CLASS OF 1953 WEB SITE HISTORY
In early 2004 Clyde Arnold called me (Perry Easterling) and asked me to look
at theHHS Class of 1951 web site and see if I thought that our class should
also have a web site. After looking at the 1951 class site I agreed that it
would be somethinggood to keep our classmates informed and suggested
that he start one up. Clyde immediately said that he didn't have a computer,
didn't know how to use one and was only able to communicate on the internet
via WebTV.
After lots of discussions I agreed to talk to Jim Edwards and see how their
site was created and how they kept it updated. Jim said that he had conned
a next door kid, who was a computer Geek, to create the site and be their
web host. After the site was placed on line, the kid moved and Jim had no
idea how to update the site so what they had was all they would get. Their
class voted down paying for any space on the web so it was eventually shut
down.
By this time I was interested and realized that this was a real challenge
because knew little about computers and nothing about a web site so I then
agreed to see how to get one. Clyde said he would get material to place on
the web site as well as see if he could get financing from classmates. After
finding the monthly cost of, as well as cost of additions and changes to web
sites-such as those of two of our companies it was decided that the only way
to go was to do everything without going through a professional. This would
cost big bucks beyond our reach.
I agreed to use my computer, camera, scanners and other equipment but not
pay for any web software or on- line cost. Also because my typing training
consisted of a short course at Tyler Commercial College and no on-the-job
training since 1954, someone else would have to do the typing. Clyde then
asked me to talk to Barbara Taylor Burke about typing and the rest is history.
Perry
Equipped with his scanner and accompanied by his supportive wife Pat,
Perry came by our home in Benton, LA in May 2004. Perry had a purpose!
To get pictures for a newly started 1953 Web Site. Only a hint of
friendship/partnership in web site expansion began that day. My pictures
from the 40's and 50's left with them since with all the web site brainstorming
going on there was no time to waste on scanning. This was on the same trip
to LA that Perry got photos from Nell Cassidy Butler at her house and
Donnell Bagley. Pat was a real encourager to both Perry and me in this early
phase of the project!
Since I had attended my first reunion of the class of '53 in October 2003 and
seen some people I hadn't seen in 52 years, I was captivated with an exciting
possibility of an opportunity waiting for me to see more of my old
classmates! So after Perry and Pat left, I began to dream on screen
knowing that they would be back sometime soon to bring back my pictures
when they were in Shreveport. The first page for me was the band page. I
had been in news groups for a few years on the net learning to do something
similar to this type thing. This was my #1 hobby at the time. It was
time to put it to use for others if my help was needed!
Neither of us remembers exactly how it came about but Perry and I became
partners at producing a web site for Class of 1953 on that second trip to our
house. He had already begun with some pictures and the start of a Home
Page using Yahoo SiteBuilder that I viewed on the first trip. With my lifetime
interest in music, the band page was a joy to create so by the time he and
Pat (our encourager!) returned I had something to show them.
On the trip to bring my pictures back, Perry and Pat took a look at the band
page, smiled and first thing I knew I had agreed to be Page Designer, but
didn't want to learn to publish...that is Perry's forte. So now we had a
Publisher (Perry), Promoter (Clyde) and Page Designer (Barbara). Another
thing I offered to do was find MIDI (music) from the 50's to put on a few
pages on the website. We have ended up putting them on most all pages. A
recent addition (2008) has been a player toward the bottom of the page so
you can shut off the music if you prefer silence. All we needed was money to
pay for the Yahoo Site and pictures, pictures, pictures. The promoter (Clyde
Arnold) was sure he could get both from the class. He had full
confidence in Class of '53 to come through.
Then came navigation and organization which was done through trial and
error and my minimum experience with this type thing. Both MENU and
INDEX are good tools for navigation. And each of those little buttons has a
purpose! The sections are our cooperative efforts of how to divide the many
pictures we received and how to name the sections. At first I touched up, cut,
resized and returned Perry's scans, but now he is so good at that, I'm not
needed so just sit baffled at how he can arrange and get them on line so
quickly after an occasion. At that time I made "text images"; i.e. took a
picture of my typing to use as text on the web. Later Perry learned how to
"Copy and Paste" the typed text onto the web site---a much improved
method for both of us! Working with older photos was a challenge that we've
tried to meet. Perry is very selective in the photos he wants to represent
and has done a good job selecting and later learning to touch them up to his
satisfaction!
Remember the photos on the web site are "thumbnails," and can be
expanded. This is a feature offered by Yahoo SiteBuilder that Perry learned
to use almost immediately. And recently (2008) Videos have been added
because of Perry's equipment and ingenuity. We haven't tried to copy any
other web site style and don't know if this one would pass the test of a pro,
but it's been our pleasure to design it specifically for the class of '53 with lots
of your help and encouragement!
From the beginning, it was amazing to me how Perry and Clyde thought
nothing of traveling around not only to Hope but other places to get pictures.
Clyde provided ahuge class picture that Perry meticulously worked into what
you see on the Class Picture Page--not without some extremely tedious
work! Clyde has also dug up some very old football pictures that are now
published in the sports section and has made many long distance calls and
trips to solicit pictures. We asked him to work particularly on the sports
section getting photos from our HHS days since that was his strong suit!
He was aptly named "Promoter" as he passed the basket, made the
first 6 months payment himself, and solicited pictures from a lot of people in
the class. Nelda Thompson Doyle was also a great financial contributor to
the beginning of the web site in the first two years and has been a big
supporter ever since.
Other early-on-the-scene pictures as Perry recalled were from Bobby Bruce
and Clyde who gave them to Perry to scan, a very time-consuming job.
Bonnie's collection of albums of pictures was a "gold mine" so to speak.
Perry picked them up in person at Bonnie's home, scanned, and posted.
Ann Houston Ruppel sent some invaluable photos and designed her own
Golden Anniversary Page. Had Ann's health been better, she would certainly
have been more involved in the designs of the site. Bobbie Sparks had been
an enthusiastic supporter of the class projects in contacting Hope people for
us. She has also done some of the scanning so that photos could be sent
electronically (attachments in email) to Perry for publishing. Bernard Dunn
has furnished lots of interesting pictures including one of his father,
Happy Dunn, whom everyone in Hope knew because he was a local
policeman. He brought even more to the 2008 reunion.
In May 2004 in Shreveport Perry contacted Nell Cassidy Butler and Donnell
Bagley. Donnell lives in Vivian, LA (a few miles from Shreveport) which
required a little effort to bring pictures to Shreveport where Perry and Pat
were "visiting." Donnell was convinced by a promised free meal at
Horseshoe. The next day Perry and Pat made a trip from Shreveport to
Benton, LA (about 15 miles) to get some pictures from me. Helen Harris sent
some great pictures by mail! And, Gene Holdridge brought some to the
recent 2008 reunion. It's never too late to send pictures for publishing on the
web site! Surprise us with more!
Some of our writers have been Clyde Arnold, Nell C. Butler, Donnell Bagley,
Perry and I. Most of the memories of the reunions were written by Clyde;
fishing and golf by Donnell. I volunteered to do the editing (spell check,
grammar, etc) so the writers wouldn't have to worry about that and all writers
need do is type it on some screen (or paper) and send. We are still looking
for help with writing so if you have been hiding your talents, we need you!
This year for the 2008 reunion memories, we'd very much like to have short
writings from a bunch of you. Wanda Sinclair McCorkle deserves recognition
for sending a poem by Marlene Russell Formby along with memories to be
put on Marlene's obituary page. We were able to get photos of Marlene from
her page on the funeral home's memorials. We have a few stories from
others of their memories of the deceased of our class. As for the
communication to the class by email and then repetition on the
announcement page, I believe it was Pat Easterling who suggested we have
a prayer list. Duplicated on the Announcement Page, the email's
purpose is to get the concerns and joys to you quicker; then on the web page
for reference in the future. Betty Willis, Bobbie Sparks (Mrs. Terriel), Jesse,
Perry, Bonnie and others have played an active role with that. Others are
invited to help.
The web site is available to publish the reunions when needed. We like to put
up the date as soon as it is decided on so that people can mark and save the
date to avoid conflicts if they plan to come. Then we will add details as the
reunion plans progress.
Other projects as a result of the web page have been the two children
pictured at the bottom of the announcement page. One of them was started
by Ron Richards and Nell C. Butler. The other is the grandson of a
classmate, Bobby Lafferty. We hope these projects have brought both
emotional and financial support to these families. We try to keep them
updated as opportunities arise.
The plaque presented at the 2008 Reunion (55th) was a complete surprise to
both Perry and me and very much appreciated. An award for enjoyment of
the project is pure delight! Thank you all; another thank you to Roy Seymour
who initiated the project!
My conclusion of the web page work and my renewed association with the
class of '53 is that it has been a big blessing in my life---just under five years.
Without you, the class of '53, this web site would be nothing.
Barbara TAYLOR BURKE
Hope Schools 1st through 10th
Crossett HS 1953 Graduate
PURPOSE OF THE HISTORY: Through the history we want to maintain
records of this big class project that has evolved into a method of
communication in our later years when we need each other.
Also we want to encourage other HHS classes to start and maintain one. The
secret? Spread the fun and work around. Without lots of classmates being
involved, the work is stymied.
Thanks to all who have sent even one picture, one idea, or one word of
encouragement! The phone calls to classmates when they are having health
problems are invaluable: Jesse, Clyde, Bonnie, Francis, Betty, Bobbie
Sparks and Perry have done a lot of phoning. Robert Power and Mary Jo
have been our faithful contacts in the Little Rock area when classmates have
been there for medical treatment.
If I have left out something or someone that needs to be put in our history,
please contact me or Perry!
Barbara
Web History