NewsLetter Editor and Publisher:Jack Koenig, Sr.

"The Panther's Paw"

Serving Alumni of the present and past
High Schools of Jennings County,
including:

North Vernon, Vernon, Hayden, Zenas,
Butlerville, Marion, Lovett, Scipio,
Paris Crossing, Brewersville,
San Jacinto, and Walnut Grove.

Since October 7, 2001

www.jchs.ontheweb.com

Welcome to the newsletter:
Thanks for your interest and support!

As always, if you have any news, information, or stories you'd care to share, send them to the e-mail address below. Please mention, either in the subject line or body, that you are mailing your information for the newsletter. All submissions for consideration will be subject to editing.

While this site is unsecured and our membership is not otherwise protected, we DO NOT condone and are STRONGLY OPPOSED to, mass-mailing of our members, SPAMMING, or any other form or manner of solicitation, for any reason. We are committed to aggressively discouraging any such acts, and we apologize, retroactively and in advance to our membership, for any unscrupulous violations of this policy by any person, persons, or organizations.

Jack Koenig, Sr.
Newsletter Editor & Publisher
The Panther's Paw
P.O. Box 1025
North Vernon, IN 47265-5025
the_panthers_paw@yahoo.com

Happy 4th of July!

Our best wishes, to you and all of your family, for a great 4th of July holiday. We hope your travel plans will be pleasant and without occurrence, and that your Independence Day celebration will be a safe and fun one!

Calendar

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Send your birth announcement, birthday, marriage, or anniversary information. We will immediately post any current month's dates. Please provide future birthdays and anniversaries the month before they occur.

Happy Birthday

July 8:
Marcia Rice Peacock, JCHS-Class of 1977, will be 44 years old today.

July 9:
Clinton Maschino is 13 years old. He is the son of Leanna (Reitman, JCHS-1989) and Rex (JCHS-1987) Maschino.
Sarah Coleman is also 13 today. Sarah is the daughter of Allen (JCHS-1977) and Rose (Foster, JCHS-1979) Coleman.

July 10:
Jessica Maschino turns 5 years old today. She is the daughter of Leanna (Reitman, JCHS-1989) and Rex (JCHS-1987) Maschino.
Cheryl Combs Miller, a 1976 graduate of JCHS, is 45 today.

July 11:
Sammy Jo Brock is 3 years old, and is the daughter of Shelley (Yeager, JCHS-1991) and husband, David.

July 19:
Adam Coleman, JCHS-Class of 2003, is 19 years old. Adam's parents are Allen (JCHS-1977) and Rose (Foster, JCHS-1979) Coleman.

July 20:
Patricia Batts (Ross, Class of '81) is celebrating a birthday today.

July 24:
Teal Smith is 10, and is the daughter of Greg and Lori (Lamb) Smith, both 1980 JCHS grads.

July 26:
Jessica Hawthorne is 4 years old. She is the daughter/step-daughter of Tracy (Zabecki, JCHS-1995) and Roger Boswell (JCHS-1995).
Crystal (Adams, JCHS-2000) McFelea is 21 years old.

July 27:
Charity McFelea turns 2 years old. She is the daughter of Crystal (Adams, JCHS-2001) and James McFelea.

Happy Anniversary

July 22:
Leanna (Reitman, JCHS-1989) and Rex Maschino have been married 9 years today.

Class Reunions

Classes with graduation years ending in "3" or "8" are due for reunions this year. We seek details from classes of all of Jennings County's high schools, present and past.

JCHS-Class of 1973

The 30-year reunion for the class will be at the Shrine Club on July 26, 2003. Social hour from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and DJ from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Jill Mayer Wahlman and Rita Hurley are reunion contacts. Jill can be reached through the 1973 Directory of our website.

JCHS-Class of 1983

The Class of '83 will hold it's 20 year reunion on July 19, 2003. Details are in our June edition of PawPrints (our newsletter, in the News Room link).

Hayden High School, Class of 1955 Reunion Held

The Hayden High School Class of 1955 held a reunion at the Hayden Pavilion on June 21, 2003. Classmates, families, teachers, and friends were invited. 1955 graduates attending were Diane (Meranda) Blevins and Therese (Sorg) from North Vernon, Don Hamm of Ft. Wayne, Agnes (Krackenberger) McCrory of Columbus, Paul Ritchie of Winterhaven, FL, Donald Spaulding of Elizabethtown, Sarah (Hauersperger) Taskey and Marjorie (Lahne) Brackemyre of Seymour.

Other classmates from 1951 through 1955 attending were Tom Clarkson of Indianapolis, Thelma (Carr) Andrew of North Vernon, and teacher, Mr. Glen Whitaker from North Vernon.

Spouses attending were Jack Blevins, Richard Brackemyre, Harold Brennan, Helen (Spaulding) Ritchie, Patricia (Stanfield) Spaulding, and Aaron Taskey. Guests were Carl and Martha (Krackenberger) Quinn of Wheaton, IL, and Judy (Whitcomb) Burgmeier and Mary Maple, who brought information and pictures of James Maple and Harry Whitcomb, our classmates who have died.

All present enjoyed a pitch-in dinner and information of living and deceased teachers, as well as a tour of the Hayden Museum and gas station. Don Hamm led everyone in thanksgiving and prayers for all of the classmates present, as well as those who could not attend. Therese Brennan gave everyone present addresses of the classmates of 1951 through 1955, and blue or white carnations in memory of the class flower.

Calendar Dates

July 4: Independence Day

July 19: JCHS 1983 Class Reunion (20 years)

July 26: JCHS 1973 Class Reunion (30 years)

Membership

Drive to 2,000 members

Although there are nearly this many in our address book, many have not yet joined their Class Directories. Please help encourage everyone you know to have themselves included. The more who appear, the more friends who can be reunited!

Who's New

Here's who's arrived this month. Please make each new member of "The Panther's Paw" family welcome!

JCHS-Class of 1973: Linda Devlin Klein, John Elliott
JCHS-Class of 1974: Linda Dixon
JCHS-Class of 1978: Scott Earl, Lisa Lakel, Keith Smith
JCHS-Class of 1979: Lucinda Grabill Kirkpatrick
JCHS-Class of 1982: Scott S. Henney
JCHS-Class of 1985: Michelle Olds Smith
JCHS-Class of 1986: SuElla Long Jordan
JCHS-Class of 1987: Michelle Brittingham Hicks, Jennifer Lewis Holmes
JCHS-Class of 1988: Randy Baxter
JCHS-Class of 1989: Paula Harmon Kaiser
JCHS-Class of 1990: Jason Bennett
JCHS-Class of 1991: Angie Cummings, Connie Taylor Smiley
JCHS-Class of 1995: Beth Hinton Bedeker
JCHS-Class of 1996: Derrick Huntington
JCHS-Class of 2003: Chuck L. Rose

Abbreviation Key:

Please note that we list alumni of all of the various high schools in Jennings County throughout the years, TOGETHER in each year's Directory. In our "New Members" listing, we denote which school the newest enrollees attended:

BRHS - Brewersville High School
BTHS-Butlerville High School
HHS - Hayden High School
JCHS - Jennings County High School
LHS - Lovett (Township) High School
MHS - Marion (Township) High School
NVHS - North Vernon High School
PCHS - Paris Crossing High School
SHS - Scipio High School
VHS - Vernon High School
WGHS - Walnut Grove High School
ZHS - Zenas High School

Leader Board

In terms of total members in their respective Directories, the top classes are:

#1. JCHS-Class of 1977 - 69
#2. JCHS-Class of 1988 - 56
#3. JCHS-Class of 1978 - 53
#4. JCHS-Class of 1983 - 52
#5. JCHS-Class of 1979 - 51
#5. JCHS-Class of 1981 - 51
#5. JCHS-Class of 1990 - 51
#5. JCHS-Class of 1992 - 51
#6. JCHS-Class of 1991 - 50
#7. JCHS-Class of 1998 - 49
#8. JCHS-Class of 1989 - 48
#8. JCHS-Class of 1995 - 48
#9. JCHS-Class of 1982 - 46
#9. JCHS-Class of 1987 - 46

By the Decade:

Encourage those who you attended school with to come visit and join. Perhaps your class or decade can be the next leading example of school pride! Here's the breakdown, by the decades:

#1. 1980's - 442
#2. 1990's - 418
#3. 1970's - 414
#4. 1960's - 188
#5. 1950's - 114
#6. 2000's - 68
#7. 1940's - 13
#8. 1930's - 4
#9. 1920's - 1

New Gallery Pages/Photos Added!

New photos from 1944, 1954, 1969, and 2003, are among those now availble for viewing in our Gallery (Photo Album) pages. New Gallery pages for 1944 and 1969 have been created with photos contributed by Martha Jane Woolman Rankin (NVHS-Class of 1944), and Judi Hardin Schwing (JCHS-Class of 1969. Martha Jane (a.k.a. "MJ") has provided an impressive collection of photos, included group photos of The Sunshine Society, during the 1943-44 school year. Martha would like very much to see more of the members of her class join The Panther's Paw. Judi is seeking photos from during school, as she lost all of her high school memorabilia in a flood.

The Class of 1954 has a mixed-class photo at the top of their page now. They are seeking missing identities for some pictured, which include 1953 graduates as well.

The JCHS graduating Class of 2003 has a photo with two sets of 3 generations of Jennings County alumni, which also can be seen in the 1954 Gallery page. The two families represented are those of Lois Faye Ruble Koenig-Engle, with daughter, Gina Scott, and granddaughter, Julia Cuzzupe, and Sandra Miles Kreutzjans with daughter, Julie Webster, and granddaughter, Ellie Webster.

Joining Us

If you'd like to be listed in your Class Directory, simply complete the form in the main Directories (Friends) page. It can be directly accessed using this URL: http://www.angelfire.com/in4/jchs/Friends.html

You may also sign up by e-mailing your name, class graduation year, and any e-mail address you wish to have linked to: the_panthers_paw@yahoo.com. Married women, please remember to include your maiden and married names.

Keeping The Panther's Paw Free

Your support is needed!

The enormous response to The Panther's Paw has been a dual-edged sword, creating an immediate need for faster and more sophisticated system hardware, program software, a server, etc. These costs will be significant, particularly since there is no budget for these. Please consider providing desperately needed support for The Panther's Paw, by patronizing our online shopping experience, The PAW Store and/or by becoming a Sponsor.

You can go shop in the store directly, by using this link: http://www.angelfire.com/in4/paw/index.html

There are a lot more goods yet to come to the our Store, so please continue to check back!

You are always free to contribute informally in any way you see fit, or through a Sponsorship in any of three different categories: Memorial, Business Sponsor, or Personal Sponsor. And regardless of the means or amount in which you choose to contribute, your assistance will help us to continue providing all the great benefits of "The Panther's Paw", without recurring fees.

You can obtain details through the "Sponsor" link from the "Welcome" page, or go there directly using this URL/link: http://www.angelfire.com/in4/jchs/Sponsors.html

New Sponsors

Sponsorship is one of our means of recouping expenses, and ensuring that The Panther's Paw remains FREE for the use of all alumni. Please join us in making those who appear here, feel the gratitude and thanks they deserve. Due in large part to our Sponsors, everyone can continue to enjoy the many benefits and services provided, without fees or charges. We hope you too will consider becoming a Sponsor, or contributing in whatever way possible. Our sincerest thanks and appreciation go to:

No New Sponsors this month.

Mailbag

Our reader’s letters, including "Where Are They Now?", which provides news of where our alumni are and what they are doing now, and our "Reader’s Comments", which is an opportunity for our members to tell stories of getting reconnected, establishing new friendships, or any other thoughts and comments about their experiences in "The Panther's Paw" website.

Where Are They Now?

Send us your letters about where you are now and what you are doing now, what has transpired since graduation, etc. Please note in the "Subject" line, or elsewhere that the submission is for "Where Are They Now".

1975 Classmates, Deb Banister & Brenda McClain, Reunited!

Debra (Banister) Vaughn wrote recently, seeking to reconnect with a classmate, Brenda (McClain) Navarre. Deb had been unable to locate Brenda. With our help, Deb recently received the following e-mail from Brenda. Brenda has subsequently joined our 1975 Class Directory.

"I believe this is Debbie Bannister from high school?? I do remember you. Smile."

"This is Brenda McClain Navarre. I live in Dallas, Texas; have lived here since I was 23. Have two wonderful boys....16 and 12. I have been employed by MCI for 21 years now. I manage the implementation of networks and surround and downstream development systems. I have worked overseas quite a bit; both South America and Europe."

"I bring the boys back to Indiana usually every summer. Sometimes we have to skip a year here and there. I should be back in maybe July....we should get together for lunch maybe?"

"Write and tell me about yourself."

(Signed)
Brenda

*Note* Brenda also sent this response to The Panther's Paw:

"Nice to hear from both you and Debbie. It has been forever since I've been in contact with anyone from Jennings County."

We are thrilled and proud each time we have a part in reuniting friends who have long been out of touch. If you are seeking a friend or classmate, please write us...we'll be glad to try to help!

Reader's Comments

Send us your comments, experiences, stories of reconnecting or making new friends! Please make note in your "Subject" line that your are submitting a "Readers Comments" letter.

Judi Hardin Schwing Opens '69 Gallery; Requests Other Photos

"I have updated my info in the class directory. My graduation year was 1969, but I did not actually graduate from NVHS. I moved in 1968, but had lived in NV all my life so still feel it is my home. I can't seem to find a "then" picture at this time, but you may find one in the yearbook of '66 or '67. The pics I'm sending are of my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter, my son, my husband and I, and granddaughter alone."

"Would love to see more of the "then" pictures, as I lost all my yearbooks and all high school related memorabilia in a flood many years ago so have nothing to refresh my memory. Hopefully more people will send in their pics. Love the site."

Thanks for the memories,
Judi Hardin Schwing
Class of '69

*Note: Judi's photos are now available for viewing in the newly opened 1969 Photo Gallery page.

Tell It Like It Is

This is our location for general submissions, opinions, etc.; any topic, whatever strikes your fancy. I'd like to encourage this as a positive forum. Please try to keep your letter under 500 words, use criticism constructively, and please refrain from derogatory references, profane or abusive language. Opinions expressed in submissions published are not necessarily those of The Panther’s Paw or it’s staff.

The Flag

A protest raged on a courthouse lawn, round a makeshift stage they charged on. Fifteen hundred or more they say, had come to burn the Flag that day.

A boy held up the folded Flag, cursed it and called it a dirty rag. A man pushed through the angry crowd, with an old gun shouldered proud.

His uniform jacket was old and tight, he had polished each button, shiny and bright. He crossed the stage with military grace, until he and the boy stood face to face.

Then the old man broke the silence.

"Freedom of speech, is worth dying for, Good men are gone, they live no more. All so you can stand on this courthouse lawn, and ramble on from dusk to dawn.

But before the Flag gets burned today, this old veteran is going to have his say.

My father died on a foreign shore, in a war they said would end all wars. Tommy and I weren't even full grown, before we fought in a war of our own. Tommy died on Iwo Jima's beach, in the shadow of a hill he couldn't reach.

Where five good men raised this Flag so high, that the whole world could see it fly.

I got this bum leg that I still drag, fighting for this same old Flag.

There's but one shot in this old gun, so now it's time to decide which one. Which one of you will follow our lead, to stand and die for what you believe?"

The boy who had called it a dirty rag, handed the veteran the folded Flag. The crowd got quiet as they walked away, to talk about what they heard that day.

So the battle for the Flag this day was won, by a loyal veteran with a single gun. Who for one last time, had to show to some, That these colors will never, never run.

It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the veteran, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the veteran, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, whose coffin is draped by the Flag.

Thanks to: Earl J. Shumaker, NVHS-Class of 1962, for the forward.

I Am the Flag of the United States Of America

I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
Look up and see me.

I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners, My head is a little higher,
My colors a little truer.

I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshipped - I am saluted.
I am loved - I am revered.
I am respected - and I am feared.

I have fought in every battle of every war
for more than 200 years.
I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg,
Shiloh and Appamatox.

I was there at San Juan Hill,
the trenches of France,
in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome
and the beaches of Normandy. Guam,
Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me.
I was there.

I led my troops,
I was dirty, battleworn and tired,
But my soldiers cheered me
And I was proud.

America has been attacked by cowardly fanatics
And many lives have been lost
But those who would destroy me cannot win
For I am the symbol of freedom,
Of one nation
Under God
Indivisible
With liberty and justice for all.

I have been burned, torn and trampled
on the streets of countries I have helped set free.
It does not hurt, for I am invincible.

I have been soiled upon, burned, torn
and trampled in the streets of my country.
And when it's done by those whom I've served in battle - it hurts.
But I shall overcome - for I am strong.

I have slipped the bonds of Earth
and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space
from my vantage point on the moon.
I have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours.
But my finest hours are yet to come.

When I am torn into strips and used as bandages
for my wounded comrades on the battlefield,
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,

Or when I lie in the trembling arms
of a grieving parent
at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I am proud.

MY NAME IS 'OLD GLORY'......
LONG MAY I WAVE!

Please forward this message to all
who still love and respect me, that I may fly
proudly for another two hundred years.

Thanks to: Paul Cooke, NVHS-Class of 1963, for forwarding this.

*NOTE* An online version of this, with photos and sound, appears on the internet at: http://www.chaplin-nest.com/unkarock/flag.htm. A home site carries additional links of patriotic interest, including a link to send thanks to our military's fighting men and women at: http://www.chaplin-nest.com/

Living By Grace

Here may you find stories of strength, support, compassion, brotherhood, faith, and peace. We are searching for content which is uplifting and can be taken into daily living, regardless of one’s faith, or even without a particular belief. And if reading from here provides hope and a feeling of gaining something previously lacking, then the intent is even further served.

57 Cents

While this e-mail forward is not entirely factual (see this link at the Urban Legends Reference pages: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/57cents.htm), it is quite inspiring.

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it "was too crowded."

"I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.

Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kindhearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements.

As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.” For two years she had saved for this offering of love.

When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.

But the story does not end there!

A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor, who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.

Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividend.

If ever you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday Schoolers, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.

In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds" A story, which goes to show WHAT GOD, CAN DO WITH 57 cents.

St. Theresa Prayer

May today there be peace within May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be....
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith...
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....
May you be content knowing you are a child of God....

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, and dance, It is there for each and every one of you....

Thanks to: Glen Carney, JCHS-Class of 1976.

Tech Tips

Want to get information about the latest in computer hardware, software, operating systems, viruses, anti-viruses, how to protect yourself on the internet, and more? Rex Anderson, JCHS-Class of 1974, has recently retired from the Navy, and this and much more were part of his specialty.

Virus Warnings:

W32.Sobig.E@mm

Symantec Security Response has upgraded the threat level of this worm to a Category 3, Moderate (on a scale of 1-5). It is a mass-mailing worm which attaches itself to e-mail addresses found in files with extensions: .wab, .dbx, .htm, .html, .eml, and .txt

W32.Vivael@mm

W32.Vivael@mm is a mass-mailing worm that uses its own SMTP engine to send itself to all MSN messenger contacts of the user.

W32.HLLW.Merkur.E@mm

W32.HLLW.Merkur.E@mm is a mass-mailing worm that uses Microsoft Outlook to send itself to all contacts in the Outlook Address Book. It also attempts to spread through the KaZaA, KaZaA Lite, Bearshare and eDonkey file-shaing networks, as well as through mIRC.

For more on any of these viruses, visit your anti-virus program's website, or Symantec at:
www.symantec.com
And if you are not currently protected, please get an anti-virus program! They are well worth the cost as opposed to the expense of repairing the damage and frustration they can cause. There are even free ones available.

Hometown Humor

Iowa "Three-Kick Rule"

A big city California lawyer went duck hunting in rural Iowa. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence.

As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing.

The litigator responded. "I shot a duck and it fell in this field. and now I'm going in to retrieve it."

The old farmer replied. "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."

The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best trial attorneys in the U.S.and. if you don't let me get that duck. I'll sue you and take everything you own."

The old farmer smiled and said. "Apparently. you don't know how we do things in Iowa. We settle small disagreements like this with the Iowa "Three-Kick Rule".

The lawyer asked. "What is the Iowa Three Kick Rule?" The Farmer replied. "Well. first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times. and so on. back and forth, until someone gives up."

The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.

The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the city feller. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees. His second kick nearly ripped the man's nose off his face. The barrister was flat on his belly when the farmer's third kick to a kidney nearly caused him to give up.

The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet and said, "Okay, you old coot now it's my turn."

(I love this part......)

The old farmer smiled and said, "Naw, I give up. You can have the duck.

Retro

Survivor of the Times

We licked the beaters, and didn't have anyone telling us we were going to become deathly ill from eating batter with raw eggs in it! At Easter time, we had our dyed Easter eggs in a nest on the counter and they sat out at room temperature for the week after Easter. We would peel one whenever we felt like it. I can't believe survived!

If you lived as a child in the 40's, 50's, & 60's, congratulations on being a survivor of the times! Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, cabinets. But we got our butts spanked if we opened them, and no one called Child Protection Services. When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. Not to mention hitchhiking to town as a young kid!

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day...no cell phones; unthinkable!

We played dodge ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt. We got cut, broke bones, and broke teeth; and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents? We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it. We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda but we were never overweight ...we were always outside playing games, we shared grape soda with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from this.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, video games at all, 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ...we had friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell and just walked in and talked to them. Imagine such a thing; without asking a parent, by our-selves, out there in the cold, cruel world, without a guardian. How did we do it? We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment. Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law, imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. And you're one of them. Congratulations!

Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good!

Thanks to: Lois "Faye" Ruble Koenig-Engle, NVHS-Class of 1954, for this e-mail forward.

Reporting Changes, Errors, and Problems

PLEASE NOTE:

Please ensure that we have your current e-mail address. Continual problems with your e-mail link will result in removal from your Directory! Please keep your e-mail address current and your account under quota, so that there will be room to receive new mail.
To avoid losing contact with you, please consider providing other contact information. Such information may include: other e-mail address(es), home and/or business phone number(s), or static ("snail mail") address(es). Any such additional information that you provide will be maintained solely for the purpose of maintaining contact with you, and will not be released to any other party or parties.

Please e-mail us if any of the following circumstances occur:

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES:

Be sure to provide your new e-mail address, your name, and graduation year.

YOU WISH TO ADD/CHANGE A HOMEPAGE LINK:

Include your name, graduation year, and the full URL to the page you wish to have linked from your entry in your class directory.

YOU ENCOUNTER A PROBLEM WITH AN ADDRESS OR ANY OTHER LINK:

Give the location of the link you are encountering a problem with.
Describe the specific problem (for example, the link will not work, your sent message would not go out, etc.)
Remember that some mail gets returned due to the mail box being full. This is not a problem with the link. Give your friend time to clear their Inbox, and e-mail them again at a later date.

YOU FIND AN ERROR OR MISTAKE:

Let us know if you spot any type of mistake, typo, erroneous information, etc., so that we can correct it.