High School Memories

Charlotte to Des Moines

My high school class recently had it's 50th reunion, and we flew to Des Moines for the festivities. I can remember when my mother-in-law told me she was going to her 50th and I thought, "Man, you are old!" And somehow here I am...

The flight to Des Moines was blissfully uneventful. It wasn't until we got to the Budget Rental Car counter that we encountered a snafu. I had requested a small SUV, which usually means a Rav 4 or the like. The lady told me that she had a Jeep Wrangler for me. I informed her that no, she did not because I requested a "small" SUV. She said my options were the Jeep, a minivan (are you kidding me???) or a pickup truck (seriously? I'm 5'3" on a good day.) 

I chose the Jeep, but as it ended up it was a Jeep Wrangler Sahara - one they hadn't even bothered to wash for us. It is definitely a vehicle better suited for off-roading than driving around town or on the interstate. It has a terrible ride, uncomfortable seats, and is noisy as heck on the road. While it was supposed to be a hybrid, the gas mileage we got was 19 miles to the gallon. The best I can say is thank goodness it had a grab handle so I could hoist myself up into the driver's seat. And it was cooler to show up at the reunion in that as opposed to a minivan!

We decided to stay at the reunion hotel in West Des Moines, as did our good friends Kathy and Paul. The four of us had dinner the first night with some other Des Moines friends. The next morning we were joined at breakfast by my friend Mary Ann. She and her family lived right across the street from me in Des Moines, and I often baby-sat their three kids. It was great to catch up with her.

We were excited to see that Smash Park - an indoor/outdoor pickleball and games facility - was located right across the parking lot from us. We checked it out, and even got some games in Friday afternoon before getting ready for the informal event at Felix and Oscar's Restaurant that night.

Smash Park

Felix and Oscar's was packed, which meant a good turnout from our class and their guests. But it was very difficult to hear and talk to people. I did get to spend a little time with my speech teacher, Bill Springer. We found a quieter back room at the restaurant, and shared a table with a few of my classmates and their spouses.

Saturday morning we did a tour of my high school and wow, what a lot of changes! My class had 439 students that graduated in the spring of 1974. Another 30 or so had graduated early. The school had 1,200 students in grades 10-12. Today the school only has 900 students in grades 9-12. We had perhaps 3 Black students in the whole school when I was there, and that was the extent of our diversity. Today over 40 languages are spoken at Hoover, so English as Second Language classes are a huge deal. It was fun to walk the hallways again to relive memories and see all the improvements. 

Hoover High School

After the tour we went directly to Merle Hay Mall as the class had organized some play at Dink's Pickleball. Dink's is actually located in an old Kohl's store, and what a great reuse of empty retail space. Sixteen of us came out to play pickleball, and we had a lot of fun!

Dink's Pickleball

Jim and I broke off after pickleball while he sought out some billiards with Paul, and I drove to my old neighborhood. It's always interesting to go back to the house where I lived for 17 years. It stills looks really good, as does the whole area. We met back at the hotel to get ready for the evening program, dinner and music. That night it was much easier to have conversations with classmates. We had a great time, and I'm very glad that we went. We have already lost so many from our class, so it really points out how we never know if or when we will see each other again.

50th reunion

The next morning we went to another friend's house for breakfast. Steve and Michele lived down the street from us in Webster Groves for awhile before they moved away. Coincidentally, they also graduated from Iowa State University, and we have remained friends for nearly 40 years. They are one of those couples where even when you don't see them or talk to them for years, you can pick right back up where you left off. 

From there we headed up to Charles City to see Jim's sister and her family. We stopped first at the High Trestle Bridge, which I had read about but never seen. It is part of the Iowa trails system. It was very cool, and definitely worth the detour.

High Trestle Bridge

We had not been to Charles City since Jim's mom died. It was hard to go knowing that neither Lorraine or Jerry would be there to greet us as they both died within months of each other in 2020. But it was good to see family and friends in the area and catch up with all of them. A couple of cousins even drove down from Minnesota to see us, which was fantastic. We also drove around town to see all the beautiful murals that have been installed since we were last there.

Charles City Murals

The visits to Des Moines and Charles City prove that you can go home again. It just might look a little different from the last time you were there.

High School Reunion Two

The down side of my husband and me graduating from high school the same year (but not the same place) is that we have to juggle two class reunions in the same summer. While I am fortunate in that Jim knows some people from my class either through marriage or college, I do not have the same luck with his classmates. I met a couple of the guys back in 1976 or so, and perhaps a couple came to our wedding. Nothing to carry on more than a few sentences worth of conversation, for sure. But one classmate was a fraternity brother of Jim, and we went to his wedding. His wife and I are friends on Facebook, and thank goodness they came to the reunion this year. Alicia and I were able to entertain each other for two nights.

My in-laws still live in the town where Jim grew up, so it was wonderful to be able to stay with them and have a nice visit. As usual, we ate way too much. Homemade cinnamon rolls and brownies - oh my! It was hard to climb back in the saddle with my personal trainer this week for sure.

As luck would have it, two of the St. Louis birthday cakes were on our way up to Iowa. We were able to get the brand new cake at the August Busch Conservation Area as well as the one at Woods Fort in Troy, Missouri. They are both really nice, and located in interesting settings.

August Busch Conservation Area

Woods Fort

The night before we left for Charles City, I went to a Wine and Canvas party that was put on by Genevieve Esson, the artist for 4 of the cakes. She provided the paint and the canvases, and we were each to bring a photo of our favorite cake to paint. In my case, I had to narrow it down to my favorite cake that I thought would be possible to paint. Nine cakers showed up for the party, and did we ever have fun! It was not easy, but Genevieve and another artist helped with any questions we had. I was able to finish my cake in the time allowed, except that I did not have time to add the stl250. That is something I might try to put on, as it is a big part of what this is all about, in my estimation.

My inspiration cake at the Alton Visitors Center, and the finished product

This Sunday a group of us from the Cakeway to the West Facebook page are gathering at the Malcolm Martin Park across the river for a photo shoot and light breakfast. After that, my friend Caren and I will head to Alton and north to get my remaining five cakes. The end is in sight - except rumor has it that more cakes are being added. It ain't over until the last cake is placed!

So, where did you go to school?

While on Facebook a couple of weeks ago I came across a posting by a college professor who is conducting a study on the impact of the high school question on non-St. Louisans. She is looking for St. Louis residents who were not born and raised here to answer some questions. I immediately posted a response on her Facebook status as I have many things I would love to tell her about my experiences. When we moved to St. Louis Jim and I were starting a whole new life - newly married, new jobs, new home, new city...all the major stress points in life except a death in the family. At a party we were asked where we went to school, and we replied, "Iowa State". After getting a blank stare, the guy said, "No, where did you go to high school?" When I answered, "Hoover High", the guy literally turned around and walked away. That was just our first experience with the St. Louis obsession about where you went to high school. Unfortunately it was not our last.

A few days after I posted I received a phone call from a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter, wanting to know if I would talk to her about my experiences. We had quite a chat, and I was candid about how it made us feel being new professionals to the St. Louis area. I never really thought that we would stay here more than a few years. But here we are 33 years later. The article by the reporter made the front page of the Post-Dispatch on February 7th. I made the first line of the article. It was a pretty interesting piece, and it has generated a LOT of conversation both on the stltoday.com website and on Facebook. People have very strong feelings about the question, both positive and negative. As I said, I don't object to anyone asking me the question - I object to the way I am treated after I answer it. If you decide after talking to me for a bit that I am not interesting and not worth your time, fine. But to dismiss me simply because I did not graduate from high school here? To me that is pretty shallow and narrow-minded. But perhaps that tells me that I don't want to waste my time getting to know you either. At any rate, the study should be interesting. I have already answered the first set of questions and have volunteered to be interviewed further. If you live here but are not from here and want to participate, let me know. I'll forward the survey to you.

I'll leave my best quotable quote with you - the one that did not end up in the newspaper. When the reporter asked me when things changed for my husband and me here, I told her after we started our family. Then people were more interested in where my kids were going to preschool than where I went to high school.

Takin' a Walk

....down memory lane. I have enjoyed catching up with old classmates on facebook. The other day, one of them mentioned that he keeps in contact with Mr. Wadden, one of our teachers from high school. Mr. Wadden taught Advanced Placement English, and he was "that" teacher for me. The one you remember even though thirty-plus years have passed. The first day of class, he released a litany of expectations for the class that led to at least five students dropping out. I admit, I considered it. It was my senior year - did I really want to work that hard? But I really loved reading, writing and English, so I stuck it out. Mr. Wadden was an amazing instructor. I really think he gave his little speech at the beginning to "separate the men from the boys", so to speak. The class was challenging, for sure, but it was also thought-provoking and lots of fun.

So I got Mr. Wadden's email address from Bruce, and I contacted him not really expecting too much in the way of a reply. Boy, was I surprised! Mr. Wadden remembered me quite well, down to the fact that I transferred classes second semester so I could be with my good friend, Kim. "Didn't you guys call yourselves the Kimmys or something?", he asked. Close - we called ourselves the Kimlers, because I was Kim Kubler and she was Kim Taylor. He also remember that I was headed to Iowa State to major in Mass Communications. I told him about my two degrees and the fact that I have published a book. I added that he is the reason I was able to accomplish that feat, as he provided me with the skills to succeed in college and to be a good writer.

He said that he wasn't surprised that I had written a book because my highest grades were always with my writing in his class. He went on to say a lot if really nice things, which I won't repeat here. But I know that on a down day when I question what I am doing and if it makes difference, I will pull out his email for a boost.

Did a teacher make a difference in your life? Write and tell them so.

I Got "High" Last Night

Last night we went to see the play "High" at the Repertory Theatre. I didn't know much about the play other than the fact that it starred Kathleen Turner and involved a young man with a drug addiction. Oh - and it was listed as being for mature audiences. I try not to talk to other people who have seen plays I am going to, and I don't read reviews because I so infrequently agree with them once I see the play (or a movie, for that matter). It was tricky with this one because lots of people were excited to have Turner in town, and our tickets are the last night's show. This play was actually written by a man who has a drug addiction, but who has been clean for 3 years now. There are predictions that it will head to Broadway, and I can see that happening.

There are only 3 actors in the play - a nun (played by Turner), a priest (Michael Berresse) and the young man (Evan Jonigkeit). While the subject matter is serious, there were some surprisingly funny moments in the play. The set was clever yet somber and didn't detract from the play. All 3 of the actors were excellent, with Jonigkeit doing an exceedingly credible job of portraying a drug addict. It was pretty obvious that Turner was not feeling well as she coughed a lot during the production. But she hung in there, and looked very relieved when her last line was delivered. The play has some interesting twists, and is definitely thought provoking. I "High"ly recommend it.

Facebook Friends

Yesterday I got an email from a high school classmate who had found me on the Hoover High School Class of '74 fan page on Facebook. Curious about whether I was the person she remembered, she read my personal blog as well as searched through the myhousehistory.net website I started for my book. As it turns out, Chris actually spent the first part of her life in Charles City, Iowa where my husband is from. What's the latest train of thought? Three degrees of separation? I am finding that to be more and more true. I really love that through this new form of social networking we can reconnect with people from our past as well as establish relationships with new people from all over.

It IS a Small World After All

Now that I've gotten that song stuck in your head, I'll tell you why that is particularly true today. I was chatting with my carpenter about a story in our local newspaper, and he happened to mention something about his high school. This being St. Louis and all, of course I had to ask him "Where did you go to school?" He replied that it was a school in Des Moines. "Did I know you were from Des Moines?", I asked. He said Jim knew but that he didn't think he and I had discussed it. I told him I am from Des Moines as well. He was sure we didn't go to the same school, so when he said he graduated from Hoover High, I about fell off my chair. I also graduated from Hoover. As it turns out, he graduated a year ahead of me, and his sister Vicki graduated with me.

We are the Huskies, couldn't be prouder! If you don't believe it, we'll yell a little louder!

Seriously...how small world is that? I'm off to drag out my yearbook.

Warm Weather, Warmer Thoughts

April is nearly over and my daughter and her friend informed me last night that they have fourteen days of school left. "Including exams?", I queried. Yes, indeed. My mind raced through the field not of dreams but nightmares as I contemplated all that I need to accomplish in this short time frame. Let alone the not yet completed graduation quilt that I felt compelled to donate at last year's auction, I have many resposibilities remaining as memorabilia co-chair for the all night graduation party. I have copied, scanned and received by email over 500 photos. These will all go the DVD we are preparing for each student, on a series of 8 boards to be displayed at the party or perhaps both. As I studied the photos I watched precoscious preschoolers become young men and women living their high school years to the fullest through not only their class work but also the sports, clubs and other activities that have woven their lives together like threads on a loom. While they may night appreciate the finished blanket, and in fact are anxious to pluck the strings binding them to the high school, in the future they will realize how this time period in their lives has shaped the people they will become in the future. Some of the threads will never be broken.

I wasn't in the "IN" crowd in high school. Instead I was part of a number of different groups - the precision drill team, drama club, track club, girls' glee club, etc. I did have three close friends that I spent all of my free time with, though. I keep in touch with two of the three on a fairly regular basis. Our 35th high school reunion is this summer. I have attended all the reunions in Des Moines except the 5 year, which I felt was much too soon after graduation to get together. The classmates I most cared about had attend my wedding the year before, and frankly at that point the rest I had no desire to catch up with. Each reunion had a different feel to it. At the 10 year, a lot of people were still in the dress for success mode, trying to impress with the number of kids they had or the jobs they were doing. The 15th reunion was much more casual, and as such brought out classmates that hadn't attended in the past. By the 20th everyone seemed much more comfortable in their skin, if you will, and the same was true of the 25th. By the 30th we mourned the death of fellow classmates, but the relaxed atmosphere led to more conversations with people you didn't know all that well in high school. Rumor has it that this year one of our classmates and the band he played with in high school will be performing at the reunion. The band was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. That should be a kick, as we flash back to the music of the '70s.

So in May I'll watch my daughter walk across the stage, and in August I'll take her off to college and then get together with the people who walked across the stage with me back in 1974. Full circle...

Another Last in My Life

Early this school year I wrote in my blog about this being a year of "lasts". My daughter will graduate from high school in two months, and as she is my baby this year has been pretty nostalgic for me. Today I attended my last parent teacher conference. EVER. In the 19 years that I have had children in school, I have never missed a fall or spring conference. I feel strongly that the teachers need to be aware that we care enough about our children's education that we can make the time to attend. Plus I like hearing good things about my kids. And my kids always wanted to know what the teachers said about them. It was with mixed emotions that I headed off to the school this afternoon. Turnout was light, due to the nice weather and the fact that the spring conferences are always less well attended than the one in the fall, particularly by parents of seniors. My last conference was with Mr. Johnson, the journalism and newspaper teacher. He is a bit of a talker, so there is always a wait for him. He ended my parental school career on a high note when he told me that in 23 years of teaching he can count on one hand the number of students who have made an impact on him personally, and Katie is one of them. I wonder if any of my teachers ever felt that way about me? As I left the cafeteria and headed towards the front of the school, I felt this absurd compulsion to run down the halls screaming my head off. Can you imagine the reaction? I'm sad there wasn't a spot for the parents of seniors to gather one last time, maybe for a race to the front door?

Scenes from the Past

Tonight Jim and I walked up to the high School to see the play "Antigone". A rather deep tragedy based on the writings of Sophocles, the interesting twist is that the play is set in 1920's Chicago as opposed to ancient Greece. As our daughter is taking Tech Theater this year to satisfy her art credit, she worked extensively on the set design. Her crowning accomplishment was the bust of Creon, King of Chicagoland, which also served as a lighting prop. It was interesting to watch her spending hours of her own time placing paper mache over a mask, and then building up the upper torso of Creon. We had quite the mess in the dining room for a week, but the end result was worth it. At any rate, she had given me a primer on the play, and she went to see it with her classmates opening night, which was Wednesday. She came home with a glowing report of the production, so we decided to see it tonight. As I looked at each character when they came on stage, I found myself reflecting on the child under the makeup. There was the kindergartner who came over to play after school, and the boy from second grade who made us all laugh, the redhead now a gray old lady who's dad I worked with so many years ago, the pitcher from our softball team, the boy we carpooled with for PSR, and the girl who excels at everything she does. All those little faces from years ago now transformed not only by their makeup into these talented almost adults. Where will they all be next year? Pursuing dreams on the stage at college? Following other career paths? Who knows, but for two hours tonight, they brought down the house.

Open House, Close Door

Last night was the parent's open house at my daughter's high school. You know the drill: pick up your child's schedule, commit yourself to a year of volunteerism, buy some overpriced school merchandise to support scholarships, sit through a boring...errrr...I mean enlightening presentation in an overcrowded and overwarm auditorium, and then head to each of your child's classes to meet the teachers and get an overview of the year. I actually don't mind going to the open house, and this year I knew if would be my last one. Exchanging high fives with the other parents for whom this was also the last open house, we reminisced about how quickly the years had gone by (at least some of the years!), college searches and test scores. Because our son went to a private boys high school, I never really had the same bond with the parents of his classmates as I do with the parents I have known for 12 or more years. I found myself wondering how many of them I would see after the kids graduate next spring. Well, there are eight more months to enjoy, and like the Aerosmith song goes, "I don't want to miss a thing." So I will stay active and involved until the door closes on this experience in May.

Another First and Last

Today was the first day of Katie's last year of high school. I took her picture in the back yard, as I have every first day of school since kindergarten. This is the first year that she will drive herself to school as she is participating in the co-op program through the marketing department and will have the last period free each day to go to work. After 18 years of driving kids to and from school, I now will have extra time each morning and afternoon to work on my stuff. Another era ended... As I was making peach butter today I had the radio on. The theme song from my high school graduation came on; "We May Never Pass This Way Again." How appropriate, I thought.

A Year of Lasts

My daughter registered for her classes today. She is a senior in high school. As I completed the myriad of forms and wrote out checks to send with her, it occurred to me that this is the last time I will be doing this. Starting in 1990 with my son, every August has found me doing the same tasks - contact information, buzz book data, school picture forms, and on and on. This will be our last buzz book, our last package of school pictures, our last yearbook. Just the first of many lasts.