It's March 8th, 1978 and the students of Paul Blazer High School have had enough. How dare the school board decide to extend our school year by adding make-up snow days to the end of the year, keeping us here until June 16th. This will NOT be tolerated!!!!!

So a plan was in motion……… Over 300 students walked out of 4th period class (just after lunch) in protest. We gathered first around the flag pole in front of the gym. I do believe I remember a pair of jeans being run up the flagpole. After about an hour, in fear we were not being heard, we headed down to the Superindent’s Office at the old Coles Junior High building making our statement directly with the administration.

In the end a compromise was reached. The length of our school day was extended instead of our school year. We made the newspaper, we made history and we made our point!!!

So, where we you during our famous “WALK-OUT”?

Post your story and share those fun memories with the class.

Right in the middle of it of course. Remeber the cops coming down to the main office with buses to cart us off. Glad they changed their mind. They would of had to catch us anyway, so wasn't worried.

Ok, I started this so here is my story. That year the Kittens were State bound and Coach Meyers got to each of the girls and instructed us that we were NOT to leave the campus. Now this was a woman who had the ability to make me run unlimited laps around the gym floor so what she said mattered.

So when the bell rang I reluctantly headed to my 4th period class, of all things, Ms. Virginia Jayne (English). Now what transpired next I never did forgot.

First she locked the door when the bell rang. Only Lisa Ferguson showed up late and I can still see Lisa’s face as she knocked on the door and looked inside while Ms. Jayne just ignored her.

There were only about 5 of us in the room and I remember that Chip Booth was there too. Next Ms. Jayne had us all take out a blank sheet of paper and she proceeded to give us a pop quiz of 5 of the easiest questions I had ever answered. This quiz could not be made up. The rest of the time we just talked about what was happening outside. I really thought she was going to faint when the jeans went up the flag pole, she could see it from her classroom.

So my fellow classmates, while many of you went off and had an adventure to remember, I was sitting in a Poetry class wishing I was with you.

Jill, I missed it too, I was home with the flu.

Jill- I was supposed to be in Virginia Jayne's class but somehow found the courage to walk past her in the hallway. That's when she called me riff-raff. I have to also add that I ran in to both Jayne sisters about 2 years ago at a concert at Paramount, they looked EXACTLY the same as 30 years ago. I even brown nosed then as much as I could by asking her what her beauty routine is. Of course, she was flattered. I think she forgives me now. So... who was the instigator of this memorable event??

My mother was working at the Central office in Boyd County. She saw it on the news, she prayed that I was not involved in
the walkout, but I was with Lisa Hall right in the middle. We had missed Coach Force's class, so the next day he took us one by one into a room and acted like he gave us licks. He was hitting his shoe the whole time.

I don't remember whose class I was supposed to be in but I think it was Rooster Cogburn's and was surprised when I went back to class that not everyone had walked out. I thought everyone was doing it. But was glad I participated as a student voice.
Now I don't mean to start rumors about who got the event organized but has anyone considered that there were several teachers who had kids at Blazer at the time.

I was in Mrs Gardner's class and when it started she told all of to walk out. For we needed to take a stand. So we did.

Neyer...I dont' remember his first name, but he is the one I remember starting the whole walk out thing. I was one of the ones who made it down to Central Office, saw the police and thought, "my mom is going to kill me."...she never knew.

It was Steve Neyer, class of 1978. I went to their reunion last summer and a bunch of us, including Steve, discussed it.

i was in ted kinners class! he was almost unable to speak!
Jill, that reminded me of going to the state tourney to watch the kittens!!! were those games played at eastern?? great time!

I can't remember what class I was in,but I remember trying to decide should we go,should we stay.I went,it was an excuse to get out of school and raise some hell.Didn't they threaten the we wouldn't graduate if we didn't go back to class

I remember walking out of class but not sure what class it was. I do remember several teachers encouraging to walk out and that was a shock. They didn't want to stay in school any longer than we did.

I thought some pictures might help some of you remember this day and whether you did, or did not, participate. So take a short walk down memory lane, and then fess up........


I do believe I see Mark Mason on the far left, you know there was no way Mark would have missed this big event.


The crowd is building.....


Here we are, a force to be reckoned with.....


And last an artist rendering by our talented classmate Tom Patrick, notice the flagpole. We now know the jeans up the flagpole were courtesy of our very own Tom Mansfield, see his profile for the full confession.