By Jennifer Patalsky/Garden Grove Jounal
The year was 1941. President Franklin Roosevelt was sworn in for his third term, Ted Williams hit a .406 batting average, gas was 19 cents a gallon, minimum wage 30 cents, and Cheerios was a brand new breakfast cereal.
Garden Grove was populated mostly by close-knit farming families, and it wasn’t unusual for students whose families grew walnuts to “come to class at certain times of the year with brown stains all over their hands,” said Lloyd Jones, whose family farmed various items and the ever-present oranges for which Orange County is named.
“We never bought fruits or vegetables from the store.”
While the class of 2011 prepared for their commencement ceremonies, Jones and the remaining members of Garden Grove High School’s class of 1941 joined all other graduating classes and gathered for their 70th high school reunion at Heritage Hall on campus June 11. Of the original 100-plus graduating students, estimates are sobering that perhaps 20-25 of that group are still alive.
Getting this sprightly group of eight together was the idea of former Band Majorette Barbara Reynolds-Oughton. “I sent out over 20 letters,” Oughton said, “we had a good turnout. Barbara Schroff-Ruzicio even drove all the way down from Oregon by herself to be here!”
Oughton considered herself lucky that any of her former classmates were able to join her. The years have worn on them physically and many of them deal with hearing challenges, one uses a wheelchair and another a walker but the spirit of this group was evident with many happy greetings and a lot of reminiscing.
Former National Convention Representative Frances Bankson attended even though she recently underwent spine surgery. She remembered joining classmate Oughton when their class singing group was invited to perform on the radio for local station KHJ: “We were paid five dollars, which was a lot of money.”
Bankson also remembered first husband William Edward Moment, who after graduating from GGHS, went on to break many track records at USC, most notably the 50- and 100- yard dashes. “I believe the 100- yard record still holds, since they don’t do it any more,” she added.
The one memory of 1941 that all share is of course, the onset of World War II. How did this affect Garden Grove? “The men were all gone!” said Bankson. “The streets were empty.” Fellow classmate Ruzicio wished to join the Marines and fight “over there,” but she was too young.
Bob Estep enlisted after a year working for Lockheed right out of high school. He was part of the Army Air Corps (the precursor to the Air Force) and said his life changed. His biggest difference between 1941 and now?
“Age,” he commented with a grin, “Life has been good, and it feels good to see classmates!”
My grandfather was in the class of ’41 and he was a Chili Pepper, not an Argonaut as we are now known as. He went right from the halls of GGHS to trenches of Europe to serve in the Army during World War 2, along with many of his classmates. He was born and raised in Garden Grove. He was delivered by resident physician Dr. Violette on Stanford Ave, across the street from my house. Back then there was a small, brick Dr.’s office in the middle of our farm lands. Grampa Oscar, or Red, as he was also called, went to GGHS along with his brother and sister. My whole family went to GGHS, including both of my parents from the class of 1967. I attended the GGHS all-class reunion and enjoyed speaking with the Greatest Generation and classmates of my parents. It’s so neat to learn the stories they never tell you themselves. I encourage everyone to come to our annual reunions each June.