James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

A question for the site organizers:

Are the "Classmate Profiles" supposed to be everyone in that class? 

Either I'm remembering things wrong, or there's some missing for '67.

Betty I. Nelson (Dyer) (1972)

The mascot name was changed during the 1971-1972 school year. I was the secretary of the student council that year. The line of thinking was that the Bluejays sounded wimpy and that Jayhawks sounded tougher. The student body agreed overwhelmingly. 

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

I was wimpy.

Of course . . . I was a Bluejay.

Sandi J. VanderMeulen (Porter) (1962)

It was so Tragic that two Police Officers died in such a way, the memorials on each corner are still there as reminders.  It has truly been a sad time in Urbandale & DM.  God Bless them!  And I'd like to add great respect for all the folks and their actions during this time, the candlelight memorials organized and the flags presented, etc. I still live in Urbandale & for those far away; the funerals for both, I thought, were so perfect. All that was said was so lovingly presented and with sincere respect for those wonderful Men.   

John T. Cole (1974)

I, too, was very shocked and saddened to hear the news of the two officers.  I live just outside of Orlando and we are still all affected in different ways by the Pulse shootings.  

I feel the need to jump into the conversation about our school's mascot.  My memory told me that it was in my senior year, 1974.  But I did a quick check of my yearbooks.  The '72 book states Bluejays.  The 73 book says Jayhawks.  But neither book mentions the change nor any explanation of it.  I do remember that it was very controversial and that the students got to vote.  

Linda Biermann (Hoobin) (1973)

Jim Beasley, the Urbandale Schools provided the Alumni Association with a list of graduates according to their records.  It is possible that some names were missing. An Alum can add their names to their class list. 

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

OK, maybe some from '67 will help me remember.  Here's some I don't see on the list.

Carmen Beeman, Cheerleader.  I took her to the Homecoming Dance because she and David Ray had a little falling out.  I saw her in the 90's at Merle Hay Mall.

Pat Nelson, Homecoming Queen, with BF Mark Oppedal Homecoming King.

Debra Nelson

Susan Boyce, close friend with Jinnie Goode.

Patti Briggs, Senior Class Secretary 

Jeri McCrary . . . put her parents car in the pond at Urbandale Country Club.

Vicki Oxenford (?)

Marta Berrier

Cassie Bailey

http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Urbandale-High-School/38043?hitwiseSegment=free&checkCookie=1479056510940&page=0

Elizabeth T. TenPas (1974)

John and John are right. We all voted on the mascot. I too like the Blue Jays.

KU did indeed sue UHS. My brother Peter (class of 72) is a professor there, and my sister-in-law is a born and bred KU Jayhawk- her dad was on the basketball team.  She overcame her prejudice to marry a UHS grad only because he graduated as a Blue Jay.

And the song? Being in both band and chorus, we were embarrassed musically by that little song to "Hey Look Me Over". Other schools had grand marches to "On Wisconsin" and the like. So, the music class put together a new one to the then-NFL theme of "Confidence". The band loved it so much more! And my friends Connie Walker and Nancy North did the lyrics. And not because they were "girlfriends of the football team", as I once heard at a reunion. But because of their talent and drive!  And terrific athletes themselves.

Gregory R. Hall (1973)

Jayhawks year 1972-1973
Football Program

Kathy Collins (Reilly)

Howdy, J-Hawks! I was hired to teach at UHS starting in the fall of '72 ('73 graduation year). As I recall, I was told that the previous senior class ('72) voted to change the mascot name to J-Hawks from Blue Jays. (My memory could be wrong in that the whole student body voted. Or maybe the entire student body EXCEPT that senior class.) Anyway, when I arrived the UHS athletic department learned that I had graduated from K.U. and asked me if I had any KU Jayhawk stuff they could copy for the basketball floor (and more). I provided that material proudly.

After teaching at Urbandale (and a couple of other schools), I went to law school and ended up practicing Education Law. I loved Copyrights and Trademarks and learned a lot in that class. Fast forward to the early 90s: Let me clear up one other common misunderstanding: Kansas did not threaten to sue Urbandale High School. The NCAA got this bug up their bee-hinds that some K-12 schools were "infringing" on collegiate copyrighted athletic logos and mascots and offered to be The Enforcer on behalf of all of the member colleges (any school that had athletics). The first I heard of the Copyright and Trademark threat here in the Midwest was Waukee being told the "W" in their "Waukee" logo was infringing the University of Wisconsin's logo. Waukee didn't choose to fight, rolling over and changing their "W." High school after high school heard from the NCAA. Urbandale's J-Hawk was unquestionably a perfect copy of Kansas' Jayhawk, so -- as other schools had done before them -- Urbandale rolled over.

I'm still P.O.'ed (if you'll pardon the expression) about the NCAA's bullying high schools into changing their logos. Why? Because the cornerstone of Copyright and Trademark law is "the likelihood of confusion." Who is going to move to Waukee, Iowa, thinking they're going to the University of Wisconsin? or that Waukee is somehow affiliated with the U of W??? I think the boys at the NCAA office were bored and needed something to do or (in the words of Mel Brooks) had to justify their phony-baloney jobs. It was ridiculous. I wish one of the schools would have fought back. Pretty sure they could have beaten the NCAA on that one. Alas! 

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Wow!  The makeup of the conference changed a lot in just five years, from the Suburban Conference to the Central Iowa Conference.

OK, let me test myself . . . Suburban Conference

Urbandale

SE Polk (our '67 football team was the first to beat them)

North Polk

Johnston

Saydel

Carlisle

Ankeny

That's all I remember.

The best facilities back then was SE Polk . . . everything was brand new in '67.

Deborah L. Spiller (1973)

Jim,

The females that you mentioned missing from your class are under their married names. Depending on how the data was collected some have maiden and married and some are just under the married name. Thanks!

Kathy Cole (Smith) (1968)

Thanks, Kathy Collins!  Great information!

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Deborah:

Thanks.  I thought about that, but saw that some show both their maiden and married names, so figure they all would.

Dixie Green (Gebhart) (1968)

This is not a response.  However I registered to attend the Alumnae 4th of July events and was reminiscing.  I'm wondering when the "4th-of-July Queen" was discontinued.  I was the 4th of July Queen for the bi-cenntenial year in 1967.  That and being in the All State Band as a freshman and playing in the MacDonald's All-American Band in New York City my senior year were three of the highlights of my high school years.  Oh, yes!  I also remember dancing the Polka in a marching band show with someone in the band who was also a football player.  He had an injured leg and was limping while I tried to polka around him.  How funny!  Does anybody know who he was?

Martha A. Worden (Sumner) (1970)

Hi Dixie. I know we had 4th of July Queen in 1969 . . .

Also can you provide current info on your sister Vivian:
     Vivian Green Freed, husband's name, address, email, etc. . .

Dixie Green (Gebhart) (1968)

Hi Martha.  Vivian's is married to Dave Freed.  They moved to 1605 5th Avenue NW, Austin, MN  55912.  Viv's email is:  viviansorbo@gmail.com.  Phone:  507-473-5119.  I'm not sure if they're coming down for the reunion.  I'll ask the next time I talk to her.

Dixie

Sharon R. Steen (1967)

Hey Jim! 

I will never forget our senior prom in '67.  I went with Rob Wedin (just friends...neither of us had dates).  You had the after-party, since your parents were gone, so we stopped by.  We must have been on the late side as it was already a very lively party by then!  When someone started throwing chairs and putting holes in the wall, we decided it was time to leave!   We heard a few days later of even more chaos and how much trouble you got in with your parents!   I felt so bad for you, you've probably never had another party in 50 years since then!  I hope it didn't scar you for life.  You were a really nice guy!

Sharon Steen

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Sharon:

Thanks for the kudos.

Wow!  I was actually thinking about you and your brother Rick the other day.

Yeah, some prom party, and yeah, I'm scarred.   It started Friday after school and went all weekend.  I wasn't there for a lot of it because I was working at Shakey's.  The only people in town who did not know about it were my parents.  When I picked them up at the airport Sunday afternoon, I stayed in the car when they went in the house.  They wanted to know who all was there, so I handed them the yearbook.

I blame the holes in the wall on John Connolly!

Wayne Woods was the Police Chief and he called me that week and said he would have a car watching people leaving, but asked me to also.

I have some funny stories concerning my date and some guys I've met at a golf course in Branson the last few years, but I can't post them. 

The year before it was in Springer's back yard.  Carla Rogers and I shared a tent with Janelle Funte and Craig Lamb.

I can't remember this morning, but I can remember all that!

PS:  For those who don't know, I was student council president and very prim and proper, sorta, so this was totally out of character. I heard it cost me some scholarships.

Thomas D. Brackett (1968)

Jim, I really enjoyed your 1966 & 1967 prom stories, and would like to know some more details about the transportation you had available for those memorable dates. I am guessing that your beautiful burnished brown 1963 Impala SS convertible with that nice contrasting saddle interior was a big hit everywhere you drove it. I can remember how cool it looked when I was lucky enough to see (and hear) you coming down 70th street on the way to campus. I really appreciated the sound of that strong 327 going through the gears.  Did your dad buy your Impala new? Which Chevy dealer? He sure had good taste in cars!  How long did you drive it and do you know what ever happened to the car? Over the years as a car collector, I have never seen another one like it!  You may know about that big collector in Ankeny who has an Impala convertible collection----maybe he has a '63 for sale?   Thanks for your commentary about those glory years.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

OMG, a memory matching mine.  You must be sick, too.  Maybe we can get a group discount for help.  

How the Cordovan brown '63 Impala SS, 327/300, four-on-the-floor came about.  

Step one:  A bunch of guys had Honda 90's . . . First gear, feels right, second gear, lean right, third gear, hang on tight. Fasterrrrrrr. It ain't a big motorcyle, just a groovy little motorbike. Yeah, that motorcyle.  So, I got a Yamaha 80 . . .go figure.  I picked Rich Custer up on it half-way to school, even all winter, except for the days it wouldn't start, and I bummed a ride with Bob Lemon.  Dunno what Rich did those days, walk I guess.  He was a tough little dude.  About 100# soaking wet, and played center three years on the FB team. #49.

Step Two:  1966: My brother was two years older and had an ugly '58 chevy with no discernible floorboards, so Dad decided it was time for me to get a car.  The first one we looked at was an Austin Healey 3000 that was in a second floor garage at Dave Ostrem's downtown.  It was disassembled, ready for a ground-up rebuild.  Dad didn't much care for it.  I thought it was just what I needed.

The second car was the '63 Impala SS Convertible.  It was a one-owner, and a lady at that, and was spotless.  $1600, and Charlie Killam (RIP) was looking at it at the same time.  Dad said we'd take it.  It was in the apartment complex by the Ice Arena, so 5 minutes later we were pulling into the driveway at home.  My step-mother had almost as big a hissy-fit as the Sunday after Prom when they came back from St. Louis.

I paid for it, and paid all the expense on it.  gas, insurance, chromies, clutches, rear ends, tires, tickets

I worked at Shakey's after school, or after practice, or after a baseball game, and in the Summers in college drove a truck for an asphalt company during the day and worked at Shakey's at night.

Rumor has it it topped out at 140 on the interstate, with the top down.  Dunno, unless the neighbor kid Paul was looking at the speedo or tach, since the speedo only went to 120.  I don't believe he had his eyes open, though.

I drove it until the end of college, pretty much close to the end of that car, but while I was out-of-town one week, Dad sold it.  I could not have because I'm way-too-honest.  My dad was honest, but not "way-too".

I did wind up with a '59 Jag XK-150 for awhile.  When my first wife, Plaintiff, handed me a piece of paper, she said, "There's only one thing . . . " and I said, "Yeah, you want the Jag."

No hard feelings . . . I love everyone.  almost

PS:  Steve Burrell had a burgundy '63 impala (plus he was in a band, so how cool was he?), and Chris McLean (RIP) had the coolest car, a '63 Avanti.

Thomas D. Brackett (1968)

Jim, thanks for your detailed history on your Impala....I learned alot...I did not know that Charlie Killam was also looking at the car. He used to give me rides to UHS and to football games in his red '58 Impala convert and his dad's white  '63 Coupe de Ville...here I was a 15 year old riding in that cool Caddy in 1966....I remember Steve Burrell's Impala also as I loved that burgundy color.....I think it had the big 327 also from the sound of it leaving campus! You may remember that Terry Dill in our class also had a burgundy '63 Impala SS, with a domed hood to exhaust hot engine air....I had to wait until April 1969 to buy my prized Impala SS, burgundy of course with the big 327.....I sold in in 1972 but wish I still had it.............on another note, I really enjoyed your info on the old Suburban Conference....who was your head football coach in 1967?  Coach Burggett?  I had the pleasure of helping him with various practice chores (retrieving loose balls, cleaning up, getting water ready, etc) in the '65 and '66 seasons---even tho I was omly in the 9th and 10th grade---I came to all the practices starting when I was in 8th grade since the practice field was right behind our house on 71st street...he appreciated my help and let me work with head student manager at the time Terry Hughes (class of '66)....remember Terry? I was fascinated with the way Coach B ran the practices and learned so much about the game....                                                                                            

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Yeah, Gayle Burgett was head coach in '66.  He freely let students borrow his VW bug.

Our disappointing 5-3 record gave Coach Frerichs his first year as head coach in '67.

All of us were very disappointed in our losses to Carlisle, Johnston and Saydel.  In retrospect, we were greatly hampered when Steve Winfrey was kicked of the team at the beginning of the season for getting caught smoking.  There was a lot of hypocrisy there.

We had a gadget play for Carlisle, 27 Cross Country pass that Danny Christiansen threw perfectly to me in the end zone.  I had been knocked out throwing a block earlier when the suspension in my helmet broke, and I never was really with it the rest of the game.  I never saw Danny's pass until I saw the game films.

bummer

We were down in the 4th quarter against Saydel, and had them set up for the same gadget pass play I had scored on earlier.  Tom Hansen called it again, and when we broke huddle, Coach Burgett had sent in Dave Halverson to replace me, so the fans could show their appreciation.  I refused to go the the sidelines, but had to.  I anxiously watched the next play, hoping to see another TD, but Tom changed the play.

I saw us scoring, recovering an onside kick, and scoring again, so that was hard to take.

Our Johnston loss was a total fluke.

My mom had taught at Johnson before I came to Urbandale, so I had a thing about beating them, or, conversely, not beating them.

On a positive note, we handed SE Polk their first loss in the conference.  I remember one of their players I knew from golf coming to me after the game, showing one of the best examples of sportsmanship I ever encountered.

Fond memories.

PS:  How many remember us playing our home basketball games at the Ice Arena in '66-'67?

Fred Lee Bowers (1983)

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Coach Frerichs was our head baseball coach in the Summer of '67.

That was his first head coaching position.

We had a good team, but lost in District to Saydel.