Be a Detective

 RESOURCES AND IDEAS TO HELP YOU FIND CLASSMATES
 
Ever wonder what happened to that cute girl behind you in science class?  Or the smart guy who aced every math test?  Or your neighbor from elementary school who moved across town and you only passed in the hallway?  The Class of 1972 had approximately 365 students . . . of those 365 members, approximately 89% have created a profile on our web site in some way, shape or form.  Some have gone into great detail of their post-high school lives, including family info and pictures, while others have only confirmed their present data.  Information on the remaining 11% either cannot be found or they do not wish to participate in any further class activity . . . for that reason, we have to respect their wishes for privacy.
 
FIRST and foremost, use THIS class web site as the main source for all your needs.  YOU, as the student determine what info you want to share with others.  If you want to contact someone you haven't spoken to in years, by all means, reach out to them!  Maybe you'll reconnect and kindle a whole new friendship!  We're all adults . . . with careers and family and our priorities are different now, you just might be surprised at what others have accomplished and how you'll relate differently to them now.   Go to their profile and scroll down to the bottom of the page, then reach out and send them an e-mail - the web site will deliver it to your classmate, without revealing your personal e-mail address.  If they respond, GREAT!  After a few exchanges, you may feel comfortable enough to share your personal e-mail address with them. 


 SECOND - use your fellow classmate as a source!  They may have known someone out of your friendship circle back then or they have been a neighbor or known them from work or church. 
 
If you aren't able to find the person on the class web site, here are a variety of other options available to you.  Some require a fee and some are free.  Some require some investigative work, while others are simply a click away.  The choice is yours:
 
1.    Howland High School "Official" Web Site by CLASS CREATOR - This is the ONLY site administered by classmate members AND to which the members personally contribute information about themselves.  Go to the Home Page and click on "Classmate Profiles."  There are 8 specific student categories listed at the top, followed by an alphabetical listing of all classmates.  Choose a name and go from there!  If you want to stay informed, you can check the box to be advised every time a class member makes changes to their profile.  A message will automatically be generated and delivered to your e-mail address you originally signed up with.  Please use personal e-mail addresses only, we cannot be responsible for correspondence sent to a work address if you choose to leave that employer.
 
2.    Google - this is the second best way to play detective!  Keep in mind that while this search engine provides many world-wide services, it's main purpose is to gather data from across the Internet and condense it for your use as a sort of online World Book Encyclopedia (remember when you used that for term papers?).  Be as precise as you can when typing in a name for a search.  Google will provide you with a lot of useless info if you don't narrow down your search. 
 
3.    SOCIAL NETWORKS:  Facebook, Twitter and MySpace -  Facebook is a valuable communication tool, so use it to your advantage!  Most people use Facebook as an open door to their world, complete with photos, likes and links to web sites.  While others create an account but don't post . . . they use it as a means to keep up with their friends and then choose to communicate privately with them.  Twitter will keep you up to date with daily activities of individuals, as they travel around town or around the world!  MySpace is used mainly by a younger segment of the population, whose membership drastically dwindled with the creation of Facebook.
 
4.   Other Classmate Web Sites:  Classmates.com , AlumniClass.com, SchoolNews.com, AlumniOnline.com  - these are other web sites that class members may choose to join.  However, not ALL such class web sites are administered and run by existing class members.  Any one can obtain a year book and put together such a web site without ever having attended that school.  Please be careful what information you volunteer to a web site that is not operated by class members that you know or remember.  Some of these web sites may require a paid membership to get the same information that our Class Creator web site will provide you for FREE!!!
 
5.    OTHER ONLINE SITES:  Spokeo, MyLife, White Pages, Any Who, ZabaSearch, Intellius, People Finders, US People Search, People Finders, Old Friend Search, Crime Time  - these are only a few of the many online sites out there that allow you to play detective in the privacy of your own home!  Keep in mind that NOTHING is free these days . . . you may have to invest time and/or money to achieve your goal if you use these sites.  You may find general details like a street name but with no street number or specific apartment.  If you choose to pay to find further details on a classmate, please make sure it is a secure web site when providing your credit card number.  There is also no guarantee that the info you receive will be correct.  Public records are not always accurate either.  You may be provided with details from where a classmate lived 7 years ago or 2 husbands ago!  That might prove to be embarrassing!
 
6.    Classmate siblings or other family members - sometimes, you may be successful at locating a sibling of your former classmate.  However, they may be hesitant at providing personal information on their family member to a stranger . . . please give them our web site address . . . www.howland72.com or give them the administrator's contact . . . sandy.jackson829@gmail.com  . . . they may feel more comfortable going through these more secure channels.
 
7.    Government Sources - The Department of Justice tracks missing persons and the Social Security Administration has an Index of Death Records.  Both of these are available to the public.
  

 


                      




agape