1969
"Apollo 11 Eagle lands the first man on Moon. Vietnam war rages on, civil unrest erupts around the country. Nixon inaugurated as 37th president. First email is sent on Arpanet military platform. Famed Woodstock concert in Bethel, NY - 350,000 attend largest music concert ever!"
1970
"Paul McCartney announces the Beatle's break up. Anti-war protests continue. Four students killed at Kent State. Jimi Hendrix dies at age 27. Walt Disney's final feature film, The Aristocats, is released. Bell bottoms, maxi dresses, frayed jeans dominate hippie-esque fashion."
1971
"Voting age lowered to eighteen. The boxing match of the century happens, and Frazier defeats Ali. Walt Disney Park opens cost estimated $400 million - admission was $3.50. Nixon is first US president to visit China. First microprocessor introduced. GreenPeace is founded."
1972
"Floodgates open up on Watergate scandal. Bloody Sunday occurs in Northern Ireland. Volkswagen Beetle becomes most popular car ever sold. Atari releases PONG, the first video game. First scientific hand-held calculator arrives. Godfather movie released. We graduate MSJ!"
"We are stardust, we are golden.
And we've got to get ourselves
back to the garden."
MAIN REUNION EVENTS (Two Nights!)
1) MSJ GOLDEN DIPLOMAS
& The SATIN & STEEL BAND !
Friday, June 3, 2022 @ 5PM / MSJ, St. Peter's Church, and the Country Club.
* Note: There will be a reception gathering at MSJ at 5PM to get setup for the Golden Diplomas at 6PM.. We will be joining MSJ's 2022 Graduation Ceremony at 6pm, St. Peter's Church. MSJ Class of 72' classmates can receive their "Golden Diplomas." (*Please CALL MSJ: 802-775-0151 if you are interested, as they need to RSVP (register you,) so that you can receive it. You can also email Kathy (Reardon) Bove at: krbove@gmail.com
Immediately following this celebration, at 7:30pm, will be entertainment at the Rutland Country Club with the Satin and Steel Band! All classmates are invited to attend! We're sure many more friends of this iconic band from Rutland and beyond, will also attend.
2) Our 50th REUNION!
& The BLUE JAY WAY BAND !
Saturday, June 4, 2022 @ 5PM / Country Club.
This is our MSJ Class of 72 official reunion on Saturday evening. This reunion event will also be held at the Rutland Country Club, with entertainment by the Blue Jay Way Band!
* NOTE: (MSJ's Class of 72' reunion, inclusive of BOTH NIGHTS, is FREE to all classmates and their spouses/partners!) Like they said at Woodstock - "Man, it's a free concert now!" You don't want to miss this most important high school reunion of your entire life . . . sign up in the Form at bottom of pg.
Other Weekend Events
1) Miniature Golf.
FRIDAY 11AM to 2:00PM.
For those that prefer a "smaller game golf experience," there is a great miniature golf course in Mendon VT., just outside the city, and directly across from Sugar and Spice restaurant. This Mini Golf event will be on Friday, June 3rd, from 11AM to 2:00PM. They have a concession stand and drinks there as well. * Note: there are NO golf carts available either for rent, or otherwise. There will be cash prizes awarded for the top three "golf pro scores!" Let us know in the form below, if you are interested in playing so we can line up everyone.
2) Big Golf - Fore!
FRIDAY 10:00AM to 3:00PM.
Sally Valliancourt (Proctor Pittsford Country Club,) has been gracious in helping us to arrange tee times for those interested in golfing at the Proctor Pittsford Country Club. The regulation BIG Golf event will be Friday, Jun 3rd, starting around 10am and going until 3PM. This is also a FREE Event!
You must not have entered any Master's tournaments or pro golf lessons if you would like to sign up. Those interested please contact Sally Vaillancourt at the Proctor Pittsford Country Club. You must sign up to insure you get a tee-time on sat. Clubs are available for rental.
3) Lake Dunmore Outing.
SATURDAY 10:00AM to 3:00PM.
We will plan on having a lake-side get together at Branbury Beach, Lake Dunmore on Saturday from 10AM to 3PM, for those who would like to to enjoy a relaxing fun day at one of Vermont's premier lakes. This is a beautiful lake at the base of Mooselamoo Mtn. It will be a great spot to catch up with classmates and share specific stories, both new and old!
Perch and company will be going over early to secure picnic tables and grill setups. We will plan on being there from about 9Am to Set up grills, secure some tables etc,. Please bring your own burgers, dogs, food, and drinks. We'll have charcoal and the like for cooking.
We Rocked MSJ!
What a tumultuous time in our history as we became Freshman at MSJ in 1969! We had entered a very unstable time in our history relating to just about every aspect of our society. The Vietnam war was raging, the Woodstock Music Festival occurred, as an unhinged concert replete with drugs, sexual freedom, open views, and youthful wild independence. In the following four years, we witnessed unprecedented racial unrest, inequality, the Aids epidemic, the competitive Space Race, and much more!
And interesting in that time period, our class, became a very influential class, that actually made more substantial changes and accomplished perhaps more "community" based programs, than any other class in the history of the school! I'm sure this will be debated! (See bullet points below.)
Dress Code
"Who needs dress pants and ties, we're hippies!"
Project Cleanup
Students engage in huge, "Spring City Cleanup".
Project Help
Helping the needy in times of need, Thanksgiving food boxes.
Smoking Room
A "nuclear type concrete bunker," built next to cafeteria.
Duo Program
Working remotely in the community, before it was popular!
Yup, many of us we were certified hippies, jocks, geeks, smart-alecks, and just plain smart people. We also had a good dose of all the "in-betweeners," who hung out with everyone. It was such a wonderful time of exploring, and experiencing life as teenagers! So many different personalities, and crazy times!
We were also fortunate to have had such incredible teachers to guide and steer us (somewhat!) along the way. I'm positive we all had our favorites, and "not so," favorites. Each one however, taught us certain life lessons that we probably carry with us, even today.
And yes, memories of all the dances, the music, the one act plays, the Minstrels, the parties, the laughs, the snake dances through the streets of Rutland before the BIG GAME, all the football and basketball games, and all the young love ordeals accompanying those wondrous teenage times!
We had the whole wild spectrum of life, floating all around us, and through us - and then, suddenly, we became seniors. And then it was senior week, and then graduation was just days away . . . And somehow fifty years managed to find its way along all of our respective paths in life!
And now we are most likely all asking the same proverbial question, where on earth did ALL that time go my friends?
But here we are, now getting ready to get together to celebrate our Golden Anniversary, our 50th Class Reunion!!! This is an exciting opportunity!
We will be meeting old friends, new friends, and talking of new ideas, and new endeavors, and retirement, and a slew of new stories, old stories, and tales about our kids, and even our grand-kids! Wow!!!
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Please, let's all make this, ONE BIG SHOW, cuz' it's certainly the BIG ONE!
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See Form below.