the class of ’72.  We were really flattered that someone would think we were only 60!

The food was great.  The weather was wonderful.  And we wanted the good time to continue.  In fact several came to the brunch who didn’t register for it just because they wanted another chance to connect and to say good-bye. Ann Sparling Reeser-Cuperus got recognition for coming the furthest – all the way from Amsterdam – with her husband.  She pretty much lost her voice from talking to everyone over the weekend and having to talk over music and many voices.  Bob and Grace Ritzenthaler took about 36 hours to get from Tampa to Chicago so that was worthy of note. 

And finally, the committee and the helpers really need to be recognized for all the hard work they put in with many meetings and tasks to making this another spectacular reunion.  First and foremost is Joy who opened her home for every meeting and did so much.  She had a great group of committee members who worked very hard handling all the details that made everything run so smoothly.  This year’s committee members were Jo Ann Allison, Ray Dickinson, Cal and Nancy Doughty, Dawn Larson Edwards, Art Rice, Alan Stock, Marsha Williksen and Your Humble Servant, Sharyn Wilson Woods (aka Willie).