30 Days and counting until the Class of 1967 reunites

In 30 days, the doors will open and the fun will commence when the LHS Class of 1967 gathers at Huntsville's Marriott Hotel, 5 Tranquility Base · Huntsville, Alabama 35805 to celebrate their 45th reunion. On Friday, September 28th and Saturday the 29th, we will begin arriving at 6:30 and continue with formal activities from 7-11 pm. If anyone is still standing at 11 pm, you are on your own.

Tickets sell for $60 per person through September 27th. Tickets at the door will sell for $70 per person for both nights. On Saturday night, music will be provided by local celebrity DJ, Kris Kelly.

Please join 145 Old Generals and guests and buy your tickets today. Check-made payable to LHS Class of '67 Reunion and mailed to: Pam Taylor, 1346 Shady Grove Road, Toney, Alabama 35773. OR Credit Card-go to http://leegenerals1967.blogspot.com/

Lee, New Century Technology students, parents check out new campus

See Photos of the ribbon cutting at http://photos.al.com/4462/gallery/new_leenew_century_high_school_081612/index.html

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Freshmen weren't the only students looking lost on Thursday as they tried to find their way around the new Lee campus.

The long-awaited new facility, which now houses both Lee High and New Century Technology High School, officially opened with the snip of scissors as school officials cut a ribbon out front. Students and parents milled throughout the building for orientation.

Stewart Thorson, principal of New Century, said he and his students -- whom he described as the "floating stepchild" of the school district -- are thrilled to have a new home. The technology-based school, which draws students from all over Huntsville, was previously housed across the city at Columbia High.

Kevin Wieseman, principal of Lee, also expressed excitement for the new year.

"I'm so excited for what we can present to the community, but also what Stewart can offer from throughout the city," Wieseman said.

Superintendent Casey Wardynski estimated that 15,000 graduates will emerge from the two schools over the lifetime of the new building.

The $47 million, 260,000-square-foot campus boasts a freshman academy, engineering and drama magnets, about 50 designated classrooms for Lee students and another 25 for New Century students, Wieseman said. The schools share a science wing and cafeteria.

The campus also has a theater that seats 884 people.

"It's the cream of the crop," Wieseman said. "It has the best sound and the best lighting of anything in Huntsville."

Noah Williams, a 17-year-old senior in Lee's performing arts magnet, said he thinks the new school is "amazing."

"It's so big, I get lost," Williams said, laughing.

"Well, you have four minutes to get where you're going," Wieseman joked with him, referring to the time students have to move from one class to another.

Williams' mother, Christine Williams, said the school is "absolutely phenomenal." His father, David Williams, talked about critics who have complained that a new school would change the traditions at Lee.

"We can make new traditions," David Williams said. "This is great."

Wieseman said school administrators and staff were working down to the wire to get things ready in time for classes Monday. Some furniture, mainly teachers' desks and filing cabinets, had not arrived as of Thursday.

He said the school had more than 2,000 student desks and the equipment needed for classes.

Part of the delay this summer was the time needed to properly secure the school, which has 45 exterior doors. Additional security cameras and keyless entry measures were installed to help keep students safe.

A $600,000 security fence was also added.

The district's transition to digital curriculum and Wardynski's implementation of a 1:1 Learning Initiative has also meant redesigning some aspects of the school, Wieseman said. Four of the school's 11 computer labs have already been converted for other uses.

"We've had to redesign on the fly," Wieseman said. "But I like where we are now."

April Brewer, a New Century chemistry teacher, said the new campus is beautiful.

"We're very excited to be here, and we have a good working relationship with Lee," Brewer said.

Brewer also spoke highly of the new digital curriculum, which teachers spent three days last week receiving training on.

"What they have to offer is going to be really beneficial to teachers," Brewer said. "And students get immediate feedback."

Andrea Toland, whose daughter, Bryna Toland, is a junior in the performing arts magnet, said she loved the changes at the school.

"I think it's really great for Huntsville, and it's great for Lee," Toland said. 

Follow me on Twitter @cbonvillianHT or email me at crystal.bonvillian@htimes.com.

Current progress of the demolition of OUR LHS (Click on photo to enlarge)

NEW LHS

A letter to our faculty

Dear Faculty Member,

Huntsville's Lee High School Class of 1967 is having their 45^th class reunion on September 28 and 29, 2012, at the Huntsville Marriott. We would like to extend an invitation for you to join us.

Do you remember when…

• Principal Fulton Hamilton and Assistant Principal Paul Williams led our school.
• Coach Keith Wilson’s football team became the TVC champs! Carl McCulley, Tim Lull, Don Cox (now deceased), Harry Richardson, Bruce Pylant, Jim Ridgeway, Billy Johnson, Tommy Mode and James Peters remember it well.
•  Jim Black (now deceased) was a leader on the basketball court while John Travis was throwing curve balls for the baseball team.    
• John Esslinger set track records that have still not been broken.
• Larry Caillouet directed the band, and Joyce McCutcheon and Pat Lacey twirled batons.   
• Hans Hoelzer won the National Science fair; and as a side note; his daughter won a medal in swimming at the 2008 Olympics.
• Paul Berg and Debbie Dratz led the Student Council while Carl McCulley, Linda Meeler, and Jim Jones were our elected class leadership.  
• Debbie McMillan was the Homecoming Queen, and Terry Bratcher and Sara Deason were in of her court.  
• Hank Kinnebrew was the Valedictorian.
• Brenda Christian was the Salutatorian.   
• Sandy Roman was the Editor and Peter Cobun the Feature Editor of The Traveler, and Margaret Van Dyke was the Editor of the Silver Sabre.  
• Connie Fris, Debbie McMillan, and Penny Sumners were the senior cheerleaders while Jeanie Browne and Margaret Van Dyke helped organize the dance team. 
• And who could forget Harold Shepherd's presentation of “Rindercella” in the Senior Showcase of Stars?   

Our class had 450 students became soldiers, ministers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, business owners, scientists, principals, superintendents, among many other things. Each had teachers who helped them succeed.   

We would be honored to have you join us Friday, September 28 at 7:00 pm for an informal meet/greet in the courtyard at the Marriott Hotel at 5 Tranquility Base and on Saturday, September 29 at 7:00 pm in the Grand Ballroom for heavy hors d'oeuvres/dance.   Your spouse or significant other is also invited.

Please contact Penny Lenoir Sumners pennysumners@knology.net  or cell 256-509-1437) is you are able to attend.   You may also enjoy viewing our web site at www.leegenerals1967.blogspot.com.

Sincerely,

Penny Sumners

The demolition of OUR LHS has begun (click on picture to enlarge)

Cafeteria and auditorium

Gymnasium, locker rooms and gym lobby

Name that General.... from the hidden archives

Who was the 1967 General in this experience? "An inexperienced young driving student, tackling heavy traffic for the first time, stalled the engine of her car at the corner of Oakwood and Memorial Parkway.

"Now don't get excited now," soothed Coach Robert McDaniel, the driving instructor, "just use the old noodle."

"Oh dear," she muttered, "Now where is that thing?"
NAME THAT GENERAL
UNFORTUNATELY I am forced to identify this General. Apparently no one remembered this from an issue of the Traveler :-( This driving challenged General was Terri Bratcher-Donley. Let the chips fall where they may... I didn't make this up, I just research and report it.

BUM RAP OF '67 (Sung at our 20th year reunion in 1987)

(Thanks to Phil Rutledge for digging this out of the archives)

IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS SINCE YOU GRADUATE.

YA'LL ALL GETTING OLD, BUT IT AIN'T TOO LATE

TO LEARN A NEW SOUND, TO GET YOUR TOES A TAPPIN'

SOMETHIN' KINDA NEW, MY KIDS CALL RAPPIN'.

WE'RE THE LEE HIGH RAPPERS AND WE'RE GLAD TO BE

THAT'S JONES AND BRUCE AND STEVE. THAT'S ME.

THERE'S SUMNERS AND JEANNE AND PENNY CHICKENED OUT,

BUT SHE'S DONE HER PART, THERE AIN'T NO DOUBT.

THE REUNION COMMITTEE PUT US HERE TO RHYME.

WE ALL GOT TOGETHER, DIDN'T TAKE MUCH TIME.

OUR PURPOSE HERE IS TO TELL THE STORY

ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS, THE DAYS OF GLORY.

THE T.V.C. CHAMPS WERE OUR CLAIM TO FAME,

PUT TOGETHER BY A MAN. KEITH BABY WAS HIS NAME

NOW SOME FOLKS SAY THIS MAN'S GETTIN' OLD.

BUT COME THIS FALL, HE'LL BE IN GREEN AND GOLD,

BONFIRES, WE KNOW, WERE PART OF THE GAME,

BUT THEY WOULDN'T EVEN HAPPEN WITHOUT THE KEY CLUB NAME.

NOW THAT CLUB WAS FORMED FOR COMMUNITY GOOD,

BUT» INSTEAD, WE GOT TOGETHER TO GO STEAL WOOD

THE ROUND BALL COACH HE HADN'T PLANNED TO BE.

SULLINS LOCKED THE DOORS SO WE COULDN'T SEE.

NOW SAM WAS A MAN WHO COULD PUT UP A FUSS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN POOLE TIED A HOSE TO THE BUS.

THE DANCE TEAM STARTED FOR THE VERY FIRST YEAR

AND THE GUYS IN THE CROWD REALLY LET OUT A CHEER

THIS GROUP HELD TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF TRADITION

CAPTAIN JEANNE CAME BACK FOR ONE MORE RENDITION.

THE CHEERLEADERS WON THE MOVES FIGHT WITH A GIGGLE,

CAUSE MRS. KUHN WOULDN'T LET THE DANCE TEAM WIGGLE.

SHE MADE THE CONFEDERETTES ACT NICE AND PROPER,

BUT WHEN VAN DYKE GOT STARTED. SHE COULDN'T STOP HER.

WITH THE CLASS OF'67 NO LONGER THERE,

THE SENIOR PRIVILEGE CUPBOARD IS A LITTLE BIT BARE .

WHY WE EVEN HEAR THERE'S NO SENIOR PICNIC,

SUMP IN' BOUT SOME BEER AND A LITTLE CAR WRECK.

WHEN LARRY LED THE BAND, THEY STILL PLAYED DIXIE

AND THE MAJORETTES WERE CUTE LITTLE PIXIES.

ON BALLGAME NIGHTS, WE COULD HARDLY STAND WATCH IN'

LITTLE PINK TIGHTS COMIN' OUTA THOSE CANS.

THERE WAS A PARKING SPACE UNDERNEATH THE TREE,

IT WASN'T LIKE THE REST,  IT DIDN'T COME FREE.

THE FIGHT WASN'T MUCH, CAUSE NOBODY CAME

AND THE MOTLEY MOB WAS NEVER THE SAME.

MR. WILLIAMS TRIED TO HELP WHEN HE PUT A STOP

ONLY ONE HAIRCUT AT LIMBAUGH'S BARBER SHOP.

WE TRIED TO GET SHEPPARD TO BE OUR FELLER

AND RECITE A FEW VERSES OF "RINDERCELLER".

BUT I GUESS WITH OLD AGE YOUR NERVE YOU LOSE,

HELL, EVEN BACK THEN, HIS NERVE WAS BOOZE.

AND SPEAKING OF NERVE, WE HEARD MCCULLEY'S TOOK A WALK.

AT ASSEMBLIES HE PASSED OUT SO HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO  TALK.

IT'S THE 20TH REUNION AND WE'RE GLAD YA'LL CAME

YA'LL ALL LOOK DIFFERENT!!!

WE STILL LOOK THE SAME.

BY       STEVE SUMNERS

   STEVE STRICKLIN

   JEANNE JOHNSON

   BRUCE PYLANT

            JIM JONES

One of the last sunsets over the halls of blue and grey

Steven Chappelle the most recent to RSVP

Steven and his wife Pai attending a Halloween party 'in costume' this past year. Maybe we can get him to perform at the reunion???

Old Lee High’s Last Salute

The year 1964 marked Lee High School’s first graduating class.

 

In 1986, Huntsville City Schools created the Lee arts and pre-engineering magnet programs, drawing talented and driven students from all over the city.

 

2012 marks the last graduating class to ever walk the halls of what has been known as Lee High School for nearly 50 years.

“Nostalgia, you know I can remember all the memories, I was here 31 years.”

Thirty-one years, 573 victories, and for 1968 state championship head coach Jerry Dugan, a lifetime of memories.

 

Coach Jerry Dugan takes one final shot.

“I’m just real fortunate to have coached a lot of outstanding young men and when they tear this down, I’ll have a lot of memories and a little sadness with it too, I think.

 

Retiring in February of 2012, Mrs. Earnestine Hines Thursday goes through pictures from her 39 years as a history teacher at Lee. She is also affectionately refered to as “the Institution.”

“Evidently, I love Lee High School, I stayed 39 years,” says Hines, “but I’m about to start crying coming back in here because I was not just a teacher, I was a mother, I was a couselor, I was a doctor, I was things that some of these kids never had before.”

 

Earnestine Hines erases the blackboard in her former classroom.

Penny Sumners, member of the Lee High graduating class of 1964, went on to teach at Lee and serve as assistant principal and principal, retiring in 2000.

 

“It’s not as much about the building,” Sumners says. “It’s about the people and the relationships that you make, and those will carry on.”

 

Vivienne Atkins helped found Lee’s magnet arts program. She has directed some of Huntsville’s most talented performers and vocalists in the audiotrium she helped transform into what she calls “a real theater.”

“There’s not anything like it, even the new theater, it doesn’t have the ambiance,” she says.

Vivienne Atkins turns off the “ghost light” in the old Lee High theater.

“It’s a beautiful theater, and it is a theater, it’s not an auditorium, the architect made sure that we had a theater, but it’ll never have this… this feel — well, maybe in 40 years it’ll have this feel,” Atkins laughed.

 

Administrators, teachers, parents and students alike agree these words of the Lee High Alma Mater will endure for the next forty years and beyond:

“The Generals’ banner waves above us, We love the blue and gray we see.

It tells of friends, love, and trust And brings us ever close to Lee.

Ever onward through life’s journey now, Though parted we may always be—

Still lingering in our fondest memory, Our hearts will ere be true to Lee.

Still lingering in our fondest memory, Our hearts will ere be true to Lee.”

 

On Friday, May 25th the Lee High Class of 2012 will walk across the stage to accept their diplomas at Von Braun Civic Center.

 

The Generals will join New Century Technology High School students at the new Lee building on August 20th.

Go to http://whnt.com/2012/05/24/old-lee-highs-last-salute/ to see the video

Help your committee find these missing classmates

FIRST NAME MIDDLE MAIDEN Married CURRENT 6-5-2012   Betty Marie Alvis Smith James Ballard Steve Anthony Barnes Wanda Joyce Baty Victoria Elizabeth Blackburn John William Brewster Carolyn Bernice Brown Laura Burks Sandra Lee Campbell Helen Patricia Cox Byrom Paul Alan Craig Louella Crawford Evelyn Louise Crutcher Carlisle Diana Lynn Davis LB Dean Cynthia Renee Dixon Simon Kathy Dorsey Arrie Eliff Glendel Jane Fitch Moore Sandra Lee Fitzgerald John Robert Flowers Tommy Foote Janet Yvonne Ford Martha Lee Franklin Ballard Dawn Fuller Johnson Linda Fuller Bellows Mickey Vivian Gadbury Franklin Steve Green Ricky Griffith Joyce Gail Grimstead Burke Vicki Lynn Guenther Joni Sue Hall Janis Lynn Hammick Clardy Bob Hankey Connie Jo  Haskins Sally Ann Hemphill Kathy Hendricks Wade Leslie Hinkie Phil Holland Suzanne Holloran Connie Howard Judy Hunn Calvin Marilyn Kay Ingram Whitney Glecia B. Jaco Hall Barbara James William A. Jenkins Robert Fred Jennings Robert Garry Johnson Linda Faye Jones Frank Keel Jerry Keel Kathy Kendricks Alice Victoria Ketterson Gary Kinslow Beverly  Larson Alexander Jim Love Sheila Ann Macguire Becky Mangham Tim Kent Martin Jerry Lynn Moore Mary Lou Moore Bert Thomas Myers Debbie Lee Neely Danny O'Neal Ilona Susan Posada Brenda Rhoden Marsha Gail Robbins Gary DeWitt Robinson Bill Roden Mary Denise Roth Johnson Kathy Helen Ruhoff Cynthia Schmitz Suzanne Lee Scott Iris E. Spencer Potter Peggy Stewart Waites Wallace A. Stewart Zanetta Smith Hairston Carol Swaney Johnson David Allen Tompkins Michael Tignor David Alan Tompkins Gary Joseph Trust Diane Turner Turner Robert Wayne Turner William Joseph Twilley Laura Harriett Vafeas Laura Edwina Webb Collier Carolyn Sue White Gregory Louis Wilkins Patricia Ann Williams Ronald G. Williams Jean Womack Judith Woodley Khairandish Brenda Jane Yerger Stephen Young

Max Kull and Bill(y) Higgins meet in Auburn

Max and Bill recently met at Toomer's Corner (Mecca, I'm told) to reminisce over their LHS days and discuss the upcoming reunion. 

I hope the rest of you are reconnecting with former classmates as well. Please send me pictures and the pertinent info such as names and locations and I will publish here.

ONLY 127 days left until the most fun that your heart can stand. I hope you are planning to attend. Visit our blog at http://leegenerals1967.blogspot.com/ and look at the RSVP list to see who is already signed up to come.

Pictures at the Reunion

The poll results are in. A majority of the voters prefer to have a professionl do a group shot. This will be arranged. Everyone is encouraged to take photos at the reunion. There will be a way to share these personal photos on line so that everyone can view and copy if desired.
Thanks for your participation in the poll.

'67 Seniors attending the '64-66' reunion in 2011

A few of our seniors 'scouted' the event to ensure we borrowed the good ideas for our 45th year reunion. Can you name the attendees??

1966 LHS Football Website

I have started a website in honor of the 1966 (1967 Graduating Class) Championship football team. It is a work in progress and will change as I figure out how to better use the program. If you are interested in taking a look, please feel free to visit at http://1966leegeneralsfootball.weebly.com/
Tim

LHS Name Change: Here We Go Again!!

Lee High School name coming down, again, but only for repairs

Published: Sunday, March 11, 2012, 7:00 AM

 By Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times 

The Lee High School name, pictured, will be removed Monday from the new school building for repairs to the stonework beneath. The words "Lee Campus" will go up in its place, and both the Lee and New Century Technology high school names will go elsewhere on the building. (The Huntsville Times)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Lee High School name is once again coming off of the new school building, but this time it has nothing to do with a name change.

Workers are scheduled to remove the name for repair work to the building's facade on Monday, said Rena Anderson, the school district's director of community engagement.

Anderson explained that the stonework beneath the letters needs to be patched because of adjustments being made to include New Century Technology High's name to the building. The high school, currently housed at Columbia High, will move to the new Lee facility in August.

"It's like hanging a picture," Anderson said. "If you move a picture on a wall, you have to patch up where it originally was."

The district will keep the name off of the building until an order of additional letters comes in. Where the name currently is, the building will read "Lee Campus."

Lower on the facade, one side of the building will read "Lee High School" and the other side will have New Century's name.

"We're placing the order within the next couple of weeks and then it takes about six weeks for them to come in," Anderson said.

The removal of the school's name, along with talk of changing the school's name entirely, caused more than 200 Lee students to walk out of class Nov. 3 in protest. Superintendent Casey Wardynski, who initiated the talk of a name change, waded into the crowd and talked the students back inside after listening to their concerns.

Wardynski that night admitted committing a "gargantuan" mistake. By that time, he had also heard from city residents, Lee alumni and local and state officials who were against the change.

The superintendent then appointed a committee to determine if a new name would best reflect both schools or if the schools should remain separate. The committee included PTA representatives, parents, teachers, a student and an alumnus from each school, as well as a number of other community representatives.

The committee recommended in January that the schools retain their individual identities.

Copied from 'Lee's Traveller' online version

Ruth Jane Riddle Parks

February 22, 1930 - February 27, 2012

Ruth Jane Riddle Parks, 82, of Huntsville, Alabama, peacefully transitioned to a spiritual realm on February 27, 2012. Jane was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on February 22, 1930, and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated from Auburn University, receiving a degree in Business Education, followed by a Master's Degree in English/Journalism, and then Counseling from the University of Alabama. Jane taught at Lee High School serving as first Advisor for the newspaper, Lee's Traveller, for which her students received numerous national awards. In addition to being a published author, Jane also reported for the Huntsville Times and WAAY television. 

She served as Counselor at Martin Luther King Elementary School until her retirement. Soon after retiring, she became an active member of the Master Gardeners of North Alabama, making many new friends, coordinating Field Trips, and receiving several awards and accolades. Jane Parks is survived by her son, Hal E. Parks; her daughter, Dr. Shannon (Sharon) G.E. Parks; Grandson, Russel Allen Parks; Granddaughter, Elliott Elizabeth Emfinger; and two Great-Grandchildren, Ryann Parks, and Ethan Parks.

The "Honoring a Life" Brunch and Gathering will be held on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, 10:30-11:45 a.m., is open to all friends, and will take place at the Huntsville Botanical Garden Arbor,  4747 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville, AL  35805. Jane will then rest at Maple Hill Cemetery, 201 Maple Hill Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MGNA (Master Gardeners of North Alabama) for the Jane R. Parks Honorarium Fund, and sent to: Diane Campen, MGNA Treasurer, 268 Dublin Circle, Madison, AL 35758.

Cards may be sent to the Jane R. Parks Family, 211 Bonita Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209