School Days—or is it School Daze? As I was working on the reunion package of photos, directory, and history the other day, I thought about various class members who are content to stay in the background or have requested to opt out from receiving any information from the class. How does it happen that some friendships were formed sixty years ago that will last a lifetime, even without seeing someone for long periods. At our reunion, there was evidence aplenty that such friendships exist.
Then there is what I might identify as a low profile group, who send along updated information for the data base but little more. Some will obviously be restricted by distance, while others maintain a cadre of friends but do not participate in reunions, even though in reasonable proximity.
The comment I hear most frequently is that “I was just at Jeff for a year or so before graduation and no one remembers me.” How wrong they are! Any number of them made their mark at Jeff, some in sports, some in music, some in theater. The others who keep a low profile do communicate, send in address changes, etc. but just don’t attend activities. For the eleven who have requested no further contact, it brings to mind a common problem we see today in schools: bullying. I wonder if bullying existed back in our time? I suppose I am just naïve enough to have missed it entirely if it did exist.
If I were a Ralph Waldo Emerson type, I could write a bang-up essay “On the Nature of Friendship.” Sadly, I am no Ralph Waldo.
Recent photos: Still have a few old photos to post, but will offer a more recent look today with photos from the reunion.
Janet Walker Mathes and Patricia Trimble Bryant
The three blondes: Marcia Pittman, Texas Nowotny Myers, and Sarah Belcia Yates
Dick Brusenhan and Jack Davis
Does anyone remember the old Palace Theater? You had to go through a tunnel to get to the theater. There were two entrances to the tunnel: one from Alamo Plaza across from the Alamo, and one a block west off Loyosa. After some took the tour of the Majestic, Empire, and Aztec theaters at the reunion, there was conversation about other theaters back in the day.
Below is something from the Express-News archives, from February 20, 2011 about the Palace. Please note the website circled near the end of the article www.satheatres.com . (If you type it into your browser notice the spelling of theatres), it will take you to a website that offers more on the old theaters. I checked it out and discovered that the old State Theater on Main near the Frost Bank was originally the Majestic and lost its name when the current Majestic opened. I saw a bit about the old Uptown, the Laurel, and of course, the Aztec and the Empire. If you go to the website, after enter, click on the Table of Contents to find info about those old theaters, vaudeville houses, drive-ins and neighborhoods, even adult movie theaters. Does anyone remember the Joy Theater on Houston or Commerce? There was a sign out front with a chorus girl type dancing on a rotating ball.
I am putting this article last because I can’t seem to work out formatting issues with it and have copied as a photo.
Be back soon.
San Antonio Express-News Sunday, February 20, 2011
jeffclassof54 
Well, guess you are getting tired of hearing from me, but here goes…… I don’t remember anyone getting bullied. We had respect for ourselves and each other. We were taught the “Golden Rule” and followed it. Our teachers and parents wouldn’t have allowed it and I always thought we saw the good in each other.
Now about the theaters…..I don’t remember the Plaza and I thought I had been to almost every theater in SA. My dad loved movies and took us constantly. Kenny and I also went to movies downtown and to the drive-ins. We went to the Majestic, Astec, and Texas downtown.
The Empire was off-limits because it was for only Blacks. My dad would drive across town every Thursday night to go to the Fredricksburg Drive- Inn because it was double feature night. There was also the Trail Drive-Inn and I’m sure more but I don’t remember. There is one Drive-Inn left in the valley, the West Mer. I haven’t been there because I do like AC now. My friends and I would walk to the Harlendale Theater every Saturday and see two movies (usually cowboys and Indians), a news-reel, a serial and comedy. Then there was the Uptown, the Laurel, the Woodlawn and many more. Those were the days.
I’m loving the photos. Keep them coming! The kiddie party made me realize I may have missed a lot by leaving at midterm to start college at SAC. No real regrets, though.I stayed connected and came back to graduate with the class. Don’t know why I was in such a hurry….