Libby goes back to '50s with reunion
With poodle skirts and drive-in movie theaters, James Dean and the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, the 1950s really was fabulous – just ask the hundreds of former Libby High School students who will be in town next week.
So far well over 300 people from the classes of 1950 through 1960 have registered to attend next weekend’s Fabulous Fifties class reunion, which will include a parade, tours and a banquet.
“The Class of 1960 said they would like to be included,” explained planning committee chair Dolly Urdahl Purdy, “because, after all, they spent four years in the 1950s and only five months in 1960, and this is their 50th reunion.”
Purdy, who graduated with the Class of 1952, explained how she crashed the Class of 1953 reunion two years ago and struck up a conversation with former classmate Clark Hamor.
“I was 1952, but I just wanted to go down there and make a nuisance,” Purdy said. “Clark said a dream of his was to see an all ’50s class reunion … he said, ‘I’ll take up all the registrations, find the names and do all the paperwork.’ Well, I thought if he can do all that, then I can be chairman.”
Hamor, who resides in Salem, Ore., worked with the other classes to put together a mailing list of 625 high school students from the 1950s. The planning committee mailed out save-the-date postcards in October and in January mailed out itineraries and registration sheets.
Roughly one-third of registrants are locals, and the remaining live in 16 different states, as well as Mexico and Canada. They will lodge in motels or bed-and-breakfasts, bring a camper or stay with relatives.
The committee was also able to track down 10 former faculty members and their spouses to attend the functions Friday and Saturday evening.
“We found them through the annuals, just being good detectives,” said planning committee treasurer Valerie Endicott Crabtree.
Formal events will begin 7 p.m. on Friday at the Memorial Center with light refreshments and a time to get re-acquainted. Participants are encouraged to bring their old annuals and share some of the words of wisdom written in them decades ago. The planning committee invites visitors from other classes to stop by for this time of reminiscing.
The committee is teaming up with Kootenai River Rodeo organizers to put on a parade Saturday morning at 10 a.m. down Mineral Avenue. Vernon Howard, Class of ’55, and his wife Jeanne Howard, Class of ’58, said that they’ve tried to organize one float and one period car to represent each class.
“That was the big thing of the ’50s,” Jeanne said. “Prom floats with the chicken wire filled with napkins and things. You would keep the location secret so no one would see it ahead of time.”
“Or destroy it,” her husband added with a chuckle.
Following Saturday’s parade, Libby High School will be opened up to view the Hall of Fame.
The weekend events will also feature a silent auction with items donated by registrants.
“Classmates are bringing some real nice things,” Crabtree said. “That will help offset all of our expenses like the Memorial Center rent and the publicity.”
Registrants have signed up for various other weekend activities like a hiking trip up Old Highway 2 on Saturday afternoon. Tours of Libby Dam and viewing of the Heritage Museum will be available Saturday and Sunday.
“I know there are some people that haven’t been back to Libby for 50 years,” Crabtree said, “so this should be interesting.”
Schedule of Events
Friday, July 30
• 2 p.m. – The Memorial Center will open as a meeting place, especially for those visiting from out of town.
• 7 p.m. – Mixer at the Memorial Center begins with light catered refreshments and a no-host bar. Members of other classes are invited to attend and reminisce.
• 7 p.m. – Silent auction at the Memorial Center begins.
• 7:30 p.m. – Professional class photographs to be taken at the Memorial Center.
Saturday, July 31
• 10 a.m. – Fabulous Fifties/Rodeo Parade down Mineral Avenue.
• 11:30 a.m. – Libby High School opens for tour of the Hall of Fame.
• 1 p.m – Registered participants meet at the bus in front of the Memorial Center for a hike along Old Highway 2.
• 6 p.m. – Registrants meet for social hour with no-host bar at the Memorial Center.
• 7 p.m. – Registrants meet for a banquet and special Fabulous Fifties program. The silent auction concludes.
— — —
Libby Dam tours – Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Note: arrive 15 minutes early with photo identification.
Heritage Museum – Open Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. Admission by donation.