Four generations of the Hyde family graduated from Clarkston High School. None went to the same building, though.
Beth Hyde, class of 2007, goes to the newest high school on Flemings Road.
Her father, Steve Hyde, graduated in 1979 from the building now used as Clarkston Junior High School.
His mother, Ethelyn (Smith) Hyde, graduated in 1945. The high school she attended, across the street from Clarkston Elementary on Waldon Road, is the community education building.
The building when Ethelyn’s mother, Adeline Petty, graduated in 1915 is also still in use ? as Independence Township’s government offices on Main Street.
Ethelyn remembers Clarkston of the 1940s as a small town where everyone knew everybody else. Teachers were staid, disciplined, and very moral, she said.
Competitive sports included baseball, football and basketball ? boys only. Girls were not allowed to participate in competitive sports because it was deemed unhealthy.
Students learned the basics, and took Latin for language skills.
‘It was very valuable with vocabulary,? she said.
As a high school student in the 1970s, Steve remembers the school as crowded, with more than 500 students in his class.
Variety of classes had increased since his mother’s time as a student. Girls were allowed to participate in sports, including tennis, track, cross-county, golf, and softball, but not baseball.
The school had a room where students could go and smoke, Steve said.
‘We definitely do not have one of those,? Beth said.
‘It was a different society,? Steve said.
The school’s music program was expanding. A trumpet player, he remembers the marching band participating in its first competitions.
Technology has advanced rapidly over the generations.
Ethelyn and her friends used hand-cranked phonographs to listen to Glen Miller. Steve and his classmates listened to Bob Seger on their record players. Beth’s class listens to downloaded MP3s on their iPods.
‘Bob Seger was very popular,? Steve said. ‘We had a mural on the lockers of the Silver Bullet Band.?
Today’s students use computers for everything, Beth said.
‘We do all our language arts on computer,? she said.
Students and teachers use e-mail to send assignments and commentary back and forth.
‘It’s very convenient,? she said.
Students don’t study Latin anymore, but can learn Spanish, German, Japanese, and several other languages.
The high school has more music, drama, and sports, now including soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and swimming.
‘It’s really expanded ? there’s a lot of participation,? she said.
Some changes over the generations have been for the worse. Drug abuse and sex have became more of a problem in the ?70s as well as today.
‘We didn’t do any of that,? Ethelyn said.
But quality of education has stayed constant or improved, they said.
‘We have excellent schools,? Ethelyn said.
‘Definitely,? Steve agreed. ‘They’re a good selling point for this area ? we’re very fortunate.?
Through the Pettys, the family has been in the Clarkston area since the 1830s, settling here from New Jersey.