1956 Graduates Compare Lives and Ponder Future

Celebrating as Superagers on April 25 at Sealand, fifteen La Grange High School classmates recalled their graduation of 70 years ago. They understand that their age group is no longer considered as those old folks who graduated in 1956.

They are now called Superagers and are being studied by younger groups for their secrets on living so long.

After shouting out “Hello, Superager” to their classmates, who were all honored with wrist corsages and bouteneirs, the Superagers toasted champagne to the future. While one honoree wanted dreams and memories to get better and better, others talked about their lives after La Grange High School. This included education, real estate, airline navigation, business, ranching, and pharmacy.

Although it was agreed that the “golden years” of old age can have groaning aches and pains, Rose Marie Srvcek Janak read the names of 37 classmates who are deceased and don’t have that realization. The class was 72 strong in 1956.

John Taylor is the most recent death for the class. Earlier this year Frank Gemar died. He was the class poet, who wrote “Trailmates” for the 50th reunion.

Comparing 2026 students of today’s world with students of 1956, all agreed that it is a different world. While many of the early students had farm chores like milking cows by hand, picking eggs from chicken nests, and driving mules to prepare planting rows of cotton or corn, most students today are not familiar with any of those farm jobs.

In 1956, students had to get permission to drive the family car because they did not have personal cars like so many students have today. When they went to fill up the family car with gasoline, they paid 15 cents a gallon.

At the grocery store, bread was 12 cents a loaf and eggs, 60 cents a dozen.

1956- That was 70 years ago.

2026—Today’s graduates, who pay almost $4 a gallon for gas, look all shiny and new by comparison to the Superagers. To remember this time in their lives, honorees were reminded to check their pictures in the 1956 annuals.

2096—Graduates seventy years from now may be living on the Moon, one honoree pondered.

The 87-89 year olds signed up for another reunion.