1979 seems like a life time ago, and yet like yesterday. You’re officially old when you make statements like that. But this weeks Homecoming Events caused a flood of memories to come back into my mind and I began to ponder the things that have changed since 1979, the beginning of my Senior year. 1979 Sony Released the Walkman and music became mobile in a way that allowed us to shut out the rest of the world. I’m not so sure that’s a good thing, but it certainly changed the lives of music lovers.
Top 10 Billboard Songs
In the summer of 1979, The Mt. Zion Drive Inn Theatre was still open and I worked for Marshall and Virginia Beaver in the snack bar. It 2was the number one hang out spot for young and old. It’s where I met my husband David, and here we are, two old people, still in love 43 years later. The Top 10 movies of 1979 (for which I viewed 6 of them) were:
| Rank | Movie | Release Date | Distributor | Genre | 1979 Gross | Tickets Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superman | Dec 15, 1978 | Warner Bros. | Adventure | $93,292,767 | 37,168,433 |
| 2 | The Amityville Horror | Aug 3, 1979 | American Internat… | Horror | $86,432,520 | 34,435,266 |
| 3 | Rocky 2 | Jun 15, 1979 | United Artists | Action | $85,182,160 | 33,937,115 |
| 4 | Star Trek: The Motion Picture | Dec 7, 1979 | Paramount Pictures | Adventure | $82,258,456 | 32,772,293 |
| 5 | Apocalypse Now | Aug 15, 1979 | United Artists | Action | $78,784,010 | 31,388,051 |
| 6 | The Muppet Movie | Jun 22, 1979 | Associated Film D… | Adventure | $76,657,000 | 30,540,637 |
| 7 | The Jerk | Dec 14, 1979 | Universal | Comedy | $73,691,419 | 29,359,131 |
| 8 | Moonraker | Jun 29, 1979 | United Artists | Action | $70,300,000 | 28,007,968 |
| 9 | Alien | May 25, 1979 | 20th Century Fox | Horror | $60,150,933 | 23,964,515 |
| 10 | 10 | Oct 5, 1979 | Warner Bros. | Romantic Comedy | $52,134,699 | 20,770,796 |
I was not then, nor am I now, apt to watch anything scary. But I did watch the Alien… still regret it, although by todays movie standards it was pretty lame in the fear department.
Social media was not an option for the youth of my day. If you wanted to hang out you physically had to go somewhere or call on the phone. Which we did a great deal of both. Socializing was done most often at school and school events which were packed out by parents and youth because that’s what we did for entertainment. Well, when we weren’t cruising around in our parents cars listening to the latest hits, because most kids did not have their own car.
It breaks my heart when I see the inactiveness in extra curricular activities of the greater part of the student body at Calhoun Middle High School, because that is where my memories were made. But perhaps I just don’t understand how these young whipper snappers make their own memories today.
Follies performances took hours upon hours to rehearse and for us they were nothing short of a Broadway Spectacular. At least that’s how I recall it. It was an opportunity for the ordinary, every day plain Jane like me to shine. It was hard to shine when your bestie was Queen of everything and a talented singer, musician and Rifle twirler. But I’m not bitter. 🤣
Kimberly Suzan Frame (Parish) was both Homecoming and Wood Festival Queen that year. Like I said… Everything!
I’d love it if you’d post your memories on Ridgeview News’ Facebook Page for all the world to see. As for the current students, please post the memories you are currently making and allow us to share in your life and times as well!
