Alumni Allegiance Inspires Challenge
1969 was a year full of historic, life-changing events that included the moon landing, Woodstock, and the Vietnam War. But at Hill-Murray that year has added significance. It is when the then all-boy’s Hill High School, and the all-girl’s Murray High School graduated what has become one of the most philanthropic classes to date, or as they like to call themselves, “The Best Class Ever.” And now they are putting that title on the line in a challenge to other classes.
“The gauntlet’s been thrown,” says John Shields ’69.
The Class of 1969 has always been close knit. While the schools did not officially merge until 1971, buses frequently ran between the two schools.
“I have quite a few friends from high school that I still keep in touch with and get together with,” said Barb Valenty Bicha ’69. “We knew when we graduated that didn’t mean that was it.”
“There were 4 or 5 of us that played football that are going golfing in Florida in a week,” said Shields, who was interviewed with several classmates for this article in mid-October.
So it is no surprise when 30 members of the class show up for a Christmas party, or more than one hundred turn out for a pre-reunion BBQ in 2018, a year before the group’s well-attended 50th reunion. During that BBQ, an idea was sparked that has and will continue to change the lives of Hill-Murray students for years to come.
“John mentioned something his dad’s class did for his high school 50-year reunion, and that planted the seed,” said Dave Zarembinski ‘69. The conversation and enthusiasm grew from there as they quickly decided they needed to do something to be remembered as the “Best Class Ever.” And that they did. Thanks to the generosity of many, the Class of 1969 has collectively contributed more than $250,000 in support of scholarship funds for current Hill-Murray students.
That money will make a Hill-Murray education possible for students who may otherwise not be able to attend. It’s an experience that meant so much to the members of this class and proves that even small donations can have a big impact when classes band together and give.
The group still laughs and reminisces about the sock hops and the glory of beating Cretin in football, but their high school years were so much more than events.
“When you get old, you look back on your life, and the Hill experience, the high school experience, had far more of a profound impact than college or anything else,” says Shields.
“It was our formative years here,” says Bicha. “I think someone told me one time ‘You must have gone to a Catholic school because you are polite and you have manners’. It was built into you at the time. It carries with you through life.”
Members of the class of 1969 hope their collective generosity inspires and challenges other classes.
“We’d like other classes to think of their reunion and try to do something special,” says Shields. “Whatever bar we set, have at it, beat it, and, if they do beat us, and want to borrow the title of the Best Class Ever for a year, we’ll let them do that.’”
“I had no idea what we were getting into but I hope we started something,” says Zarembinski.
