Hi everyone — I hope you’ve received your reunion invitation — if not, it should be there shortly.

More great news! Our virtual reunion booklet is now live and you can reach it at the link below. If you would like to change or update any information for your entry, please contact me directly at patsyrihs68@gmail.com. The listings in the book will be updated periodically.

https://rihs1968membershipbook.godaddysites.com/

Hi, After much thought, our reunion/birthday committee voted on when to celebrate our 70^th birthdays. The vote came in to wait and celebrate at our 55^th class reunion in 2023. So until then, hope you call/email/text and stay in touch with our many friends!

Dear Classmates,

It’s been an unusual year so far and our reunion/birthday committee voted to cancel the celebration of our 70^th birthdays this year because of the coronavirus.  Our birthday party was scheduled to be celebrated on Saturday, July 18 the day before the Don Wright Memorial Golf Outing, which also got canceled due to this pandemic.  It’s just not worth the risk of the unknown as far as spreading this virus, and who knows Illinois may still require the wearing of face masks, social distancing of 6 feet and not allowing gatherings of over 50 people by mid July. 

We have high hopes that we’ll get to gather and party next year.  It may be more fun to celebrate in 2021 as we’ll have settled into being 70 and treasure each other’s friendship even more deeply!!

Stay well friends,

Reunion Committee

The 50th reunion for the Class of 1968 from Rock Island Senior High school is history! What a terrific weekend. So great to be able to re-see friends and acquaintances.  Photos from Kathy Welsh Morrow, Rob Goldman and a few other random shots can be found here and the all-class photo here!

As an added “treat” we also have a video clip of the Fight Song!

Kirk Swanson’s final recap – ROCK MUSIC: The RIHS Class of 1968

TOP TEN SONGS [’66, ’67 & ’68]

SEVEN-WAY TIE FOR #3: [random order]
Suzie Q Creedence Clearwater Revival
Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay Otis Redding
Piece of My Heart Big Brother & Holding Co.
I Heard It Through The Grapevine Marvin Gaye
All Along The Watchtower Jimi Hendrix
The Letter Box Tops
Time Has Come Today Chambers Brothers

TWO-WAY TIE FOR #2:
Light My Fire The Doors
Born To Be Wild Steppenwolf

ALL ALONE AS #1:
Hey Jude The Beatles

ROCK MUSIC 1966 
(*Rolling Stone Magazines’ TOP 100)
Paint It Black – Rolling Stones
*Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds
*California Dreamin’ – Mommas & Poppas
Wipe Out – Safaris
Red Rubber Ball – The Cyrkle
Time Has Come Today – Chambers Brothers
Reach Out I’ll Be There – The 4 Tops
Ballad of The Green Berets – SSgt. Barry Sadler
Wouldn’t It Be Nice – Beach Boys
Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett
96 Tears – ? & The Mysterians
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg – Temptations
Wild Thing – The Troggs
*For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield
Lightning Strikes – Lou Christie
*When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
These Boots Are Made For Walking – Nancy Sinatra
Eleanor Rigby – Beatles
Just Like Me – Paul Revere & Raiders
Hold On I’m Comin’ – Sam & Dave
Cherish – The Association
(You’re My) Soul & Inspiration – Righteous Brothers
*Good Vibrations – Beach Boys

ROCK MUSIC 1967
I Am The Walrus – Beatles
The End – Doors
Light My Fire – Doors
Daydream Believer – Monkees
98.6 – Keith
To Sir With Love – LuLu
Somebody To Love – Jefferson Airplane
*Respect – Aretha Franklin
Penny Lane – Beatles
The Beat Goes On – Sonny & Cher
Thank The Lord For The Nigh Time – Neil Diamond
All You Need Is Love – Beatles
White Room – Cream
*Strawberry Fields – Beatles
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin & Tammi
She’s Leaving Home – Beatles
The Letter – Box Tops
I Wish It Would Rain  -Temptations
Live For Today – Grass Roots
Groovin’ – Rascals
Never My Love – The Association
Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin

ROCK MUSIC 1968
Since You’ve Been Gone (Sweet Baby) – Aretha Franklin
*Hey Jude – The Beatles
Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf
MacArthur Park – Richard Harris
Turn Around, Look at Me – The Vogues
HUSH – Deep Purple
Abraham, Martin & John – New Christy Minstrels
You Keep Me Hangin’ On – Vanilla Fudge
Love Child – The Supremes
Young Girl – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
This Guy’s In Love With You – Herb Alpert
White Room – Cream
Dance To The Music – Sly & Family Stone
I Say A Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
Suzie Q – Creedence Clearwater
Cry Like A Baby – Box Tops
Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell
Jumpin’ Jack Flash – Rolling Stones
*Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding
Mony Mony Tommy James & The Shondells
Mrs. Robinson -Simon & Garfunkel
Piece Of My Heart – Big Brother & The Holding Company
Midnight Confessions – Grass Roots
FIRE – Crazy World of Art
Sky Pilot – Eric Burden / Animals
*Sympathy For The Devil – Rolling Stones
The Times They Are a Changin’ – Bob Dylan
Tighten’ Up – Archie Bell & Drells
Honey – Bobbie Goldsboro
*I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
Revolution 9 – Beatles
The Weight – The Band
A Day In The Life – Beatles
*All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix
Reach Out In The Darkness – Friends & Lovers
Here Comes The Sun – Richie Havens
Don’t Make Waves – The Byrds
A Beautiful Morning – Rascals

ROCK MUSIC “Disqualified” [More than 3, Outside 66-68, Etc.]
Both Sides Now – Judy Collins
’65 California Girls – Beach Boys
’65 Nowhere To Run – Martha & The Vandellas
’65 Land Of 1000 Dances – Cannibal & The Headhunters
’66 Devil With A Blue Dress – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
’66 Cool Jerk – Capitols
’67 Penny Lane – Beatles
’67 Somebody To Love – Jefferson Airplane
’68 Dance To The Music – Sly & The Family Stone
’68 Judy In Disguise – John Fred & His Playboys
’67 With A Little Help From My Friends – Beatles
’71 Proud Mary – Tina Turner
’65 Stop In The Name Of Love – Diana Ross & The Supremes
’68 Pictures Of Matchstick Men – Status Quo
’69 Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ – Crazy Elephant
’69 Child In Time – Deep Purple
’71 Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin
’70 Mr. Bo Jangles – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
’68 Since You’ve Been Gone – 3 artists
’67 Soul Man – Sam & Dave
’66 I Am A Rock – Simon & Garfunkel
’66 Homeward Bound – Simon & Garfunkel
’66 The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore – The Walker Brothers
’65 Like A Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
’65 My Girl – Temptations

LASTLY – Great Music That We Ignored
(Random Songs Not Voted On: and there are many more!)
Turn Around – Vogues
Spooky – Classics IV
Slip Away – Clarence Carter
Girl Watcher – O’Kaysions
I’ve Gotta Get A Message – Bee Gees
Hurdy Gurdy Man – Donovan
Bottle of Wine – Fireballs
Nobody But Me – Human Beinz
Shoo-Bee-Doo-Da-Day – Stevie Wonder
Bend Me Shape – American Breed
Stoned Soul Picnic – 5th Dimension
Slip Away – Clarence Carter
Brick House – Commodores
Stand By Me – Ben King
Please Mr. Postman – Marvelettes
Louie, Louie – Kingsmen
Shoop, Shoop – Betty Everett
Grazing In The Grass – Hugh Masekela
I Got The Feelin – James Brown
Stand By Me – Ben King
Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry
Dancing In The Streets  -Martha & The Vandellas
Momma Said – The Shirrelles
La Bamba – Ritchie Valens
On The Road Again – Canned Heat
Walk Away Renee – Four Tops
Angel of the Morning – Merrilee Rush
Summertime Blues – Blue Cheer
Ruby Tuesday – Rolling Stones
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher – Jackie Wilson
Gimme Some Lovin’ – Spencer Davis Group
A Whiter Shade Of Pale – Procol Harum
Carrie Anne – The Hollies
I Can See For Miles  -The Who
Cold Sweat – James Brown
Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
Gimme Little Sign – Brenton Wood
Get On Up – Esquires
Hanky Panky – Tommy James & The Shondells
Cherry, Cherry – Neil Diamond
Good Lovin’ – The Young Rascals
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield
634-5789 – Wilson Pickett
Satisfaction Rolling Stones
Shotgun – Junior Walker & All Stars
Sunny – Bobby Hebb
Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag – James Brown
Hang On Sloopy – McCoys
Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers
Tired Of Waiting For You – The Kinks
Baby Don’t Go – Sonny & Cher
I’ll Be Doggone – Marvin Gaye
We Gotta Get Outta This Place – Animals
Keep Searchin’ – Del Shannon
All I Really Want To Do – Cher

P.S.: Go ahead…add some more.
The point is WE WERE OVERWHELMED WITH GREAT MUSIC! Have you noticed how many of “our songs” are still used in commercials today ? 50 years later!

Thanks for voting!

Its time! The 50th is here!! If you haven’t RSVP’d feel free to drop in either or both nights!

August 24-25, 2018

Details from the invitation are below:

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
 Friday, August 24, 2018  6:30 – 11:30 pm  Holiday Inn – 226 17th Street, RI  Mixer in the Ballroom  View Memorials and Memorabilia  3 Cash Bars — Bottled beer, soda, wine, wine coolers, mixed drinks.

 Light snacks provided
– snacks are not sufficient to replace a meal.

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
 Saturday, August 25, 2018  6 pm – Midnight  Stern Center* – 1713 3rd Avenue, RI  Class photo at 6:30 before dinner  Cash Bar  7 pm Dinner  7:45 pm Program  Silent Auction  9 pm – Midnight DJ/music  Photo booth props for casual photos with classmates.

 Memorial table  Memorabilia table
*The Stern Center is the old McCabe’s Department Store.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
A block of rooms is reserved at the newly renovated Holiday Inn, 226 17th Street, RI. $94 per night for one king or two queens. Reserve by August 2. Phone: (309) 794-1212.

Bennigan’s Restaurant is located on the first floor and serves breakfast from 5:30 – 10:30 am, menu and buffet. Consider donating to our silent auction. This is a great way to participate and raise funds for future Class of ‘68 events. Donations may be goods or services. Also, dig out and bring some RI High School memorabilia on Saturday night. There will be a display table where classmates can peruse it and reminisce. If you wish to have them back, let us know with a note attached. Do you have memories or stories about McCabe’s Department Store? Send them along with your RSVP. We hope to have a poster with these memories on display.

Email your 3 favorite songs from 1966, 67, or 68, Send them in the format: TITLE-ARTIST-YEAR.
1. Create a NEW email to rihs1968@gmail.com
2. Subject: MUSIC
3. Feel free to add comments, e.g. “saw in concert,” “heard on KSTT,” “played at homecoming dance,” “our song” etc.

From our classmate Jim Marshall!

From our very own disc jockey Brad Scott (Mark Moskowitz) comes the latest KSTT “radio show” tribute to our class of 1968. Click the KSTT 2018 link above in the Menu bar!  And a big THANK YOU to Mark!

Get your invites mailed in ASAP!

The Rock Island High School Class of 1968 will celebrate its golden reunion on Aug. 24 and 25. Festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Holiday Inn Rock Island, 226 17th St. Classmates also will meet at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Stern Center, 1713 3rd Ave., Rock Island for reminiscing, dinner and 1960s rock and roll. Register by sending a check payable to “RIHS Class of ’68” to Nancy Roberts, 10721 52nd St. Court, Milan IL 61264. For details, email rihs1968@gmail.com or visit risd41.org/ri/alumni/1968. From left are Jack Slater, Nancy Lundell Roberts, Sue Boomershine Greene, Pam Hackett Votroubek, Linda Herald Weber, Bob Votroubek and Dave Lovett.