Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

We Will Remember You

by Tommy Towery

Class of '64

For the last five years, Lee’s Traveller has tried to keep you informed about those members of our classes who have left our company. It is a sad duty, but one that must be done by someone. We could not do it alone and appreciate all the efforts made by many of you to help pass the information along to us when you hear about another classmate.

We feel that it is important not only to remember them but to celebrate the times that we had with those classmates, and that it is only right to recognize their passing in some fitting manner.

Our own Lee’s Traveller ranks surely felt the loss of our close friend Terry Preston, one of the earliest supporters and contributors to Lee’s Traveller. Terry shared so much of his life with all of us and his memories of our days at Lee was uncanny. He was always at the reunions and was instrumental in trying to get classmates together whenever he made a trip home from California. We are sure that he would not want us to be so sad about his absence that we could not enjoy ourselves when we all meet together. That is the way he was. There are many others who have joined him on his final journey and we are sure that each of them left a feeling of emptiness in someone’s heart. That is a fact of life itself and cannot be changed or ignored.

Even though we have reported all their deaths throughout the years, we don’t think that is enough. As we approach the upcoming reunion, we feel a special need to recognize and remember all of the classmates that we have lost over the years, especially those that have left our ranks since the last reunion in 2000. For many of us, that reunion was the last time we got to talk, remember, laugh and visit with many of them. With many we ever had our last dance. Therefore, Lee’s Traveller has created a memorial tribute entitled "We Will Remember You" highlighting those classmates. It is not one that can be printed on the web, but is a multimedia show instead.

Unfortunately, not all of you have the right type of computer or the right internet connection to properly view the tribute that we have created to their memories. To be able to experience it properly, you need a Windows based computer with a sound card and high-speed internet connection such as cable modem or a DSL connection. It will not work on an Apple Macintosh computer system and it is painfully slow on a telephone dial-up modem. Some of you that have firewalls installed may not be able to view it as well, and for some, it just plain won’t work. That has happened to at least one of our staff.

The tribute is stored on the link below. It is an executable program file and will ask you if you want to run or save the file when you first click on it. It will also say something about the dangers of opening it, but it is safe. It will remind you that the publisher is unknown and cannot be verified, but I am the publisher, so I feel it is safe. I suggest you select the option to run it. If you want to keep a copy to view later, then you may elect to save it. It is a large file, but with cable modem connections or DSL it should take less than one minute to download, even in the worst conditions. It last approximately eight minutes.

When the tribute is opened, point your mouse to the photo of Lee and click the left mouse button. To properly enjoy it, you need to have you speakers turned up as well. Hit the ESC key to stop or exit it when it has finished.

There are no plans to show this tribute during the reunion and due to the size of the file, it will be removed following the reunion. We hate that not everyone has the needed equipment to properly view it, but hope that some of you will get the opportunity to share with us in this experience.

We hope that you find it a fitting tribute to the memories of our classmates and feel that it is only proper to recognize them in some manner. We also feel that it is better endure a few moments of sadness over their loss than to ignore the memory of the lives of those classmates. If you feel that it will depress you, you have the option to view it or not.

Click on the link below to download or run the tribute.

http://umdrive.memphis.edu/ttowery/public/WeWillRememberYou.exe

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Reunion Questions

by Niles Prestage

Class of '65

We are still getting some great responses from our "Who are you" questions. Here are some facts about some of the classmates who will be at the reunion.

A fact about me that most of my classmates would probably never guess is: I worked for Dolly Parton for 16 years as head of security.

I was the first LHS graduate to play in a varsity SEC contest (although others later played with greater distinction), but I hold a single-game scoring record in another sport that may never be broken.

We were what was then termed "Go Go" dancers. We were part of a band called The Cavaliers back 1965 or 1966? The band played for local parties and I remember us performing at the NCO Club on the Arsenal

I talked down to Ross Perot.

I was the guest of honor at a two-hour parade, followed by a dinner and a dance, in remote Challapata, Bolivia (over 12,000 feet above sea-level.)

And it is still not too late..................................

For those who will be in attendance on Saturday night, we would like you to answer one or both of the following questions;

1) "My greatest but least known accomplishment (honor, achievement) since I left LHS is ________________________"

2) "A fact about me (what I have done, who I have met, where I have been) that most of my classmates would probably never guess is __________________"

E-mail them to Niles Prestage, Class of '65, at napjr@aol.com .

The rules are that the statement or fact must be true and they are to tell no other classmate who will be in attendance their answers. We are really going to have fun with this!

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Last week we asked if anyone knew what "L-Seven" referred to in Sam the Sham's song:

Hatty told Mattie,

Let's don't take no chance.

Let's not be L-Seven,

Come and learn to dance.

Wooly Bully, Wooly Bully - Wooly Bully

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Eddie Burton, Class of '66 - I have to confess even as a rock 'n roll band member, I never knew what Sam was saying when he said "L-seven" but since then I have learned that L-seven means 'square'. If you write a large case L next to a 7 you get something that looks a little like a square. L7 It's kind of hip lingo from the late 50's although Sam was using it well into the 60's.

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Skip Cook, Class of '64 - An “L-7” was a “square”.

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Jeff (4 eyes and a wooly jaw) Fussell - Class of '66 - "L Seven" was a regional term for "square". According to some long-forgotten (and probably unreliable) source, it was generally communicated to the unfortunate recipient by a hand gesture in which you formed the "L" and the "7" using the thumbs and forefingers. It would only look like "L7" to the one doing it, but I'm sure that wasn't a major issue.

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Carolyn Burgess Featheringill, Class of '65 - Loved finding the Sam the Sham songs in the most recent Traveller. If that won't get you ready for a high school reunion, I don't know what will. In trying to confirm the local urban legend that Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs had lived in Birmingham and played whatever clubs were here in the year before they hit it big, I stumbled on the meaning of L-Seven but couldn't get any help on the Alabama connection. Go figure! However, I'll leave the pleasure of winning one of T.M.I.E's trivia contests to someone who didn't have to "look it up"!

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Steve Cook, Class of '66 - "L-seven" = the letter "L" and the number "7". When typed, they form a rough SQUARE (L7), so the lyrics mean "let's not be square."

Keep up the great work.

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Editor's Note: I was talking to a friend at the university about "L-Seven" and she sent me this link. Thought you might find it entertaining: Click here - L-7 Click on the picture of blue carpet tiles on the left of the page.

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Subject:Reunion

Judy Fedrowisch Kincaid

Class of '66

Tommy,

Would you please put something on the web page this week to alert folks to be sure to check out the website the week of the reunion. We have our last reunion meeting the 9th and plan to map out some details that will assist folks in locating where to gather for the Friday night & Saturday night festivities. Please also encourage those that have not responded, but plan to come & pay at the door, to at least let a committee member know NOW so that if additional food needs to be ordered it can be done so. The Marriott will not be able to just "whip-out" an extra ham, cheese platter, etc. at a moment's notice.

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Subject:Barbara Wilkerson's Article

Barbara Seely Cooper

Class of '64

I got a great laugh from Barbara Wilkerson's article, especially the part where I must have been absent on the day circle pins were dubbed virgin pins. It's more likely I was present, but remained clueless anyway. Barbara's comparisons of today vs. our high school days are right on. Whenever I eat lunch in our local mall these days and have time to check out the teenagers passing by, I become amazed over and over again. I try to imagine my 16 year old self in some of those up-to-there bottoms and down-to-there tops, getting out of the house past my Dad... And what about the tattoos in places not meant to be seen in public? Anyway, thanks to Barbara once again for fun memories.

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Subject:Big John Article

"Big" John Fulda

Class of '64

Man, I thought that incident was buried in the archives forever! In true SF style: I deny everything, admit nothing and will shortly start counter-accusations. It wasn't me! No way! It was CE Wynn y me amigo - Edgar. Actually, ask Collins if he can get the video (I believe exists) from Joe Simms. I'd like to see it after all these years. Tell CE to get his (*&^%$ up here so we can get back on track!!

Regards to all!!!

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Subject:Mugs-Up and Russel Erskine

George "Lehman" Williams

Class of '64

I worked at the Mugs-Up-Root Beer with Terry Preston at age 16 and I was the night parking garage attendant at the Russel Erskine one summer while home from UNA. I have many stories, some funny, some sad and some you would not believe. I would mention some in this note, but if I did, I would have to check with my attorney first to verify statute of limitations applications, plus, I would certainly have to appologise to many people. I'll bet that many of you still would not believe how some young girls and mothers would dress as they stopped by Mugs-Up around 11 p.m. to get something to cool them off or how many and who they were that would visit a room in the Russel Erskine by coming thru the parking garage and using the maintenance elevator to avoid being seen. I didn't get paid much, but the employee benefit package and tips were beyond belief. For those coming to the Reunion, don't waste your time losing weight or growing hair, what you see is what you get, and most people that will be there are really coming to enjoy remembering a time that was so precious and influencial in our lives with those that we lived it with. It is sad that some have passed and will not be able to attend ( but they will be remembered), it is sadder that some could attend and don't for whatever reason and it is saddest that this opportunity may never come again for many. Growing up in the 60's and going to Lee High School was so awesome and it will never be duplicated. Having an opportunity to get together, visit and remember our time together 40 plus years ago, will also never come again. I will be sad about those that don't come but I will enjoy and appreciate those that do.

Looking forward to seeing and talking to all of you.

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