What he said… (only change that to Washington)
M
I didn’t like high school, either - and were it not for music - I’d probably have been a dropout.
My class ('76) had a 20 year reunion along with the classes of '75 and '77, as I recall. I didn’t go - ii would have been an 800 mile trip.
But the people I care to keep in touch with - and there are 2 of them I think - reported that though the playing field has been leveled somewhat with more than a few bald heads and additional pounds, that the nice folks are still nice, and the jackasses and drunks are just older jackasses and drunks…
That’s all I cared to hear…I think I’ll opt out of the next one, too!
The variety of responses is interesting.
I’m perceiving two distinct camps–
a)Those who view reconvening with old schoolmates to be a continuation of, or new twist on old teenage politics,
and
b)those who feel like they’ve gotten over that crap and are willing and able to meet their old classmates on new, neutral ground.
I will grant that even if you go with plan b in mind, it is possible that your classmates have remained so stuck in their ruts that it won’t work,
but I’m pleased to see that I’m not the only one who’s had a more positive experience.
Even so–that is, even though I did re-meet people who were well worth knowing–there were some who were behaving remarkably like their old, silly selves…misbehaving in the ladies room, forming little power-cliques, and whatnot. But they ignored me then, and I am more than willing to be ignored now. You’re looking for the not-stupid people, and if you go with an open mind they’ll be there.
On behalf of all the stupid people, I protest this openly bigotted attitude you have chosen to cop. Just because a person is stupid does not necessarily mean they are insensitive to … what as I saying? 
djm
Gee Chuck, maybe we could have our own reunion. We have at least a few things in common 
.
My high school class (1983: 412 students) had a 5-year reunion. I didn’t bother to go because it was a formal dance at the swankiest hotel in the nearest city to our rural school. (Hey, they practically had to force me into a tux for my own wedding; I sure wasn’t gonna wear one to try to impress a bunch of people I barely knew.) As far as I know, there haven’t been any reunions since.
My dad, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoys his high school reunions. He went to a small (very small) rural school in the mountains of western North Carolina. The school closed many years ago, but the building is now a community center. They have “all class years” reunions, and the remaining population of former students is small enough that they all enjoy visiting with each other.
I take your point, but I think for some people it isn’t so much that they thought their classmates were stupid or that there was politics involved----it’s that they didn’t know many of their classmates at all and life was difficult for many reasons, home wasn’t fun, school wasn’t fun, etc. and the memories from that time just aren’t good. Their experience wasn’t what you think of when you think of the normal high school experience—the sort of stereotype of that experience, I guess I’m thinking of. The negative feelings, at least for some people, aren’t aimed at specific people but just at that time in life. I don’t want to go back and visit it. I guess one could say that it would be a step forward to revisit those times and deal with the feelings, but …
I actually have gone back to my high school a few times since graduation. It’s the oldest high school in the area and the only school in the state that allowed Asian students to enroll during the years of World War II. When I attended, the buildings were old and interesting but last time I visited the campus it was drastically different; old buildings were demolished and new ones built in their place.
The reason I went back was because I was one of my art teacher’s only students that went on to attend art school and stayed with it through graduation. A while after I graduated college, she somehow caught wind that I had done so, tracked me down and invited me to come into her classes to give demonstrations or presentations to the class. I haven’t been back there for about five years but I drive by it now and then and the campus looks different every year. That’s about all the reminiscing of high school I can stand. Our graduating class was so huge that I can’t imagine knowing more than three or four names/faces if I were to go to a reunion… and even those would barely qualify as an acquaintance.
I just don’t care enough to go back. I was the most indifferent high school student. I never had “school spirit” because I knew that the only reason I attended that school was because I lived on that side of the tracks. I didn’t choose it and I didn’t celebrate it. I went everyday because I wanted to have a future but I didn’t subscribe to all the meaningless (to me) stuff that consumed most people’s time and money, I was too busy working after school to buy my first car. I wasn’t picked on and I wasn’t homecoming king, that’s how I liked it. I was “popular” among my friends and that’s all I needed.
Yeah. Obviously your mileage may vary and all that.
(oh…and I’m stupidly using stupid as if it were a synonym of socially petty.)
They have “all class years” reunions, and the remaining population of former students is small enough that they all enjoy visiting with each other.
That’s what this one is-all years. If it was only mine I’d be tempted not to go.
They are expecting at least a thousand people. That’s a big deal in a town with a present population of less than 200.
Since I work in the same town I see a lot of these folks everyday on my route. I do look forward to seeing some new/old faces.
They’ve asked for us to bring memorabilia, so last night I actually found my old school letter sweater down in a cedar chest, class ring was dug out of the old jewelry box(I’m not a jewelry person so finding the box took a while) . I’m happy- sweater and ring still fit !!! OK, I’m feeling better about this now.
(I’ll admit I’m fighting the urge to wear something really outrageous)
Well, stop it. Fighting it, that is.
I do have a newly made exact copy of a 1927 tea frock…
or I could go really retro.… and drag out the real authentic stuff…
I’d add c) those who are apathetic and can’t be bothered to drive a few hundred miles miles to their reunions. Of course, we didn’t care enough to ring in till we felt we were being overlooked. 
Our village has a tradition of “One reunion Fits All”, with special sub events for those on the fives. There are those who plan their summer vacation around the weekend on a yearly basis. I have never attended, although I live in town. It came to my attention that I was on the "Missing " list, and I thought it was humorous because, as I had bought my parents house when my mom moved to CA, I assumed the old phone #, and I still have the same address and phone # that I had when I attended high school. “A man sees what he wants to see’”. Personally, I bear no grudges, but I have no desire to go back to High School, even for pretend, just for the weekend.
Today was the day-had a great time-re-connected with my best friend from those days and it was like we’d just seen each other yesterday.
Hah! We got into the old band room, rummaged through some boxes and found our old uniforms. I said-“you realize we have to wear these out.” We put this on and took off down the hall!!!
Still cuttin’ up and carryin’ on! (well, somebody has to do it)
(yours truly second from left- partner in crime on far right 
click on thumbnail for larger pic)
](http://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000992hq9.jpg)[/img]
Flute Girls Gone Wild.
I’m happy to say “I told you so” and I did.
So there. 
djm
I’m glad you had a good time!
Uncanny… you are correct about the two on the right…other one was clarinet and I did clarinet and oboe…oh, I just remembered who you are, your excellency- of course you are right.
Those hats are to die for! I can just see you taking off down the hall.