Muskogee (Central) High School 1968 reunion committee reminisces

Reunion committee members of the Central High School class of 1968 remember some of the events in the world around them as they plan for their Memorial Day weekend reunion. Committee members have been meeting regularly for the past six months in the home of classmate Joel Cousins to plan their 40-year reunion. During the planning, members recalled their youth as they reminisced about their high school years. The class of 1968 was one of only two classes that attended both the “old” high school and the “new” one.

They all have tales about where they were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, then during the spring of their senior year, Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination sparked riots throughout the country. Classmates recalled, too, that shortly after graduation, Sen. Robert Kennedy was also killed. Presidential nominees included Hubert H. Humphrey, Richard M. Nixon, and George Wallace. The CHS mock elections during the fall of 1968 found Humphrey as the students' choice for president.

Girls wore dresses to school every day except Western Day, which was held annually, when they were allowed to wear jeans. Guys wore “wheat jeans” and oxford cloth shirts. The girls “ratted” their hair, wore “falls” or rolled their hair on orange juice cans. The Riot Squad was an integral part of pep rallies and who can forget the Latin Club's Slave Drive? The class of '68 danced to music of the local band “The Executives” and the Sunset Drive-In and the Ritz Theater were where they enjoyed movies such as “The Graduate” during senior year. Janice Koditek Keegan added, “The Beatles were the hottest group around with their hit, ‘Hey Jude’.” Chet's hot dogs still reigned over McDonald's burgers.

The Vietnam conflict was in full force.

Please help us locate the following “missing” classmates: Diane Bastura, Jeffrey Casey, Bobby Culpepper, Mary Ann Currie, Harold Davis, Gloria Ellis, Geneva Ferguson, Erwin Greene, June Gullett, Bonnie Hamm. Robert Hanlon, Charles Henderson, Larry Kuapahi, Kenneth Mangrum, Joyce Mansell, Bobby Marshall, Mary McPherson, Gary Moore, Johnny Morton, Maretta Moses, Crystola Newman, Cindy Normandin, Mark Patterson, Lois Rogers, Robert Russell, John Sevier, Terry Simmons, Kenneth Small, Carol Smith, Marsha Spencer, Eddie Vaught, Mary White and Barbara Wilson.

The reunion will begin at 6 p.m. May 23.

Information:

http://muskogee68.com or 869-2205 or 683-4387 .