North Elk High 1971

[kdfrawg]

I went to a large high school (plain old North High School) in Omaha. I can't imagine the difference in our experiences. Our graduating class had 450 students. About 70% of those students were black. It seems like 80% of those were drafted and went to Viet Nam. And it seems like most of those didn't come back, including the vast majority of my friends.

For those reasons, I just can't bring myself to go to a reunion. I still have friends up there that said one reunion was all they could take once they figured out the group dynamics. It is very sad. I have been back to the school itself. It has changed a little. It is still a big brick pile. It is now a magnet school, and is almost certainly better for that, although it seemed a good school when I was there.

The surrounding area has actually improved since the early sixties. There were two people still working in the office that had just started while I was there, at that time 30 years earlier. They both remembered me. I don't know if that was good or bad. Still, knowing there were people that would never come back bothered me greatly.

I would guess there is every chance that the experience I describe may apply to Howard, and Moline, and the rest of the area during those years. It may even have been worse, because the classes were smaller and everyone knew everyone. I hope that we can honorably disengage from our current conflict, and avoid new ones, so that the classes of the last few years can avoid the sad feeling that I have in the halls of North High. I want them all home safe.

Sorry for getting serious. Sometimes I can't help myself.