A Newspaper Article and 4 more folks . . .

Today I received money from Tommy and Genevieve and Mont and Nancy.

That brings our grand total to 51 (I had already been counting the Burns'). There will be more to come, I'm sure. When I get back from Virginia -- I'll be gone a week -- I'll send you lists of folks who are on the fence and you can help me wrangle them.

Nancy Karen sent me a newspaper article from The Big Sandy News about the 20th Reunion. It didn't scan well so I've only put up a pic of the beginning of it (above left) and will retype the entire contents so you can read it easily. I've also reformatted the article a little to make it easier to read. Forgive any typos,please.

'61 CLASS HEARS EX-SUPERINTENDENT;

PRESENTS LHS PAINTING TO LIBRARY

A highlight of the 20-year reunion of the Louisa High School Class of 1961 was the presentation of a painting of the old building to the Lawrence County Public Library.

The painting was by local artist and former LHS band director Richard Wilson.

The festivities opened with an open house at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Lyon of Franklin Street, July 3.The classmates enjoyed this time of reminiscing after their many years of separation. On July 4th the class participated in the Independence Day parade.

A highlight of the reunion was a buffet dinner at Lawrence County High School on July 4. Master of ceremonies was Sam Lyon. The invocation was offered by Melvin Salyers and guest speaker for the event was former superintendent William A. Cheek.

The long-time educator recalled many humorous encounters with the class when they were students and shared with the group his rendition of the poem "The Touch of the Master's Hand." The class honored Mr. Cheek and Bascom Boyd, with engraved school bells as symbols of appreciation for the influence these two educators had on them.

Another highlight of the dinner was the presentation of an oil painting of Louisa High School to Mrs. Charlene O'Daniel representing the Public Library.

The presentation was in memory of Glenna Ruth O'Daniel Litton and James "Butch" Wellman who were members of the Class of 1961. The painting is on permanent display at the library.

The group honored the following returning classmates:

Changed the most-- Harold Butler and Sherry Workman Cottle

Most grey hair -- James Young;

Baldest -- Tom Burns

Twins -- Cheryl Paulery Henderson, Nancy Patton Lemaster,

Linda Bradley Boggs;

Youngest child -- Jessie Thompson Coffey;

Oldest child -- Karen Rose Chapman

Grandmother -- Betty York Pavlovski.

Changed the least -- Bobby Stansberry and Jane Wilson Salyers

Most children -- Betty York Pavlovski

Traveled farthest -- James Young and Clyde Adkins

Married the longest -- Karen Rose Chapman.

The class hosted several of their former teachers who attended:

Mrs. Katherine White, Mrs. Ruth Jackson, Mrs. Nola Chambers, Richard Wilson, Mrs. Louise Kingsmore, Mrs. Jaunita Keeton, Mrs. Beulah Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Rice.

Classmates and spouses attending were:

Mr. and Mrs. Dan May (Linda Walters),

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Frazier,

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Burns,

Mr. and Mrs. Mont Wheeler,

Mr and Mrs. James Boggs (Linda Bradley),

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lemaster,

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lyon,

Mrs. Judy Preece Parks,

Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Lemaster (Nancy Patton),

Mr. and Mrs. George Hardin (Linda Wilson),

Fred Coffey,

Mr. and Mrs. Les Blevins (Linda Patton),

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Burke (Linda Ferguson),

Mr. and Mrs. Les Nelson (Linda Nickell),

Mrs. Glenna Pfost Walker,

Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Preece,

and Mrs. Barbara Phillips Bush, all of Louisa.

Other classmates included

Brad Wright, Blaine,

Mr and Mrs. Harold Butler, Frankfort,

Ernestine Moore Spillman, Frankfort,

Mr. and Mrs. Gobel Copley, Ashland,

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Jordan (Donna Holbrook), Ashland

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Davis (Freeda Blair), Flatwoods,

Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Stansberry, Catlettsburg,

Mr. and Mrs. James Howard, Lowmansville,

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Whitt (Ruth Thornsberry), Grayson,

Mrs. Linda Roberts Dahlman, Lexington,

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hardin, Rush,

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Coffey (Jesse Thompson), Louisville,

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Short, Columbus, OH,

Mrs. Rhoda Preece Ross of Columbus, OH.

Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Adkins, Germany,

Mr. and Mrs. James Young, Germany,

Mr. and Mrs. George Wilson, Virginia Beach, Va,

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pavlovski (Betty York), Chesterland, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Chapman (Karen Rose), New Buffalo, Mi,

Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Campbell (Violet Wright), Middlesport, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Arthus Augenstein (Myrtle Workman), Marion, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Cottle (Sherry Workman), Southgate, MI,

Mrs. Ceryl Pauley Henderson, Hancock, MD,

John Wright, Barboursville, WV,

Mr. and Mrs. Wes Albright (Nancy Moore), Levenworth, KA,

Fred Martin, Moncks Corner, SC,

Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Salyers (Jane Wilson), Lakeland, FL.

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hammond, Maryville, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Short (Ruth Thompson), Thornsville, OH,

Mr. and Mrs. David Bond (Vicki Cheek), Mesquite, TX.

Others in attendance were Mrs. William A. Cheek, Herb White, Jim Moore, Hugh Kingsmore, and Max Young.

The LHS Chorus of 1961

To the left see a picture of the Louisa High School 1961 Chorus. Nancy Karen sent it to me and she's seated at the piano at the left.

If the picture won't enlarge when you click on it, go to the Louisa High School 61 group on Facebook to get an enlargement.

I received a check from Kenneth and Kay Lemaster which makes an official count of 51 (that doesn't include folks who have told me they'll be there but haven't sent in their money.

Today I've heard from Sherry Faye (Workman) and Melvin Salyers. That's four since they are bringing their respective spouses which brings us up to 49, I think. I know there's at least one or two more that have SAID they are coming. I wish they'd get their money in.

The picture is of Tommy, Bob, and Jimmy in the senior play.

Janith Sue (now SUE)'s high school poem, part 3

Janith Sue at our 40th reunion (to the left).

Below is part 3 of her quartet of poems written for the 40th reunion.

JUNIORESQUE

By the time our junior year rolled around in the fall of '59,

There were even greater challenges for my unchartered mind.

There was chemistry with Mr. Cheek

One of my favorite classes week after week.

I loved his "Cheekisms" that flowered his speech.

And was awed by the fact that as principal

he had a big paddle close to his reach.

He'd always tell us to "ask more questions than a

shunk makes tracks around a chicken coop,"

Which was his way of explaining how to get the scoop.

Only years later did I fully understand his message

And realize that the man was a veritable sage.

And when he said, "this frazzlin' noise has to come

to a screeching halt," we knew

We'd better straighten up, for that was our cue.

The most excitement we had in that class came

during a bad thunderstorm one day

When one of the big, old trees out front crashed

through our window and came our way.

With glass and debris flying all about us.

He mumbled something about it being enough

to make a preacher cuss.

For we were in the middle of a review for a quiz,

And a little old electrical storm wouldn't

interrupt a story of his!

One faculty member I never really had the

privilege of knowing

Was Mrs. Becknell in Home Ec., who taught more

than mere cooking and sewing.

While my friends were planning their dream homes

and making nice,

I was knee deep in Chemistry trying to outsmart Herb Rice.

Mr. Wells taught our guys in VoAg everything

from judging to public speaking,

Especially if a career in agriculture

they were seeking.

That was the year Latin was added to our curriculum

And, if we had college in mind, we'd be be

conjugating some.

Latin gave us an opportunity to translate from

Caesar's commentaries.

And, according to Mrs. Keeton, learning those

root words increased our vocabularies.

Why, once I translated an entire exercise with

the wrong word,

Which caused the entire story to be quite absurd.

I learned the difference between liberos and libraire

the hard way,

And certainly didn't please the teacher very much

that day.

Many of us signed up for typing and shorthand with

Mrs. Stewart, the best dressed,

Whose husband owned the local department store,

but who'd have guessed.

Her fashion influence on me has guided me through

forty some years,

Why even today if I can't have matching accessories,

I'm reduced to tears!

Oh my, lest I should forget, there was geometry

for those who were "smart"

But those nasty angles both right and obtuse

were not for the faint of heart.

There were so many cracks in that chalkboard of his

That I once solved for the wrong angles on a weekly quiz.

Remember the day he caused us to have heart failure about

When he drew that circle filled with 100 lines and angles

and wanted us to figure it out.

Heard from Betty!

Received a telephone call from Betty Short (now Cummins) and she plans to come to the reunion. I had her sent two invitations, both to wrong addresses. Thank goodness she called. She'll be coming with her sister.

By the way, ANY of you can bring your grown children or any other grown relative. You just have to pay for them!

Above see a picture of Linda Blaine, Claudia, and Janie in the Senior Play.

(Janith) Sue's Sophomorific Poem . . . and news.

News first: (Janith) Sue Moore and her husband and Harold Gene Frazier have paid their way to our Reunion. William (Freddie) Martin and his wife have sent their regrets.

The picture is of Freddie, Tommy, and Karen at our first reunion.

Now on to the poem. (Let me say first that I think I must have been in that Algebra class, and all I remember is Jimmy instructing me to lean WAY out in the aisle so Mr. Boyd could see that I was laughing at his jokes. Jimmy swore that was the way to an "A".)

SOPHOMORIFIC

Along came our sophomore year, and thanks to Mrs. Armstrong,

I made the choir and proved to myself what I'd known all along:

That in evenone's heart there is truly a song,

And dear Mrs. Chambers had been so wrong.

That year in choir literally opened my eyes . . .

Why there was music beyond country and

rock n' roll to my extreme surprise

We sang show tunes from "Oklahoma" and

competed at Morehead to see who was best.

And I sang loudly, albeit without talent, with great gusto and zest.

Most of us met "Captain" Hayes that second year

in world history, which I liked best,

Because I could memorize those dates and ace his true/false tests.

Mrs. Keeton gave us our first taste

of Shakespeare in her English class;

She loved that Julius Caesar but hated our sass.

Memorizing Mark Anothony's eulogy

was nearly the death of us al,

And most certainly was a test of our

mental fortitude I recall.

Algebra 2 with "The Mr. Boyd" nearly

caused our collective undoing,

And brought many a grade point to near academic ruin.

What I disliked most in there, I must confess,

Were those sines and cosines and the old slide rule even less.

I was in that class with Herb, Dickie, and Jim,

Who managed to score higher than I and

annoy the daylights out of him.

Biology class with Mrs. Moore brought

even more wisdom indeed

About life's little secrets that we all should heed.

Our wildflower and tree leaves scrapbooks were filled

with wonderful collections

And remain to this day some of my favorite recollections.

But, once when we were discussing frogs,

I had a story I wanted to share

About the oddest thing I'd ever seen about a pair,

Of frogs, I'd seen on my way home in the ditch along my road

Why one frog was carrying another on her back

--what a strange silly toad!

That little revelation brought snickers and

laughter around the room,

And to any semblance of my sophistication instant doom.

That abruptly ended the discussion about frogs, let's just say,

And it was years before I realized that

I had woefully embarrassed myself that day.