When 57 went marching in, when 57 went marching in...wish you all could have been in that number, when 57 went marching in.

Because march into the French Quarter we did -- right down Bourbon Street, tossing parade beads and accompanied by a dixieland band -- to launch our March 21-24 Mini-Reunion in New Orleans. And we stayed jazzed up from then on!

As always the greatest fun was getting to meet and greet one another. But there were wonderful activities as well.

An extensive bus tour brought us back to the French Quarter as well as to the Garden District and historic landmarks. It also took us through the stricken lower 9th Ward with an upbeat but insightful guide who had herself experienced the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans today is welcoming, vibrant and resilient. It remains a fun-filled and totally unique place to visit, with or without classmates. Just ask any of the following participants in our recent "mini": Bell (Gale) Chevigny and Paul, Jan (Reddig) Coggeshall, Nancy (Kirby) Cuddy, Laura (Neuhaus) Hansen, Mopsy (Beall) and Ken Keller, Tookie (Latham) Kelly, Didi (diHaven) Lovett, Joan (Woods) and Alan McDougall, Kitty (Kiewitt) and Clay Mollman, Moyna Monroe, Jane Douglas Moore, Anne (Mitchell) and Vance Morgan, Nina Moss, Mona (Campbell) Munson, Peg (Flowers) and Hank Norwood, Mikie (Carmichael) Oliphant, Ann (Jackson) O'Sullivan, Sue (Davenport) Peirce) Jo (Myers) and Jim Schattinger, Louise (Alcus) and John Simon, Martha Stanton, Ann (Harried) Volz and Susan (Armstrong) Watts. On-site coordinator Stephanie Bruno '73 and Janet (Sommers) Isenberg '56, added their enthusiasm and knowledge of New Orleans.

Highlights of the busy schedule of events included tours of the Ogden Art Museum, World War II Museum and Mardi Gras World (where we constructed our own floats to illustrate the theme "Girls Gone Green" and/or "In a Pickle.") In addition to dinner with local grads in a private home we sampled the legendary cuisine of Antoine's, The Commander's Palace, The Red Fish Grill and other popular creole eateries. We even enjoyed a carriage ride back to the hotel on our final evening.

Volunteers who wished to stay for the following day had an opportunity to volunteer for a post-Katrina project at the Botanical Gardens. Those who had arrived in advance of our program had been given the chance to visit gardens of a more historic sort.

To share in the enjoyment of the reunion through the photo gallery Click Here.

All class officers were on hand, so we were able to hold our annual meeting right in the Hampton Inn which served as our headquarters. Vice President Anne Mitchell Morgan was cheered for her outstanding role in running our "mini," and everyone applauded the news that Toni Murphy Harkness has agreed to lead our big 55th Reunion in 2012.

THE BEAT GOES ON !!!