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Speaker 1: 0:50

Just visit their website at Highland Park High School, and what that is is alums of Highland Park that graduated 50 years ago or more are part of this group, and every year they have a special luncheon at the high school. They have the opportunity to do a tour of the high school, look around, reconnect with friends from the past and, overall, just have a really wonderful time and a nice lunch. What really struck me about this event is, time after time, the alums keep saying the friendships that they've formed in high school and have just kept up with it all these years, and how important the friendships, the connections and all of the lifetime camaraderie that they've been able to share over all these years. So today we have graduates all the way from 1955 to 1974 joining us into sharing their stories about what made going to Highland Park so special to them. So to give us more context to today's event, is joining me my friend Tracy Flint from Highland Park Education Foundation, who is responsible for this amazing day. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 3: 2:17

Well.

Speaker 1: 2:17

Tracy, tell me a little bit more about the Golden Scots and what's going on today.

Speaker 3: 2:21

Today is a really special day for Highland Park Alumni Association. They've been hosting this event for 30 years. And what's going on today? Today is a really special day for Highland Park Alumni Association. They've been hosting this event for 30 years. It's our 30th annual Golden Scots Lunch and it brings together graduates from the past 50 years anyone who's graduated 50 years and over and it's a really fun time for them to reconnect, celebrate being a Scot, come see the school that they might not have seen in 50 plus years and interact with the students that are here. Hear about the district update from the superintendent. It's just a really great day to be a Scott and it's a lot of great energy here seeing old friends and new, and we're just really happy to welcome them back every year. This is our 30th year.

Speaker 1: 2:56

Well, this has been so fun just talking and hearing the history from all the alums, and something that keeps coming up is just the support that they have as alums and all the special events that you guys do. They really seem to appreciate that, and that doesn't go on just anywhere, it's true.

Speaker 3: 3:12

I think Highland Park is special in the fact that we really have a world-class Highland Park Alumni Association here, much like we emulate college alumni associations. We have a membership. We do monthly e-news letters to connect alums and highlight alumni doing great things in their communities, our communities. We have special events all year long that they can come back to and it's just a really fun time to see people reconnecting and celebrating together. And you know around something that they all cherish their childhood and you know how they grew up here too, so it's a lot of fun.

Speaker 1: 3:44

Well, thank you for all that you do in the Highland Park Education Foundation. You guys are truly amazing.

Speaker 3: 3:50

Oh, you're so sweet. We are thrilled to be here. It's a great place to be and a really exciting time for these Golden Scots, and lots of energy, which has been great. So we've just really enjoyed today.

Speaker 1: 4:00

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Speaker 5: 5:08

Well, I was born here and I've lived on McFarland 87 years. That's a pretty long time. I've always said University Park is the finest place anywhere to live and raise a family. So I'm trying to prove it myself, but there's been a lot of great people that have grown up in University Park.

Speaker 1: 5:28

Well, I think that's why they call it the bubble. People are born here, they go to school here. They never leave. They choose to spend the rest of the life here. It's just an amazing place. What do you like so much about it?

Speaker 5: 5:40

Well, I like the first of all, the governance. The police and fire departments, like my wife had a stroke and within three minutes the meds were there and they got her down and got her a shot. So you have that, which is governance. You have a great university, which is governance. You have a great university, and Southern Methodist University were named after SMU. And then you got a great school system and I was on the UIL Foundation for years and everybody wanted to be like Highland Park Independent School District. There's not many that have achieved that, but we're probably one of the great school districts in the whole country.

Speaker 1: 6:27

Well, I would definitely agree with you on that. Well, can you share one of your most favorite memories of going to school here?

Speaker 5: 6:35

Well, I lived on McFarland and I used to walk to school. But I had a friend named Chris Wheel that would say he had a car and he said I'll come by and pick you up, but by 8 15 if he wasn't here, I'd go out and walk. Our 55 class was exceptional. We had the three football captains all became medical doctors and so we didn't have that good a season. I think we lost three games, but we're playing in what they call the little southwest conference. Wichita Falls, tyler, waco and Austin were in our district, but we had a lot of fun. I did, of course. I played baseball and went to the in 1954, we went to the finals and got beat by a team that was brand new, austin Travis, but we beat Odessa and Adamson and some of the great teams back then. But anyway, it's basically the relationships that I made when I was at Holland Park that made it so great.

Speaker 1: 7:45

Well, and then I assume that Coffee Park was named after your family.

Speaker 5: 7:50

Well, my dad was 20 years mayor.

Speaker 5: 7:57

April 3rd 1945 is the most important date in the history of the park cities because Dallas was very serious about annexing Highland Park and University Park and doing away with all the advantages we had here. In our school system, my dad was president of the Bar Association and he opposed the election because there was still—everybody was fighting in either Europe or Asia and they didn't have an armistice. But he got a group together and they opposed the election. And my dad was a great debater and I'd go out at about probably eight or ten years old watching him debate and he seemed so serious about it all. And so when I grew up, I understood how important April the 3rd was. They defeated the annexation and then they surrounded Dallas, surrounded the Park City, so you couldn't grow anymore and I think probably that's one of the great benefits. You're not like Frisco or McKinney or some of these others that are always growing. We just perfected how you operate a city and how people who live here enjoy probably the best place in the world to live and raise a family.

Speaker 1: 9:22

Well, I love hearing the background of how it all happened. Your dad was definitely very instrumental in what we have today. I love that.

Speaker 5: 9:30

Well, he was 20 years and that was formative years and they won. I can see I've just now turned all the stuff over that we had on my dad for the 100th year celebration of University Park and it's very, very interesting that basically, when you have this sort of city, you don't grow, have to worry about growth, you just have to worry about perfecting all the things like sewer, water, trash, police, fire and your parks, and so, anyway, he was 20 years and they lowered taxes three times, they got 39 commendation awards and we really had a great city and we still do. We've maintained it Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 10:29

Roy, thank you so much for talking with us today and just sharing some of the history of our town. This has been so amazing talking to you. Thank you very much. Are you feeling stressed with all the things you're doing for your family? Then you need HelloNannycom.

Speaker 1: 10:45

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Speaker 4: 11:41

Oh, I love being here. Thank you for having me today.

Speaker 1: 11:43

So I hear that you were quite the athlete back in the day.

Speaker 4: 11:49

Oh, my goodness. No, I would say, there were just a few girls who loved to play sports. Um, I was on the home park tennis team, uh, but I don't know if I ever really played in the tournament. But here's a funny story before the tennis team, evie Swalwell and I went to coach white and tried to get a girls' golf team started, so we kind of surprised him before school one morning went in and said hey, coach White, we have this great idea.

Speaker 4: 12:22

Let's start a golf team, a girls' golf team. He sat there, looked at me and Evie and just laughed and laughed and laughed and we said, okay, we got it. Bye-bye. So that was kind of the end of that.

Speaker 1: 12:39

Well, I mean, can you imagine how much both the golf and the tennis team for women specifically have grown since then?

Speaker 4: 12:47

No, it's amazing and what's kind of cool is. Over the years, I've been doing videos for the sports banquets back in the day, and so I've done a lot of videos for the girls well, the whole tennis team and cross country and all those and it's amazing to me how many young women are now involved in sports, and so it's just great to see. A lot has changed, hasn't?

Speaker 1: 13:11

it? Yes, it has. Well, what is your best memory from going to Highland Park?

Speaker 4: 13:15

My best memory, I have to say relationships and friends. I mean, those, isn't that what life is about, absolutely, it's just dear, precious friendships from Bradfield, first grade on, and we have remained close. We have a close class and I can't believe now it's our Golden Scott class. We made it, yay. But it's definitely those friendships that are very special and dear.

Speaker 1: 13:44

Well, Susan, thank you so much for sharing your story with us. We really appreciate your time.

Speaker 4: 13:49

Thank you for having me. It's just wonderful to be here and go Scots.

Speaker 1: 13:54

We are here with Jim and Jenny Castellaw, who are big fixtures in the neighborhood and graduates of the class of 1974. Guys, thank you so much for talking with me today. My pleasure. So you both have been married for a while. You met at Highland Park I hear Tell us about that.

Speaker 8: 14:12

Well, we met at Highland Park but did not date at Holland Park. We dated other people, went off to college, came back and got matched to a party where you were matched with somebody else who wasn't dating anybody. And so we got. We were 23, 24 years old and got matched together and I thought, oh, she won't't go with me, I'll just call her and give her the chance to say no. And she did, but I kept after. I said what can it hurt? Let's go ahead and go. And there you go.

Speaker 1: 14:43

Well, that is a great story. I mean with talking with so many alums today, that common connection that we keep hearing time after time is just the connections and the relationships that everyone is able to keep going after all these years. And it sounds like you're no different than the rest.

Speaker 8: 14:59

Right, right, I think so. Yeah, we turned out well. I'll give you a chance to chime in.

Speaker 2: 15:06

No, that's absolutely right. During college I set him up with some dates because I always thought he was such a nice guy, and so it worked out well.

Speaker 1: 15:16

Well, if you recognize Jim's voice, it is because he is the announcer of the Highland Park Scots games. How long have you been doing it?

Speaker 8: 15:25

Let me say I've lost count now about 17 years. Oh, wow 17 years, so back. I knew Coach Allen before he was named head coach here and we were not great friends, but we knew each other and we're friends. And uh, he came to me like 2008, 2007, and said, hey, we need a color guy, would you do it? I go I don't know anything about radio and color and all that. He said, it'll be fine, just do it, just give a shot. And so we've been there ever since.

Speaker 1: 15:53

Will. You've done an amazing job. What is your favorite part of announcing the games?

Speaker 8: 15:57

Oh, definitely getting to interview the kids. The kids is why I coached before all this, you know, and I really miss the interaction with the kids and getting to kind of hear their thoughts and how they approach the season and the games is really great.

Speaker 1: 16:14

Well, what kind of changes have you seen within football and just how it's evolved over these years? You've been involved with it.

Speaker 8: 16:21

Well, it's probably a lot safer nowadays than it used to be. But you know, everybody thinks Highland Park has always won and they've always had great teams, but not like the championship teams we've seen under Coach Beavers and Coach Allen. It's been great to watch because the expectations are high every year.

Speaker 1: 16:41

Well, we've interviewed some of the early alums and they have definitely confirmed what you just said, that the football team wasn't quite as strong as it is now. So it's really interesting just to hear how it's evolved.

Speaker 8: 16:52

It is, it is and it's a testament to the coaches and the kids they work with and the parents who put the expectations out there that we're going to be a champion.

Speaker 1: 17:03

Absolutely Well. What is your favorite part of being a graduate of Highland Park?

Speaker 8: 17:08

I'll let you go with this one.

Speaker 2: 17:10

I think again, the friendships and the relationships we've had for so many years I mean, I'm still really really close friends with probably about 12 of the girls and we meet fairly regularly and have lunch or brunch or something together and just living life with them has just been an amazing blessing for both of us, I think.

Speaker 1: 17:29

I love that. I think it's so important to have such a strong support group. You know we've all raised our kids and just all the phases of life and having that support group is pretty special.

Speaker 2: 17:38

That's right Now. We're raising grandchildren, which is really fun. It's more fun than raising children, I think sometimes.

Speaker 1: 17:44

Yes, I've heard that. I've heard that's much easier. Well, thank you both so much for talking with us today. Really appreciate everything you both do for this amazing community. Thank Appreciate everything you both do for this amazing community. Thank you. Thank you very much. I wanted to give a personal thank you to our good friend and show sponsor, kathy Elwall State Farm Agency. We have known Kathy for more than 15 years and there is no person we trust more when it comes to insurance than Kathy Elwall. Kathy is always available to help you find the right insurance for your family needs, whether it's covering your home auto or providing a life insurance policy tailored to the unique needs of families in Highland Park. We'll be right back kathielwaldcom to learn more and let her know that Martha from the Bubble Lounge sent you. I am here with Ralph, aka Red Dog Jones from the class of 1966. Tell me what you love about being part of the Golden Scots event.

Speaker 7: 18:40

It's great being part of it because you see friends, you see people that you knew back in high school I can remember that far back, so that's good. People that you knew back in high school, I can remember that far back, so that's good. And you catch up with new people. And my daughter, meg, is here and part of the Education Foundation, so it's always great to see her and all of her friends. And my son was here too and his friends, so it's a reunion as it should be.

Speaker 1: 19:04

Well, tell us what was going on back in 1966 when you were here, Like what were the big events going on?

Speaker 7: 19:11

As I said a moment ago, if you remember that far back about those events, you weren't really there, I don't know. Dallas was a different city then. It wasn't as vibrant as it is today. It didn't have the traffic that it does today. It didn't have the wealth that it does today. It seemed that everybody was, you know, post-world War II and just living in a house, living a dream, going to school here, working here and being part of it. We didn't have a very promising football team back then, but it was still a great education, a great time and a great place to be.

Speaker 1: 19:46

Well, what were you involved with? Did you play sports or were you in any clubs?

Speaker 7: 19:49

Well, yeah, I played football until my junior year when my leg got hurt horribly in a game and that ended that career. And then I was in the Latin club and a couple of other things like that, but mainly once I couldn't play football and I was in a cast for like six months, so it was no fun. My dad threw me in the backseat of a station wagon where the backseat faced backwards, threw me in there to drive me to school every morning.

Speaker 1: 20:19

So I do remember that all too well so you graduated from UT and you went on to SMU Law School. Talk, talk to us about what are the significant changes you've seen in the community since you were here.

Speaker 7: 20:33

Frankly, it's the accumulation of wealth in this school district. I mean, it is just flagrantly rich and that's not bad. That's not good, it's just what it is. But I think it's affected the dynamics of people here, and whether that's good or bad I'll leave that up to other people to decide. But it's been interesting to watch. It is a small community. It's, you know, in its bubble, as they call it. So it's just a great part of Dallas and it's great to be part of it and I'm glad I went to UT, glad I went to SMU. But you know, I was born and raised here and I don't intend to leave until I'm six feet under well, I love that.

Speaker 1: 21:16

That's quite the ambassador for the neighborhood. Well, what do you think the benefits have been from graduating from Highland Park? Obviously there's such a strong, strong alum a group here and what do you feel like has benefited you from graduating?

Speaker 7: 21:33

The people. You know many of the people here. You still see them. Some of us meet for lunch every so often and see them at weddings, occasionally funerals too often, but running into them and just being part of this community. They're good people, they try hard, work hard, play hard and they benefit society, I think.

Speaker 1: 21:55

Well, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us. This has been such a treat. We are here with Mary Jane from the class of 1959, who has a lot of wonderful memories of being with Highland Park. Mary Jane, tell me more about it. You mentioned that you moved around quite a bit and you ended up settling here in Highland Park.

Speaker 9: 22:15

Yes, that was when I started the seventh grade and I walked into junior high school and you could see that there were four cliques, four different schools, and they were all sitting together waiting to be called for the homeroom class and I just felt a little alone that morning. But it was really neat because suddenly, when we all went to the classes, everybody was trying to get to know the next person. And so I found a school that was totally, totally different because there were no bullies, everybody got along in our class, the girls were nice to the girls and we just didn't have the problems that you see in schools today, which was a total miracle.

Speaker 1: 23:05

Right, I love that. I I'm not sure exactly what has changed, but I love to hear that that was your experience.

Speaker 9: 23:13

It sounds like an amazing time it was amazing, and so whenever a new student would come in since I had always been the new student every year at another school I would really welcome them, because I knew what it was like to start in a new school and that's pretty tough.

Speaker 1: 23:31

Yeah, it's very intimidating to come into a new school in a new situation with new kids and friends and all that, and it sounds like you just kind of jumped right in and got right involved.

Speaker 9: 23:42

Jumped in, jumped in, loved it. It was a great school and the guys were nice and the girls were nice. I was cheerleader in the ninth grade and we just thought our football team was the best and they actually played on the 58 championship team that took the first state finals. Oh, that's very exciting it was yeah, it was a we will win year. That is what it was all about.

Speaker 1: 24:09

What is one of your best memories from going to school in Highland Park?

Speaker 9: 24:13

Gosh I guess getting in National Honor Society probably was number one, and just the friendships that have lasted lifelong. We have the largest group coming here today. This is our 65th reunion.

Speaker 1: 24:30

Oh, wow.

Speaker 9: 24:31

So pretty amazing, pretty amazing.

Speaker 1: 24:34

That is wonderful. I love what a strong relationship the school has kept with all the alums and you guys just keep having the reunions and keep those relationships going Well.

Speaker 9: 24:44

I've been on the alum board for the last three years and sure enjoy helping with that, because that's a great group.

Speaker 1: 24:54

They do a lot for the school. Well, thank you for all the work that you do and keeping the traditions alive.

Speaker 9: 25:00

Absolutely, thank you.

Speaker 1: 25:01

Thank you for talking with us. Sitting here with two alums from the 1956 class, tell us what the Golden Scots event means to you both.

Speaker 10: 25:11

It is a joy to come to this luncheon that they have once a year, that they call the Golden Scot Luncheon, and Eddie and I went steady in high school in 1954, graduating in 56, and had some life in between and and here we are still loving coming back to our precious high school well, that is the cutest story ever.

Speaker 1: 25:36

I cannot believe that you guys knew each other so long and are back together.

Speaker 6: 25:41

We are yeah well, yes, ma'am, uh. Hail to the fighting Scotties. Like the warriors of old, they are brave and bold. Hail to the Scotties. All their foes they do defy Rah rah, rah, rah to you, scotties. We're backing you to tradition. We'll never be true. Why don't you fight for the honor of your team?

Speaker 10: 26:05

and the glory of High Park High.

Speaker 6: 26:08

It's just hard to put it into words.

Speaker 1: 26:10

Oh my gosh, you too. That is so impressive that you can still belt that out, yeah.

Speaker 6: 26:16

Well, we had our 65th reunion a few years ago. Katinka and I kind of helped put that together and that was a lot of fun and it's just so cool. The Alumni Association is so wonderful, so supportive, and every activity that they do we love to go to at the Barley House and all that. And there we see Scots from every year.

Speaker 1: 26:42

Yes, yes, that is a great place, and they say oh, did you know my great-grandfather?

Speaker 3: 26:47

Well, my grandfather and my great-grandfather Well, my grandpa and my great-grandfather.

Speaker 6: 26:50

Well, I didn't know your great-grandfather, but I know your grandfather. Let's see class of 54, 53, 51.

Speaker 1: 26:59

Anyway, Well, that is so great, just to keep the tradition alive and like to keep the relationships going. I actually wish that I would have graduated from here. I mean, I came from a pretty cool place in Fort Worth but, wow, we don't do near the things that we do here for the alums, and this is pretty special.

Speaker 6: 27:17

It really is amazing. I don't know where, anywhere, they do anything like this and get 350 people together who graduated over 50 years ago.

Speaker 1: 27:28

Well, we do like to do things big in Highland Park, don't we? Oh?

Speaker 6: 27:31

we do. We do High expectations. That's being a Scot.

Speaker 1: 27:35

Yes, absolutely Well. Thank you both so much for talking with us today. We're so excited about the event.

Speaker 10: 27:43

Our pleasure, thank you. Thank you, martha.