Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Last Week's Mystery Sign

by Ron Brand

Class of '66

The picture of the fat boy has got to be the sign at Jerry's Drive Inn. Probably half the mileage on my Dad's car was due to the round trips between there and Shoneys. My major claim to fame as a teenager came about at an incident there.

You may or may not recall that many nights at Jerry's a cop car would be parked parrallel to the building right in front of the sidewalk where you would go in the door to the restaraunt. All the other cars would be parked perpendicular to the building pulled up to the ordering speakers. On this rainy evening, me and Butch and Mike McCulley and I think, David Brodeur, had made the full circle around the horseshoe lot and were not lucky enough to find a parking place next to a carload of young ladies, or a parking place at all until we got all the way around the lot and someone had just pulled out of the last stall. I swung into the spot with my usuall flair and we proceded to order whatever.

I mentioned it was a rainy night and all the windows were pretty well fogged over by the time we were ready to leave, so I was backing out and rammed right into the rear of Car Number 760 Huntsville Police Department. As if that weren't bad enough, I couldn't figure out what was stopping me from backing out far enough to make my swing around to the right to exit the joint, so I just started giving it a little more gas until (I was told later) there was quite a bit of smoke coming from the tires and (I was told later) at least one cop exiting the police car on the other side in a rather hurridly fashion. Well, I know you all are saying "You must have been drunk!" Duh huh, you think? However, once I realized the situation, I knew I could handle it. I chewed up a mouthful of coleslaw and got out to face the music.

Believe it or not the cops were more amused than mad. The first thing they did was call the cops. When the other cop car got there we filled out an accident report and I was told I would be contacted about the damages. I never heard a word from them. My dad never knew a thing about it (somehow in all the excitement I forgot to tell him). And for the next year, every time I was out and saw Car 760 with the hugh dent in the side I would, of course, say "That's my dent!" and tell my story again.

(Editor's Note: The photo that I took was in Bowling Green, Kentucky and was taken this summer on a trip through there. I don't think we could talk about Jerry's without also thinking about Shoney's - the northern end of the strip we cruised. Now for an odd memory, or lack thereof, I don't know what speciality Jerry's offered. I don't remember much about their menu. I know Shoney's had the "Big Boy" sandwich and the "Hot Fudge Cake" desert. I think I only remember eating French Fies and Cokes and mostly just Cokes at Jerry's. And while we're on the subject...doesn't Jerry's mascot look like a Keebler elf? Can anyone add to this discussion?

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Don Wynn, Class of '67 -The photo this week is actually a cleaver trick. It is a photo of a drawer from a military file cabinet with the drawer turned sideways. This deception makes the drawer look a lot like Milton Frank Stadium from the air but it is just a file drawer.

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Tommy Towery, Class of '64 - While I know that it is the stadium, my first thoughts when I saw this aerial photo of the area was not focused on the stadium itself, but on the treed area to the east of it. I remember one night when the football game was not very exciting so my date and I left the game and visited the treed area to be alone for a while. That was a long time ago.

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Ann Wilson Redford, Class of '65 - The mystery photo is of Milton Frank Stadium. The class of '65 graduated there on the evening of June 1, 1965. That year, our football team was not very successful on that field, but the fans had fun!

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My 1961 Jukebox

by Aaron Potts

I get a kick out of the "do you remember" I am attaching a juke box picture and see if anyone can guess the year. It is a 1961 juke box by AMI that holds 50, 45 RPM records. I bought it and restored it myself in the shop. It took me almost two years to restore it and I bought about 200 records on E-BAY.

(Editor's Note: I got into collecting 45rpm records myself and have over 2,500 of them. I hate to say it but I've about run out of storage space and will probably be putting my collection on e-Bay. I tried to find a library or museum to give them to, but out of about two dozen queries, no one wanted them. Go figure.

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Joan McCutcheon Baber, Class of '64 - I don't know when this was, maybe a band concert? But think not since the Choral was involved. Mike Acree was an excellent student and musician. Other than the Flute he played and memorized (of all things), Flight of the Bumble Bee on the Baritone. Not at all an easy task. Sixteenths notes all over it. And to be able to that on this instrument was especially an accomplishment. Is my mind gone or not? I remember Mike got a full scholarship to Harvard. Is this so? Very Bright person.

Pat Sheldon lived next door to me. I know he went to Duke and later became a Lawyer. But have lost touch with him. Anyone know where he is now? Pat was President of the MYF, at Epworth church. Probably the reason for Invocation. Pat and I use to walk to school together. He introduced me to my first real love, at that time – John Schmitz. Anyone heard from him. I know his wife is congresswomen from the Huntsville district and taught at Sparkman High School. She has done a great job of representing us.

By-The-Way, Sparkman is named after my Uncle, U.S. Senator John J. Sparkman. He also ran for Vice President with Adla Stevenson in 1952. They lost to Eisenhower and Nixon.

(Editor's Note: This week we show the cover of this program (left photo above) so that it might inspire more of you to remember it. Maybe someone remembers why kind of Impersonation Margaret Helton did?)

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Subject:Where Did Lee Get It's Name?

Byron Tidwell

Lee Class of '70

In today's Huntsville Times (10.27.05) a letter writer lists Robert E. Lee as the person Lee High is named for. If I remember, it was named for a highway commissioner. Can you shed light?

(Editor's Note: This just won't go away, will it. I wrote Byron back and told him the story I heard was that the Highway was named for Robert E. Lee and in turn, Lee High School was named for it's location near Lee Highway.

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Subject:Reunion Questons

Alice Gullion Preston

Class of '64

Can anyone answer Alex's questions regarding these teachers?

Alice

-----Original Message-----

From: aboldog@andycable.com [mailto:aboldog@andycable.com]

Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 7:54 PM

To: Alice Preston

Subject: class reunion

Dear Alice:

Thank you for the invitation to the class reunion and keeping up classmates. Due to serious illness in the family at the time, I was unable to attend our 41st (oh my gosh) reunion. Fortunately the family member is now well on the way to full recovery able to be by herself now.

You have my correct mailing address, of course, and now the email address.I am curious about some of the favorite teachers and their status:

Mrs.Wikle, Mr. Warren, and others. Someone sent me information that Mr. Blackburn passed away, is this correct?

Thanks again for your efforts in keeping up with classmates.

Alex

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