Down the Lane: Meeting the Class of 1966
I will be meeting with a special group of ladies this week. They are the ladies of Clark County High (George Rogers Clark’s) 1966 graduating class.
Yes, we are getting old. No, we are old. When I graduated in 1966, I thought someone turning 71 was closer to the grave than alive. In some ways, that may still be true but 71 sure does seem and look younger to me now. That is the age most of the 1966 graduates are now. They have either turned 71 or will soon.
I am sure most of the ladies I will be meeting with are wondering how these 53 years flew by so quickly.
All of us have had our own set of triumphs and tragedies since high school. Nearly all of us have lost our parents, some of us have lost our siblings, while others of us have lost their children. Those of us who thought we would be married for 50 years when we first got married after high school found ourselves on the divorced list. We all have had pain in our lives one way or another. We have lost around 80 classmates. One of those was one of my closest friends.
We have become stronger through perseverance and realized who we are through our hardships.
Every year we meet, I always feel so blessed that I have made it another year. I always look forward to seeing who will be able to attend the luncheon. It is a good time of catching up.
We all have different personalities but one thing we all have in common is we were the 1966 graduating class of George Rogers Clark High. No one can change that.
Since I have gone to nearly every class reunion, I have been able to keep up with most of the people I have graduated with. It is always fun to see how much we all change sometimes from year to year.
I have watched as our hair has changed color to silver.
Some of my classmates are now great grandmothers. It sounds funny even to me. Then I remembered I became a great-great aunt to my great-great-nephew this summer.
Through the years, I think our class has definitely become closer. I think life has done that for us.
I am sure a lot of us will have had to take our medicine before we go greet the other ladies. Others will be on their second hips and others may have had knee replacements. While some will have had heart attacks or other ailments. One of us is awaiting a kidney replacement.
Though some of our bodies may have new parts our minds may still be young. That is until we begin to look back at some of the many changes we have experienced.
For example, our having a television that weighed about a hundred pounds and the clarity of the picture was worked by an antenna. Only having one phone in the house for years and being on a party line with eight other people. Having an outside toilet. No central heating or air conditioning in many homes. Less than a closet full of clothes. Three pair of shoes: your Sunday School shoes, your school shoes and your everyday shoes. For some it was only two pairs.
No electronic devices unless you were lucky and got a record player and transistor radio. I was nearly in high school before I bought my own record player from money I earned. Wearing only dresses to school or skirts and blouses. If pants were worn, they had to be under a dress.
Going to both the Clark County High School and the old Winchester High School. Bud’s Drug Store, Wedding Drug, Corner Drug and Gaunces on Boone Avenue.
How we looked at the old Clark County Hospital across the street from the school as we sat in class. There have been two hospitals built since that one. Having plenty of clothing and shoe stores on Main Street in Winchester. I could go on.
There have been many changes throughout our lives because nothing stays the same. Our lives will change more before we meet again at another gathering. It is important for us take advantage of making this a special time together. I am glad I am a part of the Class of ‘66. God bless us all.
Sue Staton is a Clark County native who grew up in the Kiddville area. She is a wife, mother and grandmother who is active at First United Methodist Church and Towne and Country Homemakers.