For those of you who are going to the Grand Ole Opry shortly, please feel free to leave at any time during the program.

Good evening ladies and gentleman, welcome to the 3rd National YO-HI Reunion for those attending Yo-Hi or St Joseph's during the period it was located on the Bluff.  We are glad you could be with us this weekend.  Welcome also to Music City and the great state of Tennessee -- the VOLUNTEER STATE you know.  Music city because it is the home of Country Music -- the Volunteer State, not only for it's historic actions during the Civil War, but because when you came here you volunteered to assist the natives by paying some of the highest taxes in the nation so we could upgrade the backward status of our state; and hopefully recover the title of Country Music Capitol of the world from Bransen. Missouri.  I have a problem  however with the definition of the word Volunteer, and suspect you might also.  Having left the Army 24 years ago, I had not forgotten another meaning to that word, but in recent months have relearned NEVER to volunteer: 1) to conduct a reunion, or 2) be MC of one.  Having said that however, and seriously, the past months have been an exciting time for all of us on the reunion committee. 

For Iva and me, it has had a special meaning besides just being with old friends again.  Anticipating that we would have  Yohi house guests before and after the reunion was certainly justification for us to complete a variety of home improvements we had been putting off for a number of years.  The most needed was a new bathroom carpet.  It just so happened that Sears had some on sale which was the right color and the right price so we bought 3 yards, cut it to fit, and tacked er down.   Well I want you to know that it looked SO good, the next day we went back and bought 27 more yards, and laid it all the way up to the house -- next year we plan to put hand rails and a light out there.

There are many here tonight who are 1st timers to YO-HI National Reunions and we would especially like to welcome you, and hope you will attend others now that the 'ice is broken' so to speak.  I know of no one who has attended past reunions that hasn't felt exhilarated by the visit, and resulting yo hi.  I believe the Yo-Hi class of 52 is having their 1st and 40th reunion here tonight, and we thank them for doing that.   A reunion such as this requires a team effort and needs the support of a great many folks, else it cannot be conducted.

At this time I would like to express my appreciation to the other members of the reunion committee.  This shared 4 member committee has been fun for all of us.   My appreciation to Jim and Nancy Hurst for their encouragement, splendid help, and management of the Golf Tournament; and especially to the great lady who for 41 years has been telling me to be patient, everything will work out.  Also we would like to thank others who have contributed to this reunion in one form or another.

For example:  Dick Bernstrom for organizing the Tennis Match.    Betty Walter and Wilson Gartner for the wonderful pictures of St Joe and signs.  Hale Detwiler for his priceless Yokohama map.  Bill Willis for the decals you received.  And for financial support, Fred Sublette, Connie Fritz, Lois Fritz and Ginger Larkin.

This is the spirit that has been displayed at each of the reunions which has made them so successful, and all I can say is, DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!

As with past reunion formats, our program will be brief.  One of it's highlights is the announcement of winners of the Golf Tournament.  Here to do that is the founder and organizer of the Glaab Open -- Jim Hurst.

[The tournament was divided into the catagories listed below.  The first place winners -- for lowest scores received a trophy -- all others received a gift certificate]

1 ST PLACE WINNERS

Jack Peralta and Iva Hyatt receiving trophies from Jim Hurst

Thanks Jim.

By the way, there is a lot of confusion amonst you as pertains to the 2 Jim's that live in Clarksville, Tennessee. He is Jim Hurst and he lives in Clarksville, I'm Jim Hyatt, and I live there also.   Jim Hurst is Iva's brother.

Back in 1988, Bob Slade, the originator of the concept to have a reunion for former students from the early years at Yo-Hi, told me he knew the whereabouts of perhaps 16 or 18 students.  Today there has been located a total of 317 - including 24 deceased.  This means that someone -- people we affectionately refer to as "searchers", have been busy finding folks in the intervening 4 years.  I think you would agree that virtually no one in this room would be here tonight if it hadn't been for those searchers taking the time, effort and expense to locate you. Yet, in a way all of us have been searchers, for I know each of you has searched your mind for those very important clues that have been passed on and permitted those searchers to locate a lot of former students.  Clues like the college the person attended, a married name, a Father or Mothers name, and so on, and I feel like those tips will continue to be given.  Not everyone has the time to devote to extensive searching.   However, there is this group of searchers among you who have gone beyond the clue passing level, and in some cases  have spent untold hours to delve into the research of historical records of city, state and federal government agencies.  In some cases the records of private corporations; folks who have had a most difficult but rewarding task.  I am not sure I am totally knowledgeable of every person who has made those super efforts, but I do know of some and would like to publicly mention their names -- folks like Hale Detwiler, Bill Everett, Tom Holcombe, Helen Papen, Ed Peralta, Earl Sandstrom, Brucie Watts, Ann Wiley (who is not with us tonight), Bill Wollenberg, and last but not least, Jim Hurst -- the person who has made a most outstanding effort in this regard.  To all the persons who have contributed to the search effort our heart felt thanks for a job well done.  [Please stand........]

As I said, I'm convinced there are more leads among you to be passed on, as obviously there are more Yo-Hi'ers to be found with minimal effort and expense.   In the past the primary effort has been to search for students from the early years of Yo-Hi, accomplished by students from the same period -- but I must tell you, more of those located from the later years were contacted first (as opposed to found) by students from the early years.  Thus, I encourage those of you from the later years to establish your own search system and accelerate and revitalize the effort for students from your era.

Searching for and finding faculty is a difficult task.  Not many from the later years of YO-HI's existence have been found.  However, we are honored again at this reunion by the presence of several former members of the YO-HI faculty -- including one recently found. For the benefit of those new to these reunions, but especially those not attending that wonderful institution on the BLUFF during the 40's, and haven't had a chance yet to meet them please let me tell you who they are before we see if they have a few words for us.

First, we have Loren McCartney -- wow, I used to call him sir, or Captain, or another name I won't mention here. He was the founding principal of Yo-HI.  He of course inherited all the problems typical to the establishment of a major institution under such chaotic conditions as one might image would be present at that time in history.   He remained as Principal until the summer of 1949 when he returned to CONUS, then went on to complete a brilliant military career.  After that he remained within the teaching profession until his recent retirement.  He lives in Glenville, West Virginia -- generally referred to as "yankee territory", with his wife Pearl who is with us tonight also.  Ladies and gentleman, our beloved principal -- Loren McCartney.

[Lorern's comments omitted]

Also here tonight is Larry Glaab and his wife Sue.  Larry was the Athletic Director of all sporting activities during those first 3 years of YO-HI, and likewise went on to complete an exceptional military career.  Talk about a challenge -- he had the dubious honor of having to take a rag-tag bunch of self proclaimed athletes who had never had the benefit of playing together in prior years, with virtually no equipment, and mold them into teams to represent our school.  Despite some initial losses., he did just that.  By his leadership he set the stage quickly, and the school was proud of the efforts of it's teams.  In fact he went beyond that, and for example set the machinery in motion for the 1st scholarships to be given. We all are very proud of him.  Folks, our former coach and friend to everyone -- Larry Glaab.

[Larry's comments omitted]

* * *  SPECIAL ADDENDUM * * *

During Larry's  comments he informed us that he still had his original "YO-HI CAP" that he wore so well and proudly back in the 1940's -- as we all remember.  Well with great emotion to himself and to all present, he pulled from his picket that cap and "put it on".    Although a little faded here it is

* * *

We are indeed  honored at this reunion with the 1st time attendance of Mrs Muriel Mason. She was also one of those early pioneers who began her career at YO-HI in 1947 and stayed until 1951.  She taught French and Spanish to a host of bewildered youngsters over those years who lets say now were eager to master those languages and venture forth into the world of travel, and of course fulfill those strange curriculum requirements necessary to graduate.  I wonder, and perhaps she does also, how many of us did in fact master those languages and still retain some expertise in them.   I want you to know that this lady still teaches 3 languages at a college in Stuart Florida, and if anyone feels like a test -- I'm sure she is ready to administer one.   Ladies and gentle man -- Mrs. Mason.

* * *

Our recent newfound faculty member and 1st timer to our reunions is Marion Chaplesky, who was located by Jim Hurst just a few months ago.  Marion was the Athletic Director of the Elementary School on the [Nasugbu] Beach during the 1947-1948 time frame, and was a member of the military establishment as well.  I remember and appreciate him best as a frequent visitor and supporter in our football practices and games during that period. In fact I was inspired by him for his words of encouragement to us when the scores during those 1st games were not as we would have liked them to be, and by the fact that his stature gave one the impression he was "Mr. Football" himself.   Marion a few words please.

* * *

It is a distinct pleasure for me to announce the presence of the next faculty member -- Mrs. Dorothy Bryan, who taught Home Economics and General Science at YO-HI in the early 50's.  She attended the Indy reunion for part of one day back in 1988 so some of you may have met her then. She is of course very closely associated with the Class of 1950 and we would like to thank her for imprinting the minds of some of us during those early years with things we then didn't want to hear -- but now appreciate as it has permitted us to progress and succeed in this world.  Mrs. Bryan has elected not to make any comments but we would like her to stand and be recognized. 

* * *

Now before final comments a few announcements:

- A reminder that the bar closes at 1130 hours.

- Please remember to collect you memorabilia from the tables before you leave tonight.

- A significant contribution from Fred Sublette [who is unable to be with us tonight], and the need to even out the refund to even dollars, makes it possible to provide 2 door prizes.  Mrs. McCartney will now draw 2 names from the attending alumni.   [Two identical decorative "suitcase size" mantel clocks were presented to Mary Jane Doar Hunter, and Ed Peralta - the winners]

* * *

- At this time, and for the first time at a "Bluff" Reunion,   several alumni would like to sing for you the Alma Mater.

Barbara Searle Henthorn, George Young, Jane Thomason Lightfoot, Helen Papen Sweetwood, Brucie Watts Krucke.

* * *

Finally, Iva and I want to say that we find it difficult to express to each of you how pleased we are to be back among you again.  We must confess that secretly over the years, we often thought and talked of the good times we had at YO-HI.  We dreamed that someday we would be able to get together again, and that nothing would have changed since returning to the Zone of Interior and the land of the big PX, some 44 years ago.

BUT CHANGE IT HAS.  It has been said that there are three stages of man and woman -- youth, middle age, and "why you haven't changed at all".   I guess occasions like this make us realize that we're very close to that third stage.  But as we reflect back, we realize that change is the name of the game and that when we entered YO-HI in 1947, it was before television became a reality, before polio shots and many of the antibiotics and life saving operations performed now days that allowed some of us to attend tonight, and of course before Frisbees.  We went to school before frozen foods, before budget deficits and trade imbalances; we had no Xerox machines, and never heard of the Kinsey Report, or the "Pill".  We came before radar, our parents had no credit cards, we didn't have pollution, time sharing meant togetherness -- not vacation condos.  A chip then was a piece of wood.   Hardware meant hardware, and software was not even a word.

In those days, bunnies were small rabbits and rabbits were not Volkswagens.   "Mr. Coffees" and "Big Macs" were unheard of. We thought fast food was what you ate when you had to stay in during part of your lunch period waiting to go to the principals office, and outer space was an area in the back of the local theater. We were before panty hose and drip dry cloths, no we had never heard of Lee's press on nails.

While at YO-HI, we didn't have children -- at least I don't know of anyone who admitted to any; yet today, those of us represented in this room collectively, have over 150.  Yes, some of you contributed more to this achievement than others.  I suspect our dentist friend Dick Bernstrom is smiling now as he has quickly computed that figure represents about 5,000 teeth, and at $200 bucks per filling, he could visit Las Vegas for 10 minutes or so.  But then he says he is retired.

In 1948, the school was desegregated, but blacks were not allowed to play in the major leagues, who ever heard of the hippies or draft card burners, or Kent State, or Publishers Clearing House.  Men on the moon, impossible!  In 1948 "made-in-Japan" meant junk, and the term "making out" referred to how well you did on and exam.  In those days if we dialed a telephone, we talked to a human being and had to tell them what number we wanted to call.

For a nickel, we could buy a coke, a big ice cream cone, or enough stamps to mail one letter and two postcards. Why for 25 cents, we could spend all day at the Octagon Theatre, or stroll down Motomachi Street and buy an arm load at the flea market, or lose it there in a "shell game".  The price of a chevy then was about $1,000.00, WITH NECKERS KNOB ALREADY INSTALLED, and what a shame -- gas was 20 cents a gallon.

We were not in school before the differences between the sexes was discovered; however, we were before sex changes.  We just made due with what we had been given. We played our thick 78 RPM records, and do you remember the excitement when they came out with the 33 and 1/3 that wouldn't break. We started out dancing close together and double dipping at the Neet-Nac, we were the generation that made Elvis what he is, an changed the world of music forever.  How many remember Vaughn Monroe and that song "Racing with the Moon".  In our day cigarette smoking was fashionable;  grass we mowed; coke you drank; pot was something you cooked in; and aids were helpers working in the Registrars Office. We were before day care centers, computer dating, dual careers, and computer marriages.  In those days, you had to have a women present to  have a wedding -- we got married first, and then lived together -- a really quaint idea.   But we were the last generation that was so dumb as to think you needed a husband to have a baby.  No wonder we are so confused and there is such a generation gap.

We dipped our pen staffs into bottles of ink in Mrs. Steinbaugh's math classes and struggled with the numbers. We memorized parts of speech and stood up to recite them in English for Miss Craigmiles or Mr. Van Lare.  We conjugated verbs in Latin for Mrs. Mason or Ms Garcia, and dressed up in funny costumes for our banquets or the play "showboat" -- the fore runner to the He-Haw program.  We had pep rallies and bon fires, and we even lost some of our sporting activities,   MUCH TO THE SURPRISE OF EVERYONE.

YES, WE HAD FUN IN THOSE DAYS, AND HAVE HAD SOME SINCE; BUT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES, AND WE HAVE LOST SOME OF OUR NUMBERS WHO HAVE RETURNED TO A GRANDER YO-HI. 

BUT THANK GOODNESS THERE IS ONE THING THAT HAS NOT CHANGED -- AND THAT IS -- THE FEELING OF GRATITUDE AND AFFECTION WE HAVE FOR YO-HI, AND THE MUTUAL RESPECT AND LOVE WE FEEL FOR EACH OTHER.   YES, WE HAVE ALL MATURED, WE'VE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY CHANGED; AND AS YOU KNOW, EACH PERSON IS A COMPOSITE OF ALL THEY HAVE FELT, SEEN OR EXPERIENCED.  THUS, 40 ODD YEARS LATER  WE ARE NOT THE SAME AS WE WERE IN THE 40'S OR 50'S.  SO FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND, LET EACH OF US REFLECT BACK ON THOSE GOOD DAYS AT YO-HI AND SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH EACH OTHER.

Jim and Iva Hyatt