AT SENIOR CLASS NIGHT, JUNE 3, 1957,I OPENED MY SPEECH BY SAYING, james.williamsTom Lettington202007-05-16T16:45:00Z2007-07-02T16:57:00Z2007-07-02T16:57:00Z1201811508BVSD95261350011.6568CLASS OF ’57 50TH REUNIONAT SENIOR CLASS NIGHT, JUNE 3, 1957, I OPENED MY SPEECH BY SAYING:“IN A VERY FEW SHORT DAYS, MEMBERS OF THE JUNE, 1957, GRADUATING CLASS WILL WALK ACROSS THIS STAGE FOR PERHAPS THE LAST TIME. IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING WHICH SUCH A SHORT TIME AGO SEEMED SO REMOTE, COULD NOW BE COMPLETED SO SOON.” I HAD NO IDEA AT THAT TIME THAT 50 YEARS LATER I WOULD STAND BEFORE YOU AND USE THOSE SAME WORDS AGAIN. BUT TONIGHT I THINK THAT WE WOULD ALL AGREE “IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING WHICH JUST A SHORT TIME AGO SEEMED SO REMOTE, COULD NOW BE COMPLETED SO SOON.”50 YEARS – UNBELIEVEABLE! 50 YEARS IS A LONG TIME, BUT IT CAN SEEM LIKE A SHORT TIME - IT ALL DEPENDS UPON YOUR POINT OF VIEW. I AM SURE IT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY BACK IN 57. WE COULDN’T BEGIN TO FATHOM IT. BUT TONIGHT, IN MANY WAYS, IT REALLY DOESN’T SEEM LIKE IT WAS THAT LONG AGO.THERE IS NO DENYING - THINGS HAVE CHANGED!WORLDIN 1957 THE POPULATION WAS 2.88 BILLIONTODAY THE POPULATION IS 6.50 BILLIONUSA IN 1957GAS WAS 23 CENTS A GALLONCOFFEE WAS 69 CENTS A POUND ---- AND NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD OF STARBUCKS OR A TRIPLE VENTI, SUGAR FREE VANILLA, NON-FAT, EXTRA HOT, NO FOAM LATTE.MILK WAS 97 CENTS A GALLON, SUGAR 11 CENTS A POUNDIN 1957MEDIAN INCOME IN THE USA WAS $4,966; TODAY IT IS $46,326 THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A HOME WAS $14,200, TODAY IT $241,400 A $50 BILL IN 57, ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, EQUATES TO ABOUT $6.58 TODAY.EAST HIGH SINCE 1957APPROXIMATELY 21,000 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM EAST SINCE 1957THERE HAVE BEEN 8 DIFFERENT PRINCIPALS.TODAY EAST HOUSES 4 GRADES WITH NEARLY 2200 STUDENTS. IT IS THE LARGEST 4 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE WITH ALL 4 GRADES HOUSED IN ONE BUILDING. VALLEY IS LARGER IN TOTAL BUT HOUSES 9th GRADERS IN A SEPARATE FACILITY. LINCOLN IS ONLY SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN EAST.EAST IS LARGER THAN 699 IOWA TOWNS.OUR CLASSSINCE 1957 OUR CLASS HAS FUNDED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, RAISED ABOUT $22,000 FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND CONTRIBUTED $40,000 TO THE RECENT RENNOVATION PROJECT. WHETHER THAT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME AGO TO YOU OR A SHORT TIME, WE HAVE ALL MADE THE JOURNEY, THANKFULLY WE HAVE ALL SURVIVED THE TRIP AND WE HAVE COME TOGETHER TONIGHT BECAUSE SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT AND PRETTY POWERFUL HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO.PERSONALLY, I REMEMBER VERY CLEARLY GOING TO GIVE A SPEECH AT AN ALUMNI DINNER IN 1957. I WENT TO REPRESENT THE CLASS OF ’57 AS WE WERE WELCOMED INTO THE EAST HIGH ALUMNI FAMILY.IN THAT SPEECH, I QUOTED PART OF A POEM THAT I HAD MEMORIZED IN MS. ENGLEEN’S 11 GRADE ENGLISH CLASS. IT WENT LIKE THIS:COME GROW OLD ALONG WITH METHE BEST IS YET TO BETHE LAST OF LIFE FOR WHICH THE FIRST WAS MADE.THE POEM SEEMED APPROPRIATE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE, AS GRADUATES, WE HAD JUST COMPLETED ONE IMPORTANT PHASE OF OUR LIVES, BUT AS 17, 18 YEAR OLDS WE HAD MOST OF OUR LIVES IN FRONT OF US.THE IDEA OF THE POEM IS THAT AS WE GET OLDER AND WISER, LIFE GETS BETTER. AS WE AGE, MATURE, READ, STUDY, TRAVEL, GO TO COLLEGE, GET A JOB, WORK, GET MARRIED, RAISE A FAMILY - REALLY ESPERIENCE LIFE IN ITS FULLNESS - OUR PERSPECTIVE EXPANDS, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US GROWS AND OUR CAPACITY TO APPRECIATE AND ENJOY LIFE INCREASES - THE LAST OF LIFE FOR WHICH THE FIRST WAS MADE.MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS I HAVE REMEMBERED THAT NIGHT AND THAT POEM AND I HAVE ASKED MYSELF IF MY LIFE WERE WORKING LIKE THE POEM SUGGESTS IT SHOULD. EACH TIME I HAVE CONCLUDED, WELL, MAYBE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? 1954-1957 AT EAST HIGH WAS REALLY HARD TO BEAT. IN FACT, IT WAS ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS. MAYBE LIFE HAS GOTTEN BETTER AS I HAVE GOTTEN OLDER AND WISER, BUT I DON’T THINK THAT I HAVE EVER HAD 3 BETTER YEARS THAN I DID WITH MY FRIENDS IN THE CLASS OF ’57.FOR ME, IT ALL STARTED IN THE LATE 40S AND EARLY 1950S WHEN MY UNCLE TOOK ME TO DRAKE STADIUM, DRAKE FIELDHOUSE, THE OLD EAST HIGH GYM OR THAT OLD FOOTBALL FIELD OFF 18TH STREET BETWEEN WALKER AND HUBBEL. WE WENT TO WATCH EAST PLAY. FOR ME, IT WAS A CASE OF ”LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.” I KNEW RIGHT THEN THAT I WANTED TO BE AN EAST HIGH SCARLET AND THAT, HOPEFULLY, SOME DAY I WOULD WEAR THE SCARLET AND BLACK.I MET WHAT WAS TO BE MY FIRST FRIENDS IN THE CLASS OF ’57 AT PHILLIPS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I LOVED PHILLIPS AND HAD NO IDEA THAT WOODROW WILSON COULD BE EVEN BETTER. AT WILSON, MEMBERSHIP IN THE CLASS OF ‘57 CONTINUED TO GROW AND, ALTHOUGH THE JUNIOR HIGH YEARS CAN BE DIFFICULT AND ACKWARD, SOME OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE PEOPLE AND FONDEST LIFE-TIME MEMORIES OCCURRED WHILE I WAS THERE.SO WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE EAST SIDE OF DES MOINES? WE DIDN’T HAVE SHOPPING MALLS, CELL PHONES, VIDEO GAMES, OR COMPUTERS. YET, LIFE WAS GOOD!WE ICE SKATED AT GRANDVIEW, WENT SWIMMING AT BIRDLAND, SUNSET BEACH AND THE YMCA. WE RODE OUR BIKES, RODE THE BUS AND SPOKE PIG LATIN.WE WERE HALL MONITORS, MOVIE USHERS, SCHOOL MESSENGERS, AND BELONGED TO THE SAFETY PATROL.WE PICNICKED AND PLAYED TOUCH FOOTBALL AT UNION PARK, WATER SKIED ON THE DES MOINES RIVER, CAMPED BY FOUR MILE CREEK, WENT FISHING DOWN BY IOWA POWER AND LIGHT, AND WATCHED THE SLATER NITE HAWKS PLAY UNDER THE LIGHTS AT BIRDLAND.WE ENJOYED THE MIDWAY AND THE AUTO RACES AT THE STATE FAIR, WATCHED THE FIREWORKS FROM OUR FRONT YARDS AND LOVED GOING TO RIVERVIEW.WE WENT TO THE GRAND, EASTOWN AND AVALON THEATRES AND LATER WENT ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN TO TRY THE STRAND, DES MOINES, AND THE ORPHEUM.WE JOINED THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS AND BOY SCOUTS, WENT TO CHURCH CAMP AND LATER JOINED DEMOLAY AND THE RAINBOW GIRLS. WE WERE INVITED TO OUR FIRST FORMAL DANCES AT THE TROMAR AND VALAIR BALLROOMS WHERE WE DEALT WITH ONE OF LIFE’S GREAT MYSTERIES - WHERE DO I PIN THE CORSAGE?WE FOLLOWED THE DES MOINES BRUINS, LISTENED TO AL COUPEE, CHEERED THE HAWKEYES, WATCHED THE ROLAND ROCKET AT IOWA STATE, AND CHEERED FOR JOHNNY BRIGHT, THE GREATEST BULLDOG.WE WENT TO THE KRNT CUBS TRY-OUT CAMPS, PLAYED BASEBALL AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, BASKETBALL AT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, AND PLAYED CHURCH LEAGUE BALL IN THE OLD EAST GYM.WE WENT TO CHURCH WITH OUR PARENTS, TOOK VACATIONS TO MINNESOTA, LOVED BUTTER BRICKEL ICE CREAM AND TENDERLOIN SANDWICHES.WE RAN IN THE JR. HIGH TRACK MEET, SANG IN THE GLEE CLUB, AND PERFORMED IN THE SCHOOL’S OPERETTAS.WE MADE WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE LIFE-LONG FRIENDS IN JUNIOR HIGH ONLY TO HAVE THEM GO TO TECH OR NORTH AND WE NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN.AND THEN WE WENT TO EAST WHERE THE CLASS OF ‘57 WAS FINALLY ALL TOGETHER AT EASTWE WORE CREW CUTS, LETTER SWEATERS, BOBBI SOX, AND CONVERSE ALL-STARS.WE WATCHED MOVIES ON THE LUNCH HOUR, WROTE NOTES IN STUDY HALL, HAD FRIDAY MORNING PEP ASSEMBLIES, AND RODE PEP CLUB BUSES TO WATERLOO, FORT DODGE AND MASON CITYWE WERE IN THE MARCHING BAND, TOOK CHOIR, LATIN, TYPING AND SHORTHAND.WE JOINED HY Y, WROTE FOR THE SCROLL AND PUBLISHED THE QUILL. WE HITCHHIKED, WORKED AT THE REEDS ICE CREAM STAND AND THE PHILLIPS 66 STATION, WENT ON HAY RACK RIDES AND SHOT RATS AT THE CITY DUMP. WE HAD SLUMBER PARTIES, GIRL FRIENDS, BOY FRIENDS, LEARNED TO JITTERBUG AND SLOW DANCE.WE TRIED OUT FOR SYNCRONIZED SWIMMING, WERE CHEERLEADERS AND MAJORETTES.WE READ PEANUTS IN THE DES MOINES REGISTER, SERVED ON STUDENT COUNCIL AND SOLD TICKETS TO THE SPOTLIGHT PARADE.WE STOPPED AT CARY’S DRIVE-INN UP IN SNOOSVILE FOR A BURGER AFTER A GAME, BUT USUALLY ENDED UP AT KNOX CAFE WHERE WE GAVE FIRST AID TO COLLEAGUES WHO PARTIED WITH TOO MUCH ENTHUSIASM.WE GOT OUR DRIVERS LICENSE, CRUISED THE LOOP IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES AND IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE EASTOWN, GRAND AND AVALON FOR THE CAPITOL DRIVE-IN AND THE SE 14 TH DRIVE-IN WHERE WE ENHANCED OUR EDUCATION THROUGH ADDITIONAL EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITY.WE PLAYED LEGION BASEBALL, WENT TO CHUCK’S OR NOAH’S FOR PIZZA, SOLD PROGRAMS AT THE GIRLS AND BOYS’ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AND WORKED AT THE DRAKE RELAYS, WHERE WE CHEERED FOR MEL GRAHAM AND KENNY BURNETT.WE KNEW THAT THE RICH KIDS LIVED ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN AND THAT WE WERE IN ENEMY TERRITORY WHEN WE CROSSED THE DES MOINES RIVER. WE BEAT ROOSEVELT ON THE GRIDIRON, THE BASEBALL DIAMOND, AND IN THE GYM AND WE KICKED THEIR BUTTS IN THE FIGHTS AFTER THE BIG GAMES. WE FELL IN LOVE WITH ELVIS, LISTENED TO HAL AND CHARLIE ON KIOA AND HUNG OUT AT FRANKIE’S BARBER SHOP.BUT WHAT WAS IT ABOUT EAST HIGH—WE DIDN’T HAVE MY SPACE, LAP TOPS, I-PODS. C0MPUTER LABS OR POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS.BUT WE HAD:DICK JOHNSON, BILL NEAL, MARTY CARLSON, BOB SAVAGE, MR. GOODWIN, MR AUGUSTINE, MR. JOHNS, MR STORER, MS ENGLEEN, IONE BALL, GUS RUMP, MISS SPENCER, AGNES HELMRICK, MR. FRIESTAD, MISS SNYDER, MRS. WHITFORD, JACK BORG, SCOTTIE RUSSELL, DUKE WILLIAMS AND MR. STRATTON.SOME OF THEM CARED FOR US, TAUGHT US, MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED US. SOME OF THEM DID NOT.WE WENT TO THE SENIOR BREAKFAST, SENIOR-PARENT DINNER, THE KIDDIE PARTY, CLASS NIGHT, PROM, AND GRADUATION. WE SIGNED YEAR BOOKS, GRADUATION PICTURES, AND SAID GOOD-BY AND HEADED DOWN THE PATH WHICH LEADS TO THE REST OF OUR LIVES.THE REASON THOSE THREE YEARS WERE 3 OF THE VERY BEST WAS BECAUSE OF A GREAT COLLECTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL GROUP THAT EXCELLED IN THE CLASSROOM, ON THE ATHLETIC FIELDS AND, FOR THE MOST PART, AS GOOD CITIZENS IN THE EAST- SIDE COMMUNITY. WE WERE OUTSTANDING ACADEMICALLY, ACTIVE SOCIALLY, AND OUR RECORD IN ATHLETICS WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN EAST HIGH HISTORY. MUSIC, DRAMA, JOURNALISM, ART, SHOP, AUTO MECHANICS—WE ENJOYED THEM ALL. WE WERE LUCKY TO BE AT EAST WHEN THE NEW FOOTBALL STADIUM, TRACK, BASEBALL FIELDS AND TENNIS COURTS WERE COMPLETED AND MEMBERS OF OUR CLASS PLAYED ON THE FIRST TEAMS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THOSE FIELDS. WE WERE JUNIORS WHEN THE GYM, THE POOL, AND THE STUDENT CENTER OPENED FOR USE AND WE WERE THE FIRST CITY CHAMPIONS TO CROWNED IN THE GYM. IN FACT, IN THE THREE YEARS WE WERE HERE WE PLAYED ON TWO CITY AND THREE BIG SIX CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TEAMS, TWO CITY BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS AND TWO CITY BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. IN OUR SENIOR YEAR WE WON TITLES IN BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL IN THE SAME YEAR AND, I AM TOLD, THAT HAS BEEN REPEATED ONLY ONCE IN THE PAST 50 YEARS. WE LIVED IN A DAY WHEN LIFE WAS GOOD ON THE EAST SIDE AS LONG AS YOU BEAT ROOSEVELT AND I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT THE EAST SIDE WAS A GREAT PLACE TO BE IN 54-57.BUT IF WE WERE GOOD ATHLETES, WE WERE EVEN BETTER STUDENTS. I WAS ALWAYS IMPRESSED, EVEN A BIT INTIMIDATED BY THE LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE IN THE CLASSROOMS AROUND THE SCHOOL. IN FACT, I WAS FREQUENTLY LOST IN SOME CLASSES. BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS A CLASSMATE WHO COULD EXPLAIN THE MATERIAL AS WELL OR BETTER THAN THE TEACHER AND WILLING TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT.YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO BE AN ATHLETE OR GREAT STUDENT TO BE A GREAT FRIEND AND YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO BE ACADEMICALLY INCLINED TO FIND A COMFORTABLE PLACE. AS SOMEONE HAS SAID, “EVERYONE IS A FRIEND UNTIL THEY PROVE OTHERWISE.” FRANKLY, IN THE CLASS OF 57 NOT MANY “PROVED OTHERWISE.”IF YOU LOOK AT THE BIOGRAPHIES PUT TOGETHER FOR OUR 50TH REUNION, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE CLASS HAVE BEEN GREAT, THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE USA HAVE BEEN TRULY SIGNIFICANT. IT IS AMAZING, BUT IT DOESN’T REALLY SUPRISE ME.YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER HOW MANY GAMES WE WON OR HOW MANY OUTSTANDING SCHOLARS WE HAD OR HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE GIVEN TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. THOSE TOPICS MAKE FOR PLEASANT MEMORIES AND GREAT DISCUSSIONS, BUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS ARE THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT WERE MADE AND THE BONDS THAT WERE FORMED IN THE HALLWAYS, IN THE CLASSROOMS, AND ON THE PLAYING FIELDS. IT IS THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED AS WE STUDIED AND PLAYED TOGETHER THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT. THAT’S WHAT BRINGS ALUMNI BACK TOGETHER EACH YEAR AND THAT IS WHAT BRINGS US BACK 50 YEARS LATER.WE ARE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF EACH OTHER. 50, 55, 60 YEARS AGO WE CONNECTED IN WAYS THAT WERE SO STRONG AND SIGNIFICANT THAT WE WANT TO EXPERIENCE THOSE SAME CONNECTIONS TONIGHT, 50 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION. THE JOURNEY OF LIFE IS A VERY PERSONAL TRIP. WE CHOSE OUR OWN PATHWAYS, CHARTED OUR OWN COURSE. BUT LET’S FACE IT, WE ALL STARTED THE JOURNEY TOGETHER. OUR DAYS AND OUR EXPERIENCES ON THE EAST SIDE AND AT EAST HIGH LAUNCHED US ON OUR WAY, PREPARED US FOR THE CHALLENGES AND INFLUENCED THE DECISIONS WE MADE ALONG THE WAY. AS TIM MCGRAW SINGS, “WE TAKE OUR OWN PATHWAYS IN LIFE, BUT NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, WE TAKE A LITTLE OF EACH OTHER EVERYWHERE.”ISN’T IT INTERESTING THAT WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE---WE MADE THE TRIP AND HAVE RETURNED TONIGHT TO RECONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE PLACE THAT SENT US ON OUR WAY.ON MANY OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, I HAVE LOOKED INTO THE MIRROR EXPECTING TO SEE A HIGHLY EDUCATED, REASONABLY KNOWLEDGEABLE, RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL WHO TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD FATHER AND HUSBAND. EACH TIME I WOULD SEE GLIMPSES OF THAT PERSON, BUT WHEN THE FOG CLEARED, I ALSO SAW A YOUNG GUY OUT ON EAST 22ND STREET, FIERCELY PROUD OF THE GOOD FORTUNE HE HAD TO GROW UP ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE PRIVILEGE, INDEED THE HONOR OF ATTENDING EAST HIGH SCHOOL, AND ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE FRIENDSHIPS MADE AND THE EXPERIENCES SHARED AS A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF 1957.FOR I KNOW, THAT WHEREEVER WE HAVE GONE, WHATEVER WE HAVE DONE, WHATEVER WE HAVE ACHIEVED, WHATEVER WE HAVE BECOME, IT ALL STARTED WITH “US” AND THE EXPERIENCES WE SHARED AT EAST HIGH IN THE CLASS OF 57.WELCOME BACK TO THE EAST SIDE!Jim Williams