“MINI
REUNION”
“LUNCHEON
– OPTIMISM PREVAILS”
Kay
Clark has made arrangements for class members to gather for lunch at the Lodge
at Woodcliff at 11:30 A.M. on Monday, September 13, 1999. Please get your
checks to Kay in advance. The cost is $25. Delivery of your check to her will
constitute your acceptance & statement of intention to attend. The $25 will
cover the cost of a generous buffet lunch, a glass of wine, tax & gratuity.
This is the only notice you will receive about this luncheon. GIVE IT A SHOT!
Norma Fox Winfree
Dear George---Thank
you very much for your letter & request. Things have been a bit hectic here
& I can only hope my response is not too late. Nothing I can say would express
the joy I have received from my years at BHS. Luckily, so many, many students
still keep in touch with me.
Sincerely, Norma F. Winfree, nee Fox
Greetings
to all my students & the friends I knew at BHS so many, many years ago!
In 1974, we deserted
the snow & cold of Rochester & began to spend our winters here. Now
we’re all year Arizonians enjoying the sunshine every day. My years of teaching
gave me so much joy & I think of all of you so often. Every time I hear
from a former student, I thrill also because of his (her) excess of happy
memories of the high school years. My one wish for each of you is to love life,
friends & each day as I have. My love always, Norma Winfree.
Picture removed
Norma
Fox Winfree-1944
Where does George Shaw Live?
Move
over Horatio Alger, The Little Engine That Could & The Impossible Dream . .
. . . . . . . There's a new kid on the block!
Confounding
all experts & particularly our national fearless odds-makers, the Sleepy,
soft, San Antonio Spurs came from a 6-8 early season deficit to manhandle both
Western & Eastern NBA Conferences & seize convincingly the 1999 NBA
Championship. When I say "convincingly" I mean record setting,
ruthless stomping of all comers who had the temerity to set foot on the same
court as the Spurs!
Far
from an early -or late season favorite of anybody who follows basketball, the
Spurs cobbled together an unheard of formula to systematically mow down all
opposition & garner the top stats for the season, & win the coveted
home court advantage for the Play-offs. Even this feat didn't attract much
attention. What with the NY Knicks, L.A. Lakers, Utah Jazz, & a few other
"real" basketball squads lining up for the playoffs. San Antonio was
seldom even mentioned as a possible late finalist.
The
weird formula for success espoused by the Spurs were those qualities &
habits long forgotten & tossed aside as old fogy ideas: Teamwork, civility,
no superstars & meaningful, real religious conviction. Nick-named the
"choir-boys" from South Texas, all team members unabashedly displayed
an open & abiding faith in themselves & especially in a higher power
guiding them every step of the way.
The
first opponent for Round 1 of the playoffs was the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Powered by superstar Kevin Garnett, they fell to the Spurs 3-1, never even
winning a game in their home court, despite loud predictions of their
superiority.
Next
in line, in Round 2, were the Los Angeles Lakers. As everyone knows Shaq
O'Neill is the toughest center in the league, doesn't like or admire the Spurs,
maybe because he went to high school here, & babbled intensely to the
national press core of how easy this match-up was going to be. It turns out he
was right-Spurs took the series 4-0. This is known as a Sweep, something no one
does to L.A. In fact, until this year, L.A. Lakers under Magic Johnson set a
Play-off record of 11 straight wins without a loss. This year that record was
broken-not by L.A.
Following
the sweep with L.A., the Portland Trailblazers rolled into town. Fresh from an
upset victory over the feared Utah Jazz in Round 2, they saw San Antonio as a
chance to coast into Round 4-the Finals. Four games later they were gone, fini,
another “sweep." This gave San Antonio the title of Western Conference
Champ-they had never gone this far before. It set up the Finals against the
Eastern Conference Champ, the NY Knicks!
All
the drama that surrounds NY City & the Knicks was heady stuff for the San
Antonio choirboys & their devoted South Texas fans. What with Spike Lee,
Billy Crystal, Brad Pitt, et al leading the cheers & the NY Sports writers
leading the printed claims & hardly disguised put-downs of our luck &
good fortune to come this far, San Antonio methodically & systematically
put them away 4-1. S.A. was the World Champ-first time ever. The town went
wild. Thank God the game was played in NYC, so it wasn't quite the same as
having the team here to celebrate. But when the team flew in next day, the
celebration started all over again.
San
Antonio has never had a major league national champion in any sport. People who
hardly ever attend games during the season joined in the celebration en mass
all over town. Starting with the first game, the Alamodome, our huge
multi-purpose sport stadium, was filled to a capacity level of 39,000 fans. The
average basketball game attendance anywhere is about 20,000 per game. We
arrived 30 minutes before game time & the place was rocking. It kept
rocking all night through, it seemed like everyone I ever knew in San Antonio
was there, having a wonderful time. Nobody wanted it to end, that first game or
the playoff series.
Camelot
came briefly to San Antonio. As we look back it seems like a wonderful fairy
tale. Everything fell in place. We couldn't be prouder of our players. Although
none acted like Super-stars, they all were truly stars in our eyes. David
Robinson, Avery Johnson, Tim Duncan are gifted athletes, but they played as a
team. In a world crying for role models, we couldn't ask for anything more from
our players. They made us all feel like the winners they truly were. Go SPURS
Go!!
Earl Steffan has
just completed a 2-year term as Trustee of the Monroe County Library Board. He
is also a board member of the Rochester Public Library. Earl also reports that
Don Lieston passed away this winter. Don returned from the service &
completed his high school requirements during our senior year. Many of you
talked with him at our reunion picnic.
Barbara
Forsyth Rochow & Dick traveled to Maine in August to celebrate an aunt’s
important birthday. They were in Rochester earlier this summer to pass the
Forsyth Jewelry Store “baton” on to daughter Susan & her husband Matt.
Supposin’ in ‘46:
Joyce
saw bluebirds instead of Robbins
Ruth
Ann swung on fences instead of Gates
Rosemary
were a quarter instead of a Buck
Stuart
said "don't" instead of Dew
Virginia
were a Christmas card instead of a Valentine
Marilyn
were a grapefruit instead of a Melon
Jack
were the offspring of a soldier instead of a "Sailor’s Son"
Margie
were a spaniel instead of a Spitz
Lenny
were a square instead of a Block
Margie
were a Dixie cup instead of a Cohn
Linda
were a Corona instead of a Remington
Eleanor
came instead of Wendt
Harold
were pennies instead of Nichols
Barbara
were Arpeako instead of Swift
Bill
did badly instead of Nicely
Mary
Jane were a shark instead of a Salmon
Hubie
were a mountain instead of a Hill
Our
librarian were tapioca instead of Rice
Len Bloch &
Sue have welcomed their third grandchild (in Fayetteville, NY). They have
recently purchased a condominium in Rancho Bernardo, which will simplify
visiting their West Coast families & provide more tennis weather. Len
continues to do consultant work.
Mari Ostendorf
Wells & Lyndy, having sold the home we have all so enjoyed visiting, are
busy sorting & packing. They look forward to the start of construction of a
new home nearby.
Henry (Hank) Siebert, Jr., Fire Fighter:
Henry
& his wife, Donna, have moved back to Pittsford after eight years in
Florida. After 24 years of Fire/Police Detail, he is now volunteering at the
Fire Department in Pittsford. Henry says “Volunteers are forever!”
In
early summer, Martha Remington King & her husband spent 2 weeks at
Canandaigua Lake. At one point their entire family had arrived from various
parts of the country for a get-together.
Rita
Klee Staglin continues to keep well & active. Disappointed to have to
cancel a trip to Spain when one of her group became ill. Her hope is to travel
the Nile next year.
Sportsfolio – ‘46
Name: Paul Barker
Better known as: "Slim"
Height: Six feet, 2
Weight: 175 pounds
Interests: Sports, mainly football
Pet peeve: Homework assignments on week ends;
this year's baseball team
Big moment: Making All‑County football
team; beating East Rochester in football
Looking forward to: Graduation, house party.
After that, who knows?
Ideas
for betterment of BHS: Taxi service to Johnson's during lunch period. Concrete
lawn so we can walk where we please.
Marty
Messinger made a generous contribution to the University of Rochester according
to an article in the Democrat & Chronicle. He is still with Newberger &
Berman.
Shirley
Bonehill Riddle continues to enjoy her work as a para-professional teacher in a
learning disabled classroom. What lucky kids! Jake had some knee & ankle
reconstruction.
Sports Folioette – ‘46
Name: Katherine Heinrich
Better known as: Kay
Color of hair: Brown
Color of eyes: Brown
Interest: "T. W. C. K.," the
draft bill
Pet Peeves: The draft bill, vicious
gossips & liars
Looking forward to: Graduation &/or
summer school
Ideas for betterment of BHS: No exams!
Kay Heinrich
Clark & Jim are celebrating their 30th Anniversary by spending a
long weekend with each of their children (& families) at their choice of
vacation spots near their homes, i.e. Branson, Shenandoah Mountains, &
Washington, D.C. in August & Las Vegas & Disney World in November.
Arthur Stolnitz:
100% retired! Trying to reduce his golf score.
The life of Art,
how much better can it get?
Janice Rumrill
Dewire & George continue to roam the world. They have been on 2 cruises
this year. A long one around South America, & a shorter one along the East
Coast as far as Canada.
Gordon Van Hooft Bio:
Dr.
Gordon E. Van Hooft-1946 to Present.
After
the Class of 46 graduated I continued at BHS until 1951. The new Phys Ed
Director wanted to coach football so I became varsity basketball coach in 1947.
In the 50-51 season Brighton played East Rochester four times, winning 2
regular season games in a split season but losing 2 playoff games, the last at
the U of R Palestra by 3 points for the county championship.
I
was elected President of the NYS Science Teachers Association in 1949 &
between then & 1951 was appointed on 2 State Science Advisory Committees.
That summer I had the opportunity to take a position in the State Education
Department to work in curriculum development in science & math. I had
already joined a team writing a physics textbook & was ready for a change.
I received my first promotion 2 weeks before Sputnik in 1957 with
responsibility for all secondary level curriculum areas. I had also started
work as an author on a general science textbook, & continued work on three
revisions until 1970. In 1971 I received a major promotion to Director with
enlarged responsibility for all levels of curriculum development. For 8 time I
served as Acting Assistant Commissioner for General Education & Curricular
Services, & finished with an enlarged area including Educational
Communications, Bilingual education, Safety Education & Gifted Education.
I
was granted a leave for a year in the 60's for work on my doctorate at the
University of Illinois & received the Degree in Educational Administration
in 1970.
Anita
& I spent the fall of 1969 at a conference center in the middle of a tea
plantation on Java in Indonesia. I had been "elected by USAID to be the
American consultant at the Educational Writing Center of the Ministry of
Education to advise selected Indonesian college professors & other
educators & writers in the preparation of new textbooks in science &
mathematics for mainly secondary schools. We managed to fit in a long weekend
trip to Mali so I could check out the local scenery, &, of course the local
dancers, etc. We had traveled to Java via Hawaii; Sydney, Australia, &
returned home with a stopover in Bangkok, a week in New Delhi at the NYSED
center there, & of course fit in a train trip to Agra & the Taj Mahal,
& back by way of London with another stopover.
In
1973 both of us were again on an USAID assignment in Southeast Asia, this time
in Saigon, South Vietnam. I had been selected as the American Advisor to the
Ministry of Education to plan for setting up a new curriculum office at the
national level to coordinate the development of guides for teachers &
textbooks for students. I visited schools, both in & near Saigon as well as
in the Mekong Delta almost to the Cambodian border. I learned many reasons why
most Vietnamese students have done 50 well in our country based on their
respect for teachers & education. Sadly, the effort that did get underway
from later reports was aborted when the South fell in 1975. We returned by way
of the Philippines, Guam & Hawaii.
In
the fall of 1975, the Vietnamese woman who was my translator ended up in
Washington as a refugee, & 2 weeks after I saw her there she was staying
with us in Albany & going with me to visit schools that were dealing with
the first flood of refugees. Anita had volunteered at the big An Lac Orphanage
working with preschool children. Over 200 of those children were flown out in
one plane & were adopted around the country. We saw some when we visited
Madame Ngai the head of that orphanage after she came as a refugee & was in
Georgia.
I
retired from the NYSED in 1980 but continued to be active as Executive
Secretary of the State Curriculum Association, as a member of the Troy
Conference Board of Pensions of the United Methodist Church for 8 years,
serving as its chairman for the last four, serving for 13 years as lay leader
at our church, etc. Anita's health began to fail in 1983, which curtailed our
traveling, but we did celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary on a family cruise
in 1991.
In
early 1992, she entered a nursing home where she passed away in March 1998. I
have gradually done more traveling & am holding up quite well.
Our
daughter, Karen, was born in September 1946, & son Dick in August 1949.
Karen is on the staff at Arizona State University where she is Managing Editor
of the Bilingual Press & is currently on the National Board of NOW. Dick is
part owner & vice president of a sales engineering company & lives with
his wife, Christine, in Sharon, Mass. Both inherited their brains from Anita
& good looks from their father.
I
have had a great life, & the 9 years at Brighton were full of
memories-trying to get some through physics or chemistry, coaching some that
even Ray Bell couldn't get in condition, & enjoying it all. See you in
2001.
Shortly after
our reunion, Dorothy Schlessing Hoevenaar’s son, David Kliehammer (age 50) was
diagnosed with cancer & passed away last year. Our belated sympathy,
Dorothy. She is coping well, &, on a brighter note, looks forward to her
first great grandchild (David’s daughter’s baby due in September) Is that a
first in our class?
Spike
Wilson continues to follow his interest in baseball (less participation in
golf). He spent a holiday with his boys & their families at Cape Cod this
summer & looks forward to a visit with his daughter in September.
Gordon Van Hooft Update:
Gordon
Van Hooft Update.
I
will bring you up to date about my activities since the last Newsletter that
summarized 1998 events. I sent you a much too long account of my activities since
the last Newsletter that you may wish to keep for use at the 2001 reunion that
I plan to make. I am sorry to hear that this will be your final Newsletter, but
maybe I can shame some of the ‘46 class by recounting a few of my activities at
the young age of 83.
In
March I packed a set of Havilland china, loaded the trunk of my car, & took
it to my daughter s in Scottsdale. A week later after three good visits on the
way, I arrived in one piece, the car likewise, & all 106 pieces of china
safe. After 2 weeks there, including seeing the Egypt exhibit in Phoenix, a
Diamondback ball game, etc., I drove back by way of Denver with three more
visits on the way back. In addition to 2 other trips to the Geneva area to see
relatives & old friends, I took another trip to the Bel Air, Maryland.,
Washington D.C., & Arlington, Virginia to visit friends, including a couple
we met in Vietnam in 1975, & the Vietnamese woman who was my translator at
the Ministry of Education & who took me on school visits there, & later
when she was a refugee & working out of Washington, went with me to help
schools having refugee students here.
Last
weekend I had lunch in Phelps, NY, with some of my high school classmates from
the class of 1933. Perhaps some of the class of 1946 will get together in 2012,
66 years later as we did. I hope some of your decrepit classmates can make it
to the reunion in 2001 &, perhaps, manage to get off some news to you in
the meantime.
Don Rubins &
Linda have spent holiday time with each of their children & families at
their summer place at Geney Lake located north of Ottawa, Canada. Don continues
working at selling real estate, primarily commercial properties.
Marianne
Braun Woodams & Peter spent part of July at their cabin on an island in
Georgian Bay National Park in Canada. They are looking forward to a 2-week
sailing trip from Mackinaw to Chicago.
L. Sherwood Lennartson:
Dear
George:
Thank
you so much for your recent letter. To imagine that someone would think that I
might have something interesting or informative or witty to write about was the
most flattering thing that has happened to me for a long, long time.
Unfortunately,
Britta had a significant exacerbation of her MS a few years ago &, as a
result, life has become rather quiet for us. At that time, I discontinued my
consulting business & the several volunteering activities I was involved
with in order to concentrate the greater part of my time on being a caregiver.
That does keep one very busy with the daily activities. So the exotic travel &
sophisticated activities are gone, but we are content to enjoy the simpler
things in life. Except for Britta's courageous struggle with MS, always
difficult to cope with, the tranquil life seems to be quite pleasant &
suits us very well. We don't worry much about what we aren't able to do, but
focus on what we can do.
So,
at the risk of boring you to tears, the following is a rundown of what we've
been up to so far this year.
In
February, the transmission in my "go‑fer" car (it wasl3 years
old with 110,000 miles) decided to act up. &, of course, that was only a
couple of weeks after I put on new tires & brakes etc. So‑ o-o-o . .
. we spent a several days looking for a replacement & discovered that the
prices of new cars these days something to behold. Finally, we decided to
donate it to Good Will Industries & just get along with one car. That was a
good decision. I won't let Britta drive anymore, so that's worked out OK. It
does seem strange though since we've had at least 2 cars in the family for over
forty years. But . . . in the process of doing all this, we wound up trading in
our number one car for another vehicle! ! ! Financially not a good decision!
But, but who cares? It was fun & very satisfying to do & we're
delighted with the new one.
Off
to Washington, D.C. in March to visit with our son Thomas & his wife,
Caroline. We had a very pleasant trip. Caroline also has a Masters Degree in
Fine Arts & works at the National Portrait Gallery. So, we got to see the
"behind the scenes" activity as well as the gallery itself. One
doesn't appreciate the amount of work that goes into deciding who & what,
gathering the ar2rks, organizing, setting up, preparing & editing
descriptive materials that goes on to make shows successful. It was very, very
interesting.
That
trip was a test run for the new car & a rehearsal for a trip to Round Rock
in April. We were really anxious to see the grandchildren. (Anna was then seven
& a half & the Twins were 2 years & four months) They just live too
far away! We were gone for a couple of weeks & had a lovely time.
In
spite of her physical challenges with OI, (Osteogenesis Imperfecta‑the
brittle bone disease) Anna is a delight. We were surprised at how much she had
matured since we last saw her. When I asked her what she had planned for us to
do together, there was a very quick response . . . "Let's go shopping
& by me a bike! I've already picked it out." So, that's what we did .
. . among lots of other things too. (Guess she knows how to wrap grandfather
around her little finger. H-m-m-m. Seems to take after her grandmother! ! !)
The
twins, Carl & Eric are cute as can be. They are most active boys, like to
climb & are into everything. Before we came to Round Rock I had the
impression that they were rather unruly, but that wasn't so at all. They're
healthy & active boys & what one doesn't think up, the other does. Then
they collaborate to carry out whatever they had in mind to do. They are so fun
to watch. But, when mom said, "ok its time for bed," they marched
right up the stairs without any fuss. They are going to be really fun when they
get a couple years older.
Of
course we went out to eat several times & had "take‑in" a
couple of times too. One of the places that we especially like is the Lakeway
Inn in Austin, where we all went to Sunday brunch. They have a buffet table
that is at least fifty feet long with beautifully presented selections.
Scrumptious! ! ! Britta spent most of the time at the dessert section. Then . .
. after eating three . . . she said, "one more dessert & I'll be just
right!"
Anyway,
the time in Round Rock went all too fast & soon we were on the road again.
We went north through Texas & Oklahoma & Arkansas (& just missing
those terrible tornadoes by ten days or so) & stopped in Branson, Missouri
for a couple of days. That was fun too. We saw a couple of shows that were
entertaining. The Presleys Country Jubilee & Bobby Vinton. The Presleys are
the family that started the theater business on route 76 in Branson. Theirs was
a fun country show, somewhat corny, but lots of fun. Bobby Vinton's show was
the one that Britta wanted to see most, & of course he sang many of his old
hits. He came all the way up to the back of the theater to shake Britta's hand
too, which added to her day. After the intermission the audience could come up
on stage & dance to "The Glenn Miller Band." A group of former
sailors from WWII & their wives had certainly not forgotten how to do the
Lindy. Do you remember how much fun that used to be! ! ! . I think the average
age of the audience must have been about 85. I felt like a youngster. Then the
rains came, & with a lousy forecast, we left a day early & headed for
home. All in all, it was a great trip & we enjoyed it immensely.
We also took a quick
trip to Jamestown, NY just before Memorial Day. The purpose was to place
flowers on the Lennartson family graves, which I try to do every year.
Jamestown is my "ol’ hometown." I lived there until I was eleven
& a half & have fond memories of life as it was then. I so remember
life without all the electronic "stuff' as being a whole lot simpler. (See
the "Before 1945" attachment.) Summers I spent at the "Y"
camp on Lake Chautauqua. Those times were wonderful-camping in tents, swimming,
rowing, canoeing, playing ball, evening campfires-it was great! Jamestown at that
time was a Swedish community & if you couldn't understand Swedish you were
in trouble. Now, it's all changed, as is everything else. My grandparents all
came from Sweden, & since my Britta is also from Sweden, we have been able
to keep a lot of Swedish cultural background in our life style. My grandparents
used to speak Swedish to me, & I answered in English. That's the way it
works with Britta's sister too, when she visits from Sweden. No one understands
how we communicate, but it works.
Not
much going on around here now. It's summer time & we stay close to home. We
gave up any traveling in the peak vacation seasons several years ago & it's
worked out well. We just enjoy our surroundings here in Beaver. . . &
that's not all that bad! In fact we think it's pretty nice. June was Britta's
medical check‑ups month. Then I broke a tooth & had to have it
recapped. It seemed like all we did was go to doctors & dentists. Of
course, Britta is rather clever-she made all of the appointments just before
lunch or just before dinner, so ‑‑‑‑! ! !
Because
of granddaughter Anna's OI, I've "backed in to" being involved with
the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation. Currently I'm on their Development
Committee where I limit my activities to what I can do on the computer & by
phone. (By the way, to any of our BHS classmates that have management skills in
organization, planning, communication, & implementation, I strongly
recommend that they consider becoming involved in a non‑profit volunteer
activity. Having had volunteer experiences with non‑profit organizations,
I find that they are often staffed with conscientious, well meaning,
individuals that could very much benefit by having some skilled management
expertise exercising leadership.) Anyway, as a part of this OI activity, I
thought I might get the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity involved. To make a long
story short I started a fund raising campaign with my fraternity brothers that
I lived with from 1948 to 1955. The letter only went out a short time ago, but
I'm already getting some nice responses‑from as far away as Germany! The
best part for me is the renewed contacts & lovely notes coming with the
generous donations. This fall, I'm going to attempt to carry this further by
creating a fund raising contest between the chapter houses at Union College
(Schenectady, N.Y.) & Gettysburg (Gettysburg, PA). If I can pull that off,
then there will be some basis to get support from the Phi Gamma Delta
Foundation too.
So,
that's where we are at the present time. Britta is on the Avonex MS medication
& is doing reasonably well-no better but more importantly, no worse. We
will be going to Deltona, Florida for a couple of weeks in October to get our
condo ready for our winter renters. The weather isn't so warm then, the
snowbirds are still up north & we do enjoy the short get‑away. Right
after that comes Thanksgiving & Christmas & Y2K! ! ! WOW, don't the
years fly by! ! !
Well,
you asked for a short note ‑‑‑ but your time limitation
precluded my doing that. If any of the above is useful, fine. If not, I won't
feel bad if it hits the editor's wastebasket. But, I was sorry to read that
this is the final BHS News Letter that you are composing. I've enjoyed
receiving it & it is an important link to the Class of '46 & those
formative -- wonderful years at Brighton High School. I would hope that you
could find a way to carry on a bit longer. Please! If I can help, I will.
In
closing, here's something for your readers to ponder.
Twelve
Things to Remember
The
value of time
The
pleasure of working
The
worth of character
The
influence of example
The
wisdom of economy
The
improvement of talent
The
success of perseverance
The
dignity of simplicity
The
power of kindness
The
obligation of duty
The
virtue of patience
The joy of originating
All
the best. Hang in there ... & keep in touch .... Sherwood.
Helen
Thornton Bloom & John celebrated their 50th Anniversary on June
25th at Oak Hill Country Club. Shirley Bonehill Riddle & Jake
(Bridesmaid & Best Man) said it was a great celebration.
A Reformed Bob Dibble Reports from California:
“Were
our 50th Reunion held this year, I would probably attend – successive recent
operations & following therapy have been very successful. I admit – I am
not enthusiastic about lengthy travel. I stay pretty close to the hearthside to
the dismay of my wife at times.”
“If
any 46ers remember me at Brighton High School, it may well be as something of a
non-conformist – to put it charitably – or even a hellion. I certainly had my
share of scrapes, mostly away from the campus however. I have segued into a
reasonably solid & settled citizen. I suppose Messieurs Allen & Donley
would find some surprise & satisfaction in my improvement.”
“Once,
as a Junior, I got suspended, ostensibly for 3 days, by Mr. Allen for leaving
school during study hall & driving Margaret “Greta” Luke to Howard Johnsons
for ice cream cones. The next morning I appeared at Donley’s office to
supplicate for reinstatement & he kindly did allow me back in on the spot.
I am glad “Greta” was not penalized – since the thing was my idea, of course.”
“Haven’t
seen “Greta” since the 50s.”
“I
meet informally nearly every day for lunch with other retirees at an elegant
local restaurant, Burger King. We normally number half a dozen or more.
Saturday mornings we gather at the nearby Holiday Inn for breakfast. This bunch
can be as large as 20. We have been convening since the early 1970s. As old car
aficionados, in the main, we drive the antiques & classics on Saturday,
& were once the subject of an article in the paper awhile back. After a
gabfest about anything or anyone, we often tour in the cars.”
“Someday
I still harbor the notion of a pilgrimage back to the Rochester area, just to
re-circulate about. Although I no longer have any relatives there, I would like
to see the changes since 1976 when I was there last. Got to get motivated!”
“I
guess I am a shutterbug of sorts. I take a lot of pictures of private homes
& public buildings that interest me.”
“I
am also a lifetime basketball junky, dating back to the Rochester Royals. The
Royals are now in their latest iteration as the Sacramento Kings, via
Cincinnati to Kansas City. I see games at every level, especially the Lakers of
L.A. I also follow tennis, sprinters, & have seen most of the stars in
action.”
“Did
you see or hear about one of the national magazines having a ranking of the top
100 high schools in the U.S.? Brighton was number 5! I think it was Newsweek –
hope they have a copy at BHS.”
“A
nice lady who lives only a few blocks away is a BHS grad., Class of ’66. She is
Carole Burger Nee McPherson.”
“Your
Newsletter has been a great service. I know how much work they entail. Your
efforts are greatly appreciated here. I look forward to the next edition.”
“I
wonder if anyone knows whether or not the classes of ’45 & ’47 have
comparable newsletters? If they do, I would like them to share.”
“In
the small world department – the former Rochester Royals are now owned by the
mega-wealthy Maloof Family of New Mexico, now owns the Sacramento Kings. Phil
Maloof lives in Albuquerque, & is a member of the Classic Car Club of
America. I am a charter member dating back to 1952. Doug Van Duser, also a
member, rescued me from the “where are they now?” list by noticing my name
among the club’s 5,000 membership roster. It really is a small world.”
Cheers,
Bob
Virginia Neel Skuse:
I've
been married forty‑nine years to the same man. I met him while attending
the University of Rochester. He is yet & ever my best friend.
We
spend three months in Florida. This year it will be in a high rise on the
Atlantic Ocean beach. A suburban forever person, this will be a new adventure.
We play golf, I swim laps & walk miles.
In
October I plan to visit Spain so I'm reading Michner's twenty-year-old IBERIA.
I have found a lifetime of pleasure in books.
Wherever
I go I visit art museums & for thirty years have given tours at Rochester’s
Memorial Art Gallery. This provides on-going excitement & new discoveries.
We collect ethnographic art & prints.
Our
four children are married with children of their own. 2 live locally, another
in Atlanta & one in Columbus, Ohio.
We
recently convened at a resort in PA. The grandchildren rode horses, swam,
climbed towers (supervised), played miniature & regular golf &
generally enjoyed each other.
Now,
George, this is what I mean by mundane living, nothing out of the ordinary but
all very wonderful for me.
Sincerely,
your classmate BHS 1946 Virginia Neel Skuse (Ginny)
Picture removed
Ginny (1946)
Joe Summerhays’ Thoughts on Baseball:
In
my freshman year I went out for baseball; I was not terribly accurate, but had
a strong arm & could throw hard. I received the last uniform they had‑it
did not match the normal issue. One day I was warming up before game time off
to one side of the diamond & had grown bored with the standard pitches
& was throwing with my cleats locked in the ground when the coach (Mr.
Collins) walked behind my catcher & I chose that time to throw again, but
pulled the throw to the left of the catcher just when the Coach was walking
behind him. The ball got by the catcher & struck the Coach in his trick
knee, felling him like a log. I decided that disappearing would be wise &
headed for the shower room immediately & turned in my uniform.
In
my junior year I decided that maybe Mr. Collins had forgotten me & went out
for baseball again. On the first day of practice I was out early throwing long
flies to other players & catching their throws. No more going out for
pitcher though, I was a little too wild & besides we had an excellent
pitcher. On this occasion Mr. Collins was walking towards his station on the
field when I let go of a prodigious throw to the gang who were catching &
the ball came down on Mr. Collins head knocking him cold. At which point I
headed again for the showers & gave up any thoughts of playing baseball ever
again.
To
Mr. Collins great credit, he never held the above incidents against me in my
math classes, but I never broached the subject with him.
Best
regards, hope this is useful, Joe Summerhays
More from Mort:
Subject:
Scandal sheet
THE
SEYMOUR REPORT
Eileen
Collins, the shuttle commander invited my wife Dawn to the Kennedy Space
Center,, to witness the blast off. I got to go also. Our trip to Cape Canaveral
was very interesting. We were herded on a US Air flight to Orlando. & after
arriving, on time no less, we were held up in the Hertz car rental line by a
guy with big round ears. When we finally reached the clerk she apologized for
the delay saying it was the first time she had rented a car to a mouse. I guess
the Disney Land fence has a big hole in it—
The
NASA people were very accommodating with the briefings & tours; the visit
was very informative & fun. The Chandra telescope was manufactured by Kodak
& should provide much sought after information to our friends at the
University of Arizona . As an Engineer it was a great experience. I was able to
see some of the equipment we put on the Lunar Lander & other items used in
the propellant systems. They took us out to the assembly building & the
launch pads in an air-conditioned bus. The weather was very warm-in the 90s,
Dawnie got to swim in the ocean every day.
The
first launch attempt was scrubbed at the 6 second mark because of a hydrogen
leak which proved false. But it was an exciting few minutes while they shut
down the systems, & a sight to see as they described what they were doing
to "save the ship." The second launch was canceled because of
lightning. What a sight. Our view from the Bana Creek visitor’s area was
unobstructed & about 3.4 miles from the launch pad. Both attempts being at
12.30 AM were spectacular.
Because
of airline reservations etc. we returned the evening the shuttle was finally
launched & saw it on my son’s computer as we walked in the door here at
Canandaigua Lake.
Our
next escapade is to Hamonsport to watch the flying of the replica Curtiss
airplane with the famous OX5 engine. Should prove interesting as the plane is a
copy of the original Curtiss machine & is actually a flying canoe.
More
later in the next news letter. Mort Seymour. Hi To Every One!
A Little Bit More from Mort:
RE:
Dawn Rises
Dawn
was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame in April last spring. It
was a very impressive ceremony. Also inducted at the same time were General
Ronald Fogleman USAF ex chief of the Air Force, & Ruth Helm, another WASP.
Among others in the Hall are Sens. Goldwater & McCain. There were a lot of
Air Force brass at the ceremony . . . . 5 Four stars . . . . All our children
& all 8 grandchildren were there, along with many friends. The master of
ceremonies was the Astronaut Frank Borman. Now you can visit the Pima Air &
Space Museum in Tucson & see my wife in a display cabinet. ha ha. It was a
wonderful few days with all the family & old college friends & a super
dinner party as the climax.
Food for Thought:
Harvesting.
Do
you ever go wandering the fields of your mind
To
places & people you left far behind?
You
remember so clearly what you thought would last
&
realize now it is a part of your past.
How quickly time passes as older you
grow;
When you were still young it seemed
slower than slow!
How eager for thirteen, sixteen,
twenty-one;
You've
since seen thirty & forty, yet you’ve only begun.
You
isolate moments & memories held dear
But
time has them enshrouded – they’re no longer clear.
The
person you were then & the person you are.
The
total of memories from near & from far.
Some
painful, some funny, some you cannot recall;
Overwhelming
experiences from here seem so small!
Where
are the acquaintances, the friendships you once knew?
Do
you suppose any of them ever thinks about you?
If
you could sit down together just what would you say?
Would
you change anything if you could relive one day?
So
many decisions you made then & words left unsaid...
Would
the reality of now match the dreams in your head?
Sometimes
fields must lie fallow to insure that they thrive,
&
we must press ever onward if we expect to survive.
The
person you are & the person you will be...
The sum total of experience destined for
eternity.
Dianna Gilliam
Where have you gone, Yogi Williams?
I
can't recall seeing any communications from or about Jim "Yogi"
Williams in the class newsletter nor have I seen his name in the "where
are they" column. But, reflecting on the recent Kennedy/Bessette tragedy
got me thinking about flying again & thinking of flying turned my thoughts
to Yogi. Meeting Yogi was another of the good things that happened for me when
I transferred to Brighton. I don't know how he came by that nickname. Maybe it
was from a comic strip. It couldn't have been from the Yankee great who was
probably still in minor league ball at the time.
Since
as early as I can remember I had always been fascinated with airplanes &
flying. Every other Sunday my brother & I would get to pick a place for the
family to visit. He always picked the Zoo & I always picked the Rochester
airport to watch the planes land & take‑off.
Yogi
was a pilot. In fact, I think he had his private pilot's license before he was
old enough to have a driver's license. No matter. I had access to a car &
together we would drive to a little single dirt strip field not far from
Brighton though I can't for the life of me remember where it was now. We flew J‑3
Piper cubs & Aeronca's mostly but sometimes a WWII trainer, T‑l9 I
think it was called. This was especially fun as it was an open cockpit
tandem-seater & considerably faster & more maneuverable than the cub.
Yogi would put the plane through his repertoire of whatever maneuvers he had
learned to date most memorable of which were the loops & spins. He let me
do some of the flying that held me in good stead later when I went for my
license.
I
was also reminded again of Yogi about three years ago, April 19th to be exact,
Patriot's Day in the state where I had spent most of my life; just another day
everywhere else. I had gone out to the Savannah Airport to see if I could still
get a plane off the ground & back down again without too much excitement.
The instructor was leafing though my logbook when he said, "would you look
at that!"
"Look
at what" I said. "That" he said turning the logbook end‑for‑end
with his thumb on one line. "Look there. Fifty years to the day."
It
was my first logbook entry dated April 19th, 1946 & under Remarks &
Certification was the signature James Williams. I don't think Yogi was a
certified instructor but hey, what the heck, fifty years ago who cared?
Post
Yogi I didn't fly again for about twenty years. I flew mostly out of Plymouth
Airport so I was familiar with the Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket airspace
& landed at their airports often. But never at night! Just a few months ago
I was visiting my son in Memphis who was a Marine Corps pilot & now a FedEx
Captain. He had gotten himself checked out in a Cessna 172 so he could take me
up. Everything went fine from the time I took off as I went through the routine
training exercises of steep turns, stalls, engine out procedures, etc. Then it
came time to land. Again, we were at a little country airport not too unlike
that which Yogi & I flew from except this runway was blacktop. But it was
still only a single runway & this is where my troubles began. There was a
very stiff ninety‑degree crosswind & a crosswind landing, always a
tricky maneuver, was never one of my strong points. The cross controlling
required is sort of like patting yourself on the head while rubbing your belly.
I made three approaches & each time Harry had to snatch the controls at the
last minute to put us down in some semblance of control. It was yesterday, it
seems, when he sat on my lap steering the car & I had to snatch the wheel
from him. We had come full circle. But that's OK. It's the way things are meant
to be.
If
you read this Yogi, punch in gasteuber@aol.com & lets talk flying
again! (Al Steuber)
Bad Stuff:
We received news, via the U.S. Mail, that Marjorie
Glasow Herrick is deceased. The Newsletter addressed to her came back from the
U.S. Mail marked “deceased.” The last address we had for Marjorie was in Blue
Hill, Maine.
We have learned that Peter McGregor’s wife, Jean,
passed away in 1998.
We would like to dedicate this issue to our deceased
classmates:
Deceased Members
BHS – Class of ’46 –
Beck, Jean
Burton, Sheila Stillman
Carver, Thomas
Chambery, Jeanne
Clark, Maurice
Cleary, Garrett
DeGroot, Sally Stroup – June 2, 1999
Eenwyck, Mary Roberts
Gais, Alyne E.
Herrick,
Marjorie Glasow
Killip, Dr. Sanford
Lamb,
Margaret Young-March of 1997
Loehr, John
Logans,
Bob – November, 1996
Mertz, Lloyd
Paris, Joyce Levy
Riffle, Jack
Roberts, Jo Ann Evans
Rourke, Thomas III
Rowe,
Dolores Schlageter-September 26, 1997
Saddock,
Harry G.-Sunday, May 25, 1997
Salmon, Mary Jane
Spitz,
Donna Rogers – October 11, 1998
Toporcer,
Bob – March, 1945
Tuttle, Harris B., Jr.
Webster, Sherwood
Weisberg. Margery
Whitcomb, Nathaniel
Williams, Marjorie Lathan
E-Mail Addresses:
Shirley
Stephany Westbrook:
Al Steuber
Charlotte (Terry Jones) Buchman
charbuchman@naplesnet.com
Brighton High School
George E. Fettinger:
Margi Turkheimer
L. Sherwood Lennartson
James & Kay Clark
Virginia Neel Skuse
Jean VanRiper Bayless
Ross Anderson
Laura Nassett Cronenwett
Bob McCarthy
bmac@cybernet2k.com
Mort Seymour
Message for Internet Users:
Bob McCarthy also reports that a new
local group of young guys recently started an Internet provider business in
Sanford. After talking to a couple of them a few times, he was impressed with
their computer savvy. He is toying with the idea of getting into digital
photography. I think these guys will be good resource people when someone goes
astray in the cyber world – which can be pretty often.
Retro to Brighton High
One
of the things we proved back then was that we could actually get the hell out
of 1945 completely. If you remember, it did seem that it would be impossible.
Then, in 1946, we left Brighton High to its own devices, & its own devices
were inadequate. Those flying dictionaries were like signals from the future.
Or go back about 60 years when those Navy guys buzzed the study hall in the old
building & there weren't many houses around! & they had yet to count
the corners & build Howard Johnson.
Well
it sure was the past wasn't it? Now we have fresh challenges to ignore &
places to go if we can get someone to push.
Thanks
George for the opportunity to work for an editor who doesn't wail at me. I said
this before, but since it is all brand new again, it doesn't matter does it.
Oh!
Richard
Floberg
Latest Address Changes
Please
send your change of address to the following:
George
E. Fettinger
P.O.
Drawer 628
Alamogordo,
NM 88311-0628
FAX:
505-437-6629
Or
e-mail: gef@totacc.com
Send Your Contributions For The
Brighton Education Fund To:
Kay
Heinrich Clark
1
Montpelier Circle
Rochester,
NY 14618
Phone (716)
271-8643
Note Address Changes
This is not a NEW address,
but some appear to have either of the 2 OLD addresses:
George E. Fettinger
P.O. Drawer 628
Alamogordo,
NM 88311-0628
Douglass VanDuser
8793 Shoal Creek Lane
Boynton
Beach, FL 33437
Henry (Hank) Siebert
15-1 Colonial Pkwy.
Pittsford, NY 14534
TO: If
Unable to Deliver Please
Return to Sender at: P.O.
Drawer 628 Alamogordo,
NM 88311-0628
Grahic removed