Anna Swafford (Bernard)

I have added eleven new pictures from Ken Hatcher to the 50 Year Reunion Gallery.   These are  from "inside" the school.  Great!  Thanks, Ken.

Elwanda Miller (McCabe)

Thanks to Anna I have all my pictures posted on the reunion gallery page. Check them out. it was so much fun seeing you all at the reunion.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

"Hay y'all,"

Johnny just posted a photo, circa 1950, of a dance troupe, you girls better check it out, Freddie, Sarah Jo, Willie Carol, Mary P., Lana Kay, Charlotte Fort, Toni Whittington, Kay Salim, and others.  :)

Elaine Philen (Strickland)

Linda Lattier (Mardis)

Like Elaine, I want to wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July, may all of you and your families

be safe and have a great time.  God Bless Our Troops and all those who went before them in service

to our great country.     Linda

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Fly your flag!  Remember for a while after 9/11 you couldn't turn your head in any direction without seeing the American flag on houses, trees, flag poles, cars.  Oft times they were not displayed properly, as on fences, etc., but you knew the respect and pride was there.

For those of you who have served your country in the military get a flag for your branch of service and flag it below the American flag.  Come on Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, it shouldn't just be Marines flying our "Eagle, Globe and Anchor".

If you've ever attended a patriotic celebration where they play the military medley and ask veterans to stand when their song is played you know how your heart swells with the pride of your service.  Show that same pride in flying the Stars and Stripes and your service branch flag.

If you've got the place for it, put up a 20' flag pole, you can get it with a flag for about $125 at Lowe's, etc.  A little bag of sand, a little bag of rocks, a sack of sackcrete, a post hole digger, and a level is all it takes to set up the pole, total cost is less than $140, including tax,   For a little more dinero there is even a solar powered light which you can attach to the pole to light the flag at night if you don't have electric service close enough to the pole for a spotlight.  Remember if you leave it up after dark it should have a spotlight on it.

Modern nylon flags don't even have to be taken down in inclement weather as was done in our service days due to flags being made of cotton and subject to mildew, etc.

Flags do wear out and should be replaced when they become faded, worn, torn, etc.

Just my two cents!

Anna Swafford (Bernard)

William Henry Hyams, Ph. D.

Everybody-

For those interested, I have begun to post our experiences this summer on the User Forum.  So far I have managed to post on the Forum a list of national parks and monuments in NV, UT and AZ that we 'touched' in a 7 day period.  If you are planning to go to where we were (see list) and would like to see what our experience was, please email me so I can change my priority in posting.

So far posted:

Great Basin NP in NV;

Cedar Breaks NM in UT and Bryce Canyon NP in UT.

Bill

William Henry Hyams, Ph. D.

Looks like Bill Hyams, Bill Holly and Johnny Gongre have had a race to see who can post the most in the User Forums.  I've finished my vacation 2010 posting.  Hope you enjoy all of the postings.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Just trying to prime the pump to keep activity now that the reunion is over, and I'm selfish, I really enjoy Bill Hyams posts and Johnny's, too, but I want to see all of the U.S. before even considering going foreign.  We will probably use them, his posts, in the future.  I've just followed Bill's advice and looked up the Moki Dugway on www.bing.com.  They have still pics and also a video of a truck, probably an ore truck or a bobtail, without a 53' trailer going down it.  Bill, Polly suspects we will have to give it a try.  One of the comments on one of the Bing sites says to be sure and bring clean shorts but it also says that a 32' travel trailer has made it down the road, said something about the driver's knuckles being white.  We shall see, we shall see!  :)

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Anna, that is a really good photo of the high school you posted above from the news article about the LSMSA.  Of course, when we attended it had the curved driveway and the busses discharged students right at the front door plus the flagpole was off to the right hand side instead of directly in front of the entrance.  That said, if the classmates who are active on our site prefer I can change out the pic of the high school to show the one you've posted on your message above.  Just a thought!

Freddie DeBlieux

Hey........I have lost myself.......if anyone retreives me, please do whatever and make sure BILL gets the email.......We, lazy-ass state workers, have all been punished for the sins of the ones who were watching movies, porn, downloading stuff, or whatever, on state computers....and cut off of anything that looks like what they are calling "socializing"....I can't get the photos from the reunion or anything that resembles the fact I might be "socialing."  Now the powers that be know I don't know how to get a movie, download, or whatever and I surely am not interested in porn.  I told Molly I was over sex and she thought I said I was oversexed....Well, if someone really cute, with hair and teeth and can dance comes along, I might could be revitalized.....

Now that you all know how busy I am, I am sure you will forgive me and not judge me for lack of interest.......I want this reunion to last forever.....until the last two graduates, class of '60, lay down the gauntlet and we all(Kenneth?) meet our Heavenly Father, and those who left before us......for everlasting life........

I am going to try to figure out how to get that email back and fit them together and make sense out of what I am trying to say...I don't know what I am trying to say....except....

I love you, everyone..........

Freddie DeBlieux

Has anyone found the other half (the first half) of my email........???????  I just hate for people to think I know what I'm doing when I don't.....

Guess who????

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Depends, Raymond, how many Kentucky highway department workers does it take to hold up a shovel?  :)  Might get some knots on our heads for saying.

Anna Swafford (Bernard)

I KNOW the work that Freddie does here at the Old State Capitol...and other historic places.  She is a walking "book" of facts, many not well known.   If any of you are in Baton Rouge and have a few extra hours, get her to give you a personal tour of both the old and new capitols and tell you all of her "tales"....  (She could retire with the proceeds from a book that is in her......expecially her days of working at the Capitol......Right, Fred????)  She is a great Ambassador for our state and I highly recommend a personal tour.

Now....there are some state departments.....well, we won't hang that laundry!

Anna Swafford (Bernard)

The addition of "our music" is great, Billy........thanks! 

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Thanks, you and Linda L.M. are the only two who have responded so I was beginning to think no one had checked it out.  If anyone has a 50's era song they would like to see, uh, hear on the site, give me the name and if possible the artist, I'll try to add it.  I just grabbed a bunch off the top of my head to try 'em out.  I wish I could set it up so the opening is always that crazy laugh and then the shout of "wipe out" by the beach boys, but then have the rest to continue to play in random order.

Are the songs coming across clean from the very beginning, by that I mean, do you have to put up with a few seconds of garbage before the music and words become clear.  I'm thinking I get the garbage because of my old computer.

Elwanda Miller (McCabe)

Polly and all. I think that is great that some of you are getting together since the reunion. When I am in Mississippi I would like to attend the get to gether also. I think 12 hours from Kansas is a bit too far but only 3-4 hours from Vicksburg. If any of you are ever my way you are welcome and visit either in Kansas or Vicksburg. Keep me informed about your decisions.

Now to those that don't live in Louisiana and close to Kansas how about us getting together sometime?

Anna Swafford (Bernard)

New pictures are posted.....some from days long ago that Judy Bob found and some from a recent luncheon in Natchitoches.

On the OLD pictures....does anyone know the name of the band?   Is this a Band Dance or our Senior All Night Party?...or what occasion???

Janette Fae Lofton (Brooks)

Bill, I LOVE the music, it's great!!  I haven't been on in a while, we had FL company and I was in the hospital last week with pancreas problems.  Whatever it is in blood work pertaining to the pancreas, normal is 150 and mine was 6,000 last Monday.  I'm feelilng better and will go to my doctors on Wed. and Thurs.

Anna, you've done a great job with pictures.  I'll download mine on a disc and will send them to you as soon as I can.

A blessed and bountiful Fall Season to each of you and many you all have many blessings as we all give THANKS for all we have that our Heavenly Father has provided for us.  I will look forward to more news, birthdays and updates.

GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU AND YOURS......Janette

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Raymond T,

Are you competing in the horse olympics?  :)

We had the opportunity to see the famed white stallions from Austria here in Alexandria a couple of years ago.  Impressive!

I "think" I'd like to participate in a "cattle drive" out in Colorado, New Mexico or Wyoming, or even Australia, however, it has been decades since I've sat/set a saddle so I know there would be problems.  Received some literature a year or two or three ago advertising a short 3 or 4 day drive and a longer  7 - 10 day drive.  They stated to do the 7 - 10 day drive you should be an "experienced" horseman.  I think more than handleling (?) the horse they were referring to the interface between your body and the saddle.

Judy Bob Roberts (Easley)

bill and raymond--you guys are sooooooooooooo old. show a little spunk for heaven's sake and do the cattle drive. be sure and send pictures!!

LOVE THE MUSIC BILL. IT STILL STARTLES ME WHEN I GO TO OUR PAGE.

HAVE THOUGHT OF OUR REUNION SO MUCH AND WILL BE GLAD WHEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE. THIS TIME JUST MEET AND PARTY--NO HARD WORK OF BOOKS AND ETC ETC.

BILL TELL POLLY "HI" AND I AM GOING TO TRY AND GET TO THE LUNCHEONS.

RAYMOND TELL MARY HELLO AND I LOVED MEETING AND TALING WITH HER. SHE IS SO PRETTY AND YOUNG LOOKING. YOU DID GOOD BOY!!!

JB

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Received an email from John & Margie Luttrell Gongre, they visited Judy Idom Wade (Judy Little) at her fine art studio in Santa Fe, NM last week.  Said they had a real nice visit with her and she said she would update her profile on the class website as soon as possible.  When in Santa Fe, stop by to see Judy.  The studio address is in the reunion book and on the website, I think.  :)  It's about a block off "the square".

Jackie Lane Brantley, M. S. + 30 (Glass)

The music is just great.  Did you all remember that Floyd Cramer is from Campti?  (I hope this is true because I was told that YEARS ago.)

A 60-70 reunion would be fantastic.  My sister Sandra Brantley Hespe (1964)  in Yorktown, VA, has complained many times that she has never been invited to a high school reunion.  And my sister Reba Brantley Strickland graduated in 1970; we would all love to share a 10-year NHS reunion!

Thanks, Bill and Poly, for keeping this going.  What a great job you are doing.

Wm "Billy Dick" Richmond Holly

Thank you!

I had also heard Floyd Cramer was from Campti and that he is actually one of the Creamers from there.

Also, understand Floyd was a buddy with Jimmy Day, a legend among steel guitar players.  Story goes that Jimmy was dating a girl down around Woodworth (just south of Alexandria) whose father played the steel guitar and taught Jimmy.  Floyd asked Jimmy to teach him to play the steel guitar to which Jimmy replied, "go get your own instrument" and so we have the great piano player in Floyd.

The story further goes that Jimmy played with Elvis and Elvis asked him to go to the West Coast with him.  Jimmy didn't go so Elvis didn't have a steel guitar in his band.

By the way, I have nothing to do with a 1960 through 1970 class reunion.  I was just asked about it by one of those involved and wanted to give a better idea to those considering such so constructed the survey.  Right now the survey of the two classes, 1960 & 1961, is running about 30% interested and 70% not interested, mostly I think, due to us being on the end of that bracket instead of in the middle.  A better bracket for the '61 and '62 classes would probably be from '56 through '65.  After responding to the survey, you can click on the button and see the results thus far, and can go back to see any changes.  It's sort of slim right now with only 14 responses, hopefully there will be more to give them an idea of any participation they might get from our class.

If anyone wants to jump in to work on such, contact Warren Massia in Natchitoches, that's the only name I have.  I can give you his email if you're interested.