Some times you see things in the real world that you had only seen in photos, and suddenly events become real to you. My old chief photographer, John J. Lopinot, will probably send me a message this morning, like he does every May 4: “Never Forget.”
I’ve written a lot about covering the protest era at Ohio University, and had several major exhibits of my photos. It wasn’t until August 25, 2014, that I actually got around to visiting the school I was headed to when the word came across the radio about the shootings at Kent State.
Dean Kahler
Seeing the pagoda at the top of the hill where the Ohio National Guardsmen turned “with a deliberate action” and unleashed a volley of shots was made even more moving by listening to Dean Kahler tell the story of being shot that day. He was an innocent bystander in the flat area behind him – 300 feet away from the troops – when his life was changed forever.
There’s going to be a big Central High School Class of 1966 50th Reunion June 24 and 25. If you are a member of the Class of ’66, your eyesight might not be what it once was, so you can click on the poster to make it bigger.
How it happened
Some of the Florida CHS contingent have been holding impromptu get-togethers down here in the Sunshine State for several years. The main instigators are Wife Lila Perry Steinhoff, Bill/Jacqie Jackson, and Terry Hopkins. They’d put out the word they were going to be in such-and-such Florida city, and if you wanted to show up, a gab-fest would ensue.
It might have been Terry who said, “I’m gonna be back in Cape in June. Let’s put the word out that anybody who wants to get together can join us.” Before long, Marilyn MaeversMiller was dragged in as the local organizer, and soon things were cooking. (Literally, in the case of Marilyn, who is going to provide some of the good eats.)
It’s a no-stress gathering
Here’s what Lila had to say about it in a post to the Central High School Class of 1966 Facebook page:
A few minutes ago, I talked to a friend whose 35th HS reunion is in June. She decided not to go, because she had gained weight and didn’t want her classmates to see her like she is now.
That made me think of the CHS ’66 50th coming up. At 68 years old, I don’t think anyone from our class cares about that kind of stuff anymore, but just in case…..
REALITY CHECK!!! People, we ALL are 50 years older, and we ALL have a lot more miles on our odometers. I have wrinkles, gray hair, a saggy butt, scars and I weigh 40 pounds more than I did in 1966. The only things that still fit are my earrings. So there you have it! Now, you won’t be surprised when you see me. And if you are surprised, I won’t care.
I am guessing that a pretty fair number of you probably recognize yourselves, to some degree, in that description… depending on how good your plastic surgeon is. Ha!
What doesn’t change? Hopefully, they are the friends who made us laugh, who made us roll our eyes regularly and who were there even after high school. There were classmates that we avoided at all costs, or who ran in different circles than we did. No matter who they were or how you felt about them back then, they also are 50 years older… and I’m betting they’ve mellowed a little, too.
ALL of us have 50 years under our belts, and our 50th rolls around only ONCE. So, come. We are going to eat, drink, tell some tales and be merry. Whatever your definition of merry is, I bet we have it covered.
June is coming, and I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of wrinkled, graying, mellowed 66ers who still know how to rock and roll.
Classmates coming as of April 29, 2016
This thing started growing like crazy. Every day, word came in about more classmates who wanted to attend.
To help put names with faces, Lila started working on name tags that will contain each person’s 1966 Girardot senior picture along with their name IN BIG LETTERS so you won’t have to strain your eyes. Here are some of the folks who say they are going to be there. Click on any photo to make it larger, then use your arrow keys to move through the gallery.
There has been a lot of clearing going on alongside the east side of I-55 south of Hwy 61. It’s an expansion of Veteran’s Memorial Drive from the intersection of Scenic Drive to Hopper Road. The plan is for it to eventually go from Hwy 61 to Route K.
This stage will take it from Scenic Drive to Hopper Road, which will be closed for several months, beginning May 9.
The smell of spring
I’ll never forget the sights, smells and sounds when Dad was starting a new job in the spring. There was the throaty roar of a bulldozer coming to life, belching black diesel smoke out of its stacks. Then, the “cat skinner” would drop the blade, goose the throttle, and you’d hear the clankity-clankity-clank of the tracks pushing up little squares of dirt that looked like Mother’s brownies. That mingling of grease, diesel fuel, exhaust and freshly-turned earth are spring to me.
Click on any photo to make it larger, then use your arrow keys to move through the images.
I had to get back to the Sunshine State in time for Grandson Finn’s first birthday party on April 24. Adam and Carly put together a super pool-oriented party that kept the kids maximally occupied and minimally melted down.
Finn took awhile to get the idea of what to do with his cake, but it didn’t take long before he was covered from head to toe with what looked like cake measles.
Herding cats
Son Adam is trying to direct the scene, but Elliot, 3, left, and Graham, 5, right, weren’t getting with the program.
Can you blame them?
I’d be scared of facing this crowd myself.
That, like so many things, reminds me of a story. During the Watergate hearings, Sen. Walter Mondale walked down the Capitol steps to be confronted with a media scrum waiting for a witness to come out.
“Hey, guys, what do I have to do to get this much attention?” he joked.
“Easy,” a photographer said, “Just screw up one time.”
These folks are all wet
Here’s a gallery of photos that could be filed under “chaos” in the dictionary. Another parent and I were noting how young kids in Florida learn to swim. Graham and Elliot are strong swimmers for their age, and Finn will get drownproofing lessons soon.
Click on any photo to make it larger, then use your arrow keys to move through the images.
Some times you see things in the real world that you had only seen in photos, and suddenly events become real to you. My old chief photographer, John J. Lopinot, will probably send me a message this morning, like he does every May 4: “Never Forget.”
Seeing the pagoda at the top of the hill where the Ohio National Guardsmen turned “with a deliberate action” and unleashed a volley of shots was made even more moving by listening to Dean Kahler tell the story of being shot that day. He was an innocent bystander in the flat area behind him – 300 feet away from the troops – when his life was changed forever.
Here are some of the earlier stories I’ve done about the era.
