The end of the school year is near. It’s time for long-lived traditions, like proms and yearbooks. Some things never go out of style.
But some do.
Staples High School’s senior prom went off flawlessly last Saturday. Nearly 500 soon-to-be-graduates and friends had a great time at the Greenwich Hyatt.
They were not, however, given official gifts like those given 30 or some years ago: beer mugs, complete with the Staples seal. If I recall correctly, there was even a slogan: “Raise a stein, to the Class of ’89.”
And the 2022 Staples yearbook will definitely not contain a photo like this one, from 1975:
The caption about this supposed “club” reads: “The Trojans are most widely known for their desire to refresh themselves before, during and after competition ….The Trojans have always been an asset to Staples.”
Of course, the legal drinking age in Connecticut at the time was 18. (It was lowered from 21 in 1972, then raised to 19 in 1982, 20 in 1983, and back to 21 in 1985.)
But if that kid in the lower left was 18, then my name is Joseph Schlitz.
Helpful back then that local watering holes rarely checked id’s. The Duck and Bridge Grill led the pack on that issue.
Maybe the class of ’89 also used “Raise your stein….” but I know the class of 1979 did. I may still even have the T-shirt.
Fun to read Staples antics Back in ancient times when I graduated so many classmates participated in Senior Skip Day our class picnic at Compo was canceled Times have changed a lot but it’s fun to remember high school antics
Sort of interesting, Staples had to go Greenwich instead of Longshore for their senior prom.
Well, I was friends with those guys and they were probably 18 or about to be when that photo was taken. Top L to R are Bill Sias, Dick Montague, Dave Umbarger (blanking on the top R guy) and bottom row L to R are Dan James, Shap Patterson, and Keith Miers. Great times, thanks for sharing Dan.
“Trojans”??? My son was of the Wreckers era. When did it change?
I’m sure it was a high school-clever nod to the condom manufacturer.
A long forgotten fact. The Weston High School was named the Trojans not because of the condom, but because we opened in 1969. They came to the senior class athletes for our advice. OJ Simpson had won the Heisman and USC the football champs in 1968. So thanks to OJ.
I think the guy tom is blanking on is bob welch.
Shap,s first name was Winslow.
The drinking age should like the rest of the world be 100% 18
They tried lowering the drinking age and teenage driving deaths sky rocketed. Used to be 18 in NY while growing up here and we lost 7 to drunk driving my senior year at Staples. Lower the drinking age, raise the driving age?
I went to Syracuse U when it was a “dry” campus. Alcohol in any form was verboten. Then, in the 70s, the restriction was lifted. No one was drinking any more. They were all smoking grass!
My brother Michael confirmed my memory that the class of 1979 had the slogan “Raise your stein to 79.” Mine was spirits soar in ‘84.”
Thanks for the memories.
Suzanne Wheatall Casey