Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

I am sorry that I must have sounded so desperate last week for new story ideas. Two of you wrote me feeling bad about not being able to submit stories. I just want you all to know that I am fine and that my plea was more an apology about always writing about myself than a full-blown request for you to write. If you have somethign to say, feel free to send it in.

Please include your class year with your e-mails.

T. Tommy

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Lee High School

Class of '66 - Part Deux

by Jimmy Troupe

Class of '66

(Editor's Note: I got this e-mail from Jimmy Troupe this week staking a claim to the 8mm movie of the Class of '66 shown last week.)

That is the video that I had sent to you of Graduation, The Senior class carnival (or whatever it was), that was Terry Taylor and Thomas Pratt Nelson hitting the car with the hammer, and it was Coach Sullins (Sam) throwing eggs at the person in the target. Rodney White was the one trying to climb the greased pole, It also had a few scenes of the Senior Class Picnic (it started out at the Big Spring Park and moved to Braham Spring Park, due to the rain). That crazy idiot waving close to the end was Thomas Pratt Nelson (I think he lives in Pennsylvania now).

I will have to review it again to remember some of the names. I believe it was the Memorial Day parade. A lot of the people I will just have to remember. Of course, that was Fulton Hamilton sitting on the stage during graduation.

We also got a note from Jim Myrick, Class of '66, saying "Believe the video was our version of a class carnival. I donated the car that was being bashed with a sledge hammer. Keep up the good work. You will never know how much all your effort is appreciated."

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Jim Myrick, Class of '66 - The Mystery photo was commonly known as a "draft card".

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Charlie Hancock, Class of '66 - You've shown us your "draft card" I think. Also used as proof of age 18 minimum.

Please refresh my ailing memory. What is 1-D?

I was 2-S my first year in college before dropping out. Then I was 1-A. I quickly got in line to join the Navy (6 month wait) instead of being drafted into the Marine Corps! The only school my recruiter would guarantee me was "Hospital Corpsman." "What's that?" I asked. "Like a medic, you know. Give guys shots and stuff..." " Yeah! Put me down for that!" What he didn't tell me was that Marines are actually part of the Navy. So they use Navy Hospital Corpsmen as medics. I gave lots of shots too. I was shot at and missed, (&%! at and hit. It was an adventure that I'm glad I didn't miss.

I became 4-A after discharge... That means I'd go AFTER the women and children. In theory anyway. Not so true today. Lots of people were recalled AFTER serving their obligation because they are short on manpower.

(Editor's Note: 1-D was deferred, since I officially joined the Air Force Reserve when I entered advanced ROTC in college.)

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Dink Hollingsworth, Class of '65 - The card was referred to as "Your Draft Card". I see Tommy was a "1-D" and the coveted classification was a "2-S", Student Deferment.

I have been amazed at the collection you must have. Have you moved often? How long did it take?

(Editor's Note: That's a long story for another time Dink. I can say that I still have more that I haven't shared yet.)

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(Sherry Adcock White, Class of 64 - I thought you might find this information about Lee interesting. I'm glad to hear the school probably will not be moved from it's original site. I don't know if Joel Harwick still lives in the house on Quietdale or not. It looks abandoned. I appreciate all the work you do for us.)

Latest Plans for Lee High School

Ronnie White

Online Editor

The Huntsville Times

Board makes offers on land for new Lee High

Posted by Challen Stephens May 30, 2007 11:17 AM

The Huntsville school board this morning made offers totaling a little over $2.5 million on more than 17 acres to expand the Lee High School campus, and might acquire half of that property by imminent domain if necessary. The extra land would link the campus to Meridian Street and allow students to use the present building after construction begins this fall on its $42.5 million replacement.

The board offered $1.575 million for 8.8 acres along Meridian Street. Once home to a Coors distributor, the site is owned by Dewey Brazelton and Charlie M. Smith Sr. The board also offered $950,000 to Hardwick Properties for 8.9 acres farther north at Meridian Street and Quietdale. But the board has been unable to reach an agreement with Hardwick Properties and made plans to condemn the property.

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Subject:Thanks

Jim McBride

Class of '65

Hi Tommy, Thanks for running my Dad's obit in the Traveller. The Huntsville Times failed to mention that Dad was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. My sons and I took him to D.C. a couple of years ago to see the awesome WWII monument. I'm really glad we did that before it was too late. My condolences to all our classmates who have lost one or both parents. What a great generation of people. Thanks also to the classmates (mine and my sister's) who came to Dad's visitation. Very sweet thing to do. Take care.

Jim McBride Lee High Class of '65

Teresa McBride Lee High class of '70

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Subject:Martin aka Tony Theatre

Telette Kellar

Shelbyville, TN

Tommy,

I graduated from "another" high school, HHS, in 1956 but was living in Huntsville until 1973. Really, I thought what I remember as the Martin was a lot older--from the 50s maybe. Do you remember the Grand? Of course, the Lyric was the #1 show place for me and my family up until the time Washington Street finally closed up. I did go to the Martin a few times, but I don't remember seeing anything special there.

However, one scene sticks out in my mind the most: I'm sure it was in the 60s, because we had had the visits from SNCC and lunch counter sit-ins, etc. Somehow, I remember that the Princess Theater had been closed down, and the Martin was open for mostly black audiences. I wish now I had brought a camera the night that I passed on Washington Street where the feature playing at the Lyric was Burt Reynolds in "White Lightning" and at the Martin, it was "Blackula, Soul Brother". Not surprisingly, the lines outside the theaters told the story of the whole era in a single glance and how divided our community had become.

Well, who ever would have believed then that the day would come we would not want to meet our friends and go to a movie (theater or drive-in) instead of sitting locked up in our homes; or that we'd drive so far to shop among total strangers? It wouldn't have been Huntsville. And I guess that's why I retired to a small town instead of moving back because it just changed too much for my tastes.

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A Letter From Home To Home

Collins (CE) Wynn

Class of '64

Tommy and friends,

After seeing your plea for material last week I felt a need to let you know I am not yet deceased, To be completely honest I am tapped out on articles, photographs, memorabilia and things of that nature. Not being an author, my experience is now that I have wrote what I wrote I don't have anthing else to write. I guest you could say the school day stories I told were the ones I had to tell - there doesn't seem to be any more. I'm at the point that if I write any more stories I'll run the risk of repeating myself with the distinct possibly that they would be different the second time around.

I promise I have submitted every photograph and piece of memorbilia that my mom saved for me and that most of my articles were somewhat based on facts a little bit.

I initially thought about submitting some material based on my experiences as Commander of a Correctional Facility but I think what I would have to report would be a little strong for the website - most or my days are spent dealing with unpleasant circumstances and unfortunate people. (Dire Straights?). Perhaps by the time I finally and fully retire in about 2 years something good will actually have happened and I can report on that.

Speaking of retirement, my final date is now only 1 year, 9 months, and 28 days away - not that I'm counting. Judy has been travelling some since she retired a few years ago but I have had to stick pretty close to home because of my activities. I'm looking forward to catching up with her.

Although we have mostly materially recovered from Katrina the emotional baggage is still there. We lost our river retreat in its entirely and had to salvage the entire structure and everything in it -its not so much the actual thing, its the memories. I have not been back there since and don't plan to return. The feelings we have are similar, I think, to what it must feel like to lose a home to a fire.

My hope is that everyone in our Fam-i-Lee is safe, warm, dry, happy and content. Let me hear from ya'll on the site.

Your Friend

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