Well, today was my 50th high school reunion at the King's Academy, which in my day was known as Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy. Present day students refer to it as TKA, or The Koreans Academy. As I looked at the class of 2005 I saw Koreans everywhere. One of these gifted students performed a beautiful piano rendition of The Lord's Prayer and it was just very inspirational. This student is going on to Indiana University to further his musical studies. This is the same university where the distinguished Metropolitan Opera soprano Eileen Farrell taught voice for nine years.

We had our reunion dinner last night in Pigeon Forge with about 34 people present. Each alumnus was asked to stand up and make a few comments in front of the TV camera about what they had been doing for the past 50 years. After just about every word that came out of my mouth, people just roared laughing, and I don't recall anything I said that was very funny. Some said I missed my calling and should have been a comedian.

When I came to the Academy in 1952, the school was also giving older people the opportunity to return to the classroom after they had been in the workforce for several years. I think one year the oldest high school freshman was 50 years old. The school only takes young students now.

For the past year I have especially looked forward to my 50th reunion because I was determined to go see what all those old people looked like! They really haven't changed all that much. It was a great reunion!