Last Thursday my wife and I went to Tulsa to celebrate the 50 year reunion of my high school graduating class. The festivities began with a reception at Oneok field, where the minor league baseball team plays, in downtown Tulsa on Thursday evening.
In the '60's your class ring was a treasured possession. You purchased and received it in the summer, after your junior year. I always thought that ours was one nice looking ring.
Classmates brought and shared all sorts of memorabilia from our high school years. The last photo is a collection of "spirit ribbons" that were worn during the week prior to each football game.
The last event of the reunion was dinner at Oklahoma Joe's BBQ and a dance next door at the historic Cain's ballroom. Cain's ballroom is an icon in country music and may be second only to the Ryman auditorium in Nashville as the holy grail of places that country stars have played. Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys had a weekly radio show here in the 40's & 50's. Gene Autry, Ernie Ford, Patsy Cline, even Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have performed here.
Saturday morning we met in the old high school gym for the class picture. Recently, a new field house has been constructed behind the school, but this is the room where we cheered our basketball team and watched our wrestling team earn a state championship.
I cannot imagine the planning and effort that went into this event, but the committees that put this celebration together did an absolutely wonderful job. It was a week-end that I will never forget.
1965
