FRONT PAGE

Bob Selby

Mitch Melamed

Ken Norgan

Stuart Goodman

Lynn Ravine Chestler

Dale Green Kane

Inez Tivin

Keith Anderson

Marsha Silverman Serlin

Joy Leon Gorodess

Howard Moldofsky

Marti Council Corcoran

Denny Crosby

Heloise Corman Nathan

Micki Brost

Bob Deck

Carol Whisler Morris

Leslie Lerner Gallay

Pat Rice Foss

Jim Copeland

Steve Bookshester

Marcia Siegel Greenberg

Bill Fisher

Pam Meltzer Schemke

Bud Morten

Dick Peterson

Donna Wold Smith

Dave Recher

Ginny Thomas Schubert

Rev. Dick Selby

Jim Puccinelli

Pam Engstrom Harper

Zelda Rest Goodman

Deborah Van McConnell

Iris Daglas

Judy Viere Weisenberg

Louise Christensen Jacobson

Earl Pollack

Susan Slotten Palmer

Ira Berger

Jeanne Ferdman Strauss

Carole Senger Pakulski

Yvonne Belue Manahan

Mary Ellen Des Enfants Gavin

Tod Wise

Steve Schada

Eileen Nechtman Sonenthal

Steve Elkins

Jim Nardi

Marshall Claassen

Carol Woods Houston

Karen Stryker Boyesen

Marilyn Lees Reinish

Lloyd Kuehn

Diane Zahn Boran

Ron Ficks

Marilyn Wegl

Nancy Eaman Galyean

The committee is excited about the next move heading toward our 60th reunion.We have decided on Pinstripes in Northbrook/Glenview. We put a deposit on the Ballroom and we will be getting a list of nearby hotels. The main event will be on Saturday, August 7, 2021. Some of our costs will be absorbed by the balance in our account left over from the 50th. as you can see we have over 110 classmates indicating their interest in attending. With spouses or forever friends this number will be over 180. This will be our last organized gathering of this scope and I hope you won't miss it. As Ernie Banks would say "Let's have some fun in 2021". Keep sending in your current pictures for me to display on the website so we can recognize each other again.

Judy Kadish Simon

Steve Wray

Rochelle Freeman-Zuninga

Susan Seedorf Strong

Sharon Brei Chapman

Sandi Schoene Metzinger

Chuck Scharf

Jan Williams Eddleman

Paul Herrmann

Diane Reichert Hansen

Val Iversen Wiker

Karen Vedder

Rennie Jaeger Walz

Larry Racana

Barb Mario Jozwiak

Liz Stapelfeld Sisneros

Dennis Dahl

Bob Nieder

Earl Pollack

Stan Anderson

Ellen Winer

Margo Berkson Berg

Sandy Goldman Lerner

Barry Weinstein

Alice Thorsen Kassen

Mike Honig

Dianne Layden

Joel Openheim

Bruce Mau

Dave Howard

Ron Hauser

Bronson Davis

Sheila Cunningham Pientka

Nancy Reading Frank

Judy Verhunce Girard

Rosanne Schiff Ball

Bud Rifkin

Bill Barker

Jim Colitz

Mike Adler

Diane Zahn Boran

Bob Polster

Mike Rothholz

Rod Bartels

Marvin Feinberg

Bob Garro

Sandi Anderson Kasen

Sandy Weise O'Brien

Judy Meyers Cronin

Don Peterson

Freddie Strauss Lieberman

Ken Ehrensaft

Sue Alport Ludtke

Here is an excerpt from the Archives with Mr. Spatafora I thought you might find interesting.

REMEMBERING YOU FROM MY SIDE OF THE DESK

3/2/2009

Keith Anderson suggested I write something for the Niles HS '61 blog and your upcoming reunion. I'm not sure if you remember me -- teaching social studies up on the second floor -- but I sure remember you!

Oh, not individually; but collectively. My memory, like that of my colleague teachers, looks back on your class as a time of calm just before the storm of the 60's. Niles was a charming, yellow-bricked road to good learning and healthy fun. The principal was Keith Cavanaugh and some of my social studies peers included Donn Wright, Karl DeJonge, John Betts, George Scherb, Mel Pirok, Dave Jackson, Everett Colton and Bernie Zagorin.

More important than our names, Niles back then was perhaps the last whisper of the same age in America I grew up in. An age of relative peace, prosperity, and a confidence that has been battered a lot ever since. My memory floats back to a time when there were no metal detectors at the door, only a zest for learning...no demonstrations on the campus, only rallies before the games....no PCs and Internet, only the innocence of optimism that made you feel this was a good time to be alive and it would just keep getting better.

You were growing up in a pretty happy campus where guys still wore ties and gals still liked wearing skirts. And we all liked a young man in the White House who seemed for too little a time to mean we were on the road to greatness. Student monitors called the SSO patrolled the hallways...concerned counselors like Bob Botthof listened to your problems....and the style of discipline from Marvin Ihne and John Houghton was more friendly reminder than tough confrontation. Oh, and your parents weren't in the habit of always suing the school like some of them are today!

My memories of you were that of a generation still a lot like my generation at your age. You came to Niles from families who wanted you to learn, and you pretty much agreed with that mission. You were bright, eager, questioning, and goal-oriented. In my own social studies classes I tended to circle the chairs...stroll the room...try to engage you in give-and-take....and with few exceptions, you never disappointed me. You were a great bunch to teach!

Now I can't say I never disappointed you, but I can say this. Generally, those years were good years for me...for the community... for the nation. Today you -- and certainly I -- are much older. But reunions like this have a felicitous way of stirring old remembrances and energizing old enthusiasms. I hope that's exactly what yours does for you. I know it does for me.

Some interesting statistics about our birthdays This is based on the 303 birthdays. If you go on the website and go to BIRTHDAYS to see if you are listed let me know if you don't find your name and I will enter it. If you don't know the password email me and I'll send it to you.

Classmates born in 1942---20

Classmates born in 1944---23

Classmates born in 1943---260

Biggest birth month---June---34 (September, October conception)

Lowest birth month---March---20.(May, June conception)

Most 1942 births---December---10

Fewest 1942 births---6 tied with 0

Most 1944 births---January---7

Fewest 1944 births---5 tied with 0

SOME VIRUS HUMOR (IF IT ISN'T TOO SOON)

* Half of us are going to come out of this quarantine as amazing cooks.

The other half will come out with a drinking problem.

* I used to spin the toilet paper like I was on Wheel of Fortune.

Now I turn it like I’m cracking a safe.

* I need to practice social distancing from . . . the refrigerator.

* Still haven’t decided where to go for Easter/Passover . . .

The Living Room or The Bedroom.

* Every few days, try your jeans on just to make sure they fit.

Pajamas will have you believe all is well in the kingdom.

* Homeschooling is going well. 2 students suspended for fighting and...

1 teacher fired for drinking on the job!

* I don’t think anyone expected that when we changed the clocks

we’d go from Standard Time to Twilight Zone.

* This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her cat. It was obvious she thought

her cat understood her. I came into the house, told my dog . . . we laughed a lot.

* So, after this quarantine, will the producers of My 600 Pound Life

just find me or do I find them?

* Quarantine Day 5: Went to this restaurant called THE KITCHEN.

You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal.

I have no clue how this place is still in business!

* My body has absorbed so much soap and disinfectant lately that

when I pee it cleans the toilet.

* Day 5 of Homeschooling: One of these little monsters called in a bomb threat.

* I’m so excited . . . it’s time to take out the garbage. What to wear, what to wear?

* I hope the weather is good tomorrow for my trip to Puerto Backyarda.

I’m getting tired of Los Livingroomia.

* Classified Ad: Single man with toilet paper seeks women with hand sanitizer

for good clean fun.

* Day 6 of Homeschooling: My child just said

“I hope I don’t have the same teacher next year.” I’m offended.

A re-write of a message from Leslie Learner Gallay

Welcome friends and fellow graduates. Can you believe we are celebrating our 60th high school reunion? We remember many things in 1961, it cost 15 cents to go to a movie, we went to Evanston to the Varsity or Valencia Theaters, Old Orchard was just being built. Gasoline was 24 cents a gallon and eggs 28 cents/dozen. Wages averaged $4500.00/year and a new house averaged $12,200. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik when we started high school in 1957. Dwight Eisenhower was president. JFK was elected in 1960 and committed our country to putting a man on the moon in the next decade. We lived through that memorable achievement and many others too numerous to mention.

We lived in a very special time. In just 14 months we will share this milestone together again and recall our years at NTHS. We can share some of our experiences since that day in 1961, when we confidently took hold of our diplomas and set out into the world. So many things were about to happen in the 2nd half of the century in the world and in our lives. We won't all be present at the reunion, but those that are fortunate enough to get together can enjoy those wonderful nights with our fellow graduates from the Class of 1961. Congratulation again on the 60 years we were fortunate enough to have since our graduation.