AT SENIOR CLASS NIGHT, JUNE 3, 1957,I OPENED MY SPEECH BY SAYING,
"IN A VERY FEW SHORT DAYS, MEMBERS OF THE JUNE, 1957, GRADUATING CLASS WILL
WALK ACROSS THIS STAGE FOR PERHAPS THE LAST TIME." I HAD NO IDEA AT THAT TIME
THAT 50 YEARS LATER I WOULD STAND BEFORE YOU AND USE THOSE SAME WORDS AGAIN.
BUT TONIGHT I THINK THAT WE WOULD ALL AGREE
IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING WHICH JUST A SHORT TIME
AGO SEEMED SO REMOTE, COULD NOW BE COMPLETED SO SOON. 50 YEARS – UNBELIEVEABLE! 50 YEARS
IS A LONG TIME, BUT IT CAN SEEM LIKE A SHORT TIME - IT ALL DEPENDS UPON YOUR
POINT OF VIEW. I AM SURE IT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY BACK IN 57. WE COULDN'T
BEGIN TO FATHOM IT. BUT TONIGHT, IN MANY WAYS, IT REALLY DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT
WAS THAT LONG AGO. THERE IS NO DENYING - THINGS HAVE CHANGED!
THE WORLD: IN 1957 THE
POPULATION WAS 2.88 BILLION. TODAY
THE POPULATION IS 6.50 BILLION
THE USA: IN 1957 GAS
WAS 23 CENTS A GALLON, COFFEE WAS 69 CENTS A POUND -- AND NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD
OF STARBUCKS OR A TRIPLE VENTI, SUGAR FREE VANILLA, NON-FAT, EXTRA HOT, NO FOAM
LATTE. MILK WAS 97 CENTS A GALLON,
SUGAR 11 CENTS A POUND. IN 1957 MEDIAN
INCOME IN THE USA WAS $4,966. TODAY
IT IS $46,326. THE AVERAGE PRICE OF
A HOME WAS $14,200. TODAY IT IS $241,400.
A $50 BILL IN 57 (ADJUSTED FOR
INFLATION) EQUATES TO ABOUT $6.58 TODAY.
EAST HIGH SINCE 1957: APPROXIMATELY
21,000 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM EAST SINCE 1957. THERE HAVE BEEN 8 DIFFERENT PRINCIPALS.
TODAY EAST HOUSES 4 GRADES WITH NEARLY 2200 STUDENTS. IT IS THE
LARGEST 4 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE WITH ALL 4
GRADES HOUSED IN ONE LOCATION. VALLEY
IS LARGER IN TOTAL BUT HOUSES 9TH GRADERS IN A SEPARATE FACILITY. LINCOLN HIGH IS ONLY SLIGHTLY SMALLER
THAN EAST. EAST HIGH IS LARGER THAN 699 IOWA TOWNS.
OUR CLASS: SINCE 1957
OUR CLASS HAS FUNDED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, RAISED ABOUT $22,000
FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND CONTRIBUTED $40,000 TO THE RECENT RENOVATION PROJECT. WHETHER THAT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A LONG
TIME AGO TO YOU OR A SHORT TIME, WE HAVE ALL MADE THE JOURNEY, THANKFULLY WE
HAVE ALL SURVIVED THE TRIP AND WE HAVE COME TOGETHER TONIGHT BECAUSE SOMETHING
REALLY IMPORTANT AND PRETTY POWERFUL HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO.
PERSONALLY, I REMEMBER VERY CLEARLY GOING TO GIVE A SPEECH AT AN
ALUMNI DINNER IN 1957. I WENT TO REPRESENT THE CLASS OF '57
AS WE WERE WELCOMED INTO THE EAST HIGH ALUMNI FAMILY. IN THAT SPEECH, I QUOTED PART OF A POEM
THAT I HAD MEMORIZED IN MS. ENGLEEN'S 11 GRADE ENGLISH CLASS.
"COME GROW OLD WITH ME
THE
THE BEST IS YET TO BE
THE
LAST OF LIFE FOR WHICH THE FIRST WAS MADE"
THE POEM SEEMED APPROPRIATE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE, AS GRADUATES, WE
HAD JUST COMPLETED ONE IMPORTANT PHASE OF OUR LIVES, BUT AS 17, 18 YEAR OLDS WE
HAD MOST OF OUR LIVES IN FRONT OF US.
THE IDEA OF THE POEM IS THAT AS WE GET OLDER AND WISER, LIFE GETS
BETTER. AS WE AGE, MATURE, READ, STUDY, TRAVEL, GO TO COLLEGE, GET A JOB, WORK,
GET MARRIED, RAISE A FAMILY - REALLY ESPERIENCE LIFE IN ITS FULLNESS - OUR
PERSPECTIVE EXPANDS, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US
GROWS AND OUR CAPACITY TO APPRECIATE AND ENJOY LIFE INCREASES – "THE LAST
OF LIFE FOR WHICH THE FIRST WAS MADE."
MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS I HAVE REMEMBERED THAT NIGHT AND
THAT POEM AND I HAVE ASKED MYSELF IF MY LIFE WERE WORKING LIKE THE POEM
SUGGESTS IT SHOULD. EACH TIME I HAVE CONCLUDED, WELL, MAYBE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
1954-1957 AT EAST HIGH WAS REALLY HARD TO BEAT. IN FACT, IT WAS ABOUT AS GOOD
AS IT GETS. MAYBE LIFE HAS GOTTEN BETTER AS I HAVE GOTTEN OLDER AND WISER, BUT
I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE EVER HAD 3 BETTER YEARS THAN I DID WITH MY FRIENDS IN
THE CLASS OF '57.
FOR ME, IT ALL STARTED IN THE LATE 40S AND EARLY 1950S WHEN MY
UNCLE TOOK ME TO DRAKE STADIUM, DRAKE FIELDHOUSE, THE OLD EAST HIGH GYM OR THAT
OLD FOOTBALL FIELD OFF 18TH STREET BETWEEN WALKER AND HUBBEL. WE
WENT TO WATCH EAST PLAY. FOR ME, IT WAS A CASE OF "LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT." I KNEW
RIGHT THEN THAT I WANTED TO BE AN EAST HIGH SCARLET AND THAT, HOPEFULLY, SOME
DAY I WOULD WEAR THE SCARLET AND BLACK.
I MET THOSE WHO WERE TO BE MY FIRST FRIENDS IN THE CLASS OF '57 AT
PHILLIPS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL I LOVED PHILLIPS AND HAD NO IDEA
THAT WOODROW WILSON COULD BE EVEN BETTER. AT WILSON MEMBERSHIP IN THE CLASS OF
'57 CONTINUED TO GROW AND, ALTHOUGH THE JUNIOR HIGH YEARS CAN BE DIFFICULT AND
ACKWARD, SOME OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE PEOPLE AND FONDEST LIFE-TIME
MEMORIES OCCURRED WHILE I WAS THERE.
SO WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE EAST SIDE OF DES MOINES? WE DIDN'T HAVE
SHOPPING MALLS, CELL PHONES, VIDEO GAMES, OR COMPUTERS. YET, LIFE WAS GOOD! WE ICE SKATED AT GRANDVIEW, WENT
SWIMMING AT BIRDLAND, SUNSET BEACH, AND THE YMCA. WE RODE OUR BIKES, RODE THE
BUS AND SPOKE PIG LATIN. WE WERE
HALL MONITORS, MOVIE USHERS, SCHOOL MESSENGERS, AND BELONGED TO THE SAFETY
PATROL. WE PICNICKED AND PLAYED
TOUCH FOOTBALL AT UNION PARK, WATER SKIED ON THE DES MOINES RIVER, CAMPED BY
FOUR MILE CREEK, WENT FISHING DOWN BY IOWA POWER AND LIGHT, AND WATCHED THE
SLATER NITE HAWKS PLAY UNDER THE LIGHTS AT BIRDLAND. WE ENJOYED THE MIDWAY AND THE AUTO RACES
AT THE STATE FAIR, WATCHED THE FIREWORKS FROM OUR FRONT YARDS AND LOVED GOING
TO RIVERVIEW. WE WENT TO THE GRAND,
EASTOWN AND AVALON THEATRES AND LATER WENT ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN TO TRY THE DES
MOINES, AND THE ORPHEUM. WE JOINED
THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AND BOY SCOUTS, WENT TO CHURCH CAMP AND LATER JOINED
DEMOLAY AND THE RAINBOW GIRLS. WE WERE INVITED TO OUR FIRST FORMAL DANCES AT
THE TROMAR AND VALAIR BALLROOMS WHERE WE DEALT WITH ONE OF LIFE'S GREAT
MYSTERIES - WHERE DO I PIN THE CORSAGE?
WE FOLLOWED THE DES MOINES BRUINS, LISTENED TO AL COUPEE, CHEERED THE
HAWKEYES, WATCHED THE ROLAND ROCKET AT IOWA STATE, AND CHEERED FOR JOHNNY
BRIGHT, THE GREATEST BULLDOG. WE WENT TO THE KRNT CUBS TRY-OUT CAMPS, PLAYED
BASEBALL AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, BASKETBALL AT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, AND
PLAYED CHURCH LEAGUE BALL IN THE OLD EAST HIGH GYM. WE WENT TO CHURCH WITH OUR PARENTS, TOOK
VACATIONS TO MINNESOTA, LOVED BUTTER BRICKEL ICE CREAM AND TENDERLOIN
SANDWICHES. WE RAN IN THE JR. HIGH
TRACK MEET, SANG IN THE GLEE CLUB, AND PERFORMED IN THE SCHOOL'S OPERETTAS. WE MADE WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE LIFE-LONG
FRIENDS IN JUNIOR HIGH ONLY TO HAVE THEM GO TO TECH OR NORTH AND WE NEVER SAW
THEM AGAIN.
AND THEN WE WENT TO EAST WHERE THE CLASS OF '57 WAS FINALLY ALL
TOGETHER AT LAST. WE WORE CREW
CUTS, LETTER SWEATERS, BOBBI SOX, AND CONVERSE ALL-STARS. WE WATCHED MOVIES ON OUR LUNCH HOUR,
WROTE NOTES IN STUDY HALL, HAD FRIDAY MORNING PEP ASSEMBLIES, AND RODE PEP CLUB
BUSES TO WATERLOO, FORT DODGE AND MASON CITY. WE WERE IN THE MARCHING BAND, TOOK
CHOIR, LATIN, TYPING AND SHORTHAND.
WE JOINED HY Y, WROTE FOR THE SCROLL AND PUBLISHED THE QUILL. WE
HITCHHIKED, WORKED AT THE REEDS ICE CREAM STAND AND THE PHILLIPS 66 GAS STATION,
WENT ON HAY RACK RIDES AND SHOT RATS AT THE CITY DUMP. WE HAD SLUMBER PARTIES, GIRL FRIENDS,
BOY FRIENDS, LEARNED TO JITTERBUG AND SLOW DANCE. WE TRIED OUT FOR SYNCRONIZED
SWIMMING, WERE CHEERLEADERS AND MAJORETTES. WE READ PEANUTS IN THE DES MOINES
REGISTER, SERVED ON STUDENT COUNCIL, AND SOLD TICKETS TO THE SPOTLIGHT PARADE. WE STOPPED AT CARY'S DRIVE-INN UP IN
SNOOSVILE FOR A BURGER AFTER A GAME, BUT USUALLY ENDED UP AT KNOX CAFE WHERE WE
GAVE FIRST AID TO COLLEAGUES WHO PARTIED WITH TOO MUCH ENTHUSIASM. WE GOT OUR DRIVERS LICENSES, CRUISED THE
LOOP IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES AND IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE EASTOWN, GRAND AND
AVALON FOR THE CAPITOL DRIVE-IN AND THE SE 14TH DRIVE-IN WHERE WE ENHANCED OUR
EDUCATION THROUGH ADDITIONAL EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITY. WE PLAYED LEGION BASEBALL, WENT TO
CHUCK'S OR NOAH'S FOR PIZZA, SOLD PROGRAMS AT THE GIRLS' AND BOYS' BASKETBALL
TOURNAMENTS AND WORKED AT THE DRAKE RELAYS WHERE WE CHEERED FOR MEL GRAHAM AND
KENNY BURNETT.
WE KNEW THAT THE RICH KIDS LIVED ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN AND THAT WE WERE IN ENEMY TERRITORY WHEN WE CROSSED THE DES MOINES
RIVER. WE BEAT
ROOSEVELT ON THE GRIDIRON, THE BASEBALL DIAMOND, AND IN THE GYM
AND WE KICKED THEIR BUTTS IN THE FIGHTS AFTER THE BIG GAMES. WE FELL IN LOVE
WITH ELVIS, LISTENED TO HAL AND CHARLIE ON KIOA AND HUNG OUT AT FRANKIE'S
BARBER SHOP.
BUT WHAT WAS IT ABOUT EAST HIGH? WE DIDN'T HAVE "MY SPACE", LAP TOPS, iPODS, COMPUTER LABS, OR POWER
POINT PRESENTATIONS. BUT WE HAD DICK
JOHNSON, BILL NEAL, MARTY CARLSON, BOB SAVAGE, MR. GOODWIN, MR AUGUSTINE, MR.
JOHNS, MR STORER, MS ENGLEEN, IONE BALL, GUS RUMP, MISS SPENCER, AGNES
HELMRICK, MR. FRIESTAD, MISS SNYDER, MRS. WHITFORD, JACK BORG, SCOTTIE RUSSELL,
DUKE WILLIAMS AND MR. STRATTON. SOME
OF THEM CARED FOR US, TAUGHT US, MOTIVATED AND
INSPIRED US. SOME OF THEM DID NOT.
WE WENT TO THE SENIOR BREAKFAST, SENIOR-PARENT DINNER, THE KIDDIE
PARTY, CLASS NIGHT, PROM, AND GRADUATION. WE SIGNED YEAR BOOKS, GRADUATION
PICTURES, AND SAID GOOD-BY AND HEADED DOWN THE PATH WHICH LEADS TO THE REST OF
OUR LIVES.
THE REASON THOSE THREE YEARS WERE 3 OF THE VERY BEST WAS BECAUSE
OF A GREAT COLLECTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL GROUP THAT EXCELLED
IN THE CLASSROOM, ON THE ATHLETIC FIELDS AND, FOR THE MOST PART, AS GOOD
CITIZENS IN THE EAST-SIDE COMMUNITY. WE WERE OUTSTANDING ACADEMICALLY, ACTIVE
SOCIALLY, AND OUR RECORD IN ATHLETICS WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN EAST HIGH HISTORY.
MUSIC, DRAMA, JOURNALISM, ART, SHOP, AUTO MECHANICS—WE ENJOYED THEM ALL.
WE WERE LUCKY TO BE AT EAST WHEN THE NEW FOOTBALL STADIUM, TRACK,
BASEBALL FIELDS, AND TENNIS COURTS WERE COMPLETED -- AND MEMBERS OF OUR CLASS
PLAYED ON THE FIRST TEAMS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THOSE FIELDS. WE WERE JUNIORS
WHEN THE GYM, THE POOL, AND THE STUDENT CENTER FIRST OPENED FOR USE; AND WE
WERE THE FIRST CITY CHAMPIONS TO BE CROWNED
IN THE GYM. IN FACT, IN THE THREE YEARS WE WERE HERE WE PLAYED ON TWO CITY AND
THREE BIG SIX CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TEAMS, TWO CITY BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS,
AND TWO CITY BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. IN OUR SENIOR YEAR WE WON TITLES IN
BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL IN THE SAME YEAR AND, I AM TOLD, THAT FEAT HAS
BEEN REPEATED ONLY ONCE IN THE PAST 50 YEARS. WE LIVED IN A DAY WHEN LIFE WAS
GOOD ON THE EAST SIDE AS LONG AS YOU BEAT ROOSEVELT AND I AM PLEASED TO SAY
THAT THE EAST SIDE WAS A GREAT PLACE TO BE IN 54-57.
BUT IF WE WERE GOOD ATHLETES, WE WERE EVEN BETTER STUDENTS. I WAS
ALWAYS IMPRESSED, EVEN A BIT INTIMIDATED BY THE LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE IN THE CLASSROOMS
AROUND THE SCHOOL. IN FACT, I WAS FREQUENTLY LOST IN SOME CLASSES. BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS A CLASSMATE WHO COULD EXPLAIN THE MATERIAL AS
WELL OR BETTER THAN THE TEACHER AND WILLING TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE AN ATHLETE OR GREAT STUDENT TO BE A GREAT
FRIEND AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE ACADEMICALLY INCLINED TO FIND A COMFORTABLE
PLACE. AS SOMEONE HAS SAID, "EVERYONE IS A FRIEND UNTIL THEY PROVE OTHERWISE."
FRANKLY, IN THE CLASS OF 57 NOT MANY "PROVED OTHERWISE." IF YOU LOOK AT THE
BIOGRAPHIES PUT TOGETHER FOR OUR 50TH REUNION, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE CLASS HAVE BEEN GREAT. THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE USA HAVE BEEN TRULY SIGNIFICANT.
IT IS AMAZING, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SURPRISE ME. YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT IT REALLY
DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY GAMES WE WON OR HOW MANY OUTSTANDING SCHOLARS WE HAD OR
HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE GIVEN TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. THOSE TOPICS MAKE FOR
PLEASANT MEMORIES AND GREAT DISCUSSIONS, BUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS ARE THE
FRIENDSHIPS THAT WERE MADE AND THE BONDS THAT WERE FORMED IN THE HALLWAYS, IN
THE CLASSROOMS, AND ON THE PLAYING FIELDS. IT IS THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE
ESTABLISHED AS WE STUDIED AND PLAYED TOGETHER THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT. THAT'S
WHAT BRINGS ALUMNI BACK TOGETHER EACH YEAR AND THAT IS WHAT BRINGS US BACK 50
YEARS LATER.
WE ARE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF EACH OTHER. 50, 55, 60 YEARS AGO WE
CONNECTED IN WAYS THAT WERE SO STRONG AND SIGNIFICANT THAT WE WANT TO
EXPERIENCE THOSE SAME CONNECTIONS TONIGHT, 50 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION. THE
JOURNEY OF LIFE IS A VERY PERSONAL TRIP. WE CHOSE OUR OWN PATHWAYS, CHARTED OUR
OWN COURSE. BUT LET'S FACE IT, WE ALL STARTED THE
JOURNEY TOGETHER. OUR DAYS AND OUR EXPERIENCES ON THE EAST SIDE AND AT EAST
HIGH LAUNCHED US ON OUR WAY, PREPARED US FOR THE CHALLENGES, AND INFLUENCED THE
DECISIONS WE MADE ALONG THE WAY. AS TIM MCGRAW SINGS, "WE TAKE OUR OWN PATHWAYS
IN LIFE, BUT NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, WE TAKE A LITTLE OF EACH OTHER EVERYWHERE." ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT WE HAVE COME
FULL CIRCLE -- WE MADE THE TRIP AND HAVE RETURNED TONIGHT TO RECONNECT WITH THE
PEOPLE AND THE PLACE THAT SENT US ON OUR WAY.
ON MANY OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, I HAVE LOOKED INTO THE
MIRROR EXPECTING TO SEE A HIGHLY EDUCATED, REASONABLY KNOWLEDGEABLE, RELATIVELY
SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL WHO TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD FATHER AND HUSBAND. EACH
TIME I WOULD SEE GLIMPSES OF THAT PERSON, BUT WHEN THE FOG CLEARED, I ALSO SAW
A YOUNG GUY OUT ON EAST 22nd STREET, FIERCELY PROUD OF THE GOOD
FORTUNE HE HAD TO GROW UP ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE
PRIVILEGE, INDEED THE HONOR OF ATTENDING EAST HIGH SCHOOL, AND ETERNALLY
GRATEFUL FOR THE FRIENDSHIPS MADE AND THE EXPERIENCES SHARED AS A MEMBER OF THE
CLASS OF 1957. FOR I KNOW, THAT
WHEREVER WE HAVE GONE, WHATEVER WE HAVE DONE, WHATEVER WE HAVE ACHIEVED,
WHATEVER WE HAVE BECOME, IT ALL STARTED WITH "US" AND THE EXPERIENCES WE SHARED
AT EAST HIGH IN THE CLASS OF 57.