CLASS OF '76 HISTORY

It's hard to find an introduction good enough for a class like ours, but we'll start out by saying that the great years were either 1957 or 1958, because that's when all this talent started popping out from everywhere and anywhere. Well anyway, on with the show...

Our first five or six years were mainly filled with bringing joy into our parent's lives, and giving them a lot of laughs. We were obsesses with the knowledge that the "Big World" was out there somewhere, but we took our time in breaking through the barriers to find it.

The heartache finally came when we started kindergarten. Our class was noticed from the start with CATHERINE STEHL leading the way performing her wild antics down in Bowling Green. At Monfort Academy we enjoyed playing with cardboard boxes and going out to recess. Kindergarten upset everybody at Maury Elementary and Walker Grant so much that they just plain don't want to talk about it!

First grade was a real killer. For the first time we had to go the full length of a school day. It bothered SUSAN JONES so much that she has an accident in the library at Lafayette. At Walker Grant, we were tortured by stupid rhymes made up about us by the second graders. We even learned how to draw flowers that looked like cookies. That's real talent for you!

No matter where we went to school in the second grade, nothing really seems to stick in our minds. The pain of it all! So we'll just skip that one and let it slide.

Third grade saw the lucky students down at Maury go on a field trip to the Washington Zoo. We still haven't figured out if anybody traded places with the animals or not. At Monfort we were kept busy with our coloring books and aquariums. Big deal. GERRY LUCK gave everybody a treat and played Santa Claus for us, with his "bowl full of jelly" and all!

At Walker Grant in the fourth grade we took a class trip to Jamestown, where some of us actually got sea sick. It is reported by on the spot witnesses that WALLACE EDWARDS could be seen waving a Confederate flag out the bus window. What can we say? At Maury we were on the road again going to Williamsburg. Also, those of us down at Maury were already on our way to stardom with the big class production of the "Pied Piper." At Monfort we lived off green apples and trips to the cemetery. SARAH SPRATT and CINDY PAINTER started showing their equestrian skills out at Hazelwild that year too. We just thought we were wild then, to be sure!

Fifth grade saw us learning how to play "Dirty Word" Scrabble with Mrs. Clark, and the big thing that year was ice skating on Gayle's pond. DARCEL SNELLINGS and MARGIE VANAVER were sent to the office for puling George Quarles' shirt sleeves off. Got a little carried away from the original loop pulling craze, didn't you girls? The actors and actresses at Maury were put in the limelight with their production of "Tom Sawyer Wins Again." That's all anybody can remember of any importance that year. Next...

Sixth grade was charged with bringing most of our class into one great big mob with the consolidation of the City Schools. Some of us went to the F.B.I. building that year, and actually saw "the man" J. Edgar Hoover, walk by. When our favorite teacher, Mr. Freddie Smith, had to leave, all the girls cried. Right MARTHA SCOTT and ROSALIN FRENCH?

Seventh grade was fantastic - away from all the old schools and into something different - big, bad Walker Grant Middle School. The girls actually got away with wearing pants to school. (At the most once a week.) Seances and "Bra lines" were big a pajama parties. Maxi coats were beginning to come on the scene, and CHRISTY PHILLIPS was the clothes horse with all the latest fashions like gaucho pants. That's the year MARTHA SCOTT and BRIAN HOOTEN fell in love to the sounds of "Just My Imagination" and "Tears of a Clown." Oh my goodness! The big rages that year were going to the Dragnet, playing with klackers, and having whistles at school.

Eigth grade gave us the excitement of seeing JOHN BURRUSS' pants pulled down in gym class by GREG ANDERSON. Meanwhile, the girls' P.E. classes kept themselves busy throwing people around in the showers, and having water battles with the "deluxe" paper towels. We all went to the Smithsonian with Ms. Adegbabola, and some people managed to get lost in Woodbridge eating at Lums on the way home. LYNNE MYERS had the first boy-girl party out at the Foremen's Club. That year also saw the talent of some famous people in the production of "Joe Benoci" for Mrs. Bradshaw's English class. Other talent included the amazing KIM SARCHET, who dazzled everyone with her "fist in mouth" trick. We even distilled our own liquor in Mr. Dernbach's lab. THAT must be where we first got the taste for grain! Right CHARLIE RECTOR, JAY FINES, and DAN MANNING?

Ninth grade got all the girls excited over the "senior men." We're still wondering what happened to ours! Only teasing guys! JON RAYMOND came all the way from Ohio just to be with our class. You tricky little devil you! DEBBIE SHELTON had her mind on something (someone, we should say!) else while most of us struggled through Algebra class with Mr. Tanner. We also put our talent to good use by pretending that we didn't have any bubble-gum when Mrs. Pepmeier sniffed it out. Mayfield almost had to call out the Fire Department when J.C. ANDREWS and company did their "Bag's on fire on the porch!" trick. All in all we really weren't too bad for a Freshmen class. Are we right, or are we right?

Tenth grade seems to be the year we did the most Hell raising. Biology class was kept hopping by such people as DENNIS O'SHELL, SCOTT MASON, and CINDY WAGSTAFF. With incidents like boiled fish, spread-eagle frogs, worms pinned on jackets occurring, it's a wonder anything got done at all! The class of '74 had some wild graduation parties that were attended by many sophomores, to be sure! English class had a flair of excitement when JAY COPP, JIM HICKS, and CHRIS RAWLINGS gave their tea party. And we all know who the teacher's pet was in that class too, right LEWIS FOX? Fourth of July that year could see such party people as GEORGE McMILLIAN, TIMMY WASHINGTON, ANTHONY LEWIS, and J.C. ANDREWS really getting into it playing with some firecrackers. How are your fingers and ears guys?

Our Junior year brought continued zany adventures. JIMMY STEVICK just couldn't manage to follow directions, and got hit over the head with a test booklet by Mr. Saylor. All in one evening, a big ball was stolen from 7-11, Peoples Drug Store was raided with requests for "Kaydex Blemish Cover Up," and the "holy rollers society" Church was attended by some of our gang. BETSY BROWN got a little carried away that night too, but we've been instructed to leave that part out. On the Junior Class Trip we got a good view of Williamsburg. C&P telephone trucks started driving up on the sidewalks. PEPE HIERS managed to flag down a white Corvette to get some "liquid refreshments" for part of the group including HUNTER CHASE, JODY HALL, and JERE WILLIS. ALICE PATTON laughed all night long telling of the adventure, and LEWIS FOX charmed all the ladies with his evening attire. SYBRINA BEANUM got some cookies that were 200 years old (just the recipe folks) after she hassled the man in the bakery, much to our delight. Mr. Hall and Mrs. Armstrong did a good job of patrolling the halls. Even after the trip SUSAN HEARNE was still trying to figure out what a sink is really used for. Hang in there kid! Going to horse races was a big craze too. We're still wondering how some people like BRIAN HOOTEN ever made it back home. The football team found themselves in a little bit of trouble after the Matoaca game, coming back home through Richmond; too many guns and chains, right guys? J.W. HAMNER and BUCKY ELWELL had a new type of cocktail when they were initiated into the Key Club. Unusual to say the least! That was the year we had the Suicide Hill Party, and for some strange reason the cops seemed to want to play golf that night too! ROSEMARY PASTORE had her birthday party at the Country Club that year. Skipping classes seemed not to bother anybody, because everyone was doing it! That was the year that LORETTA COE and LILLY KOERNER came to our "institute of higher learning" for a better education. We tried to warn you! Streaking was a big event our Junior year too, but we're not going to give out any names! Other happenings were two great parties. One given by JOHNNY NORFLEET out in King George, and the other by DIANE STEELE. Some people got carried away at Diane's house, and in a lot of watermelon and people got thrown in the pool. Right JORGE LEONARKIS? Now, on to bigger and better things...

Our Senior year cannot and will not be forgotten. The Musical was about the biggest thing that took place, and the cast parties weren't too bad either! JERE WILLIS and DIANE STEELE provided the facilities, and a new drink, the sloe screw, appeared on the scene. The biggest let-down was the absence of any real Senior privileges, but what can we say? Sixth Period Government class saw DOUG SKINNER get accused of having loco weed" for lunch. Along the same line Mock Congress was a riot, with Senators dropping dead left and right. We took some good trips this year, like M.O.V.E., Theater Club, and last but definitely not least, the Senior Class Trip! Yea for the Snake Pit! DENNIS O'SHELL kept himself busy the entire time just girl watching (Framed!) and STUART SULLIVAN went wild and started giving away his clothes. PHYLLIS TERRELL, WILBUR BROWN, and VANESSA CATLETT played a dirty trick on BARBARA REAVES down there too. Did you ever get back into your room sweetie? And how about that great drink, "Splash Down," in Tomorrowland? To change the subject, Senioritis got to us earlier than anticipated, like about Mid-September, right gang? Lunches were about the best this year because most of us are eighteen. Burp! Other big events this year included the Key Club game against the Faculty. THERESE GLANCY did her best at coaching the girl's team, but people like KAREN WINGARD and ELZABETH MILLER just couldn't get it down! This was the year that everyone got their hair styled. People like KATHY SHELTON and THERESA PASTELL led the way for the girls, with TINK TOEPHER even going up to Maryland for her hair. The guys ho had their hair styled were TOMMY ROWE and DARRELL BOWIE, right off the top of the list.

Looking back over the years we realize that we've got such a great class, and we've done so many things, that it's impossible to give justice to everybody. We tried though, really. As MARY DALEY flies off in the wild blue yonder and J.W. HAMNER and BETSY BROWN lead us to Graduation, we'll leave first for Virginia Beach, and ultimately for the "Big People's World"; we've finally found it! Closing for now, our final statement is (what else?) "Ask me do I care!"

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