Birch Clump High School Year Book, 1969More art by Bro. Joshua regarding:
Hawk Dancer and Cloud Burst
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Hip, Cool, Groovey & Far Out
Viva la Revolucíon!
1969, and the revolution is in full swing. I’m not all that sure what some of the young folks were revolting against but it was a fun time for
some. Granny glasses, head bands, sandals, hippie beads made from seeds and shells, long hair and tight jeans were the rage back then. Take a
look at the emo’s of today and I wonder if there is much difference, at least on the surface of things.
Meet the High School Class of 1969
From the Village of Birch Clump, Michigan
To be sure there’s a difference of over 40 years. The idealism of then and today shares some things, but otherwise there are lots of differences.
I don’t suggest that in any form of judgmental way towards kids today or kids back then – just an observation of how each generation is presented
with a new set of circumstances, but needed the same basic assurances, freedoms, and survival things: i-pods and transistor radios!
↑ Top left of this columns and section is the class president, some kid that came in with a winning smile and personality at the beginning
of the Junior year and left town the
summer they graduated and no one saw him again. But, his fly in and fly out personality got him elected.
Click the Picture for links to buy the novels.
Top right is Cecilia DeLeon. Her original boy crush was for Randy Vanwesterdyk in grade school, and then Dean Thompson
in high school.
← "Iggi" as they called Ignatious is in the gold tone wood frame.
Jerome Mott and Danielson buddy up and try to trap Randy in a fist fight with Erik in the summer of 1969. A case of
mistaken identity becomes a major turning point in the first novel, Hawk Dancer. Rt: Danielson in the oval frame matting.
Slide ↑ from about 1965/66 of Randy, Dean and Erik. The Film strip (↑) is of Randy Vanwestderdyke most
likely from 1969, but it could also be from 1970/71.
Below:
↓ Left is a drawing of Dean Thompson during their senior year. Art is attributed to Cecilia Deleon. She and Dean went steady for most of
their four years at Birch Clump High School. Right is drawn from Jig Rajan’s graduation photo. Jig came from Surinam in South America
while it was still a Dutch colony and registered for classes in Birch Clump in October 1968.
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Tied & Gaged
Amos, a spelling adaption of Amoos meaning Little Bee, fell among thieves in the summer of '69. He originated a bit
north and a bit west of Birch Clump, not far from Ingalls or Stevenson, Michigan. His family moved to suburban Detroit, but he had friends
among the Birch Clump class of 1969. He's mentioned briefly in book 3, the Birch Clump Portfolio expected to be published by June
2010. Click the picture and see how a more indepth story is developing on him for a 4th book and how he got into the predicament pictured here.
More pages of art
and photos:
Video Video shorts about the novels and artwork.
Year Book Drawings by Joshua of some of the Birch Clump Villers.
Photos of actual sites mentioned in the two novels.
More Drawings of Joshua's fictional characters.
BC & CR See the real town of Cedar River from which the
novels' Village of Birch Clump is based on.
Got something to add?
Contact me if you have a late 1960s early 1970spicture you'd like me to make a drawing of for this year book.
My advantage: I need more period pictures. Your advantage: You recieve a free drawing.
Requirments: You must have the rights to use the
picture you send in.
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More from the 60's, hair, jeans, hippy beads, peace, love and black eyes.