They leafed through yellowed photographs of smiling children with retro hairstyles and read over decades-old cotillion invitations. Chatter drifted from the importance of penmanship tests—and how little boys used to dip the ponytails of little girls sitting in front of them into their ink wells—to the classroom competitions held to collect newspapers and magazines for wartime efforts.

Aquarter of a century ago, Rockitz opened as a nightclub in the Fan area.  It was sold three years later, but during its tenure opened its stage to then up-and-coming acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and 10,000 Maniacs.  For the past two decades, Rockitz has existed as an organization that provides local artist management, booking and festival production. In recent years, its Web site (http://www.rockitz.net) began housing music videos from local acts and now has about 400 available on the site for viewing.

Plans are under way for the 2009 reunion for graduates of the former Pineland-Edwards Military Institute and Southwood College in Salemburg, N.C. Virginians interested in reconnecting with old classmates at the reunion (to be held at the site of the original campus) are asked to contact Julia “Dodd” Masters ( ) at (252) 443-2585 or Waldo Clifton ( ) at (919) 665-4432.

The Thomas Jefferson High School Class of 1954 will celebrate its 55th reunion Oct. 17-18. For more information, contact Jeanne Jewett Bell at (804) 794-9463 or .

Wilma Saferight and Margie Bowman don’t remember it now, but an old photo proves that long ago they were friends. As young women in the late 1940s, Wilma Lane and Margie Francisco moved to Richmond and rented rooms in a house on Grace Street. One summer day, they went out on the roof, wearing bathing suits and high heels, for a Miss America-style photo.