Class of '73 History by David Bullock

“Headline News”- Provo High School, summer of 1972-Graduation, May of 1973

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…” The famous quote may apply to all senior years, throughout all high schools throughout the country and the world.  Maybe.  Let’s start at the beginning:

1912      Provo High School was established

1921       Graduated its first students

1956       Constructed and occupied the buildings on University Avenue

(Boring!  Oh, come on, you’ll love it)

Fast forward to Summer of 1972.  Was it the best?  Or worst?  You decide.  (Our apologies, in advance, to Mrs. Nelson and Miss Gamette of the English Department for our overuse of .?,!;(“ :)-…’s and, Ray Jones, for obvious reasons

June       Provo High School Delegates attend both Boys and Girls State.  Seriously? ‘boys and girls’? What, were we eight years old? Hey, it was a different time.  ‘Different’, alright.

June 29   United States Supreme Court in 5-4 decision declares ‘Death Penalty’ Unconstitutional (Furman v. Georgia), concluding it was “cruel and unusual” punishment, as well as, its application was “arbitrary and capricious”.  But, in 1976, SCOTUS reversed itself and wrote, “Oops! Our bad… never mind” (Gregg v Georgia).  Did they really say that?  Yea, that’s what they said…  Idiot!)  In the spirit of Paul Harvey; In 1977, as a result of the reversal, a scumbag became the first in ten years to face the death penalty in the U.S. after a trial and conviction in Provo.  A Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Executioners’ Song”, by Norman Mailer depicting the execution soon followed (1979) and the movie, by the same name was released in 1982.  (Name of the scumbag is deliberately omitted.  Instead, we should remember Max Jensen (24), an Orem gas station attendant and Bennie J Bushnell (26), a Provo motel manager who were senselessly murdered in the summer of 1976.  ‘Now you know the rest of the story’

July 3     President Joseph Fielding Smith dies.  (Hey, it’s Utah)

July 12   Democratic National Convention nominates McGovern/Eagleton to presidential ticket.  Two weeks later, Shriver replaces Eagleton due to scandal surrounding his ‘mental health’.  (Over the years you would have thought that would have been a more common scenario, i.e., scandals questioning politician’s mental health? Am I right? Testify!

July 27   Provo City holds its annual Sidewalk Bazaar.  Swank stores like J C Penney Co.  (Headquartered in Salt Lake City from 1909-1913, by the way) and, W T Grant and Woolworth's (among others) vied for the “back to school” shopper. Lions Club’s sponsored breakfast held in the park, located at the corner of Center Street and University Ave.  I can smell the butter and pancakes on the grill.  Man, I’m hungry!

July 30   Carolyn Shipman dies.  We are all better for having known her.

Aug 23   President Nixon Receives Presidential Nomination from Republican National Convention with Vice President Agnew.  (Agnew:  sounds like something you would say after smelling something nasty.  You are such a child.)

Aug 23   Members of the Junior Mint Club hold an emergency meeting to officially change the name to the JMC’s, to avoid the obvious.  Oh, not so obvious?  They are ‘seniors’ now, not ‘juniors’!

Aug 24   Provo High School begins classes for the new school year.  Yeah!                                             

Aug 28   Start of “Hi” Week.  It’s ‘hi’…not,‘high’.  Provo beats Ogden 19-17 in football opener under new head coach Bry Lake.  The long hard slog to the Utah State Championship game begins.  Spoiler Alert!

              Hey, did you hear what happened in ‘D’ Wing today?  Get Out! That’s just a ‘conspiracy theory’.  Dude, ‘D’ Wing is the conspiracy theory!                                                                                                                              

Aug 31   Bobby Fischer (yes, that’s how you spell his last name) Beats Boris Spassky (yes, I laughed too when I heard his last name for the first time) to Win the World Chess Championship.  (Nobody cares about chess anymore, since the IBM computer ‘Deep Blue’ started beating everyone.  Clever name)

Sept 5    Palestinians Kill Israeli Athletes at Olympics in Munich, Germany.  Side note:  Under heavy world criticism the German government released the only assailants taken alive (3), in a hostage swap just days after the assault.  On a lighter note:  Mark Spitz Wins Seven (7) Olympic Gold Medals in Swimming later in the month.  All of them in record time.    

Sept 11   Homecoming Week begins.  First ever, Mr. Ugly contest coincides with the election of Homecoming Queen.  Winner was determined by the number of pennies collected by the individuals who wanted to win.  (Mr. Ugly, not Homecoming Queen)  As a prize, the winner got a date with the Homecoming Queen.  A big surpri(z)e to ‘her’.  (Our apologies to the LGBTQ+ community)  Also, the traditional “bonfires” were not allowed due to the administration concluding they were “too dangerous”.  Yea, but, come on!  It was a tradition!! That just creams my corn!!!          

Sept 14   Provo High School has nine (9) National Merit Semifinalists, the most ever and, all boys.  (so much for the talk of a U. S. Constitution ERA!  A sexist would say

Oct 3      U.S. and Soviet Union (USSR) sign Nuclear Arms Treaty.  (Aren’t we all glad they went back to calling themselves just Russia?  It’s so much easier

Oct 10   Drama department opens the play, “Enter Laughing”.  A title like that creates unnecessary pressure to be funny when you ‘exit’.  LOL!  Lots of love?  No, the other one.

              I feel like ‘Mexican’ tonight.  El Azteca here we come.   You made reservations, right?  Do we need reservations?  And, dude, don’t tell my mother I like refried beans.  Hey, that’s “cultural appropriation”.  What?  Never mind.

Oct 20    Classes are Let Out at Noon Due to Utah Deer Hunting Season.  Oh, that tradition you keep?! And they have guns!  That doesn’t sound ‘dangerous’, at all.  (Sarcasm?)

Nov 8     Nixon/Agnew Wins Landslide Presidential Election.  An interesting anecdote:  On October 10, 1973 Agnew resigns due to charges of tax evasion and other felonies.  He was replaced by Gerald Ford.  On August 9, 1974, Nixon resigns.  Ford becomes President and Rockefeller becomes Vice President.  First time in U.S. history both President and Vice President were not elected by the voters.  You don’t say?

Nov 17    Provo High School Plays for Utah State High School Football Championship.  Yeah! Oh…yea, Provo loses a close one to Kearns 14-7.  That was the ‘worst of times’.  (place ‘tear’ emoji here.  Oh, that’s right, that wasn’t available until 2010)

                Oh ‘flip’!  I’m going to the Rocky Mountain Drive-In to console myself with Ironport and fry sauce.  (Sorry for the expletive)

Nov 24    Five Provo High School Seniors Selected to Utah’s All State Football Team.  Coach Bry Lake was selected Coach of the Year.  FYI, Coach Lake resigned as coach at the end of that school year and joined the Marine Corp.  After a short stint he returned to his hometown of Eugene, Oregon, where he taught and coached at Willamette High School.  His career and teaching kids spanned 50 years.  He died in 2021 at the age of 78.

 Nov 26    First Honor Roll lists 13 Straight ‘A‘ Senior Students.  (And, a bunch more that were so close)

                Can you believe the price for a gallon of gas?  I know, just a few months ago it was 37.9 cents.  Now, its 38.9 cents!  Loan me two dollars.  No!  Please, I gotta fill it up.  No, I don’t have two dollars.  You’re pathetic.  I know.  By the way, what’s the deal with the .9?  Don’ worry about it, I hear they’re going to get rid of it.

Dec 13   Apollo ‘17’ Lands on the Moon.  Wow! How many Apollo missions were there? Good Question.  Answer.  17.  But, two were failures and missions 18-20 were cancelled.

Dec 24   Provo High School “Home Rooms” Collect and Distribute Food and Toys to needy families in the Provo area through the Subs for Santa program.  Again, thanks to all for your time and compassion!

Dec 26   President Harry S. Truman dies.  (He really understood the concept of ‘fake news’…”Dewey Wins!, comes to mind)

             Hey, I bet I can ‘snarf’ this whole plate of jello.  Say what? What are you going to do?  (pause) Oh, that was awesome!  Let me try.  (Myth or Legend?)                                                                                                       

Jan 5      Three Provo High School Senior Girls were Selected as Utah State Junior Miss Finalists.  (There’s the ERA…, or not.  A muggle would say)

Jan 10    Provo High School Selects their 12 Sterling Scholar Representatives.  Ooooh Awww, ‘s t e r l I n g’

Jan 11    Nixon Removes Mandatory U. S. Wage and Price Controls, (most economists, then and now, say the controls never really worked) and 6.6% Inflation Rate is at a 22 Year High. (In 2023, many make comparisons to the early 70’s inflation rate)  Utah’s Governor Rampton is “Upset” the controls are being removed.  (Typical Democrat, a partisan would say) He also Recommends the Legislature Ratify the 27^th Amendment, at the time, known as the ERA (do I have to spell it out?  Equal Rights Amendment, happy?), and, State Funding for a Mass Transit System.  The former didn’t happen but the later did.

             Let’s get some pepper steak sandwiches from the Italian Place.  No!.., heartburn, man.  Oh, don’t worry I brought saltine crackers.  That’s for stomach ulcers.  Same thing.  No, it’s Not.  Come on, we’ll eat them while we ‘drag’ Center Street.  This time, don’t turn on the windshield wipers; it wasn’t funny.  (Again, our apologies to the LGBTQ+ community)

Jan 14    Super Bowl VII (that’s 7 for those that don’t speak Roman) Miami Dolphins defeat Washington Redskins (Oops!  My bad…, Commanders.  Well, that’ll take a few years) 14-7, completing first, and only, NFL perfect season.  And, for those that don’t care about football, Elvis Presley’s concert in Hawaii was watched by over a billion people worldwide

Jan 22    Provo High School Drama Department Opens Shakespeare’s “A Winter’s Tale”.   Only high school drama department in the state, or even the country, that presents at least four plays a school year that includes at least one Broadway Musical and, one from Shakespeare.  (A person, who THINKS he’s correct, would say)

Jan 23    Roe v. Wade Decision by U. S. Supreme Court Guarantees Abortion Rights to “Birthing People”  (Spoiler Alert!)  At the time, did you know Utah only allowed abortions if the mother’s life was at stake?  Oh, and continuing the death theme, LBJ Dies.  (One of three U. S. Presidents to be affectionately remembered using the first letters from their full names.  Can you name the other two?  …Sorry, HHH, was a Vice President, try again)

Jan 28    Vietnam War Ends!  Well, kind of.  Paris Peace Talks have some issues with some more idiomatic fits and starts, but it finally does end… later, kind of.  (So close, my draft lottery number was 8.  Shoot!  That wasn’t going to happen.  I was classified 4D)

Jan 29    Three Provo High School Seniors nominated to U. S. Service Academies.  Wait a minute, what is a Merchant Marine?  Hand me that Encyclopedia Britannica.

Feb 4     Honor Roll lists 23 Seniors with Straight ‘A’s.  (And, a bunch more that were so close)

Feb 24   Charlie Garner Wins 3^rd in Utah State Wrestling Tournament in 170 lb weight class.  He was undefeated, 29-0, for the season going into the final contest, losing only once in the state’s semifinals

Mar-May   Mississippi River Floods!  Along the second longest river in the U.S. the floods continued for a record 77 days, 17 million acres inundated and over a billion dollars in losses all along its over 2000 miles displacing 45,300 residents and killing 28 in ten states. 

Mar 7     Two Provo High School Seniors Win “Youth of the Month”.  (Today, these two would win Senior Citizens of the Month.  Am I right?  …up top!  Don’t leave me hangin’

Mar 11     Brad Holms Wins State Orator Award.  Didn’t lose one event on his way to the top!  That’s saying something.  That’s saying a lot.  Brad could have said it better. 

Mar 16    Provo High School Wins Utah State Basketball Championship. Yeah! For real! Beats Orem 55-54.  Provo beat Orem in all three meetings, going undefeated for the season.  That was the ‘best of times’.  (Place ‘happy’ emoji, here.  Oh, that’s right…sorry) 54 consecutive wins from 1972-1974 is still the state record.  FYI, Coach Spencer went on to coach four more championship teams at Provo, 1974, 1978, 1981 and 1983 and helped his alma mater Escalante High School win three more state championships in four years.  He died in 2022 at the age of 87.

Mar 29    U.S. Withdraws All Troops from Vietnam.  (All?  What do you think?  Well… you know the drill)

              Ok, I get why they call this Bridal Veil Falls.  Wow, we are really up here!  Is this Sky Tram safe?  Sure.  Maybe.  Besides, you survived worse.  Really?  Duh!  The ‘bomb scares’!  Remember? We had to go across the street to BYU, and we were like, this is crazy!  I know.  You were scared.  Was not.  Were too.  Not.

April 1   Provo High School Wins Utah State Forensics Championship.  Third title, in a row, with a score of 86 out of 90; a new state record.  (No, it’s NOT ‘April Fools’!)

April 4   World Trade Center (Twin Towers) Opens in New York.  World’s tallest building.  Many who visit the site today come away saddened and angry.  (At least, that’s what this visitor felt)

April 6   Honor Roll lists 14 Seniors with Straight ‘A’s.  (And, yea, there were a bunch more…, so close)

             Everyone is going to Heaps A Pizza.  First round of Apple Beer is on me!  I hope they never change this place.  Why would they.., its perfect just like it is.  Although, I guess, an all-you-can-eat salad bar would be nice and, more tables would be helpful and, the name is a little lame.  Never mind, it’s perfect.  It’ll never change.

April 19    Watergate Linked to Nixon Election Group.  (What, are you kidding?  Is this still going on?  Enough already

April 30    Nixon Aides Resign.  Well, yea, it’s about time.

May 1      Provo High Baton Team wins Utah State twirling contest.  (Whew!  I thought it is was going to be another Watergate story)

              We’re going to the movies.  Where?…, Which one?…, Fox?  Academy?  Paramount?  Oh…, the Uinta?  No…, Springville Drive-In!  So, let’s find a pickup truck, pillows and blankets, and don’t forget the Chap Stick; if you know what I mean?  Oh, yea

May 5    Secretariat (it’s a horse’s name), Wins Kentucky Derby and later the Triple Crown.  (No I’m not going to explain ‘triple crown’.  “Look it up!”  (I wish there were a better way to find information.  Maybe we could invent a machine that could, like, instantly search all the books and news in the world and display it on a miniature tv screen I could hold in my hand?  Yeah, Right! (Laughter, hysterical laughter)

May 14    Skylab Launches Into Orbit. And, no, it doesn’t become the ISS (International Space Station).  Skylab’s mission ended with its deliberate destruction in 1979

May 17    Provo High School Takes 3^rd in Utah State Soccer Championship.  Soccer?  Seriously?  (I’ll bet no one saw that coming)

May 20    Provo High School Takes 2^nd in Utah State Golf Championship.  (Fore!)  AND, Speakers for Class of 73 Graduation Ceremonies Selected.  “New Horizons” is the theme.  Sooo inspirational    The 50’s called, they want their rehashed theme back

               I can’t wait to go to Lagoon!  It’s just as good as Disneyland.  Better!

May 25    Graduation Day (Well, that was fun, let’s do it again?  Ok, see you in 50 years)