Reunion 1985 Orlando
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On a whim, a small JHS group decided to see how many fellow Alumni they could find. |
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Pat Sacco had been writing and staying in touch with several of her friends from Johnson. On a whim, the group decided to see how many other JHS Alumni they could find. Pat pulled out her yearbooks and started to compile a list of names. In 1985, she and others decided to invite as many as they could find to a Johnson High School Reunion in Orlando FL. A few years earlier in 1980, this same scenerio was taking place on the West Coast in Sacramento CA by another industrious JHS student, Sherry Burch, class of 1970. [Read More] The combined work of these two students have resulted in locating more than 4,000 students and faculty. The attendance at ours JHS All-Classes Tri-Annual Reunions has been overwhelmingly positive. |
Pat Sacco Perfito
Reunion Reverie
Johnson High School Post Reunion Letter
Vol. 1, No. VI November 1985
Editor: Pat Sacco perfito
Our first reunion weekend together was more than words could ever express!
The all-too-brief, three day event gave us time to renew lost friendships and strengthen old ones. Our school spirit was still evident, when our former cheerleaders led us in singing our Alma Mater and the Johnson Falcon Fight Song.
Emotions were running the full gambit from high exhileration at the excitement of seeing old friends again, after 20 some years, and extreme sadness of not wanting to have to say goodbye again at the end of the reunion; to sheer exhaustion from having stayed up for three days with litte to no sleep, reminiscing and catching up on our lives over the years. Somehow it seemed to be as if we were in a time warp and for a short period of time we were back in the past being the tenagers we were, not so long ago.
If you weren't at the reunion, it 's hard to explain the intense feelings, but on a scale of 1 to 10, it was a 10 plus . . . . PERFECT!! The spouses even had a wonderful time.
At the openng ceremonies before the banquet, our former Principal, Dr. Robert Lundgren, gave a very moving speech. It contained excerpts from an open letter he published in the May 1964 issue of the Falcon Flyer. The letter was addressed to the graduating class of 1964, however, Dr. Lundgren stated the letter could have been written to any graduating class, simply by changing the dates and figures.
The following is the original letter:
"Four years ago, each of you started the program of studies that will culminate with your graduation in a few days. Your names will soon be added to those of the 256 other graduates of Johnson High school. The composition of your class is unique, when compared with the 39 million students in public schools in America. You represent 31 different States, and every main area of the United States. Most of you have lived in more than one foreign country and many parts of the United States. Some of you have attended several schools, and some of you have attended different schools each of the four years. The opportunity you have had to observe and experience differences in civilizations and cultures, and to exchange ideas with a vide variety of people, will have its influences on your thoughts and actions for many years to come. It will not be easy for most of you to conscientiously sympathize with local or regional viewpoints on domestic and foreign issues and this may become a source of conflict in some cases; but, the fact that you are capable of transcending local viewpoints can be of great personal and national value, and especially if your influence is used for the betterment of our Society and Nation.
In the foreword to our school handbook is a paragraph written by a former student. It states that 'There will be no future class reunion in the old hometown. Our meeting place will be on the highways of our Nation, the airlines of the world and in the orbits of outer space. Wherever we go, the history of Johnson High School has attempted to assist you in preparing for a useful and enjoyable life.'
I speak for the entire faculty when I say that we wish for you the best for success, happiness and good health in all you do in the future."
-- Robert Lundgren, JHS Principal 1964
Enjoy!