Jim Lee:
CLASS OF 1951
Washington High SchoolClass of 1951
Indianapolis, IN
Madison Consolidated High SchoolClass of 1998
Madison, IN
Shawe Memorial High SchoolClass of 1969
Madison, IN
Briggs Elementary SchoolClass of 1947
Santa paula, CA
John McCormick School 30Class of 1947
Indianapolis, IN
Jim's Story
The current picture shown on my profile page was taken on the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship while touring Glacier Bay, Alaska on July 5, 2013. Pictured with me is my youngest daughter, Karen. We sailed from Seattle, Washington on Saturday, June 30th and arrived at the Alaskan capitol city, Juneau Monday, July 2nd. It was a fabulous vacation with an outstanding cruise line. The rugged landscape is truly picturesque. It was an experience that produced just over 1,300 photos during my visit to "The Last Frontier".
Now a bit of trivia: It is worthy to note that those of us who were in the high school graduation class of 1951 were most likely born in 1933, therefore, that being the case, those still living have witnessed one third of the history of our great nation. This July 4th, 2013, America celebrated its 237th birthday (Date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain) and most of us reach our 80th birthday sometime during the year. Surely you feel more "mature" after pondering that bit of trivia! :)
The picture of the "young" me on this page is from 1951, my high school yearbook graduation reminder and the "old guy" picture is from this summer (2013) while taking in the beauty of Glacier Bay Alaska.
In March of 1933, approximately 9 months after a microscopic sperm cell and a slightly larger egg from two wonderful human beings "crashed" into each other, I arrived on this planet in Burksville, Ky., a small town on the Cumberland River. The river since has been made into a marvelous recreational body of water, called Cumberland Lake.
In 1936 the "great depression" still gripped America. In hope of carving out a better life, my parents packed our few belongs into a couple of trunks, purchased three train tickets and we moved to southern California where we lived until I finished the 5th grade. That was in 1944, and the year we moved to Indianapolis where I spent my junior high and high school years.
In January 1952, after one semester at Hanover College, I enlisted in the US Air Force and served during the Korean War until 1956. I worked in industry for one year after the military and then returned to Hanover and graduated in the spring of 1961.
Upon graduation, I started a teaching and coaching career at Shawe HS, a small Catholic school in historic...Expand for more
Madison, IN. Eight years later I yearned to return to Indianapolis and moved to Brebeuf HS, where I worked as a teacher and coach. However, after an absence of 12 years the city that I loved as a teenager had changed dramatically and did not have the same quality of appeal to me. In 1977, I had the opportunity to return to the beautiful town on the magnificent Ohio River by accepting a teaching and coaching position at Madison HS. Twenty-one years later, in 1998, I retired after serving the last 15 of those years as the athletic director. Shortly after retiring I was persuaded to give politics a try and was elected to the city council in November, 1999. I am currently in my 4th term on the council with two plus years remaining which will make me the oldest council member to have served in that capacity during the 203 years of Madison's history.
Even at 80 years of age, I can remember the four wonderful years I had at Washington HS as if they just ended last week. It was a very special time in my life that I appreciate more with the passing of each year.
I had the honor and privilage to have worked a total of 37 years at three great high schools....Shawe Memorial, Brebeuf Preparatory and Madison Consolidated. Thousands of students touched my life, making my work both a challenge and a joy.
When I was a junior in high school, a wonderful man named Les Fox, took me for a visit to Hanover College, his Alma Mater. I returned to Hanover several times during high school, but it took only one trip to convince me that is where I wanted to attend college. Then in the late 60's and early 70's I attended Indiana University and obtained my masters degree in education.
I am thankful for having been born in this great nation, given the opportunities that appeared in front of me....some I recognized and "latched" onto and others, unfortunately, I was blinded to at the time. But through the combination of good luck and a few good decisions I have experienced happiness and a "healthy" share of success. The many friendships that have occurred along the way, from childhood until this day, have been invaluable to me and most instrumental in making me who I am. Tomorrow my life may have reached its end, but those of you whom I've met along the way will live within my spirit through eternity.
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