John Kagy '64

I was involved with the Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity and the Marching Band while I was a student. My fondest memory was working with 49er Days during my senior year. I did the marketing for the event (with basically no budget) and got a friend to help make billboards to put up on campus. They were quite large and President McIntosh did not think they enhanced the beauty of the school. But all in all, working on 49er Days and the event itself is a wonderful memory from my time at LBSC.

I certainly attended student events while I was in college. I went to many dances and was, of course, involved with 49er Days. I also attended many football games. I was in the band, so we always played at the games to support the team.

I tended to hang out off of campus a lot of the time, but the best on-campus place to hang out was definitely the cafeteria.

Dr. Willhouse, a Biology Professor, had quite an impact on me. I was doing really well in his class and had high grades on all of the assignments and tests, but he gave me a B. He didn’t think I was working hard enough for it.

LBSC and the degree I earned really gave me the opportunity to get my foot in the door at companies I wouldn’t have been able to without a college degree. That meant I could get the work experience I needed to grow in a career once I was out of school.

After graduating, I went into management training with Penney’s and after working there for six months I spent six years at National Cash Register. I went back to school to get a teaching credential because I wanted to teach and coach. However, I ended up not being able to find a teaching job, so I went into the tax processing industry for 23 years. Finally, I started teaching at La Mirada High School and was there until I retired.

Now that I am retired, I still like to keep busy. I work with Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps League, as well as the Golden Graduates here at Cal State, Long Beach. Additionally, I’m still really into music (I played with the Marching Band in college) and I now play with five different groups, some of which include other CSULB alumni! I also really enjoy CSULB Sports and am an active fan!

Nine members of my family went to CSULB including my children, my wife, my siblings, and my sister-in-law. We have a lot of people tied to the university.

Both my wife and I were able to get jobs and have a standard of living that we couldn’t have gotten any other way. We could afford to retire comfortably. My education was my way to get into a company and make a living.

House of the Rising Sun—that was our theme song when we were bachelors. TV—Monday night football. Fads: Button-down shirts, buck shoes, belt back pants, wingtip shoes,

Things keep coming and going out of style multiple times in my life.