"Old Times There Are Not Forgotten,
Look Away, Look Away"

Forty years ago some WERE looking away... looking to get as far away as they could...

And others chose the "home" route... a return to the place where diapers turned to diplomas... where trips "down" the Boulevard came several times a day... not just at Christmas... where civic chores and chamber accomplishments were now our responsibilities, not our parents' and grandparents'... flies on the wall likely watched in awe...

Why it was only about 30 pounds ago that we clapped as Ernest Boling led the Band through its famous "Precision Drill", silenced everyone with the Alma Mater that most eventually learned the words to, and yes, marched off the field belting the Notre Dame Victory March that the Administration had desperately tried to "clean up" with pampered lyrics of "Band together Bulldogs Don't Let'm By" while an ever so determined group of traditionalists crooned "We never stumble, we never fall. We sober up on wood alcohol. When we fight we fight like HELL!"... "We'll see YOU in the office on Monday morning!"

Giardina's is still here... it's "simply" changed its location... Joe is still around -- he fed many a late night hamburger to some trying to straighten up before heading home..Wonder how many cars could get in that parking lot and next door on Friday or Saturday night...

Or across town at Serio's..A lonely part of the city now but oh, did it bustle back then...

Just to get out and do more talking than damage while tuned to WLS and Dick Biondi... Ol' Dick spun the Shadows of Night with Gloria but we all knew the Gants' version was superior...

Fridays were always special... Pep rallies... Flautt pastored over the passing of the 'old' school spirit and Cythia Phillips 'arose' with the new... At the final game rally, the principal's son challenged the students and faculty to drive to Greenville and watch the 'Dogs (and direct quote here) "beat their butts"... WHAT! Unheard of! Mrs. Roberts reached for the nitro; Dr. Whelan reached for Mike and 'punished' him with banishment from the golf team (HA! Proud Papa)... Sho 'nuff... the 3-6 Dogs whipped the 7-2 Hornets...

Memories... Homecoming Court; Christmas Court; Senior Play ... The Buena Vista at Biloxi was never the same after the Key Club Convention and Gregory strolling in with his surfboard... Spanish Club; Tide Club; Elks Club...

The Youth Center was getting duller, the Legion Hut hotter and louder...

Springtime always meant more records for Donna Jean to break...

The baseball team won North State in '66, playing behind Bulldog Stadium on a turf that too is but a memory...

And memories have become jokes and yarns and maybe even some tall tales...

Those school day pictures won't do some of us any good at recognizing each other, at least at first... Gray hair, no hair, "she didn't look like that"... No, none of us did 40 years ago... But it's not about the looks, it's not about where you've been and how much you've done... it's about the memories... and we invite everyone to come home again... and take a step back in time... and share the fun!

                                                                                 – Bobo Champion