Riverview Gardens

Graduation Day

Commemorative Charm provided by Marilyn Bova

RIVERVIEW GARDENS
HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION DAY
JUNE 5, 1969

CARE OF GOWN: SONDRA JEANNE HEISE

It's surprising what we find among our souvenirs and momentos. Above are care instructions for the gown that was issued to each of us prior to our Commencement Exercises. The back of the card has the name of Sondra Jeanne Heise, presumably written by Sandy Heise. Even more surprising is that Dave Hartley found the card among his personal effects! He has no idea how he ended up in possession of the card!! Another High School Mystery!!!

June 5, 2024 marks the 55th anniversary of Commencement Exercises for the Riverview Gardens High School Class of 1969. That Thursday, we stood united, young and ready to meet the world. It was a beautiful evening and our ceremonies were held outside, north of Building 2. Dan Green, Senior Class President, led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Christine Davenport and Scot Drysdale delivered their respective Salutatory and Valedictory speeches. As many of us walked across the stage and received our diplomas from Mr. Scholle, we were anticipating our freedom and futures and ready to move on. Some of us had heavier burdens to consider with Vietnam on the horizon. In the last 55 years, many of us have fanned out across the state, the country and the world, while many of us have remained in, or come back to, the St. Louis Metro Area. Collectively, we have travelled the world.

The caption under the picture above states that the Riverview Graduation Processional included a Class of 608. From the left, we see Nadine Azzani, the three Bakers (Amy, Lyn and Ruth), John Banocy, Jim Barbour, Milton Baronovic, Marilyn Bartley, Mike Bauer, Pam Bauer, Connie Baumgart, Ken Bay and Joan Beach.

The
ROSE
is our
CLASS FLOWER

CLASS MOTTO:

We have made a beginning, not an end.

Debbie Sanders Oswald provided the Commencement Instructions and the Stage Layout above. She also provided the hand-drawn Seating Map below. Notice the refernces to the track and the gate on the Seating Map, which was drawn for Commencement Exercises on Meyercord Football Field. If memory serves correctly, the tower on the football field burned down, necessitating a change in location to the soccer/hockey field north of Building 2.

Commemorative Charm provided by Marilyn Bova

Rams Pennant provided by Cheryl Niebur

Dave Hartley's Class Ring

Turning the Class Ring

It was an RGHS tradition that a girl from the Junior Class (if you were a Senior boy) or a boy from the Junior Class (if you were a Senior girl) would turn your class ring after the Commencement Exercises. The ring was turned so that the crest pointed outward. Prior to graduating, we wore our rings with the crest pointed inward.

Commemorative Charm provided by Cheryl Niebur

CLASS SPONSORS

Jim Roberston

Fred Duncan

Cornell Bowen

50 YEARS ON THE JOB!!

On June 16, 1969 (11 days after we graduated from RGHS), one of our classmates started a job with St. Louis County Parks as a Summer Laborer (his official job title then). On June 15, 2019 (the exact end of the 50-year stretch after he started working for St. Louis County Parks), he will be retiring from St. Louis County Parks as a Park Maintenance Manager (his official job title now) at Creve Coeur Park. Could it be that Joe Strasser is the only person in our Class who has worked for the same employer or organization over the past 50 years with no break in employment? Congratulations Joe! What an accomplishment!!

When he started his job as a Summer Laborer, Joe was returning for a second summer of work. Because he didn’t register on time for college for the fall of 1969, he requested full time employment and was promoted to Maintenance Man (another official job title). Though he never intended to stay with St. Louis County Parks, the promotions kept coming and, after 5 years, Joe become a Park Supervisor III (yes, his official job title). Back then, the larger parks required Park Supervisors to live in a park residence and be on call 24/7. Considering that the County didn’t charge him rent and paid the utilities on the residence, Joe and his wife, Pam, thought it was a pretty good deal. Joe has spent half of his career at Creve Coeur Park and the rest at Spanish Lake Park, Queeny Park and Greensfelder Park.

While he worked full-time, Joe attended college at night on and off and completed the Associate’s Degree for Criminal Justice at Florissant Valley Community College (he had intended to become a police officer). He also completed other courses in Management & Supervisory Development. Joe and Pam have two sons and three grandchildren. With regard to retirement, Joe says he has about a years’ worth of stuff he wants to do around the house and then will probably do some traveling.

CONGRATULATIONS ON 50 CONTINUOUS YEARS ON THE JOB WITH ST. LOUIS COUNTY PARKS, JOE!