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Steven Nielsen
I'm with you Gary, our next reunion should be for 1962 Grads exclusively. Not that I didn't have a few friends, (and probably some enemies too) in other Ben Lomond graduating classes, because like everyone I did...but there was something very special about our class of 1962; for one; many of us knew each other way back to old Mound Fort Jr. High and some of us further back to elementary school.
Another thing surrounding our class was the very atmosphere of the Era itself; the 60's! We drove and raced the coolest cars, listened to the best and widest variety of music: Rock, Jazz, Folk music (Kingston Trio), Ballads, new dance type, ie. the Twist, the Stroll, the Loca Motion etc. also spoken messages, remember Old Rivers? (Walter Brennan, and Alley Oop? Hollywood Argiles, etc.) - then there was Surfin', and oh yes the English invasion, also Romantic songs "Moon River" etc. ) You could even understand the words and dance to the stuff!
Looking back, another unspoken element that effected our class most positively was the fact that many of our teachers came from a solid LDS background, some teachers had even served a 3 year mission somewhere. Say what you will and be offended if you like, but we got as many lessons on personal conduct and world understanding as we did class curriculum; like from stodgy old Mr. Wangsgaard in geometry;"Now you kids just shut up and go to work! Also Don C. Campbell, my bishop and Auto Mechanics teacher: "Nielsen! are you still suckin' on those pacifiers?" Talk about wanting to crawl out of class... Also straight-laced and kindly ol' Mr. Jackson at Mound Fort; a man who shined like a lightbulb "If you kids will drink a glass of warm water every morning you'll clean out your innerds, and live longer! Yuk, but it just might work. - many of us learned to play soccer in elementry school taught by men who had served mission in Europe and the South American countries.
Sadly, during 1962, Viet Nam was lurking in the shadows, Sergeant Ibarra warned us repeatedly in ROTC, - White lightning and drugs were also sneaking in; I well remember Willie Daniels with a little box inked on his forearm with an arrow pointing, Dristan goes here. -- That said, to most of us Junkies were losers sleeping in the gutters of far away New York. And Porn? Luckily little or none existed. - Were we naive? Yes, thank God most of us were in fact naive to the filth now permeating schools throughout our dear United States of America.
We long for the good ol' days, but wash your ears out with this; "Better times lay ahead!' We may have to go through a little hell along the way (mainly because we're getting old, and we hurt) but life is good, this old earth is beautiful and freedom still abounds! Sure there are a number of jerks among us, lawbreakers, dictators and corrupt politicians the most damaging but most people are good, I truly believe that. God bless and keep you class of "62! Steve Nielsen
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FERRON!
