Joe: Where was I? Toledo, Ohio. St. Francis de Sales High School, class of ‘62. Fern: I guess what I really wanted to write about is who were you in high school? Would we have been friends? Joe: Well, we’d have to meet first, and that would have been unlikely since mine was a Catholic all-boys school. We met girls--Catholic girls from Toledo’s three all-girls Catholic high schools -- at Friday night sock hops in the gym. People like to satirize religious excess, but the priests and brothers really did monitor the school dances--especially during slow numbers—making sure that close-dancers backed off a bit to “leave room for the Holy Ghost.”
I love this! I probably would’ve been pals with Joe in high school, but Fern would’ve intimidated the heck outa me. Popular, cute, talented, funny? And blond. And happy? Exactly the kind of person I want in my orbit now, but back then, any possible friendship would’ve been undermined with a kind of jealousy I finally lost in youngish adulthood. Ah, the pals I forsook due to that green eyed monster! Thanks for this. It’s good to look back and think about well, how good it is not to be back there!
In August, we had our 45th Ames High Class Reunion. Normally, we locals plan an event at the Moose Lodge or the American Legion Hall on Main Street, always with a Friday night gathering at a bar and an optional golf outing and tour of the high school with Mr. Ripp.
This time, the popular kids in our class decided the Legion Hall was not cool enough and planned the reunion with minimal help from us townies. It was fancier, and not as much fun. I think the planners discovered how much work it is to plan a reunion. Also, you can't make everyone happy.
I would have liked to know both of you when we were 16.
I love this! I probably would’ve been pals with Joe in high school, but Fern would’ve intimidated the heck outa me. Popular, cute, talented, funny? And blond. And happy? Exactly the kind of person I want in my orbit now, but back then, any possible friendship would’ve been undermined with a kind of jealousy I finally lost in youngish adulthood. Ah, the pals I forsook due to that green eyed monster! Thanks for this. It’s good to look back and think about well, how good it is not to be back there!
St Francis’64 Followed Awesome Joe and Mike Geha!
In August, we had our 45th Ames High Class Reunion. Normally, we locals plan an event at the Moose Lodge or the American Legion Hall on Main Street, always with a Friday night gathering at a bar and an optional golf outing and tour of the high school with Mr. Ripp.
This time, the popular kids in our class decided the Legion Hall was not cool enough and planned the reunion with minimal help from us townies. It was fancier, and not as much fun. I think the planners discovered how much work it is to plan a reunion. Also, you can't make everyone happy.
I would have liked to know both of you when we were 16.