By Sharon Hofstra Haugen
Class of 1960
Highline High School

(Editor's Note: The Highline High School Class of 1960 is celebrating its 50th reunion Sept. 10-11. To mark the occasion, Sharon Hofstra Haugen took a nostalgic look back at those times around Burien and the Highline area a half-century ago.)

My father Don Hofstra owned and operated the HIGHLINE POLICE PATROL serving the Burien/Highline area. He was a member of the Burien Lions for over 20 yrs with his good friend Dr. Odd Valle and the Fairwood Lions until 1999, over a total of 40 yrs.

We came here from Chicago crossing the country through blizzards in November around Thanksgiving of 1951, my mother and father, Don and Alberta Hofstra and me, Sharon Hofstra, age 91/2 , with my dog Skippy sharing the backseat of a brand new 1951 pale green (the color of the time) 2 door Chevy!

After we finally came across the Rockies and into Eastern Washington, with the snow still deeply covering the ground, we came over the Cascade Mountain Range, and into Western Washington. I couldn't believe my eyes, everything was Green and NO SNOW! How could this be, I asked myself, cause all my life so far, there was ALWAYS snow on the ground this time of the year, and the skies so bleak.

My father had been stationed at Ft. Lewis during the 2nd World War and my mother and I lived in Tillicum, WA for 6 months, having taken an old train from Chicago (and back with soldiers crowded around us late in 1945, I was only 31/2 but I remember the train ride back especially re the soldiers and sitting on their laps). They fell in love with the Northwest.

Well, we settled in for a short period of time in a hotel in West Seattle, while my parents looked for a house. They found one in an area called Normandy Park Highlands, 168th Street and 19th S.W. and we moved in shortly before Christmas, 1951!

I was enrolled in Lake Burien School until Gregory Heights Elementary opened up and it was there that I attended 5th and 6th grades.

My two teachers were Mr. Robert Mills, 5th, and Mr. Arthur Runestrand, 6th. I have been in contact with Mr. Runestrand since the year 2000. He lives back up in his home area of Bellingham with his wife Meredith.

Sadly, Mr. Mills died quite some time ago. I saw him one time around 1974 at Snoqualmie Pass with a ski school and had a nice long conversation with him over some hot beverages.

From Gregory Heights, we were then once again the first classes to open up Sylvester Jr. High, down on Sylvester Road near 5 Corners Area. (Remember the 5 Corners Nursery?)

I remember some of my favorite teachers there; Mr. Larry O'Neal, who went on to become an athletic director at Highline High and Mr. Don Norling, who went on to be the principal of Sylvester Jr. High. Also Mr. Norgard, Mr. Lavender, and, of course, who could forget...Mrs. Putnam!

I remember the great variety shows that we put on at Sylvester, directed by Larry O'Neal and Ms. Putnam (I believe), with one special one with the theme being a toy shop, and Ron Sather as the toymaker, and Bonnie Aparico as the magical fairy princess who made all the "toys" (the acts) come to life to do their performances-- mine being "The Lonely Little Petunia in the Onion Patch" pantomime with Bonnie singing "When You Wish Upon A Star."

I remember Mr. Kinney, our Glee Club teacher, and our red and white checkered skirts and white blouses (our uniforms for performances) at school and at outside events.

The sock hop dances in the Gym, the girls on one side and the boys on the other side, hesitantly making their way across the floor, gaining courage to ask one of us Girlies (patiently waiting to be asked) for a dance, especially by the one we had a crush on!!

We clothed ourselves in our poodle and felt skirts, white bucks and "bunny" shoes! WE were way too cool!

The guys in their letterman sweaters -- us girls going steady with a ring on a chain, and wearing his sweater meant everything.

I remember being a part of the tumbling team and performing during the intermissions of our home basketball games and all the uproar when Gail Lucas's blouse came up over her top. Oh what a scandal and how embarrassing, for the times it was!!

Puget Sound Jr. Highers, we all came together in the 10th grade at Highline High to form the Class of 1960!

We lost many of our classmates to Mt.Ranier High in the middle of our junior year, but to us they are still part of our class.

We all came to attention as Mr. Johnson, Highline High Principal, wailed that horn.

The Knights of Cutlas, the jocks of the day, guarded our halls, and the girls wore their "middys and blue pleated skirts on Wednesday's - Regulation Day!

We had the Girl of the Month, with Pat Rose our Sophomore Girl, and in 1960 Bonnie Aparico was the Burien Princess for the SeaFair Parade

The local businesses............

Bell's of Burien our favorite retail store, The Wigwam, Perry West, The Colonial Shop, Jaffe Shoes, and The Food Giant on Pacific Hwy South, and of course Deutz's Bakery!!, their fabulous pastries and many more not mentioned here.

Angle Lake and the Plunge--what great times were spent there in the summer months with friends and with our families and picnics throughout our growing up years.

And when Lou's Drive Inn came to 152nd and 1st Ave.So, we didn't have to drive all the way to White Center anymore for our"french fries and tarter sauce" when us kids from Highline High School wanted some goodies after a game or a "date" with ???? pulling up in those great cars of the day, now called "classics."

Note: Lou married Bev Larson from our class of 60 and he passed away battling Parkinsons about 2005.

And who could forget those great field house dances in Burien after a football or basketball game and...

The proms and Homecoming dances at the Spanish Ballroom with Gordon Green and his Orchestra!

We were fortunate to have grown up in the Highline area and an era where we actually could walk to places ....not afraid!!

Our parents stayed together. Divorce, what was that? We could come home to the sweet aroma of cookies baked by our mother and when It was okay and proud to state, "I am a wife and a mother when asked, "What is it you do for a living?"

Those were the days and we cherish them with fond memories of growing up in a time of simplicity and when your word meant something you could trust, and friends and families gathered around in times of need and not too busy to help.

Yes! Those were the Days, My Friend.

We were certainly the lucky ones.