2024.06.06 ARKANSAS JAZZ HALL OF FAME plus CLASS NEWS
ARKANSAS JAZZ HALL OF FAME plus CLASS NEWS
A week from next Monday, June 17, 2024, Betty Chandler will be inducted into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame.
The ceremony will take place at the Old Statehouse in downtown Little Rock. I realize many of you will not be
able to attend. However, the event will be filmed by AR PBS and be offered for viewing later as a docu-
mentary. In the meantime, I am trying to collect some funds to present to the Arkansas Jazz Heritage
Foundation in Betty's name. If you are interested in helping out, please do the following:
Make your checks payable to: AJHF (stands for Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame)
Mail your checks to me at: Mary Lou Malczycki
13815 Napoleon Road
Little Rock, AR 72211-5599
I will make sure they get to the right people.
Below is a picture taken during our Central High days. L to R: Jerry Coker, David Russenberger, Betty,
Gwen Shepherd and Lynn Parlin. Remember "Lynn and Gwen" singing so many times in our wonderful
auditorium? Did you remember that our auditorium holds 2,500! Before the Robinson Auditorium was
built in 1939, Little Rock used our school auditorium for all kinds of community events and concerts.
1961 CLASS NEWS
I received the nicest note from a Central High Classmate possibly in the Class of 1961. Thank you, Nancy Bauer:
"My friends from Class of 61 enjoy your weekly emails. My friend Annette Jackson Hawkins (Nettilou's
"little" sister) turned me on to it a few years ago. My Class friends see articles of their older brothers and sisters
and neighbors that brings back memories to them. I am forwarding your articles to three different states.
Keep up the good work!"
WOW!!!!!
1956 CLASS NEWS
Kay Kerby Smith got a new knee Monday. Here's hoping for a fast recovery, Kay.
Ronnie Smith is still in Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. If you're ever in that neighborhood,
stop in and see him.
Jackie Bush is still at Presbyterian Village and loves visits from Classmates.
1955 CLASS NEWS
Look at this little jewel I happen to find. If I'm not mistaken that's our own Lana Douthit Bethune singing
or maybe just tapping??? After all, we ALL took lessons at Dorothy Donelson's! Lana, was this at an
assembly or maybe you were in a beauty contest? We had some great shows in our auditorium, didn't we?
You can enlarge this picture with just a few clicks of your mouse.
1954 CLASS NEWS
Our deepest sympathy goes out to Suzanne Burnett McGee in the loss of her daughter, Melinda.
1961 CLASS NEWS
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Carlos and Danny, two "senior-aged" men, were sitting on their favorite park bench talking about what they thought Heaven would be like. "Do you think there's baseball in Heaven?" Carlos asked. Danny thought about it for a minute and replied,
"I don't know. But let's make a deal -- if I die first, I'll come back and tell you if there's baseball in Heaven, and if you die first,
you do the same." They shook hands on it and, sadly, a few months later, Carlos had a heart attack and died. Soon after-
ward, Danny was sitting on that familiar park all bench by himself when he heard a voice whisper, "Danny... Danny.... “
Danny responded, "Carlos! Is that you?" "Yes, it is," whispered Carlos’s ghost. Danny, still amazed, asked, "So, is there
baseball in Heaven?" "Well," said Carlos, "I've got good news and bad news." "Gimme the good news first," said Danny.
"Well, okay, there is baseball in Heaven." Danny said, "That's great! What is the bad news?"
WAIT FOR IT!!!!
WAIT FOR IT!!!!
Carlos said, "You're pitching on Friday.”
ML