ST. GEORGE, Utah — When the Dixie High School class of 1955 graduated, it was the only high school in St. George. There was one stoplight in town, and about 5,000 people. And gasoline? About 23 cents a gallon.
On Tuesday, the Dixie High Class of 1955 gathered for their 70th reunion, bringing together former classmates who have led remarkable lives since their graduation days. Out of a class of nearly 100, there are fewer than 14 left — all approaching their 90s.
They gave a roll call of who they were 70 years ago.
"I was a center on the Dixie High School basketball team," said Mel Miles.
"I worked at a jewelry store after school," said LaRee McAllister Jones.
"I was the most popular girl," said Joyce Caudill.
"I ran the dance band," said Ted Everett.
Among the attendees were high school sweethearts Stan and Diane Olsen Esplin, who still are. They have been married for 69 years.
Back then, Diane was the new girl. While most of the classmates had been together since Kindergarten, Diane moved from Jordan in the 10th grade and said she wasn’t enamored with St. George right away.
"And I met Stanley, and then I liked it," she said.
She was a cheerleader and Stan served as student vice president.
When asked about the secret to their long marriage, Diane laughed.
"I wish we knew," she said.
"She's easy to live with," said Stan.
The reunion was originally planned to take place across from their old school building, which now serves as a district headquarters. However, steady rain moved the gathering across the street to the historic Thomas Judd’s soda fountain, which remains largely unchanged since their school days, complete with penny candy.
"And still alive," said Jones, referring to the approximately 14 remaining classmates from the 1955 graduating class.
Despite the decades that have passed, the classmates still feel connected to their younger selves.
"I don't feel any older. Well, wait a minute. Back up. Depends on what I'm doing," said Bea Foremaster.
Everett, who later became a tax manager for Union Oil in Los Angeles, was immediately recognized by his former classmates. In high school, he led the band that performed at most dances.
Even though Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry’s first songs were rising up the charts, they weren’t ready for that yet.
"It was mainly Glenn Miller. Rock and Roll was just barely starting out. Bill Haley was just coming on and I didn't make the switch. But they would know it was the last dance because we would always play Moonlight Serenade, and that was a Glenn Miller song," said Everett.
At the time, Dixie High School shared a campus with Dixie College — the future Utah Tech — at what is currently known as the Woodward School building, as well as the basement of the nearby St. George Tabernacle. The high school would later separate from the college and move to its present location.
Mel Miles and Lonnie Hafen, once all-state basketball players, took very different paths after graduation. Both moved from sports to science careers.
"I was more interested in sports in high school," said Miles.
Hafen became a geologist whose career took him around the world.
"I just always liked to be outdoors... I wasn't smart enough to be anything else. So anyway, I had a great, great career. Traveled all over the world and spent time in Mongolia and a lot of time in Alaska, Canada, South America," said Hafen.
Miles became a physicist working for the U.S. Navy's China Lake labs during the Cold War. In the 1980s and 90s, he became one of the earliest champions of cold fusion.
"Cold fusion didn't come around until 1989 and I was working for the Navy. So they funded me to work on it and I didn't see anything for six months, but I knew I hadn't looked at everything and I found the key variables that worked if you made sure you had those variables correct. But by the end, everybody thought they had disproved it," said Miles.
Even at 88, Miles continues his scientific work. He recently co-authored a paper with MIT's Peter Hagelstein that was published in scientific journals in January.
Dennis Holland, the 1955 class president, is also still working at a local pharmacy.
"I don't know how to quit," said Holland. "One of my counselors said they thought that I talked about going into medicine. I wasn't sure I could stand the blood and guts of it all. So anyway, one of the counselors at school said they thought a good trade-off would be pharmacy. So I thought, well, when I make up my mind, I'll change it. And by the time I graduated out on the street, I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do. And obviously I still haven't made up my mind because I work every other Saturday just to give the owner a break over there."
The class of 1955 also shared a unique historical experience: exposure to fallout from above-ground nuclear tests in nearby Nevada.
"I remember very well being across the street in front of the tabernacle. I saw the yellow cloud. We were warned to go inside, but most of us didn't. We're outside people, we have fun playing," said LeRoy.
Despite approaching their 90s, the class of 1955 maintains the camaraderie that defined their high school years.
"I don't care who it was. You could talk to each other. You could be around each other. You could go places with them. It didn't matter. I think everybody was, and they still are, liked each other," said Foremaster.
