Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

MEMPHIS, TN. - I was just listening to the TV playing in the background as I was working and heard the announcer say that this is the 45th anniversary of the John F. Kennedy assassination. Wow! 45 Years ago. Not only do I remember that I was dozing off in geometry class when it happened, I also have the story from Lee's Traveller that I wrote. It was also the event that started me writing my journal which was the basic of "A Million Tomorows - Memories of the Class of '64." Someone wrote me not so long ago wanting to know if the book is still available and how they could get a copy. I still have copies and they are priced at $10 each plus $2.50 postage. Email me if you are interested.

Below is a copy of the article I wrote 45 years ago.

Please include your class year with your e-mails.

T. Tommy

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Fox Unlimited Aerobatic Two-Place

Aerobatic Lessons

at Arizona Soaring and More

by Bob MacIlveen

Class of '65

Last week I experienced an unforgettable experience at Arizona Soaring. The purpose of my trip was twofold: first to attend a two-day International dental seminar for the Dr. R.V. Tucker Gold study club being held in Phoenix and second a five-day class with the 2006, 2007, and the 2008 U.S. champion, Jason Stephens, was planned at the Estrella Sailport.

Last July, I flew to Minden to work on cross-country skills with Mike Moore, a superb instructor who has three decades of flight instructor experience. Unfortunately the Minden area was quickly clouded by smoke from the California fires and we only got one good flight in the whole week. Arizona was perfect last week. No smoke, no clouds, and no thermals. For aerobatic flight, no thermal action is a good thing.

For the last two years, I have begun to enter into the primary phase of cross country flying. A number of Willamette Valley Soaring Club (WVSC) members have found weather conditions to be less than ideal during this period of time. Bob Duncan described his frustrations with the weather as being “a month late" compared to past seasons. Whatever the reason, I do not feel that I am making the progress that I would expect in my cross-country efforts; even fear of steep turns prevents advancement in this area.

Safety and the desire to allay such fears were preeminent in my decision in selecting AZ Soaring. The Estrella Sailport was first constructed in 1950 by Les Horvath and his lovely wife Betty, who still runs the front office. If you decide to go to Estrella or have an interest in aerobatic flying you should consider purchasing Les Horvath's 'Sailplane Aerobatics'. Jason Stephens tells me that it is the best American book on the subject. Les was an expert aerobatic pilot himself who performed frequently. His writing is concise and accurate. Before going, I studied this book in great detail, outlined it, and reviewed it every night before the next day's lessons. Les Horvath illustrates clearly why a good aerobatic instructor, a fully aerobatic sailplane, knowing all the numbers, and much more are critical in all types of soaring.

After arriving at Estrella, Jason must have spent at least 15 seconds with introductions before saying 'might as well get to work'. We proceeded to a 15-minute class which was definitely facilitated by studying 'Sailplane Aerobatics'. Jason then lead me out to an immaculate hanger which houses approximately 16 gliders and power planes including one RV4 built by his father, one Diana, the Fox which we flew the whole week, and a multitude of other aircraft. A fulltime mechanic works there as well.

The two seat Fox is in perfect order with all the necessary gauges including an Accelerometer (G-meter). Parachutes and double safety belts are mandatory. The entire first day included some of the most professional teaching that I have ever experienced. Exploring the unknown in terms of inverted flight, positive 4 Gs, pitch attitude, and more pushed this pilot to the limit. The first eight maneuvers were attempts at loops the next six were clover leafs. Somewhere early in the cloverleaf maneuvers I experienced two vertical spins which would have been a huge nightmare if done solo.

Jason lets you work your own problems out. Inverted flight, inverted turns, 360 rolls are additional maneuvers experienced in the week. The skills acquired are very basic and elementary. No attempt to perform any of them solo would be considered. As Jason said do not 'do this at home.' The advantage in aerobatic lessons at the primary level is experiencing situations that should perhaps occur in pre-solo training. Some level of confidence can be gained if an unexpected situation such as inverted flight might occur.

In all I found this to be a superb experience and plan to go back again for more. You can contact Arizona Soaring at www.azsoaring.com

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Polly Gurley Redd, Class of ‘66 - Oh, Tommy, do I remember the Ditto! As an educator, they were everywhere in my career. Mostly, though, what I instantly recall is the smell. It was totally unique. And the fact that, somehow, every sheet that came out of that machine was cold to the touch.

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The Ditto duplicator used two-ply "spirit masters" or "ditto masters". The first sheet could be typed, drawn, or written upon. The second sheet was coated with a layer of wax that had been impregnated with one of a variety of colorants. The pressure of writing or typing on the top sheet transferred colored wax to its back side, producing a mirror image of the desired marks. (This acted like a reverse of carbon paper.) The two sheets were then separated, and the first sheet was fastened onto the drum of the (manual or electrical) machine, with the waxed side out.

There is no ink used in spirit duplication. As the paper moved through the printer, the solvent would be spread across each sheet by an absorbent wick. When the solvent-impregnated paper came into contact with the waxed original, it would dissolve just enough of the pigmented wax to print the image onto the sheet as it went under the printing drum. The usual wax color was aniline purple, a cheap, durable pigment that provided good contrast.

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Tommy Towery, Class of '64 - The two things I remember is the purple ink and how it became blurred with increased numbers of copies and the smell of the "spirit" fluid. Here's a sample of a ditto copy made over 40 years ago. Who would have thought the print would survive that long?

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Lee'sTraveller

November 27, 1963

A President Dies

Tommy Towery

How does a person start when writing an obituary for a President of the United States of America? Does he tell of the man’s personal life or the political life by which everyone judges him The halls of Lee, the streets of the largest cities, the hospital where John F. Kennedy was carried were all silent when the news of the President’s death was announced last Friday.

John Kennedy was a man, just like everyone else in this world, but more than that, he was a symbol of the free country in which we live; the man that America had chosen to be its leader; the man in whose hands these people had placed their lives. This man was given the future of the nation to deal with, and yet, he died as easily as the next person; but for what reason? This is the question that filled the minds of everyone who heard the news, “What reason?”

When the news came over the P. A. Friday, Lee High School, as every other school in this nation, was filled with silence. A silent prayer was said by everyone, in his own way, and everyone sat in his desks, with their ears glued to the speaker. Could this be our president? Am I really hearing this? The bell rang, but no one jumped up and ran out of the rooms. All stayed to hear the rest of the news. When the report was over, the halls were filled with the forms of students, but the minds were in the city of Dallas, Texas, where the number one citizen of the United States had been murdered.

Even the people who differed with President Kennedy politically were stunned with this news; but as wrong as we may have thought he was, he was still a human being, and the President of the United States.

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Subject:Veterans

Jim Betterton

Class of '64

I just returned from being in Branson, Missouri, last week. My wife, Vicki, and I were there to attend the Veteran's Day ceremonies. I am proud that some folks believe that celebrating Veteran's Day is a big deal. For those who think it is not a big deal I will say that "if we don't stand for something, we will surely fall for anything". I am glad my grandfather Frank Vavra was in World War I (he survived a mustard gas attack near Vichy, France), and I am glad that my father, Joe Betterton, survived World War II, being there on D-Day plus one and the Battle of the Bulge (he was severely wounded in the latter battle). We can all say that our forefathers stood for something. That is why the U.S. has not fallen for "anything". Thanks for your good service to our nation.

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Subject:Veterans

Lehman William

Redneck Veteran “Class of 64”

Wow – I would like to volunteer to have anyone who objects to you or this website honoring or remembering our veterans, and that does include me, contact me and I will provide them with a map and directions, free of charge, to leave this country and go back to the Paradise that they came from.

Wingnut ass, you go girl.

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Subject:Hoilday Mail for Heroes

Linda Beal Walker

Class of '66

I want to share this idea with my classmates.

Holiday Mail for Heroes (Red Cross Program)

From the front lines to the home front, the American Red Cross provides service members, their families and veterans with the care and assistance they need.

The Red Cross is partnering with Pitney Bowes this holiday season for the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. For the second year in a row, they’re collecting holiday cards to distribute to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. Pitney Bowes is generously donating technology, resources and postage to make this holiday card program possible.

The goal is to collect and distribute one million holiday cards to spread holiday cheer and facilitate thanks to these brave individuals and families.

Please send cards to this address, following the guidelines listed below:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

PO Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

You can also learn about other ways to participate and get the latest news on their site, Holiday Mail for Heroes.

Holiday Mail for Heroes Card Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when mailing a card to ensure that your card will quickly reach service members, veterans and their families. Every card received will first be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working in one of 16 sorting stations around the country.

* All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.

* Please ensure that all cards are signed.

* Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.

* Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is NOT meant to foster pen pal relationships.

* Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

* Participants should limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group.

* All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.

* No ‘Care Packages’ or care package items will be accepted at this address.

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