Local Life

Retro RFH Graduation Clarity

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Sometimes those ’70s RFH graduation memories are not all a blur. They’re crystal clear. In focus. Like this Pomp and Circumstance walk snapshot back in time.

That’s RFH Class of ’78 Gary Hidu giving the pre-diploma grin that was captured by his brother, Ken. We know it’s pre-diploma due to the little detail of the cap tassel placement. Right? Right. It gets moved to the left after all have graduated. Never mind the cap toss.

That tradition leaves all scrambling for the right cap in the end. Few care at that point. Or remember. That’s one of those blurred memories. Chaos. Motion. Exhilaration. Blur.

Let’s just say parents have been known to grab a tossed cap, any cap, in the flurry, just for memento’s sake. Let’s face it, in a sea of caps and gowns, the real anchor is that diploma — and the smiles plastered on the grads.

But, think, too, about whose cap you really may have stowed away somewhere among those grad pics. Got the picture? This popular Class of ’78 grad sure did.

And Hidu’s smile encapsulates that gleeful sentiment of most near-grads. It’s a “Looks like we made it!” true ’70s Barry Manilow feeling — though, Gary Hidu really never was a Manilow kinda guy. Maybe in secret? Hey, he was cool. Still is. Never mind the Manilow tangent.

The clarity of it all? Well, that’s all in each grad’s own perfect picture. For most, though, it can be safely said that the smiles of 45 years ago bring most all back to a very happy place and time on that front lawn at RFH on the cusp of a new beginning. And sometimes a grad just has to hone in on the memory of that smile and smile. Zoom. Focus. Click. Got it? Got it.

Now, what do you think Gary Hidu was actually thinking about at that moment in 1978? The words behind that grin? Do tell.

Cheers to the RFH Class of 2023 from the gleeful fossils of 45 years ago in the RFH Class of ’78!

P.S.: The pic really was pretty focused for Gary Hidu. He remembers all around him. See if you can find them … “other than myself, (the photo) includes also: Lisa Manson, John Lembeck, Chris White, Amy Connor. Back Row (blurred): Steve Cooper, Mike Grady, Chris Leone, Chris Randolph. Partials:Tom Hollyer’s shoulder & tassel.”  

— Photo/Ken Hidu