One hundred eleven of our classmates plus spouses and dates were in attendance for at least one of the four events. Also our Principal, Mr. Greer and several of our teachers and coaches attended.
Early Friday there was a "championship" golf tournament organized by George Taylor. About twenty-five of the "girls'" attended the "girls" luncheon on Friday at Cypress Inn.
Evening festivities for the whole class began Friday afternoon with a Black Warrior River cruise, which departed from Eagle Cove Marina. Our reunion committee rented two boats and Betty and Ronnie Rawlins provided another. The three were tied together under Ronnie's captaincy for the cruise up river and back. This provided a floating party room. Jimmy Cochrane furnished a barbecue buffet. Harry Hammonds provided the beer and Skipper Falls, the ice.
Classmates moved from boat to boat with ease to visit, reminisce and just enjoy the evening on the river. (Luckily, no one left early.)
Cocktails and dancing was provided at the Tuscaloosa Country Club, Saturday evening.
Starting out the show was Walter Mitchell, 1961 Black Bear Band Drum Major, leading in Majorettes, Rebecca Reynolds and Elizabeth Ashcraft and the Alumni Black Bear Band directed by Max Wilson (Tulane's brother). Sounds of "Rah Rah for Loosa", "Dixie", "Men of Ohio", "Hail Hail the Gang's All Here", "Stars Fell on Alabama", and our Alma Mater sent excitement throughout the whole building.
Linda Parker, THS '61 Cheerleader, lead us in one our school days cheers. The spirit of T.H.S. class of 1961 was unrivalled after 30 years.
The evening's highlight was Helen Lemonis (THS '58), and her Rock Back the Clock Revue with Master of Ceremony, Sid Spencer. Cast members from 1961 included, Jackie Howard, Kendall Hanby, Ward McFarland, Sandra Henry, Susan Rogers, Skipper Falls, Tulane Wilson, Jerry Lake, Howard Hawkins, Butch Miller, and Mary Ann Barton.
The party program finish up with "Gonna Find Her" as the cast sought out dance partners finishing up in a rock 'n roll conga line to the strains of "Locomotion".
"Touch of Grey" Eugene "Poogie" Poole (T.H.S. '64) and his band then played to an appreciative audience, who danced and sang along, to the '50's, '60's and '70's hits way into the night.