#102 "Things Got Very Bad Before They Got Better"
In a break from harvest, Diana and I take the weekend to attend our 50th High School Reunion
Diana and I are attending our 50th high school reunion this weekend.
We were classmates at Nottingham High School in Syracuse, NY. Nottingham when we entered in 1971 was diverse—racially, ethnically, economically, academically, religiously and politically. And in the early 1970s, it was very turbulent at the school. The students, faculty and administration were *not* one, big, happy family. Part of going back to the reunion was to see what had become of the people and that place.
Life at the school was turbulent for two reasons
The first involved race. In 1965-66, the schools in Syracuse were desegregated. The racial integration of the school drove many white families out of the city and into the suburbs. Diana’s family—and mine—stayed in the city. Our parents believed that we needed to be prepared to live in a world that was bound to change. “The world is complicated,” they were saying. “Get used to it.”
The second cause of turmoil was the counter-cultural revolution of the 1960s—the era of Sex, Drugs, & Rock ‘n Roll. It included opposition to the war in Vietnam. Political assassinations. The Equal Rights Amendment. And more.
All of these influences made for a semi-chaotic atmosphere at Nottingham High School.
In 1988, a Syracuse University professor wrote a book about that semi-chaotic atmosphere.
Sociology professor Gerald Grant documented the evolution that occurred at Nottingham in a book titled The World We Created at Hamilton High. (He re-named the school, “Hamilton High,” to preserve some degree of anonymity for the people who were interviewed and quoted in the book.)
The book describes Nottingham when it opened in 1954 as school made up of mostly middle- and upper-middle class white kids. This was during post-War America where freeways and suburbs were growing and American consumers had plenty of choices when it was time to buy a refrigerator, car or toaster.
All that changed in the 1960s, and Grant’s book describes how that played out at Nottingham. The description of the book on Amazon.com (where it is still available) puts it this way.
Grant’s impression was that the Nottingham of 1988 was in much better shape than the Nottingham of our era.
But 36 years have passed since Grant’s book. We weren’t sure what we would find when we planned to visit this weekend.
What did we find?
It was recognizable as the school we attended. But its physical plant has been dramatically improved. It is far more spacious and accommodating than it was when we attended. We played on dusty, worn athletic fields. The new playing fields are spectacular.
One of the reunion organizers arranged a tour of the school. The young current principal, who is a graduate of one of the other city high schools led the tour. He was entertaining, intelligent and enthusiastic.
Our visit was after-school hours, so what we saw were the kids involved in after-school activities. The football team was dressing for an away game. The cheer-leading squad was practicing routines.
Everything seemed very shiny. The tone was energetic and positive. The students were engaged.
The changes there could not have happened overnight. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of money. But as Grant observed in 1988, things had gotten better than they were when we attended. And in the next 36 years, it looked to me like they had gotten even better.
Something very good has been created at this Hamilton High. I would not have believed it unless I had seen it.
I look forward to your weekly substacks. Always informative. The girls and I enjoyed seeing you and Diana this past Thursday. The new wines are delicious.
Great story, Bruce! Thanks for sharing your weekly “substacks”. I always pass them on to my wife and daughter.