Butler class of 1976 celebrates nation’s semiquincentennial after graduating in bicentennial year
People around the nation celebrated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. this year and members of the Butler High School class of 1976 incorporated into their 50-year high school reunion.
The class celebrated the reunion Saturday, Sept. 5, with a party that called back to 1976 — the year of the U.S. bicentennial.
The event took place from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The Back Alley, 540 Fairground Hill Road. The reunion was part of a weekend full of activities, including attending the Butler High School football game Friday night, playing pickleball Saturday morning and touring the high school.
For the graduating class of 1976, the memories of that time remain strong, from simpler technology and tight-knit neighborhoods to football games, prom and friendships that have lasted for decades.
“I think one of the things that is so different now than it was then is technology, which has really impacted our lives, because back then we would send written letters,” said 1976 graduate Shirley Monnie McCauley. “We had landline phones and some people even had party lines where multiple families were on it.”
McCauley added neighborhoods were more tight-knit, prices were lower and the pace of life was much slower.
Prior to the reunion, she recalled a choice she made at the time that tied into the bicentennial.
“One of the funny things I remember from back then is my parents letting me pick out the wallpaper for my bedroom and I decided to pick out this hideous red, white and blue stuff because it was the bicentennial,” she said.
McCauley also remembers the fun memories, including the music of the time, hanging out with friends and helping with prom.
“Some of my favorite memories were going to the football games and throwing corn at people I didn’t like; as well as helping out with the 1975 prom, which was very fun, and unfortunately my prom was a bust, but I think the best part of it all was the friendships and all the activities outside of school,” McCauley said.
Nivan Bayer is also part of the 1976 graduating class. After graduating high school, he moved away from the area for 41 years, but he has always considered Butler to be his home.
“When you look at life through a different lens, things were simple and fun back in 1976 because you never know how good you have it until it's gone; and I loved growing up in that era because of how simple everything was,” Bayer said. “I remember calling my girlfriend and having to get off the phone because we all shared a party line.”
Bayer also said he remembers how much he loved going to school. He even got an award for never missing a day of high school.
“So it was just a fun time because I had my friends and teachers I enjoyed,” he said.
Bayer was also involved in athletics throughout high school and was part of the Butler football team.
“I was involved in athletics throughout high school and I was lucky enough to be on the Butler football team because we had around 200 kids who tried out for that team,” Bayer said.
McCauley and Bayer both recalled similar aspects of life at the time, including how much simpler life was without modern technology and going through a gas crisis where they had to ration fuel.
For Bayer, some of his fondest memories also involved the people he grew up with. He said what makes their class unique is how many classmates have stayed in contact with each other. A large group of them still meet on the first Friday of every month for breakfast.
The friendships formed during high school also played a major role in Bayer's life after graduation.
“The ironic thing is the girl I was with back then, who I had been with since 10th grade and is my wife now, talked about life after school, and I wanted to stay in Butler but she wanted to move away from the area and I ended up leaving for 41 years while she stayed,” Bayer said. “I then returned here in 2017, we reconnected and got married.”
