A lot has happened in the world in the forty years since the class of '80 graduated from high school. We have travelled different paths, whether it was marriage, children, grandchildren and/or careers. Our journeys have included setbacks and successes.
A look back at the past forty years - 1980 - 2020:
- The world population in 1980 was 4.4 billion, in 2020 it is 7.8 billion.
- We have had eight Canadian Prime Ministers - Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau.
- Seven American Presidents - Jimmy Carter, Ronald Raegan, H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, G. W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump have been elected.
- Terry Fox ran his Marathon of Hope.
- Charles and Diana were married and had two sons. They divorced and Charles eventually married his true love Camilla.
- Princess Diana was tragically killed in a Paris car crash and never got to see her four grandchildren.
- Harry and his wife Meghan gave up their royal titles and duties and moved to the US this year.
- Images of terrorist attacks such as the ones in New York City, Boston and Oklahoma City were forever imprinted in our memories.
- HIV/AIDS, SARS, Zeka, influenza, H1N1, Avian bird flu, West Nile, Lyme disease and COVID-19 struck fear into our hearts.
- We witnessed Marc Garneau become the first Canadian in space.
- Technological advancements gave us the Nintendo, Game Boy, personal computer, flat screen television, World Wide Web, computer mouse, iPod, iPad, iPhone, YouTube, social media platforms and music videos.
- We saw the birth of Canadian coins, the one dollar Loonie and the two dollar Toonie and the GST (Goods and Services Tax).
- Our economy experienced the rise and fall of the Canadian dollar and interest rates.
- DNA was first used in criminal court cases.
- Actors like Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Patrick Swayze, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock and Reese Witherspoon entertained us through their movies.
- Reality television shows depicting celebrity lifestyle, music competitions and dating like Keeping Up With The Kardashians, American Idol and The Bachelor became popular.
- Natural disasters around the world abounded including: hurricanes, tsunamis, droughts, floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, blizzards, ice storms and heat waves.
- Plane, train and bus crashes left a trail of grief.
- An inquiry into government-operated Canadian residential schools, which were run by various churches, was conducted on behalf of Indigenous peoples.
- We listened to musical artists and groups such as: Whitney Houston, Elton John, Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Shania Twain, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Eagles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bono Jovi, Beyoncé, Madonna, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Tim McGraw and Keith Urban.
- In the sporting world Wayne Gretzky, Serena Williams, Tom Brady, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Peyton Manning, Shaquille O’Neal, Martina Navratilova, Donovan Bailey, Hayley Wickenheiser, Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Kirk Browning, Elvis Stojko and Michael Jordan were front and center.
- Acid Rain, Climate Change, the #MeToo Movement and pipeline protests were headline news.
I felt overwhelmed looking back on all these things that stood out in my
mind; lasting memories, new experiences and history made. Cherish your memories, live for today and have hope for the future.
My graduation story -
The Class of '80
The first Friday in May was traditionally graduation day at the school in my hometown. It was a heady time to be a grade twelve student and the excitement built as graduation approached. We ruled the school in our rightful place at the top of the pecking order. Graduation was the biggest social event of the year.
All through the late 70’s my classmates and I dreamed of being “the class of '80” as it sounded so futuristic. Grad jerseys were ordered, and we wore them with great pride along with our high school jackets.
In the early spring, invitations were ordered and individual family socials were planned for the big day. Plans for a bush party were in the works. The grade ten class organized the lunch for the dance and the grade elevens oversaw the decorations. Hundreds of Kleenex flowers were handmade as part of the decor. Roses and plaques were ordered, the photographer was booked and programs were printed.
When graduation day finally arrived, the gymnasium was packed with family and friends to standing room only for the evening ceremony. I had gotten my hair done by a local hairdresser and wore a long blue gown made of fortrel fabric that I had purchased in Saskatoon for thirty dollars.
There were the customary speeches and acknowledgments. After the ceremony, everyone squeezed into the small Legion Hall a few blocks from the school to await the entrance of the graduates and their escorts for the Grand March. A band played for the dance that followed and the lunch was served.
My parents held a gathering at our farm in my honor. My escort and I (later to become known as the The Hubs) stayed a respectable amount of time before we left to join the grad celebration. The grad party was held in a hollow in a wooded area ten miles from town.
Someone would precariously back down into the hollow to provide the musical entertainment from their vehicle’s eight track player. At that age you still know how to live in the moment, you’re carefree. They were probably blasting out the popular tunes from the last decade. The top songs of 1980 were: Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Another One Bites The Dust by Queen, All Out of Love by Air Supply and Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar. It could also have been something by the Bee Gees or the Eagles.
The weather in Saskatchewan in early May can be sketchy at best and it was still chilly at night, so a huge bonfire was built for warmth and light at the party. We were lucky as it was sunny and warm that May day.
Things have changed over the years; graduation in recent years has been held at the end of June once courses are completed. The school provides a midweek afternoon ceremony, but no longer organizes banquets or dances off school property. We walked in and out of the gym with our escorts not with our parents as they do now. Sadly, this year it looks like there will be no graduation ceremonies due to the Coronavirus school closure.
On May 2, 2020, it will be 40 years since I crossed the stage to receive my high school diploma.
Our graduation theme was “New Beginnings”. When the end of June came everyone went their separate ways to pursue their dreams. If you were in the “class of '80” I hope you are having a good life and I wish you many years of health and happiness.
Happy 40th Anniversary!
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