Memories - Then & Now

Memories of Yesteryears & Thoughts about Now 

Everybody had different expectations of what to expect when leaving high school and as life does, much has changed in the last 50 years.  Please share your thoughts on what is it like for 1966 high school graduates today? 

What was it like in 1966 and throughout the 50 years since?

Share your thoughts, essays, etc. about the High School and your life after High School experiences. 

Think about: 

  • What was life like for the 60's high school student in rapidly changing times?
  • Were experiences good or bad at CHS? 
  • What was it like after leaving High School?
  • Reflections on teachers, favorite classes, friends, experiences then, etc.
  • What was it like to fit in or not, first dates, sports, historical events, music, art, etc. 
  • Memories of friends then and now?

Katy (Alban) Tahja has sent the first entry and volunteered to compile a memory book that will be compiled with thoughts and pictures after the reunion events and available for all classmates.

For those who want to submit please do so through the "Contact Us" page or send to chsislander66@gmail.com and submissions will be posted here.



Kathy Alban 1966 / Katy Tahja 2016

I was the Islander historian for the class of 1966 and wrote the Senior Saga in the yearbook. Half a century later I’m an author writing about local history. Some things don’t change.

I spent most all of my working life as a public and school librarian in northwestern California. Semi-retired I work in a bookshop in Mendocino and live out in the woods. My husband of 40 years and I are train fans and have traveled thousands of miles by rail in the U.S. and Canada.

All of my adult life has been spent in rural areas and cities are someplace I visit only briefly (except for seeing my son in Chicago). I love living in a place where the noisiest thing you hear is wind in the trees and chickens clucking. My daughter, her partner, and my  grandson River live on our ranch. This grandchild is the delight of our  lives and we look forward to seeing him grow day by day.

I am proud of the four books I’ve written and the innumerable newspaper stories I’ve done, the generation of kids I guided into becoming life long readers, and the family I raised, I became an elder at  Burning Man and participate in the festival every year in Nevada. Life is good. I would welcome contact from classmates.

Katy Tahja P.O. Box 194 Comptche CA 95427 (707) 937-5854  ktahja@mcn.org

From Marie (Stevens) Cain

Hi, I am submitting my story from CHS days until now. Thanks, Marie :)

I was at CHS for Junior and Senior years only. We had moved up from Cuernavaca, Mexico as climate in Coronado was very similar. Prior to that I had been born and raised in Minnesota.

I remember being the only kid whose father (step-father) was retired, but not from the US Navy. Every time when I would say my step-father was retired, I would be asked, "what rank?".

My favorite memories were bike riding all over the island, getting in late from dates and using the excuse "we missed the ferry back!", hosting the senior yearbook signing party at our home on 831 Adella Ave, and playing the role of Mama Frank in the Diary of Anne Frank.

I'm still acting today in two theater companies locally. After our graduation I spent the summer traveling the country where I lost my stepfather one week before college. I went on to Whittier College, where I was a Spanish/Sociology major and French/Psychology minor and then worked for University of California at Irvine as a bilinguist until 1989 when we moved back to Minnesota.

Worked for Hennepin County Medical Center until I retired in August of 2009 and then went into business for myself contracting my services with the Minnesota Department of Health in their Medical Home division as the love of my life, David was diagnosed with Altzheimers. I lost him in April, 2010. I then sold our townhouse and moved into a Senior Independent Living complex in June of 2010 in Shakopee, MN, where my daughter and son-in-law bought their first home, so we could be close.

Although I now walk with a walker due to a bad fall on the ice in January of 2009, I still maintain my independence. My first grandson was born April of 2011 and this has been my best job yet! Along with working part time I volunteer Monday mornings at my church to cover the front desk reception.

I'm still singing, both in our church choir and in a seniors group called the Chan-o-Laires, where we rehearse once a week and perform at different venues and nursing homes three to four times a month. I am also involved in two theater companies, board member and actor of River Valley Theatre Company (RVTC) and actor only of the Chaska Valley Family Theatre (CVFT). Just finished 6 one act plays with RVTC, and emceed and sang in our latest production "St. Paddy's On Broadway" and finished in the singing/dancing ensemble of "My Fair Lady" with CVFT. Top it off with getting my grandson to school every morning as the Pre-Kindergarten classes do not have a bus service; and then the gym 3 days a week, the other two days are bible study groups.

After David died we lost all our investments in the market and our nest egg to pay all medical bills, which is why I still work part-time. So there it is, my life in a nutshell! I am poor, but very fulfilled!:)

If you want to get in touch, my e-mail address is: mastevens7@gmail.com and street address is: 101 Fuller St N Apt 202, Shakopee, MN 55379. Cell is: 612-839-1649. Blessings to you all!:)