50th High School Class Reunion

I went up to Tyler this weekend to attend my 50th high school class reunion, Tyler High School Class of 1959. I got in a run in Huntsville Friday before leaving, a run in Tyler on Saturday and a run in Huntsville when I got back this evening. Actually, it was a joint Robert E. Lee/Tyler High School Reunion. Back in those days, Tyler High was the only white high school in Tyler. Robert E. Lee first opened in 1959, so those who lived on the north side of Tyler stayed at Tyler High and those on the south side went to Robert E. Lee for their senior year. They built a new high school on the north side of Tyler, which opened in 1960. It is called John Tyler High School. Tyler High was closed after the 1959, but the building is still there and is being used as a daycare center. In any case, we had a good time at the reunion. There were several, including two good friends who I was in the Cub Scouts with, who had not previously attended a reunion and I got to see them for the first time in 50 years. One kept raving about my Mother's cookies and described them in detail. How can somebody remember cookies after 50 years? The weekend events started with a reception on Friday night. On Saturday morning, we had a guys only breakfast. The dinner and dance was on Saturday night. It was really good visiting and reminicsing with old friends. Bill Allen, who recently retired as the Editor of National Geographic Magazine, and I spent some time together. I did not realize that he was suppose to be on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11 with some other National Geographic employees. At the last minute, he had to cancel his trip to resolve a problem with an article for the next issue. I also visited with Kenneth Crone. He was the real life DPS trooper held hostage in the incident portrayed in the 1974 movie, "Sugar Land Express," starring Goldie Hawn. My old girl friend, Peggy Sue, didn't make it to the reunion. Neither did my good friend, Dr. Robert Peters. Bob and went to school together from Kindergarden all the way through high school. He became totally blind in about the 9th grade. When we graduated from high school, he received his diploma and then walked off the stage into the orchestra pit. He was not hurt and we laughed about it since.
I tried to recruit some of my classmates for my Saturday run, but could not find any takers.