AUHS Serenade starts celebration

Echoes of "Pride, pride, pride!" reverberated across the mighty Sacramento River Thursday night as a congregation of Anderson High School faithful raised 1,300 strong voices in near-unison as a response to former principal Chuck McKelvie's challenge in the school's traditional cheer.

Blue and gold were the wardrobe colors of choice for most who attended the AUHS Centennial Serenade, titled "Rocking in the Park," as knots of classmates from many different years formed wherever folks could congregate near the Gaia Hotel Amphitheater in Anderson River Park.

More than 800 barbecued tri-tip sandwiches were cooked, sliced and served by the Anderson FFA students and several dozen adult volunteers under the very capable supervision of FFA adviser and agriculture instructor George Wold.

Excited smiles, warm handshakes and quite a few hugs were exchanged by many of those waiting in line for food as they discovered someone else from their graduating class who had returned to Anderson for the 100-year All-Class Reunion that ran through Saturday.

The park event - a four-hour free concert featuring current students as well as alumni who returned from many locations - was organized in large part by performing arts teacher Nancy Dutton with plenty of able assistance from Ted Dykstra, leader of the Anderson Middle School Cougar Band.

At one point midway through the concert, the 140-member band, 24 dancers and a massed choir of nearly 80 voices, including 10 alumni who joined their ranks, filled to overflowing the recently-enlarged amphitheater stage as well as most of the concrete dance area out in front of the stage.

Interspersed with commentary on the school's long and colorful history, beginning in 1908 when a petition to form the high school was first circulated through the first school building's opening day of class on Sept. 13, 1909, and then on through the decades until the present era, musical numbers helped set the appropriate mood while giving the youngsters a chance to shine either individually or as a group.

At one point, former band director Fulton Doty led the massed band in the AUHS School Song as dozens sitting near me tried to remember the long-ago once-familiar words that were printed in large type on the inside front cover of the event's program. "We shall sing of Anderson High School And of the Gold and Blue And her gallant team so loyal That wear the emblem true And the "A" shall stand forever While we shall dare and do To live and die proclaiming 'All Hail the Gold and Blue!'"

There were more than a few tears wiped away as folks fought back lumps in their throats triggered by the many memories of times long ago brought vividly to mind with the singing of those simple verses.

Congratulations, Anderson Union High School, on your first 100 years.

Long may your banner wave and even longer may the Gold and Blue stay true to their alma mater.