Has it been that long?

Last night we had a family discussion about “lifetimes” while sitting around the dinner table. We talked about Aunt Ruby being 97 when she died and all the things that happened in her lifetime.

Ben, my oldest son, said that there weren’t even 50 stars on the flag when I was born. Everyone laughed. But then I realized there were not 50 stars on the flag when I was born – there were only 48. This realization made me start thinking about what else happened the year I was born.

The internet is a great and powerful thing when you want to know about what was happening a long time ago. I looked up my birth year and found out the cost of a gallon of gas was $0.22; a new car cost about $1700; the average rent was $85/month; and movie tickets were $0.70. (http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/) I remember going to the Saturday matinee with an RC bottle cap and a quarter.

I remember listening to The Shadow and The Lone Ranger on AFN Radio while we were stationed in Germany. I remember Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver) on Dobie Gillis (1959 to 1963) before he became the famous Gilligan of Gilligan’s Island (1964 to 1967). Maybe you remember this stuff too!

Best of all, for me, I was born in the dawn of Rock and Roll music. Common on the radio were such legends as, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley and the Comets, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and, of course, Elvis Presley.

Bill Haley and the Comets recorded Rock Around the Clock (Happy Days theme) in 1954. Buddy Holly recorded Maybe Baby in 1957. Little Richard recorded Good Golly Miss Molly in 1956. And Elvis recorded That’s All Right (Mama) at Sun Studios in July 1954 and before too long, Elvis was the King of Rock and Roll.

Today, the Center for Lifelong Learning is looking for Elvis fans. We will have an Elvis Impersonator contest on Friday, January 25 at our ALL SHOOK UP Kick Off Party. To enter the contest all you have to do is call 256-233-8260. You don’t have to be a professional to enter, just a fan of Elvis and willing to get up in front of people. You can come in your blue suede shoes or in your blue jeans because it is all in fun. We’ve already had a couple of Elvis sightings at the CLL.

Also happening at the CLL is Retrobics Dance Fitness led by Pam Hartmann. Retrobics is offered Tuesday and Thursday, January 22 – February 14 (no class Feb 7), from 9am to 10am. The fee is $30. I know you will enjoy this new fitness class.

Guitar Lessons with Barry Kay will also start Mondays, January 28. His lessons are by appointment, so call 256-233-8260 to set up your time slot. The fee is $80 for four 30-minute lessons a month.

You can Like us on Facebook – Center for Lifelong Learning at Athens State – for pictures and flyers. You can register for classes on the web page – www.athens.edu/CLL. And you can always call us at 256-233-8260. We love to hear from you.
By: Wanda Campbell