Central High School students Archives

October 23, 2011February 19, 2017

Class of ’61 50th Reunion

This weekend was the Central High School Class of 1961’s 50th Reunion. I crashed Saturday night’s shindig. When I left the house, I told Mother, “If you hear a disturbance call at the Country Club come across the scanner, it’s probably me getting tossed out for showing up uninvited and in jeans. (Click on any photo to make it larger.)

I’m doing WHAT?!?

Much to my surprise (and dismay), I found myself drafted into taking the class group shots, even though I protested that I don’t really do that kind of thing and didn’t bring along the right equipment. I guess I shouldn’t underestimate what you can do with a Nikon D40 and Nikon SB-600 strobe.

The photos aren’t up to Paul Lueders standards, but they’re better than I expected. I had to break the class into two groups because my lens wasn’t wide enough to get everyone in the same shot.

I’m not set up to make prints for sale, but if there’s enough interest, I’ll find someplace to put them where you can order reprints at a reasonable price.

Past reunion stories

Here are some other class reunion stories that have run on this blog:

Reunion photo gallery

I won’t even try to identify the folks in the photos. I’ll leave you on your own for that. Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left and right side of the picture to move through the gallery. Please leave comments. (One technical note: if you return to the site, press Ctrl-F5 to make sure you see any new comments that have been left since your last visit.

Thanks to the Class of ’61 for making me feel welcome at your 50th.

September 18, 2011

Class of ’65 Senior Banquet

The caption for this photo that ran on The Missourian’s May 17, 1965, Youth Page read, “Miss Cheri Pind just realizes that she is the one being described in the class prophesy being read by Chuck Dockins and Steve Seabaugh at the Senior Banquet Tuesday night in the Central High School cafeteria. Jim Stone, background, seems relatively unimpressed.”

Photo Gallery of photos that might have been better lost

Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side to move through the gallery.

August 19, 2011April 1, 2012

Central High School Marching Band

Wife Lila and I spotted some great clouds when we left dinner Thursday night. My car’s still at the transmission shop, so she’s driving a rental car. After shooting a dozen or so frames, I asked her to follow my cryptic directions to get to the new Central High School. When I passed it on I-55 the other night, I noticed the stadium lights were burning, so I thought maybe I could get a shot with them in the foreground and the neat sunset in the background.

When we got close enough to see the field, we noticed activity on the field – it was the Central High School Marching Band practicing for their September 2 opener. [Click on any photo to make it larger.]

You can’t beat a three-fer

I had been thinking all day that I should do something to commemorate the first day of school. Here was a chance to get the first day of school, the new football stadium and a weather shot all at one time. (I’m saving the earlier cloud shots for filler when I’m on my way back to Florida.)

Lining up to practice last routine

I got there just as the sun was setting and the band was getting set to practice their last routine. I’m pretty sure I recognized some of the kids from the Sikeston-CHS football game I shot last fall.

Band alums keep eye on practice

Former band members Billy Keys (seated) and Josh Lamar keep an eye on the green troops.

Band boosters like what they see

The woman in the front row, second from left, said she had three grandkids on the field.

Human lightning rod

When I first got to the stadium, there was an occasional flash of lightning in the clouds way off in the distance. It was far enough away that you couldn’t hear the thunder. Still, I was a bit uncomfortable as I was making my way across the metal bleachers. That’s when I spotted the human lightning rod at the very tip-top of the press box. I figured it would get him before it got me, and I felt a little better.

The lightning rod turned out to be veteran band director Neil Casey.

Casey’s in 29th year

Casey has been band director since 1983. This is his 29th and final year, he said. He followed Bill Ewing, Tony Carosello and William Shivelbine.

Megan Peters, color guard coordinator, said that her group had been practicing together since July.25. The band started August 1. They explained that the musicians received their music earlier, so they could start working on their pieces individually. Megan’s group has to be able to work together on their routines.

Marching Band Photo Gallery

Here’s a gallery of photos of band practice. Click on any image to make it larger, then click on the left or right side to move through the gallery.

June 20, 2011September 22, 2011

Time to Load Up the Bus

I see debate coach Calvin Chapman counting heads or checking for stowaways or whatever activity advisors did when they had a bus full of students heading out for mischief.

Looks alike most of these students are from the Class of 1966; I don’t recognize anyone as being from the Class of ’65.

Headed back to Cape

If I get van back from the repair shop tomorrow, I’ll hit the road to another visit to Cape. It’s a little early for a return, but I have three or four projects to work on before Fall. I’ll fill you in when things firm up a bit.

So, things may be a little light for the next few days. I won’t have Mother with me on this road trip, so I won’t have an excuse to stop for Elvis or Abe Lincoln or any of the things we saw in April.