Choir get- together

Sat. May 2, 2009, 3:59 p.m.

Hello again,

I just talked to Mr. Cravens and he accepted our invitation to come to the barbeque on Friday evening! He said he was very excited to see everyone and appreciated being included. He shared that he is 79 years old now, and is still going strong……………he plays with some folks who travel to hospitals to entertain the patients…………..so his clarinet is still going strong, too. He also shared that City was the first high school to perform a musical, The Pajama Game, where all of the music was by the students. He said other schools usually had adults play in the orchestra, but we were able to do it all with student musicians. There you go……………….we were special then and we are still special now! J

I'm ready to leave my tornado worries and damaged home behind me and come on right now……………..but I suppose I'd better wait until the 15th! The anticipation of the reunion truly is a bright spot on the horizon!

Mary Helen (Mertz)

Sat. May 2, 2009, 12:37 p.m.


Mary Helen,

I have another idea. You might put on the blog for choir members to meet at the banquet and sit together. Tucker Photography will make group pictures there. You might suggest to the choir to plan to have their picture taken together. That way it will be in the memory book that will cost $28.00

Isn't this exciting!

Anne (Johnson)



Sat. May 2, 2009, 12:45 p.m

Hi Anne,

I got a phone number for a J. Cravens from 411 and tried to reach him, but no answer…………….not even sure it is the right person, but I'll try again later today. If he is the right person and accepts the invitation, I'll let you know right away.

It's okay that we can't sing……………maybe we can choose from your list……….. I know it was very late to even make the suggestion, it was just a thought. I e-mailed Margaret Llewellyn Crosby, a former Choir member, to see if she knew anything about Mr. Cravens – I'll keep you updated. Hopefully the number I found will reach him.

Thanks,

Mary Helen



Sat. May 2, 2009 11:07 a.m.

Mary Ellen,

The answer is no for singing Friday night. Friday night has so much going on and the other venues have planned agendas. We see the reunion more of a "mingle and greet" –a party rather than a performance.

Here are some suggestions: You could try through the blog to recruit choir members to meet at a given location.

1. One place would be in the hospitality room, Hotel 1, room 150, meet and sing. The hospitality room is open 3-5:00 Fri & Sat.

2. Sing on the bus which leaves the Choo-Choo at 5:30 and arrives at Heritage Landing in about 20 minutes.

3. Contact David Y. Parker and offer the choir to sing something inspirational at the memorial service at 10 a.m. Sat. at the school. Practice might be required. Maybe just before the service at 10.

4. Meet somewhere at the school during the school tour, and sing what you want between 8:30 and 9 a.m. A group picture will be taken on the front steps of the CHS building at 9:15.

5. Ask choir members to sit together at the banquet, no singing.

6. Contact Jay Cravens and ask him to come at a time when many of the choir will be there. The committee will buy Cravens' meals but we need a reservation for him.

These are just my thoughts; the committee would need to approve a performance. Make a proposal and the committee meets 5/7.

Let me hear what you plan to do. We are going to have a grand party over 200 people strong!

Nothing finer than a '59er! and '59 still shines!

Anne Johnson

Fri. May 1, 2009 10:53 p.m.





Hi Anne,

I just keep thinking of a line or two from the theme song from the Pajama Game……………it would only take a couple of minutes………….it goes:

The Pajama Game is the game we're in

And it's great to be in the Pajama Game, we love it!

We can hardly wait to wake and get to work at eight

Nothing's quite the same as the Pajama Game.

I'm sure everyone would remember that much of the song from the play. Or, if we had copies of words and maybe sheet music for Hernando's Hideaway (also from the Pajama Game), our alma mater or fight song ( it would be a bonus to have a piano, but not a necessity)………….it would be fun to stand for a minute or two and sing with those we sang with fifty years ago. I think I can speak for many of us in Choir in saying that we thoroughly enjoyed working with Jay Cravens……….it was a fun and happy time of the day to go there, sing and interact with Mr. Cravens. Anyway, it was just a thought………………..

Many thanks for all of the hard work in planning such a super reunion! See you soon.

Mary Helen (Mertz)

Fri. May 1, 2009 8:48 a.m.

Tell me about the song. What is it? What do you require?

Anne Johnson



Thurs., Apr. 30, 2009 2:48 p.m.

Hi Mary Helen,




Got your check today and I, too, am disappointed about the brunch. We had no idea there would be this much interest. I will tell the committee about your desire to have "five minutes" for a song and get back with you. Glad you and your sister are coming.




Susie (Turner Crouch)