THE WI NEWSLETTER 06/04

THE WI NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 58

June 2004

SLOW DOWN
Are you only scanning the newsletter for familiar names? I hope you aren’t just scanning down thru to see if you recognize some name of a writer and then you only read the written matter if you know the author. Do you read the newspaper in this manner? If you are doing that you are missing a lot of things in which you might be really interested.

The point of this newsletter is to keep people connected (with each other and with our heritage). Not just old friends but other people who have a lot in common. We were lucky enough to have had the experience of growing up or living in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s 60’s and a few in the 70’s in Clarksburg, WV. I would guess that Clarksburg hit its peak during the 40’s and 50’s. I consider myself lucky to have experienced that special time in that special place. Not all things in this newsletter are about WI---not all things are about people you know, not all things are about Clarksburg. Believe me, I find some very interesting subjects contributed by people I don’t know. Thus I hope you look over the newsletter really well.

Through this newsletter, for almost 5 years I have kept in contact with many fellow 1959 graduates. I have made contact with people who were friends of mine in the first grade (Andrea and Sharon). Also, there are people who I had forgotten that I even knew but due to this newsletter we have become reacquainted. I have met people on line since starting this newsletter and now consider them among my friends. (And those of you who prayed for my son are close to my heart.) I have had dead memories brought to life. It is amazing how little I remembered when I first started this newsletter but now my brain (at least the memory part) is alive and working. I have learned things about WV, Clarksburg and high school that I never knew.

I am not trying to sell you on this newsletter; most of you are already sold! It is just that I am amazed at the acceptance you have given this newsletter. I am thankful for all of the readers and certainly the contributors (without whom—there would be no newsletter). I am a “hugger” and at this moment I wish I could have a “hug party” and personally thank each of you for opening your hearts to this little idea of mine and making it fly for almost 5 years. So consider yourself hugged until we see each other. And don’t forget to read the fine print!

So slow down, enjoy this newsletter---many people are sharing their memories with you. Read the memories of some of those who are writing. Won’t you share some of your memories with others? Write Roleta1@aol.com. This newsletter will be 5 years old in about 3 months. It has been a good ride…let’s not let it die! Let’s make it better! The only way that will happen is if more people take part!

WIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND IS GROWING
Join us in the fun! We are making a difference. It is good to be a part of someone’s future. Do you know how good it feels to be a part of something as important as the future of another human being? Join us and feel the experience.

Those who have contributed to the WIN SCHOLARSHIP are:

Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI 1956)
Tony Marchio (WI 1965)
Christopher Hill (WI 1960)
Gerald Winerman (WI 1957)
Nancy Crane Jones (WI 1948)
Allen Alvarez (WI 1958)
Sandra Zickefoose Lindke (WI 1956)
Don Sager (WI 1956)
Roleta Smith Meredith (WI 1959)
Betty Jo Nichols Laine (WI 1948)
Jean Wells Himmel (WI 1959)
Gene Davis (WI 1959)
David Nichols (WI 1955)
Frank Bush (WI 1959) Bill Bryan (RW 1957)

The list is growing. Add your name to the list. Just write a check to Roleta Meredith or buy a money order and mail it to:

Roleta Smith Meredith
3025 Switzer Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43219

If everyone reading this newsletter would send something to me, it would be wonderful. I know you are interested. The amount isn’t important. The important thing is that you care enough to be a part of this! I would love 100% participation! Send any amount…….just do it because it is right! I will not disclose the amount that anyone gives.

A CHALLENGE FOR YOU
submitted by: Joe Malone (WI '52)
jmalone934@sbcglobal.net
The following is not in response to any of the "topics" suggested, but I thought it might be of interest to that portion of your readership from WI.

This past March, Bob McCarty (WI 52) and I met in Phoenix to attend the NCAA Western Regional basketball tournament. Bob, who captained our team at WI in 1952 and went on to captain the UVA basketball team in 1956 now lives in LA while I live outside San Jose, CA. Since reconnecting through our 50th WI reunion in 2002, Bob and I have journeyed to a number of college basketball tournaments sometimes accompanied by Herb Cottrill who also played with us at WI in 1952.

While in Phoenix last March, Bob and I were fortunate to have been hosted for dinner by Gordon and Mary Ann (HITE) Williams. We were joined at a great German restaurant in Glendale, AZ, (a Phx suburb) by one of their daughters and a high school classmate of hers. After dinner, Gordon and Mary Ann invited us back to their house. Therein lays the point of my story and challenge.

First of all, we were greeted outside the front door by a significant WV banner. I don't know if they hung it for our benefit or if it is there perpetually. In any event, we settled in their very comfortable "Family Room" and told stories for an hour or so. I found it interesting that one wall of the room featured family photographs going back a couple of generations. Prominent throughout the wall were photos of Mary Ann's father, Clay B. HIte, from the time he was a tyke on his father's (grandfather's?) knee with long curls and a "sissy" outfit to when he posed as a good looking "stud" in a WVU football uniform.

Some of the pictures I had seen before, but some of them shocked me. Come on, guys, even those of you who are significantly my senior, will have to admit that Clay B. with curly locks is a shock! It was truly a delight for both Bob and I, to whom Clay B. was an awesome if not frightening presence, to see such a "Wall of Fame" dedicated to this icon of athletics at WI.

I was fortunate to have played both football and basketball for this man. While we enjoyed greater success under Tony Folio during the football season in 1951 (for which Tony deserved the highest marks) Clay B. was, ----well, Clay B.! He took my hide off when I was a sophomore and messing up. (And, trust me; I was not important to him athletically.) He did that because that's what he did.

It is also interesting to note that the adjacent wall in Mary Ann's family room is dedicated to.... (you guessed it?) MAIL POUCH chewing tobacco memorabilia, paintings, needlepoint, photographs of barns, you name it. Anyone who needs this explained just doesn't understand. (Alphonse knows, don't you?)

Here's the challenge for a "trivia" quiz. He was universally known as "Clay B." If anyone other than Mary Ann, Emma Lee or other family member (without insider knowledge) can tell Roleta what the "B" stands for, I will underwrite an RCB scholarship in the name of "WIN." Fair enough? Mary Ann or Emma Lee will validate the answers and you can have fun with the responses. (I haven't a clue)

PS - I hope Mary Ann and Gordon don't mind my sharing this experience with your readers. We had a grrrreat time!

PPS - I have other "Clay B." stories (like John Cooper) but would encourage your readers to share their experiences as well.

REMEMBER YOUR WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY?

JUNE 20, IS WEST VIRGINIA DAY.

THE BIG HEIST RC BYRD HIGH SCHOOL OR VICTORY
submitted by: Pat Elder (ND '57)
ST1PAT@AOL.COM
My wife Joan and I made a weekend trip from Dayton to Clarksburg 5/14/04. Of course, our first stop was at Rosebud Plaza off U.S. 19 south to T & L hotdogs for some "originals" with everything & a large Pepsi! At that shop, a W.Va hotdog has cole slaw on it so you have to be careful for the details. The juke box is on continuous play of '50's songs and you tend to reminisce as you get your long awaited fix of your hotdogs. Hot with lots of pepper on all 4 of them! There was one detail on the wall that caught my eye and made me wonder. I have been in Dayton, Ohio a long time now; I don't know all of the chronology of Clarksburg anymore. But on that wall was a Victory letter sweater and a Victory pennant. The clue hit me right away. Since I left town there has been "A BIG HEIST"! As I understand it the W.I. Hilltoppers and the R.W. "Sexy Prexies" combined to form RCBHS. Victory became Liberty. The pennant on the wall was an original and proclaimed the ''VICTORY EAGLES''. I would like to know how RCB stole the Eagle from Victory. The road to the school at RCB is even named "Eagle Way"! I had never thought about it before, but this had to be one of the biggest thefts in Clarksburg history! How can this be? Can someone help me with this one? Write your comments to Roleta1@aol.com.

WI CLASS 1959 REUNION
submitted by: Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI '59)
mtmama41@msn.com
There are still rooms available in our block of rooms at the Hampton Inn, 304-842-9300.. YOU MUST SAY THAT YOU ARE WITH THE WI CLASS OF 59 REUNION WHEN MAKING YOUR RESERVATION.

Anyone who has not already signed up for the Class Reunion, but wants to come, can still do so by letting Carolyn Warne wrmychsnut@aol.com or me mtmama41@msn.com, know right away. Forty dollars ($40.00) is due to the reunion committee for each person attending the reunion. This money is due in full when making reservations for the WI Class of 1959 Reunion.

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO:
WI CLASS REUNION

AND SEND TO:
CHARLIE BURKHAMMER
108 COVENTRY COURT
BRIDGEPORT, WV 26330

WHY DON'T YOU JOIN THE NEAR 70 CLASSMATES THAT HAVE ALREADY MADE RESERVATIONS?

Join us July 16 and 17, 2004 in Clarksburg, WV.

Contact Carolyn wrmychsnut@aol.com or me mtmama41@msn.com today.

1959 CLASS REUNION GOLF
If you are attending the Class reunion for the WI Graduating Class of 1959, on Saturday July, 17th, 2004 arrangements have been made for anyone who wishes to golf during that day. Just call Clarksburg Country Club and speak to Erika to arrange your tee time. The pro shop phone number is 304-624-5807. If you have any questions about this, please email Jerry and Carolyn Warne at wrmychsnut@aol.com. When emailing make sure you put REUNION GOLF in the subject line of your email.

SONGS OF 1963
submitted by: Bob Stealey (WI '64)
Bobnalong1@aol.com
'Back again, with another list of hit songs from the year 1963. Enjoy!

-- "If Ya Wanna Be Happy (For the Rest of Your Life)" -- Jimmy Soul
-- "Blue on Blue" -- Bobby Vinton
-- "Walk Like a Man" -- Four Seasons
-- "Rhythm of the Rain" -- The Cascades
-- "Louie, Louie" -- Kingsmen
-- "He's So Fine" -- Chiffons
-- "My Boyfriend's Back" -- The Angels
-- "There, I Said It Again" -- Bobby Vinton
-- "Candy Girl" -- Four Seasons
-- "Sugar Shack" -- Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
-- "Surfin' USA" -- Beach Boys
-- "It's All Right" -- Impressions
-- "Fingertips" (Part 2) -- Little Stevie Wonder
-- "Don't Let the Rain Come Down" -- Serendipity Singers
-- "Blue Velvet" -- Bobby Vinton
-- "Hey Paula" -- Paul and Paula
-- "Walk Right In" -- Rooftop Singers
-- "The End of The World" -- Skeeter Davis
-- "Fun, Fun, Fun" -- Beach Boys
-- "Surf City" -- Jan & Dean
-- "Our Day Will Come" -- Ruby & The Romantics
-- "I Will Follow Him" -- Little Peggy March
-- "I Wanna Be Bobby's Girl" -- Marcy Blaine
-- "My Own True Love" -- The Duprees

Well, that's a few of 'em, anyway. Ten years ago, I could have listed half this many. 'Til next time, "Don't let the music die!" -- Bob Stealey WI '64

FATHER’S DAY
Where is it believed that the first Father’s Day was observed? What city and what state? Write Roleta1@aol.com.

LINDEN SCHOOL
EDITOR’S NOTE: I thought several of our readers attended Linden School as many guessed the Trivia picture last month as Linden School instead of RW. I really thought this subject would inspire more people to write about a memory of the school. I don’t even know where Linden School was located but some people answered my plea for memories of Linden.

Picture and article from: Patty Hardman Nicholson (WI '56)
hwnpan@prodigy.net

Picture above was taken May 11, 1950. Those pictured were members of the 5th and 6th grade chorus at Linden Grade School.

Those graduating with the WI Class of 1956 are as follows:

First row on the right is Jackie Butcher.
Second row--sixth from left is Patty Fittro; eighth is Patty Hardman. Third row--seventh from left is Mary Kay Tost.
Top Row first from left is Norman Gribble; second--Vaughn Williams; fourth--DoloresHornsby; fifth--Peggy Schock; eleventh--Bobby Davis and twelfth is Bobby Hall.

submitted by: Fred G. Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
The Linden Grade School was opened in the early twenties. It was so named after Linden Avenue in Clarksburg. It was located in the area that was once known as the Clarksburg Independent District. This was later changed to Clark District. The first principal was E. A. Payne. Some other principals through the years were as follows: Joseph H. James; J. Dale Johnson; Charles Flanagan; George Van Syckle; Martha J. Harris’ Robert B. Swiger and Mildred Fragale. Mr. Flanagan was principal on two separate occasions. The school was closed after the 1992-1993 school season. It was later sold to the Stanley Technical Institute for a schooling project.

submitted by: Bob Hall (WI '56)
rhall9171@charter.net
Good ole Linden Grade School. No cafeteria in the 40's. No gym! Had to walk home for lunch (must have been 10 miles each way!). I rode my bicycle by the 5th grade. I was a patrol boy during the 5th and 6th grade. It gave me a pleasure to stop traffic on Pike Street.

Remember 5th grade teacher Miss Dolan, (my favorite because she visited me in the hospital that year). In the fourth grade my teacher was Ms. Horner. I started playing the clarinet that year in the school band.

Sixth grade the teacher was Ms. Fossett.

I think the first grade teacher might have been Ms Lynch, she was very strict and I wanted to go back to Clay County where the teacher had all 6 grades in a single room but I don't remember getting my hand hit with a ruler prior to late Fall of the 1st grade when we moved to Clarksburg.

submitted by: Gloria Caruso Shaffer (WI '58)
mshaffer@ma.rr.com
I only went to Linden for 2 years and don’t remember the first grade at all. Oh, but I remember the second grade like it was yesterday.

My second grade teacher was Mrs. Wells and I am pretty sure the principal was Mr. Johnson. I spent more than my share of time in his office.

I did not like to eat breakfast; in fact at that time of my life, I did not like to eat at all. I was really skinny—those were the days. Anyway, my mother would call Mrs. Wells and tell her I had left without eating breakfast (they were friends) and Mrs. Wells would make me set a little table with paper cutouts of food.

Do you remember the writing teacher, Mrs. Schakleford? I never could make those circles or the up and down lines the way she wanted them. I can remember her telling me to look at Sandra Cabo’s (she sat next to me) and how neat they were and how she held her pen just right. My handwriting today is still pretty bad and the computer hasn’t helped it one little bit.

I also remember the health nurse and that I never had a hankie when she came. She always checked for a hankie and checked our hands and nails.

And, who could forget Mr. Louie. I wasn’t a very good dancer, but I sure could make a lot of noise with those tap shoes. I think everyone in Clarksburg took dancing from Mr. Louie. I would like to have just a little finger of the patience he had to have.

There are 3 things that I really remember about Linden. One, I remember spending a lot of time standing in the corner. It seems I liked to talk when I should have been listening. And then there was the broken seat I kept falling out of—I don’t think that was my fault at all—no matter—Mr. Johnson and corner here I come.

Second was the Toy Orchestra. I think that was only a second grade thing. Maybe someone else remembers. I was assigned the Triangle. I could not keep that thing from turning in circles and of course it was taken away from me. But, don’t be sad because I was then given a whistle. I think it was supposed to sound like a bird. It was metal and you had to put water in it.

My most memorable event of the second grade was playing the part of Little Red Riding Hood in the second grade play. I got to wear a red cape and hood and carried a basket of cookies. I don’t remember the reason for the play, but it was performed in the auditorium. I really thought I was something.

I also vaguely remember that when we walked to school that we had to walk along the edge of the sidewalk next to the grass. I think I remember Mr. Johnson standing at the door and watching the students arrive. Does anyone else remember that or am I having a senior moment?

From Linden, I went to St. Mary’s for 3 years and then to Pierpont for the sixth grade. I was still talking too much and getting into trouble for it. Even at Central I remember writing “I will not talk while teacher is out of the room” 100 times—and I am still going strong.

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@ezwv.com
When I read Roleta's note on how some had identified RW as Linden I took another look at both schools. I couldn't believe how similar they are. Here are pictures of both schools so you can see for yourselves.

TRIVIA QUESTION

What is the name of the Vice President who was born in West Virginia?

NEW READERS

Patty Hardman Nicholson (WI '56)	hwnpan@prodigy.net
Lee Wilson (WI '50)	leewilson@wideopenwest.com
Bud Wheebock (WI '60)	hawkewoode708@msn.com
Penny Fish Wolverton (WI '58)	bpwolv@webtv.net
Ralph Hardman (WI '56 to '59)	WeR1@aol.com
Don Harvey (WI '64)	Donandnancyharvey@msn.com
Nancy Hersman Harvey (WI '67)	Donandnancyharvey@msn.com
Wayne Winters (WI '66)	wwinters@ix.netcom.com
Ada Pinion Trupo (WI '44)	WVAgata@aol.com
Bob Dennison (WI '57)	rcdennison@iolinc.net
Dick Fitch (WI '56)	fitch@cox.net
Sue Pierson Robinson (WI '65)	NJSUSIEQ@aol.com

CHANGE OF E-MAIL ADDRESS
Linda Blankenship Stevenson (WI '58) mandlstevens@comporium.net

William Bowie (WI '62) bill26301@yahoo.com

Frank Meligan WI '49
Was: fnnmel@atlantic.net
Is now: fanmel@bellsouth.net

HELP FIND A FRIEND
submitted by: Sonja Grossa Alvaro (BHS '58)
Csonja1940@aol.com
Does anyone have Ritchie Newbrough's e-mail address? I believe he's a graduate of R.W. 1955. Dave Ferraro, my brother-in-law would like to hear from you. Dave's email is: daveferraro@bkitech.com

AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

submitted by: Ron Cleavenger (WI '63)
RonCleaven@aol.com
Hi All:
Last Wednesday, 12 May 2004, I had a stroke; fortunately, I was in the right place at the right time. My barber, Richard Souch realized I was having a problem, even though I did not realize such. He got some help into his shop at the Med center, and I received blood thinning meds within three hours of the onset of my symptoms, which were, slurred speech, weakness on my left side of my extremities and face, and loss of vision on my left side; I have made an almost 100 % recovery of those symptoms. I shall be taking some time off from work to further recover and recuperate.

Just wanted you to know, I am doing well considering the circumstances and the severity of the problems. I am at home. I will be in touch.

submitted by: Linda Blankenship Stevenson (WI '58)
mandlstevens@comporium.net

Thank you so much for the news letter. I have been very lax in responding. I will try and do better and do want you to know how much I enjoy and appreciate it.

We have moved due to job relocation to Rock Hill, SC. My new address is:

Linda B. Stevenson
Email: mandlstevens@comporium.net

I am a member of the WI 1958 graduating class and my maiden name was Linda L. Blankenship. I really hope I can come to Clarksburg for the next picnic. Thanks again.

submitted by: Dick Fitch (WI '56)
fitch@cox.net

I spoke with Marianna (Waroblak) Coey today for the first time in a number of years and she told me about the electronic newsletter you have created. I would be interested in subscribing.

My name is Dick Fitch, I am a 1956 graduate of Washington Irving High School. I left Clarksburg for the Air Force shortly after graduating and, with the exception of coming back after finishing my basic training, I have not been back. I have lost track of people I knew, with the exception of Marianna, Don Lyons and Ed Primm.

I am retired, living in Arizona (a small town named Hereford just outside of Sierra Vista). I spent my career (military and civilian) in the newspaper business, beginning in the Air Force when I was assigned to Pacific Stars and Stripes newspaper in Tokyo, Japan. After serving four years in the Air Force, I joined the Imperial Valley Press in El Centro, California, and began a steady climb up the ladder to eventually becoming editor and publisher, and corporate president. I retired after more than 36 years there, and moved to Sonoita, Arizona, lived there three years, then moved to Sierra Vista, lived there about three years as well, and then, shortly after marrying Diane, we moved to Hereford.

I keep busy doing volunteer work, playing with my three classic cars and my 100-pound dog Kezi--a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Diane and I travel fairly frequently, do some camping, and, of course, attend car functions and shows.

I'm providing this information because Marianna said giving a personal thumb-nail sketch was a requirement for receiving the newsletter, as well as occasionally contributing some articles.

Thank you for providing this valuable service to WI graduates; I look forward to receiving my electronic edition.

submitted by: Tom Blizzard (WI '59)
HwySparky@aol.com

I really look forward to reading the newsletter. Although I moved to Ohio and did not graduate from W.I. the memories are fondly remembered. You do a fantastic job.....

Tom Blizzard would have been class of 1959.

submitted by: Carolyn Hornor Wilson (WI '60)
chw10@gv.psu.edu

Thank you for the wonderful job you do for WI and all of it’s alumni as well as for Clarksburg. Although I did not graduate with the class of 1960, I have maintained contact with some of that class, and I now no longer have family in the Clarksburg area to visit, so I love that stir of memories that comes with each issue of the newsletter. Having left WI after my sophomore year I especially remember the class of 1957, who were seniors when we were freshmen.

Thank you for the happy memories.

submitted by: Alex Sandonas Thwaites (WI '65)
Alex13741@cs.com

Thank you once again for the wonderful newsletter. I enjoy the news and photos immensely and I always look forward to the first of the month when I know the next issue will be in my mailbox. I had my yearbooks at hand last night as I was reading over the newsletter and came across just a couple of former classmates who were mentioned. Unfortunately, not many from the class of '65 respond to the newsletter. I am sure, however, just like myself, they read it thoroughly.

submitted by: Sue Lynch Baldini (BHS '59)
sue@citynet.net

Dear Roleta,
Thanks for all the work you do with the WI Newsletter. I really enjoy it, although I'm an old Bridgeport HS girl. I particularly enjoyed the issue about the reunion in Florida and the photos. Some of those folks I haven't seen in over 40 years! And by the way, you're looking pretty great, gal...and so is Bill.

I wish I'd really known more of you better, but living in Bridgeport, I couldn't afford to go "uptown" very often. Maybe once a month if lucky, my little sister, Janice, and I would take in a movie. Weren't we lucky to have so many movie theatres? Does anyone remember how much admission was?

Thanks again Roleta. I'm anticipating your latest work.

submitted by: Ada Pinion Trupo (WI '44)
Wvagata@aol.com

Hello Roleta so nice to read your newsletter of WI Past classmates and get togethers. I would like to start receiving the newsletters. Some one sent me the May issue and it was very nice with all the nice Happy Mothers Day remembrances. My e-mail address is Wvagata@aol.com. Just a note to let you know that we are planning our 60th class reunion on August 20th & 21st 2004. It will be held at the Clarksburg Country Club. I will let you know more about this Reunion later. I am not real good on the computer but I try. Thanks for the wonderful newsletter and hope to hear more from you .

EDITOR’S NOTE: One doesn’t have to be great on the computer to write to me. I edit most of the things sent in. Many have spelling errors, punctuation errors, grammar errors, etc. It isn’t that I am so great at writing; it is just that the program I use tells me when something needs attention. I often retype contributions. The important thing is to write. Get the idea across to me. I will help you straighten it out. I sometimes rewrite and send it to the original author to get their approval. Sometimes I just rewrite. That is the editor’s job! I will do my part if you will do yours.

submitted by: Bill Rogers (WI '43)
wmrthrog@earthlink.net

I would like to be on the W. I. newsletter list. I graduated in 1943, and during that fall, was taken into the U.S. Navy. I was enrolled in an officer training program. Went to Harvard and later graduated from Dartmouth College. After graduation, I worked in the home office of Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. I was the manager of the Income Settlement Department. After ten years with the company, I enrolled in Hartford Theological Seminary and became a Methodist Minister. I served churches in Connecticut and in the Hudson River valley of New York. Now retired and living in Saratoga Springs, NY. I married a Connecticut Yankee, have three children, three grand-daughters, and one great granddaughter.

submitted by: Ann Romine Yoke (WI '46)
Annryoke@aol.com

I do appreciate very much your newsletter and tell many about it. I was glad to hear from so many about the CLARKSBURG NEWS. Harriet Rahwn, daughter of the publisher graduated from WI in 1943. At that time they lived on Clay St. or VIrginia Ave. She now lives near Philadelphia. Her husband has published two books. Jean Johnson Marsh, WI 1943 is in touch with her.

The classes of 1945 and 1946 just enjoyed a combined reunion, probably our last, not because of lack of enthusiasm, but advanced age.

I hope to attend the picnic at Norwood Park in August.

Thank you for your time and talent

submitted by: Katherine "Kitty" Wells Ray (WI '63)
KITTY4900@aol.com

I haven't contributed yet, but do read and enjoy the Newsletter. I'm Jean (Wells) Himmel's "little sister", WI Class of 1963. Deedie (Swisher) Souders is my first cousin, so I enjoyed reading the April Newsletter which included Deedie and her daughter Tiffany Brown.

My husband and I live two blocks from WI, on Hornor Avenue near the Genesis Center (formerly Sacred Heart Home). I work at the VA Medical Center and spend so much time in two different email accounts at work that I don't use the computer much at home.

You are providing a very valuable service to many...keep up the good work!!

submitted by: Sandra Zickefoose Lindke (WI '56)
aslindke@worldnet.att.net

The May newsletter was GREAT! There was so much information and enjoyment. I just got back from having lunch with Bob Turner and wife, Ann. They are in Naples to make final arrangements for moving into their new home here in “Paradise”. We did a lot of catching up, about 50 years worth. I hope to see more of them when they are in town to warm up during the winter months. Mothers Day articles were wonderful. So many great people have come out of the past and made contact with me. I really appreciate everyone that has taken the time to e-mail. My thanks to all. Unfortunately we will have already passed thru Clarksburg, on our way to Michigan, and will miss the WI REUNION PICNIC in Nutter Fort this summer. However, March 5, 2005 is already on our schedule. I don't intend to miss that picnic. Oh, by the way, neither Bob Turner nor I look the same as we did 50 yrs. ago. But you know what? It did not bother us at all. We are up and taking nourishment and that's what counts. Thanks again, Roleta.

submitted by: Jim Brown (WI '57)
Jb1obx@aol.com

Keith Roach, Jr. wrote in the May Newsletter about Friday the Mechanic.

Yes, I remember him. The street that the garage faced is Trader's Alley. My first paper route went by the place. One of the cars was either a Rolls Royce or a Bentley.

Friday's specialty was high performance engines. In addition to some older or unique cars - there weren't that many in town - he worked on the fire engines. I can still see him riding squatted down on the running board of a fire truck as it drove through the downtown streets at some speed listening to the engine and watching the gauges that were located on the side of the truck body.

I wonder what he would think of the engines of today? Although he would probably be impressed, I don't think he would be surprised. It has been people like him that developed the tiny (by 1960 standards) engines with several hundred HP at 18,000 + rpm.

submitted by: Sue Pierson Robinson (WI '65)
NJSUSIEQ@aol.com

I can't tell you how much fun it is to get your newsletter. I graduated in 1965 from WI. My mom passed away when I was a freshman at WV Wesleyan, my dad moved to Pa. and I really lost touch with my roots at that time. Reading all of these notes from the earlier graduates brings back so MANY memories, ie: I thought I was the only one who called their grandparents Mamaw and Papaw (no one out of WV has ever heard of that! ). I love hearing about the old stores, restaurants and hangouts - remember hanging out at the Dairy Queen on a hot summer night over on Broad Street near Notre Dame?

Do we have anyone out there who went to Carlisle grade school and remembers Miss Hughes, 3rd grade, and her paddle? What did they ever do with that lot once the school was taken down? We used to have treasure hunts and hide clues all over the school when you went to the basement bathrooms! Remember the coal room?? Gosh what fun it is to think of the "good ole days".

Thanks so much for all of your hard work - Just know that we appreciate it and enjoy it immensely!!

REX HECK
submitted by: Billie Anne Cork Clevenger (WI '52)
ElegantLady3452@aol.com
I remember the former "Rex Heck Newstand", a store which was located on the ground floor of the I.O.O.F. building (Oddfellows Lodge) and which now houses Clarksburg City Florist.

"Rex Heck's" was a popular place to go in to peruse the large display of magazines or to buy from their large assortment of magazines during the fifties when I was a W.I. student. It was usually a bustling, busy place, with people coming in for their daily newspapers or to buy from a large selection of greeting cards. We could buy a coke and a candy bar and browse as long as we had time. In later years, they had a video section in the back portion of the store.

I love receiving the newsletter, Roleta, keep it coming! You are doing a wonderful job keeping us in touch with other alumni of WI and strolling down memory lane with them!

HELP
submitted by: THE EDITOR
Roleta1@aol.com
I can’t think of any subjects to inspire you to write. I have writer’s cramp! I have tried all I can think of. Got any suggestions?

TRIVIA QUESTION

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@ezwv.com
I found this picture in one of my mother's old photo albums. It is labeled "Spruce Knob". I have never been there so I can't say for sure if it really is.

submitted by: Babe Bisping Cashman (WI '56)
scashman@ucnsb.net
Love trivia!

The highest point in WV is Spruce Knob. Hiked there with my family as a kid.

The oldest river is the "New". How about that for a name. I understand that it got its name because some very early surveyor discovered it and wrote on the map that he found a new river.

Sorry Jon, I don't know about the Crosley. By any chance was it my brother Jack's?

submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com
The highest point in West Virginia is Spruce Knob (even though I've heard of it all my life, I've never been there). I believe the oldest river is the New River. I've see it many times and almost rafted it, but decided on the Gauley River instead. Great choice. Concerning interesting facts about W.Va., does anyone else remember taking the Golden Horseshoe Test? You really had to know W.Va. history to pass that thing. I know Roleta's father, Roy Smith used to have many winners when he was the principal at Enterprise Grade School. They studied the subject all of the time. Does this test/contest still exist?

submitted by: Don Sager (WI '56)
dks@davtv.com
Roleta..........if I remember my WV History correctly. The highest point is Spruce Knob and the oldest river is the New River. At least that seems what I used to write down in little blue books at Alta Vista. I have never visited Spruce Knob but it was always shown on postcards in the "olden times" when we were kids. The New River didn't seem so old when I was water-rafting down the rapids with my daughter's girl scout troop from Ohio in the '80s.

submitted by: Pat Elder (ND '57)
St1Pat@aol.com
I've been to Spruce Knob and considered that answer--Dolly Sods is way up there too--ask my wife, Joan, who is from Cleveland how far down it was on her side of the car. That is the only tundra outside Alaska in USA . On our way down the other side it started to rain and it was a clay road--I will never get her up there again! We slid half way down and then it started to snow. We were the last ones down. That was opening day of deer season--two to three ft. of snow just dumped right out of the sky. They ran helicopters all weekend rescuing the deer hunters.

Remember Greg Myers class of 1956? I went camping with his family around Greenbrier and it rained real hard. We had 2 tents. He went into his parent’s tent and got some cheese. We ate most of it and it was raining so hard that neither of us wanted to take it back so we threw it away. Next day we go to Spruce Knob fishing and the fish are really biting. We asked a guy what bait was the best and he said "cheese". Greg's dad said, “Great, we have a bunch of that in the cooler”. We didn't catch any trout that day!---

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@ezwv.com
This is a picture of the New River and gorge taken from under the New River Gorge Bridge.

OTHERS WHO KNEW THE CORRECT ANSWERS WERE:

Dick Hanifan (WI 1959)
Delores Costlow Wall (WI 1958)
Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI 1956)
Don Sager (WI 1956)
Victor Meredith (merebros@aol.com)
Pat Elder (ND 1957)
Anne Pears Jones (WI 1958)
Sarg McQuillan (WIWI 1957)
Bud Wheelock (WI 1960)
Jerry Warne (WI 1959)
Tom Simons (WI 1986)
Hank Ross (WI 1959)
Pat Elder (ND 1957)
Evelyn Georgeadis Kitts (VHS 1958)
Kevin Lawson (WI 1983)

EDWARD ABBEY A FAVORITE AUTHOR
submitted by: Buzzy Floyd (VHS '56)
floyds4@cox.net
This is an article from the LA Times about a hero of Carol's and mine, Edward Abbey. If you've never read his works, I recommend that everyone do so before all our wild places are lost to "progress". In the forty years I've spent in the West, I've seen a lot of it lost forever, and that's really sad. The main character of Abbey's last book,"THE FOOL'S PROGRESS," is Henry Lightcap, who, like me, is from West Virginia, but has spent his life in the West. In the book Henry is traveling home to West Virginia to die as he reminisces about his wild and crazy life. The character is obviously Edward Abbey himself, who knew he was dying when he wrote it. He was from Pennsylvania, very near the West Virginia border, but spent most of his life in the West writing about the last open spaces, and the need to preserve the western wilderness. The book mentions my hometown of Clarksburg very briefly, and at his book signing in Albuquerque, I told him I'd heard the book was required reading for us West Virginia hillbillies. He died shortly after Carol and I got to meet him. I heard that, before he died, his friends came to his bedside and let him know that arrangements for carrying out his wishes for his body had been taken care of. From what I was told, only they know what that was about, but he always said things like being food for the buzzards out in the desert was a noble way to go. After he died, vigils were held at the gates of Arches National Park, the place he wrote about in "DESERT SOLITAIRE,". I remember how it was for me before I moved here, so I think it may be hard for my friends in the East to really get it unless they come out, and get lost in the desert themselves sometime. I know that as an easterner, the West wasn't real to me before I came here in 1964.

For our own sakes, we must preserve the open spaces that we have left while we can still refer to them as "vast", and not let ranchers, and developers, fence it all in to keep the rest of us out, or pave over it.

Here are some Abbey quotes: "The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders." and "Wilderness begins in the human mind." And, this seems to me to have defined his life. "When the situation is desperate, it is too late to be serious. Be playful."

http://www.abbeyweb.net/

This article may be too much to read if you're not yet a fan, so get one of his books, and enjoy.

HOMECOMING QUEEN
submitted by: Pat Elder (ND '57)
st1pat@aol.com
You have all experienced the prose of Judy Noe (NDHS 1957) in this newsletter. As Paul Harvey says, "Now for the rest of the story!" Judy was a very talented and good looking damsel in our class. She looked very much like Shirley Jones, the movie star and later the mother of the Partridge Family and many movies. Judy was just as talented too. She was a class officer in each of her years in high school and on the student council. Judy was in the drama club and was on the honor roll. She participated in the Red Cross, Glee Club, Pep Club and lots of other activities. When it came time to select a Homecoming Queen there was little questioning that she was going to be elected. She rode proudly into the stadium and onto the 50 yard line in an open air convertible with a million mums in her arms in full glory with her court. It was a beautiful sunny autumn day created exactly right for the occasion. They all got out for the crowning and had a great halftime show. We won our football game handily, 32-0 and it was "let the good times roll". The homecoming dance was next where we had a wonderful night, crowning her again and dancing the night away. Wouldn't we all love to go back and do that over again! "The good ole days" Judy was a real beauty and our queen!!!

REMEMBER TO DISPLAY THE FLAG ON FLAG DAY
JUNE 14, 2004

EASTER MEMORIES
submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI ’50)
fran.barrett@att.net
Who knew that my very first job would lead to an entrepreneurship later in life? I turned 16 in February; I got my very first paid job at G. C. Murphy decorating Easter Eggs. "Pappy Flynn" was the manager. The first day on the job I was taken to a room on the second floor in the front of the store, where I could look out onto Main Street and watch all the traffic and pedestrians going by. There was a huge table in the middle of the room, hundreds of small boxes of chocolate eggs stacked around the wall and several huge 3-ft tall barrels and at least 4 of us who had never seen a naked chocolate egg before. The barrels were full of different colors of icing. We were given several funnel shaped paper tubes, a different shaped tip was inserted into each cone and filled with the different color icing. A demonstration was given to show us how to decorate those eggs. Then we were on our own. If we didn't like the way the egg looked, we wiped it off and started over.

As it came closer to Easter we began to get orders for names to be put on the eggs. For a while someone from the candy department would run up the steps and tell us a name, we would put it on the egg the customer had chosen, then they would run back down the steps to the candy department. After several days of this I suggested that someone should take several tubes of white icing with a writing tip on it and just stay in the candy department. That's the first lesson I learned about making suggestions, I got the job. Which I really enjoyed as I knew a lot of the people that ordered custom eggs. After Easter I stayed on and worked in the candy department until I graduated from high school.

As an adult and a stay at home mom for several years, I later went to work as a support personnel at the local high school. Wondering what I could do to make a little extra money and still be at home most of the time, several ideas came to mind. Washing and ironing clothes were out of the question. A friend told me about a class she was going to take in an Adult Education class at the high school and learn to make and decorate cakes. I thought back about my education by fire in doing Easter Eggs. I signed up for the class for the one semester. I like it so much I stayed for the second semester. By word of mouth my at home cake baking business took off. I made all kinds of cakes, from graduation to seven layer wedding cakes. My daughters got involved in helping me out and even my son got interested in what all the mess in the kitchen was about. If you have never done this before, those wedding cakes have to be done during the night, especially is it an early wedding. My one daughter stayed up with me and kept me supplied with fresh coffee most of the night I did the seven layer wedding cake. Those layers have to be taken to the reception one separately, and then put together. That's where my son and husband came into the picture. I would fix the cake table and they would carry each layer in as needed under threat of bodily harm if they smudged it or dropped it. then put the cake together and finish decorating the cake table. I later stayed at the receptions and cut and served the cake.

Who wold ever imagine that a high school girl decorating Easter Eggs would end up making beautifully decorated cakes for the most happy of occasions.

By the way does anyone remember the Boston Cream Pies that the Manhattan Restaurant on Pike Street sold? It was their specialty and that was my mother's first job when she came to Clarksburg. Of course I learned from her and I still have requests from friends to make Boston Cream pies.

TRIVIA
Submitted by a frequent reader from WI Class of 1956…send your answers to Roleta1@aol.com. I don’t print incorrect guesses or guesses without a memory attached. If your guess is correct or incorrect, I will write back and tell you.

What store in Clarksburg used "The Store Ahead" as it’s “motto”. And on what article did they print this that you may still have in your home?

NAMES BEING CUT FROM THE NOTIFICATION LIST
The notification for the May newsletter bounced back for the e-mail addresses listed below. Either they are no longer working email addresses or the people are experiencing trouble with their networking. If you know anyone on this list, notify them and tell them to contact me if they want to be reinstated to the list. Roleta1@aol.com.

George Eicher (WI 1957) Geicher@webtv.net
John Snider (WI 1969) Jhnsndr3@aol.com
Bob Bramham (WI 1953) TwicedollarBob@aol.com
Judy Wilson Franklin (WI 1960) TFranklin@ivwnet.com
Susan Dodds Michaels ( ) RadheSai@aol.com
Fish6584@bellsouth.net
amccuskey@msn.net

MR. CUBBON
submitted by: Frank Bush (WI '59)
Frank.Bush@Legacynet.com
Back in 1959 I was awarded a West Virginia Teachers Scholarship that paid $600 a semester to study to become a teacher. Believe it or not that was enough to pay tuition, room and board at Marshall College back then. At that time I also had intentions of becoming a high school history teacher. Up until that time I always thought of Mr. Cubbon as being a strict disciplinarian and would try to stay out of his way. After being awarded the scholarship I found out that Mr. Cubbon had a soft spot for those in (or going to be in) the teaching profession. As I had sixth period study hall that last term on the hill, I would sometimes go up to Mr. Cubbon and ask if I could be excused for the rest of the day. He would always ask if I had my homework done and if I said yes (which I always did) he would grant my request. It was always a special feeling to get out early and know that it was approved.

submitted by: Burt Spangler (WI '38)
burtsbs@nccn.net
You asked about what we remembered about Ken Cubbon. I knew him long before he was principal of WI. I was in the second grade at Monticello Grade School--out South Chestnut beyond the stadium. It is now called Chestnut Hills Elementary--why I don't know because it isn't on Chestnut Hills which was on the other side of South Chestnut and up on the hill. Ken came as our new principal and also taught sixth grade and a small seventh grade group that somehow escaped having to go downtown to Central for seventh grade. He was an activity oriented principal. I remember his taking us up on Lowndes Hill to fly kites that first year and his organizing many other things such as May Day programs, a crossing guard patrol and a Harmonica band. I went thru all of the grades there and had Ken as my sixth grade teacher. He also coached our sixth grade basket ball team. We won the city grade school championship that year--possibly because they allowed a couple of our seventh grade guys to play. I lived closer to town so I didn't go to Monticello for seventh grade but rather downtown to Central Junior High school. I'm not sure when he moved to WI as Orie McConkey was the principal at WI for my time there and yes, Miss Nutter, was secretary. Mac had been there forever by then. He was the principal there when my mother attended WI. I think she graduated in 1919. She married my dad right out of High school and I was born in May of 1920.

Today (May 2) is my 84th birthday as well as our 50th wedding anniversary. Your newsletter was a nice greeting for my birthday--found it buried deep in spam as I checked my E mail after a week long RV outing with the NorCal Good Sam Club.

I too have some fond memories of RW as they allowed me to go an extra post grad year there to take some classes I didn't get with my WI commercial course. I knew a lot of the RW kids anyway as we skated regularly at the rink just a block or so from the school. I joined the army right after that and lost track of what was happening in Clarksburg.

We had some great teachers at WI during my time there—my favorites--Rene Andre, Thelma Painter, Julia Folio, and Maud Yoke. Also enjoyed the music classes under CC Arms, sports and gym with Clay B Hite and working with Mr. Tutwiller the building engineer as we did the lighting and stage set ups for the drama people and the music concerts.

I wonder if anyone knows what happened to Mr. Andre after the war—I ran into him in Paris right after the liberation --he was a Major by then and on some sort of Hush-hush assignment--I never got to follow up and find out what.

I know that most of my memories are of years prior to most of your readers and contributors' time, but I do enjoy reading about things that happened after I left Clarksburg. Thank you much for doing the newsletter.

I doubt if we will ever be able to attend any of the reunions--but if any of the Clarksburgers are traveling near the foothills here in California--we'd love to have a visit

submitted by: Fred G. Layman (VHS 1946)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
Mr. Cubbon stated his teaching career in 1928 as the principal of the Monticello School which was later renamed Chestnut Hill School. In 1934 he was transferred to be principal of the Norwood Grade School. Then in 1938 he became the principal of Norwood Junior High School. After five years there the school board upped his position to be the new principal of Shinnston High School. This took place in 1943. Then came the big jump in 1946 to be principal of Washington Irving High School. He retired in 1966 after spending 20 years at Washington Irving. He was replaced by Maynard Duckworth. I first met Mr. Cubbon in 1947 when I started working at the Harrison County Courthouse. We looked like “Mutt and Jeff” because he was so tall standing beside me. Back then the school principals had to come to the courthouse at least once a month to pick up their teachers pay checks as they were paid only once a month. In the early fifties Mr. Cubbon started working at the Palace Furniture Store on Saturdays and during the summer school breaks.

MY FATHER’S ONLY TOY AS A KID—A LITTLE RED WAGON
submitted by: Chuck Thomas (WI ’56)
THOMASDRCR1@juno.com
Some childhood experiences are searing, registering indelibly in our memories and following each of us well into adulthood. One happened to me at 3 years old accompanying my father downtown. I can still envision certain parts of it quite clearly. After we had passed Washington Irving High School, navigated our way briefly on Lee for half a block, and then turned down Fifth Street again, my father asked a question.

“So you like going to town with me?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“Why do you like going to town?”

“Because when I go to town, you buy me a toy!”

“Do you think every time that I take you to town you will get a toy?”

“Yes,” I said smiling, not comprehending where his questions were leading.

“Do you know how many toys I had when I was a little boy growing up?”

Now in retrospect if you will think for a minute about childhood and the extent of your mathematical knowledge and concepts back then, you will recall that at 3 years old, we had very limited knowledge. We were not usually familiar with numeration systems, whole numbers, integers, rational and real numbers, and mathematical systems in general. Therefore, drawing upon the only two numbers I was familiar with in my third year of life-Number 1 and Number 2-I took a wild guess: “One?”

“That’s right! When I was a little boy, I only had one toy-a little red wooden wagon.” That was my only toy. So you shouldn’t expect that every time you go to town with me that I’m going to buy you a toy.” His message stuck, and over the years, I learned that my father had grown up in a very poor home-especially in his early years..

During my entire life, I only saw my father actually cry once. I was 8 years-old, and he told me about the hardship he had experienced at that same age: “My father had no job, no money, and nothing in the house for us kids to eat . . . except for making cornbread. I remember my father opening a box of corn meal and pouring it into the mixing bowl. Then, a real $5 dollar gold-piece tumbled into the bowl, making a clinking noise.” At that point, my own father began to cry-his face contorting painfully from his own childhood memory-as he continued: ”Maybe the money had fallen out of a worker’s pocket somehow into the corn meal and ended up in the box. That day we ate hot cornbread. The $5 gold-piece gave us hope that we had money for food until our luck changed and until we got through that really bad time. No one would go hungry.” My father’s testimony about finding a $5 gold-piece in a box of corn meal only added intensity to my first searing memory about his only childhood toy, a little red wagon, and it increased my resolve never to ask him for things. On the other hand, both stories deepened my own commitment to become financially self-reliant.

LATE NIGHT HANGOUTS IN CLARKSBURG Another popular subject picked by your editor?
submitted by: Jody Buffington Aud (WI '77)
jbuffaud@comcast.net
That's an easy one....Twin Oaks Pizza. To this day, it's an imperative that anyone in our family traveling through Clarksburg must stop and get a half-baked pizza to take home. That pizza has been to Kalamazoo, Richmond, Washington, DC, Baltimore, New York City and Hilton Head! Never been able to find another that tastes half as good!

submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com
I don't remember much about restaurants in Clarksburg. As I recall, I couldn't afford to take you (Roleta) out to eat very often. Perhaps we would stop to have a pizza at Twin Oaks once in a while. The extent of our late night hangouts was a little different. As I recall, your curfew was midnight, so it never was too late. I especially enjoyed going to "Friends Place". It was never very crowded, not fancy at all, prices were right, and we could dance all we wanted to the latest hits on the juke box. The "Green Parrot" was another great place to go on Friday or Saturday nights. It was always crowded, but that was "where the action was". Another frequent stop was the "Mill Club" on USR 19 near the "Farmerette" in Enterprise. By going there, I got to see many of my high school & college friends since it was near the Marion Co. line. It was an old house transformed into a restaurant/road house/dance hall. I have many fond memories of that place. I don't think it is in business anymore. I saved the best for last-----who can ever forget "Billy's Meadowbrook". Jim Alvaro claims he spent most of his youth there. "The Chords/Prodigals" were the rage. It seemed like they played there every weekend. The crowds included kids from Fairmont, Monongah, Farmington, Shinnston, Bridgeport & of course Clarksburg. I don't think there will ever be another place quite like it. By the way Jim, I'm still going to get you hooked up with John Yokay the next time I see him. What a wealth of memories we have, don't we?

submitted by: Bob Dennison (WI '57)
rcdennison@iolinc.net
One of the best places to spend a lot of "GREAT TIME" was the "NEWS CENTER" owned by the Moreland (57) family. I along with several others spent time there 'just talking' and 'dancing to the music' in a great friendly & warm surroundings. It no longer exists but the good times will not be forgotten.

PRECIOUS CHILD FOR MAY

The precious child for May was Jane Stout Galvin, who would have graduated with the WI Class of 1959.

PRECIOUS CHILD FOR JUNE

If you can guess who this child is, please write to Roleta1@aol.com. Please include a memory. Incorrect guesses are not published.

MAY TRIVIA PICTURE
submitted by: Pat Elder (ND '57)
St1Pat@aol.com
Roleta, I think it is the Broad Oaks Dairy Bar, the capital city of Broad Oaks, the Camden Yards of Broad Oaks where stickball was king & the Broad Oaks football stadium that used Harrison Street as it's playing field, curb to curb.

submitted by: Bob Kramer (WI '65)
Slimedawgg@aol.com
The picture is the Broad Oaks Dairy Bar that was operated by Joe and Viola Bennett. They have both passed away and the future of the business is in question. He made hot dogs and you could get a couple of scoops of Hagan ice-cream in a wafer or sugar cone. Joe always talked about the Pittsburgh Pirates.

submitted by: Steve Limbers (WI '57)
Limberses@cs.com
Looks like the Broad Oaks Dairy Bar to me, but as kids we locals never called it that. We called it Joe's. And when we left the house to go there, we said we were going "up Joe's." I think of Joe's each time I hear the Philadelphia newscasters talk about going "down the shore."

submitted by: Tom Simons (WI '86)
tsimons@wodagroup.com
That is the little store in Broad Oaks. The building is still there today. Broad Oaks Dairy Mart. My sister Chris Simons – ’79 took me there for candy a long time ago.

submitted by: Frank Bush (WI '59)
Frank.Bush@Legacynet.com
Hi again Roleta
The May trivia picture is the Broad Oaks Dairy Bar also known as the Dairy Bar or more familiar just as Joe's. Many the days and evening were spent sitting on the wall just below the store with my buddies. Joe would allow you in the store to buy items or to play the pin ball machine in the back. You could browse the magazines and comics but if you took too long he would accuse you of reading them and ask you to buy it or go outside. He would not allow anyone to hang out in the store but for some reason that did not bother us at the time. Most of the neighborhood action took place outside anyway and we all respected Joe. Sometimes a small ball game would start up in the empty lot next to the store but most of the time was spent sitting on that wall or on the stoop of a store on the corner. The sad thing about the picture is that it also reminds me of those buddies who are no longer with us.

submitted by: Annette Shaffer White (WI '63)
ASWHITECA1@aol.com
The vivid memory I have of the Broad Oaks Dairy Bar is that is where all the Golf Plaza and Broad Oaks guys hung out after school and in the evenings.

submitted by: Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI '56)
msspahr@aol.com
This could be none other than the Broad Oaks Dairy Bar about which we have (from Broad Oaks) have talked so much in the past.

It was owned by Joe Bennett, Sr., and taken over by his son, Joe Bennett, Jr., when the older Mr. Bennett's eyes failed. It was a hangout, especially on hot summer evenings, for a whole generation of kids growing up in Broad Oaks. Just to the right of the picture as you see it was an empty lot. It was one of the few empty lots in all of Broad Oaks and served as a place to play ball. In the left of the picture you see the house where the Ross family lived. Just below that one is the Elbon's house.

My sister (Janna May Clark Westfall, WI '54) and I actually worked a lot at the Dairy Bar when we were in HS. Joe and his wife, Vi, could never get any time off or any vacation time unless they either closed the store or entrusted the operation to us. We could make the hot dogs, make milk-shakes and sundaes, and yes, even make change in the days before automatic ring-ups or calculators. We could even do inventory and ordering. It was a big responsibility for kids our age, but it never would have occurred to us that we couldn't do it.

Inside were a couple of tables with chairs where people could sit to eat their hot dogs, hamburgers or sundaes, or drink a Coke and read the magazines for free. This was a common practice that Joe didn't like but never stopped for fear of driving business away. In many ways he was much too nice and too tolerant for his own good.

On hot summer evenings a crowd would gather and as many as a dozen kids could be seen just hanging around or sitting on the wall in front of the Ross house. If the boys had a little money, they might be inside playing the pinball machine. Girls never played the pinball machine that I remember. It must have been one of those things that separated the sexes in those days. If I am very still, I can still hear that thing ringing in my head.

There was also business in the winter with people stopping in to pick up milk and bread, but most of my memories are about the hot summer and the gathering of kids. Several of those are frequent contributors to this publication such as Don Sager, Jim Alvaro, Steve Limbers, etc. It was a good, wholesome, safe place to hang out and I have lots and lots of fond memories. I have been told that Joe's widow, Vi, recently died. Another piece of the puzzle that is my life is gone.

submitted by: Don Sager (WI '56)
dks@davtv.com
Roleta...........This is a picture of The Broad Oak's Dairy Bar on Harrison Street. Some of us have written articles about Joe's previously for the Newsletter. So I won't rehash but this was the hangout for younger kids in the 1940's and 50's. Vi Bennett, Joe's widow, just passed away two months ago.

submitted by: Bob Dennison (WI '57)
rcdennison@iolinc.net
This was an old hang out for all the guys from Broad Oaks. I seemed to be there when I was collecting for my newspaper route. A vacant lot beside the store was a perfect place to play "Stick Ball"-a hit so far up on what used to be Perils Store was a double-a little higher a triple -higher yet 'home run'. A great place to sharpen your "Batting Skills". Later on in the evening "Home Base" for playing "Chase" with the boundaries being the entire Broad Oaks area. A great place to grow up.

submitted by: Wayne Winters (WI '66)
wwinters@ix.netcom.com
I just received a clipping that Vi Bennett of Broad Oaks Dairy Bar on Harrison Street passed on April 15, 2004. (Joe passed on July 20, 1988 according to the clipping). Joe's was a fixture in the neighborhood for my childhood and for many others for a long time.

Wayne Winters --Sacramento Ca --would have been class of 1966 WI grad.

JUNE TRIVIA PICTURE

PICTURE FURNISHED BY MELINDA MAZZA SUTTER (WI '64)
If you recognize the above picture, please send your guess to Roleta1@aol.com. Remember I do not publish incorrect guesses. Please include a memory with your guess.---only the correct guesses with a memory included will be printed.

OBITUTARIES
WILLIAM EDWARD REBROOK II
-- William Edward Rebrook II, known to all as "Fishhook," died April 30, 2004. He lived eighty-six years, six months and seventeen days.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Jane (Haller) Rebrook, to whom he was married for sixty-three years; seven children, Mary Jane Bagwell of Alexandria, VA, Vicki Ann Hill and her husband Dr. E.F. Hill of Gardnerville, NV, William Edward Rebrook III and his wife Lynne of Charleston, WV, Sally M. Oliverio and her husband John of Bridgeport, WV, Patrick D. Rebrook and his wife Veronica of Clarksburg, WV, Melanie Dawn Watson of Clarksburg, WV and Scott Rebrook of Hagerstown, MD. He had fourteen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren. He also maintained a close relationship with his former daughter-in-law, Beckie Gribble Drumheller, and his former sons-in-law, John Bagwell and Steve Bumgardner.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William E. and Vernia (Leffler) Rebrook; three brothers, Hodge, Charles and Paul; one sister, Madelin, and by his beloved son, David.

He was a member of the Victory High School Class of 1936, where he was an outstanding football and basketball player. He was also a champion Golden Gloves boxer and, in 1939, was the star pitcher of the Home Standard fast-pitch softball team, which won the West Virginia State Championship, and which played in the Softball World Series at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Mr. Rebrook retired from PPG Industries, where he had been a glass cutter for forty years. He was a proud member of the Window Glass Cutters League of America, AFL-CIO. He began working at eighteen in the Box Shop of the Rolland Glass Factory in North View. And for three years, each day after work, he worked an additional eight hours as an apprentice at the Adamston Glass Factory to earn his journeyman's card.

JOHN WILLIAM HERSMAN
John William Hersman, 57, of Lusby, Md., died on April 20, 2004, at his residence. Born on May 18, 1946, in Clarksburg, WV, he was the son of Laura Ayersman Hersman of Clarksburg, WV and the late William H. Hersman.

Mr. Hersman graduated from the Washington Irving High School in Clarksburg, WV. He then attended West Virginia Wesleyan College graduating in 1968 with a BA in History, attended Fairmont State College in WV and Northwest Missouri State University obtaining degrees in Business Administration. Mr. Hersman served his country in the United States Navy retiring as a LCDR. From 1978 until 1980 he was Assistant Vice President in charge of construction loan portfolio at the First Annapolis Savings Bank. In 1983 he was promoted to Senior Vice President in charge of all loan department functions including commercial lending, residential lending and consumer lending, he held this position until 1985. In 1985 he became President of the Delta Financial Services Inc., a subsidiary of First Annapolis Savings Bank, in charge of real estate developments and joint venture projects. This position was held until 1987.

Throughout his career he was also Chief real estate appraisal officer. From 1988 until 1991 he was President and equity partner of Anchor Capitol Group, where he developed residential and commercial real estate in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Prince Georges, Howard and Talbot counties. In 1991 he opened the Maryland Appraiser Services Inc., which he ran with his wife Ruth until his death. Mr. Hersman held a Certified General Appraiser License in the State of Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Commonwealth of Virginia. He was a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church in Clarksburg, WV, the Anne Arundel County, Economic Development Finance Committee, International Trade Committee and the Industrial Revenue Bond Committee. He also was involved in missionary work in Central America for many years.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife Ruth E. Duff Hersman; a son, John Andrew Hersman of Catonsville, MD; a daughter, Megan M. Storer, of San Diego, CA; a stepson, Giovanni F. Del Alcazar of Baltimore, MD; a sister, Nancy Harvey and husband Don of Clarksburg, WV and two granddaughters.

Thank you to the Clarksburg Exponent for their permission to use excerpts of the obituaries in this newsletter.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

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