The Roosevelt Times
Photo: Roosevelt High School 1923 Post Card
Timesmediaus Digital Online Magazines are published locally by Vtechgraphics LLC. Magazines published are “The Roosevelt Times” in memory of Roosevelt High school, to share historical information and to keep all alumni aware of upcoming events. The “Dayton Times” is a way to showcase and promote events and venues that occur in and around the city of Dayton, Oh. The “Dayton Times” will also encompass and feature local artist and talent staged behind the backdrop of the city. For story and photo submissions, send your request to: editor@timesmedia.us Issues for both magazines are available on quarterly basics and are now being offered as a free online only magazine. Full color printed copies can be ordered upon request.
The Roosevelt Times Staff Editor & Chief Photographer: Horace Dozier Sr. Copy Editor: Juanita White Dozier Contributing Photographer: Terrell Flucas Advertising Media: Digital Media Effects: Vtechgraphics LLC. Sports: Bobby Early Alumni News: Sarah Hayes Articles & Submissions: Daria Dillard Stone E-mail:editor@timesmedia.us Office Phone: 937-2919620 Mail: PO Box 49188 West Carrollton Oh 45449
Introduction This year’s February issue of the Roosevelt Times will feature something different. This being “Black History Month”, black history is American History. As we read about our local beginnings and traverse into our future through historic photos, artifacts and documents, the history of America’s history will be revealed. The story will be painful at times but new life always is; from Dayton’s Little Africa to the historic post cards of the Deep South, moving forward to “Nine Who Helped Make America Great”, a 1948 pamphlet published by General Motors Corporation. Continuing the historical journey, we leapfrog into the present to say “Farewell to Mr. Spencer” whose influence impacted the lives of many Roosevelt Alumni as music and choir Director during the Roosevelt High School era. This issue highlights the Visual Voices Tribute to the Dayton Funk Bands; a “Get well to Bobby Early” our Roosevelt Time’s Sports Editor, and of course, ending with “The Alumni News” covering past and upcoming events. We will journey together like we always have and we will emerge stronger than ever but united in America’s History. Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, in office from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910
Dunbar’s Dayton “Little Africa” Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first African American writer to achieve significant commercial success. Writing during a time when minstrelsy stereotypes of African Americans predominated in popular literature, Dunbar struggled to find a voice that would both appeal to his largely white readership and sincerely express African American experiences and culture. Photo:1872 Main St Dayton,Ohio
African-Americans migrated to Dayton both from the South and from Ohio’s rural areas and small towns. This was part of a great rural-to-urban trend in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1870 38% of Ohio’s black population lived in urban areas; by 1920 it was 74%. (The corresponding figures for the general Ohio population were 25% urban in 1870 and 64% urban in 1920.) Furthermore, the percentage of Ohio’s African-Americans living in just the seven largest metropolitan areas of the state had grown from 18% to 49% during this same period, 1870-1920. Residential Patterns Before 1880 African-Americans in Dayton lived in various neighborhoods, usually located near the central business district. One such area, known as “Little Africa”, was a district just south of downtown, between the Great Miami River on the west and the Miami and Erie Canal on the east, on Washington, Zeigler, and Bayard streets. Paul Laurence Dunbar and his mother lived at 140 Zeigler Street for a time during the 1890s. After 1880 many blacks in Dayton chose to reside on the West Side, west of the Miami River, where a real estate boom was taking place. Several blocks of West Fifth Street became the social, commercial, and cultural center of the African-American community. Usually denied access to downtown businesses and institutions, many shops, restaurants, and theaters on West Fifth catered to black customers. A separate branch of the Dayton YMCA was built here. Paul Laurence Dunbar’s last home, on Summit Street (now Paul Laurence Dunbar Avenue) was just a few blocks away, but so was the Hawthorn Street home of Bishop Milton Wright and his sons Wilbur and Orville. Dayton’s West Side at the turn of the 20th century was not yet the almost completely segregated black ghetto that it would become in later years. Education Paul Laurence Dunbar graduated from Dayton’s Central High School in 1891, the only African-American member of the class, and he had been an excellent student and very active in extra-curricular activities. But what was the larger picture as far as education for Dayton’s African-Americans went in those years? Ohio had begun to establish a system of segregated schools for blacks in 1849, but they were few in number, with extremely poor facilities and resources and few qualified teachers. As late as 1870 only about half of black children in Ohio attended these schools, which in any case only offered work up to the sixth grade (or even less). About 70% of whites attended school in this period. In the 1880s Ohio began to strengthen compulsory education requirements, and in 1887 it officially abolished the segregated nature of the educational system. School integration usually meant that many black teachers lost their positions. In Dayton this did happen, but some black teachers kept their jobs teaching in schools or classrooms that were unofficially designated as “black” despite the new state law. In fact, blacks were far more likely to attend and graduate from high school in places where this kind of “informal” segregation persisted. In 1905, for example, the eleven blacks who graduated from nearby Xenia’s “black” high school was greater than the combined total of black high school graduates that year in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, and Springfield. ,A few talented and ambitious blacks like Dunbar did receive an educational opportunity in Ohio’s public schools, but in the late 19th century they were the exception, not the rule.
Photo:1968 Skecth “Nine”
Politics Most African-Americans throughout Ohio and the nation in the late 19th and early 20th century looked to the Republican Party as their natural affiliation, if they looked to politics at all. The “Grand Old Party” looked back to its founding opposition to slavery expansion and its role in leading the Union to victory in the Civil War. By the end of Reconstruction in 1877, though, new social and economic issues competed for attention and tended to re-define the character of Republicanism. Blacks in northern states did sometimes obtain patronage appointments from the Republicans, and occasionally white Republicans denounced racial discrimination or supported formal equality, as in the repeal of the segregated school laws in 1887. Dayton’s African-American community lagged well behind its counterparts in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati in terms of political power and privilege. At a time when these larger cities routinely elected state representatives and local councilmen, the best that Dayton blacks could do was to form an informal “Black Cabinet” of businessmen and professionals to advise white politicians on issues of importance to them. As late as 1910, black political appointees in Dayton consisted merely of two deputy clerks, two policemen, and one court messenger. Employment, Business, and Professions Economic opportunity was real, but starkly limited by racial prejudice and discrimination. Before the turn of the century Dayton’s African-Americans most frequently toiled as domestic servants or unskilled laborers. Craft unions generally excluded blacks from the building trades. A few had positions as teachers, ministers, lawyers, and doctors, working in the context of a segregated community and serving a predominantly black clientele. William Burns, Dayton’s first black physician, was a close personal friend of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Some black businessmen also prospered with the growth of the West Side. Moses Moore opened the nation’s first black-owned and operated amusement park, called Dahomey Park, in 1910. White patronage was allowed but not encouraged. A professional black baseball team owned by Moore, the Dayton Marcos, also played in a stadium on the grounds of Dahomey Park. Opportunities for employment in white-owned businesses and industries was highly restricted, depending on the beliefs and policies of the management. National Cash Register Company had hired some blacks as plant clean-up personnel, but replaced all of them in 1906 with young white men. The stated rationale was that these workers, unlike the blacks, would have the opportunity to work their way up to higher-level positions with the company. A few smaller white-owned businesses and factories did hire black workers, usually because of the personal beliefs and attitudes of the owner. SOURCE: David Gerber, Black Ohio and the Color Line, 1860-1915 (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1976), passim.
Historic Negro Post Cards
Lynching
Digital History ID 3178
A crowd of nearly 2,000 people gathered in Georgia in 1899 to witness the lynching of Sam Holt, an African American farm laborer charged with killing his white employer. A newspaper described the scene: Sam Holt...was burned at the stake in a public road.... Before the torch was applied to the pyre, the Negro was deprived of his ears, fingers, and other portions of his body.... Before the body was cool, it was cut to pieces, the bones were crushed into small bits, and even the tree upon which the wretch met his fate were torn up and disposed of as souvenirs. The Negro’s heart was cut in small pieces, as was also his liver. Those unable to obtain the ghastly relics directly paid more fortunate possessors extravagant sums for them. Small pieces of bone went for 25 cents and a bit of liver, crisply cooked, for 10 cents. From 1889 to 1918, more than 2,400 African Americans were hanged or burned at the stake. Many lynching victims were accused of little more than making “boastful remarks,” “insulting a white man,” or seeking employment “out of place.” Before he was hanged in Fayette, Mo., in 1899, Frank Embree was severely whipped across his legs and back and chest. Lee Hall was shot, then hanged, and his ears were cut off. Bennie Simmon was hanged, then burned alive, and shot to pieces. Laura Nelson was raped, then hanged from a bridge. They were hanged from trees, bridges, and telephone poles. Victims were often tortured and mutilated before death: burned alive, castrated, and dismembered. Their teeth, fingers, ashes, clothes, and sexual organs were sold as keepsakes. Lynching continues to be used as a stinging metaphor for injustice. At his confirmation hearings for the U.S. Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas silenced Senate critics when he accused them of leading a “high-tech lynching.” Lynching was community sanctioned. Lynchings were frequently publicized well in advance, and people dressed up and traveled long distances for the occasion. The January 26, 1921, issue of the Memphis Press contained the headline: “May Lynch 3 to 6 Negroes This Evening.” Clergymen and business leaders often participated in lynchings. Few of the people who committed lynchings were ever punished. What makes the lynchings all the more chilling is the carnival atmosphere and aura of self-righteousness that surrounded the grizzly events. Railroads sometimes ran special excursion trains to allow spectators to watch lynchings. Lynch mobs could swell to 15,000 people. Tickets were sold to lynchings. The mood of the white mobs was exuberant--men cheering, women preening, and children frolicking around the corpse. Photographers recorded the scenes and sold photographic postcards of lynchings, until the Postmaster General prohibited such mail in 1908. People sent the cards with inscriptions like: “You missed a good time” or “This is the barbeque we had last night.” Lynching received its name from Judge Charles Lynch, a Virginia farmer who punished outlaws and Tories with “rough” justice during the American Revolution. Before the 1880s, most lynchings took place in the West. But during that decade the South’s share of lynchings rose from 20 percent to nearly 90 percent. A total of 744 blacks were lynched during the 1890s. The last officially recorded lynching in the United States occurred in 1968. However, many consider the 1998 death of James Byrd in Jasper, Texas, at the hands of three whites who hauled him behind their pick-up truck with a chain, a later instance. It seems likely that the soaring number of lynchings was related to the collapse of the South’s cotton economy. Lynchings were most common in regions with highly transient populations, scattered farms, few towns, and weak law enforcement--settings that fueled insecurity and suspicion. The Census Bureau estimates that 4,742 lynchings took place between 1882 and 1968. Between 1882 and 1930, some 2,828 people were lynched in the South; 585 in the West; and 260 in the Midwest. That means that between 1880 and 1930, a black Southerner died at the hands of a white mob more than twice a week. Most of the victims of lynching were African American males. However, some were female, and a small number were Italian, Chinese, or Jewish. Mobs lynched 447 non-blacks in the West, 181 non-African Americas in the Midwest, and 291 in the South. The hangings of white victims rarely included mutilation. Apologists for lynching claimed that they were punishment for such crimes as murder and especially rape. But careful analysis has shown that a third of the victims were not even accused of rape or murder; in fact, many of the charges of rape were fabrications. Many victims had done nothing more than not step aside on a sidewalk or accidentally brush against a young girl. In many cases, a disagreement with a white storeowner or landowner triggered a lynching. In 1899, Sam Hose, a black farmer, killed a white man in an argument over a debt. He was summarily hanged and then burned. His charred knuckles were displayed in an Atlanta store window. The journalist G.L. Godkin wrote in 1893: Man is the one animal that is capable of getting enjoyment out of the torture and death of members of its own species. We venture to assert that seven-eighths of every lynching part is composed of pure, sporting mob, which goes...just as it goes to a cock-fight or prize-fight, for the gratification of the lowest and most degraded instincts of humanity. Opponents of lynching, like the African American journalist Ida B. Wells, sent detectives to investigate lynchings and published their reports. Copyright 2013 Digital History
Nine Who Helped to Make America Great About this pamplet Since arriving on our shores almost 350 years ago—even be-fore the Mayflower—the Negro has had a profound effect on the growth and development of our nation. American Negroes have done much to help make America great. Yet few of us know anything at all about their truly outstanding achieve-ments. The brief biographies in this booklet represent only a sam-pling of the many and varied contributions Negroes have made ‘ to America. It took great sacrifice and struggle, against the odds of poverty and adversity, to make these contributions. But it is surely in the American tradition to win against great odds. These nine great Americans—doctor, poet, business execu¬tive, athlete, diplomat, attorney, opera singer, army officer, and public official—have all helped make America the country it is today. About the author Michael Alexander lias been a teacher of American History in New York City high schools and in Florida for ten years: He has written for magazines and radio, and is the author of two novels. He is a member of the Association of Teachers of Social Studies and the Authors Guild of America. Designed and illustrated by John Francis Rosenberger Copyright. 1968, by Birk & Co., Inc., Publishers, 3 W. 57th St., New York, N.Y. 10019
Visions of Dayton Funk Visual Voices 2014 Visions of Dayton Funk February 1-March 31, 2014 Location: Schuster Center
Showtimes: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily The exhibit may be closed during special events and private functions at the Schuster Center. Call (937) 228-7591 or (937) 228-3630 for more information. About the Show: Featuring a concert with the OHIO PLAYERS, VISUAL VOICES: VISIONS OF DAYTON FUNK is an interactive visual art exhibit presented by Victoria Theatre Association and EbonNia Gallery and curated by Willis “Bing” Davis. For the 2014 VISUAL VOICES exhibit, artists were challenged to create visual art that captures the essence and flavor of the Dayton funk sound. Students from the Ponitz Career Technology Center (Dayton Public Schools) have trained with WYSO 91.3FM Community Voices radio project to record and edit interviews with the artists, musicians and others about the artists’ creative process and to provide a historical perspective on the Dayton funk movement. Each February Victoria Theatre Association partners with Willis “Bing” Davis, curator of Dayton’s EbonNia Gallery , to display an exhibit of art by local African-American artists inside the Schuster Center. Exhibits are built around a theme. Past themes have included a tribute to Paul Lawrence Dunbar and “Dayton Skyscrapers,” which celebrated African American men and women who stand tall as role models in the Dayton community. Community members are welcome to view the exhibit whenever the Schuster Center is open. The exhibit may be closed during special events and private functions at the Schuster Center. Call (937) 228-7591 or (937) 228-3630 for more information. Artists: “The Funky Bass” - Francine Bankston-Cummings “Playin’ With Fire” - Francine Bankston-Cummings “I Can Make You Dance!” - Dwayne Daniel “Computer Love: Kente Funk #125” - Derrick Davis “The Magic of Dayton Funk Lyrics” - Willis Bing Davis “Love Rollercoaster, Say What?” - Willis Bing Davis “Varee Is Love” - Gregg DeGroat “Roger” - Lois Fortson “Spittin’ Fire” - Kevin Harris “Hairtangle-A Mind Blowing Decision” - Lillian Herbert “The Creation of Pain” - James Pate “Find the Funk” - James Pate “Oh Funk! Tribute to the Ohio Players” - William Pettiford III “Experience 2 - Craig Screven “Experience 6 - Craig Screven “Skin Tight” - Frances Turner “Heaven” - Yvette Walker-Dalton “Love Rollercoaster” - Yvette Walker-Dalton “Pain” - Yvette Walker-Dalton Reception Sponsor: The Dayton Power and Light Company Foundation
Ohio Players at Shuster Performance Arts Center
The Ohio Players at the Schuster By Philip Bass
Photo: Gaston Howard Jr.
It was Sunday February 9, 2014. I was dressed in my rock and roll best western boots, Tom Mix NRA hat and country and western Grand Ole Opry stage shirt. It was 2:50 pm and I was desperately trying to find a parking lot with easy access to the Victory Theater. I had tickets to the DCDC Winter performance. The DCDC performance was excellent. It was passionate and memorable. At about 5:30 pm after the DCDC performance I made my way across the street to the Schuster Performing Arts Center to view the paintings and art relative to the Dayton music explosion that occurred in the late 1960s through the mid-1950s.
The art work was hanging on the wall near the west entrance to the Schuster Center. The art work referenced images of Roger Trotman, the Ohio Players and other local groups with national music recordings that was released everywhere in the world. I made my way to the reception for the Ohio Players on the third floor. I picked up my tickets for the show at the table coming into the reception and proceeded into the reception. Coming into the reception area I saw Bootsy Collins of Bootsy’s Rubber Band and George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic taking pictures with Marshall “Rock” Jones, the former bassist with the Ohio Players. The room was full of well-wishers. There were drinks and finger food on every table. In the rear of the room were members of the Ohio Players in sweat suits and relaxed dress. I took pictures with Clarence “Chet” Willis (Roosevelt Class of 1968), Jimmy “Diamond” Williams and Billy Beck and other performers and guest. I had a brief conversation with Clarence Willis before he left to get ready for his performance. I got some finger food and sat down with John “Turk” Logan and Andrea Walker Cummings. At 6:45 pm I went to the orchestra level seating which was a buzz with a mixed audience greeting one another. At about 7 pm the house lights dimmed and the Mayor, Chairman of the Schuster and the Chairman of the the event stated that this would be the non-funk moment of the evening. Mayor Whalen stated that tonight would be a celebration of Dayton’s history in the Funk genre and read a city proclamation declaring Sunday February the day of the funk. The D Funk All Stars took the stage first. The “D” stands for Dayton. The group was composed of 10 experienced musicians from several Dayton based bands that currently performs cover tunes of Dayton groups. Shawnee Mack (vocals), Daren Bell (keyboards and vocals) and Tony Allen (guitar, vocal and percussions) are three of the notable musicians. The group was joined by singer and keyboardist Keith Harrison of Faze-O to perform the song “Riding High”. The highlight of their performance was the standing ovation that was generated by Shawnee Mack’s interpretation of “Always and Forever”. He was able to hit all the high notes and sustain the Johnny Wilder falsetto phrasing. It was a sterling performance. At intermission the audience started to take breaks. It was discovered that Bootsy Collins and Tom Shelby (Roosevelt Class of 1968) of Lakeside was seating in the tenth row. There was frenzy as the fans used phone cameras to take pictures with Bootsy and Tom Shelby. The lights dimmed again and the Ohio Players took their places on the stage. The crowd is very responsive to seeing their hometown hero. The nine piece group maintains four original members Jimmy “Diamonds” Williams, Billy Beck, Robert “Kumba Dan” Jones and Clarence “Chet” Willis. Dorian Dortch (bass), Oden Mays (vocals and keyboard) and an alto saxophone, trumpet and trombone player complete the unit. The group moves effortlessly through its hour and a half set. They performed several of their hits and concluded the show with “Fire” and a fog filled stage with sirens and a fire engine type lights. There was a two song encore before the show was over.
Farewell to Mr. Spencer
Pictured Above, Andrea Cummings; Daria Dillard Stone; Juanita White Dozier. Pictured Below; Frank Watkins; Horace Dozier Sr. Charles Spencer was our music teacher, mentor, coach, piano teacher and then some if you went to Roosevelt High School (or McFarland). A delegate from the great class of Roosevelt 68 traveled ALL THE WAY (smiles) to Xenia to give honor where honor is due. Mr. Spencer is still a remarkable man and teacher. Mrs Dorothy Spencer - his lovely wife was our home economics teacher. They have been married 57 years - ages 83 and 87 and proud of it. They are living life on purpose!! Our classmate Horace Dozier video taped the visit/interview and we are going to find other teachers and “make it happen” as it relates to telling how they helped us be the adults we are today. Can’t wait for a reunion - the RHS Class of 68 is on a mission and we moving!!! If you know where some of our teachers are - let me know or YOU figure out a way to honor and thank them today for what they did YESTERDAY!!
Roosevelt
High School Alumni News by Sarah Hayes From: Sarah Hayes Date: Monday, December 23, 2013 Subject: Sarah’s Corner ROOSEVELT ALUMNI LEGACY BALL This year the Roosevelt Legacy Ball was again hosted by the class of 1970. It was held at the Crown Plaza in downtown Dayton from 6:00 pm until 11:00 pm. I enjoyed this Roosevelt Alumni Legacy Red and White semi-formal Ball. I really enjoyed seeing the Teddies with red and white on as they entered into the room. Eighty-four people purchased tickets to attend this special event. Sharon Calloway was the Mistress of Ceremonies and Dyan Gibbons gave the welcome. Brenda Weaver gave the purpose of this event and I must say that I was so surprised that she did such a good job....she is such a shy person. For those of you that don’t know, Reverend James Mitchell, class of 67, is the founder of the Roosevelt Legacy Ball. The class of 1970 changed it to the Roosevelt Alumni Legacy Ball. Both classes did great by keeping the Roosevelt Legacy Alive.....and I love it! After Rev. Mitchell Blessed the food, we ate the delicious food that was prepared by the hotel. The menu included: fried chicken, roast beef hot shots, mashed potatoes, Collard greens, mac. & cheese, garden salad, cheese cake, turtle pie, coffee, hot and cold tea, and water. I thought the food was good and plenty. One part of the event was “Remember when”.....telling something that you remembered most while attending Roosevelt. Some of the things remember were so way back there that myself and others had no clue what they were talking about but it was funny because those that knew were cracking up. I spoke about the time when Mr. Thomas Webb, principle, and Mr. Watts, security guard, came riding down the auditorium isle while we were having a pep rally. Silky Smooth, Wanda Bell class of 75, was the D.J. She brought the good sounds. Then came the dancing. It looked like line dancing was the thing most people liked. I need to start dancing more because I didn’t know how to do a couple of the line dances and I got tired quick. Not to mention the pain afterwards. What a fun time I had and I believe others did, too. The year 2014, the Roosevelt High School Alumni Association will host the Legacy Ball. Call Sarah at 937-268-7255 so you won’t miss it.
Upcoming Roosevelt High School Events Roosevelt Class of 1974: The 40th Class reunion planning meetings are held the 2nd Saturday of each month from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m. Call Sarah @937-268-7255 for more info. Reunion will be September 26. 27, and 28, 2014. Roosevelt Class of 1970: March Madness March 1, 2014. Call Sharon @ 937-694-1738 for more info. Roosevelt High School Alumni Assoc.: Bowling Parties on Sunday, March 23 and Sunday, November 23, 2014 at Capri Lanes located at 2727 S. Dixie from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. (shoes are included in the fee). Call Sarah @ 268-7255 for more info. Roosevelt High School Alumni Assoc.: Alumni meetings will be held at the Westwood Library located at 3207 Hoover Ave., Dayton from 3:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on the following dates. May 24; Aug. 23; Nov. 22 The 8th Annual Alumni Picnic: The picnic will be held on September 6, 2014 at Possum Creek Park, Prairie Shelter. This picnic will be catered again. More info will be available in June. Roosevelt Class of 1959/1960: Holiday celebration of the classes of 1959/1960 will be December 26, 2014. For more info call Shirley at 937-694-1738.
Class of 1969 Reunion: The graduating class of 1969 invites you to our 45th “Senior’s Prom” Class Reunion the weekend of June 13-15th 2014. The festivities will get under way on Friday, June 13th at 6pm with a meet and greet cook- out and will conclude with a Sunday brunch at the Clarion Inn (formerly Holiday Inn)- Dayton Airport Hotel 10 Rockridge Rd, Englewood, OH 45322. Feel free on Saturday during the day to check out the Dayton Boys Prep School formerly Roosevelt High School and take pictures of the facility unfortunately the school does not conduct Saturday tours. Saturday June 14th, our evening will begin with a social hour at 7pm and topped off with our “Senior’s Prom “Dinner Dance at 8pm. We are requesting you wear Red and White semi or formal attire to carry on the legacy of our beloved school’s colors. Sunday, June 15th we invite all classmates to join us for a parting brunch at the hotel from 6am to 1pm (time tbd). Deadline for your reservation will be May 23, 2014. No exceptions. Please make your Cashier’s check or Money Order payable to: Roosevelt Class of 1969 (no personal checks or cash will be accepted). Cost for the event is $75 per person. *does not include brunch. We have blocked rooms at the rate of $89.50 per night. Please call 937-832-1234 to make your reservation and let front desk know you are with the Roosevelt Class of 1969 to be honored that rate. Questions contact Gail Robinson @ 937-672-0824, Helen Weaver @ 937-219-5596 or Barbara Grigsby @937-723-6544. Please join the Class of 1969--”Making Our Mark, 45 Years Later!” With Warm Regards, The Roosevelt Class of 1969 Reunion Committee *Memorabilia items will be passed out Friday evening. School Artifacts will be available for purchase on Saturday night.