Class President's Address
Jim Baughman, our 1969 class president, sent his wonderful speech that he gave at the 50th reunion so it could be posted here for those who weren't able to attend the reunion. Here is his speech is in its entirety.
Remarks Made at the 50th Reunion
James Baughman, PhD
October 12, 2019
I find it difficult to start out with a good joke. My wife, who is not from these parts, has never caught on to my "Kansas Corn", and now I can't even do that very well anymore.
I have to say, though, that the best line I heard from last night at the Meet and Greet was when one alumnus went up to another and ecstatically said, "I haven't seen you since high school!"
What a great line, huh? And that's why we're here this weekend.
So, welcome to the Golden Anniversary of the Commencement of Washington High School's Class of '69.
Just a quick note - while I am speaking, the wait staff will distribute cups of non-alcoholic wine in order that we may all join together in a toast at the end of my brief remarks. I requested non-alcoholic so that every one of us could participate equally.
I have been asked to offer a few thoughts about the meaning of this gathering tonight. To preface these remarks, I simply want to confess that, as president of this class, I am ashamed to have done nothing since graduation to keep the spirit of our graduating class alive. Credit for this goes to John Ramsey, who along with those who assisted him those many years, helped to keep our connections current and vibrant by organizing events like this. He would have been up here in his typical gregarious fashion creating an evening of fun and cheer. I think he would have proud to see this gathering tonight. Even though posthumously, let's give it up to him as an expression of our appreciation.
And, following on from John's fine work, the credit for tonight's festivities goes to Joe Ward and to all those who have dedicated their time to work tirelessly along with him to make this event possible. Let's express our appreciation to them as well.
Two score and ten years ago - (I picked that up from another president!) - we were commissioned by the teachers and staff of Washington High School to use our talents, knowledge, and experience cultivated in those formative years to make our mark on our community, our culture and the world as a whole. We were kids then, full of optimism, full of energy and in some cases, full of ourselves. We made mistakes and did a lot of stupid things, but we also forged hopes and dreams for the future.
Since graduation, each of us has created a uniquely personal story as to how we carried out this mandate given by our elders. No one told us how challenging and daunting life would be with all of its complexities, and twists and turns. Perhaps they didn't want to scare us off.
Though the details may be different, we have all faced success, disappointment, tragedy, and victory. Many of us have brought into this world children and grandchildren who will be the next generation of citizens who will follow on from us. We have all faced the joys and heartache of relationships, and have worked hard to make our lives meaningful to ourselves and to others. In truth, we all have an important story to tell that is unique and precious, and one of the purposes of this event is to celebrate each person's story as we tell it to others.
Some have given their lives to the military or as first responders, and, on behalf of all of our classmates, I want to especially recognize those colleagues by thanking you for your service. Also, there are many who are no longer with us as they have already passed from this world, so we honor their presence here in spirit. Finally, it is important to reflect upon the fact that not everyone had a good experience in high school. As I am still a teacher of high school students, I have seen the devastating effects of bullying, ridicule and being dismissed as having no value. Perhaps this is why some have chosen not to attend this evening's event even though they were invited to do so. While we are celebrating today, we may wish to contemplate, if we haven't done so already, how to make amends for any hurt that we might have caused each other in the past.
So why did we come here today? Perhaps for some of us, it is out of a sense of curiosity to see how people's appearance has changed—how much hair we have left, where the ripples have settled on various parts of our bodies, and how the wrinkles have formed on our faces and hands. I look at myself in the mirror at times and marvel at how much I look like my grandfather!
Another reason for people coming today is perhaps to reminisce about our old high school days—what we did, the antics that we pulled and anecdotes about our teachers. But I think there should be a third reason.
Our "commencement" fifty years ago was just that - a beginning. In a sense, then, at this point in our lives, it doesn't really matter what we accomplished in high school, except perhaps for the sake of nostalgia. No one asks us anymore what our GPA was or what awards we received. At best, our trophies, medals, and certificates of merit are tarnished and collecting dust in a display case; or, more likely, hidden away in a shoebox buried in the basement or garage. The sports jerseys and various uniforms don't fit anymore, and our bodies are showing the many years of wear and tear from being in the trenches for fifty years.
I don't know about you, but I often feel like a used car that is well beyond its sell-by date which needs periodic replacement parts and an overhaul to keep it running!
High school was meant to be a launching pad for us to evolve - to refine and use our newly discovered talents, creativity and skills in order to make a contribution to our society. It is probably more important, then, not only to focus on what we did in high school but to reflect upon what we have done during the past 50 years since commencement. Who have we become? What have we given to those around us? How have we made our world a better place? Big or small, we have all made our contribution, and we are encouraged at this event to share that story with someone else so that the value and beauty of each other's lives can be recognized and honored.
As we age, we begin to learn the ultimate wisdom that finally comes to all of us - hopefully anyway. While our external beauty fades; while our lithe abilities to play sport, dance and maintain a lucid mind vanishes, all that remains permanent in our lives are the relationships of friendship and love that we have forged throughout the years that have resulted from living a life for the sake of others. And this is what we will take with us when we pass from this world.
In closing, as we reminisce about tales of the past, and celebrate this milestone in our lives, we must not forget that the story is not yet finished for those of us in this room. We are not done yet! While we still walk upon this earth; while we still breathe; and while our hearts still beat, we have further opportunities to serve the generations that follow from us by continuing to bring hope, joy, humor, and love to those around us.
And so, I would like to propose a toast:
To the Class of '69 - those present here and to all those who cannot be with us today. May God bless and inspire us to complete our destiny to fulfill the mandate placed upon us at commencement by our elders 50 years ago. Cheers!
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