On a beautiful fall day, with the leaves showing their colors; reds, yellows, oranges and browns, the 1998 Stingaree Jamboree was underway. People were already coming in about 8:30AM, before the registration table was completed. Faces lit up and smiles were from ear to ear as recognition of who each one was, came to mind. Hugs and kisses and jumping for joy soon took over and work came to a halt. Finally, the table was in operating condition and people began getting their packets, which contained their name badges, tickets for food, and receiving their sweatshirts ordered. In the corner, a group was putting together toothpaste, toothbrushes and dental floss for a give-away, thanks to the efforts of Diana Kaskowicz Connelly '54. There was enough for everyone. As the day went on the crowd grew larger and larger. Time flew by. Some boarded the bus for a trip to Helen, the small Bavarian Village nearby. Others went hiking, or to visit other scenic areas of the beautiful Applachian mountains. The buffet dinner on Friday night consisted of Georgia Mountain Trout, Baked Ham with Pineapple Sauce, Roast Loin of Pork, and all the vegetables, rolls, salad, an assortment of cream and fruit pies, cakes and cobblers you could consume. At 7:00 the Simply Southern Cloggers performed, and were successful in getting some of the audience to participate. Just before 8:00PM, Elizabeth Rhodes Smith Class of '29 was recognized. She was the oldest graduate in attendance. The youngest were a group from the 1968 graduating class, Loretta Elliot Sassen, Katherine Edgar Houser, and Pam Hool Anderson. This makes a span of 38 years of Miami Senior High graduates together again, and some for the first time, amongst the blue and gold decorations,(the rolled up jeans and a few pair of black & white saddle oxfords) that adourned the dining hall. What a wonderful turnout. During the evening the Alma Mater brought everyone to their feet and voices sang loud and clear. It made a chill run up my spine. The DJ played our kind of music, Stingarees danced and remembered, until 11:00PM. Door prizes were given away and everyone had a wonderful time. "Good night", "see you in the morning", gave way to the sleepy-heads.

The next morning some arrived early for breakfast, others dragged in later looking as if they hadn't had much sleep. Others arriving for the first time, got in line for their tickets and name badges. Twice during Saturday the bus ran the route to Helen so people would not have to fight the traffic or look for a place to park. All during the day the conference center was filled with Stingarees talking, looking at memorabelia, going over folders, by years of graduation, our alphabetical mailing list, e-mail addresses, adding and updating names and addresses. As evening arrived, the dining hall decorated with "Golden Stingrays", balloons (blue & gold), cut-outs of the '50s standing on gold stands with crystals and blue glitter on top of the metalic gold centerpiece. Replicas of jukeboxes, records, cars, sock hops, and memories of the yesteryear adorned the hall. Above the dance floor, a large net filled with balloons of gold and blue hung waiting to release its contents to the dancers below. More door prizes were given away and the decorations left clutched in Stingaree hands to remember the night and weekend. The next morning, over a long lingering breakfast, it was hard to say good-bye, but next year will bring us together and we hope some new faces will appear. With that thought in mind, we bid our farewells, and hope to see YOU in 1999.

I would like to thank all those Stingarees who help so much this weekend, I love you. You worked hard and it was greatly appreciated. You know who you are.

Love, Virginia

2nd page of photos

3rd page of photos

PHOTO ALBUM

Return to home page.

Always with smiling faces Diana (Kaskowitz) Connelly, Virginia (Robson) Pauline, Joan (Haller) Albrecht worked at the registration desk until everyone was present.