dining hall night

Indian Springs Alumni Web Site
& Discussion List Link
by M.D. Smith, class of '59

ISS (205) 988-3350
ISS School Home Page
FAX: (205) 988-3797

School e-mail: Loren Gary at loren.gary@indiansprings.org
Indian Springs School's 2018 Alumni Weekend will be April 20-23, 2018.
. . revised . . 11-10-17
New Video uploaded to youtube - Drone video of Alumni Day 2015 & choir walking to dining hall with Audio of the 1999 Alumni & Student Choir singing the ISS Alma Mater.

After eight years as Director of ISS, Dr. Gareth Vaughan announced he was stepping down as Director.
Indian Springs concluded its search with the appointment of Dr. Sharon Howell as the sixth Director of Indian Springs School, effective July 1, 2016. Dr. Howell is currently the Associate Head of School at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, Mass.
Mr. Mac Fleming WWII Lecture on YouTube. This is a Lecture of December 9, 2003 that Mr. Fleming gave to the senior class at Indian Springs School.


ISS ORIGINAL COFFEE CAKE RECIPES. Thanks Mr. Fleming.

NEW: Some tales of 2009.

NEW 2015 - THE "DOC FILES" COLLECTION.
In the book of Doc's writings that Kay Armstrong Carter edited, it says (on page 5) that January 23, 1906, was Louis Edgar Armstrong's birth date, in Meade, Oklahoma. He was the second of seven children. He died in Richmond, Virginia, on April 6, 1982, of an apparent heart attack at age 76.
Doc Armstrong was headmaster from 1952 to 1972.
Collection of links found elsewhere scattered around the site, but all here in one spot.
Image Of Man by "Doc" Armstrong
Quotes and letters of Doc Armstrong, by Karen Armstrong Carter
Allan Cruse - "How Doc Did It"
Your Idea of a Chair - By Frank Carter
1956 Photo from brochure-Doc Armstrong With senior students
AUDIO, MP3 of 1969 Doc Armstrong & Everett Holle of Ch. 13

He's talking to Everett Holle of Ch. 13 before Glee Club performance at Christmas time. Doc talks about a letter from a ISS grad in Viet Nam and about love and to live in the light. (1:39), 294k file size.

ISS Class of '59's 50th Reunion(info) was held May 30, 2009 (Alumni Weekend @ ISS is May 29-30) This was also Graduation weekend and Homecoming Concert. A party (5:30-8:00) for ALL Alumni was held Friday night at The Wine Loft (2200 1st Ave. North). Alumni Day on Saturday May 30th started at 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. Began at 11:00 with a Multimedia Presentation in the John Badham Theater, followed by the Alum of the Year, Arthur Freeman '59, then Lunch. Canoe Races and other events planned as well.

ISS Fall Alumni Luncheon - October 24, 2008 - was held at Fleming's Steak House at the Summit Mall. Great food and program from ISS students.

Photo of ISS Boys Soccer Celebrating win over Randolph (3 to 1) in State Championship. See all the photos of game taken by MDS on 5-10-08 and newspaper write ups on this page. Click link.

Alumni Day Weekend was May 2-4, 2008. Photo of Gareth Vaughan and me taken at Alumni Day '08.

The Holiday Party was December 26th in the Gym. New ISS Director for 2008, Gareth Vaughan, was there.

FALL '07 ALUMNI LUNCHEON-The annual Fall Alumni Luncheon was held on November 2, 2007 at Vulcan Park in Birmingham. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Local Documentary Film Director/Producer and former ISS student, Celia Carey, spoke and showed a clip from her latest documentary "Mr. Dial Has Something To Say." (Watch the trailer: http://www.aptv.org/AS/MrDial/index.asp ) Also featured were recipients of the Andy Abroms '77 Memorial Scholarship for Summer Study. Report topics ranged from visits in the states to Tibet.

Alumni Weekend was Friday April 20, 2007 (reception at Ted's Garage: Wyatt R. Haskell ‘57 accepted the Outstanding Alum of the Year award.) to Sunday April 22, 2007 (activities started at 10:30 on campus Saturday , Mac Fleming Day: Great tribute to Indian Springs’ original renaISSance man. Tent was on Armstrong Green with chairs and speaker area. Choir performed outside as part of the activities under the tent, next to the Science wing.

FLASH! John Tauxe Glee Club Music web site is UP and hosted HERE. Finished. Browse and enjoy.

ALUMNI WEEKEND REPORT - 2006 - It Was A Great Weekend - - April 7,8, and 9th.

2005 Fall Alumni Luncheon at Ted's Garage. It was a GREAT place for our luncheon. Amid the antique cars and fully restored garage, it's a location delight for the wonderful catered lunch. (Click on any of the thumbnails for the full size photo)


Last April '05 here's what we did:

Saturday April 9, weather was GREAT all day
10:00 a.m. Pop-Out Fair
10:00 - - - - Mimosas and fancy food trays in the Town Hall
11:30 - - - - Town Meeting in the Badham Theater
- - - - - - - - Presentation of the ISS Campus Master Plan
- - - - - - - - Presentation of the Outstanding Alumnus Award-Kip Porter '60
1:00 p.m. Lunch in the Dining Hall (Amazing spread. Do kids and faculty eat like this every day? Probably not.)
1:00 - 2:00 Farewell Tour of the Dorm Circle
3:00 p.m. ISS Girls' Soccer vs. Altamont at Woodard Field
4:00 p.m. ISS Boys' Soccer vs. Altamont at Woodard Field

Fall Alumni Luncheon, October 29, 2004 was held at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The agenda included opening remarks from Mayor ET Brown IV '05, presentation of the 2004 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year to M.D. Smith IV '59 (actual speech given is in files section below) (photo of Mr. Fleming, Steve Coleman and M.D. Smith) and presentations by representative 2004 student recipients of the Andy Abroms '77 Memorial Scholarships for Summer Study.

Alumni Weekend for 2004 WAS April 16,17 & 18th with event at Vulcan on Friday night the 16th before Alumni Day at the School. (See several paragraphs below in Special Files section for speech of M.D. Smith (who could not be there to receive OAY award) for what he would have delivered himself)

The ISS Alumni Discussion List

The New ISS Alumni Discussion List is active. You must sign up to be able to send to the list or get mail from it. Alumni, Faculty, Parents and Students are welcome to subscribe. This is the web site that allows you to sign up for the list. http://list.iss-alums.net/mailman/listinfo/2discuss
It sends email to: "2discuss@list.iss-alums.net" which should keep SPAM down. That is the email address you put in your address book when sending to the list. The web page says: " This is the Indian Springs School Alumni email list and discussion site. You are encouraged to use it, but please DON'T SPAM the list with things for sale and personal notices. Let's keep things on an upbeat note and don't send messages that are harmful to certain individuals. Sure, you can criticize another member's opinions, but do so in a civil manner. "

This is a powerful List Server and it also will STORE on the web site, ALL messages sent in archives that you can review whenever you want (in case you miss some or want to review messages but not subscribe). You give it a password when you sign up and that allows you to change your settings in the future. Keep your password in a safe place. I can NOT retrieve passwords if you forget it, BUT, YOU can retrieve it and have it sent to your email address that you sign up with. Neat, huh?

Also, as I get items sent to the list of importance, even stories when you were at ISS, I will post them on THIS web site. I have added a number of stories from the old alumni web site and hope to add more. This domain and mail-list is paid for 10 years in advance, so it won't be going away any time soon. You can also send pictures attached to the discussion list, limited to 100K total size. By all means send a photo of yourself with your email, a recent trip of interest, visit to the school, old ISS photos and anything under 100k. For now, you can attach any kind of file, picture or document. If this capability is not abused, it will continue and perhaps even have the size expanded, but usually, that's big enough for individuals to want to receive. You comments and input will be welcomed by me. C U on the Discussion List. MDS

Please send any comments to M.D. Smith (mdsmith@HiWAAY.net)

Things from the '55-'59 High School Era
Stories, People, '59 Graduation Class members and addresses
School's 40th Anniversary
Music of the Years, Articles, Pictures and current information.

"Ah...I think if all you boys make it this year and keep getting invited back, it will be a miracle!"
Quote from Mac Fleming, Prof. speaking to freshman class in 1955

Article on Mr. Fleming's 55 years at ISS (1952-2007)

from The Birmingham News (5-7-07).


In all these links below, you can find out a lot about a school that absolutely changed my life. As much as we alumni joke about it, it is truly one of the finest college-prep schools in the nation. It was all boys when I attended, but now is co-ed. Located about 20 miles south of Birmingham, they now have their own ZIP code and location at INDIAN SPRINGS, ALABAMA. I have stayed very active in Alumni events and anniversary years for our class of '59. It's a small school with only a bit over 200 students, many of which board at the school in Dorm Circle. If you want more information from the school, see the address and phone numbers elsewhere on this page.


Special Files Section

Special 50's music invitation
for the class of 1959 for the 30th Reunion in 1989. I used lots of 50's song titles to make the fictional letter, which was really an invitation to the party at Arthur Freeman's house. What a "blast" it was.
M.D. Smith's October 29,2004 OAY award Speech
which was finally delivered. This is a shortened, but different version than the one scripted to have been delivered listed below. Since they have different references and incidents, both are included.
M.D. Smith's spring, 2004 OAY award Speech
which would have been delivered upon receiving the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year award, if he had not been hospitalized that weekend for a blood clot. He's doing fine now. But here's what he would have delivered to Students on Friday, combined with Speech that was partially delivered by Roy Knight to alumni on Saturday.
Newspaper article on Glee Club of 1958
Photo and article 340k large so that you can read all the type from the article. Every member is named in this article. Thanks to George Starcher for the contribution.
John Tauxe '79 Glee Club Music site (now hosted by HiWAAY on this website)
ALL the Glee Club albums available for downloading in .mp3 format or the whole album in .zip format
Speech given to Alumni on 40th Anniversary of ISS
This was at The Birmingham Civic Center on May 22, 1993. It was the occasion of the school's 40th year and a representative of each of the 4 decades told a bit about ISS during their years. I got the 50's. Read and see what it was like and enjoy the humor (I hope) you find there.
Tale of a typical spring afternoon at the "Springs" in 1957
This "tale" was published in THE ISSINFO, November 1, 1994 edition. It recollects a typical afternoon after school until dinner time at the Dining Hall.
Image Of Man by "Doc" Armstrong and Photo of "Doc"
This poem was written by Louis "Doc" Armstrong in the 50's. Doc was Director of the school from the time it opened till he retired many years later. We students didn't understand it very much at the time, but now, as we are older and wiser, it makes a lot of sense.
Mr. Fleming Retires and Quotes from him. plus Photo of "Mac" with class in 1956
Article from the Birmingham News, June 8, 1994. Mac tells about his 41 years with ISS. [Mr. Fleming returned a year or two later to teach one class a day and still does as of 2003 - 50 years at ISS ]

Mr. Fleming's Military History Lecture to Seniors, Dec. 9, 2003 (.mp3 audio file to download - (running time 42 minutes - 39 mb file size)

"The Japanese radio men who sent morse code, each had a unique style of sending code. The U.S. radio men who were receiving these messages, knew which operator they were hearing and knew which carrier they were on. The only problem was, the Japanese knew, we knew which man was sending the morse code message, so they moved these operators to stationary ships in Japan and put different radio operators on the carriers and sailed out of Japan, on their ultimate way to Pearl Harbor. " (running time 42 minutes - 39 mb file size)

Mr. Fleming's Military History Lecture to Seniors, Dec. 9, 2003 (MPEG VIDEO file,small format to download - (running time 42 minutes - 215.5 mb file size)

"The Japanese radio men who sent morse code, each had a unique style of sending code.

Mr. Fleming's Military History Lecture to Seniors, Dec. 9, 2003 (MPEG VIDEO VCD quality file to download - (running time 42 minutes - 419.0 mb file size)

"The Japanese radio men who sent morse code, each had a unique style of sending code.
Snapshot Photos taken in early 1956
Taken by M.D. Smith with a Brownie roll film camera with B&W film.

1957 Plant Tropisms Biology Project

I did this project in Mr. Cobun's biology class. Just found this "WriteRight" notebook and I think you'll find these photos and comments interesting.

The CLASS of '59 : Names & addresses.

This is the most current list of our class members and their home addresses. If there are any errors, and you spot it, please let me know to correct it. Note we are still missing several members whom seem to have dropped from the earth and if you know their where-abouts, please let me know. Thanks.
Report of 35th Reunion of class of '59
Held in May of 1994 at the home of Joyce and Jerry Lanning in Birmingham, it was a "boppin' good time." Read all about it again or for the first time.
Songs of 30th Reunion of class of '59
These are the 5 tapes of songs played at Arthur & Linda Freeman's house in 1989 at the 30th class reunion. Much of the same music was played in '94 at the 35th reunion, but it had all been re-recorded from CD's onto DAT audio tape by then. Some of these songs in '89 came from the original 45's with surface noise, scratches and all.
Songs of the ISS 40th Anniversary Celebration (1993)
In honor of ALL the classes and years at Indian Springs, this music contained at LEAST one song from each year from 1952/53 to 1992/93. It's interesting to see how the music changed as the years went along. All of these songs made the Billboard Top 10 Pop Chart of these years.
1999 Photos of the 40th Reunion Party at Jerry & Joyce Lanning's Smyer Lake house.
These 1999 snapshots are in a directory. Just click on the photo you want to see. Thumbnail small sizes are also there to look at first to see if you want to take the download time to look at the full size photo. Hit back arrow button to return to main ISS page.
ISS 40th Anniversary Committee and Logo of 40th Gala
This is the big group (names & addresses) of those who worked on the school's 40th Anniversary celebration in May of 1993. It was a huge project, both the day at the school and the night at the Birmingham Civic Center.
List of Former Faculty of ISS - - Read and Remember Them.
Quotes and letters of Doc Armstrong, by Karen Armstrong Carter - - from "Selected Writings of Louis E. Armstrong" copyright 1983.
First D-Day at ISS, by Allan B. Cruse '59 - - Clearing a 50 foot, mile long powerline trail.
Allan Cruse - "How Doc Did It" - - His recollections of Doc talking to a freshman about the uniqueness of ISS.
Bunch of Memories - - Things from 40th Anniversary Pamphlet (poems, prose, facts, fun)
1952 Brochure text before the school opened. - From the ISS Home Page

THE ISS SCHOOL EMAIL LIST USED TO BE HERE. It has been deleted because of SPAM problems. If you want a classmate's email address, please contact the school. They will be more than happy to get you in touch.

Alumni Quotes about ISS - Thanks to Mark Noel and Benjamin Thomas

Stories from Alumni - A Dozen Great Stories


Stories from (Last Name) Carter, Thuss, Ort, Jones, Malloy, Jones, Mueller, Lentz, Bigger, Read and Byers. Great collection of stories of Events, Teachers, Classes and Classic Memories of their student years.

Your Idea of a Chair - By Frank Carter
Aerial Photos of ISS - By Chip Thuss
Lake & Springs - By Janet L. Ort
"Stegner's class" - By Bailey Jones
Weekends at Indian Springs - By Larry Molloy
Basic Studies - By Bill Jones
Glee Club trips & Other stories - By Harry W. Mueller, III
Bill Leverette - By Perry Lentz
I REMEMBER ISS - By John F. Bigger
Where Were You Raised - By Larry B. Read
Glee Club Memories - By Tom Byers
Indian Springs School Actually Mutant Training Facility - By Anonymous
Frisbee & MudBowl Tournament 2005 - By Austin Lyman, Class 2006

Other, Alumni Stories from old Alumni-Web (edited by Joseph Sack, Class of '99)

AUDIO Files Section

AUDIO, MP3 of 1969 Doc Armstrong & Everett Holle of Ch. 13
He's talking to Everett Holle of Ch. 13 before Glee Club performance at Christmas time. Doc talks about a letter from a ISS grad in Viet Nam and about love and to live in the light. (1:39), 294k file size.
AUDIO, MP3 of ISS Alma Mater 1957 Glee Club
This is the recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format (1:07), 1.056 mb file size.
AUDIO, MP3 of ISS Alma Mater 1999 Alumni & Student Choir
This is the recording Alumni Day 1999 at the Town Hall Dedication. It's the combined Alumni and Student Choirs in MP3 Format (1:05), 1.024 mb file size.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Barefoot"
"Barefoot" recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "In My Arms"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Jamaica Farewell"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Banana Boat Song"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Vive L'Amour"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Motherless Child"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Steal Away"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Battle Hymn Of The Republic"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "What Shall We Do With A Rowdy Sailor?"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "O Peaceful Night"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Dry Bones"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Whirlwind"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Christmas Concert - excerpts"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Ghost Riders In The Sky"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Shenandoah"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Folk Song Suite"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "Paul Revere's Ride"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, .mp3 "The God Who Gave Us Life, Gave Us Liberty"
Recording of the 1957 ISS Glee Club from LP record in MP3 Format.
AUDIO, MP3, Intro by James Scott of Senior Teachers, May 20, 2000
James Scott Intro of Cantey, Watkins and Fleming at Alumni Day 2000 in MP3 Format (3:17) , 1.532 mb file size.
AUDIO, MP3, Frank Cantey, Alumni Day, May 20,2000
Recollections and stories of Mr. Cantey in MP3 Format (28:32), 20.048 mb file size. Revised 2008 for higher audio levels
AUDIO, MP3, Lee Watkins, Alumni Day 2000
Recollections and stories of Mr. Watkins in MP3 Format (22:31), 15.847 mb file size. Revised 2008 for higher audio levels
AUDIO, MP3, Mac Fleming, Alumni Day 2000
Recollections and stories of Mr. Fleming in MP3 Format (5:20), 3.777 mb file size. Revised 2008 for higher audio levels
AUDIO, MP3, James Scott final comments
Closing of "Recollection" segment in MP3 Format (2:44), 1.294 mb file size.

Photo Section (Old and New Pics)

Photos of "Lake Project", September 2000 until --- MAY 2001.

"The maintenance crew works daily--and all day--dredging the lake. They are making great progress, but most of the task is still ahead of them. Our biology teacher is working on the planting plan (fish, flora, etc.) that will keep the correct ecological balance and hopefully, avoid future problems like this. The students will be involved too, so it should be a great experience for all."

(E.T. Brown comments:) "The picture of the dozer stuck by the beach happened on the first day. On the first day we only had one bulldozer, but brought in another one the second day. Lee Sanner, the head of maintenance, got the thing unstuck using the backhoe soon after I took that picture. Since then, they have gotten stuck a couple of times, but with the other dozer, get unstuck in about 5 minutes. No big deal."

Continued photos of lake project - October 16, 2000

  • Dry lake bed and Upper Pond
  • Causeway showing Upper Pond & dry lake
  • Old bottles are part of treasure found in mud
  • Much progress being made increasing depth of the lake
  • Another view of work with trucks in background
  • Close up of progress (all above photos Oct. 16, 2000)
    Other photos of lake project by M.D. Smith - October 22, 2000

  • Here I (MDS) am pointing at lake bed and opposite road side
  • Photo of lake bed with Town Hall and Dining hall behind
  • Scott Smith digs in bulldozed mounds
  • And finds treasure. Very Old Pepsi bottle
  • Causeway showing upper pond, swan and blocked pipe to retain water
  • Close up of Swan who seems to be doing well
  • This is me and my car deep in the bottom with dam wall behind
  • A wider shot of my and car in deep end of lake on hard ground
  • 3 bottles found in muck sit on bulldozer tread
  • Lake and canoes waiting for water to come back
  • Scott taking a "mock" drink from old Pepsi Bottle, dozer behind
  • Very wide shot of car in lake bottom with school in background
    Lake Starts Filling Up - December, 2000 [photos from E.T. Brown]

  • New boat dock before filling. Shows depth of this area.
  • View of New Dock as lake fills in background
  • Deep End of Lake as filling just began
  • Middle of Lake filling up
  • Long view of Deep End filling with school in background
  • Cross view showing new dock with deep and shallow parts
  • Upper part of main lake near causway filling up
    MAY - 2001 - LAKE IS FULL - FISH RELEASING [photos from E.T. Brown]

  • MAY - 2001- LAKE IS FULL - RELEASING FISH BY STUDENTS
  • MAY - 2001- LAKE IS FULL - More Fish Release
  • MAY - 2001- Students around stock-truck Comments from ISS folks on Lake Project
    Most of the comments so far are from E.T. Brown on the faculty at ISS. He's also run the bulldozer a couple of times for 4-6 hours at a stretch.

    1956 Brochure     Large photo of Cover. Below are other photos from brochure.
    History of Directors at Indian Springs School; Louis Armstrong (1952-1972), Joseph Jackson (1972-1986), Mac Fleming (Interim, 1986-1987), Douglas Jennings (1987-2002), Mel MacKay (2002-2007), Lee Pierson (Interim, 2007-2008), Gareth Vaughan (2008 - 2016), Sharon Howell (2016 - present)

    You're the website statistics person to visit page since Dec. 30, 1995.
    Best Regards, M.D. Smith in Huntsville, Alabama
    Return to MDS Home Page

    Please send any comments to M.D. Smith (mdsmith@HiWAAY.net)
    This page created by M.D. Smith in 1995 and last modified on 4-8-16 ©