********** CLASS OF 1954 ***********

HOME - LATEST REUNION NEWS

 

Website Objective

To better communicate with members of the Class of 1954 prior to a class reunion and to use the site as a means of providing news and happenings of class members.

 

MAY 9, 2013

 

 Bill Bell "The Jazz Professor" returns to the River Music Experience!

Polyrhythms Third Sunday Jazz Series is scheduled for Sunday, May 19th, and features an all-ages workshop at 3 pm, followed by the matinee concert from 6-8 pm.  Admission to the workshop session is Free for Kids, $5 for adults.  General admission for the 6-8 pmConcert is $10 or $15 for reserved seats.  For ticket information, call Polyrhythms: 309 373-0790.  For more information, visit our website: www.polyrhythms.org.

Doors open at 5:30 pm.  Come experience jazz “live”,like it was meant to be enjoyed… Come and hear the hottest jazz in the Quad Cities.  Enjoy a set or stay for the whole show.  Experience the magic of the music at the Third Sunday Jazz Series; Sunday, May 19th, featuring Bill Bell, The Jazz Professor.

Some History of Bill's Career

 Bill Bell, jazz pianist, composer, arranger has earned the title "Jazz Professor" for completing over 30 years of successful University and College jazz teaching.  Accompanying Bell are the supremely accomplished Ron Wilson on acoustic bass and Manuel Lopez III on drums.

One of five pioneer musicians, of local origin, honored in the River Music Experience gallery, Bell began his long musical career in Watertown, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, and United Township High School.  A graduate of Augustana and University of Iowa Bell began his teaching career in Traylor, IA.  He later migrated to the Bay Area where he became chairman of the Jazz Department at Alameda State College in Oakland and taught jazz improv at U.C. Berkley as well as Stanford University.  Hundreds of his students occupy prominent positions in both jazz and pop fields.  Most notable are trumpeter John Faddis, pianist Benny Green, drummer Will Kennedy, pianist Michael Wolfe and Sheila E. 

Bell's performance career as a pianist is equally distinguished. He has toured as musical director and piano accompanist for legendary jazz singer Carmen McRae. He has also worked with Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Anita Oday, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls and the Supremes. His credits also include work with instrumentalists Milt Jackson, Kenny Burrell, Louie Bellson, Benny Carter, Art Farmer, and Clark Terry.

An inveterate swinger, Bell notably fortified his devotion to swing with the production of three stellar CD’s: “The Jazz Professor” in 1995, “Just Swing Baby” in 2001, and “The Feeling of Jazz” 2009 which featured "Blues Cause It’s Blues".  Bell, whose sterling musical career spans several decades as a teacher, composer and brilliant jazz pianist, says about this CD "...The Feeling of Jazz establishes the fact that BLUES lies at the foundation of JAZZ." He goes on to say, "There is some-thing magical about jazz...in all its various forms and the attempt here is to celebrate the close relationship in contrasting styles."

"The Jazz Professor has been a friend, confidant and inspiration to Polyrhythms Third Sunday Jazz Series” said Nate Lawrence, a Polyrhythms Director.  “Bill has always been a local hero and role model to kids because not only does he live and teach music, he teaches life.” 

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March 30, 2013 2013 QCA Gatherng in Arizona on March 3, 2013 - Update

 

The 2013 event turned out to be a smashing success.  There were approximately 40 people in attendance with 31 that graduated from the various high schools in the QCA area. 

There were seven representing the Class of 1954 - (Arline (Schneck) Stevenson, Sal Leibovitz, Sunny (Swanson) Wandro, Larry/Kay (Slover) Nelson, Judy (Kincaid) Carmichael and Jessie (Gray) Boyd. 

In addition, there were nine others in attendence that graduated from UTHS that might be remembered by some of you, as they graduated in our era - Bill Carmichael, Tom Glatter, Al Kipp, Jack/Sandy (Wadsager) Kincaid and Joline (Roeschman) Jarpe.

 The event will continue next year, however, I will not be involved in it, as we have sold our place in AZ and will staying home in IL year around (Yuk, dread the cold/snowy weather). It certainly has been fun being a part of the events over the past 15 years and will miss seeing everyone, but will take with me some real nice memories!

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2013 QCA Area Schools Alumni & Staff Gathering in Arizona

The annual gathering in Arizona of alumni & staff members from all of Quad Cities area high schools has been tentatively set again be held at the Pizza Pit in Mesa, AZ on March 3, 2013 at 1 p.m.  Further details will be posted at a later date.   If you are going to be in the Phoeniz area at that time, you might want to mark the event on your calendar.   It is always a fun time!

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2012 QCA AREA SCHOOLS ALUMNI & STAFF IN Arizona

The annual gathering in Arizona was held March 4, 2012 at the Pizza Pit in Mesa, AZ.  There was a change made this year and it now has been expanded to include alumni and staff members from all of Quad Cities area high schools.  There were approximately 50 people from the various high schools and just six from the class of 1954 (Judy Carmichael, Sal Leibovitz, Rod Sohrbeck, Myself, Kay and Larry Nelson) that were in attendance.  Others who attended spanned alumni and/or staff from the years 1942 to 1980's.  It gave us a chance to meet and greet other QCA people that either live or winter in AZ at the time of our event. I believe it work out fairly well.

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The UTHS Alumni gathering in Arizona is in the planning stages and will be held on March 4th, 2012  at 2:00 p.m.   Again this year, it is going to held at the Pizza Pit in Mesa, AZ.  If any UTHS graduates are in the area that day, they are most certainly welcome to join the group.  For further information, you can reach Jessie Boyd via email at jessieb1954@yahoo.com.

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UTHS Alumni gathering in Arizona on March 6th, 2011

This year's event was held on Sunday, March 6th, 2011 at the Pizza Pit restaurant in Mesa.  The Pizza Pit is an off-shoot of Harris Pizza in Rock Island, IL.   Two fellows from the QCA came to Arizona last year and set up the business and decorated it with pictures and memorabilia brought from the QCA.   Two Sundays each month they have "QCA Day" in an effort to get visitors/residents in AZ to meet other QCA people and enjoy a taste of "back home".  This year, we had approximately 32 graduates of UTHS (Years 1942 to 1985) and their spouses for a total of 42 in attendance.   Pretty much filled up the place!  The Class of 1954 was represented by seven graduates (Jessie Boyd, Larry/Kay Nelson, Sal Leibovitz, Sunny (Swanson) Wandro, Rod Sohrbeck and Arline (Schneck) Stevenson.   It was an enjoyable afternoon. 
Next year's event will take place on March 4th, 2012.

 

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The 55th Year Class Reunion

September 29, 2009

News About The 55th Year Reunion Held September 17 & 18, 2009

The evening began at in Fargo South Hall at Sam’s Bowling Alley in Moline, IL. The hall was decorated with a banner announcing the 55th reunion, fall mums and touches of orange and black. Check in began at 4 p.m. for an extended social time so that people who did not wish to partake in the buffet dinner could at least come to talk and reminisce with class members. A small number of people chose to just attend the social time, but the committee was pleased that they did at least show some interest in the events. At 6:30 p.m. a minute of silence was observed in memory of the class members who have passed away followed by the invocation delivered by Doris (Homan) Park.   A buffet dinner catered by Colonel Bridges' Restaurant of Princeton, IA. seemed to be well received by those in attendance. After the dinner, Ardy McIntosh presented a short program at which time he acknowledged the committee, had the group sing the school song, and took a show of hands of those favoring the time of year in which the reunion was held. The group seemed to be pleased about the casualness of the reunion and approved of the time of year it was held.

Other facts regarding the reunion:

Delores (Smet) DuPrey and Janice (Murphy) Neels displayed a beautiful tribute to the deceased members of the class. It included a poster with white clouds scattered on the blue sky and the clouds included the class members’ names and also a poem dedicated to those listed.  Then on a stand beside the poster was a vase that included one red rose (our class flower), a white dove and a blue (our class color) candle on a white stand.  It was a beautiful and touching tribute!.

Joe Vinzant, Rex Taylor, Keith Vollrath did a excellent job of setting up a display of various memorabilia of school photos, school newspapers and/or literary booklets, group pictures of previous reunions, and booklets published for all of the previous reunions.

In attendance on Friday evening were 54 class members, 3 teachers, and 28 spouses.  On Saturday, approximately 50 met for brunch. 

   
There were a number of class members who were in attendance that had never attended a reunion previously and several who hadn’t been there for a number of the reunions.

In attendance were 18 that traveled quite a distance to attend the reunion.  They were from California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma,Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.

I would like to note and several people will vouch for this, including Joe DeGraeve, that if you want to get served promptly, don’t sit at the same table as Jessie Boyd.  On Friday, the people I sat with were the 3rd from the last to be served.  Then on Saturday, the table where I sat was the last to be served.  Joe acted like he was famished by time he got his food and I took a lot of guff from him.  That won't happen again though because Joe is in receipt of a gift card to purchase a sack lunch just in case he gets stuck at my table again. 

Now the events of the 55th reunion are pleasant memories for most, if not all, that attended.  Hopefully, we all will be here to celebrate the 60th Reunion in 2014 and even more will consider attending.

P.S:  One of the class members at the reunion advised that there three other people who should be added to the list of the deceased. They are Larry Anderson, Gilbert Schmitt and Betty Sowers.    

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September 10, 2009

 

Activities of the Reunion Committee:

Most reunion committee members are finishing up their respective duties in their efforts to make the upcoming reunion enjoyable for all those attending the event(s).  The numbers are down somewhat from previous reunions, but guess it is somewhat understandable as we all get older.  However, the committee continues to enjoy seeing those that return again and those who attend for the first time or those who haven't attended for a number of years.  Next week will be a busy week with last minute preparations.  A follow-up will be posted after the conclusion of this, our 55th year reunion.

 

News article which appeared in the Dispatch on Aug. 28, 2009

 

Last Committee Meetings

 

The committee met again on July 20th.   Plans seem to progressing as they should.  Now it is the waiting game to see who of you will be attending.  Thus far, there has not to many returning their reservation forms.  Come on, we want you all to return the form and make the committee happy with a great number of the class members participating in the two events.   The sooner you get your reservations to Dorothy, the better the committee will feel.   A lot of work goes into the prepartions for the reunions and we want our efforts to pay off.

 

The reunion committee met on June 15th, 2009 and readied the second mailing for the 55th year reunion.  This mailing contains all the details for the events to take place on September 18 and 19th, 2009.   This mailing should be in your mailbox in the next few days.   It is hoped that you will be attending and prompt return of your reservation(s) will ease further planning for the committee.

 

May 18th, 2009 was the latest gathering of the Reunion Committee.   The second letter and reservation form were approved for mailing which will occur on or about June 15th. 

A synopsis of the letter includes the following information:

 

"On Friday, September 18th at Highland Park Bowl, the evening will begin at 4:00  to 6:00 p.m. with a mixer/social time.  The mixer/social time will be open to anyone whether or not plans are to stay for the dinner.  However, we do encourage everyone to participate in both!  A buffet dinner (cost $20.00 per person which will include a class directory per couple or single reservation) with be served at 6:30 p.m. 

 

On Saturday, September 19th at 9:30 a.m. a breakfast/brunch is planned at The Windmill Restaurant.   Each person will order off the menu and will be responsible for their own bill and gratuity.

 

A Class of 1954 directory will be published and will be available for purchase by those not attending the event at a cost $5.00.

Please circle the dates of September 18th and 19th on the calendar .  Neither of the two events requires formal attire, in fact, very casual dress is preferred.

 

Deadline date for reservations has been set for Monday, August 24th, 2009.  Prompt return of the reservation form will be appreciated and will make the committee's work easier "

 Be on lookout for the second mailing in your mailbox shortly after June 15, 2009.

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On April 20, 2009, the reunion committee met to discussed further plans for the two events in celebration of the 55th year reunion.   It is planned that the final letter and reservation form will be mailed out the first part of June.   Hopefully, everyone who received the first letter have the dates on their calendar!

 Several of the first letters which were mailed out were returned for one reason or another.   Following is a list names of classmates that the whereabouts are unknown.   If you can possibly furnish us any information regarding these people, please forward the information to Jessie Boyd at jessieb1954@yahoo.com or Judy Carmichael at jbcar@qconline.com .

Need information on:  Janel (Butler) Pittman, Charlotte (Fraikes) McCullough, Patricia (Miller) Sels, Jackie (Kelso) Draper, David Hagerman, Donna (Havens) Russell, Wilma (Williams) Haynie, Peggy (Merideth) Hollitz, George Poelvoorde, David Ruark, Forrest Smith, Carol (McCorkel) Thompson, Rosemary (Wise) Hassel.

 There are still many others that have been unlocated over the years and you can find those names on this website by returning to the "Home" page and clicking on "4-Unlocated Members.  Please take a scan through them and see if you have any information on them that you can provide.

Your help will be very much appreciated!

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By this time, you should be in receipt of the first mailing regarding the 55th reunion of the Class of 1954 to be held September 18 and 19, 2009.  Quoted below is the information included in the first mailing:

 "Our 55-YEAR REUNION will be held on Friday night, September 18,, 2009, at Sam's Highland Park Bowl in Moline (on Avenue of the Cities). The evening will be a CASUAL event of snacks, dinner, program and plenty of time for conversation. Then, on Saturday morning the 19th, we will gather for breakfast and more time to visit at THE WINDMILL RESTAURANT in East Moline (Avenue of the Cities). Details on times, cost, reservations, etc. will be sent out in late spring.

If you don't know them, be sure to make yourself familiar with the words of the Fight Song (they appear in the last reunion's directory).  Undoubtedly, we will sing it again."
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Postscript

You need only to have been a member of the UTHS Class of 1954 at some time during your high school career (not necessary that you graduated with the class) to be a part of the reunions.  If you would like to attend and do not get information, please e-mail your request to jessieb1954@yahoo.com.

Reunion in Arizona

If you happen to winter in the Phoenix, Arizona area, there is another reunion held on the first Sunday in March. This reunion is open to all U.T.H.S. Alumni and Staff Members. The upcoming winter's gathering will be held on March 7, 2010.

This event began in 1998 with five members of the Class of 1954 having lunch together and had expanded as people had heard about the class members' get together and called to inquiry if they could join the group.

In 2009, we lacked a place to hold the reunion and there seemed to be a lack of interest of UTers, other than those in the Class of 1954.  Therefore, a group (mostly from the Class of 1954) met at a restaurant in Phoenix.

If we are going to have an "All UTers" gathering in 2010, we need suggestions as to where to hold the event.  We would need a place that would accommodate between 20-40 people.  Anyone with any ideas, please get in touch with Jessie Boyd (e-mail address listed below) shortly after the first of January 2010.  We want the event planning to be easy and hosting to be simple.  In the previous years everyone brought their own beverage and a hor d'oeuvre to pass.  If no interest is shown, we will go with last year's format.

So, if you are in the Phoenix area on the first Sunday in March 2010 and would like to be part of a UTHS gathering, you can get in touch with Jessie (Gray) Boyd and you will be advised as to the plans.  Jessie's e-mail address:  jessieb1954@yahoo.com . 

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Feel free to send the link to this website to your family and friends.  Possibly they will know the whereabouts of some of the unlocated class members (go to "Home" Page and click on "4-Unlocated Members").