Making the Rounds: Class of 1978

One of the highlights of the year for me, will certainly be my high school class's 30th reunion, which took place last weekend, in Dexter.

I only spent half of my public school years in Dexter. We moved here during the summer between 5th and 6th grade. I had spent kindergarten thru 5th grade, at Autumn Lane Elementary School, in Greece, New York (a suburb of Rochester). The family had moved to Rochester when I was about three years old. I loved, and still love, Rochester. It was "The Wonder Years" for me. Truly formative, magical, and highly influential to my early development, Rochester and Autumn Lane will always be, in many ways, my Home Town.

But the equally critical years, from 6th grade through high school graduation, took place in Dexter Community Schools, in Dexter, Michigan. At the time, it was still primarily a farming community. But here was where I became a full-fledged band student and devotee, thanks to Gerald Woolfolk, our band director and still one of the most important influences in my life.

Here, I lettered in Cross Country and track, learned to drive, went to dances and proms, made the typical teenage mistakes but experienced the inevitable soaring highs that happen in the teen years.

I cannot describe the feeling of connectedness I felt, when reuniting with my high school classmates. Over 100 members of our 160-plus graduating class showed up. Everybody looked like themselves, but older. We laughed as though we were still teenagers, recalled our crazy antics and discussed our careers and families.

Some have already had serious health scares like heart attacks and bouts with cancer. Our parents are aging and increasingly in need of care. Our children are in college. Some of us are grandparents. Six of our classmates have already left this world.

High School reunions are special events, where the old cliques are gone, and everybody is thrilled to see everybody. Our classmates have a unique bond - they have gone through, with us, what nobody else ever will. My high school classmates know me in some ways, better than anybody else ever will or could.

The summer before we entered high school, President Nixon resigned. But also that summer, Dexter celebrated its Sesquicentennial (150 years), and we all participated to some degree, in it. During our freshman year, Saigon fell. In our sophomore year, Jimmy Carter came from out of nowehere to win the Democratic nomination for the Presidency. The summer between our sophomore and junior years, the US celebrated its 200th anniversary. Bruce Jenner was a hero at the Summer Olympics.

During our junior year, we all became drivers. Jimmy Carter became President. We lost some friends from the Class of 1977: one to cancer, one to a tragic automobile accident. I and about six of my classmates attended Wolverine Boys State in the month following our Junior Year. Gerald Woolfolk took over the band program, and at our final band camp, in July of 1977, the legend that is now "The Pride of Dexter" began.

As Seniors, the world rejoiced at the Camp David Accords. We made our college applications and made plans to go to college, enter the military, or go to work. Our senior year was the best year in high school (for me, anyway). We parted in June of 1978, assuring each other that we would stay in touch.

For most of my classmates, the next time I would see any of them, was last weekend.

The DHS Class of 1978 has not had a good record when it comes to reunions. We only had a 10th, and then a 15th. I only made the 10th. But we made up for it, by holding our reunion during Homecoming weekend in Dexter, and by having such an outstanding turnout.

I never realized how much I love my Dexter classmates, until now. I am connected to them as I am to no one else.

To anyone reading this - if you have misgivings about attending a high school reunion, let me assure you that those feelings are natural. But please do not put off seeing your high school friends. You may be surprised at how happy you are to see them!