More on Mike Reiling

I have been communicating with Linda Reiling regarding his last few weeks alive. She said I could share this information with you. It should prove a good lesson for those of us still remaining to enjoy every moment. I can say that Mike was so looking forward to the reunion. He had shared that with me and Linda.

Linda wrote: He was diagnosed with an unspecific aggressive cancer and was given 2 - 7 years survival on December 21.  When I say aggressive, there was nothing on an xray on September 21 but on December 21 there were metastatic tumors on his spine, hip, lung, liver, and brain.  Since it was in his lung, they were treating it as non-small cell, multiple cell lung cancer. He was not a heavy smoker but had quit smoking 5 years ago.  He was very positive in his outlook and actually worked at the office on Thursday prior to his death and was out to lunch with friends on Friday. Always a man a great humor and love.  He was thankful for the life he had and told us his life was in God's hands.  He was admitted into the hospital on Sunday, January 15 with stomach pains and died at 6:00 am on January 17,  27 days after his diagnosis. 

We all miss him.  Hope you have a great reunion.  I was actually looking forward to meeting his friends from HS.

Class of 1967 Loses Another General

Michael P. Reiling 

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Age 62 Mendota Heights, MN Passed peacefully surrounded by his loving family on January 17, 2012. Born March 23, 1949 in St. Paul, MN. President of Fredrikson Healthcare Consulting, he loved his work and mentoring others. He was proud of his family, had a passion for food and cooking, enjoyed entertaining, decorating, gardening and travel. He was known for his sense of style and humor. Preceded in death by his father, mother, and younger brother. He is survived by his best friend and spouse, Linda; daughters, Jacqueline (Frederic) Manning, Joanna (Justice) Lindell; precious grandchildren, Viola Elnora and Justice Oliver Lindell; devoted dog, Nora; and brothers, Gerald and Timothy Reiling and their families. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Visitation Friday, January 20th 4-8pm at Willwerscheid Funeral Home 1167 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN. Funeral Saturday, January 21st 11am at Church of the Assumption 51 W 7th Street, St. Paul, MN, visitation one hour prior. Willwerscheid Funeral Home 651-228-1006

1987 Reunion Pictures

Who is this 1967 General?

I was in Huntsville recently and ran into this 1967 General. Who is she?

Jim Jones has correctly identified this General as Margaret Van Dyke-Poole.

This picture was taken at the Lone Goose Saloon, 108 Cleveland Ave, Huntsville, Alabama. When you are in town  Margaret would love to have you visit her at her saloon. You could even make plans to join some classmates there the week of the reunion. If you show up on a Thursday night you can listen to Traci Hulsey sing. Traci is the daughter of the late Phylis Brock-Hulsey and Earnest Hulsey (LHS '67).

Lee, New Century to remain separate schools under one roof

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2012, 7:16 PM     Updated: Thursday, January 19, 2012, 7:19 PM By Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times 

Workers with ABG Caulking and Waterproofing of Goodlettsville, Tenn., fill expansion joints in front of the new Lee High School on Meridian Street Thursday. Lee and New Century Technology will remain separate schools, but share the new building when it opens in the fall. (The Huntsville Times/Glenn Baeske)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The fates of two Huntsville high schools and the district's alternative school were decided Thursday night, with the school board voting to keep Lee and New Century Technology as separate high schools under one roof in the fall and to close the Seldon Center at the end of this school year.

The board approved -- to applause from the crowd in the board room of the Annie C. Merts Center -- the Lee/New Century merger Thursday night upon the recommendation of Superintendent Casey Wardynski. The superintendent's recommendation came after months of work by a community engagement committee tasked with finding a solution for the schools' merger.

Wardynski faced criticism from the Lee community in November after he suggested changing the school's name to reflect the merger with New Century, which is currently housed at Columbia High School. He backed off the name change and appointed the committee to determine what would best serve the students and community.

Melissa Thompson, president of the Huntsville Council of PTAs, moderated the committee, which included two PTA representatives, two parents, two teachers, a student and an alumnus from each school. It also included community representatives from Redstone Arsenal, neighborhood associations, the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast Civic Association, the Huntsville Association of Realtors and the Huntsville Planning Commission.

The committee looked at the qualities that each school brings to the table, such as Lee's tradition, history, magnet programs and sports, Thompson said. New Century brings academic achievement, curriculum concentration areas and opportunities with companies in Research Park. Both have diverse student bodies.

Three options were discussed -- a complete merger of the two schools, a hybrid situation where they would share core classes and keeping them as two separate schools under one roof. That is the relationship New Century already has with Columbia High.

Thompson said committee members did not agree unanimously on the recommendation, but that there was a strong consensus toward maintaining both schools' identities.

"Neither one is a stepchild; they are sharing a space," Thompson said.

Wardynski thanked Thompson and the committee members for their efforts.

"Forty years from now when this school is doing amazing things, no one will know where this amazement has come from," Wardynski said. "But it has come from this committee."

Stewart Thorson, principal of New Century, also thanked the committee.

"We are excited about the move," Thorson said. "We're excited about getting our name on the front of a building."

Lee High is keeping its identity, but losing its principal. The board voted to move Paul Parvin, who has served as principal of Lee since 2007, to the central office as director of instructional support and athletics. Aaron King, Wardynksi's transition director, said Parvin, also a former football coach, will share duties with Kevin Wieseman, who is currently in that position.

No interim principal has been put in place, but one is anticipated to be chosen by the next board meeting, King said.

The board also approved a contract with The Pinnacle Schools, a Huntsville-based treatmentprogram for troubled youth that will replace the Seldon Center. The change is designed to give the students more intensive, and more cost-efficient, treatment.

Wardynski told the board that the district spends about $18,500 per student each year at the Seldon Center. The cost per student at Pinnacle is about $11,000.

"The effect on Seldon Center will be, at the end of this school year, the Seldon staff will work in other schools and the Seldon Center will no longer be part of the district in terms of instruction," Wardynski said.

Other programs currently run out of Seldon, such as the homebound program, will be moved to other schools, the superintendent said.

The Pinnacle Schools has a Huntsville campus that provides alternative, year-round education to at-risk teens in grades 6 through 12. There is also the Elk River Treatment Program, a short-term intervention program that provides diagnostic, assessment, educational and treatment services. The Elk River program length ranges from eight weeks to a year.

The Elk River campus also has a transitional program, where students can stay up to a year, and a weight-management program aimed at combating childhood obesity.

What were the Nicknames of this 1967 General?

Based on my experience with these posts, I know that no one will know his name, but maybe you will remember his various nicknames?

The name of this 1967 General is Don Johnson. Lynn Moore has correctly identified one of his nicknames as 'Ducky'. I know of at least THREE more, can you name them?

A second nickname was 'buns'. Can you provide a third?

A third nickname was 'farmer'. Can you provide the fourth?

The fourth and final nickname was 'One Ski'!!

What is the name of this '67 General?

Due to the lack of classmate participation, Max Kull felt obligated to put the confused minds of his classmates to rest by correctly identifying Larry Snead as this 1967 General.

Post Board Meeting news...

At the board meeting last night the superintendent and his staff reported about the status of NEW LHS facilities. Nothing was mentioned about the committee or name change.

My sources report that the board seems to be upset with him trying to do this behind their back.

More news 5:00 EST

1. The superintendent is having a meeting Monday, January 9th at Lee @ 6:00 PM.
2. Supposedly, the superintendent is meeting again with the committee.

Huntsville City Schools January 5th Board meeting (5:30) AGENDA

I. Celebration - Superintendent
II. Work Session

1. Huntsville Center for Technology
2. School Calendars
3. Pinnacle Contract
4. Building Report
5. Update on NEW Lee High School Campus
6. H.B. 56 - Alabama Immigration Law Compliance

Lee High School RENAMING UPDATE

In November, Dr. Wardynski created a firestorm when, without the permission of the board of education, he removed the name from the 'NEW' LHS with the intent of renaming LHS to satisfy parents of New Century High School students who were to be housed on the new campus. These 300 students were apparently seeking permanence and recognition.

According to board policy, ONLY the BOARD has the authority to approve a name change of a school facility. AND further, the superintendent/board is required to appoint a committee of citizens to meet and provide a recommendation to the superintendent who can then make a recommendation to the board based on this input. Dr. Wardynski violated this policy.

LHS graduates contacted Dr. Wardynski and all of the board members protesting the name change. To the board's credit, they informed the superintendent that he should return the LHS name to the new building and follow appropriate board policies. He complied with their recommendation.

Dr. Wardynski appointed a committee 20 citizens from a variety of interest groups. The committee has met TWO times for 1 1/2 hours each with a facilitator from within the system and has now made a recommendation to the superintendent. BY LAW, the board has the authority to either accept or reject a recommendation of a superintendent based on input of the community.

Presumably, the recommendation of the committee is to be discussed by the superintendent with the board at the January 5^th board meeting. If the superintendent's intent to change the name of Lee High School concerns you, it will be imperative that you contact both Dr. Wardynski and the board members of your position on this important matter. I will keep you informed of the situation at this site.

Annual 1966-67 Football Gathering

Each year on December 27th members of the the football team gather in Huntsville to catch-up on their lives and tell war stories about their times at Lee. This year twenty-nine traveled to the event from S. Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. (CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE)

Front L to R: Tim Lull, Bruce Pylant, Greg Patterson, Coach Sam Sullins, Coach Keith Wilson, Carl McCulley, Larry McFarlane. Middle Row L to R: Jim Ramsey (66), Danny Butler, Steve Sumners, Penny Lenoir-Sumners, Mike Recio, Connie Steelman-Caldwell, Harry Richardson, Trena Rice-Powers, Ken Martz (66).

Back Row L to R: Steve Wilson, Steve Stricklin, Jim Jones, Nelson Thompson, Taylor Wright (66), Bucky Hoffmeyer (66), Jim Peters, Tommy Mode, Larry Snead, George James, Jim Ridgeway. (Missing in action 'Ducky' Johnson)

Who is this 1966-67 LHS Cheerleader?

The 1966 General Football Team held it's annual After-Christmas get together at Gibson's BBQ on December 27th. This former cheerleader was in attendance; Who is she?

Once again :-) Max Kull has correctly identified the unnamed classmate. This former cheerleader is Connie Steelman-Caldwell. Congratulations Max! Is anyone else out there?

Who's that Foxy Lady at our Senior Picnic?

Congratulations to Harold Shepard for correctly identifying Mrs. Pat Brewer as 'That Foxy Lady'.

Name that General #7

Congratulations again to Max Kull for correctly identifying a Name That General (#7) as Lynn Ward-Moore. Max is a multiple winner and I told him that he is either our 'class historian' of 'class busybody' :-) 

Lynn was Senior Pastor of Cedar Bluff First UMC. She is an Elder in Full Connection in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, on leave of absence at this time. She graduated from Jacksonville State University (Political Science), Asbury Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity) and Sylacauga Hospital School of Nursing.

1. Which one is the real Lee General?

    

     2.  Loved the walk down Oakwood to Lee and home.

     3.  Latin with Mrs. Grilliot was great fun!

     4.  High kicks were a lot easier back then.

     5.  I was in Chemistry with Terri Bratcher.

     6.  Learning the Danish ball routine for basketball game, was fun and relaxing.

     7.   "It is easier to teach wild monkeys to dance than herd cats" was attributed to me in the Senior edition

          of The Traveller.

     8.  All classes were fun, I am one who loves to learn.

     9.  I had a few cousins who graduated in the same class.

    10.  (Sorry, I've been traveling.. now back to the clues)  I loved the Krystal burgers on the square in the middle of school day. 

    11.  Jeanie Browne forgot to tag when we played football!

    12.  There was a time when Penny Slaton was "The Jolly Green Giant," and I was a Native American in the same contest with Terri Bratcher.

    13.  Enjoyed viewing the beauty of seasonal changes on Monte Sano.

          14.  IT was sooo hot and humid when we graduated, because I was in next to last homeroom, my hair was dripping and my grad gown was soaked with sweat (not perspiration). 

          15.  I had a few cousins who also graduated in the class of '67. 

          16.  I went to the prom with Jim King. 

          17.  Two of my neighbors and classmates were Mary Hicks and Diane Canada. 

1977 Reunion pictures

Thanks to Whitt Singleton for sending these pictures from our 1977 reunion. I hope others will look through your archives and send me some too...

What was the 'Nickname' of this 1966 General?

Congratulations to Max Kull for correctly identifying the "Nickname" of this 1966 General as "Sugar Bear" Charlie Marx.

The battle over the name of Lee High School is not over

Tensions ease, for now, after Lee High School name goes back on building

Published: Saturday, November 05, 2011, 7:00 AM

 By Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times 
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Lee High School's name was put back on the facade of the school's new building Thursday, a day after Superintendent Casey Wardynski had it removed. Hundreds of students, alumni and parents protested the school's potential name change. (The Huntsville Times/Dave Dieter)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The battle over the name of Lee High School is not over, but tensions in the city seemed to ease Friday after Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski had the name replaced on the new school building.

Wardynski Thursday night admittedto making a "gargantuan" mistake by having the name removed before public discussions over a possible name change. He is proposing a change because Lee High and New Century Technology High will merge inside the new $42 million building next fall.

New Century's 310 students, who transfer from all across the city to attend the high-tech program, are housed at Columbia High in west Huntsville.

Wardynski, who had the Lee name removed from the new building on Wednesday, ordered the letters put back late Thursday. But the issue may not be resolved.

He told the audience at a packed school board meeting Thursday night that a committee will be formed this month to help determine how the schools' merger will go. The committee will include parents, school staff, alumni and community members from both schools.

Part of the committee's task will be to decide if a new name is appropriate and to determine how to honor the history and legacy of both schools.

Renaming the school would not be easy. About 250 students walked out of class Thursday morning in protest and about 100 students and parents attended the board meeting that night to beg for Lee to remain Lee.

New Century students are also upset at the idea of losing their school's identity. The school was this year named U.S. News and World Report's sixth most-connected classroom, which is based on a school's technological advances. Newsweek has also ranked it among the top 500 high schools in the country.

Current and former officials also objected to a name change.

Randy Hinshaw, former state representative for District 21, said he sponsored legislation to create a special tax district specifically to rebuild Lee. According to the agreement passed by the City Council, that new tax district allowed the city to spend $10 million "toward the construction of a new Lee High School."

"I like seeing Lee High School on that building," Hinshaw, a 1978 graduate of Lee, told the school board. "That's the commitment that was made.

"What better lesson can we give people than, 'When you give your word, keep it,'" he said.

Hinshaw did commend Wardynski on listening to the community and replacing the name. Madison County Commissioner Roger Jones agreed.

"The mark of a good leader is a person who will listen, who will look for a common ground," Jones said.

Mayor Tommy Battle expressed the same sentiment.

"All government today is different sides coming together to find some common ground," Battle said. "I think this decision found some common ground for all parties involved."

Faculty and parents have also spoken up for Lee. Richard Wilson, a football coach at the school, said he believes it is the most diverse and welcoming high school in the city.

"There's no black, there's no white, there's no yellow, there's no red," Wilson said. "There are just Lee Generals."

Rick Presnell said his daughter, who was homeschooled until the eighth grade, attends Lee because that's the school she chose to go to. He said both he and his daughter were "ecstatic" when they learned that New Century would be moved to the school because of the good reputation of the high-tech programs.

Presnell said his problem with the change was the lack of community input thus far.

"In order for us to be an informed public," Presnell said, "we have to be communicated with."

Related topics: Casey Wardynski, Huntsville City Schools, Lee High School

Letter from Mike Self

I am a 1967 graduate of Lee High School.

The school was named for its proximity to Lee Highway (72 east), and yes, General Lee became its mascot and its moniker.

I also accept that whatever pleas former graduates might make will most likely fall on deaf ears, but it will make us feel better for having made the effort to prevent a mistake.

There were 448 graduates in our class; the vast majority of us were transplants from all over the country.  In my case our family moved here from Wichita, Kansas.  We did not know it at the time, but as we continued to grow up we realized early on we had had great, great teachers, who along with our parents, instilled a love of learning and life which has carried us through to our current stage in life. 

We had several graduates go on to dedicate their careers to educating all students, be they black, white, Hispanic or Asian.  As educators we were taught at home and at school to be color blind.  Several of us went on to become Principals, and one (Penny Sumners) was a long-time principal at Lee.  Tim Lull went on to be a superintendent in Alabama and Georgia.  Phil Hastings, Debbie Collinsworth (’68), myself, and Jim Black were all Lee grads and except for Debbie were ’67 graduates, and became principals.  There may be others of whom I am unaware, so I apologize to them for not including them in my letter.

In my case I went on to complete my doctorate in Special Education and Statistics at the University of Alabama in 1975.  I am completing my 42^nd year in education, and certainly have seen school names come and go with no real difference or benefit being derived.  I have taught at the university level (Alabama A&M, and UAH among them), been a classroom teacher in Huntsville, worked in the central office of the Madison County schools, been a building principal for 21 years and even ran for the Huntsville Board of Education and narrowly lost because I did not embrace AEA.

I have earned my credibility to be heard regarding the possible name change of Lee High.

For what purpose would the name be changed?

The only feasible explanation would be that Robert E. Lee speaks to the vestiges of the old South, and the current Lee is currently populated by a majority of black students?  (I have no idea of the black-white student population of Lee, but must assume it is sizeable enough to drive a name change).

Has Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery changed its name because it is now an urban high school also with a probable minority population?  ( I do not know, am just asking)

Are students at the current Lee High being harassed or made to feel inferior because of the school’s name?

If you do not close Butler High School are you going to do away with their Rebel mascot?

Is it now ok to change personal and community identities and traditions just to be politically expedient and correct?  In 1957, Huntsville celebrated its Sesquicentennial (150) Anniversary, with a population of 12,500.  In 1961 it had a population of 160,000.  What made Huntsville so unique for a Southern town was it retained the very best of its Southern heritage, and yet adopted the German influence, and because of the very diversity of its swelling population became a very cosmopolitan town all wrapped up in one diversified community.  Add to that the remarkable and enlightened leadership of some great mayors and City Council members regarding race relations, Huntsville never suffered the poor race relations afflicting other parts of the country, and not just in the South.

What grievous wrong will be fixed by a name change?  By changing the name aren’t the thousand’s of Lee graduates now being relegated to secondary status because our traditions and values are being discounted?  That is what this effort would achieve.  Am I, and others, supposed to be ashamed of our educations, affiliations, traditions, and friendships (with blacks and whites)?  Are we saying that blacks graduating from Lee are paralyzed into not developing into successful and productive citizens because of the name of the high school they attended?  Let’s ask Condredge Hollaway, and the many, many other successful black graduates of Lee High School how stigmatized they have been?

My plea:  Exercise some common sense, PLEASE?

Mike Self