As mentioned a week ago, the invitations to the 50th anniversary reunion have been sent. I've returned mine with a check. Hope many other have done so, but haven't received word from the Alumni Office yet.
Sadly, Robert J. (Bob) Reames won't be attending. Received and confirmed news from Sharon last week that Bob passed away on June 16 after a long illness. No other details at this time.
As for news from the past ---
From Paul Crume’s front page column on the Dallas Morning News Sunday August 25, 1963:
"A staunchly Democratic Dallas family was embarrassed the other day by an 8-year-old had suddenly noticed the current events all around him.
"He was trying to piece out some meaning out of what he was getting from grown talk and TV, and he finally asked his grandmother what about these wars. ‘When were these World Wars I and II, and who fought them?’
"She told him that France, England, United States, Italy and Japan were fighting Germany and Austria In World War I, and that the United States, France. England and Russia had paired off against Germany, Italy and Japan in World War II.
"The 8-year old nodded sagely.
"‘And now,’ he said, ‘we are fighting the Russians and the Democrats, aren’t we?’"
In many ways, little has changed in 50 years.
In some ways they have. On this day Channel 8 TV featured a "Home Town Hootenanny" at 9 PM sponsored by the Varsity Shop (now Culwell & Son). Haven’t heard the term "hootenanny" since around that time. They were open-mike affairs for amateur folksingers. I attended at least one where I made a fool out of myself after being overserved. "Folk music" had been growing in popularity for several years: Woody Guthrie (who I do not believe I have actually heard sing) was the godfather, followed by Pete Seeger, Burl Ives, the Kingston Trio (very popular during our high-school years), The Highwaymen ("Michael rode the boat ashore"), the New Christy Minstrels (members included Barry McGuire, Kenny Rogers, and Kim Carnes who later became famous in their own right), Peter, Paul and Mary (heavy on the social commentary, but with pleasant harmony), Joan Baez, Bob Dylan (who pretty much founded "folk-rock"), Judy Collins, and many others in the ‘50s and early ‘60s. Hasn’t been much on that scene for awhile.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Invitations Have Been Sent (and other stories)
The invitations for out 50th Reunion went out this past week. Please reply – with the dough, preferably – as soon as possible so we can get a count. Will update with the attendees weekly in this space.
We are currently having a respite from the summer heat here in Dallas. Rare for mid-August, but not unprecedented. Had one in August 1963. Here's the high-tech weather map from the Dallas Morning News:
Sears: Washer $159 & dryer $99. (2013 equivalents $1,212. & $755)
Skillern Drugs: Toothpaste $0.44 ($3.55); Lavoris mouthwash $0.56 ($4.27); charcoal briquets $0.87 ($6.63).
Ward’s Cut-rate Liquors: Pabst Blue Ribbon beer $0.99/6, $3.65/case of 24 ($7.35 & $27.80).
Also, the advertised no-haggle price for a new 1963 Volkswagen beetle, 4 speed, no A/C, at Economy Cars on Lemmon was $1,595 (today $12,160).
Also in the news:
Annette Funicello, who passed away earlier this year, was in Dallas for the opening of the movie Beach Party at multiple first runs at the Circle, Inwood, and a number of drive-ins.
You could have "all you can eat" (except for the meat) at Underwood’s Bar-B-Q for $1.20.
And there was free admission for ladies to see "Jada – the "world’s hottest exotic," at the Carousel Club, corner Field and Commerce. We would hear a bit more about that place and its infamous proprietor later in the year.
Finally, from the Dallas Time-Herald spread on the school’s re-location:
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
The Final Roundup
While looking through some files in the attic this past Sunday, I came across the school newspaper/magazine for May 1963. It was the final Roundup from the old school. Enjoy.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Past and Present
In addition to those listed in the previous post (8/2/2013) Mike Kerr will attend the tour of the Bush Library on Saturday, October 26.
From the past:
The August 8, 1963 cover of Time, The Weekly Newsmagazine (see below) featured Tran Le Xuân, better known as Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu, the sister in law of the South Vietnam president Ngo Dinh Diem, Time had this to say:
"[The wife of President Diem's younger brother and closest brain-truster. In addition to acting as official First Lady for the bachelor President, she is in her own right one of the two or three most powerful people in the country and in a sense embodies all its problems.
In any Western nation she would be a political force to be reckoned with. In an Oriental country burdened with centuries of ignorance and bloodshed, she is probably more feared than any other man or woman — and fear under such conditions can mean power beyond either respect or popularity.
"A fragile, exciting beauty who stands only 5 ft. 2 in. in high heels — who has kept her girlish grace though she is the mother of four — Mme. Nhu does not look the part. To her critics she symbolizes everything that is wrong with the remote, authoritarian, family-dominated Diem regime. But if she is vain, arbitrary, puritanical, imperious and devious, she also exudes strength, dedication and courage. To some it seems that she belongs in an intrigue-encrusted 18th century court, or that she should wear the robes of a Chinese empress — or both.
"Her only official positions are those of Deputy in the National Assembly and chief of South Viet Nam's women's movements, but Mme. Nhu orders around army generals, Cabinet ministers, and even the President. Though he is often reluctant to go along with her, Diem regularly yields to her when she bursts imperiously into his study, and even allows her to countermand his own orders, because he desperately fears a public display of family friction.
"When a group of disaffected South Vietnamese paratroopers attempted a coup against Diem three years ago, one of their first demands was that Mme. Nhu be removed from the presidential palace. She was flattered by the attention, and also brags that the U.S. has tried unsuccessfully for years to get Diem to curb her power. She bitterly attacks the anti-Diem U.S. press corps in Saigon and accuses Americans generally of being a lot of "Ivanhoes"—perpetually in love with the underdog but confused about just who the underdog is."
She got that last about right. On November 2, 1963, Diem and Nhu were assassinated in a coup by the Vietnamese military, with whom, it has been rumored our CIA was complicit. Madame Nhu left Viet Nam forever. Sometimes unkindly referred to as the Dragon Lady, She died in 2011, in Rome, Italy at age 86.
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From various news sources:
This past August 7, 2013, President John F. Kennedy’s third child, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, would have been 50 years old. As it was, the newborn infant died less than two days after his pre-mature birth of hyaline membrane disease (now called respiratory distress syndrome, or RSD). A funeral mass was held Saturday August 10, and the child was interred at Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline, Massachusetts. Not quite four months later, Patrick’s remains were exhumed and re-interred next to his father at Arlington National Cemetery.
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From Time, The Weekly Newsmagazine
Despite the fact that it already sells 52% of the nation's autos, giant General Motors keeps itself whipped into a competitive lather—and its largest division is the most competitive of all. Though its sales are already greater than those of the entire Ford Motor Co.... (Time, 8/30/1963)
The landscape is considerably different today. In 2012, GM had a U.S. market share of 17.9%, while Ford had 15.3%. Of course, we all know that GM was bailed out by the government while Ford attained its share without help from the Feds. Japan’s Toyota Motor Co. had 14.3% during the same time. (Time, 8/30/1963)
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It was reported that sex matters in the courtroom in that women stand somewhat less chance than men of getting a fair verdict from a jury, because two large groups tend to be biased against women: 1) men earning less than $5,000 (today's equivalent = $38,100) a year, and 2) women. (Time, 8/23/1963)
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The then current top ten moneymaking movies in the U.S. were:
1) Cleopatra – made notorious by the Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton imbroglio during filming.
2) Come Blow Your Horn – Coming of age in hip New York story. Frank Sinatra and Tony Bill (anyone ever heard of Tony since?).
3) How the West Was Won – Grand epic with multiple star appearances.
4) Irma La Douce – Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine comedy. Shirley plays a French hooker; Jack is a gendarme in a dual role.
5) Lawrence of Arabia – Another grand epic; released about a year previously in 1962.
6) The Great Escape – World War II prisoner of war escape. Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough. Who could forget the motorcycle jump over the barbed wire fence.
7) Bye, Bye, Birdie – Janet Leigh & Ann-Margret. Rock star (similar to Elvis) about to be drafted performs on the Ed Sullivan Show, Cameo appearance by Ed.
8) Summer Magic – Had to look this one up. Walt Disney flick with Hayley Mills. Never saw it.
9) Donovan's Reef – One of a number of joint appearances by John Wayne and Lee Marvin. World War II veterans living on a South Sea Island. Seri-comedy; great barroom brawl.
10) PT 109 – Drama about President Kennedy's World War II Navy service. Cliff Robertson played Kennedy.
(Time, August 8, 1963)
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Not counting men and women in military service, 13.5% of the nation's workers are government workers. Since 1955, the federal work force has increased 8% , to 2,500,000, but the real jump has been in the number of employees of state and local governments, which has increased 45% , to 7,000,000. (Time, August 8, 1963)
How many are so employed today?
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Saturday, August 3, 2013
Then and Now
Condolences to classmate Vince Scottino on the passing of his sister Rosalie Scottino Weir this past week.
From the Saturday, August 3, 1963 Dallas Morning News:
— U. S. Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division engaged a communist North Korean patrol in a firefight that lasted two hours in the demilitarized zone this day. That was 10 years and a few days after the "armistice" that supposedly ended the active military operations. Now, 40 years later, tensions between the United States and its south Korean ally and the North are still there. I saw the DMZ first hand in 1969. It was a fortified 2½ mile wide no man’s land that cuts the Korean Peninsula in two. Still does. In fact, it may be the most heavily militarized border in the world.
— High temperature of 100 degrees predicted for Saturday. Friday’s high was 99. Not much different than today.
— Ed Maher Ford, at 420 North Harwood, was running a special on 1963 Thunderbirds. You could have one for $100 down and $100 per month. Doesn’t for say how long. Might be still paying for it today. On the other hand, maybe not. My recollection is that it was not one of Ford’s more successful models, and had a lot of mechanical problems.
— In baseball, the New York Yankees led the American League (as they tended to do in those days) with the Chicago White Sox 7 games behind. The L.A. Dodgers were ahead 3½ games ahead of their nearest rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dallas Fort Worth Rangers led the Pacific Coast League Southern Division, though they lost Friday to the San Diego Padres.
— The Cotton Bowl announced that the Texas-OU game was already sold out for the 18th consecutive year.
— At the movies: at the Majestic was "Donovan’s Reef" with John Wayne and Lee Marvin; the Palace was showing "Spencer’s Mountain" with Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara; the celebrated "Cleopatra" was a road show at the Tower; "How the West was Won" with 24 guest stars was a limited engagement at the Capri. Various drive-ins featured "King Kong vs. Godzilla"
Current list of those planning to attend the Bush Library tour
2. Larry and Mary Colgin
2. Jerry and Beth Taliaferro
1. Bill Mokry
2. Paul and Karin Barry
1. Ray McShane
2. Bob and Aurora Leicht
2. Bill and Sherrie Murphy
2. Tommy and Lou Ann Huffhines
2. Sherman and Carla LaBarba
2. Roger and Marguerite Sullivan
2. Bob and Martha Reagan
2. John and Susan Cuellar
2. Chris and Patti Bird
2. Steve and Cathy Seward
2. Gary and Kris Caffo
2. Caesar and Paula Ricci
2. Tom and Penny Land
2. Clancy and Julie Wilson
2. John and Julie Weissert
2. Bob and Andrea Neuhoff
Again, if anyone who want to attend is not listed, please let me know so I can add.
The capital from a column on the front porch of the old school was delivered last Thursday. It awaits its place of honor in the prayer garden.
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