Members of the Morgan Park High School Class of 1955 gathered in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, on Friday, September 30, 2005, for our Fiftieth Reunion. The festivities began in the afternoon at the Hospitality Suite in the Hilton Suites Hotel. The suite overflowed with a large and happy group of alums and their spouses/guests. Everyone had the opportunity to renew friendships, converse, reminisce, and enjoy the excellent Beckmen Vineyards wines, shipped from the Santa Ynez Valley in California by Tom Beckmen, '55, for the occasion. Many class members were registered at the hotel, which also happened to be the location of the Proviso East Fiftieth Reunion. Although outnumbered by the Proviso East revelers, whose class had numbered about 900 compared to our approximately 300, the Empehi-ers made their presence known!

Friday evening, everyone walked next door to Drury Lane for the “main event.” A total of 108 were in attendance for the cocktail hour, dinner, program, and dancing. Following cocktail time, pictures of the January and June classes were taken by a professional photographer. Although we are prohibited from showing those pictures on the web site, we have pictures taken at the same time, with almost the same poses, snapped by Chuck Thompson, `54, our webmaster.

Alexis Michale Lelon, vice president of the June class, welcomed everyone, and Warren Mueller, a retired minister of the United Church of Christ, gave the invocation. Dinner followed, with the evening's D.J. providing background music - mainly of the fifties. Alexis and Jane Faulkner Thompson made brief remarks while dessert was being served. Alexis reflected on the unique experiences afforded us at Morgan Park High School.

Jane thanked those in attendance who had provided the funds initially to get the reunion off the ground. She also thanked members of the class who stepped forward to assist in the reunion - Bea Ambelang Strickland, who, with her husband, Jim Strickland, '54, created a wonderful memory book for the occasion, Fred Moyer, who produced the evening's program, Shelley Seip Beeby, who, along with Carol Ericksen Johnson and Sheila Rennie Thatcher, handled registration, Chuck Thompson for all his work on the computer, attendees map, crossword puzzle, etc., and Tom Beckmen for his contribution to the afternoon's merriment. Everyone had a chance to get into the act during a roving microphone segment, which was MCed by Alexis. We wish all of you were there to hear what classmates said! Perhaps next time... (Incidentally, it was during this time that it was suggested that the Class of 1955 have a 55th reunion in five years.) Music, visiting, and dancing followed.

Saturday morning, about 68 class members and guests appeared at the Reunion Brunch, held at the Hilton Suites Hotel, ahead of the scheduled 10 a.m. start time, and they stayed well beyond the noon closing time. The room was alive with a myriad of conversations, hugs and kisses, and picture taking.

That was it for the scheduled reunion events. Other activities included a Mustang football team dinner Thursday, September 29th, at the Hilton Suites Hotel, various luncheon and dinner dates with various groups of friends, and several individual or group tours of the Morgan Park and Beverly areas.

Thus ended a memorable weekend - about one year in the planning. To those who were unable to attend, you were missed; hopefully, you will consider coming next time. To those who helped to plan and to work on the reunion and to all those who were there, thank you all for making our 50th such a special event!