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If you haven't gotten a chance to check out the "great" Facebook post on the Dodgeville School District's page, please do so. It's a tremendous tribute to the senior class that won't be able to hold graduation exercises this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Graduation day is a time when the senior classes from all the area schools will probably be together for the final time. Classmates go their separate ways. Some go on to college or to a tech school. Some even head out of the country for jobs or to be married and start a family. Even if they are postponed classmates may've already gone off to the service or a job that was waiting them. I remember my graduation (way back in 1964) when the class found out that classmate Bob McGraw had been strickened with a cancer and would not be with us for that special day. He passed away about six months later. We did hold a special party at his place after graduation however! There will be class reunions after graduation probably every five years, but not everyone will attend. In fact I think my class lost about seven people due to automobile accidents or a disease before we even had our five year reunion. So graduation is a very special time. Good luck to all the seniors!
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Another big "Shout Out" to senior Olivia Welsh from Highland. She created a special video of her senior class members that brought them from a very early age to their graduation photo! It is on the school Facebook page. The Senior Videos are a special presentation at graduations of many of the area schools.
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My timing is getting a little off. It can't be because I'm getting older or slower! I was taking photos of the house being torn down on North Main Street on Friday. I was on the backside of the house as that's where the action was taking place. As the structure was getting more and more fragile I realize I'd better get to the front of the house. I went around a couple of houses to get to the front because the quick way to get there was blocked off. I was walking. Anyway I arrived at my vantage point about two seconds late. Now 20 years ago (maybe even 10) I would've been there with time to spare and gotten the shot just as the roof fell forward!
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I ran into the first person who said they "might've" had the coronavirus. They felt achy, nauseous and warm, but felt OK after a couple of days. They decided to get tested and it turned out negative. It would be great if everyone would get that good news when tested! That person's only concern was what if they passed it on to someone they had gotten close to during those days of not feeling so well?
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There's been talk of the WIAA  (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) promoting a 30 day spring sports season this summer. I for one don't think this a good idea. As much as I feel for the kids who are missing their senior season (or any of them), I think it would be better to just not have a "spring" season at all and try and curb this Coronavirus thing totally. There are even colleges and universities out there talking about not having a fall season, so why possibly bring more health problems this summer. We need to ease back into things!
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A big "Happy Birthday" to a grand lady - Betty Hayes Baxter who turned "30" for the 3rd time last Friday with a Birthday Parade at her home in Avoca. Miss Betty, even at 90, did a little stepping and swaying when a few families did distant dances in her honor as they drove by! This year would've been her 73rd year of holding a dance recital if it wasn't for COVID-19. Gee that number sounds familiar. Oh, it's my age!
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The photo above shows Betty talking with a friend after the parade is over. Note all the signs that were placed in her honor!