This is Gerry's grade 6 class.
[Click here for audio ambience from 1957!]
At Willows again. Writes Gerry: No unknowns this time as for once I took the time to record everyone's name on the back of the photo.
Back: Bruce Pettigrew, Don Peden, Richard Johnston, Gerry Hagberg, Bob McLaren, Steve Foster, Don McCormick, Mike Martin, Pete Semenchuk
2nd row: Phil Holland, Dave Webster, Doreen Faulkner, Judy Vaio, Sheila Walls, Liz Simpson-Baikie, Louise Bird, Wendy Moore, Marilyn Muirhead, Linda Williams, Robin Burns, Paul Kennedy, Ian Young
3rd row: Brian Ridgeway, Vicki Wright, Susanne Crouch, Ann Sim, Barbara Fuller, Jane Bowering, Karen Mar, Barbara Reilly, Carol Lundell, Wendy Farley, Carol Miller, Murray Farmer
Front: Mike Bishop, Harry Smith, Keith Johnson, Neil Rawnsley, Bob Buffam, Glen Smith, Mike Cullin, Roger Pinfield, Wayne Carson
Teacher: Bill Chater
It's 1957. The big news this year for us little nerds is sputnik. Your author was exultant that Fall. He turned 12 the day after sputnik's launch and thought himself a grand fellow, now fully divorced from his parents' generation by being a child of the space age. Surreptitious late night radio listening while in bed had brought in the feeble "squee, squee, squee" telemetry of the first space vehicle ever. Space technology belonged to this generation alone, of that ignorant, arrogant adults could not claim ownership and could not strut about imperiously proclaiming that they had grown up to full understanding its great truths.
The campaign of white foot prints stencilled onto sidewalks along with the phrase "Follow John" led to the election of John George Diefenbaker as prime minister.
On broadcast stations we listened to Young Love, Party Doll, All Shook Up by the Pelvis, Tammy and That'll Be The Day. In the theatres this year we watched The Ten Commandments, Around The World in 80 Days and Love Me Tender.
Lester Pearson is awarded the Nobel Peace prize. The physics Nobel went to Yang and Lee for developing the parity laws in what were then the elementary particles.
In the bookstores were Peyton Place, Rally Round The Flag, Boys, On The Beach, Atlas Shrugged, Where Did You Go? Out. What Did You Do? Nothing and Please Don't Eat the Daisies.
