Sounding Off:

The year was 1958. Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House, the U.S. had launched Explorer I, its first unmanned satellite and answer to Russia’s Sputnik, Elvis was off to the Army, there was trouble in the Middle East (Lebanon to be specific, but what else is new?), and Ozzie and Harriet reigned as the ideal American family on the still relatively new medium of television.

That same year Costa Mesa saw the opening of its first high school when Costa Mesa High School opened its doors to incoming freshmen in September 1958.

It was kind of a novel approach in that about half of those freshmen would be upperclassmen for all four of their years at Mesa High.

The next year would see district lines drawn with the other half transferring to Newport Harbor High School.

I was part of that first class in the fall of 1958 that came to Mesa and was also part of the first graduating class in 1962. During my years there I was fortunate to be under the tutelage of some of the area’s local legends and icons such as its first principal, the late Les Miller, the late Don Burns, Jules Gage and Don Miller, to name but a few.

I happened to bump into Miller, the former English teacher, at a local restaurant several weeks ago and we recalled those early days of Mesa High and some of the traditions that were established by both the students and faculty.

Things like the Mesa mascot, the Mustang, which was the result of a vote taken by students at the area middle schools prior to the high school’s opening. (We had a choice between a horse and a fish — the marlin — and pretty much agreed that a fish was a ridiculous mascot).

The physical education department had an innovative grading/reward system for the boys with different color shorts for each level of achievement. The drama class produced its own original musical play during the senior year.

The alma mater for the school, “Mesa, We Hail Thee,” was written by Gail Mozer, a professional musician in her own right in that she was an early performer on local TV musical/variety shows (she played that 1950s musical instrument, the accordion).

While I could go on and on about past events in the history of the school I have been saddened and disappointed by the fact that either the district and/or current administration at the school, while aware of this milestone, have failed to recognize this significant event in the school’s history.

It would seem that as the 2008-09 academic year approached that some recognition could have been made not so much of that first entering class (there are many of us who still live in the area) but of the actual 50-year birthday of the school itself. It could have been as basic as having a special invitation sent out to former faculty and the freshman class of “58” for the annual homecoming football game during the 2008 football season commemorating the 50th anniversary of the school’s opening.

It might have been simple recognition of the fact that as the academic year began that this was the golden anniversary of the school’s opening. However, as is the case with much of our society today, it is all about the now with history and tradition taking a back seat to the immediate present.

As the 2008-09 year comes to a close I can only lament that this was a golden opportunity that was missed.

RON PAUL lives in Costa Mesa.