Class of 1959

Senator John F. Kennedy delivers the Commencement Address
to B-CC Class of 1959

Many thanks to William Parke ('59) for the above photo.

2005 Presentation of Plaque Commemorating JFK's Commencement Speech

On the Occasion of the Presentation of the Plaque Commemorating JFK's Commencement Speech to the Class of 1959

October 24, 2005

On the morning of June 15, 1959, then-Senator John F. Kennedy delivered an inspiring address to the B-CC graduating class of 1959 that included these words:

(T)he measure of our superiority may very well
depend upon the extent to which our country utilizes
and develops the talents of its students...
We want from you not the sneers of the cynics
or the despair of the faint-hearted. We ask of
you enlightenment, vision, illumination.

On the evening of October 24, 2005, representatives of the class of 1959 commemorated that historic event at a brief ceremony during a meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Education. A plaque highlighting those words, flanked by a picture of the future President on one side and the cover page of his speech on the other, with a medallion of JFK in the top center, was presented to B-CC principal Sean Bulson.
U.S. District Court judges Roger Titus and Peter Messitte made the presentation on behalf of their class of 1959 classmates. Representing the Kennedy family was Mark Shriver, JFK’s nephew and a Montgomery County resident. He spoke of President Kennedy’s legacy for today’s youth and how his spirit of service to humanity has lived on not only with the class of 1959, but also in current B-CC students (text of speech in pdf). Principal Bulson thanked the class of 1959 and promised that the plaque would occupy a place of honor in the main hallway of B-CC’s administration building.
Below are photos of the evening's presentation. The last photo shows where the plaque is located in the school's main entrance lobby. Click on any image below to start the slide show. (Many thanks to Bill Mills, class of 1958, for his wonderful photos of the presentation, #01-#20.)

JFK Plaque Presentation

Class Posts

Kay Shore, 11/27/05
Hello - We're looking for Ginger Moore - Class of 1959. Anyone know of her whereabouts?
This is Kay Shore, class of 1959. Please contact us. Thanks

Kirstin Shafer Moritz, 12/18/04
I am looking for Ken Millard, Sheila Stahl, Linda McGinty, and Carol Haenni.
I am now retired to Falmouth, Massachusetts from many years as an administrator at various universities. I have two daughters, a grandson with another about to be born, and have remarried at age 60 to Rod Hinkle. We are retired together on Cape Cod.
I would love to hear from anyone from my class.
I was in the orchestra under Mr. Petranek and I really recall Mr. Metcalf, the math teacher.
My email address

Gloria Smith Bello, 5/2/03
This web site is great. I am in the class of 1959, the year that the "old" library was built. We had our 40th class reunion in 1999. My daughter and I explored the high school during demolition. I am anxious to see the new one in 2004 at our 45th. I live in Louisiana now. Many fond memories at B-CC. I was on the Pom Pon squad. Is there still such a thing? I have a suggestion. Is there a way that the school could have a contact section so that grads coud find a contact person regarding a class reunion? Many students may want to attend but do not know who to contact. That would be a shame for them to miss seeing old friends. Thanks.

Eugene D. "Jerry" Eaton, Jr., 1/26/03
If others wish to contact me the information for the CLASSMATES page is: bentarrow@gci.net

Samuel S Jones [PVTC], 1/9/03
Just a note to my classmates in the Class of 1959 that the new B-CC is really great! Great teachers as well a great new facility. I have two daughters at B-CC in 2002-03, a 12th grader (Basia Jones) and 10th grader (Krisia Jones). I am a stockbroker/financial consultant at Smith Barney Inc. in downtown D.C. Call toll-free 800-424-3209 ext. 5462 or 202-857-5462.