The passing of President Gerald R. Ford last week had special significance for the members of our 1976 graduating class at Andrew Warde High School. Ford was the nation's 38th president during our senior year of high school.
Although Ford was never elected to the office of president or vice president, he will be best remembered for healing a country following the Watergate scandal and the resignation of President Richard Nixon. He was in office for only 896 days, but his role in history will not be forgotten.
While watching the network coverage of his funeral Saturday night, many of the anchors and commentators mentioned his presidency was "from a different era so very long ago." Yes, it was a very long time ago. In fact, Katie Couric of CBS News mentioned that over 40 percent of Americans weren't even born when Ford was our president. That just seems too difficult to believe.
Although his lasting legacy was granting a pardon to Nixon which may have ultimately cost him the 1976 presidential election, his biography is quite impressive. Prior to becoming vice president, he served for over eight years as the Republican Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from Michigan's fifth congressional district.
Ford was an Eagle Scout, a center and linebacker for the University of Michigan's football team, and he helped lead the Wolverines to undefeated seasons and national titles in 1932 and 1933. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1941 and was admitted to the Michigan bar shortly thereafter. Ford received a commission as ensign in the United States Naval Reserve on April 13, 1942.
Gerald Ford lived a rich and full life before passing last week. He will be remembered for many things, but to this writer, he will be best remembered as our president during our senior year at Andrew Warde High School.
Paul
So, what were the Top 10 songs in the country for the final week of January, 1975? The list will no doubt bring back memories of our junior year at Andrew Warde High School.