neering were Sotero Muniz, who has achieved high rank in the Forest Service, and Jerry Taggart, who has an engineering business of his own. I was very unhappy in engineering. After I served a mission, I came back and went in to see Dello. I told him that I really wanted to change to history, and like the good man that he was, he counseled me and gave me personal support during the transition. It was extremely difficult because my dad was very unhappy that I had changed my major. Dello wrote a letter of introduction for me to George Ellsworth at Utah State when I left Weber to continue my studies there. Dello died quite a few years ago, but I will always remember him and what he did for me. The point for me is this: Because of the kindness and concern of Dello Dayton, I was able to make the transition from doing something that I did not really want to do to a profession that has given me more satisfaction than most people ever have in their lifetimes. I realize that many people today will ridicule those students who attend a junior college as we did. Frankly, if I had to do it over, I would not hesitate to go to Weber College again. I cherish my memories of the student days with all of you. You could look a long way to find caring and dedicated teachers like Dello Dayton who helped to make the experience here worthwhile. I am sure that each of you had some teacher with whom you developed the same kind of relationship that I did with Dello. I hope that at some time each of you has the opportunity to thank that teacher. I will always have a warm spot in my heart for Weber College. I cherish the memories of this campus and the education I received here. May Weber endure forever. Class of 1956 Reunion L. Ray Humphreys When we graduate from high school, life becomes more complicated. If we choose to go to college interruptions can and do occur - missions, military service, work, finances. The class of 1956 was no different from other classes at Weber College. These kinds of interruptions, which seem to be a part of my life, included the Korean War and made me a class of'56 graduate instead of the class of '51. When I was in the class of '56, some of the newer faculty members were people with whom I had gone to high school. As things turned out, I'm glad that I was part of the class of'56. I became associated with a lot of people here at We- ber who made a difference in my life. Time may dim my memory, I may forget a face or name, but I'll always remember each of you. You made a difference in my life. May I introduce some people whom I got to know well then, and with whom I have renewed my friendship this year: Gayle Froerer Richards, student body vice president; Monty Shupe, student body treasurer; Carr Lofgreen, student body business manager; Pat Olson Schneiter, student body secretary; Bruce Jones, sophomore class president, who served as chairman of our committee tonight; Ann Holmstrom Whithead, sophomore vice president; Mary Bunderson Halverson, sophomore class repre- sentative; Sherma Craven Ballif, AWS president; Mary Jo Giles LaTulippe, Sharon Allen Peffer, and Tom Quinn, whose literary skills kept me in hot water with the school administration, especially Mr. Baddley, who was more sensitive about parking lots than we had anticipated. These are people who made a difference. Forty years ago, at about this time of year, the class of '56 gathered at the Ogden Tabernacle for our graduation from Weber College. For the most part, we were happy and relieved that we were now ready to move on with our lives. However, there were two students who were not relaxed; in fact, we were quite nervous. Gayle Froerer and I were the student speakers for graduation. I recall that Gayle and I were halfway hoping some accident would happen as we drove from her house to the tabernacle, so that we wouldn't have to talk. I guess we were lucky we survived that evening. Weber College in 1955-56 was still adjusting to the new campus here on Harrison Boulevard while still using the old campus on 25th Street. Part of our social life, of necessity, had to take place on the lower campus, such as assemblies, dances, and athletic events. However, the administration, and especially J. Farrell Shepherd, saw a Ray Humphreys 126 need that could be met by moving one of the temporary war surplus buildings that had served as a lunch counter and student gathering place (I believe it was called the College Inn) to the new campus. This building became the TUB, which served its function well, until replaced by the building we find ourselves in tonight. It is appropriately named the J. Farrell Shepherd Union Building. Farrell Shepherd made a difference. The TUB gave us a place to gather, a place to eat, a place to hold a party, a place for student body offices. It was the scene for a lot of the same functions that are held in the Union Building today; only those held in the TUB were on a much smaller scale. We were a much smaller school then; there were approximately 3,000 students, one-half of that number being full-time day students. However, we didn't realize we were small. We still had a split campus and parking problems. We got traffic tickets going to assemblies and had to find vacant classrooms to meet in. All these handicaps were small because whether we got an education and enjoyed campus life was largely up to us. In the final analysis, where we held our dances, ate our lunch, or met our friends had very little to do with our campus handicaps. How we handled handicaps would make the difference. Our attitudes, our friends, the cooperative faculty, the administration, and President Miller, all made a difference. Unlike previous classes, we lived with the problems of a split campus and recognized that if we were to have fun, enjoy ourselves, get an education, make a difference, it was largely up to us. No one else to blame, no excuses, just us. Now as I reflect on what we did during the '55-'56 years to make that difference, I'm sure what I recall may not be the things you recall; that is the risk of recalling after 40 years. Please be patient with me and allow me latitude to present my view of our year, 1956. I even put some of the events on notes to help me remember: The TUB became the quasi social center of the campus. It gave us a place to meet, to eat, and to have a party after the usual hours of business. When I think of how many hamburgers and milk shakes I consumed at the TUB, I'm glad they hadn't invented cholesterol yet. Farrell Shepherd would allow various social clubs on campus to hold a party, to dance and socialize during the evening hours. About the only other place we could have that type of party was the Bertha Eccles Hall. Availability of these places helped a lot in the boy-meets-girl part of our education. The TUB and the Bertha Eccles Hall made a difference. I'm still trying to figure out why I frequently had anywhere from one to four flat tires after the Bertha Eccles Hall parties. Trying to fill four flat tires late at night took time. The social clubs on campus provided the catalyst for a large part of the social activity, including dances: Alpha Rho, Phoenix, Excelsior, Sigma, Chanodo, Sharmea, Otyokwa, LaDianaeda - Phoenix's Snowball, Excelsior's and Otyokwa's Sweetheart Dance, L.D.'s Easter Dance, Sigma's Pajama Dance. The social clubs made a difference. One of the unsolved mysteries from 1956 was who arranged the unexpected sound effects during the announcement of the Excelsior and Otyokwa sweethearts. Someone had installed a second sound system in the White City Ballroom and played sirens, dogs barking, and whistles while the Grand Procession was in progress. The only thing that saved my life was that the sound effect record changed while I was surrounded by a group of white jackets. Now I have had several occasions where I have felt threatened in this life, including one in Kuwait, but this particular one does not compare with any of them. I recall that Sharon Harris and Jim Preston were Homecoming Queen and King; that Kay Burton was the Phoenix Snowball Sweetheart; and that Donnette Ralph and Bill Hart were Otyokwa and Excelsior Queen and King. The athletic events were a part of our social life as well: football, baseball and basketball. Yes, indeed, we did have an active social calendar. We supported each other at these activities. We made a difference. We also had an active scholastic schedule. We veterans were initially hard pressed to keep up with the younger students, especially when most of our prior scholastic endeavors were confined to reading paperback novels by Mickey Spillane or manuals on how to clean our rifles. The faculty at Weber compared very favorably with the teachers I encountered at the University of Utah. We certainly had more personal attention and one-on-one sessions for the questions that came up. Some of the faculty I recall that made a difference to me were Paul Huish, physics and math; Robert Clarke, physics and math; Jennings Olson, English and philosophy. He taught me two quarters of freshman English in 1949. I had to pass an English test at the U of U in 1958 and did, so he made a difference to me nine years after the class. One of the best was Orson Whitney Young, life sciences. I'm sure I have overlooked some, and each one of you has your own list. The faculty made a difference. I feel there is a place for junior colleges or smaller colleges for those of us who may never have a chance at the large senior institutions. They may well have given us the break we may never otherwise have had. Weber College made a difference in 1956. Weber State University makes a difference today. Forty years sounds like a long time. I'm amazed that they went by so quickly. Each of us has gone on to live our separate lives. We've all had our successes and failures. May we always be friends and remember our days at Weber with fondness. Friendship makes a difference. 127