Dear Hearts & Gentle People:

I am immersed in memories of high school and of growing up in Lexington, as I am helping to plan our 60^th High School reunion. (I graduated at age 4.) The local residents from that 1957 class decided to hold the Reunion on August 26, which is the final day of the Lexington Fair (similar to the Fall Festival, you old timers). That means the town will be full of vendors – food, antiques, unique crafts, etc. not to mention the morning Parade, and non-stop entertainment, games (for example: frog and turtle races, conducted by Ringmaster Don Coen). Several other classes hold their Reunions at the same time, so there will be plenty of people to visit with and plenty of things to do for my dear old classmates. Basically, it’s a very lazy Reunion Committee – we just let the town entertain us. We’ll ride in the Parade, with stepstools to climb onto the truck, and we’ll wave like idiots at the crowds lining the streets. That night we will have our own dinner, complete with decorations and costumes we no longer fit into. Those of you who can, please come out to the Summit Ridge Villas Clubhouse (at Hwy 13 and Route O) anytime after 8 p.m. to visit with us. We’ll be wearing BIG nametags, and your duty is to say your name loud and clear. Don’t wait too long to arrive, however, as we never miss our bedtimes!

All of this reminiscing had prompted me to think of past LHS hijinks and pranks. It might be a fun thing to share, and I’ll change the names to protect the identity of the innocent. And the guilty.

One of my favorites stories – and I won’t mention your name, Slick – is the night a group of pranksters removed porch furniture from homes in a neighborhood and reinstalled it on their neighbors’ porches. That was in the days before ubiquitous air conditioning, and people used their porches as outdoor parlors. Must have been funny to have seen them restoring the items to the proper place. A guy stumbles out to his porch for his morning coffee and newspaper:  “What the ---?”

Your assignment, should you decide to accept it, is to relay to all of us your favorite Lexington pranks/hijacks. Don’t delay! Just do it.

Last weekend was our second annual Porches & Peaches Tour. Five homes in Lexington provided their porches for musicians to entertain guests and people stopped by to see the home exteriors and gardens, enjoy some peach delights, and to hear a bit of history about the house. It was well attended, even though the temp hovered near the 100 degree mark. Tickets were sold on Lexington’s Front Porch (the Courthouse).

In June the Roaring 20s party was hosted by the Historical Association at the recently restored 1939 municipal auditorium, now known at The LEX. Most people go all-out in costuming and get right into the spirit with the Charleston and the Fox Trot. The costuming is not mandatory: some of us throw a boa around our shoulders and hold our heads high.

The week-long Community Fair is up next, Aug. 21-26. AND we are in the path of the solar eclipse, so get your glasses and come on out for the downtown festivities. Food and drink and Day of the Dark, Aug. 21.

Next after that is the annual (4^th I think) Civil War Ball. And this year it will be held at Linwood Lawn on September 16. Folks, if you have not visited Linwood Lawn in the past year or so, you are in for an amazing experience. The entire house and grounds have been lovingly restored and decorated, and every inch of the 26-room mansion received attention. It is perfect. Please do not miss this experience! I’m sure you can find more information (and photos) on the internet for all of the above-mentioned events. There will be food of the period, gorgeous costuming, era dancing, and it’s entirely possible a duel could break out.

Later, in October, is the Haunted Cemetery Tour at Machpelah. For one day only, October 28, bygone citizens stand by their own graves to tell listeners about their lives and what it was like to live in Lexington in the 1830s and on forward. Some are sad, tragic, and some are amusing – but all are interesting.

We’ll wrap up the year with the Historical Association’s annual Victorian Repast. Food is always wonderful, and entertainment outstanding. That date is December 9. Put all of these events on your calendars now, and you 1957 classmates, send in your Reunion reservations NOW.

Before I close this latest missive, I must regretfully inform you that recently we have lost some loyal “TLCers,” including two from my own class: John Graves and Frank “Tuckie” Kreihn. Many of you remember them and/or their families.

For former students of hers, we also lost Sayde “Pat” Fisher at the age of 94. She was still beating me at golf just a couple of years ago.

Other recent losses include Janet Cross ’54 Bertz, Doug Adkison (circa ’59), W.C. Hoeppner, and Eugene Schlapper. There may be more, but these are the only ones I have been informed of by family/family friends.

Hope you having a wonderful summer, and also hope you will consider spending some time in the old Hometown and soon.

Your devoted scribe,

Susan