Liz DeBlock (Duckrow)

• I came late to the party and joined you all for my freshman year at RHS. Moving in from out of state at that precarious time of adolescent angst was very difficult for me. I remember my first day and not knowing anybody and being afraid that I would never know anybody. But you were ( and still are) a very welcoming group!

• I remember being part of the Color guard and all of the fun we had with the twirlers, cheer leaders, and band members. I learned how to twirl a rifle and throw it around during half time shows at the football games. And who could forget band camp? So much fun until the year my Mom informed me she was coming along as a chaperone. What? Really? There was no way I could persuade her to stay home. As the captain of the color guard during our senior year, Mr. Birnbaum asked me to direct the band at a football game using my mighty saber. Poor man. What he didn't know before many practice sessions is that I am completely tone deaf ! Lol, I think he finally told the band to just ignore me and play.

• I remember Miss Nardone and yearbook meetings in her library which I think may have been our homeroom senior year. Could that be true? Such a lovely person she was and very good to us. She always called me a chatterbox but with a smile on her face.

• Junior prom was hundreds of white branches painted white with little pink crepe paper cherry blossoms that we had to make. I also seem to remember a footbridge being built for our soirée in the gym that year. What was the theme?

• I remember no senior privileges but we claimed the steps outside the library for our own. It was here that some of us heard the announcement that John F. Kennedy had been shot.

• I remember jamming as many girls as possible into Lynnie Jakobsen's pea green VW for lots of adventures and the creation of the S.S.S. Anyone remember what the letters stood for so long ago?

• The all night softball game has a special place in my memories. Such a sly girl I was, I told my parents I was spending the night at a friend's house and then went to the game and had a blast! My Dad greeted me at the door the next morning and asked how the pajama party had been. I responded, with a completely straight face, that we had had fun and stayed up all night talking. "Anything else you want to share", he asked and I knew the jig was up. From behind his back he produced a copy of the newspaper with my picture on the cover! Caught red handed! I seem to have blacked out what my punishment was for that offense. Such a simple transgression compared to some of the misadventures of today's teens. We did grow up in a golden time that allowed many of us to linger in the innocence and beauty of childhood. We are very lucky people.

• I remember the King and I and Pirates and working behind the scenes and being thrilled that our class had so many wonderful voices..

• I remember Jimmy Crawford, cross country and state mile champ. A special person who promised me a ticket to the Olympics when he made the team..

• I remember hating Mr. May because he called me Libby all of the time. No matter how many times I corrected him, he would not give it up. I think I hate math because of him, too!!!!

xoxoxoxoxo, Liz, Mom, Lizzie, Lizard but never Libby