Virgil Grissom High School

 Welcome to the Grissom High School Class of 1976 web site! Take a trip to the past, find a friend in the present, keep in touch for the future. Remember, we are the best! We are the SPIRIT of '76!!

           To prevent dueling audio, mute playlist below

Foster "Fuzz" Christy and Mark Huskey

Roger Schneider

 Jeff Whitt's Going Away Party!!

Tom Cooper, Bill Booth, Larry Moore, Barney Kavanaugh, Roger Schneider, David Smith, Jeff Whitt, Robby Vaughn, Mike Pope, Buddy Hartselle, Ronald Eason

  Julie Kastanakis, Lynda Lynch, Beth Balch, Susan Ratliff  

Daytona Beach 1974

Cathy Hutson, Cathy McNutt, Monica Lewis, Regina Sanders, Cyndi Horton

Graduation Day!

Mark Huskey and Ralph Rice 

Graduation Tea  1976

Susan Hoard, Julie Kastanakis, Sharon Link, Karen Purcell,

Robin Canter, Karen Pizitz

Bill Booth

Big Spring Park/Civic Center

Gino Vannelli Concert  1976

Remember this?

Mark Huskey and Jeff Whitt    Ugly Walk

When you say Bud.......50's day  1974

Debbie Smith, Tim Croft (HHS '76), Laura Rice

Christmas tree - Heart of Huntsville Mall  1966

50's Day!

 Mike Thome, Jeff Whitt, Greg "Snuffy" Smith, Duane Clark,

Larry Moore, Roger Schneider, Ralph Rice

Beth Hammers, Laura Rice, Cindy Ivy, Robin Canter, Susan Hoard,

Lynda Lynch, Sharon Link, Debbie Smith, Sandra Colwell

Downtown Huntsville  1970

Remember this?

Julie Kastanakas, Lynda Lynch, Debbie Smith, Robin Canter, Debby Swezey, Karen Purcell

Graduation Day  1976

Monica Lewis, Beth Hammers, Tammy Craven, Helen Hardcastle, Claudia Cason, Susan Ratliff, Cyndi Horton

Ditto Landing at Sunset

 Led Zeppelin College Dorm Poster

Tim Thomassian, Laura Rice, Mark Huskey, Jeff Whitt, Terry Sharpe (HHS'76) 

Jeff Whitt, Hank Fitzgibbon, Duane Clark--Ugly Walk 

I Wish I was In The Land Of Cotton....

Karen Pizitz, Pam Currie, Kathy Dobbs, Helen Hardcastle,

Linda Smith

Grissom vs. Coffee High School  1975

(#34, Jeff Whitt, #60, Mark Huskey)

Governor's Drive Overlook  1979

A Star Is Born  1976

Prom  1976

The Tennessee River Bridge 

Linda Smith, Cyndi Horton, Beth Hammers

Remember these?

Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers!!

Mr. Reynolds Loses Bet!

Pie-in-face delivered by Mark Huskey!  1976

Remember this?

Bicentennial T-Shirts

Rolling Stone  June 1976

Ford Mustang fastback  1976

Football Hall of Fame Induction for Tim Stowers!

Larry Moore, Tim Stowers, Mike Pope, Roger Schneider

Football Reunion  2010

Robby Vaughn, Bill Booth, Greg "Hambone"Hammons, Greg "Snuffy" Smith

Space and Rocket Center

Chicago concert, Cotton Row Restaurant, Huntsville

Top row:  Beth Hammers, Linda Smith  Second row: Susan Hoard, Kathy Morrow, Christie Cox  First row: Sharon Mazza, Tammy Craven, Cyndi Horton, Karen Hill

Chicago concert!!!  Hsv. Ala.

Before the concert.......

Linda Smith, Cyndi Horton, Beth Hammers

Tammy Craven

Sharon Mazza and Karen Hill

Christie Cox and Susan Hoard

Grissom Pep Rally!!

    To prevent dueling audio, mute playlist below

Chi Delta  1976

Football Reunion

Kenny Stone, Jeff Whitt, Charlie Adams, Ken Roberts

Jones Farm

David Finley, Doug Bourque, Buddy Hartselle, Debbie Smith, Mark Huskey, Susan Ratliff, Greg Hammons, Julie Kastnakis, Judy Simon, Robby Vaughn

Susan Ratliff, Tammy Craven, Debbie Smith, Julie Kastanakis

Remember these?

Platform shoes!

Big Spring Park at night

Freshman Football Champions Reunion!!

Front row: Jeff Whitt, Robin Gaines, Coach Ronnie Stapler, Doug Bourque, Buddy Hartselle

Second row: Ken Roberts, Mark Huskey, Mike Pope, Steve Selby, Greg Hammons, Larry Moore, Robby Vaughn, Coach Roberts

Back row: Kenny Stone, Tim Stowers, Bob Britton, Ronald Eason, Jeff Scates, Keith Britton, Charlie Adams, Greg "Snuffy" Smith

Congrats, boys!

You're still #1 in our hearts!! 

Tim Stowers, Kin Clinton and Mark Huskey

Coach Stapler's speech

Left to right: Jeff Whitt, Mike Pope, Bob Britton, Ronald Eason, Keith Britton, Doug Bourque

After school TV..........

Firebird 1976

    TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE
   1930's, 40's, 50's,60's and 70's!!

 
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. 

 
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes. 

 
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps, not helmets on our heads. 

 
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

 
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.

 
We ate cupcakes made with Lard, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank   FLAV- OR- AID  made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight.   WHY?

Because we were always outside playing....that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on..

 No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OKAY.

 
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps
and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

 
We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, iPods, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms. 
    
WE HAD FRIENDS  and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse. 

We ate worms and mud pies
made from dirt, and
the worms did not live in us forever.

 
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. 
  

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.

 
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! 
 

 
These generations have produced some of the best
risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.

   

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.   What can kids today do besides push buttons.

  

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

  
  If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS!  

Susan Ratliff, Lynda Lynch, Ralph Rice

Madison County Fair  1979

Remember these?

"The Girls" mini-reunion, March 27, 2010 @ Rosie's

Dianna Martz, Leslie Anderson, Christie Cox, Tammy Craven, Candy cason, Juli Merritt, Sharon Mazza, Cyndi Horton, B.B. Levine, Beth Hammers, Karen Hill, Cheryl Smith, Fay Lewis

Old Gibson's BBQ building   1960's

That Girl  1971

Lynda Lynch, Laura Rice, Susan Wilson, Susan Ratliff, Robin Canter, Debbie Swezey, Renea Burchfield, Sharon Link, Cindy Ivy, Susan Hoard,  Karen Pizitz, Sandra Colwell, Debbie Smith

Ben Franklin five and dime

Remember these?

Top Album - Hotel California, The Eagles

 "Let the Midnight Special Shine It's Ever-Lovin' Light on Me!"

            To prevent dueling audio, mute playlist below.

50's Day - 1976

Tammy Craven, Mike Thome, Robin Canter, Jeff Whitt, Susan Wilson, Susan Ratliff, Ralph Rice, Buddy Hartselle, Lynda Lynch, Duane Clark

McDonald's on Memorial Parkway 1976

Monte Sano Lodge

Remember this?

1976 Album

8th Grade Student Council Officers - Whitesburg Jr. High

Jeff Whitt, Foster Christy, Candy Cason, Rosemary King, Davd Farmer (HHS '76)

Super Slide at Parway City Mall 1970

One of our GHS grads, Pete Dobbs (Class of '73, brother of Kathy Dobbs Holt) took this pic of Huntsville's Moon Set from his house on Green Mountain.  Amazing!!

Susan Ratliff, Renea Burchfield, Lynda Lynch   1976

Remember these?

Leisure suits!

Graduation Day  1976

Lynda Lynch, Susan Ratliff, Laura Rice, Sandra Colwell, Susan Wilson

Remember these?

 Downtown Huntsville        Photo taken by Tim White

      To prevent dueling audio, mute playlist below.

Sharon Link, Cindy Ivy and Bill Booth in the halls of GHS

Anyone know who's bike this was parked in the GHS parking lot?

Top album released in February 1976

Eagles Greatest Hits 1971-1975

Karen Pizitz and Terri Hutchins  Valentine's Day  1976

Remember this?

Lemon Up Shampoo

Karen Purcell, Robin Canter, Linda Smith, Cathy McNutt

Photographer-  Tim White

Huntsville Railroad  Snowfall 2010

Green Mountain Covered Bridge

Lynda Lynch, Sandra Colwell, Susan Wilson,

Renea Burchfield

Did I really say that? - '70's Slang

"Get down and boogie!"

Congratulations Tim!

Good news!  Tim Stowers has been chosen for induction into the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame.  

 Susan Ratliff and Ricky Steinberger     Kappa Rho 1976

Remember these?

Earth shoes

Downtown Huntsville  1970

 Buddy Hartselle and Greg "Snuffy" Smith

 The Carriage Inn, home to many Grissom dances.

Bill's London Transit at The Mall

Remember This?

Sharron Mazza, Beth Hammers, Lynda Lynch   1976

Remember this?

Dippity Do styling gel

Toni Leo  Young Life Ski Trip

Filling out class schedules.....

Remember this?

 Debbie Smith

Popular Christmas gift as a kid

Etch-A-Sketch

Remember This?

Sun-in hair lightner

Remember This?

Aluminum Christmas Trees with Color Wheel

Popular Christmas Gift in 1976

Stereo Turntable with 8-Track

 Doug Bourque 1976

Point Mallard  Decatur, Alabama 1975

Donna Brown  1976

Parkway City Mall   1967

Remember this?

Aerosol spray dry shampoo

The Mall  1966

Remember this?

College Freshman Year 

1976-1977.....

The old Whitesburg Drive-In. Good times.

 We LOVE Our Tiger!!

Donna Brown, Frankie Earle and Linda Smith

Susan Ratliff   Young Life Ski Trip   

Frankie Earle and Robin Gaines 

Kappa Rho Dance 1974

Coach Derrick's senior homeroom

Mr. Haynes' Third Period Homeroom

Senior Skip Day on Green Mountain 1976

Marti Griffith, Beth King, Gail Hiett
 

Reconnect with our friends from Huntsville High at www.hhs1976.net

 Homecoming Court 1975-76

Debbie Sweezy, Tori Mitchell, Cecilia Houston, Connie Nichols, Cindy Smith

Regina Turner, B.B. Levine, Kim Emerson, Judy Simon

Foster Christy

Marching Tiger Band Flag Corps

Senior Cheerleaders 

Front to back:  Linda Smith, Pam Curry,

Cathy McNutt, Tammy Craven, Donna Brown, Laura Rice

Beth Congdon and Jami Robinson

Mr. Dravecky

Marti Griffith  1976

Leisa Riser's 18th Birthday

 B.B. Levine, Gail Heitt, Pam Brumfield, Leisa Riser,

Sandra Rouse, Jill Blackstock, Jami Robinson, Meg Cook,

Beth Congdon, Lind Powell

Barbara Fisher and Cathy McNutt in Home Ec class  1973

Mrs. Nixon's Senior Homeroom   

David Nabors, Monica Lewis, Larry Moore

To prevent dueling audio, mute playlist below

 Delta Phi New Pledges  1973

Beth Congdon, Jill Blackstock, Judy Urban and Tammy Craven 

Tiger mural in GHS cafeteria

 

 

 

 

 

 

All chapters of Kappa Rho  1976

 

 

 

 

Bo Emerson, Laura Stap, Lynda Lynch and Mark Cumbaa

 

 

 

  

 Cheryl Smith and Debbie Durham

Donna Tucker

Candy Cason and Ann McCartney

 To prevent dueling audio, mute playlist below

first row: B.B. Levine, Leisa Riser, Gail Hiett, Jami Robinson

second row: Pam Brumfield, Lind Powell, Kim Emerson, Beth Congdon, Jill Blackstock    1976

Gail Camp and Cyndi Horton  1973 

Our World as a Kid

My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter and I used to eat it raw sometimes, too. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice pack coolers, but I can’t remember getting e.coli. 

  Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring).

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system.

We all took gym, not PE...and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

We didn’t use helmets or knee and elbow guards to ride our bikes or roller skate down the street. We stood up in the backseat of Dad’s car with our arms stretched out on top of the seat. No seatbelts or car seats for us and we still survived.

 Flunking gym was not an option. I guess PE must be much harder than gym.

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.

We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an ancient health system we had then. Remember school nurses?
Ours wore a hat and everything.

I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself.

I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations.
Oh yeah... and where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!

We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48-cent bottle of mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our rear ends spanked.

Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $49 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.

We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either; because if we did we got our rear ends spanked there and then we got spanked again when we got home.

I recall the kid from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off.
Little did his Mom know that she could have sued and owned our house.
Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a goof. It was a neighborhood run amuck.

To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family.

How could we possibly have known that?

We needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes.

We were obviously so duped by so many ills of society, that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac!

How did we ever survive?

LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA. TO ALL WHO DIDN'T, SORRY FOR WHAT YOU MISSED.

I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING!

 Phil Roth, Jami Robinson, Jim Esneault

Delta Chi  1976

Tammy Craven and Ken Roberts   1973

Lynda Lynch and Tommy Walters

Senior Kappa Rho  1976

 David Cyr and Peggy Zebal Robinson   2006

To avoid dueling audio, mute playlist below

 Laura Rice and Greg "Hambone" Hammons

 Beth Congdon and Frank Gregg

 Lynda Lynch and Jeff Whitt     Kappa Rho 1974

B.B. Levine and David Cyr      Senior Prom  1976

  It's graduation season again, so check out the new Link "The Imprint 1976"!  It features our very own school newspaper that was distributed the week of graduation. Read all about our high school years, what went on and who was guilty of it! :) Be sure to read our "Last Will and Testament", it's a scream!  Fasten your seat belts as the memories come speeding back!

Our Spotlight

Age-a strange newness within ourselves

        that crept in on tip toe and

        created a spotlight on us-

Class of '76

         We paved our roads with

          the anticipation of victory,

          strove for perfection and

          made it our foundation

When darkness cleared to approach,

           we swept the dust from beneath our spotlight

           and had the comfort of our experiences

            to soothe the shadow and

            create another dawn.

And so our souls will spare regrets

             and keep the momentos of these tender years

             that embrace yesterday's companions;

             friendships that time has strengthened,

             lessons retained,

            tears that laugher mocked and chased away,

            and kept our spotlight shining.

                   ---Senior Class Writer, Anita Raffalovich

                                              May 20. 1976

 Grissom Spirit, Tiger Pride!

The Grissom High School Marching Tiger Band!!!!!

     To prevent duel audio, mute playlist below

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           Grissom High School 

Let me know if you have had an important event happen in your life! If you have pics of your kids graduating or getting married, gotten married yourself or started a new business, let everyone know by sending it via my email address on the Classmate Profiles Link and I will post it on the Home Page!

 

 

If you have any reunion or high school pics to add to the photo gallery links, just email me and I will post them for everyone to enjoy!