Jan. 2, 1999

A Denver high school teacher spent New Year's Day re-uniting with former students. Since 1962, history teacher Dick Jordan has been telling students to meet him on the steps of the Denver library on January 1, 2000.

As News Specialist Shelley Osterloh explains, hundreds showed up, including one student you'll probably recognize.

It's a laugh former students have remembered for decades. History teacher Dick Jordan made the impression that has transcended time.

Over 27 years, Jordan promised to meet his students on this New Year's day at the Denver public library. He even gave them a homework assignment-- knowing that he would be retired when the year rolled around he asked them to bring a dollar for him to spend when he goes to Tahiti.

Jennifer Portillo/1982 Graduate: "THE YEAR WE GRADUATED, WE ALL HAD TALKED ABOUT MR. JORDAN HAVING THIS REUNION IN 2000, AND OF COURSE WHEN YOU'RE 18 YOU NEVER THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO LIVE TO SEE THE DAY. YOU KNOW WE'D SIT AROUND AND SAY OH MY GOD WE'RE GOING TO BE LIKE 35 YEARS OLD."

...and older.

Dick Jordan / teacher: "SOME OF YOU LOOK A LITTLE MORE MATURE THAN I EXPECTED YOU."

They came from L.A. and New York and even Alaska to celebrate Y2J.

Dick Jordan / teacher: "AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL LIFE AND OF ALL THE THINGS THAT I WILL EVER REMEMBER, IT WILL BE THIS DAY. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE."

One former student came from Salt Lake City.

John Daley/1982 Graduate: "I GRADUATED IN 82, SO I HAVEN'T SEEN THESE FOLKS IN 18 YEARS."

New Specialist John Daley, one of Jordan's students, says he always planned to be there, January 1 of 2000.

John Daley/Eyewitness News: BECAUSE DICK WAS SUCH A GREAT TEACHER AND DICK WAS REALLY A UNIFYING FORCE FOR ME AND ALL OF MY FRIENDS, AND OBVIOUSLY A WHOLE GENERATION OF PEOPLE. AND SO THAT WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL, I THINK, IS BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO HONOR DICK."

Many of the people who showed up, said the crowd was no surprise.

John Daley/Eyewitness News: "IT'S A REAL TESTAMENT TO WHAT KIND OF TEACHER HE IS AND WHAT KIND OF MAN HE IS... AND JUST THE LEGACY."

A legacy they'll all carry into the future.