June 24th found 48 members of the Class of 1936 gathered at Pardini’s Restaurant for their 70th Class Reunion. One must realize that not a class member was present who was under the age of 85 years old. This meant a brunch that was not buffet style was inevitable. That meant most of the class lived through the end of WWI and then many served in WWII. They were aware of the great depression of the 1930s. But probably because of all the hardships many families suffered through the ‘30s it has held the class together for reunions every five years since their 15th. Why not before the 15th? Impossible because of the unsettled situations caused by WWII.
We had two classes of graduates in those days. The February class and the June class. The winter class had ceremonies indoors (yes, they still have those same hard seats in the auditorium) and the June class graduated on bleachers set up on the lawn in front of the school. This was before the bunkers were built in front of Royce Hall. We had a baccalaureate program, which was held at the bandstand in Roeding Park. We sang hymns, we had a minister help with the ceremonies and, we prayed! This is probably unheard of today but today’s citizens should know how it used to be.
There are outstanding graduates of this class with many making history in the city of Fresno. Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Newspaper Publisher, Actors, Actresses and yes, policemen, firemen and writers and the list goes on and on. How many classes can brag about a Ross Bagdasarian and the Chipmunks? How many had an honorable judge like Leonard Meyers?
Two of the current Fresno residents attended the reunion: Elizabeth Murphy O’Neill who was the first female student body president that was known at that time. Liz graduated from law school only to go on and get a Special Masters degree and be come an Arbitrator Mediator and Evaluator in Child custody matters. She was designated as a qualified expert in child custody matters in Superior Courts in Alameda, San Francisco, Humboldt, Sonoma, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Glen, Napa, Los Angeles, Orange and Fresno Counties. She was a guest lecturer at U.C. Davis, U.C. Berkeley and Hastings. And her qualifications are endless for all the rewards she received in child abuse prevention and family law. Now, stating that the apple never falls far from the tree, she has a son who has just been nominated to the Federal Court bench (Judge Lawrence O’Neill).
The other prominent Fresno native who was present at the reunion is Muriel Schmeiser Smittcamp. Muriel and her husband Earl (not a FHS grad) have been very generous as boosters of the Fresno State University. In fact, the alumni house is named for the Smittcamp family. The class is always proud to say Muriel is a FHS Warrior of the class of 1936.
In putting together the address list of this wonderful class it was found that over half have gone to that great hunting ground where all good Warriors go. The rest – with all the zeal they can muster want to retain a part in the history of Fresno High School. It is said, and so true, the older we get the more we appreciate what we had in our youth. Those teen-age years are so precious and if only we could make “younger” people understand how important it is to maintain contact with the best friends they will ever have.
The current mailing list consists of 127 contacts with another 50 or so probables. That’s amazing after 70 years. With all these old Warriors it is and always has been:
“Hail to Thee our Alma Mater;
Hail to Fresno High”