What an awesome experience!!! The reunion committee did a hell of a job once again!!! How does the committee solicit donations for the next reunion in 5 years?? Let us know how to go about that!! Great Job!!! Already looking forward to our 55th!!! You should put back up the clock counting down to it...One of the most enjoyable experiences I have had....Thank you and the reunion committee again!!! Tim Beck...Class of 1975...

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a memory of our 50th Reunion instead of our time in High School but I'm hopeful that I can. I am so thankful and impressed with the efforts that the Reunion Committee did to make attending so compelling and enjoyable - both venues worked very well! Sue, Tammy, Cindy, Jackie, Mark, Mike & Gary to name the members that I can recall saying thank you is definitely not adequate.

Attending this Reunion was so special! If we each reconnected with even one former classmate / friend it was rewarding - I feel so fortunate to have reconnected with many. One special surprise was reconnecting with some classmates that I didn't know or hang out with very much in HS and finding out what an interesting and rewarding post HS life they have had. Looking to the future I feel like I have reconnected with some good friends that I look forward to spending time with during the next five years preceding our 55th year reunion. Coming back to SF and experiencing the positive aspects of it's growth like the Sioux River Parks and paths and the revived downtown was exhilarating.

It's difficult to single out one memory of our Reunion but it would have to be sitting down next to our football coach Jerry Miller and hearing about his long coaching career and him looking me straight in the eye as I took a drink of my Snapple Peach tea and saying "so Gage it looks like you had a tough night last night"! And I said no Coach Miller I just wanted to remember every minute of this reunion :)

See You All in 5 Years!

🤦‍♀️ Stanga. Not Stanza.

My memory
Adding to Art Farmer’s Senior Picnic streakers memory — and story I also have repeated through the years. My recollection is similar with an additional twist. As Art mentioned, the nearly all white football team ran naked through Tuthill Park past us very entertained seniors, with just one black guy, Ron Harris. The twist I tell is that Ron was the only guy that work a ski mask! 😏 😂

Yup … that, and many Stanza choir & chamber choir, Home Ec, Art and Powder Puff Mechanics 🩷🔧 recollections that clearly keep me connected to Sioux Falls. Still love coming back to my hometown❣️

Greetings my fellow Patriots…

I, like many of you, have fond memories of Lincoln High School. We had great teachers (I was so inspired that I became one) and a terrific student body.

In fact, I have so many pleasant recollections that I penned an opus (ha!) Those Who Can, Do…Those Who Cannot…," published on Amazon*, chronicling my journey from Hawthorne/Twain/Frost Elementaries to Patrick Henry Junior High to our shared alma mater (“nourishing mother”), followed by my matriculation to the University of South Dakota, and ending with my nascent career as an educator.

I think you will enjoy the anecdotes and feel some familiarity with my character (teacher) descriptions.

Take care. I look forward to seeing you, anon.

Sincerely, Rick Meyers

*This program will not allow me to send the link. If you are interested, contact me via email, and I will supply the link.

Spending one-half of my high school life (and credits) in the Radio & TV studio (OWL-TV), one memory I vividly recall is when Michael Wagner was part of a panel of students interviewing radio personality, Paul Harvey. At the end of the interview, Michael asked Mr. Harvey if he could end the TV interview with his famous closing line. Mr Harvey replied, “well Michael, you have to closely watch the second hand on your watch, and when it gets rght to the top of the hour, you say (pause for emphasis) ‘good day!’” You nailed it, Michael!

Being part of the first show choir, at first I was miffed, I wanted to be in concert choir. But it was so fun to dance and sing! We were the Murphy Girls. Great memories!

Listening to the choir and chamber choir often raised goosebumps on my arms. As a member of both, but with what felt to me like a thin voice and small range, I enjoyed just mouthing the words of songs more than actually singing. I could hear the music better that way. Director Stanza had a keen ear, however, and I did not always get by with my faking. Stanza had, by the way, a very well-deserved reputation around the country (yes, widely known) as a brilliant choir director.

Generally, my highschool career was unexceptional, not highlighted by involvement or accomplishment. I missed out on a lot, but I felt great admiration for those who had the confidence and social presence that I did not.

In one class (I do not recall which), however, I was voted most likely to be . . . (I do not recall what). Years later, while on my motorcycle, I was hit from behind at high speed by an 18-wheeler cattle truck. Maybe that was the vote?

A couple of thoughts -

So many good times and so many memories, but I would be remiss if I did not mention Coach Rich Greeno. In many ways, I was the epitome of a Greeno athlete. I never intended to go out for track, but he recruited me after Mr. Brook told him I could jump high playing basketball in gym class, and who could say no to Mr. Greeno? In three years, I never won anything, although I did earn a 2nd, 3rd, and a 5th place if I recall. Anyone can coach the star athletes, but Coach Greeno welcomed everyone, and those other places besides first piled up a lot of points and won a lot of track meets for Lincoln. In the years since high school and all the different bosses I worked for, I have thought about him often and his "management style". I never heard the man raise his voice once, except to offer an enthusiastic "Atta Boy!" to his guys, and yet everyone worked their butts off for him. He was all about pride and respect, and those are pretty good qualities to pass along to young men. Thanks Coach.


A high school story that I have repeated many times is when a group of senior boys from the class of '74 streaked our junior class picnic at Tuthill park. They had to undress back in the trees and there was a long stretch of open grass to cover so they just jogged rather than streaked. They all wore ski masks to hide their identities, even Ron Harris, who was the only Black guy in their class. All the guys had "74" marked on their butts with black electrical tape except Ron, who had white tape. Someone yelled, "Let's get 'em!" and they all took off for the trees again!

My memories are not nearly as laser focused as Gary's, but stem from the video that Gary put out. When I was watching it, the one thing that dawned on me as he moved through the different groups is how comfortable everyone seemed to be at Lincoln High School in 1975. On any given day, whether I was involved with an activity that included the high achievers, or the sports folks, the band individuals, or sitting in the basement with the stoners, everyone seemed to be comfortable with each other for the most part. How lucky we were to be in a school, with so many different students, and feel like we could fit in anywhere no matter who was involved. I suppose it was a sign of the times, but there was always for me anyway, a feeling of security when entering those glass doors out in front, to get the day started. We all have individual memories I'm sure, but that broad picture is what stands out for me. I believe this speaks to the entire student body and the respect we all had for one another.

Behold Sherri Chapman, the Bo Derrick of Lincoln Sr High. I was one of the throng of guys who secretly wanted to “know” her, if you know what I mean — in the biblical sense. She was out of my league of course, but there’s always that sliver of hope you cling to at times like this. Sherri and I were not good friends but we were friendly. I hung out with the stoners which included her brother Doug and a bunch of other guys and girls that Sherri knew very well. One day after school I had reason to stick around for awhile, Probably detention. It was our Junior year and I was still half-cocked. As I walked passed the lockers in the hallway I noticed Sherri was there by herself getting her things together, so I stopped and chatted with her for just a minute. It was okay. She seemed a little distracted, but it was fine. I went on my merry way and dipped into the restroom to take care of business. I’m sure I thought of Sherri then and probably wondered what she thought of me. Am I good looking enough? Are my clothes too lowbrow? My hair too long? She wouldn’t go out with a pothead, would she? On my way out I checked my look in the mirror (credit Springsteen) and I was fine. Wait a minute, there is something right there under my chin, right there on my Adam’s Apple. WHAT THE F…?!!! The modest little zit I had noticed there this morning had somehow expanded to three or four times it’s original size and has popped! There’s this unsightly globule of creamy pus oozing forth, announcing to the whole world, especially Sherri Chapman, that I am a truly gross and repugnant boy… and a stoner. I knew in that moment that I would never “know” Sherri, ever. AND MAN is SHE MISSING OUT!! :-)