HHS 1982 Reunion

In helping plan the class reunion for the Hattiesburg High School class of 1982, I was sitting with a handful of my classmates a few weeks ago. We reminisced as we began to look through the 1982 yearbook. We talked about class events, teachers, and the things we remembered about our days there. The class of 1982 gave us soldiers and doctors, lawyers and businessmen, blue and white collar workers. Many of our graduates are working in states all over this great country of ours, while others remain loyal to (or stuck in) our hometown. Still others are employed overseas. Some of them, unfortunately, are no longer with us. While some went on to much greater things than we ever imagined, others fell a few yards short of their goals. Hattiesburg High School, in 1982, was a far different school than what you will find on Hutchison Ave. today. In 1982, HHS had several campuses. Only your junior and senior years were spent at Blair Center. There was no air-conditioning to speak of. The classrooms opened to breezeways rather than hallways. The dress code required long pants. This was probably a good thing because it was hard enough for this hot-blooded young American boy to concentrate. Focus would have been lost altogether had the girls been allowed to wear shorts. Especially since the shorts of the 1980’s really were shorts. In the winter the small heaters just below the windows gave out just enough heat to warm one side of your hands. Little time was spent in the breezeways. The coats stayed on inside the classes and many of the girls took notes wearing scarves and gloves. You sharpened your pencil often just because the sharpener was located near the heater. In high school we all have friends that we believe will be our friends forever. Many of these people we couldn’t imagine, at the ripe old age of 17, living without. College and life lead us in different directions and, without the technology we have today, we just lose touch with those we once held so dear. While life does try to replace them with new friends, it’s never quite the same as those we spent our formative years with. Some of the differences that may have polarized us back then have faded away. We no longer see each other as black or white, straight or gay, jock or nerd. Now we just see each other for who we truly are – “well-rounded” men who just want some of the long hair we had in the 80’s and, soccer moms who want to know if there is enough time before the reunion to visit their doctor for some, um, touching up. If you were a member of the HHS Class of 1982, this middle-aged, slightly overweight, bifocal wearing man would love to see you at the reunion. I promise I’ll print the name tags in really big font for us all to be able to see!