Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Dianna May Stephenson, Class of '64 - Last week's other mystery was a copy of the Program from the 1964 Senior Banquet held April 10, 1964. The theme was "Sayonara" . As you might guess, I still have my copy. When I saw the picture I knew it right away. I, of course, don't remember much about the program from the senior banquet, but in my program I have Margaret Helton's name marked through and replaced with a solo by Ann White.

I will always remember that night because we had a dance in the gym afterwards. I think it was just a spur of the momemt idea someone had, but it was more fun than the banquet. I remember it especially because I had my dad's car and I stayed out a little late and got into trouble.

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Mike Acree, Class of '64 (Monday 10/31/05) - Joan, I'm afraid I have to confirm: Your mind is gone--join the club! The program was from our senior banquet, which I think was on April 10. I didn't play the flute that night, and I hope that's all anyone remembers of that. I did play "Flight of the Bumblebee," on the flute, at a special concert involving band members from all three high schools and a special guest conductor. (Poor Miss Gosser, who graciously agreed to accompany me, faced a more difficult task than I realized at the time with all the sixteenth notes on the piano.) At that same concert, Bobby Steele from Huntsville High played a virtuoso baritone solo. I'm guessing these were the sources for your memory of my playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" on the baritone at our senior banquet.

Although at the time the yearbook went to press Harvard was my first choice, I only made the waiting list there, and ended up going to Oberlin, which gave me basically a tuition scholarship. But thanks for the compliments in any case!

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Jerry Dorriety, Class of '70 - Boy did I do a double-take when I took a look at the old program pictured in last week's site. "The General's Three" were my brother, Jimmy Dorriety, Tony Driver, and (at one time) a girl named Bernie. I think the third person changed a couple of times. "The General's Three" played acoustic guitar and sang folk songs, including hootenanny stuff, country, and humorous songs right off the "Smother's Brothers" albums. Why do I remember them so well? Because they practiced in the room next to my bedroom! I listened to them all the time and thought they were just great!

Also, about the stuff they served at Shoney's, I think one of the real specialties was their strawberry pie. I remember it piled with strawberries and whipped cream.

Does anyone know where Tony Driver is? Also, my brother, Jimmy, now lives in Orlando with his wife, Monte.

Thanks again for the great work on this site!

(Later in the week)

Spoke to my brother last night. The General's Three started as three guys, then two guys and a girl (Bernie), then was three guys again. The constants were my brother, Jimmy, and Tony Driver. They sang at many school functions, lots of church functions, and were the singers for one of the Huntsville Mayorial Campaigns (don't remember the candidate). This was the day of the "Hootenanny" concerts. Tommy and Teresa Esslinger were usually on the program also at a lot of these events. Great memories! During my time at Lee I was very involved in the choral program, and directed my own group of singers (all from Lee) called the "Lavon Singers". We released a record and sang at lots of places both in school and in church stuff around town. (1970 - 1974) Anne Ivey was the choral director during this period, was followed by Tommy Esslinger. Jasper Jenkins ws the choral director before Anne.

Thank you so much for keeping this site so current! Even though it covers a time span just before my Lee experience, I thoroughly enjoy reading it. Makes my day better!

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Mike Acree, Class of '64 (Friday 11/4/2005) -Too perfect. After I sent my last message, teasing Joan about her confused memory of my playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" on the baritone, I realized that Miss Gosser was not the Lee choral director, but my 4th-grade music teacher in Hot Springs, Arkansas! I've been trying ever since to remember the name of the Lee choral director who accompanied me--was it Miss Graham? Naturally my first impulse was to ask to have that embarrassing line taken out, but I realized that it was unfortunately going to be much funnier to leave it in. "Join the club" indeed! We could get quite a chain going as people who wrote in to correct one confused mistake made another of their own.

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Subject:Craig's Surgery

Jennifer White Bannecke

Class of '66

Some of you knew Craig was facing some major surgery this past week. I just wanted to let everyone know that the surgery was a success and Craig is home recovering. He will be home another 3-5 weeks but is expected to be make a full recovery. Thanks to Dr. John Drummond for his advice and support as a doctor and a friend. Also, thanks for all your prayers and support.

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Subject:Mrs. Wikle

John Scales

Class of '66

I know Mrs. Wikle died several years ago. She is buried only about 50 feet from my father in Maple Hill. She was one of my favorite teachers as well.

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Subject:Lee High Football Team

Dink and Marty Hollingsworth

Class of 65

Neither Marty nor I have been to a Lee football game I

guess since 1965 and living in Irondale, we get very

little coverage of north Alabama. Lee however played

Briarwood Christian in Birmingham this past Friday

and lost. There was fairly good video of them.

I do not think the loss was their play on the field.

It had to be those horrible blue uniforms. Looked to be

a "Carolina" blue pants and jerseys and the numbers

that were black or navy blue.

Maybe we can take up a collection and go back to vintage 60's.

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Subject:Reunion Photos

Carol Jean Williams Carroll

Class of '65

GREAT NEWS!! Our reunion pictures are ready. I haven't been to the website for about a month, but I understand that some were wondering what had happened. The CD's have been ready for a long time; the holdup had been with the guy that was adding people who for some reason didn't get their pictures made with the class photo and wanted to be added. Robbie Garrison Smith (Becky Fricke and Max Garrison's daughter) did our photo's this time.

During this time they also had another death in the family. Mrs. Garrison (Mike and Max's mother) died. They have lost Mike, Mike's son Matt, and their grandmother all within ten months. Robbie sends her profuse apology for taking so long. She says that the pictures will be put in the mail on Monday. If you don't receive them fairly soon, please contact me and I will see that you get them.

Also, the mini-reunion we have at my house the Friday after Thanksgiving is on. For those of you that don't know, everybody that lives in Huntsville or comes in for Thanksgiving is invited. I make a big pot of vegetable soup and cornbread and others bring some kind of snack (everything from ice to chips and dip). We always have a wonderful time and I would love for you to come. If you have a handbook you can find my address, phone number and e-mail there. If you don't, I do not mind if Tommy gives it to you. For obvious reasons, I am not putting it on the website for all the world to see. Love to you all.

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Jeff Fussell, Class of 1966 - When I saw the Jerry's Fat Boy, I had a brief moment of confusion with another mascot. A short search on the net confirmed it wasn't. Here's the picture I found. It isn't the Huntsville location, but it is similar. Maybe you can use it in a future guess who.

I had every intention of responding to the Jerry's Fat Boy a couple of weeks ago, but let it slip. Story of my life sometimes. I'll try to do better.

I generally preferred Jerry's food over Shoney's. Shoney's Big Boy never measured up to the great Elias Brother's Big Boy franchise in Michigan. One exception: Shoney's had the best onion rings anywhere.

Despite the seductive mythos of cruising Shoney's and Jerry's, I've got to confess that I never actually experienced it. It may have worked for some guys. A 4-door Slant Six Dodge Dart will never have the head turning appeal of a 396 Super Sport or Tri-Power Goat. Anyway, it was some place to be and always evoked the irrational hope that's kept lotteries and casinos raking it in for centuries. Just one more quarter in the slot ought to do it... Damn!

When I think of the places we used to go for a quick meal, Shoney's, Jerry's, Mullin's, and Zesto are no-brainers. Most of us even remember Eunice once sold hamburgers -- a bag of 10 for a dollar.

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Collins (CE) Wynn, Class of ‘64 - I enjoyed the “Jerry’s” story from Ron Brand in the last issue. The odds are, if the officer got out of the patrol car laughing it was my Dad who worked at security at Jerry’s several nights a week. I can still see him walking back and forth on the curb keeping a sharp eye on everyone all the while having a good time joking around with all us miscreants.

Jerry’s was a great spot. I recall preferring Jerry’s over Shoney’s but I can’t say exactly why. Perhaps the parking lot was a little tighter and cozier. I think they were pretty much a wash on menus (onion rings and such) although I can’t recall the featured sandwich at Jerry’s as I can at Shoney’s (the Big Boy) – perhaps the Jerry Burger.

From time to time I would run across my cousins from Butler High School there, David and Ken Brazelton. They were pretty sharp guys even if the were from Butler. It was their automobiles that really impressed me though. David drove a full size candy apple red 63’ Chevrolet Super Sport with, I think, a 402 cu in engine and Ken had one of the early, really hot hatchback Mustangs.

My friends and I launched many of our adventures right there in the parking lot of Jerry’s while backed in on the south side. It seems to me that Huntsville High and Butler High dominated at Jerry’s while we from Lee (the Lee riders?) had a majority of the population at Shoney’s – maybe so, maybe no.

In some of our earlier issues Tommy talked about drive-ins from other neighborhoods – particularly the Rebel Inn across the street from the Center Theater in West Huntsville. I seem to remember another on the west side of Meridian Street in Lincoln but, since I was there only once or twice as a kid, I can’t recall the name. I think maybe it was gone or going by the time we got into serious cruising.

Because of where Don, Tony and I lived and the fact we were foot soldiers for the first 16 years of our lives, the center of our early universe was Mullin’s in it’s original location. When fully developed the Lee High School attendance zone was fairly large and covered many neighborhoods – from Monte Sano (Viduta) to Mastin Lake Road/Pulaski Pike and beyond. For that reason there were many hangouts we did not discover until we started driving (or riding). Mullin’s, Henry’s, Hardee’s, Shoney’s, and Jerry’s – since they each had everything we needed (friends and girls, but mostly girls); why would we go anywhere else?

Or, maybe there was nowhere else to go!

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Tennessee?

(Editor's Note: Since Memphis plays Tennessee next weekend, I just gotta put in a few funnies!)

The owner of a golf course in Tennessee was confused about paying an invoice, so he decided to ask his secretary for some mathematical help.

He called her into his office and said, "You graduated from the Univ. of Tennessee and I need some help. If I were to give you $20,000, minus 14%, how much would you take off?"

The secretary thought a moment, then replied, "Everything but my earrings."

You gotta love those Tennessee women.

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A group of Tennessee friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night, one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under the weight of an eight-point buck.

"Where's Henry?" the others asked.

"Henry had a stroke of some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail," the successful hunter replied.

"You left Henry laying out there and carried the deer back?" they inquired.

"A tough call," nodded the hunter. "But I figured no one is going to steal Henry!

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A Tennessee State trooper pulled over a pickup on I-65. The trooper asked, "Got any ID?"

The driver replied, "Bout whut?

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Tennessee's worst air disaster occurred when a small

two-seater Cessna 150 plane, piloted by two Univ. of Tennessee students, crashed into a cemetery earlier today.

Search and rescue workers have recovered 300 bodies so far and expect the number to climb as digging continues into the evening. The pilot and copilot survived and are helping in the recovery efforts.

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