Forty Years and Counting!

I remember many years ago attending one of my mom's high school reunions at Northside High School in Ft. Worth, Texas. As a young teen, most of these people looked old! Or maybe it was ancient! Oh, no. I'm in that age bracket now.

Saturday night, August 22nd, the Class of 1969 at Castleberry High School in Ft. Worth, Texas, held our fortieth graduation reunion. Could it be that those years have passed entirely too fast.

During our school years there, we witnessed seeing President John F. Kennedy, his wife and the Governor of Texas thirty minutes before the assassination of our president. Our high school choir was in Los Angeles on our way to Hawaii for tour when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated. We watched intently on black and white televisions man landing and walking on the moon. These and other events were witnessed throughout the world.

Here is some background information about our high school. Castleberry High School is located in Ft. Worth, TX. C.H.S. is an independent school in the bedroom community of River Oaks, TX. During the years we attended that high school, it was known throughout the city, state, country and many places around the world for its high quality choir and band programs.

The band was the first Texas representatives to the Rose Bowl in 1965. The choir was the Texas representatives to the World's fair in Montreal. Choir tours included Hawaii, Mexico, Israel and Europe. Our senior year our choir had the privilege of meeting Maria Von Trapp, on whom the movie "The Sound of Music" was based. And the list goes on. You might say we were the toast of Ft. Worth, Texas and the United States!

Several of my class attended elementary school thru high school together. That is more difficult in today's world due to job relocation and job changes.

On this particular Saturday, our class, and a few others met at Angelo's BBQ north of downtown Ft. Worth. The food was great (what true Texan wouldn't like BBQ), visiting with some of our former teachers, and of course, visiting with our classmates.

Our class regrouped outside to take our historical 40th Reunion Picture.

While the hair may have turned gray, or left the building entirely, or we added some unwanted pounds in areas we wouldn't have chosen, or we may have slightly forgotten a name or two, or an event long, long ago, the time together was much too short for any of us gathered.

There is word going around that we might gather more often that every five years. I don't know if that is due to wanting to increase our visiting time, getting more of our class members to consider coming, or at our age, we'd better get together more often! Doesn't make me any difference what the reason is to get together as a group--I'll make the trip from Jackson, MS, to Ft. Worth, TX, to be a part of that happening!