Reunion 2005 at Mardi Gras World

Report: The State of the Class

by Hank Greenwald

August 9, 2005

A funny thing happened after the August 9 th, 2003 40 th Reunion weekend. Everyone who had attended wanted to know when the class was going to meet again? When was the next party going to be? Were we going to have to wait until a 45 th Reunion to see each other again? So, the die was cast. Could the 25 member Reunion Committee do it again…and before another five years went by? Could they transport us back in time…yet again?

There had been a 50 th Birthday Party for the class, so why not a 60 th? After all, the 40 th Reunion had such a remarkable turnout (158 classmates, 278 total attending) that there was a surplus of over three thousand dollars. So the decision was made to spend that money on a 60 th Birthday Party for the class. And more importantly, the goal was to be that the party be even more fun than the 40 th’s Saturday night…and produce yet another lifelong memory.

After visiting Audubon Zoo’s Swamp Room and Rock N’ Bowl’s upstairs/downstairs offerings, Mardi Gras World was chosen by the committee. (Ironically, the fantastic New Orleans murals that had embellished the walls of the downstairs at Rock N’ Bowl appeared at our Friday night dinner on the walls of Ye Olde College Inn because the mutual owner had removed the murals from Rock N’ Bowl and mounted them on the walls of College Inn.) Mardi Gras World proved to be a truly unique, New Orleans institution. And, the atmosphere of having a party in the midst of Mardi Gras floats, a towering dinosaur, and other outrageous, fascinating Mardi Gras creatures (see photos), proved to be as memorable as the committee had hoped.

Rooms at the Hilton, a ferry ride to Algiers…it couldn’t just be only a Saturday night party…not enough time to TALK. How about let’s see who wants to get together for dinner on Friday night? And that’s how reservations were made and the side room was reserved at Ye Olde College Inn for 15 people. Only problem, 30 showed up!! (What is it about this class?) Three hours later, everybody had talked and eaten themselves silly. Chicken Fried Steak po-boys were the top choice. Some things never change.

And there were classmates there from California, Tennessee, Wisconsin, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Texas. It’s interesting where our lives have taken us. The majority of us still live in the Greater New Orleans area, but large percentages live in Baton Rouge, Mississippi, Texas and Florida. Many of those who have moved from the GNO area still have family in the area and visit often. Those classmates who did not attend the party, almost to a person, had family events with children and grandchildren. Family comes first in our lives. Our parents taught us that.

For the reunion, the committee had decided not to give awards for all those silly things that awards are given for at reunions…like most years married (You know, our same couple would have won again because they’re still married.), the most kids, the most grand kids, who came from the farthest away (Incidentally, Thailand would have won). Awards for having families? Yes, families…that’s where we learned to love and value our friends. So yes, we are the wonderful Class of ’63…but we have our parents to thank for teaching us to value family…and each other. (Incidentally, one of us has two great grandchildren!)

And so, the birthday party became…the birthday weekend. One last weekend chance to see each other was at a very special breakfast, and then we parted…but only until we meet again.

Let’s close this report with some Class of ’63 facts that have come to light since work on the 40 th Reunion started.

• Shirley Trusty Corey said that there was always something special about our class, and that in the faculty lounge, in the years after we left Fortier, the faculty agreed that ours was the last, great Fortier class. Many faculty members said we were the greatest class ever. Shirley now heads the New Orleans Arts Council. She is only about six years older than us.
• Several of us married classmates after graduation.
• Several of us married classmates before graduation.
• Henry Helm became the Principal at Fortier for a very brief time, and then became the Principal at Ben Franklin High School.
• Peter Dombourian retired and founded the New Orleans Concert Band in 1975. He invited former Fortier Band members to join. Although he passed away in 1992, his band has played on into its 30 th anniversary year…and still has 9 former Fortier musicians in its membership, ranging from Class of ’53 to Class of ’64.
• The Fortier Fight Song is no longer played at Fortier. It is, however, now the Ben Franklin Fight Song (with a few words changed).
• Reunion Committee meetings began 18 months before the reunion and were all held at one lovely lady’s home.
• The internet and cell phones allowed the committee to find more classmates than ever before. In the end, about 400 of the 508 graduates were located.
• Of the 100 still missing classmates, most are girls who married and moved from Louisiana and are not in contact with other class members.
• There are 48 graduates who did not get their photo taken for the yearbook.
• We finally found Alex Bisso…living in Montana.
• The turnout for the 60 th Birthday party was again more than anticipated and produced a surplus of a little over a thousand dollars, which will be used for future events.
• Of those classmates “In Memoriam”, an equal amount died in automobile accidents and of cancer. None died in Vietnam.
• Our website was created and has been lovingly developed into a work of art by a member of Class of ’62…who we all have come to adore.

Fortier Forever,

Hank

PS. Watch for an upcoming article about each of your Reunion Committee members and their individual efforts for the Class of ’63