The time has come for us, the graduating class of 1981, to put into perspective all the memories we have made these past four years - It's hard to put into words what we've experienced, and how we've felt. This written account of our activities is but a reminder of the dreams, the hopes, the struggles, the hard work, and the successes and failures we've encountered as a class...
It seems so long ago now that we were "Itty-Bitty Freshmen!'. Things were very new to us, but we were confident that we could pull together and be the best class IHS had ever seen.---But just in case---we asked Mr. Krenichyn to point us in the right direction. He became our loyal advisor, and we elected Kelly Trevor as our President, Mary Kane as Vice-President, Leisa Day as Secretary, and Mary Hall as Treasurer for our class.
Our first big project as a class was building a Homecoming float. After endless hours of work in Terri Esford's garage, and a lot of luck, we managed to recreate the solar system on a hay wagon. The theme was: "We'll drive the Mounties Out Of our System" and we took third place.
Winter Carnival was next on our agenda, and we entered into it with a positive attitude. Kathy Daly was chosen attendant, and Mike Murphy was her escort for that weekend. Our snow sculpture was of two mice sitting atop a huge piece of cheese. The theme was, "Winter's A Cheesy Deal", and we moved up to second place.
For our Sophomore year, we chose to lead us, Mary Kane, Pres., Mike Murphy, Vice., Kelly Tallman, Sec., and Gretchen Lang, Treas. That year, Kim Favreau's house became the work site for our Homecoming float. Each entry was to be based on a Halloween theme, and our rendition of a graveyard complete with headstones and ghosts was entitled, "The Spirit Is With Us". Somehow or other, we lost to the Junior's "waving pumpkin", and we took second place.
Kelly Tallman and Ted Carney were chosen as attendant and escort for the "Sweet, Sweet Sophs" in that year's Winter Carnival. Our snow sculpture of an incredibly large banana, with the caption, "Winter Is A-Peeling", didn't do as well as we had hoped. We took third place.
In February, we held our first fund-raiser, a Valentine's Day Spaghetti Supper. It was very profitable for the class as we came out $500.00 ahead. Also in our Sophomore year, we acquired Mr. Luke as another advisor.
Our Junior year was really something else. Our class officers were: Kelly Tallman, Pres., Ted Carney, Vice-Pres., Rick O'Bryan, Sec., and Eric Noll, Treas. During that year, we found that things don't always go as smoohtly as you'd like them to. The year started out fine; our magazine sale was the first thing we did. It turned out to be a very profitable venture.
As "Jolly-Olly Juniors" that fall, the next we did was ordered class rings. They arrived in time for Christmas and wearing them gave us a feeling of unity.
We worked well on our Homecoming float, which turned out to be our first, first place win. We constructed it at Kim Flavreau's house again, and when we finished, we had Poky the Pig at a campout saying, "Hey, B-B-Bombers, Roast Those Frankforters!" We were very proud of ourselves that October day!
Winter Carnival was a little difficult that, year, since Mother Nature had decided to keep all the snow to herself. There were no snow sculptures, but there was a gym-decorating contest. That led to some differences of opinion. There were many ideas on just how our section of the gym should be decorated, and this caused us to temporarily lose a few class members to the Sophmore cheering section. Everything was eventually straightened out, though, and our attendant and escort for that weekend were Patty Hendrix and Ken Williams.
That Spring, we began work on what we had looked forward to for so many years---Our Junior Prom. Renee Denison and Kelly Tallman were our cochairmen. In the beginning, there were a hundred people, with a hundred good ideas, all willing to work every night on the Prom. But when it came down to the wire, there were only a handful of people left to make the Prom a success. Everything went fairly smoothly, once we decided on a theme. After a much heated debate, it was decided that our song would be, "Long Ago and Far Away", by James Taylor. Some work was started over Easter vacation, but most of it was done a week or two before the actual prom. Everyone was kept busy, either painting or chaulking, taping, or hanging streamers. What a team effort! Decorating was finally finished on Friday night, when we worked at the gym until midnight. And thanks to Kim Bennett and her Dad, we had a beautiful fountain in the middle of the floor, and it didn't even leak. Only the streamers were postponed until Saturday morning, due to the shortage of them. The band, "Street Beat", was not the one we had originally hired, and they had to learn the theme song the afternoon of the Prom. But they played it so well, that no one would have suspected ... The MC's for the evening were Sue Plunkett and Chris Rose, and they announced the Queen and her court at midnight. A most deserving LouAnn Brien was chosen Queen. She was escorted by Lee Sammon. Kelly Slater, escorted by John Salvaggio, and Dana Beran, escorted by Joe Marley, were her attendants. Of course, no Prom can go off without a hitch and somehow or other, the Queen's crown was either forgotten or misplaced, and LouAnn reigned crownless. Oh Well!! Breakfast was provided at the Elks club, following the Prom, which was held on May 24th, from 9 to 1. The next day, everyone went to Wintergreen State Park, for a picnic. It was a beautiful day, and definitely ended Prom Weekend on an up-note. All in all, it was a good year, and one we'll never forget.
And now we are "Super-Duper Seniors". To ring in our last year of high school, approximately 55 senior girls went to Howard Johnsons at 6:30 am, on the first day of school. How Lorrie Bates managed to get everyone in there at once, we'll never know!
Class officers for our Senior year were, Dana Beran, Pres., Todd Smithson, Vice-Pres., Renee Denison, Sec., and Rick O'Bryan, Treas. Our first responsibility this year was the football concession stands. We were lucky, we had only two bad weather days.
Football season is always an important part of the school year, but this year, perhaps, it had more of a special meaning to us, seniors. When our players started varsity, as Sophmores, we struggled through a 0-8 season. It was a year of working together, and learning, and trying very hard. Then as Juniors, we bettered our record. With a 3-4-1 record, our team acquired the feel of being a team. This year, the team gave Mr. Pannes, and Ilion High School, a CVC Championship. Our record showed our strength-we went 8-0. We, as Seniors, will always remember what our team went through to end up number one. We'll always hold them in highest regard. They played with their hearts, and it showed, in games like the one with Herkimer. Homecoming was also a success. We started the weekend off with a pep rally. The Seniors won the spirit, (we always knew we could make the most noise!), and also the poster contest. Our theme was, "1981 ... Year Of The ... Seniors". We worked hard on our float, too, the overall theme being, ''Fruits and Vegetables". Ours came in third, being designed and built, in Kim Favreau's garage. We constructed a huge bowl of salad, complete with "Trojan Bits", with the saying, "Bombers Wil1 Toss Those Trojans". Royalty for the weekend was chosen at the pep rally. Jerry Alsante was crowned King, and Lorrie Bates the Queen. As tradition has it, the senior girls went out to dinner Friday night, to rate our last Hcmecoming together. The weather the next day was cold and rainy, but nothing could have dampened our spirits. We trampled the Kennedy Trojans that day, 29- . A victory dance was held that night, featuring the band, "Ambush ". It was a great weekend, to end a perfect season. But our season didn't end there. Ranked third in the small school football poll for New York State, we played Holland Patent at Oneida in the sectional playoffs. We won in a nerve racking, overtime session, 21-20. The next weekend, we traveled to Syracuse's Carrier Dome, for the Sec. III, Class B Championship game vs. Nottingham High School. It was a great game, and though, when it was over the scoreboard showed we had lost, we knew we were winners.
Football gave way to basketball and wrestling, and to Christmas Ball. Co-chairmen for the event were Kelly Slater and LouAnn Brien. They did a fine job, and the Christmas Ball was a success. It was held on December 21, from 9 to 1, at the Manor House in Herkimer. The band was "Open End", and everyone had a good time. Queen for the evening was Bertha Lewis, and she was attended by Mary Kane and Kathy Fikes.
Winter Carnival Weekend came next, and it started out with a pep rally, to get everyone psyched for the weekend's wrestling match vs. Frankfort, and basketball vs. Little Falls. Again the seniors won the spirit contest, and Mary Urtz and Tim Day were attendant and escort. Kim Favreau and Rick O'Bryan were crowned King and Queen. That night, the wrestling team defeated their opponent. The next day, Student Council held a spaghetti Supper, then the basketball team lost a very close disappointing game with Little Falls.
Now, as the year draws to a close, we all look back to what we've learned, accomplished, or lost, here at Ilion High School. Some of us are anxious to leave, others wonder what it will be like to be apart from all the things we're so used to. 'Whatever the situation, be sure that on Graduation day, most of us will be feeling some small wish to return to the days of dances, parties, bonfires, and wonderful friendships. And each of us will leave a part of us behind, within the corridors of Ilion High School.
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