Wilson Class of '65 Yearbook Photos

Our 50th Reunion is almost here, so to get everyone revved up, we present a post we've had in mind for quite some time. We scanned all the senior photos from the 1965 Wilson Yearbook and have them posted online in an photo archive for you to view. Take a trip down memory lane with these photos of your classmates, the boys with their dark suits and skinny ties and slicked back hair, the girls with their peter pan collars and their 1964 hairdos which might flip out at the sides or be whipped up into a massive bouffant (or sometimes both).

Continue on for the link to the archive and brief instructions on navigating it.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Here's a post of reflections and reminiscences by our reunion ringmaster, Gary Johnson:

 ------------------------

Perusing the local funny pages one morning, I noted a profound description of a class reunion: a par-tay where everyone looks older than you. So, come and bask in your youthfulness and cluck at the aging of your classmates. There is still time to contact your “crew” from Maynardsville and twist their arms to join all the events of REUNION WEEK! Hit the freebies for relaxed and open camaraderie and reminiscing. Do not miss this event…

The Puyallup Fair, oops The Washington State AND Puyallup Fair, begins this week [Fair runs Sept. 11 - 27] and who can pass up fresh scones and elephant ears followed by recuperative insulin shots. Yum. If you haven’t been for years take time to grab the grand (even great grand) kids for a nostalgic romp. Unfortunately The Olde Mill has traveled the way of the Dodo… oblivion.



So too did my favorite chicken house, Netties. Our family always met for dinner before the night show and stuffed ourselves with fowl.  These fair days repeated five or more times each year and continue today. (Except Netties) More importantly…I have never paid. I know and have used almost every ruse to ”crash” the gate (all legal of course). I have baked cookies and cakes, participated in market research and found teachers who did not use their freebies. Yes, I do love doing the Puyallup.



Please check our missing lists and help us to ensure that we have the emails or phone numbers of the quick and the names of the dead. We always need help tracking our classmates.

A final thought, Remembering Mrs. Vanhaus’ kindergarten class and my nascent neighborhood, locate those little rascals and reunionize your neighborhood friends as well. I remember Aldens Lusiuch, Allen Erickson, Betty Burton, Pam Browning, Barbara Royce, and many others. What a great time to reconnect and share pictures of grandchildren, or in my case grand cats. Sheesh. (I am not responsible for name misspellings. If they wanted perfection they should have chosen Smith or Jones. )

Gary Johnson

1965 Puyallup Fair photos from the Western Washington Fair Photo Collection and the Tacoma Public Library Image Archives. Photos © Western Washington Fair Association

High School Politics

The following story was written by Tom Teitge and is edited from the work on his website tomteitge.com.

----------------------
When I was in high school, I became interested in school politics. I observed that the election process was a type of popularity contest – combined with entertainment. The winning candidates most successfully lured their voters with artwork (posters) and or humorous speeches that left a name recognition which was about the only key to victory. Both the poster art and the public speaking were right up my alley and combining this with a low key schmoozing, I soon found that I had successfully been elected to the office of class president. A certain ego gratification accompanied the position and I enjoyed the feeling of being a chosen leader – even if the choosing process relied on the lowest level of discretion.

At any rate, I soon found myself engaged in a situation where certain fairly inconsequential decisions were to be made by myself and others, working in various committees. I quickly discovered that, this aspect of the presidency was tedious and uninteresting. And what if, at times, the decisions arrived at were not my own or ones that I could stand behind ethically? (I am speaking strictly of my own personal ethics here, not the bland ethics of high school politics).

Things eventually came to a head when I was called upon to organize a class dance to raise money. I was enthusiastic about this chore. I felt as if my own tastes and sensitivities were on trial and I was eager to make the event one that would be enjoyed and remembered by all. I quickly ran into trouble. I had located a fantastic venue for what I envisioned as a magical night of music and romance. A local community hall, located some distance from the school campus, featured a breathtaking view from a vantage point above the harbor. At night the lights of the town sparkled magically off the water and the hall was surrounded by a lovely forest. It was perfect and the price was modest, allowing good profits for the class. I was excited to present my plans to all who would be involved.