Knoxville Catholic High School - Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

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92 K HS, 1960'sp preparation for adult lift During the sixties many minorities were continuing to struggle for equality, particularly the Black population of America by leaders such as Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael and H. Rap Brown they would fight for their civil rights with force that eventually during the johnson administration many laws enforcing the rights of minorities would become the 'lla the land. Most of the strife during this time was caused by the integration of public schools. Many school districts were fc literally at gunpoint to administer, under the law, equal and quality education to all students. This was not the case howex KCHS. During the sixties black students came to our school and their participation and contributions to all aspects of l KCHS was then and continues today to be outstanding. lronically, school systems in the South would be the fir desegregate. By the end of the decade, close to 802 of all Southern public school districts would be desegregated. U tunately the man who brought racial equality into the spotlight for all to see would also be assassinated. Martin Luther King backbone of the Civil Rights movement, was murdered by lames Earl Ray in April of 1968. Also, that same year in lune, Robert Kennedy would be assasinated while campaigning for his party's presidential nor tion. After a speech to a group of followers in Los Angeles he was shot in a hotel kitchen by Sirhan Sirhan thus completin incredible string of political murders that would occur during the sixties. By the later years of the decade the Vietnam war had expanded into a national source of disagreement and frustration. military leaders insisted that victory was imminent but the populace was not so sure. At KCHS during this time the student I was at first almost totally in favor of our involvement in the conflict as evidenced by the petitions and letters of suppc various political leaders of the time. However, in the summer of 1968 for the first time polls showed that more Americans ' against our participation than those who supported it. While the debate raged, honorable young Americans would die many more would be wounded, KCHS did not escape untouched by the war. Many Alumni would serve and sadly, former students, lohn Balitsaris '66 and Bobby McLoughlin '64, lost their lives in service to their country. All was not somber at KCHS during the sixties. We had some of the best of times. The 60's music was and still is a large of everyday life and during this time there would be an explosion of musical talent that has yet to be equalled. ln the earl ties we danced and had fun with Chubby Checker and The Twist. Every school year brought dances where bands player music of groups like little Anthony and the lmperials, The Lettermen, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Franki Vali and The Seasons. Then the British invasion took place and the super group The Beatles captured our attention along with the I Clark Five, The Kinks,The Who and the incomparable Rolling Stones. American groups like The Mamas and the Papas, F Paul and Mary, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beach Boys provided endless hours of enjoyment. Near the end of the decad music became strong and powerful and occasionally reflected the national malcontent and attitudes of youth. Then mus Steppenwolf, lim Hendrix, Bob Dylan, lanis loplin, loan Biaz, and the Moody Blues became popular. Of course, the himself, Elvis Presley, was at his peak during this time. All of these performers and many others contributed tremendous our dances and parties which were held whenever any logical excuse could be presented. From a technological point of view, students at KCHS during the sixties saw incredible advances. Starting with the flig lohn Glenn in Friendship 7, America started on a path that would eventually lead to the first flight to land on the moon oi 20, 1969. The space program had begun in earnest by President Kennedy who in 1961 had set a goal to reach the moon b end of the decade. His dream was fulfilled with only six months to spare. Partially because of the space program, comp became an institution in everyday American life. A network of communications satellites improved worldwide communica dramatically and new advances in medicine were made. Students at KCHS also witnessed important social changes during this time. For the first time since the thirties America vs experience a wide open drug culture. Many young people would become habitual users, and as illustrated by the deat certain rock stars many would not survive their dependency. Attitudes about marriage and divorce would change drasti Women would demand equal treatment and equal pay and this spawned the birth of the modern Women's Liberation m ment which continues even today. The strong and constant influences of the legacy of learning at KSCH sustained and cushioned many of these overwhel changes. Children of the sixties are survivors. They, like their parents of the forties, experienced extreme happiness crushing despair. They claim no monopoly on adversity. However, the experiences and education at KCHS, has serve prepare us for the rigors of later life. Those who remember their experiences during the sixties know that the 60's were and continue to be now part of a unique American generation.