How Big Was Your High School Class?

[Kay/NC]

I often wondered how the different colored reading birds ended up...in high school, we had, collegebound, general and practical emphases. Mike and I were on different teacks, but took all the same electives, he did fine in physics, but stopped after Trig, I think.

We had sliderules, no graphing calculators, and had to read what I am sure was a lot of politically incorrect literature. Our class weathered the turmoils of racial integration and desegregation, and quite a few ehite students left for private academies...the class would've been maybe 20-30 larger, if not for that.

Girls who got pregnant didn't stay in school back then, so a few fell by that wayside. The guys who got them that way stayed, though, which never seemed right to me.

Our teachers were largely local people, knew families of their students fairly well, and seemed to genuinely care about us kids. I still stay in touch with some of them, mostly as FB friends. At my MIL's 100th birthday party ladt July, my first grade teacher and I sat and talked for over an hour...I think that says something.

I am sure there were some bad experiences, less-than-stellar teachers, and I missed out on virtually any practical skills instruction...but, somehow, we have managed. Most of my memories of school are good ones. I am grateful for the training we were given. Learning the discipline of the mind, loving to learn, and knowing how to discover new things, are the most valuablee, I believe. They did that for me...

[Ruby Lou]

Class of 53 students.  Knew everyone in our class.  Am friends with some that moved away earlier in our classroom years  teachers all knew who you were, still do!  I graduated in 1980, so a little younger than some of you.  Don't think teenage pregnancy was a problem with our class.  Our schools merged with the neighbor district in about 2008 or thereabouts.  Our original community school district was pretty close knit group.  You knew most of the kids and families that grew up there.  (two towns).  the athletic families know the merged in community familys better than others.  Recently the original school district put together a reunion and it was well attended.  (filled the venue) Not the regular all-school reunion that the older folks attend.  Although many of the older ones did attend this.  Alot of old school board members, teachers etc.  Was amazed the the local retired veterinarian was at the reunion. He has had a stroke and is in the nursing home now, but his wife took him.  He put all his kids through the school and was a school board member, probably president of it at one time.  We have a few farmers, several military members, big business owners, casey's workers etc out of our high school.  And lots of teachers!

[SLC]

Wow.. my 75 might be the biggest class on here!    Like Manure seller I spent far more time with my 4H friends than with my classmates.  Didn't keep track of too many of them.    I refer to them as forced friends whereas my college friends and 4H friends were and still are my real friends.   I don't know that we were all that prepared for college but I went and did reasonably well.  Many of my classmates started and then dropped out for various reasons..    

[Kay/NC]

Nope, you must've missed mine...293! 

[SLC]

I guess I did!  That would be close to the size of the entire HS!   

[Kay/NC]

It was truly a Baby Boom era back then, with about 52-5400 kids in the county schools. When our kids were there, 25-ish years later, the figure was more like 3400.

[linda/IL]

.Our class was about 55 or 57 I believe.  We have lost 5 of those sadly.  We have been one of the few classes who have reunions every 5 yrs.  This year will be 50 yrs. and I'm on the committee and sadly we really have all been to busy to plan anything outstanding.  Judging by our return reservations I think many are in the same boat.  Waiting til the last minute to commit due to grandkids weddings, etc.  We have a a meeting in July so hopefully we can put some frosting on this cake, so to speak.

[turkey feather]

Our class reunion will be in July and we have it about every two years and have a good attendance.  It is the local ones who do not attend. Out of the 54 classmates I believe we have lost fifteen at least. I like class reunions but many people hate them.

[dairy mom]

Boy my experience was really different than every one's here.  But then I am a city girl come to the country.

There were 700+ in my 1971 graduating class.  There were kids there that I had never seen, never had a class with or didn't know they were seniors.

There was a core of about 150 of us that were together from 7th grade on.  But the rest all came from the tremendous growth going on in the area (Jefffeson county Colorado) and from consolidation of a couple of high schools.

the growth was just beginning too.  I was back home 2 years ago and couldn't even find the high school building, things have changed so much.

Jim I can't say much about the difference in the size of schools.  I don't think I received a good education from that monstrosity.  But I don't think it was the size.  I think it was the education philosophy of that particular school district at the time.  A lot of emphasis on creativity and not a lot of attention paid to basic knowledge.

[Steakmaker]

503 that graduated I think. Still occasionally run into people I've never met before that I graduated with. Odd thing is, some of the girls who were too good to talk to me in school 35 years ago now act like we were best friends in school (and I was a lot better looking then). My kids attend the same school district now as I did and the classes aren't even 300.