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Club Diversity, August 24th “Summertime” - Billy Stewart, '66 A record-high heat index and temperature reading--95 degrees at 6 pm—on Friday, August 24, was the backdrop for an evening of memories and magic. Classmates lined the back porch railings and filled the backyard gazebos. Some opted for the tables inside where it was cooler. Eventually, everyone congregated out back under a nearly full moon. Jerry Ferguson was one of the first to arrive. Frank McCathran brought along a box of silk and plastic leis, and we all wore one to welcome Jerry from Honolulu. Jim Whitt took up a collection for a pizza order, and we ate heartily when the pizza man arrived. One of the regulars at CD asked if he could buy a lei. “Goodness, no,” we said. “Our leis are gifts.” Long into the evening, the same patron was still wearing his lei after some of us had taken ours off due to the heat. We were sweating in our leis, or was it lei-ing in our sweat? (You'd sweat, too, if you got lei'd!) Brenda Reese Willhite said it was so hot the orange suede ankle straps of her summer shoes left permanent rings around her ankles the next morning. Ada Wilson Kent advised her to scrub it off fast, as it was probably Red Dye #5. Speaking of twinkle lights, Carol Edger brought along a cache of flashing Bulldog pins and many of us walked around all evening with our shirt fronts lit up. Now that was a special sight! We showed that we could flash with the best of them. One girl reported she nearly got into a little kick fight with another, and you knew then we were back in our South High groove. Near the end of the evening, Brenda dragged Judi Williams Huff into the living room to hear Bobby Hamlin playing “Summertime” on the baby grand. Billy Stewart covered that song in ’66, and Judi’s a fan of Stewart. Finally, the party broke up shortly before midnight. The dawgs went home to get some sleep for the party the next night, two blocks down on the other side of the street.
The Columbus Maennerchor, August 25th (I’ve Had) “The Time of My Life” – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warner, ‘87
At 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 25th, sirens blared throughout Franklin County as a tornado watch raged for an hour. Thus began a surreal evening of reuniting with Bulldog Classmates from forty years ago. It was a record-breaking crowd at the door, pushing attendance higher than the previous reunion for the first time in our reunion history. Keyboardist Dave Powers brought along Andy Smith, Upper Arlington, ’67, on the drums and they played our socks off all evening long. Powers surprised us with “The Hula Hoop Song” made popular by Teresa Brewer in ’58 and two hits from The Royal Esquires' heyday, circa ’68. The Margarita Man’s sno-cone-like frozen product was such a big hit that we that we had to make three batches! Originally supplied to fill souvenir shot glasses for all attendees to toast the Class of ’67 and to toast John Cooper’s birthday, Bulldogs figured out early in the evening all they had to do was pull a lever to wet their chops. The first batch was gone before we lined up in the parking lot for our group photo. Who said you can’t teach old Dawgs new tricks?
The Hula Hoop Contest held later in the evening was both nostalgic and competitive. Classmates John Cooper, Saundra Brown Lawhorn, Donna Beal Dodson, Sharon Spohn Hinkle and Brenda Reese Willhite practiced together on the dance floor (both Beal and Reese brought their original hoops from home). Then Dave Powers cranked up the sound. Contestants had to hula for the Quietly running all night long on a large screen at one end of the ballroom were silent videos from reunions past: the 20th, the 25th, the 30th. At any time throughout the evening, classmates could look up and see themselves—ourselves, the Class of ‘67—once again—dancing together through the years. It was a special feature that enhanced the evening. Bill McCall supplied the videos from his archives and Susie Greer Lewis supplied the equipment and set up. At the end of the evening, Powers had the entire class on the dance floor at as he played a long set of “Shout.” Forty years out, it seems we treasure our Bulldog friendships more than ever! Visit our photo gallery to check out the candid shots of the celebration in progress taken by our own Bruce Johnson!
Say "Cheese!" Be sure to check out the whole group photographed by Harlan Hoover.
Reunion Rap – “Forty Years Out” Official Attendance:
Awards We Should Have Announced:
Souvenirs: “1967 Remember When” booklets were donated by Jim McCoy and available to the first fifty classmates to sign in at the Registration Table; Silver-rimmed shot glasses with the motto "Forty Years Out, Don't Hold Back'' were passed out to all attendees to toast the Class of '67. Decorations: Ruth Ell Beerey headed the effort and teams of decorators showed up on Friday and Saturday to dress up the ballroom. The “Table of Fame” was a huge hit, inspired by Susie Greer Lewis and supplied by Judi Williams Huff. Team members included Ron Bragg, Keith Hatfield, Sylvia Holland, Ronnie Johnson, Ada Kent Wilson, Diana Kibler Moore, Bill McCall, Frank McCathran and Brenda Reese Willhite. ‘60s Clothing: Who else but Brenda brought her handbag from the ’67 Senior Prom? She wore an original ’67 brocade sheath with double spaghetti straps but changed into a ‘60s “paper dress” for the Hula Hoop Contest (which later tore while dancing with Darrel Lawson). Sorry. Live Band: Dave Powers, Whitehall-Yearling and Ft. Hayes Metropolitan Education Center ’84, and Andy Smith, Upper Arlington ‘67 Gospel Group: “2 B Blessed” featuring Bulldogs David Mahan and Michael Bell. Frankie Hancock, SHS ’67, another member, was unable to join us due to the passing of her mother earlier in the week. Classmate currently serving in Afghanistan: Lt. Col. Plint Hickman Our Famous Classmates:
Deceased Classmates & Teachers Married Classmates—Both in the Class of ‘67
Married Classmates—one in ’67, the other from another class at SHS
Bulldog Balloon a Big Hit
Frank McCathran dropped the Dawg off Monday following the reunion, and principal Mrs. Wiley was thrilled! The photo, taken August 29th on opening day by Erika Willhite, shows a security camera mounted overhead, which captures the difference between walking the hallowed halls of SHS forty years ago and today. "To Gray and Blue, we'll all be true. Hail, South High, Hail!"
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Someone tipped him off to play “Wipeout,” made popular by The Ventures in ’63. At that point Sarah Claar Clevenger stepped out on the dance floor to perform solo, once again. She was a dancing machine and certainly lived up to her reputation as “Best Solo Dancer” in the class, hands down. If watching Sarah dance wasn’t worth the price of admission, then nothing was. 
June Kirby Farrell brought along original ’67 snapshots of our SHS Commencement in Mahaffey Stadium (with storm clouds rolling in overhead). Bob Miller presented a photo of our ’67 “In The Know” team as a gift to Diego Arduini. The photo shows Bob, Diego, Nancy Bressler and Jean Sanders with advisor, Sara Crist on stage with the opposing team from New Albany, before the Georgian architecture and white farm fences of today. 
entire length of a song without dropping a hoop; if the hoop dropped, they were out. When the music stopped, Sharon Spohn Hinkle was the uncontested winner of a $25 Gift Card from Target, donated by a classmate.
