By all accounts, the Class of 1969’s recent alumni stroll down memory lane at Pacific Beach Middle School was a truly unforgettable experience.
Five alumni and four spouses returned to PBMS 53 years after their commencement, for an intimate reunion and private tour of the school’s revamped campus.
The alumni, some of whom returned to San Diego from as far away as Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, were in town for their 50th high school reunion at Mission Bay High School. They connected with PBMS International Baccalaureate coordinator Ashley Hensen to arrange their school visit.
The last time alumnus Mark Taylor and his classmates set foot on the school’s grounds was 1969 and things were different then. The school was previously known as Pacific Beach Junior High, and it taught students in grades seven through nine. Today’s PBMS teaches grades six through eight.
Also, female students were not allowed to wear pants then. Girls whose dresses were more than two inches above their knees faced the grim choice of immediate dismissal for the day – or suffering the humiliation of ripping out their hemlines.
Girls in the class of 1969 chose to fight for the right to wear pants and won, which was a telling precursor to the school’s IB projects, that now keep its students at the forefront of community action.
Taylor and his former classmates were also stunned by the physical changes they saw on the campus, which has grown and modernized significantly in the past 50 years.
Here are a few of the reactions from the Class of ’69:
“It was wonderful to see what they have done with the school and how they have kept a public school relevant,” said Babette Davis. “My children went to an International Baccalaureate program, so it was very relevant to me to see how they have now progressed to elementary up through middle school. The reunion was a wonderful event. When you think back over 50 years, to come together as a group and work together towards an accomplishment, i.e the reunion, it’s pretty amazing.”
Added Davis: “We had 10 outstanding people who showed up for over 10 months to make this event happen. A phenomenal banker took care of the money for a few of us who were coordinators and basically served any role needed. We had an individual who took care of all the name tags and other items needed for the event whatever they were.
“Lastly, we had a person who does events in his private life and took care of the DJ and all things music and photos. Our combined efforts resulted in probably one of the best reunions I’m sure that ever was. The venue looked wonderful, even using shower curtains to create art for the walls. Sometimes it just takes one step to join and then make something wonderful happen.”
“Visiting PBMS after not having set foot on campus since 1969 was a pleasant surprise,” said Jim Bennett, now a Realtor in La Jolla. “I’ve driven by the school a thousand times in the last 50 years and the outside looks pretty much the same. What amazed me was the level of modernization inside. The abundance of technology and the general design of the campus, classrooms, and common areas showed me that this was nothing like the junior high school I graduated from.”
Added Bennett: “We had the chance to interact with both teachers and students during our tour. The thing that stood out to me the most was the high level of enthusiasm and positive atmosphere that was generated by both students and teachers. We felt very welcomed by all. The reunion itself was fantastic. It was very well planned and executed by a first-class group. Seeing some close high school friends who I had lost touch with over the decades was priceless.”
“After researching the class of 1972 MBHS classmates and where they currently live, over half of the class of 1969 live all over the United States,” said Mark Taylor, now living in Idaho. “I was very impressed that the students answered my questions about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln correctly, while I have asked those same questions to other classes in different states and my questions were answered wrong.”
Added Taylor: “Our class of 1969 did not have the same technology they have today, but we had favorite teachers: Mrs. Gentry, Mr. Buh, Mr. Dale, Mr. Chacon, Miss Martinson, and friendships that have lasted to today. The school has grown so much from our day. Enjoy and embrace your good fortune and maybe 50 years from your graduating class, you will return to experience the wonderful tour and feeling we all shared.”
PBMS offers tours to prospective families on the first Wednesday of every month. For information on Pacific Beach Middle School and its tours, or to find out about the District’s School Choice program, visit sandiegounified.org/schools/pacific-beach-middle.
