Hall of Fame Homecoming (Part 1)

October 5

And pictures are there to remind us so we never forget. ~ Unknown

High school classmate and long time friend Tom Kiehne of Austin, Texas came to town with his wife Pam for induction into the Alexandria Education Foundation Hall of Fame. While they were here we reintroduced them to the fun and excitement that is Vacationland USA . . .

October 3

[This had nothing to do with Homecoming or the Hall of Fame, simply the day after the hoopla of previous days events – Community Education movies at the Grand Arbor theater. I had the pleasure of hosting these lovely people, here under the auspices of their various parole officers, for “Capital in the 21st Century.” We met after the movie to discuss what we have just seen, or thought we had seen, and then went to dinner together at Longtrees . . . ]

September 27

Children want the same things we want. To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained, and delighted. ~ Dr. Seuss

[First night in town we took Tom & Pam to the Garden Bar for an evening with Tuesday Nightclub. They have been here, and when it was Sixth Avenue Wine & Ale, many times over the years . . . ]

[The usual suspects: Terry, Jim, and Bill . . . ]

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. ~ B.B. King

[And a surprise guest performer – Annie O’Flynn came to join the boys . . . ]

You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way! ~ Dr. Seuss

[Annie helped the give the scene the feel and sound of a Paris sidewalk cafe . . . ]

What I remember most about high school are the memories I created with my friends. ~ J.J. Watt

But there are advantages to being elected President. The day after I was elected, I had my high school grades classified Top Secret. ~ Ronald Reagan

No wonder the teacher knows so much; she has the book. ~ Edgar Watson Howe

[Tom with Anne Riggs, our high school French teacher and spouse to the evening’s trumpet player . . . ]

September 28

I have never been jealous. Not even when my dad finished fifth grade a year before I did. ~ Jeff Foxworthy

[An effort to keep the chronology going. Tom and Pam ate with us and the group at the golf club this night. But I forgot to take any photos. This photo from May 2022, including Tom & Pam, generally reflects the same idea . . . ]

September 29

Take your risks now. As you grow older, you become more fearful and less flexible. And I mean that literally. I hurt my knee this week on the treadmill, and it wasn’t even on. ~ Amy Poehler

[I’m 75. I wanted a stress test. It worked. I got stressed.]

I look nothing like this in real life. ~ Unknown

[Rancho Viejo was the venue for outside meal #3 with our guests . . . ]

[Tricolor burrito, good for several meals!]

I went to a high school reunion a couple years ago and realized that the kids who were the most unusual in high school are the ones who are the most interesting now and the ones who were popular are dull and boring. ~ Anderson Cooper

[Grin and bare it . . . ]

It’s not where you are in life, it’s who you have by your side that matters. ~ Unknown

[Oh, and we had breakfast at Trav’s. (I think it’s a city ordinance if you grew up here.)]

September 30

Education costs money, but then so does ignorance. ~ Claus Moser

In high school I got voted most likely to get voted for something. Even though I was the only one who voted, it still felt terrific being nominated. ~ Jarod Kintz

[OK, I will admit to nominating Lisa and Tom and would have proudly seconded Terry . . . ]

Most schools have a loud system of loud bells, which startle the students and teachers at regular intervals and remind them that time is passing even more slowly than it seems. ~ Lemony Snicket

Who dat?

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~ Chinese proverb

[Pam shows off “the room”!]

You can never be overdressed or overeducated. ~ Oscar Wilde

[Lookin’ good, Corliss and Dennis . . . ]

We learn 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss, 80% of what we experience, 95% of what we teach others. ~ William Glasser

[An honoree with a fellow Hall of Famer, our senior year high school principal Wayne Elton . . . ]

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. ~ Albert Einstein

[A fellow Boy of ’65, Greg, with his wife Linda visiting with Tom’s sister Jill . . . ]

You have to stay in school. You have to. You have to go to college. You have to get your degree. Because that’s the one thing people can’t take away from you is your education. And it is worth the investment. ~ Michelle Obama

If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. ~ Chinese proverb

[Kelli Minnerath, Executive Director, Alexandria Education Foundation . . . ]

Sign on a high school bulletin board in Dallas: Free every Monday through Friday: knowledge. Bring your own containers. ~ E.C. McKenzie

[The ATeam206 High School Pop Group . . . ]

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time. ~ Chinese proverb

If you’re on FB this is the video (I have no idea if it will work): https://www.facebook.com/100063756411760/videos/543205490905047/

If the Romans had been obliged to learn Latin, they would never have found time to conquer the world. ~ Heinrich Heine

[Kelli introduces Lisa . . . ]

Sometimes you just have to throw on a crown and remind them who they’re dealing with. ~ Marilyn Monroe

I was homecoming queen. I was star of my basketball team. ~ Marla Maples

[In her senior year, Alex’s girls golf team won the state tournament – by 40 strokes!]

[The swing that made Alexandria famous . . . ]

A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers. ~ Helen Keller

[As superintendent Terry oversaw the construction of Woodland Elementary School and Alexandria Area High School . . . ]

Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen. ~ Conan O’Brien

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ~ Nelson Mandela

The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. ~ Sydney J. Harris

[Pam reporting on behalf of the Kiehne table . . . ]

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. ~ Carl Sagan

[Kelli introduces Tom . . . ]

You know what they call the fellow who finishes last in his medical school graduating class? They call him ‘Doctor.’ ~ Abe Lemons

If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you. ~ Zig Ziglar

The only thing that could stop me from taking selfies is a photo of what I look like taking selfies. ~ Unknown

When people call you photogenic, they’re actually trying to tell you that you look uglier than your pics. ~ Ritu Ghatourey

What I remember most about junior homecoming was my date getting sick afterwards. That kinda sucked. Then, senior year, someone got gum in her hair when we were dancing. She had to get one of the chaperones to take her to the office and cut up her hair. I felt really bad for her, but it worked out fine. ~ James Lafferty

You are the dancing queen. ~ ABBA, “Dancing Queen”

[Class of ’71ers, Perry Dyke and Jim Hafdal . . . ]

I went to public school, elementary through high school. I went to homecoming, to football games, pep rallies, I got detention, I got an F. I’ve done it all. ~ Raven-Symone

We all learn by experience but some of us have to go to summer school. ~ Peter De Vries

[The Boys of ’65 . . . ]

First day of school! Wake up! Come on. First day of school. ~ Nemo from Finding Nemo

[Magically inducted into the HOF the same year as Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat . . . ]

[Photo by school photographer Jill Johnson . . . ]

And the Lord said unto John, “Come forth and you will receive eternal life.”

[Ruthie shares a joke with Linda and Greg . . . ]

But John came fifth, and won a toaster.

Standing on the corner watching all the girls go by . . . ~ Frank Loesser (The Four Lads)

[The Homecoming Parade begins at the fairgrounds, goes up 5th Avenue, and turns right onto Broadway (this photo), continues to 17th where it turns left to the college parking lot – I followed every step of the way, pausing along the way for air and candy . . . ]

As truth be told, homecoming never gets old. ~ Hlovate

If you’re not in the parade, you watch the parade. That’s life. ~ Mike Ditka

[Known to occasionally chaperone the Fat Boys Walking Club . . . ]

Leadership involves finding a parade and getting in front of it. ~ John Naisbitt

[The Hall of Fame inductees were the parade grand marshals, with Lisa leading the way . . . ]

I parade in next to no clothes every day. It’s hard not to compare yourself to other people, but I think everyone is different, and that is something we should be celebrating. ~ Cate Campbell

[Driver Colleen Boesen . . . ]

I guess I was one of the popular kids. I played soccer, I was class president – I even dated the homecoming queen. ~ Matthew Morrison

[Tom & Pam . . . ]

There is no answer to the Pythagorean theorem. Well, there is an answer, but by the time you figure it out, I got 40 points, 10 rebounds and then we’re planning for the parade. ~ Shaquille O’Neal

[Driver John Heydt . . . ]

You have brains in your head. you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. ~ Dr. Seuss

[Terry . . . ]

Personality-wise, I like to avoid putting my pride on parade. ~ Hidetaka Miyazaki

[Driver Sandy Susag . . . ]

Usually, homecoming themes are like, ‘A Night Under the Stars’ or ‘An Evening to Remember.’ Ours was simply, ‘Batman.’ ~ Mikey Day

[The Alexandria Cardinals varsity football team . . . ]

Before the Colts arrived in 1947 [I remind you the Boys of ’65 were born in 1947], the best athlete in town was a woman duckpin bowler named Toots Barger. Football? The biggest games in Baltimore had been when Johns Hopkins took on Susquehanna or Franklin & Marshall at homecoming. ~ Frank DeFord

Respect your parents. They passed school without Google. ~ Anonymous

Some of us are like a shovel brigade that follow a parade down Main Street cleaning up. ~ Donald T. Regan

Education can get you the only thing that really matters in today’s world—an assigned parking space. ~ Gene Perret

School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside. ~ Lon Watters

School bells are ringing loud and clear; vacation’s over, school is here. ~ Winifred C. Marshal

[The high school band . . . ]

School is a lot like toilet paper. You only miss it when it’s gone. ~ Anonymous

I never thought that I would share a hit parade with the Beatles. ~ Vera Lynn

I would enjoy school more if I was allowed to bring a pillow. ~ Unknown

[Boys soccer . . . ]

If you wait for inspiration you’ll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street. ~ Ben Nicholas

In my house, the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game have always been a grand tradition for ringing in the New Year. To serve as Grand Marshal is a dream come true and I look forward to sharing the celebration with all of the fans and viewers worldwide. ~ Paula Deen

Cinderella never asked for a prince. She asked for a night off and a dress. ~ Kiera Cass

[Notice I crossed the street . . . ]

My vision is one of celebrations and banquets, diplomas and banners, rings and parades. ~ John Calipari

[Volleyball team (taller than the boys basketball team of ’65) . . . ]

Without education, we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously. ~ G.K. Chesterton

In 1985 I graduated from Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and I was their first African American homecoming queen. You would have thought I won Miss America or Miss U.S.A. (wink), because of my excitement. ~ Cynthia Bailey

[The cross country team . . . ]

In 300 BC Euclid invented geometry, and the grade F. ~ Unknown

[Despite what the background sign says, this did not required a 10-minute change . . . ]

Actors do like watching girls parade down the runway for some reason. ~ Kate Moss

Owning a popular sports team is very different than any other type of business. They don’t throw parades when Apple has the biggest quarter in corporate history. ~ Mark Cuban

Lots of times you have to pretend to join a parade in which you’re not really interested in order to get where you’re going. ~ Christopher Morley

[The trail of worn out running shoes symbolizes the cross country team . . . ]

I can’t stop being in parades. I just love dancing on floats that move really slowly on the city streets in the early morning. ~ Chris Kattan

[The girls soccer team – their record is currently 12 – 1 with 10 shut outs . . . ]

Raining on parades requires no skill or effort on the part of a politician. ~ P. J. O’Rourke

In the subprime mortgage industry, bankers handed out iffy loans like candy at a parade because such loans meant revenue and, hence, bonuses for executives in the here-and-now. ~ Thomas Frank

[You may have wondered, or not, what people are picking up on the street – CANDY. Tossed by the various parade participants. I got one Tootsie Roll . . . ]

The library was one more essential in the parade of rooms in a big 18th-century house – and part of the required kit ever afterwards. The important thing was to have the books, not actually read them. ~ Peter York

[Swim & dive team . . . ]

It’s a nice town, but it’s aggressively quaint. They’ve got a popcorn shop above a waterfall and parades that come through town. It’s all-American. ~ Nick Robinson

[Girls tennis . . . ]

You really do have the license during fashion week to wear the things that you wouldn’t necessarily wear to dinner, because it really is a fashion parade. ~ Brad Goreski

[HOCKEY!!]

On the first day of school, you got to be real careful where you sit. You walk into the classroom and just plunk your stuff down on any old desk, and the next thing you know the teacher is saying, ‘I hope you all like where you’re sitting, because these are your permanent seats.’ ~ Jeff Kinney

An English teacher announced to the class: “There are two words I don’t allow in my class. One is gross and the other is cool.”
From the back of the room a voice called out, “Okay, so what are the words?”

Up Next: Part 2, the football game, the symphony, and other stuff!