Photos from the 50th in 2005...Get ready for the 55th Reunion in August!

Do you have any pictures of the 50th Reunion held in 2005? If so, send them in and we will post them and also share them at the 55th Reunion coming up in August.

Look for the May Newsletter coming your way this week! Start making plans now for the 55th.

Please send in the requested information as seen in the newsletter.

50th Reunion in 2005...get ready for the 55th in August

Photos of the 50th in 2005...get ready for the 55th!!!!

Photo's from the 2005, 50th Class Reunion

May update...55th year Reunion...Class of "55"

Montesano City Hall...location of Class of 55...55th year Reunion

Class of "55" to hold 55th year Reunion: Well, here it is May already and the Class of 55 will be sending out the May update very soon. Please look for your announcement to arrive sometime this week. Here are a few updates regarding the big event coming in August:

Time and Place for the Saturday night event: Saturday, August 21st, Mix-n-mingle starting at 5:00 p.m. Upstairs, Montesano City Hall. The City Hall is located at the top of Main Street Hill on the corner of Broadway and Main.

Banquet to start at 6:00 p.m.: The Catered Banquet will be served at 6:00 p.m. in the upstairs banquet room. Miller House Catering will be providing the meal and is well known for their outstanding service and quality.

Jim Whitney, Class president will host the program: Our class president, Jim Whitney and wife Elsie, (Elsie Jacer) will host the program for the evening following the banquet. Come prepared to hear many things about our class and perhaps something you don't know about our class mates...Jim says he has a lot to share!!!!

Next Day, Sunday, August 22nd Class Bar-b-Q: The Class will hold a back-yard Bar-b-Q hosted at the home of Charlie and Betty Crass on Sunday, August 22nd. This POT-LUCK event will be an afternoon of eating, visiting and eating and more visiting! The meat items for the bar-b-q, along with condiments and soft drinks will be provided by the Class. Please bring a Pot-Luck dish of your choice. Come for a relaxed afternoon of reacquainting with Class members.

Please look for additional information coming your way the first week of May.

The Class Planning Committee requests that you send in all requested information listed in the May send-out.

It Happened in 1955

Interesting things that happened in 1955:

1955 consumerism takes off in a big way with the sale of some 7.9 million cars in the US with 7 out of 10 families now owning a motor car, and new laws were put in place requiring seatbelts to be installed on all new cars. The average wages were now $3,851 per year, and the minimum wage was raised to $1.00 per hour. The first McDonalds was erected in 1955 and more fast foods and TV dinners are appearing including fish fingers. The first cans of Coca-Cola are sold up till then it had only been sold in bottles. Rock and Roll music continues to grow in popularity with more idols including Elvis Presley , Bill Haley and the Comets, Chuck Berry and The Platters, and young mens fashion matches the times with pink shirts and charcoal grey suits. Cost Of Living, - News, Facts and Events, - Movies, TV and Music, - Technology, - Born This Year, World Leaders,

Cost of Living 1955How Much things cost in 1955Yearly Inflation Rate USA 0.28% Yearly Inflation Rate UK 3.5% Average Cost of new house $10.950.00 Average Monthly Rent $87.00 Average Yearly Wages $4.130.00 Minimum Hourly Rate $1.00 Average Cost of a new car $1,900.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 23 cents Ladies Swim Suits $12.95 Black and White TV $99.95 Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Stirling Average House Price 2,064

What Events Happened in 1955 Iran
US military intervention in Iran U.S.
Hurricane Diane hits the northeast United States, killing 200 and causing over $1 billion in damage UK
Great Britain declares State of Emergency due to National Rail Strike UK
The first Commercial TV Station with advertisements starts in London, England UK
British Newspapers Not Printed for 1 month due to strike in Fleet Street By Maintenance Workers UK
Clement Attlee who oversaw the creation of the British Welfare System resigns as leader of the Labour Party UK
Princess Margaret announces she will not marry divorced Group Captain Peter Townsend. Canada
The St. Lawrence Seaway opens to Ocean Vessels from Montreal to US ports on the Great Lakes Russia
The Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies sign the Warsaw Pact giving integration of military, economic and cultural policy between the eight Communist nations. UK
Great Britain effected by worst winter storms causing roads, rail and problems with food and medical supplies U.S.
Disneyland opens in California on July 17th U.S.
'In God We Trust' is added to all US paper currency U.S.
United Airlines Flight 629 is blown up shortly after takeoff over Longmont, Colorado UK
Ruth Ellis the last woman in England to be executed is hung at Holloway Prison France
77 Die in a disaster at 24hr Le Mans Race World
The New Synthetic Material Polyurethane used in more and more everyday goods U.S.
Emmett Till, a black fourteen year old teenager is murdered for not showing respect to a white woman in Money, Miss.

Germany
West Germany Joins NATO Argentina
The Military seizes control in Argentina forcing Juan Peron to flee U.S.
African American Rosa Parks is arrested after refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery Alabama

Technology 1955
First pocket transistor radios available
Fish Fingers are marketed by Bird's Eye
The first Atomically generated power is used in the US Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )Atomic Clock England Hovercraft England by Christopher Cockerell Lego Gotfried Kirk Christiansen Velcro Switzerland by George De Mestral

Popular Culture 1955
Ray Kroc starts the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain.
First riot at an Elvis Presley concert takes place in Jacksonville, FL
"The $64,000 Question" the popular US television game show starts
James Dean’s stars in the movie East of Eden
James Dean killed in car accident near Cholame, California
First Guinness Book of World Records Published
"The Mickey Mouse Club" debuts on ABC
Popular Films
Oklahoma
The Quatermass Xperiment
Rebel without a Cause
To Catch A Thief
The Quatermass Xperiment
The seven year itch
Popular Singers
Elvis Presley
Bill Haley and the Comets " Rock Around The Clock"
Chuck Berry
Fats Domino.
The Platters
Check out our Television Programmes From The 50s whenever possible we have included a trailer to jog your memory. Series trailers and more information are found on the decade they started.
Born This Year Mata Amritanandamayi News And Events From September 27thWhoopi Goldberg November 13thOlga Korbut News And Events From May 16thSteve Jobs February 24th

Member of the Class of 55 meets with Governor

Charlie Crass and his wife Betty had the honor of meeting with Washington State Governor, Christine Gregiore on Monday, April 19th as part of the WA State Volunteer recognition Day. Charlie and Betty are active in the G.H. Senior Companion Program and also volunteer for Betty's Grays Harbor County program, "Shop with a Cop". Charlie is also a Court appointed Special Advocate for Children and represents children in court. These are just a few of he and Betty's many volunteer activies.

The Governor honored several dozen volunteers from throughout the state at a reception at the Governor's Mansion in Olympia. Each individual was given recognition and presented with a crystal plaque, a certificate of merit and luncheon with the Governor.

The following day, Charlie and his wife Betty were given honorary tickets to the Mariners game in Seattle and walked out on the field to the pitchers mound and were honored before the crowd. "It was a very humbling experience to be selected and honored" Charlie and Betty said.