On my day off from work today, I went to CVS in Mehlville to get my annual flu shot at its MinuteClinic. I first thought I would have to wait until mid-afternoon to get the shot; however, they were able to get me in that morning. After the usual questions from the nurse practitioner, I got the shot and should be safe for another year.
Late this morning, I drove to downtown St. Louis to visit two exhibits. First stop was Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, which I had last visited about six years ago. In addition to the regular items on display, the museum is hosting a special exhibit, "Vietnam: At War & At Home." It told the story of the Vietnam War both on the battlefield (highlighting St. Louis connections) and at home. The latter section particularly interested me as it included two F-4 Phantom II models loaned by my IPMS/Gateway colleague and friend Jim Triola. They were included in a section on the Phantom II's manufacturer, McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). The exhibit runs until 24 May 2024.
After spending time at Soldiers Memorial, I went just two blocks north to the Central Library of the St. Louis Public Library. The great hall there was hosting "PROM: Where Did You Go to High School?" It told of the local high school experience told through the pages of PROM, a monthly local high school magazine published from 1947 to 1973. The exhibit tells of the St. Louis area high school experience, how PROM covered these events through student reporters at the schools and had photos and ads that ran in the publication. Additionally, there were typical prom fashions and lists of the top selling songs from the 1950s through the 1990s. A list of St. Louis area high schools, past and present, were placed next to maps showing the locations of these schools from the 1950s through the 1990s. The St. Louis Public Library has a database of nearly all issues of PROM that can be accessed through the library's website. Visitors could write their high school memories on sticky notes and post them on a wall. (I did just that.) Although I was too young to remember PROM when it was around, I had read about it and found this exhibit a fascinating time capsule. The exhibit runs through 7 January 2024.
