Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly , Joy Rubins Morris, Paula Spencer Kephart,
Rainer Klauss, Bobby Cochran, Collins (CE) Wynn, Eddie Sykes, Cherri Polly
Massey
Staff Photographers: Fred & Lynn Sanders
Contributers: The Members of Lee High School Classes of 64-65-66
Welcome to the first issue of 2004. This inaugurates our fourth physical year of Lee's Traveller and we hope that the support we have received from all of you continues for another year.
I enjoyed my trip to the New Orleans Bowl this year, and right in the middle of bowl season, I received the article on the right from Rainer about the trip the band made to the Orange Bowl. He insists that there is no connection between today's bowls and his idea to write the story, saying that he has been working on it for a while.
This issue we also remember the Classmates and faculty that we lost during the year. I hope to update the "In Memory" pages in the new year to add the latest. The format will have to change because of the amount of names, but we will do our best to preserve the memory of all of them.
Sometime during the year we will begin a crusade to collect the latest information on all of you, in preparation for the reunion which should be held next year. Again, we will hold the reunion centered on the Class of '65, which will put the Class of '64 one year late, the Class of '65 on time, and the Class of '66 one year early for our 40th reunion.
We hope to bring back many new memories to you in the issues this year, and will be working on different ways to do that. Remember - any of you can send in a story or remembrance to be published. We also welcome old photos. The current staff was selected from those that sent stories, and volunteered or were asked to join. If you want to do likewise, contact us.
Personally, Sue and I welcomed in 2004 with several thousand at the Grand Casino in Tunica. It was a great party.
T. Tommy
________________________________________
Last Week's Music Trivia
When we said the contest was for Jennifer and Skip, we didn't mean just for them! We meant that it was for all of you, but "dedicated" to Jennifer and Skip. They have traditionally been the two who are the quickest to respond to the music trivia contests. And we were right, Skip quickly sent the follow note:
___________________
Skip Cook, Class of '64
Tommy,
After listening to the first song, I thought "man, I'm all over this!" I quickly fell out of the zone however. My ears don't seem to be working very well. and I'm afraid that Jennifer Bannecke will absolutely kick my backside with song identification this time. This is the best I could do
Song # 1 - You probably could hear me singing along with "Workin' my way back to you Babe with a burning love inside" by Frankie Valli (sp?) and the Four Seasons. This is the point where I said "I'm in the zone, bring it on T. Tommy!"
Song # 2 - Sounded like the theme to Gilligan's Island. Zone was getting kind of shakey right here.
Song # 3 - I struggled with this one. I could almost hear Connie Francis singing it. I waited 24 hours and clicked the mouse again. Still no luck with a title. Zone? What zone?
Song # 4 - Running Bear and Little White Dove. I didn't like this when it came out and it hasn't improved with age. I thought there was still a glimmer of hope to finish strong at this point.
Song # 5 - I definitely could hear the Beetles singing but couldn't make out the words, the title, or even a little clue.
I have to concede to Ms. Jennifer Bannecke at this point. She has excellent source of historical music knowledge in Craig that I don't have however. Maybe I can make it more of a horse race next time.
Skip
__________________
Even if you did not send in answers, we hope you played the game. Anyway, here are the answers to the trivia. We'll try to have some new songs and contests in the new year.
Forty years ago, in the early evening of Friday, January 3, 1964, the Lee High School Band rolled up in front of the school, having completed its duties as Alabama’s Official Representative at the Orange Bowl Festival in Miami. Greeted by the welcoming fanfare of our families, we proud but weary ambassadors swarmed out of the three buses, picked up our gear, said goodbye to our friends and lovers, and headed back home for de-briefings and familiar comforts. In our nine-day musical odyssey through three states, we had gotten an early thrill, strutted our stuff before a national television audience, enjoyed prime seats at a major bowl game, and, in general, had given a good account of ourselves while we experienced as much fun and pleasure as a healthy group of teenagers could (given that we were chaperoned). For those of you who were lucky enough to participate in the trip, I hope the following reminiscence sparks your memory and reminds you of the good times. For those of you who had to stay behind in the cold, here’s a condensed, expurgated version of what happened.
I am fortunate that my mother saved the booklet that the Band Parents Association created for this trip. It’s the blueprint of a bold and ambitious venture. This seventeen-page document is, in its very comprehensiveness, an indicator of the many complexities and details a project of this nature had to address and resolve. Since the author or authors are anonymous, I don’t know who to praise for this manifold document. It’s an itinerary, history, organization chart, passenger manifest, code of conduct, vision statement, and public relations pamphlet all rolled into one. Much of what I relate here comes from its pages.
The idea of pursuing a bid to participate in the Orange Bowl Parade was introduced at one of the committee meetings of the Band Parents Association in December 1962. Robert Becks, the father of Sylvia (’64) and Roger (’65), provided much of the vision, drive, and experience that helped make the dream come true. His co-chairman was C. M. O’Bryant, the father of Richard (’64). These two men were ably assisted by Mr. Foley, the band director, whose main responsibility was developing our musicianship. A lot of the essential work of organizing this expedition was done at another level: many of the smart, talented and dedicated parents of the band members stepped forward to make things happen through committees and individual initiative.
Ultimately, of course, this project gained the assistance of the entire school and community. As an example of the city-wide influential support the Orange Bowl Committee (OBC) sought, the Honorary Executive Committee of the project included Mayor Searcy, Dr. Wernher von Braun (Director, MSFC), General H.P. Persons (Commander, Army Missile Command) and many other officials and business people in the city. The operative word in that sentence is “honorary,” of course, but even such gestures could be beneficial.
“Think Big” must have been the motto of the OBC. They went all the way to the top and reached out for support from NASA (hoping to procure the services of Alan Shepard or John Glenn) and President Kennedy, but neither request bore fruit.
To help pay for our fun in the sun, we engaged in numerous fund-raising efforts. Each band member was enjoined to come up with $100 as his or her personal share of the expenses. I earned that money with a summer job at Brown Engineering. In addition, I worked door-to-door in Darwin Downs several times, trying to sell donuts, in competition with the Pierce brothers and Ronnie Hendrix, other neighborhood band members. In an attempt to increase attendance at our 1963 Spring Concert (and swell our coffers), the marching Generals took to the neighborhoods, hawking tickets. I remember strolling the streets of Lakewood with Linda Sewell, she in her gray majorette costume and me in my blue uniform, neither one of us eager to badger the homeowners.
“You do the talking this time.”
“No, it’s your turn.”
“But those last people didn’t buy any tickets.”
“Well, so what? It’s still your turn.”
In another concerted effort, the band put down some tracks on vinyl. The album, a rare item now (but available as a CD on the website), is on the American Band Production label (Custom Division). The record jacket features blue-tinged portraits of the band and Mr. Foley. Artwork in blue and orange mimics the Confederate battle flag, and a blue football in the middle of the bars displays the news of our status as the chosen state representatives to the Orange Bowl.
The word that we had officially been selected to participate in the Orange Bowl Festival must have come in the spring. Strangely, the booklet, which otherwise supplies an abundance of information, does not mention the specific date the news of our acceptance arrived.
1963 was the first year of George Wallace’s stormy governorship of Alabama. (He ended up serving four terms.) On June 11 of that year, he thrust himself onto the national political stage with his defiant “stand in the schoolhouse door” at the University of Alabama, where he briefly blocked the admittance of two black students. Later that month, on June 27, he signed the proclamation that designated the Lee High School Band as the “Official Representatives of the State of Alabama during the ‘King Orange Parade.’”
And sometime that fall Governor Wallace came to Lee High School himself, backing up his proclamation with a charismatic appearance. I can’t recall exactly what he said that day, but he must have told us what a great state Alabama was, and that we were the most important school in the state. Be proud and do us proud in Miami. And then he must have said something along the line of “And I’m so impressed with you that I’m going to give this great band even more money that I first said I would!” This seemingly spontaneous generosity fired us up even more. You better believe that we played “Dixie” with a fervor we’d never brought to it before when the “fightin’ little judge” left the stage that day. We all learned that demagoguery can be very contagious.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.
Three days before our departure it snowed in North Alabama. On December 23, the Huntsville Times reported that “dreams of a white Christmas turned to nightmares this morning as snow strangled transportation throughout the Tennessee Valley and northward.” A hard freeze followed that night.
Road conditions had improved by the time we reported to the school very early in the morning of the 26th, and it was decided we would proceed. We probably left close to the scheduled departure time of 2:15 AM.
The first thing that happened after we boarded the buses was a mass seat-switching. As much as I liked most of my fellow band members, I wasn’t about to spend the whole trip to Miami and back getting to know Glenn James real well. (No offense, Glenn, after all these years.) Glenn was booted out of seat 17 and a certain fine-looking majorette slipped in next to me.
A long caravan made its way across town. The three buses were accompanied by a truck and trailer hauling Traveller, our equine mascot; an Alabama Highway Patrol vehicle with two troopers; a truck carrying band instruments and other equipment; and four other vehicles for emergencies, communication gear, and to carry tour officials and their families.
Collins Wynn’s father, Officer C.E. Wynn, traveled in bus 3 as the ground transportation marshal and police liaison officer.
All was excitement and trepidation as we slowly crept up Monte Sano at the beginning of our adventure. When we came over the crest of the mountain and started the descent towards Owens Crossroads, the road conditions became treacherous. The truck and trailer conveying Traveller slid off the icy road, and I think all three suffered damage of some kind. The caravan halted.
Our leaders conferred and decided that the journey would continue—with the band on foot. We were used to moving that way, of course, but not under these conditions. We left the comfort and warmth of the buses and walked along the shoulder of the cold mountain road, the vehicles descending cautiously before us and providing light. Because nothing bad happened to any of us, we can look back at this as sort of a lark in the dark, but it was dicey while it was happening. On reflection it was an experience perfectly designed for us to appreciate the attractions of our ultimate destination. In any case, it left us with a good story to share with our children or grandchildren.
I wish I could remember how far we walked, but that particular information is gone. I’d be very happy if someone who has strong memories of this occasion would write in and provide more detail and drama. Anyway, we eventually got back into the buses. We still had several hours of darkness left. After all the excitement and exertion some people probably tried to sleep. Others talked quietly, reliving the experience and looking forward to the next day. We fade to black.
Our first overnight stop was in Ocala, where we stayed at the Hotel Marion. We went to our rooms, put on our party clothes and came down to supper. Joining us for the meal, supposedly, were town officials, people associated with the Ocala High School band, and students from the school. If any of them were there, I don’t recall their presence. After the meal, we were bussed over to Silver Springs, where we danced until midnight to the sounds of the Top Hats.
The next day (December 27) was going to be busy, so we were awakened very early. The schedule takes on a military tone for this one entry; it reads: “5:45 AM Reveille.” (I think we can be pretty sure that no band mother wrote that part of the schedule.) Sleepily, we dressed in our band uniforms, had breakfast, and then traveled 100 miles to Lakeland. There we marched in the Santa Claus Bowl Parade. The schedule called for an afternoon tour of Cypress Gardens. That evening we attended the Santa Claus Bowl, a “County Little League Football Game between County All-Stars and a team from Atlanta.” We were the guest stars for the half-time entertainment. Gloria Estefan didn’t show up.
Right after the game, we saddled up and headed for Miami. We arrived at the Hotel McAllister at one in the morning. We had a little breather the next morning to explore the hotel and its surroundings. Situated on picturesque and glamorous Biscayne Blvd., the McAllister looked out on Biscayne Bay. The temperature was in the 70s, the palm fronds were blowing in the balmy breezes—you get the picture. We were truly a world away from cold and snowy North Alabama.
In the afternoon of the 28th, we were transported to the swanky community of Coral Gables, where we marched in the Junior Orange Bowl Parade. We had the distinction of being the only out-of-state band to appear there.
Sunday and Monday were days of rest and touring. The schedule shows us taking a Moonlight Cruise on Sunday night. Did we go? Somebody help me out here. I can’t remember.
On the morning of the 31st we polished our marching skills at a local park and then spent the rest of the day waiting to take our place in the parade, set to start at 7. After the initial excitement of finally stepping out in the main event wore off, the parade became, in the later stages at least, a test of fitness. It was the longest parade we ever marched in. And because we didn’t know where we were, it seemed to go on forever. Somewhere along that lengthy route, the cameras of one of the networks caught us marching past and we made a brief appearance on national television. We were rewarded for our endurance with a New Year’s Dance at the McAllister’s Flagler Ballroom.
Attendance at the Orange Bowl game between Auburn and Nebraska was the last big item of the tour package. We didn’t perform at the game, but we did show up in uniform. Our seating position beside one of the end zones would have made it possible for us to substitute for either one of the college bands had they been unable to perform. Auburn lost 13-7 when a late pass was knocked down by Nebraska.
We left Miami on the 2nd. En route to our overnight stop in Jacksonville, we popped in at Cape Kennedy and toured some of the NASA facilities.
The final homeward leg was done in one long stretch on January 3.
Besides being a lot of fun for many people, the band’s trip to Miami was a significant part of the coming-of-age of Lee High School. In the year that our school grew a senior class and reached maturity, this was one of the projects where many people dreamed big and worked hard to accomplish a laudable goal.
A final note: I’d be happy to supply copies of the booklet to anyone who’s interested in seeing the 1963-64 Orange Bowl Festival Project in more detail. Depending on the demand, I may have to ask for a small donation for postage and copying. Here’s my email address: gudrun46@earthlink.net
_________________________________________________
Mr. Fulton Hamilton Donna Faye Bishop
Gerald Ray Smith(no photo)
Our Losses In 2003
This week we ask you to remember our Classmates and faculty that we lost during the year that has just ended. We know that some of our lives were richer because of these people, and that they will be missed by many.
Gerald Ray Smith
Class of '64
January 18, 2003
Fulton Hamilton
Lee Principal - 1962-71
May 2003
Donna Faye Bishop Machen
Class of '64
October 2003
____________________________________________
Remembering Terry Preston
by Bobby Cochran
Class of '64
On the first issue of Lee's Traveller in each new year we remember our classmates lost this past year.
Thinking back, that reminded me that we lost Terry Preston right before the end of 2002 (December 14, 2002), and since it was so close to the end of the year, I did not get a chance to reflect on that loss, but would like to now.
Terry and I were never close when we were at Lee, but we kinda got a bit closer when I worked at Henry's Hamburgers. Terry would talk with Terry Davis a lot, as T.D. worked the window more than I did. But Terry P. and I talked pretty often when I worked the window, and when T.D. was at the window and Terry P. saw me in the back, he'd holler some greeting to me.
At the last big reunion at the Hyatt, Terry and I chatted quite a bit. When he found out that I lived in St. Louis, he told me that he was a "Huge" Cardinals fan. He proceeded to tell me all about the team, and that he made it a point to see a Cardinals/Padres game when the Cardinals visited San Diego. Well, as fate would have it, I sent Terry a St. Louis Cardinals' cap right after the reunion.
He wore the hat to a Cardinals/Padres game in San Diego shortly after that, and a rookie pitcher for the Cardinals NO-HIT the Padres!!! Terry called me after he got home from the game (Guess what TIME that was in St. Louis!), and he was as excited as I'd ever heard him. He was laughing, singing, recalling old times, and just plain excited.
So was I. We corresponded quite a bit after that, but as things go, it kinda fell off after a month or so. We still chatted some and exchanged jokes, but he had things going on and so did I.
When I found out that he'd passed away, I was really heartbroken. When I broke my leg so badly in football tryouts in 1963, the coaches didn't immediately realized how seriously injured I was. I was really hurting, but no one offered to help me back into the locker room - except Terry. I was bigger and heavier than he was, but he tried to support me as I hobbled. We got about 1/2 way to the locker room and I guess Coach Godsey or one of the other coaches saw us struggling, and sent big Billy White over to carry me into the locker room.
Anyway, I've never been able to bring myself to delete his name from my e-mail address book. I see his smile every time I see his name.
_______________________________________
The Lee's Traveller
Full Fledged E-Bay Challenge
by Tommy Towery
Class of '64
Do you know what the item pictured above is? Of course you do. If you have any children or grandchildren over during the week, show them these photos and ask them what it is and what it was used for. Objects from our lives may not be old enough for "The Antiques Roadshow" yet, but there are lots of things that were everyday items to us that kids today do not have a clue about.
The Traveller Staff is offering a new challenge to all of you. Depending upon your participation, this might be a regular feature.
Many of you are very familiar with e-Bay. Bobby Cochran and I have been sending each other alerts to items for sale for over a year. I know of at least one classmate who is a regular shopper for Disney items, especially for Snow White memorabilia.
The e-Bay website has grown to become the nation's "yard sale". Each week millions of things are offered for sale by e-Bay regulars. You never know what all will be placed up for auction at any given time. Things are usually only available for seven or ten days, then they are sold to the highest bidder. You do not have to be registered with e-Bay to search the items for sale, only to buy or sell for yourself. Anyone can search. To do that you go to www.ebay.com and click in the box next to the question "What are you looking for? or the SEARCH box. Type in a keyword, phrase, or multiple words to search for and then click on FIND IT. A successful search will take you to the items found.
As an example, I typed in "1953 Ford Customline" and it found three items for auction that had those words in the description. Rainer found the photo of the postcard from the Hotel McAllister used in his article to the right in a similar fashion. The photo of the record player below also came from an e-bay auction.
We would like to see who can find the most "unique" thing that was common to us in our Lee High School or pre-Lee days and send us the item number. We'll have a prize for the most unique item number submitted. It can be a cultural, fad, Huntsville, Lee, toys, music, movie, people, or other such type item. Just try to find something that was significant then, and will bring back memories to your classmates today. You don't have to copy the photo, just send me the e-Bay item number.
The winner's item will be featured, and if possible a contest made to name it. If it is more obvious as to what it is, then memories of the item will be requested.
To let the games begin, identify the item above and send along a remembrance about it if you wish. Anyone have one at home?
_________________________________________
Subject: 2003
Skip Cook
Class of '64
2003 was a year with high highs and low lows. Like you I lost my mother in Huntsville and now have only one tie to the town I grew up in. That tie being the friendships developed over the years at LHS. Because of the work put in by you and the excellent editorial staff, I get a boost every Monday morning when I open up the "news". Thanks for everybody's efforts and the re-kindling of old friendships. Thanks.
________________________________________________
Subject:Thanks
Gary Hatcher
Class of '66
Tommy,
I want to thank you and the staff so much for finally making me a part of the Lee Family. Even though I graduated from Lee in '66, I did not get to know the people I went to school with as well as those of you that spent time through elementary, junior high, and high school together. I started Lee in January of 1964. Through your time and work on the Lee's Traveller, I have gotten to know a lot of you. There are a few names that I recognize, but do not remember that well. I spent two years in the acapela choir, but do not remember anyone from it. I went to church at Lakewood Methodist Church, and was quite active there. I do remember some of the others that were in the youth group there. I did attend the junior and senior proms. I married the girl that I took to the senior prom, and still married to her after 36 great years. I won't embarrass the girl that I took to the junior prom by mentioning who she was. My few years at Lee were fun, but I know that it would have been much more rewarding had I gotten to know you and the many others that I have met through the many letters and articles in the Traveller.
A lot of rambling to say thanks. I hope that all of you continue the great work in the new year and the best to all of you.
Again thanks.
_______________________________________________
Subject: CE's Story
J.R. Brooks
Class of '64
CE: Despite the stories I hear as a lawyer, I assure you I have not become accustomed to thieves. I spent four years as a federal prosecutor trying my best to send thieves to jail. Unfortunately, Your values regarding honesty are not shared by everyone. It is shocking when we see blatant dishonesty before us. But, it says a lot about you that you remember these events so clearly.
___________________________________________
From Our Guestbook
Benney (Ben) Dillon
Class of '67
Hey everybody! I never made it to any reunions but would like to find some of my old friends.
