CENTRAL'S '50s GRADS IN TOWN

Cape Girardeau flashes back to the 1950s this weekend, sans the bobby socks and fuzzy dice.

Some 700 Central High School graduates from 1950 to 1959 began gathering at the A.C. Brase Arena Building Friday for the Tigers Paws & Maws class reunion. It is the third multiyear reunion sponsored by the '50s alums.

Coordinator Bill C. Evans said graduates are excited about reminiscing with their childhood chums and seeing how much they have changed over the years. Although styles, habits and sizes have changed for reunion-goers, the spirit of the past era remains, he said.

"There have definitely been some changes over the years -- take for example, the kettle-cooked popcorn we're going to have," he said. "That's from our time, but it's made with sugar, and we're going to have to make some differently because some people may not be able to have sugar now. We'll just have to switch it up because we've all changed, but we're still going to enjoy the weekend."

Evans said an important aspect of the reunion is the updating of addresses and other information about classmates. Two memorial boards -- expanded from one board at the last reunion -- stand near the registration tables to inform alumni of deceased classmates.

"We're getting older now, and unfortunately that's one of the results," he said.

Various activities, including dancing, individual class events and a dinner buffet, are scheduled for today. A committee meets annually to organize the event, which is held every five years. Each graduating class is charged with making arrangements for a different aspect of the reunion.

New to the reunion activities this year are the bus tours that will take place today. Evans, who lives in Cape Girardeau, said the bus tours allow Central alums to see how the city has changed since their high school days.

"This city looks completely different for people who haven't been here in awhile," he said. "We had someone who travelled from California who noticed how green everything was, because everything out there is brown. People are also amazed at how the city has grown, especially over off Lexington and in those areas. It's amazing to me and I live here."