The Graduating Class of 1960

Springlake, Texas

 

 

 

Sponsors:

Mrs. Gladys McCaskill and Mr. Don Townsend

 

Class Song:

"Auld Lang Syne"

 

Class Colors:

Red and White

 

Class Flower:

Red Rose

 

 

Facts about this decade:

  • Population 177,830,000
  • Unemployment 3,852,000
  • National debt 286.3 Billion
  • Average salary $4,743
  • Teacher's salary $5,174
  • Minimum wage $1.00
  • Life Expectancy: Males 66.6 years, Females 73.1 years
  • Auto deaths 21.3 per 100,000
  • Entering college freshmen 850,000

Books That Define the Time:

The Silent Spring - Rachel Carson

The Games People Play - Eric Berne

Valley of the Dolls - Jacquelin Susann

In Cold Blood - Truman Capote

 

Fashions and Fads:

dfsdfdfefdfasdfsdfsdfd

The flip hair style and the cat eye sunglasses were a big part of the 60's.

Costumes/Fashions:

Bouffant hairstyles

Go-go boots

The Afro

Cat eye sunglasses

Music and Woodstock:

Woodstock, 1969, was a three day festival where 400,000 young people gathered to celebrate in the spirit of love and sharing. They encouraged LSD as a mind-opening experience, along with rock music, mystic religions, and sexual freedom.

The Beatles, originally from England, were one of the groups who made their mark on this generation.

 

Major Groups and Artist of the 60's:

Elvis

Bobby Darin

Neil Sedaka

Jerry Lee Lewis

The Supremes

Smoky Robinson

Jimi Hendrix

The Temptations

The Beach Boys

The Beatles

Important Historic and Cultural Events:

1961-Peace Corps created by President Kennedy

1963-Martin Luther King delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech

1963-President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas

1963-Lyndon Johnson becomes President of the United States

Theater, Film, and Television:

 

This was a great decade for musicals, including Hello Dolly, Fiddler on the Roof, Hair, Oliver, Man of the Mancho, and Funny Man

Television:

The Flintstones

Alvin & the Chipmunks

The Jetsons

Andy Griffith Show

Bewitched

I Dream of Jeannie

The Twilight Zone

Broadway:

Sound of Music

My Fair Lady

Wait until Dark

Dances:

The Twist

The Mash Potato

The Swim

The Monkey

The Interview: Jenna V. Brock Kellar

What fashion trends do you remember the most? We wore bell bottoms, loafers, Bobby skirts, and can-can slips, and we put a lot starch on everything we wore.

What were some of the popular activities? We dragged main, danced in the parking lot, went to the drive-in movies and the sand hills.

What were the popular movies and songs? Peyton's Place (this was where we got the idea to have red caps and gowns instead of the traditional green and white). Blueberry Hill, Wake up Little Susie, and Rock Around the Clock were a few of the songs we listened to.

How many credits did you have to have to graduate? About 16

What classes did you take? Algebra, band, Home Economics, chemistry, biology, four classes of English, and government.

What did most of your classmates do after graduation? They either got married or went to work; not very many went to college.

What kind of work did they do? They would farm, work at the drug store or the movies, or they would stay home as a house wife.

What was high school like for you? We did not know anyone who used illegal drugs. We had to wear a dress everyday to school except Friday, and that was jeans day.

What do you remember the most about high school? Freshmen Initiation-the seniors made us do crazy things like wear some of the following: bananas in our shoes, socks with high heels, upside down shirts, hair nets, knee pads, no make-up. We had to carry a plunger around with us wherever we went. This went on about a week, depending on how the seniors felt.

As you can see, the sixties were the age of the youth, where 70 million baby boomers became teenagers and young adults. This set of young people wanted change, and that is what they got. Their generation wanted nothing to do with the old ways and traditions of the fifties. This affected everything from education, values, and traditions, to music, fashion styles, and entertainment.

Back to High School Home Page | Back to the 1950's | Forward to the 1970's