All Class Reunion
I am a Walsenburg High School graduate of the Class of 1964 and am helping to organize an All Class Reunion for Walsenburg for Sept. 5, 2009 at the Huerfano County Community Center.
Some of my classmates and I thought how much fun it would be to get together not only our WHS and SM Class of 1964 this year for our 45th reunion, but other classes before and after us. Many smaller communities do this quite successfully each year as an All Class Reunion.
We have formed an All Class Reunion Committee and while we are still working on some details, most of the basics are set up now.
Saturday the 5th of September the Huerfano County Community Center becomes REUNION CENTRAL for check-in, credentials pick-up and information. During the day local and regional artists will have booths with goods for show and sale while entertainers will roam through the crowds outside the Community Center in the parkway area. At 4:30 pm the Western BBQ begins.
At 6 pm the "Wildest of Walsenburg" photo show of classmates ′then′ and ′now′ will take place inside Reunion Central as well as class introductions and some special guests.
Around 8:30 pm music will be played by a DJ who will help us dance through the ages to a variety of music that will make you want to stay till the last dance!
By having the event on Saturday that leaves both Fri. the 4th and Sunday the 6th to become days for the individual classes to get together at locations of their choosing to have their own gatherings.
The majority of the RSVP’s will need to be done by early August, in order to make sure the event is well planned and organized. It won’t be open to the public. The use of a reunion website will help alleviate the need for mailings and phone calls. Since I am employed and can only work on this in my spare time it will help a lot to be able to log in on the website and then you can check the website regularly to see who among your classmates will attend. I realize not everyone is connected to the Internet, so my address and phone are listed below. Our other committee members are: Judy Sandoval Benine in Walsenburg, Gary Micheli, Phil and Sharon (Solomon) Valdez, Rosalie Vigna, Karen Vigil, and Carol Neeman Herman in Pueblo, Joe and Janice (Clair) Solomon in Castle Rock, Gay Faris in Denver, and Jeanette Mall in New York City. In addition, Joy Wyatt Bennett and Edi Thach Sheldon of the HCHS Class of 1959 are planning their 50th class reunion to coincide with this gathering.
It will be a fun, first time adventure and hopefully become a yearly event!
If you are interested please look at www.allwalsenburgreunion.myevents.com/ website. In addition if you would pass this along to class members or send me mailing lists I would appreciate it.
I look forward to seeing you all September 5th!
Paulette Laster Stuart, 1430 Carteret Ave
Pueblo, Colorado 81004
(719-544-2435
( Fridays and evenings)
jhmpstuart@comcast.net
Cleveland Clinton
The sad death of Re-1 music teacher Cleveland Clinton as reported by Gretchen Orr in last week’s paper has left a deep rift in the lives of his students who loved and respected him. His shoes will not be easily filled.
My association with Cleveland came through the Celtic Music Festival. He and I met numerous times throughout the year and a half he taught in Walsenburg and Gardner. Mainly, we brainstormed ideas of how to provide more musical opportunities for the students given the problems of tight school budgets and his own exceedingly heavy teaching schedule. Clinton played a major role behind the scenes in helping to design “A Day of Celtic Music” the festival provided John Mall High School students last September.
In my working relationship with Cleveland three occasions come to mind that demonstrate the merit of the man. In September of 2008 when Cleveland had only been teaching four weeks, I had an appointment to meet him at John Mall at the end of his last Thursday afternoon class. I arrived 20 minutes early and sat outside his open door to wait. The students were wholly absorbed in their work and obviously having a good time. Cleveland’s voice was too soft for me to catch his words, but the students heard him and were eagerly trying their best, some on instruments they had never played before. When the final bell rang I assumed the students would naturally bolt out the door, happy to start their weekend. But no. Some students continued practicing their instruments. Others gathered around Cleveland to talk about music. Finally, the kids began to leave, one or two at a time. At long last, 15 minutes later the last left, and only then after Cleveland said he had a meeting. In just the first month of school the music class had bonded into a working team. Very impressive.
On another occasion, I met Cleveland at Peakview School during morning break. We were sitting in an empty classroom when three little children passing, spotted Cleveland and came bursting in the open door. They ran up to their teacher chattering away and all three tried to hug this gentle giant whom they obviously adored. After he assured them he would see them later that day, they cheerfully scampered off and with final waves disappeared down the hall.
At the end of Cleveland’s first year he produced two school concerts. I attended the second one performed by John Mall students. The concert was performed with precision and decorum, the students presenting themselves with pride. The program was varied and challenging without over stretching their abilities. The concert was thoroughly enjoyable and very well received by an enthusiastic audience. Afterwards, I wanted to congratulate Cleveland for all that he had achieved in just his first year. But when I started to approach him, I realized his attention was totally focused on his students. He was congratulating each of them, and you could hear the warmth in his voice. This was their day– Cleveland and his musical team. Anything I could say would have been superfluous. I turned and went away happy for them all.
Barbara Yule
No more NIMBYs on wind
Dear fellow Huerfanos;
I’ve been surprised, recently, to hear many friends and colleagues taking rather nimby stances toward the up and coming wind farms. I think wind farms to be art forms; things of great beauty; take your breath away. I’ve been envisioning them a likely tourist attraction. Another case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, I guess. But I do believe the more we embrace this exciting event, the more influence we will have over the all important details. We can flow with it, or against it. If anyone is still in denial about just how dire the global climate change phenomenon has become, Owen and I recommend “Hot Flat and Crowded” by Thomas Friedmears.
We also need to work on S.I.E.A. for a more feasible policy about feeding back into the grid from photovotaics on our roofs.
It’ll all coming and I think it’s none too soon. Egads, let’s get enthusiastic.
Love you all,
Bertie Cookingham
Dump incumbents
"I told you so." I tried to warn everyone that Obama “wasn’t all that he seemed to be." Nobody believed me; and now, the very things that got the Democrats thrown out of office eight or nine years ago are the same things that they are shoving down our throats now. "Taxes, abolition of the second amendment, taxes, government furnished health care, taxes, gutting the military, taxes and more taxes.".
We can fight back but it will be difficult. First of all, we need to install a term limit on the U.S. House and Senate. Now they won’t want to pass a bill putting them out of their "cushy jobs" but if the voters adapt the policy of "dump the incumbents" I think they will get the message.
If we can keep this up for twenty to fifty years maybe they will get the idea that we are actually their boss and we don’t like the way they have been running the country. We don’t want career politicians sitting in office for years ignoring our wishes!
At the present time, I believe about 85% to 90% of the nation’s wealth is controlled by 10% of 15% of the wealthiest people in the country. The other 85% to 90% of the people control only 10% to 15% of the wealth. However, the richest people pay only 10% to 15% of the taxes due to enormous deductions and exemptions they can claim that the other 85% to 90% of the people don’t qualify for. I believe we should tax the wealth and not the people! Therefore, if all of the incomes over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars receive no deductions, no exemptions, with not exemptions! I believe our shortage of funds to finance government programs would vanish in a short while.
If you believe this would work, please clip it out, and mail it to your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives.
Jerry Price
