Ballard High School
"Class of 1966"
Website
July 2025
May July be a good month for all of us Ballard High School Class of 1966 classmates. Remember to just be yourselves, because you are unique, worthy and amazing. Live every day to the fullest as you deserve all the good in life.
Ah, the good ol' days – a time when life seemed simpler, and the world moved at a more leisurely pace.
Our generation experienced a world filled with opportunities and stability that shaped our lives in ways younger generations may never fully grasp.
We rode the wave of an economic renaissance fueled by industrial expansion, suburban growth, and high consumer demand.
We enjoyed the cost of living that was far more forgiving than today’s standards. In 1960, the average home price was around $11,900—less than a fraction of today’s cost.
Attending college wasn’t synonymous with lifelong debt for us. Tuition fees were manageable, allowing students to work part-time and graduate debt-free.
We entered a workforce where job tenure, pensions, and employee loyalty mattered. Companies nurtured long-term employees, and corporate layoffs were rare.
We lived in an era where small businesses flourished, fostering community engagement and economic sustainability. Local shops and family-owned businesses were pillars of neighborhoods, offering personalized service and fair pricing.
The absence of smartphones and social media gifted us with a more present and distraction-free life. Conversations were in-person, and entertainment was rooted in tangible experiences rather than fleeting digital consumption.
Neighborhoods functioned as extended families, with children playing freely and adults supporting one another. The reliance on community ties fostered trust and security.
Paying monthly for TV, music, or even apps wasn’t a thing back then. Most entertainment and tools came at a one-time cost.
We lived through the rise of rock legends like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin, experiencing firsthand the transformative power of music. Vinyl records and cultural movements shaped our youth in profound ways.
Gathering at drive-ins and soda fountains wasn’t just about food, it was a cultural experience. These spaces were hubs of conversation, music, and youth rebellion, building camaraderie among us.
Life felt freer when no one was watching. We weren’t being tracked, measured, or judged by invisible algorithms. We formed opinions in person, not in comments. Our moments didn’t disappear into data clouds—they simply happened, with meaning, and stayed ours alone.
Employer-sponsored health insurance and lower medical costs made healthcare more manageable for all of us.
Back when we were younger, roads were less crowded, and commuting was generally faster and more manageable.
Back then we consumed more home-cooked meals and used fresh ingredients and local produce instead of processed foods. Traditional cooking was the norm, so diets had fewer ultra-processed options. This way of eating helped create healthier habits and a more balanced lifestyle overall.
Education wasn’t just about theory. We learned practical skills in school, including home economics and shop classes. These courses prepared us for real-world responsibilities.
We played outdoors without constant parental supervision or excessive safety concerns. Despite occasional societal fears like those during the Cold War, children enjoyed independence that helped build resilience, with fewer restrictions compared to both earlier and later generations. This is just one more way we had it better.
A noble life experience is one that isn’t about being rich or poor. Instead, it is built on certain principles that are necessary for navigating life and finding peace and happiness. So, pride yourself on all that you have experienced and remember that wisdom is knowledge through experience, not age.
I’m just saying.
Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects – so please take it regularly. Laughter is to the soul what sunshine is to a flower.
Jack and Mabel are an elderly couple, flying to Hawaii for a vacation to celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary. They’re enjoying the inflight service when suddenly over the public address system, the captain makes an announcement.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have some unfortunate news to share with you. We’re having serious problems with all four engines, and we have no choice but to make an emergency landing. Luckily, there’s a remote island just ahead of us with a long, flat beach. We should be able to land the plane safely. However, we also have problems with our communications, so we won’t be able to summon help. So, we may never be rescued, and we may have to spend the rest of our lives on this island.
The pilot manages to land the plane safely and the passengers all exit the aircraft via the inflatable evacuation slides.
They’re all wandering around the beach looking a little bewildered, when Mabel says to Jack, “Honey, what are we going to do?”
Jack thinks momentarily and then says, “Mabel, did you manage to make the car lease payment this month?”
“No, sweetheart,” Mabel responds sheepishly, “I was so excited about our trip that I forgot.”.
“Well,” Jack continues, “how about settling our credit card bill? Did you manage to do that before we left?”
“Oh no, I didn’t!” says Mabel, “and it was a big one this month with all the expense of this holiday.”
“Right, then” Jack continues, “did you manage to settle the medical bill for the hospital treatment I had last month?”
“No, sweetheart,” Mable responds, getting visibly upset, “again, I forgot.
Jack gives Mabel the biggest hug and then he says, “There’s absolutely nothing to worry about, dear. We owe money, so they’ll find us!”
A coma in a sentence can literally change everything.
For example:
Ben is in a hurry.
Ben is in a coma.
The difference between fiction and reality?
Fiction has to make sense.
Everything is easier said than done.
Unless it’s Worcestershire sauce.
You can't believe everything…
…you read on the Internet just because a famous person said it.
— Abraham Lincoln —
What did Lawrence Welk call his twin daughters?
Anna One, Anna Two (are you feeling old?)
Why are bacteria so bad at math?
Because they multiply by dividing.
If I had 50c every time I failed a math test...
I'd have $6.30 right now
Daddy? Do all fairy tales begin with ‘once upon a time’?
No, there are a whole series of fairy tales that begin with ‘If elected, I promise...’
My grandfather knew the exact time, date, and year that he was going to die. No! he wasn’t psychic, the judge told him.
What is the least spoken language in the world?
Sign Language
Did you know that 97% of the world is stupid?
Luckily, I’m in the other 5%
I was in a job interview today when the manager handed me his laptop and said, "I want you to try and sell this to me."
So, I put it under my arm, walked out of the building and went home.
Eventually, he called me on my phone and said, "Bring it back here right now!"
I replied, "$100 and it's yours."
My Chinese waiter thinks all white people look alike and gave my food to the wrong customer
Wait. Never mind. That wasn’t my waiter.
My wife is always stealing my shirts and sweaters...
But if I take one of her dresses, suddenly "we need to talk"
Did you know how to make light with water?
Clean your windows.
Jack walked into a pharmacy and said to the pharmacist, “Excuse me, sir, do you have anything for hiccups?”
The pharmacist walked from behind the counter, appeared to reach for something high on a shelf, and then he suddenly slapped Jack hard on the back.
He smiled at Jack and then said, “There! Did that help?”
“I can’t tell from here,” said Jack. “It’s my wife with the problem, and she’s waiting outside in the car.”
Bert is in a dispute with his neighbor, and he goes to see a lawyer for help.
“How can I help you?” asks the lawyer.
“Well, sir,” says Bert, “my neighbor borrowed $500 and now he won’t pay it back. So, what can I do?”
“Do you have any proof that he owes you this money?” asks the lawyer.
“Unfortunately, no,” says Bert. “We used to be friends, and I thought I could trust him. “
“Right,” says the lawyer, “I suggest that I write him a letter, enclosing a stamped, addressed return envelope, requesting the $5,000 that he owes you.”
“But he’ll say that it’s only $500,” says Bert.
“Exactly!” says the lawyer. “That way we’ll have an admission of guilt should it go to court.”
Wally and Mildred are an elderly couple celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
They had been childhood sweethearts, and they had recently moved back to the neighborhood where they grew up.
Holding hands, they walked around the area, and they decided to go back and visit their old school.
The school wasn’t locked, but the classes had gone home for the day.
So, they entered and walked around. Unbelievably, they found their old classroom and the old wooden desk they had shared, on which Wally had carved, “I love Mildred Jones.”
As they were leaving the school campus, an armored security van drove past and, as it did so, a large bag of money fell out, practically landing at their feet.
Now, there was no one around, so Mildred grabbed it quickly. As they were unsure what to do with it, they decided to take it home.
Once home, Mildred decided she’d sit and count the money. Very quickly, she realized that the bag contained $100,000.
Wally was an honest man and felt that they should return it.
“Nonsense!” said Mildred. “Surely, it’s finders’ keepers. And anyway, we could use a little extra money.”
With that, Mildred put the money back in the bag and hid it in the loft.
The next day, Mildred answered a knock on her front door, and two police officers were standing in front of her.
“Good morning, mam,” said one of the police officers. “We’re investigating the disappearance of a cash bag that fell from a security van yesterday. Did you or your husband see anything?”
Mildred smiled demurely and said, “No, officer.”
At this point, Wally’s conscience got the better of him, and he said, “She’s lying, officer. She’s got the money, and she hid it up in the loft.”
Once again, Mildred smiled demurely and said, “Don’t listen to him, officer, he’s getting senile, and his imagination runs away with him at times.”
“Well, not so fast,” the police officer says. “I think we should listen to what he has to say.”
With that, the officer turns to Wally and says, “Sir, can you tell us the story from the beginning?”
“Well,” said Wally, “when Mildred and I were walking home from school yesterday. “
The two police officers look at each other, and one says, “Let’s go, there’s nothing to see here.”
As she was getting ready for school one morning, Grace asked her mother, “How did the human race appear, Mom?”
“Well,” said her mother, “God made Adam and Eve, and they had children, and that’s how we all began, dear.”
Two days later, Grace asked her father the same question.
“Well,” said her father, “first there were apes and from them, the human race has evolved.”
Naturally, these responses left Grace a little confused.
So once again, she spoke with her mother and said, “Mom, I don’t understand. You said that we were created by God, but dad says we evolved from apes. How can that be?”
Her mother smiled and said, “Well, darling, it’s all very simple. I was telling you about my side of the family, and your father told you about his.”
Two cowboys are lost in the desert.
As they’re staggering through the desert and very hungry, one of the cowboys suddenly sees a tree draped in bacon.
“A bacon tree!” he shouts. “We’re saved!”
He runs over to the tree as fast as he can, but he’s shot up with bullets as he approaches it.
Sadly for him, it wasn’t a bacon tree, it was a ham bush.
Jim and Mary had been married for over 30 years, and they were travelling from Los Angeles to London.
During check-in at LAX, the airline agent was apologetic to Jim and said, “Sir, I’m sorry but the flight is full today and you should be aware that you and your wife haven’t been allocated adjacent seats. Your seat number is 14A and your wife’s is 42H.”
“Well, thank you, mam,” said Jim, with a smile, “Will I have to pay an extra charge for this bonus?” “Oh, no sir,” said the airline agent, politely, “your wife has already paid.”
Once upon a time, there was a King who wanted to go fishing. So, he summoned the royal meteorologist and asked whether there would be any rain that day. The meteorologist assured the King that there wouldn’t be any rain and that it would be a good day for him to go fishing with the Queen.
So, the King and Queen left the palace and made the journey down to the river.
On their way to the river, the King and Queen met a farmer with his donkey.
When he saw the Royal couple, the farmer said, “Your Majesties, I think you should return to the palace at once, there is going to be a lot of rain in a short time.”
The king was polite, and he appreciated that the farmer was well-intentioned. However, he replied: “I hold the royal meteorologist in high regard. He is an educated man and highly skilled in meteorology. I pay him high wages for his knowledge and skills, and he assured me there would be no rain. I trust him and I will continue on my way.”
“Very well,” the farmer responded, and he stood aside to let the King and Queen go on their way.
However, it wasn’t long before the heavens opened, and a torrential rainstorm ensued.
The King and Queen were soaked, and their entourage chuckled upon seeing them in such a pitiful condition.
Naturally, the King was furious. He summoned the meteorologist and fired him on the spot.
The next day, he summoned the farmer and offered him the prestigious role of royal meteorologist.
The farmer said, “Your Majesty, I am a humble farmer. I know nothing about meteorology and weather forecasting. I get my information from my donkey. If I see his ears drooping, it means it will rain heavily.”
The King thought about the situation momentarily and then hired the donkey on the spot.
And so began the ancient practice of government hiring donkeys to work in the highest and most influential positions.
If only common sense were more common.
I’m just saying.
Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today. You make the world a better place just by being in it.
Live life for today.
Look for a single moment of joy each day.
Pray for tomorrow.
Cherish your blessings.
And visit with your precious memories often.
Thank you for visiting.
Your Ballard High School Class of 1966 Reunion Committee.