Graduation 40 years ago

I applaud those of you who just got your diplomas. You are now beginning a new chapter in your lives. It was 40 years ago last week that I along with 40 something of the best friends I ever had graduated from Tallapoosa High School. If memory serves me correctly we were the last class to have Tallapoosa High School on our diplomas. The week we graduated "Midnight Cowboy" with Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight was released. Mr. Voight went on to fame by being the father of Angelina Jole. Two days before our graduation on May 29, 1969, Walt Disney World began construction in the middle of orange groves in central Florida and a couple of years later taught us how to stand in long lines and buy things with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on it. Speaking of that, about 4 years ago I got to meet the long time voice of Mickey Mouse while doing a broadcast from Disney World. He passed away several days back. He was married for 20 years to the actual voice of Minnie Mouse. They were a delightful couple. I could see the genuine love they had for each other. Two days after we graduated "Gitarzan" by Ray Stevens peaked in the top ten of the music charts and John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded "Give Peace A Chance". On the 31st of May, 1969, Stevie Wonder released "My Cherie Amour". Friends think I am strange by my memory of things revolving around music. My love for music began when Rod Ferguson was Tallapoosa High's band director. In the 5th grade he signed up a number of us kids. Fay and Kay Allen, Melissa Smith, Beleta Smith, Claire Allen, Teresa Walton, and Jan Wood. I lived for 6th period when we had band practice. I remember most of my band directors after Mr. Ferguson. Jimmy Couch, Bill Brown, Bob Ward, and Larry Culpepper were terrific at music education. With what I learned in band, I could make my living as a drummer if I had to. I keep a set of Ringo Starr Ludwig Drums in the basement to keep up my chops because I just might have to drum for a living, you never know. Grad uation from high school 40 years ago was thrilling as Dr. Wilson Freeman, our county school superintendent handed my my diploma to the hoops, hollers, and jeers of some of those in attendance. I was so happy. We had accomplished something no one could ever take away from us. The next day several of us went to Atlanta to the old Grant Park Zoo, now Zoo Atlanta. We saw Willie B the star silverback gorilla of all time. We toured the Cyclorama next door to the zoo. That day we also saw a Russ Meyer film called "Vixen" at the Buckhead Art Cinema. There wasn't any art in the Buckhead Art Cinema. It was kind of "nature" film. We all agreed there was some "wild life" going on in the movie. I didn't tell my grandmother and mother about that part of our trip. Graduation also meant going to work and save as much up for the upcoming challenge of college. I went to LSU, Little Southern Union. The memory of Mr. Wes Littlefield, Rev. Howard Brooks, and Jess Newman handing me that Star Foundation check and telling me not to let them down will always be remembered. If you are reading this and just graduated from high school, or perhaps you finished high school 10 or even 25 or 30 years ago I would like to recommend you take advantage of what is offered in your backyard. A higher education is possible via my college alma mater the University of West Georgia and also ample opportunities are waiting for you at West Central Technical College. Sign up, get involved in your own success. It is never too late to do it. Monday, June 2nd will mark the 35 year anniversary of Scotty McClain and I graduating from West Georgia. Scotty and I graduated kindergarten, elementary school, high school and college together. I am extremely proud of his dedication to our town through his decades of work in public service. 30 years later I went to graduate school and now I am living a dream come true as a college teacher. I want all of you to know it is never to late to move up the ladder. Education certainly doesn't guarantee success but it stacks the odds in your favor. The Nike folks have a slogan that should apply to our lives, "Just Do It".

Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native and a member of administrative faculty at Kennesaw State University. He can be reached via email at rhubarbjones@aol.com or by writing P.O. Box 1001, Tallapoosa, GA, 30176.