Two of the fellows I remember longest are Burt Spalding and Bob Wolff, both of whom I knew from kindergarten. Burt, Bob and I probably grew up playing cowboys and Indians, or playing baseball. (I was lousy but Bob always picked me). In our high school years Burt and I hung out messing with our cars and once in a while a camping trip on the PM River. When I first started running on the track team Burt and I would work out together and take some long runs.

I stayed in touch with Bob occasionally too! I still remember his great-carved duck decoys. And his old Blue Ford (I always been a car nut and can remember most of the cars the guys had.)

Also I remember the days out at the archery range and the fun we had out there. Bob, Axel Johnson (chookie), Roger Johnson were all there also some others I can’t recall.

Speaking of cars I could write a book about all that. The race’n and chase’n. John VonSprecken always had the fastest. Roger Johnson would take out his dads Chevy. Got a 34 ford from Heemstra for $18.00, we both probably wish we still had it. I’m still a car nut and I like to mess with the old ones again now that I'm retired. (Who says we can't stay young at heart anyway.) One of John V. first cars was an old Lincoln Zephyr with a rumble seat. We use to play freeze out in the winter and crank up the front window and see who would say uncle first. We would race out on the state park road. Gary Wickery and Leo Yennior would like to hit it hard going over tickle belly hill that was out by Lincoln Hills.

I remember one night I think it was our senior year Larry Smith, Chuck Smith and I decided we wanted to see the big city of Chicago. None of us had ever been there before.

Eleven o'clock at night we headed out probably 60 bucks between us maybe. We spent 2 or 3 days there visited the museum of science and industry, planetarium and historical museum as well as the seamier side of South State Street where if I remember correctly we slept in all night theater for 50 cents each and ate Crystal Burgers 5 for a buck.

Kelly Vorac and I spent a lot of time together hunting and fishing. I think I spent so much time at his house his mom called me her second son. I remember one time he and I decided to skip school 3 girls won't mention any names decided to go with us and we spent the day mess’n around in Manistee. Guess what-we got caught. Mr. Hartman had it all figured out by the next day. Ha Ha!

Remember the Drug store sodas, the old A&W and Park Dairy. Don't know whether the sodas were that good or just the girls working behind the counter. Ah the good old days and they were. Old friends are forever. YA ALL TAKE CARE!

BENEDICT, JoAnn Smith

I have lived in Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Chicago, Milford, St. Johns, and Marathon, Florida.

I’ve done all kinds of nursing but my favorite was Home Health Care where I was once chased by a goat.

Things that have given me the most joy are a nursing career, and of course raising two children who both graduated from college and have great careers. The best was finding Bruce for seventeen years of travel and fun. Our favorite travel destination has been eighteen winters or parts of it in the Keys and next year Sebastion, Florida.

E-mail technology has reunited me with many great friends and most recently with friends from nursing school. I feel a joy in the accomplishments of others. I would like to be without crying when saying "Good Bye."

I would tell a teenager to make sure you have a skill to fall back on before you marry or have children.

BENTZ, Reshard

Big Howie Hansen was the starting defensive middle guard. He had a boil on his butt and could not ride to North Muskegon because he could not sit down on the bus. He wanted to stand in the bus doorway, but the bus driver wouldn’t let him. Thus, he had to stay home. So I started at middle guard.

Bob Kotecki played middle linebacker. He would step on my left shoe or my right shoe indicating which way he wanted me to take the center. Bob spent a lot of time in the backfield. We held North Muskegon to minus yardage for the night. Victory is sweet!

I’ll never forget John Mero sitting on the roof of Star Amber School ringing the bell at recess and Mrs. Bailey hollering at him, "You come down here, John!"

Riding the school bus, Chris Bentz got on at Conrad Road, we went to First Street and Jackie Vanden Heuvel got on and sat with Chris. They started playing "kissy face" and continued all the way to school. When we got to school they went separate ways. This happened every day. Strange thing is, they never dated.

Butch Vanden Heuvel (class of 1955) and myself used to go to the Park Dairy at noon. This "old" guy sat in front of the Wurlitzer, which had self-adjusting volume. It started extremely loud. Everyday we played "In The Mood" which had a very loud drumbeat. Almost blew the old guy off the stool. He finally quit coming.

Dan Evans was a good shop class teacher. He wanted to put emphasis on what not to do if you heard a squeak from the oxygen tank controls. He said DON’T oil them, because if you do, go get Reshard, Jim, and Bob, we’ll go out and get in my Pontiac, we’ll drive over to Buttersville and watch it blow from there.

BRALEY, Don

I have lived in Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina while serving in the U.S. Army, 2^nd Division, 7^th Cavalry, Fort Benning, GA.

After 40 years with Ludington State Bank, Ludington Bank and Trust and Old Kent Bank, I retired. The most joy is being married to Nancy for 42 years and with having our three children and grand children who are all "precious".

There is a beaver pond located in Delta County in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that is my favorite travel destination.

Technology has instilled a feeling of not being in control due to dependency of computer chips controlling my auto, pickup truck, outboard motor, appliances and a telephone call resulting in numerous prompts before being able to communicate with a human being. If I received an award for a personal quality, it would be patience.

Sentimentality (being overly sentimental) is an emotion I could do without.

If I could talk to the teenager I was in 1956, I would tell me to apply as much energy to my schoolwork as I did having fun. Learn how to dance and don’t be shy.

BROWN, Mabel Bacon

A vivid memory for me is the thought and feelings triggered by remembering the team spirit created by volunteers, teachers and students working together towards a particular goal. Remember those huge paper drives at the school when we would collect tons and tons of paper, tie them into bundles and load them onto trucks? We also collected coats, boots and clothing to send abroad during the war years. Our teachers told us to put our name and addresses on the garments we contributed. Five years after one of the clothing drives, I received a letter written in German. Rogene Altrock (Lathouwers) knew a woman in our community who could read German and we asked her to translate the letter. Through the translator we discovered that it was a "thank you" letter for some boots that I had sent as a result of one of the school clothing drives. I was blessed by that letter and the fact that a pair of boots meant so much to someone that they would send a thank you letter so many years later. And how about buying those U.S. Savings Stamps at school? Part of education then was to encourage teamwork, caring about your fellow man and respect for our country.

I have many fond memories of school, particularly Longfellow School. The old building was cold in the winter and hot in the spring. I can still see the milk in those glass bottles with a cardboard cap that sat on top of frozen milk during the winter and icky warm milk in the spring. As a result of that experience I have not drank milk since the 2^nd grade. The old building was certainly flawed in many ways but within the walls there was learning opportunities, fun and fellowship. The exterior brick wall was a great place to toss a tennis ball while waiting for "first bell" to ring. Anyone remember playing marbles on the playground? And how about those baseball games at recess when, on occasion, Mr. Reynolds, the principal, would join us? I can only remember him playing in the outfield. Someone in his position taking the time to relate, in a positive way, with students was very impressive.

Neighborhood friends getting together to play baseball, roller skating, jump rope, Red Rover Red Rover, tug of war and all sorts of other games. I loved growing up in Ludington. I could go on and on but will not bore you with any more of my memories.

P.S. High School...If anyone out there has ever wondered who put the dismembered frog in Ms. Utz’s desk drawer, I confess. It was me! Who would have guessed?

BUTLER, Susan Tobie

I have lived in Appleton, Wausau, and Prentice, Wisconsin and Zebulon, NC. My girls at St Mary’s School in Raleigh were astonished that all I wanted from their homework was thinking about the newly taught skill.

Building myself a harpsichord good enough to present in recital has been a joy.

I loved going to Norway and Denmark. Technology has saved a lot of trips to the post office for stamps! I’ve been glad to get reacquainted with old friends through e-mail.

I hope my award for a personal quality would be given for pluck and persistence. Depression and anger would be an emotion I would do without. I would tell my teenage self to dare more, risk more, and love more.

Classmates, I want you to know I did exactly what the person who composed the class prophecy for our annual predicted I would: I became a Latin teacher who taught more English than Latin, and I definitely pushed pedals, becoming a fairly competent church organist.  That amounts to little more than fulfilling my parents’ expectations, though.  Where I really astonished them was deciding in late 1975 to build a harpsichord from a kit. I'd never done any woodworking, and every new step scared the living heck
out of me, so completion took two years.  Real builders can knock off an instrument in about a month!  Zebulon, the town we live near, is only half the size of Ludington, so you know the story spread all over that one of the crazy Yankee women was building something few people had ever heard of before, and she called it the ancestor of the piano.  PeopIe weren’t quite sure how to pronounce its name, so I heard it called a "harpsichord" a few times!  I made some wonderful friendships at the local hardware store getting the special paint mixed, buying fittings, and looking for easy ways to gild the edge
moldings.  Even better, I conquered my fright that I would totally ruin it and nobody would ever be able to repair my mess.  I came closer to ruining my hands than the harpsichord, because my instrument carries 163 metal strings in three separate choirs, all of which I bent and fitted.

The bruising they caused still showed the following Sunday, but I played for church anyway!  Just before the finishing touches were completed, I was invited to bring the harpsichord up to a dear friend's house and play a little recital on it, which I did — after I bent a new string to replace the one that broke. Thirty years later, it's time to redecorate the harpsichord and get it ready to play in church on Easter.  My first teaching job was in Wausau, Wisconsin, where John and I stayed for five years.  Then he took a new job we'd never even heard of for a company we hadn't heard of, either.  That took us to Prentice, Wisconsin for almost two years.  In Prentice, we learned what real cold was: the last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February, 1969, the average low temperature was almost always 45 degrees below zero.  We never knew how low, as 45 below was as low as anyone's thermometer showed!  The house creaked with cold, the maples creaked in their turn, and we closed off several rooms to save fuel.  Still, we went through 250 gallons of heating oil in three weeks.  Good thing oil cost only 12.5 cents per gallon in those long-ago times!  Later that year, John's job transferred us to Zebulon, NC, twenty-five miles east of Raleigh, NC's capitol, so here we've lived for the last 37 years, raising two sons. John decided to work a year beyond normal retirement, so we are both looking forward to December of this year, when he will retire.  We plan to trailer our little sailboat down to "the beach" and keep it busy in the creeks and bays of NC's Outer Banks until we're too old to sail any more.  Cheers, everybody! 

CHRISTENSEN, Marcia Sadler

I have lived in this area all my life and in the same house since we married. I cook, cook, and cook, for Riverton Schools for 30 years and now do catering.

Other than kids and grandkids, cooking gives me much joy and working in my gardens. I have simple and satisfying goals, knowing I don’t have to set the world on fire.

For travel, we enjoy cruises, where it is warm. Otherwise I am not much for traveling and am happy at home. My most important memories are made at home with friends and family.

I am an old stick in the mud when it comes to technology. I am happy with the way things are as long as everyone is healthy.

My personal quality is dependability, as I am only as good as my work. I do not like to have tears close to the surface.

I would tell my teenage self to study harder, and mix in activities. Coming from a one-room grade school with only two in my grade, I felt like a fish out of water. When I started high school, I was happy with my blue jeans, horses, and cowboy boots. Get to high school and we couldn’t even wear slacks. So be prepared.

DE GERGUS, Judy Thayer

Even though I have lived the majority of my life in cities and states other than Ludington, I still hold a special feeling for the place where I grew up when I drive west on flower lined Ludington Avenue towards the most beautiful beach ever. Come on, I know all the rest of you have to "go see the lake" too when you first return to town after being away!

The familiarity of my childhood literally smacks me in the face when I enter this nice little cozy world from the memorable smells of the lake and the woods and, yes, even the aroma of freshly baked bread coming from McDonalds Bakery, to the sometimes sad memories of time spent with friends and family who have since passed or been placed in the back corner of my mind until I enter this pleasant little city.

Bob and I recently celebrated our 48^th wedding anniversary. We started married life in Joplin, MO where our first (son) was born. Our next move was to Lafayette, IN where our daughter was born. After living seventeen years near Crawfordsville, IN, we returned to Lafayette and is probably where we will remain. Raising our children (and trying to raise me) was the highlight of my life since I have always been an animal lover and we were able to provide them a small farm with most any animal they desired. The payoff for this lifestyle was that they both became successful veterinarians with their own clinics (and I almost grew up). Our son is in California and our daughter in Texas. We have five beautiful grandchildren ranging from age one to sixteen and always look forward to spending time with them.

My pastime is still animal oriented as I own five (at the moment) working (sheep herding) Border Collies and compete in field trials with them throughout the US. Bob is extremely tolerant and generous of my being involved in this time consuming sport. On any given weekend, you might find me driving down the road pulling a 35’ fifth wheel (complete with dogs and 4-wheeler) with our Ford dually heading for a dog trial. I am truly thankful to feel young enough and be healthy enough to participate in this activity.

It is a small community of people and I have friends and acquaintances from all over the US and abroad.

We have traveled extensively in Mexico and the United Kingdom. Next month I will be traveling again to the UK with my daughter-in-law to find a Border Collie (their origin) for her. Most winters Bob and I pack up the 5^th wheel with supplies and dogs and head west to visit family and camp wherever we wish and, of course, for me to possibly find a dog trial or two!

Retirement came for me six years ago, as 62 seemed a good age to leave Verizon and still be able to enjoy my activities. My job as assistant to the Regional Sales Manager in the major accounts department was very demanding but gratifying (Art Dewey would never have believed I could manage those sales forecasts!). I am grateful to have worked with nice people in a fulfilling environment.

Our 50th (couldn’t be that long, must be a typo) will be a good time to visit with friends from the past and reminisce about old times and new ventures. I look forward to seeing everyone again.

ELLIOTT, Sue Genter

Growing up in Ludington in the 50s probably wasn't a lot different than growing up in any other small town then, but it was my small town!

One example I remember of "small town" life was going into Vogel’s shoe store as a kid, finding what I needed and telling Velma Vogel that Mom or Dad would be in to pay for it.  Some years later after the store had been sold, when I was married to a young business man in town, (Clyde) I went in to buy some shoes and the new owners wouldn't even take my personal check without seeing my drivers license.  Wow!  Was I offended!

One of my fondest memories of my early teens was packing a lunch and bicycling out to State Park with my friends.  We did this quite often and our parents never had to worry about us being attacked in the dunes, beach, park, or anywhere else.  I hope it is still so safe there.

Wish we could be with all of you.  Have a great reunion.

ERICKSON, Marie Chase

I remember at Pere Marquette School each grade participated in a program for all the parents who met in the 7^th and 8^th grade room. The room had an accordion curtain down the middle to divide the space into two classrooms. For PTA meetings and special programs, the curtain was opened so all the parents could squeeze in. The big program was the Christmas program. I remember that in the second grade a Santa Claus was needed. It ended up to be a choice between Howie Hansen and me who would play Santa. I "won"! From that time on many of the boys in the class called me "Santa Claus" the rest of elementary school and even into high school, even after I had lost the stature.

My most precious high school memories come as a result of being a member of the Ludington High School Choir all four years. Mr. Irving Prescott was one special man! He expected the very best from each of us, music-wise. More than that he had a real heart for his students and other pupils. He did the best to instill a good attitude into the minds of we choir members. A precious memory for me was the choir sang two songs at Jim’s and my wedding. For over 50 years now, we’ve cherished that memory.

We celebrated our anniversary with a trip to the Northwest this June.

Two trips to Alaska were the greatest and I love British Columbia.

The most meaningful day in my life was when I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior. Many years later we were thrilled to become Missionary Church Builders. The happiest day of my life was my wedding day. The second happiest day was the day our first child Susan Marie, was born. The third happiest day our second child, David James, was born. The greatest tragedy was the death of our beloved David. Parents must always carry a piece of a broken heart after the death of a child. David was 18 years old. Parents don’t "get over it." Because David loved Jesus Christ, we know he is "absent from the body, present with the Lord." That is a comfort beyond compare.

Today I realize more than ever before that parents should always bring up their children to respect older people. Children should learn from the wisdom older people have learned along the way. The older adults should be folks of high moral character, of course. We as the older adults have a responsibility to mentor children and young adults as good as we possibly can.

I have a love for my automatic washer and dryer. I didn’t start that way. Electronics is wonderful, yet bewildering. I do not have the old time pioneer spirit of the 1800’s or the early 1900’s.

I have lived most of my life in the Scottville/Custer area. Since I got married, we lived in Kingsley, MI and for several years we had lived on building sites as church builder missionaries in the Michigan UP to Florida, Iowa to New York and between. I was always my husband’s helpmate. I started farming with him and we worked as missionaries with Continental Baptist Missions together.

I would tell my teenage self that " you are a worthwhile person no matter what some of the closest relatives you have say by deed and actions. Don’t you forget it!"

EVANS, Joe

OK, I give ... don' t know how funny this is, but here's my story:

I probably shouldn't be attending this class reunion ... here's why.

From about the age of two until twelve, I was raised by my grandparents, Bill & Bertha Evans. During WWII, we lived on South Staffon Street, across from Kibby's Hill (the water tower), and I started to go to Foster School.

After the second grade, we moved across town next to Frankie Peterson's Grocery on North Rath Avenue, and I enrolled in Lakeview School ... Peterson, Godbold, Rasmussen, Ewing, Prescott, Marsh, Heikela (sp?) ... and so on.

Then, in 1952, for my secondary education,  Gramma & Grampa sent me away to Cedar Lake Academy, a parochial boarding school, near Edmore, Michigan. I was 13 years old.

I was expelled in May, 1955, for bursting into a faculty meeting one Sunday morning, crying, and accusing the music director of molesting my girl friend. I was room bound in the dormitory and, on a crisp, sunny morning during the following week, they told me that they'd notified my grandparents of my expulsion. They told me to make arrangements to get home to Ludington. 

I walked out of the administration building, turned left, walked down to the highway, hitch-hiked home, and was enrolled in LHS, across from Foster School, that afternoon.

Because I'd disgraced her, I felt that I couldn't live with my Gramma anymore and went to my ma who was living above the Michigan Bar. My dad was living across the street with his girl friend above the Reliable.

I made it through the rest of my Junior year, but the home life wasn't so good ... and got steadily worse. My ma would kick me out and I'd move in across the street to my dad's place ... but then his girl friend would kick me out and I'd move back in with my ma. This went on and on throughout the fall and into the winter ... occasionally, Bill & Bob Keneipp's kind parents would take me in for a while ... then, in February, I finally turned 17.

In less than a month, I quit high school, got both of my parent's signatures on my enlistment papers, and started basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. About a year later, I got my GED from the Air Force and heard that that music director was fired for doing naughty things with little girls.

After my discharge, I went back to LHS and finished that one semester I had failed to complete in 1956. Mr. Baldwin showed me my diploma dated June, 1956 ... he had kept it in the school files all that time.

I completed that semester and received my LHS diploma, dated January 1961. So ... you tell me ... am I supposed to be attending this 50th class reunion ... or the one in 2011? ... the funny part is, I never hear from them.

All's well that ends well

FORTIER, Marie De Sota

Ludington is a nice place to be from! I remember my brothers and their friends "hitching rides on cars in the winter. They would grab the back bumper and ride for blocks. St Simons had a great basketball team in the 1955-1956 school year. They went to the state semi- finals and lost in double overtime by ONE point!

Every Christmas going to Rogene Altrocks home to pull taffy and sing carols with Mabel Brown, Rogene and Cecilia Krivitzky is a special memory. I remember going down town with my best friend Joyce Petzak Bogus to Orgy’s or out to Ma and Pa’s Club Northern to dance and play ping pong.

I was from a large family and I was always called "Fido’s" and "Windy’s" sisters. Their real names were Howard and Charles. Everyone seemed to have nicknames then. Paul Allard was called RAT, Ron Sniegowski was SNAG, and my nickname was and still is SUSIE. How about the fierce snowstorms we used to get?

FUTRELL, Leola Mc Donald

Besides Ludington, I lived in Manistee one year. My kids and grandkids are my joy. I like to travel out West. I would say to a teenager to have a good life like I have.

GALINSKI, Mary Ann Slaggert

Some of my early memories of Fourth Ward and P.M, school, our grandchildren refer to the as The Olden days. (No TV) Summers were spent swimming in P.M. Lake, baseball with the boys on the open lot on 2^nd Street, (chips no chips on windows) The school yard was a great hang out, hop scotch, rover, red rover, kick the can, stoop tag, jacks, and the swings (boys pushing the girls). Winters were spent ice skating on P.M. Lake or the 6^th Street rink, snow ball fights, and Howard’s ice igloo. Remember Field Day at Oriole Field? We all decorated our bikes with red and white crepe paper, and cards with clothespins in our bike spokes, what a parade that was. Lots of red, white, and blue ribbons were won. Yecks grocery with bubble gum for a penny, the ice man (horse drawn and wagon), the coal truck, a black plumber, the milk man, and our barber who cut everyone’s hair, he lost his legs in the war and he got around on a board with small wheels. He pushed himself with paddles on his hands.

I hope this brings back some fond memories. Doug and I now spend our time between Florida and Michigan, some tennis and golf, and lots of time with our 19 grandchildren. Good health.

GUNBERG, Richard

I have lived in Manistee and Kalamazoo besides Ludington.

I like the scenery, thermal pools, fish, swimming, and boat trips in New Zealand.

HANSEN, Barbara Gutschke

I have lived my entire life in Ludington. My parents bought and maintained rental properties, and we frequently moved within the city, affording me the opportunity to live in all of the school districts except Lakeview, plus Star Amber. This was an advantage to me, because I was already acquainted with many of my high school classmates.

I enjoyed my career as a legal secretary, working for Wilfrid Hocking in Ludington for ten years, and another twenty-eight for Ronald C. Wilson in Scottville. I retired in 1994.

My flower gardening brought me much pleasure, until recent years. I have also enjoyed my photography hobby, winning a National Council on Aging photo contest, having that photo appear on the cover of the Mason County Plat Book for 2003, and winning first place for scenic division of the Ludington State Park photo contest in 2004.

I have enjoyed many senior tours to interesting places in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Canada, until recent years. Don doesn’t care to travel and I am his driver for work every day, so our trips now are limited to Manistee, where we enjoy the challenge of the casino.

While I have not been interested in the new phone, camera and Internet technology, I do enjoy my personal computer for its encyclopedia, games and personal scrap booking and photo reproduction. It enables me to share genealogy information with family members.

I would hope to be thought of as a friendly, smiling, optimistic person who tries to find the good in any situation. (Keep smiling-everyone wonders what you’ve been up to!) An emotion I could do without would be anger and fear. It can only hurt you.

I would have no advice to a teenager I was back then, because I am pleased and satisfied with my life. I wouldn’t have done anything different. I have been blessed with a marriage that has survived fifty years.

HANSEN, Norma Andersen

To a pigtailed, athletically challenged (struggling to do a somersault while the rest of you were doing multiple flips), socially inept (P.E. dance units added insult to injury), academically mediocre farm girl, LHS was like a foreign country, which I joined you from Star Amber, a one-room rural school in "52. By graduation little had changed----except for the pigtails. I drifted into elementary education, graduated from CMU, and spent the next 17 years with the Midland Public Schools.

After leaving Midland I enrolled in MSU’s landscape architecture program, which proved to be my most exciting educational pursuit. I did not complete the program as Ivan and I were married in "78, returning me to farm life ‘’sans pigtails. After 30 years raising asparagus Ivan sold the farm and in August of "06 we moved into Scottville where I hope to find more time for quilting and volunteer work.

My most enriching travel experience was the sabbatical year I spent in Denmark, immersed in the culture at a folk high school. Learning to speak, read and write again, making new friends and getting acquainted with my grandparents’ families was both challenging and rewarding.

Sometime after August 5th we will be living at 104 Maple, Scottville with the same phone number.

I appreciate all the hard work the committee has put into planning a varied program for the reunion. However, I expect to be out of town for a convention so doubt I will be able to participate. Best wishes to all.

HARDENBURGH, Pat Mayes

Earlier and fun memories I have of Ludington are when I moved here from Muskegon in the Sixth Grade. I lived in the Riverton area and went to the little two-room Butler School on Morton Road. There I met my life long friend Connie Collins (now Sobanski) who lived about a quarter mile away. One day it sleeted real heavy so Connie and I decided to ice skate to school. School had been called off but our teacher Mr. Farrell was there and let us come in. We had a great time at school that day. Mr. Farrell got out his trumpet and played it and let us try it. That gave me enough interest in the horn to start playing one the next year. I played in band the rest of my high school years. Well, we in our infinite wisdom didn’t stop to think the ice would melt, so when we left we had to walk back on our picks or really mess up the blades. Dumb kids!

Another fond memory is when Mary Adams talked me into learning and twirling the baton and to try out to be a majorette. Much to my surprise, I made it and had a great time. I had great friends and good times with lots of memories.

HORACEK, Bruce

Collegeville, IN, Milwaukee, WI, Iowa City, IA, Trumbull, CN, and Omaha, NE are places that I have lived besides Ludington.

I mentored an older student through an MA degree, at the University of Nebraska, and he was so appreciative of the teaching he received that when he sold his insurance company he endowed my department with $650,000.00. Finishing a PHD degree while I was working full time and helping to raise three children has given me joy. For the last several years we have spent several days in December on Hilton Head Island, SC, attending a conference. The Marriott Hotel we stay at has three golf courses on its property.

I cannot imagine advising college students and doing research and writing without a computer and the Internet. I would tell my teenage self to enjoy life, other people, and Ludington, and the serious decisions about life and the future will be easier.

JACKSON, Vic

When asked to write about those carefree days at LHS, I have lots of
stories but only room here for a couple of them.

Dave Beimer and I were buddies and had common interests in railroad trains, baseball and other odd things only high school boys can appreciate. We learned Morse code so we could communicate secretly in study hall by tapping pencils. This system worked pretty well but we occasionally received some disapproving looks from the teachers because of all the tapping on the desks.

Way before transistor radios were common, we built self-powered crystal radios for each of us that fit inside hollowed out ink pens. We used a flat earphone that slipped up our long sleeved shirts so we could listen to Tiger baseball or other entertainment on WKLA during physics and chemistry classes by using the gas pipes as an antenna. We were never caught doing this but I'm sure the science teachers, Johnson and Hansen, on occasion wondered why we both would set in class with an elbow on the writing board and our heads resting on the palm of one hand, which, unknown to them, concealed the headphone. This system allowed us to know the game results before anyone else.

How either of us ever passed chemistry or physics is beyond me! Actually Dave was the brains of the outfit and always made good grades. I was just the co-conspirator! It's probably a good thing we are not in school today because think of what we would do with computers, cell phones, instant messaging and itsy-bitsy TV's!

This reminds me of my second story. LHS had an amateur radio club of sorts, with Art Dewey as the mentor. We were always looked upon with some skepticism by the public; because the radio sets we messed around with caused considerable interference to television reception for several blocks if not adjusted properly which was mostly the case. Remember, in those days, before cable TV, "local" TV stations were located over in Wisconsin at Green Bay and Milwaukee so the signals were pretty snowy even on a good day. In the mid 1950’s, decades before cell phones came into being, a really sophisticated "ham" radio was one mounted in an automobile so you could talk to other radio enthusiasts from your moving vehicle.

On one memorable occasion, Leigh Johnson, class of 57 and a fellow ham operator, decided to mount a radio transmitter-receiver in his dad’s car. He managed to get the cantankerous radio to work, but not very well. That evening, it so happened he was talking to several of us while adjusting his radio and slowly driving along a back street in Ludington when he happened to pass a house with a large window that looked into the living room. Lo and behold, he could see an operating television set on the other side of the room through the window and noticed that he was causing considerable interference in the form of bars and snow on the TV screen when he pressed his microphone button on the ham radio. Since this was a great opportunity to tune the radio for minimum interference, he pulled
over to the curb and stopped. The tuning, using the TV as an interference indicator, went on for a few seconds when suddenly a head and body, previously hidden from view, appeared from across the room and headed for the TV. Not wanting to lose this chance to actually see results of his work, and without really thinking about it, Leigh spoke sharply into the microphone and said. "Hey! Don’t touch me!" The unknown person stopped, paused for a second, but then proceeded to reach for the TV channel knob. Leigh yelled a little louder, "NO, don’t touch that dial!" Now the person jerked their hand back and looked closely at the TV. Leigh let up on the microphone button and waited while the person in the house went back to their easy chair. Then, Leigh pressed the mike button again and continued
with his tuning. Within a few seconds, the person in the house jumped up and headed for the TV again, so he yelled into the microphone, "No, stay back in your chair!" Now the person in the house was obviously beginning to get spooked, thinking the TV had finally developed a mind of its own and actually sat back down in the chair. Leigh, for his part, was interested in seeing how long this electronic game would go on. But it turned out, not for long. Within a few seconds of starting up the interference once again, the end came suddenly and swiftly as the person in the house rushed over to the TV and hurriedly clicked the volume control to off and the screen went dark. For many days after that, our main topic of discussion at the radio meetings was an argument over how many days went by before that homeowner turned the TV back on.

JENSEN, Janet Dipple

I have always lived in Ludington. Being married to Lloyd for forty-five years and having three wonderful children give me the most joy. I love the computer and it has really been a big help in my later years.

JOHNSON, Axel

My memory probably will be reported by more than one of us. This is as I remember it and not necessarily as it happened.

A group of male class members were determined to have beer for what I believe was the senior picnic at the State Park. We knew we would not be able to sneak a case of beer into the park on the day of the activity. Therefore we acquired a case of beer before the big day, waded into the river and buried the beer in the bottom of the river. We were highly motivated. Through cooperative effort and great team spirit, we were successful in accomplishing the mission. The beer remained cold and we did not face the disaster of being caught. Over all, a great plan and a great day.

KARSTENS, Larry (aka LeRone)

This is a little information about my life during the last 50 years. I entered the Air Force shortly after graduation and remained for 21 years. I toured mainly the Far East and Midwest. While stationed at Offutt AFB in Omaha, I met and marred my wife Mary Anne. She had two children from previous marriage so I gained an immediate family. We have been happily married for 35 years now. Mary Anne was a teacher and I went to work for the Omaha school system after my retirement from the Air Force in 1977. I worked mainly in the film library, which was great since my main love has always been movies. Shortly after my retirement from OPS, the local Indian Hills Cinerama Theater closed. A friend of mine from Seattle and I decided we would try to reopen it again showing Cinerama. We somehow rounded up over 1 million in pledges and made overtures to purchase and operate the theater.  This precipitated a fight with the new owners - Methodist Health Systems, who wanted to tear it down and build a parking lot (of course). This dragged on for over six months. When Methodist turned us down, a subsidiary organization I began to preserve the theater took over trying to have the building declared a landmark to prevent it being torn down. For a period of several weeks I was on radio & TV almost daily, and coverage ended up being worldwide. We succeeded in having the landmark status granted but the building was torn down anyway. We now have a landmark that is a parking lot. I participated in four film documentaries concerning this fight and Cinerama in general. I also wrote a book concerning my experiences, which I will bring with me to the reunion. In some ways it is really neat to be recognized when I travel due to my exposure with this effort even though in the end I was not successful.

KENEIPP, Bob

I joined the Navy in 1956 and was stationed at Lakehurst, NJ where I met my wide. We married in 1961 and have lived in the same town and house for 45 years. I worked for Ciba Geigy in their power plant and retired in 1993 as Chief Engineer, after 31 ½ years of service.

Things that have given me great joy are my marriage to Eileen, three children, and seven grandchildren.

My favorite travel destinations are Lake Tahoe, CA and Las Vegas, NV visiting my wife’s sister and her husband.

KOTECKI, Robert

I have lived in Ann Arbor, Ashland, OH. Kalamazoo, and Rio de Janeiro.

I wish I had something important or profound to say but I’m fresh out. As I think about our time at LHS, the lyrics from "The Way We Were" seem to match my own sentiments.

"Memories light the corners of my mind,

Misty watercolor memories of the way we were

Can it be that it was all so simple then?

Or has time rewritten every line?

So its’ the laughter we will remember, whenever we remember

The way we were."

See you in September.

LARSEN, Carol Witt

Besides Ludington, I have lived in Royal Oak, MI, New York City, Milwaukee, Elm Grove, and White Fish Bay, WI, Lakewood, WA, Naperville, IL, and Scottsdale, AZ. I have taught pre-school through second grade, made Welcome Wagon call to 500 people per year for four years in WI, and for the past 11 years I have done recreational therapy at Life Care Center of Scottsdale, AZ three days a week.

The accomplishments that have given me the most joy are graduating from MI State in 1960, raising three children, being grandmother to four grandchildren and helping senior citizens make the most of and enjoy their day at Life Care.

My favorite destination is France and the city of Paris. I am a dedicated Francophile and love to travel. My motto is "I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list." I love the Internet to keep in touch with family and friends all over the US. It kept me gong while recovering from a 5 hour "back surgery" a year ago.

Compassion is my special personal quality, especially for children and senior citizens. I love making someone’s’ day better and being an encourager to anyone facing medical challenges or recovering from them.

I could do without "impatience." With so much living yet to do and not enough hours in the day to do it all and when this 67 year old body won’t keep up with all I want it to do, I need to be more patient. If I could talk to myself as a teenager, I would say to set your sights higher and higher, don’t let anyone say you (girls) can’t learn and excel in any area you choose. I have discovered I can learn any subject or skill that I put my mind to with dedication and hard work. Trust also in God’s help and direction to obtain success as you serve Him by serving others.

MADSEN, Jack

Places I have lived besides Ludington are Rochelle and Rockford, IL, San Diego, CA, Honolulu, HI, Great Lakes, IL, New London, CT, Schenectady, NY, Blackfoot and Idaho Falls, ID, Kalamazoo, Big Rapids, Muncie, IN and Vallejo, CA listing only those that I lived at longer than a month.

After graduating from Western Michigan University with an engineering degree, I worked for American Electric Power for 25 years. My last job was superintendent of stations for Muncie Div. I also retired from the Navy Submarine Service.

An accomplishment that has given me joy is working for no pay for the US Naval Sea Cadet program starting in 1971 and still working today. For about eight years I was in charge of the Michigan program. The Sea Cadets are a youth program for male and females ages 11 through 19 years of age. I have watched many young Sea Cadets grow and accomplish things that make me proud. That is the best reward anyone could receive.

My favorite travel destination is to the nearest bridge club. Computers have allowed me to do things that are not possible without them. I am happy the way I am so I don’t have an emotion I could do without.

Talking to my 1956 teenage self, I would say don’t be shy. This world is full of great things. Get off your butt and go for it. Enjoy life, it is great!

MERO, John

When we were freshmen, did you notice how big and strong and beautiful the seniors were? Surely there were never the likes of those people at LHS again! Now it came to pass in Miss Newburg’s study hall that a group of senior athletes and Lois Nankee sat in a group, and I sat across the aisle. Something was entertaining these elite persons….it was a note, which Lois passed to me as Miss Newburg left her desk. The note read, "Look at the elephant tracks on the ceiling." I looked. Miss Newburg arrived. "Give me the note." I gave. She read. She said, "You stay after school today." This presented a large problem for this little freshman. After study hall I was able to talk to Miss Newburg. It went like this. "Ma’am, I cannot stay after school."

"Why?"

"I ride the bus."

"Call your parents and have them come and get you."

"Ma’am, we do not have a telephone, and my father expects me to help him milk the cows."

"You be on that bus and help your father."

And now we are all seniors and are still waiting for big and strong and beautiful.

MOORE, Janice Babcock

I am sorry but my husband and I will be unable to attend the 50^th class reunion. We have sold our home in Ludington and have moved back to Florida. We have been here in New Port Richey since the end of May of 2005. We moved back to Ludington in 1996 to care for my mother who passed away in 2000. In 2005 we decided to move back to somewhere it was warm. We moved to a manufactured home community where there are lots of things going on with a pool and hot tub. I am sure going to miss seeing everyone. We had a good time last time. Maybe we can make the next one if we are still around. I don’t have any recent pictures but pretty much look the same except a lot more gray hair and a little bit more weight like most of us. It sounds like a great time but not a good time in September for us. July would be better. If anyone gets to Florida, I would love to have you stop and see us. Have a great time and I will think of you.

NELSON, Martha Solomon

Ludington, the little city on the lake. What a wonderful place to spend a childhood.

My childhood was spent in the Fourth Ward, which means I was a "Fourth Warder". The Fourth Ward separated us from the rest of the town. This boundary made us a cohesive unit. As I looked at the 2^nd grade composite, I noted 21 of the 31 students graduated from LHS that means we spent many years together.

A lot of our time together was spent playing on or behind the "Big Hill". The Big Hill was behind the old hospital and flowed down to Pere Marquette Lake. In the summer we played "war", cowboys and Indians, and explored the slab piles (slabs of wood left by the lumber era) In the winter we ice fished. (Mary Ann and I always got our lines tangled.) We skated on the lake and would cross over to Buttersville where we enjoyed the great ice formations. (We called them icebergs.) We also went sledding on the "Big Hill." The boys found the hill challenging, I found it scary.

This is for Bob Kotecki- when we were in the Fourth Grade, I can even remember where we sat, Bob told me that his mother could peel an apple in one strip. I thought that was so awesome and I was sure my mother couldn’t do that. This stayed with me and even today every time I peel apples I think of Bob. Guess what, Bob. I can do it. Pretty dumb, eh??

Another special part of my Ludington days was being in the band. Band brought together a group of people who had a love of music. It was also like being on a team. It took teamwork to put together a concert or a football half-time performance.

NYULI, John

I have lived in Chicago, Lawton, OK, and St. Charles, IL besides Ludington.

About my vocation, I found a cure for which there is no disease.

My greatest joy is helping sick people.

I have traveled to Italy, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Technology has changed my life because I can miss the ball farther.

I would tell my teenage self to make your plan, work your plan, and enjoy what you do or do something else!

PURDY, Harry

Places that I have lived other than Ludington are East Lansing, Fremont and Hart, MI, Dillingham, Galena, and Anchorage, AK,

Mesa, AZ, and now Edmonds, WA.

An accomplishment that has given me the most joy is working with elementary students with speech problems.

I presume my next travel destination will by my favorite travel destination. We are traveling to Paris and Amsterdam, and then cruise down the Rhine to Vienna and Budapest.

Technology has completely changed my life both personal and professionally.

I would tell my teen age self to study more and work harder and also play harder.

ROCHON, Edward

Other than Ludington, I have lived in Ft. Wayne and Logansport, IN, St. Joseph and Kalamazoo, MI Columbus, OH and Springhill, FL.

Accomplishments that have given me the most joy are my good wife, four wonderful children, and eight wonderful grandchildren.

My favorite travel destination was twelve days in Italy.

Yes, technology has changed my life.

If I spoke to my teenage self I would say," Study harder and live life!"

ROSPLOCK, Barb Van Orman

I remember the war times. That would be the Big One, WWII and it started for me on a winter afternoon when I was six or seven. My Uncle Gus came to talk with my grandmother about how "our troops" were doing "over there." Uncle Ray was a soldier on the front lines and Uncle Sonny was a Lieutenant Commander somewhere in the vast Pacific. My own thoughts were involved with getting my dolls some fresh air and I bundled them into sweaters and coats and rigged a box with rope on a sled to take them for their outing. That done, I thought no more about the adult conversation that day but it returned to me later on another cold afternoon when my grandmother was reading a story to me from my favorite book. A knock on the door interrupted our peaceful time together and upset my grandmother and my aunt very much. No more story time. The women cried as they read the telegram, which announced that my Uncle Ray had been taken a prisoner of war by the Germans. I didn’t grasp the real meaning of those words and I felt very small against the deepness of their sorrow.

A few years later I would have a stepfather in the Army Air Corps whose landing craft on Normandy Beach had been hit, luckily without killing anyone on board but the battle raged. My stepfather came home after helping his battalion move inland to establish an air base for allied planes and he is one of the few Vets from that time left.

I remembered standing on the corner of Washington and Dowland where all the nearby corner buildings were painted dark green and a large, noisy crowd of people had gathered, confetti seemed to be flowing down from everywhere. I don’t remember who took me there or going home again either. Nor do I know if that happy day was V-E Day or V-J Day as both those days happened during the warm season.

The son of my grandmother’s best friend, Lena Baltzer, did not come home. No body was found and Lena always wondered what had happened to him. Uncle Ray was there when Bobby Baltzer was blown to bits but none of us ever told Lena about it. Our Uncle Sonny came home too and I could feel my Grandmother’s long held pain become relief and gratitude.

My remaining memories of that terrible time were simpler; happier. One day our class was let out early to use our wagons and collect newspapers and tin cans for the "war effort." This memory always occurs as a fourth grade memory but that doesn’t square with the War Years of ’41 to ’46 as our fourth grade was about ’48, wasn’t it? That was a time of fun for us kids though; hooky playing seemed like a gift bestowed and not a paper gathering chore at all.

I remember keying the cans of Spam to open too. I didn’t hate the meal but I didn’t treasure it either. I cared less for the working of the large white lump of lard in the plastic bags which each held a squirt of yellow-orange dye to make the butter colored "oleo" the women of my family now used in our diets and I didn’t seem to notice eating less sugar or to mind the use of food stamps. Extreme youth is insulating from realities, which were not too bad to live.

The veterans of WWII are dying off in large numbers and those of us who have actual memories of that time seem quaint to the younger generations but I am glad I remember.

SJOHOLM, Jeanne Kagey

I have been contemplating writing this memory now for months. Many thoughts have passed through my head regarding the wonderful track meets we had as kids in grade school. In Fifth Grade our training was coached by Miss Godbold. She saw to it that everyone participated even if we did not have any obvious talent. Trials were held on Fitch Street for the 25, 50 and 100-yard dash. If your time didn’t make that cut, you were assigned another race…..perhaps a leg in the relay race or the long jump. Did we pole vault in grade school? There was also my specialty the hop, skip and jump. As the years passed, I realized this event was truly for the no-talent athlete. At Lakeview we knew we had the chinning girls championship sewed up for sure. We had Carol Dewyer and no one could beat her. And then we heard about Sally Shafer. We had some kind of Presidents test for kids back then for which each of us had to qualify. I still remember how difficult, make that impossible, it was for me to chin even one time. To this day I do not remember who won those meets, but I treasure the memory of each of us participating. The teacher made sure we all had our chance.

Twice-a-year fire drills were a big event for us kids. We hurried into our coats if the weather was bad and stood outside while the test of our readiness was evaluated. At Lakeview, we had a big tube from the 2^nd floor for making an escape in a real emergency. It was never to be tested by the girls. In those days, we all wore dresses so the tube experience was shared only by the boys and the girls were never allowed down it. I think after school hours we girls crawled up into it as far as we could so as not to feel cheated.

Friday nights at Lakeview in Seventh and Eighth grade, we had dances several times a year. The gym classes prior to these dances were devoted to getting us in shape socially and dance-wise for this new experience. We learned the two-step, waltz, schottische and square dance. Big life changes were coming in High School and these teachers wanted us ready. We girls wore our mothers’ garter belts and promised to take good care of the precious nylons for the two hours we spent on the dance floor. If we were lucky a fellow would ask us out to Disbrow Drugs for a root beer after the dance. The cost was five cents, if memory serves me right. A float was a dime. I think I always went with the girls!

When I embarked on this committee for our 45^th party, I had a chance to reacquaint myself with many old friends and made a discovery. Five of us have ties to Frankfort, Michigan and that is without even trying. Many of us did not have wonderful intact families and struggled each day just to get through the day. A lot of time has passed since then and this week brought home another life experience. A classmate lost her husband of almost 49 years. Mine died before our 45^th year together. Take care of your loved ones and treasure each day as we enter this next phase of our lives. See you in Ludington.

SPAULDING, Luella

Way back in 1942, I was a happy four-year old in kindergarten at Lakeview School. One day I came into the room skipping, and as I passed Larry Tondu he stuck his foot out and tripped me. I went sprawling to the floor on my face, and when I looked up at him he was laughing. I picked myself up, looked him straight in the eye and said, "damn you Larry", just as the teacher Miss Elms came into the room. She dragged me kicking and screaming, down the hall to the teacher’s bathroom and stuck an enormous, foul tasting bar of soap in my mouth. She finally let me go after she’d coated my tongue and teeth with bits of soap. That experience didn’t do a thing to improve my language, but to this day, 64 years later, I still remember that whenever I wash my face and get a little taste of soap on my lips.

I have been in Ludington all my life and feel joy at living this long!

My favorite travel destination is the beautiful Canadian Rockies. The snow covered mountain scenery is so spectacular it takes your breath away.

One emotion I could do without is, I‘m not tough enough for this life, am way too sensitive to everyone and everything around me.

TALLEFSON, Janice Wolff

Thinking back through the years brings back lots of good memories.

LakeView School: I can still remember the classrooms, the long dark hallways and stairs.  The school bell, Mr. Dust pulling the rope.  The playground, the big bonfire at Halloween.  The parades we had before the track meet, carrying the curled yellow crepe paper on a stick

Ludington High:  C.J. picking me up for school in her 1948 Chevy.  We had a lot of good times in that!  Slumber parties at my home.  Sitting in Mr. Nuckolls class.  Being on STCC.  Going to all the football and basketball games, home and away.  It doesn’t seem like that long ago, are we sure it is fifty years

VANDERVEST, Joe

These are a few of my school day memories.

When young, I fell asleep in a movie at the Lyric Theater. Not seen, I woke up in the middle of the night. Shocked. It was dark in the theater and I was alone and locked in. The only lights were the red exit lights by the stage doors. They were locked too. I banged on the front glass doors, but the Ludington sidewalks were rolled up at about 0200 hours and nobody was on the sidewalks or streets. Somehow I managed to get the telephone off the hook through a slot in the ticket office window. I called home. Mom, Dad, Police, and theater manager all arrived to open the theater. I was free at last and a bit red faced. They all laughed. I was relieved. The movie must have been pretty bad or I was pretty tired. As usual in those days, I sat low with my knees on the seat in front, so the management evidently did not look down all the rows of seats before they left. I am sure they started to check thereafter and I never fell asleep in another movie!

I recall the summer work and late nights and long hours at Gibbs Restaurant, but fun. Peddling bags full of Ludington daily Newspapers for years every day after school. Peddling the GRIT papers. LHSS foot ball games and track at Oriole Field and the "Orange and black, fight, fight. Orange and black fight, fight. Who fight? We fight. Orange and black fight." Cheering song. Getting first driver’s license at 16. Casting and catching my first pike in the Lincoln River at Jebavy Bridge. Longfellow Grade School and Miss Hickey, Miss Bessie Parrot, Ms. Huff, Ms. Morgan, Ms Farrar, and others. Swimming and fishing at the Lincoln Lake railroad bridge. Often alone hiking from town and through the sand dunes along Lakeshore Drive to the State Park. Enjoying deer, birds, and other animals. Railroad steam engines with endless black smoke carrying daily loads of sand and gravel from the sand dunes past our house in town. Unpaved city roads. Visiting the municipal city workers in the Municipal Building and police office downtown. Buying and riding my first and only Whizzer motorbike. Working at the Star Watch Case Company and going to school there at night. Playing shuffleboard down at the beach. Fishing with cane poles off the harbor dikes at the beach. Eating first Dairy Queen ice cream cone when the first one opened by the beach. Frequenting the A & W Root beer joint. Learning metal and woodworking at the new (then) Jr. High. Getting first car, a 1950 Buick Dynaflow Special, and only paying 20 cents a gallon for gas. I used to say, "Give me a bucks worth." Those were the days…. Driving all over town daily and to school the last year of L.H.S.

Today we pay over $6.00 a gallon here in Germany! In summer going out with school friends and picking strawberries to earn a few cents. WE ate more than we picked for the baskets. Having a great time, singing, laughing, etc. Riding my bike to and from school and all over town and country. Fishing in P M River and catching fish with lamprey eels attached. The plague of Lake Michigan later. Enjoying association with my classmates. I could go on. Those are just a few of mine I can readily recall from Ludington early days.

I will not be able to attend the reunion due to our late arrival back to the US and we will be setting up our household. Put my fee into the fund for the event. I hope to visit with some of you later when we can come to Ludington for a visit. I wish you a nice reunion.

VERBOAM, Janelle Schade

I was born and raised in lower Ludington heights, aka 4^th Ward. We had our own little village there once you crossed the bridge. We had at least seven grocery stores, a shoe shop owned by Roger Hansen’s folks, a furniture store, two meat markets, two churches, two taverns, two schools, and a hospital.

Growing up there gave me many wonderful memories and once a 4^th Warder; you always remain with that honor. We may have been kidded about being from the wrong side of the tracks, but I strongly avow it was the best of Ludington. Besides, we also had an excuse to be late for high school when the trains blocked the crossings.

When the defense plant run by Dow came in, I remember the watchtowers and tall fencing topped with barbwire that looking like Stalag 17, although I had no idea of that horror until much later. The 4th Warders kept their rowboats docked at the north branch of PM River. My sister and I would row from there to Buttersville, beaching the boat behind the Father Marquette cross. The cross looked like two "telephone poles" put together then, with lots of initials carved in it. We loved the clean water of Lake Michigan to swim in versus the dirty water of PM where the ferries used to dump light bulbs, oranges, and the like overboard and bi-products of Dow polluted the river. (I am thankful we have become more conscious of our environment!)

PM School, called "Pigmarket" by other schools, was the only school that had bus students at that time. We were forerunners of today’s busing. Long sticks were used to open the tall windows. We used globes and chalkboards and inkwells and dictionaries before computers were available. The basement bathrooms had a shower-like washing sink so many could wash up at a time. Dance class was held in the basement taught by R Jo. We shared a metal dipper to get a drink at recess from an outside pump. Because coal was the heat source, we had a cinder pile also.

At recess we played red rover, kick ball (no shin guards then, Ouch!) and had our own dirt covered baseball field. It was fun playing One-Two-Three Alario against the brick wall of the school. I recall walking in the parade on Ludington Ave to Oriole field on Field and Track day, shouting our school’s hurrahs. We made pom-poms and crepe paper streamers of our school colors to wave during the parade. PM was red and white, fight, fight! Sally Shafer was the best chinner in town! Eat your heart out Lakeview, Foster and Longfellow.

Band was a very important part of my high school experience. C. Howard Hornung demanded discipline and gave us a sense of responsibility. Our band trip to Notre Dame was my first trip out of Michigan. We also played at Michigan State and at area schools football games. I remember contest time, and marching band and challenging others for an advanced seat in orchestra. I loved the exchange trips to South High in Grand Rapids and our joint concerts with them. Band members were a dedicated group who paraded in the hot sun in hot uniforms that had to be inspected with very few getting demerits for a missing button or unpolished shoes. Wednesday night band practice at Oriole Field under the lights was fun too. I was a friend with C. Howard for life as were my five kids who he also directed.

In eighth grade, we had to outline the United States Constitution and it gave me an oversight into the very laws that govern our country. I am a person who loves life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. After visiting every state in the US and other countries, I can truly say I appreciate our many freedoms and appreciate living in the city of Ludington, with all its memories and even now with the many changes taking place today. Life is short so stay awake for it classmates, and anything you dreamed of doing, do it now! We only have today.

VON SPRECKEN, John B

Our winter home is in St. Mary, GA. I have enjoyed sailing for many years, the last sixteen as Captain.

Having one marriage and a no accident sailing career is my joy. The Florida Keys is a favorite travel destination. I think technology made my job much easier with modern radars, with the GPS visual tracking.

I would tell my teenage self to get an education as the more education you have the better the pay and conditions.

VORCE, Russ aka Waddy

I have visited many places including England, Bahrain, France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Hawaii, Japan, Georgia, Alaska, Texas, Florida, and California.

From 1956 through 1977 I was an air traffic controller in the Navy and I didn’t kill anyone. From 1977 to 1999 I worked for the US Government office of the Naval Research, doing some good stuff for the troops.

Things that have given me joy are family, sons, daughter, grandchildren, and body surfing at Makapu.

My favorite travel destination is Poipu Beach at Kauai, Hawaii where the water is warm, it is sunny, has great sand, great surf, and outstanding sushi.

Technology as made communications and financial management easier using the computer.

My awarding personal quality is my willingness to support and assist others. But I could do with anger.

I would tell my teenage self " Don’t take yourself so seriously, be kind to others, and help at least one person each day. Study!

I remember the all city grade school parades that announced the beginning of the Ludington Grade School Track and Field day events. The marching, or maybe straggling along is a better description of our formations, with our school colors held high, behind the Ludington HS Band. Some kids had permission to ride their bikes with crepe paper colors entwined in the spokes and around the fenders, trailing in the wind behind handlebar grips. The event was a two-day affair, as I recall, the first day consisted of highly contested field events. I think it was called Field Day and the second day was filled with the track meet races.

All the grade school children in the 5^th through 8^th grades from all the schools, Foster, St. Simons, Pere Marquette, Longfellow, and the "feared powerhouse" Lakeview gathered somewhere near highly respected Longfellow School. Some years it was so hot, and we were so small. As we moved through the grades from 5^th to 6^th to 6^th (did that grade twice) to 7^th and finally the 8^th grade these special days took on a progressively different flavor and character. I don’t think I left out a grade school, but if I did it was only due to poor memory, and not slight. All that makes up the class of ’56 came from those marvelous schools, mostly. It was a wonderful time, those years. We all cheered for our schools, waved our colors, and competed in some great athletic struggles throughout those years. Many names come to mind of those whose abilities stood out and thrilled their respective schools. I won’t name them. Most of you are still with us, too many have passed on, but we retain them and their terrific deeds in our memories. Those were great years, those were great kids, we had really good schools and teachers, we were lucky to be born and raised in Ludington, we are lucky to have known each other. God bless our class, and GOD BLESS AMERICA.

WHEATON, Walter

I have lived in Ludington and Scottville. I take great pride in turning loads of material into a home for people and to see the look of joy on their faces. Raising a family without any major problems gives me a sense of accomplishment.

My favorite travel destination is St. Ignace every year for our wedding anniversary. Technology has changed my life using the computer. Being general manager at the Ludington Concrete Products, the computer helps me keep track of everything I have to get done.

Dedication is my personality trait. I try to do the best I can in everything that I have done in work and life in general. I don’t like anger as it just makes for more problems. I would tell my teenage self to learn to relax and spend more time with your family.

WICKERY, Gary

I have lived in Ludington but love the Upper Peninsula and its people. I am now retired from Harbison-Walker Refractory as an I. E. since September 1,2000 after 35 years there.

An accomplishment that has given me joy is recovering from a stroke in November 2003 and playing golf again. My favorite destination is San Antonio, TX where my son lives now upon his retirement from the US army.

Technology changed my life when I had open-heart surgery April 1984 with an aorta valve replacement due to a birth defect.

My personal quality is many good friends. I could do without anger. If I could talk to my teenage self I would say, "Don’t worry about things you can’t control.

I am proud to have known and remember all my classmates and the good times we had.

WILLIAMS, Sharon Faidley

In the spring of 1956 I became the proud owner of a 1942 two door Chevy. It was maroon with tan cloth interior, the shift was on the steering column and it had wide white walled tires. It was a graduation gift from my dad that he gave to me a few months early. Dad said he was tired of not having a car on the weekends so now I wouldn’t have to ask to use his. Of course there were some rules attached to this early gift, no driving to school, put my own gas in it and no other driver.

Needless to say the weekends couldn’t get here fast enough. From Friday night until Sunday night those wheels were hot. Picked up the "girls", Janelle and Joanne Verboam, Barb Lemire, Barb Benson, and sometimes Fran Fargo and Sharilyn Kucaj and away we’d go. First stop was the old Shell Station on South James for fuel. Everyone chipped in either a quarter or fifty cents, or whatever they could afford. Then we would make the loop through town, West on Ludington Ave. to Lakeshore Drive, North to "G" Park, which we always went through very slow, then back on the Avenue to James, then South to Dowland, East to Washington heading South to the turn around near Copeyan Park and back North to Ludington Ave and around again. After two or three trips it was out to the Club Northern to see who was there and chat with Ma and Pa. Usually there was someone there we would share a table with. After buying a coke and feeding the jukebox, we were set for a few hours. Came time to call it a night, we’d pile back into the old girl for one last ride through town and then home. In late September I was in an accident in that car and our partnership came to an end. I missed her! (My Chevy) That was the best spring and summer I can remember with good friends, good fun, what more could we ask for?

WINEY, Sally Tardani

I have lived in Ludington and Muskegon. I worked twenty-six years in an office of nine surgeons as a registered nurse. My three children have given me much joy.

My favorite travel destination is Rome, Italy.

I couldn’t live without e-mail. It allows me to keep in touch with family and friends.

I am a compassionate person and would do without anger.

My teenage self would be told to relax and enjoy your wonderful life!

WOLFF, Bob

The spring of 1951 I moved from Scottville to Ludington. My new friends belonged to the Archery Club and shot on the range on North Washington Ave. I did odd jobs at Ivanhoe Archery and bought a new bow. My arrows were ones I found at the range. It was not a matched set, but through practice I knew where each one shot.

In the fall of 1951 a member of the club Victor Jensen took me to the Lake Michigan Championship in Muskegon. He wanted to show me I could compete in competition. The top man in the shoot scored 587, I shot 586.

The next year I won all the junior shoots. Later I won many local, regional, and fourteen state titles. In 1969 I won my first state title at Three Rivers, Michigan. I set three state and national records.

I quit shooting in 1979 because of the compound bow and related equipment. Today the Olympics only allow recurve bow draw and shot with your fingers on the string.