THE WI NEWSLETTER 09/04


THE WI NEWSLETTER


Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith ISSUE 61 BEGINNING OUR 5TH YEAR September 2004






HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

All of you know the story why I started this newsletter in August 1999. But did you know that the first newsletter (THE CLASS OF 1959 NEWSLETTER) I sent to my classmates of 1959 had pretty graphics in it that I worked hours to put in the right place. Judy Daugherty Kimler was one of the first to reply about how much she enjoyed the newsletter. I asked her if she liked the little blue flowers I had inserted in my emailed newsletter. She replied that the only people who received the newsletter with the graphics were people who used AOL…all the others just received little >>>> at the beginning of each sentence. I was enlightened but was very disappointed. She said that she and Larry (her “computer guru” husband) had a free website and they would be willing to put my newsletter on line for people to read and then I could put the graphics in the newsletter. I told her that I really didn’t know how to put the graphics in place. I just experimented with the first one. She volunteered to help and said that Larry would help her learn to put the graphics in where I wanted them and she would learn from him how to put it on the website. The newsletter as you know it was born. Next I had to get people to write to me….about anything. I begged and pleaded for people to write about one subject or another. I tried every subject I could think of. I didn’t want the idea to die! Some months I didn’t receive much in reply from my classmates and I would write individuals and beg them to write to me about some certain subject. Some were kind enough to cooperate…..others obviously ignored me. Many months I told Judy that I thought it was a failure and I was going to quit. She kept talking me into staying with it one more month. It wasn’t long until people (siblings of my classmates) found the web site and they started shyly responding. They didn’t know if their input would be welcome. Oh, I not only welcomed their input, I looked forward to it! Bless their Little Pea Pickin Hearts….. It wasn’t long until I realized that the newsletter was reaching many people from many different classes. I thought and thought about changing the name of the newsletter so all would feel welcome to contribute and to be a part of the newsletter. At first I thought that I would name it THE CLARKSBURG NEWSLETTER --- since we have graduates from different schools who read the newsletter. However, after thinking it over for a while, I decided that I might be taking on more than I could handle if I went with that name. So I settled on THE WI NEWSLETTER….and now there are about 1,000 people who read the newsletter and contribute. Readers who are from many high schools and who are now located in many states and countries throughout the world.

About 5 years ago there was a web site called The Hilltoppers which was managed by a couple of WI grads. (It is no longer available). Each Sunday night many of my 1959 classmates would sign on at 9:00 to chat. During one of these chats I ask Bob Davis if he would be willing to keep the email addresses straight for me. He agreed. At that time neither of us ever thought that the job would entail more than keeping track of our classmates…..but my how it has grown. Now Bob takes care of 8 pages of single spaced names and email addresses which are all alphabetized and arranged by school and class year.

What I so innocently started has now become a major task. One of which we are very proud. It is a lot of work but it brings us a lot of pleasure to be able to give this to our old and new friends. Yes, I do spend innumerable hours at the job. Yes, I am underpaid. Yes, it is a labor of love (sometimes it is—sometimes it isn’t). I can’t say I love doing it every month. Some months it is a job. Other times it is enjoyable but isn’t that true of everything in our lives?

But through the newsletter, we now have memories awakened that had been asleep for years!  We now have pride in our school, town and state as they were when we were young.  We now have contact with friends, old neighbors, classmates and even long lost relatives where we had totally forgotten about them.  It is wonderful and I am glad to be a part of it!  Not many schools in the USA have a newsletter like we have and it is only because of those who read and contribute something to it each month.

Roleta, Judy and Bob



CLASS OF 1959 AT THE SUMMER PICNIC


Pictured above:
Front row l-r: Roleta Smith Meredith, Sue Smith Moore, Hank Ross, Beth Twigg Devericks, Judy Daugherty Kimler, Jeanie Werner Davis, Phyllis Fittro Brown, Joy Gregorie Stalnaker, Sharyn Cottrill McGahan

Back row l-r: Ron Werner, Fred Alvaro, Ken McIe, Dick Hanifan, Charlie Burkhammer, Mike Moore, Larry Martino



CARLILE SCHOOL CHORUS
1948 4TH, 5TH, AND 6TH GRADES

submitted by: Mary Stump Harrrell (WI '55)
maryharrell@direcway.com

This picture was left out of last month's Carlisle article.


Front row: Rick McDonald, Put Sinsel, John Chokatis, -?-, Jean Myers, Carol Costlow?, Martha Blair Norris, -?-, Jean Morgan
2nd Row: -?-, -?-, Frances Neal, -?-, Carolyn Spelsberg, Sophia Chokatis, Susan Stout, Susan Mitchie, Mary Ann Dilmore
3rd Row: Diane Jarvis, Delores Keiser, Bob (Robin) Weaver, Sue Holt, Judy Lough, Saundra Morrison, Irma Bass, Duane Perrine, Mary Stump
4th Row: Colin Church, Patty Poling?, Birk Stathers, Patty Williams, Nancy Thompson, David Nichols, Edris Tannenbaum, -?-, Vera Keller?
Back row: Mrs. Nance, 5th grade teacher and director of the chorus, and Mr. Johnson, Principal




READING THE NEWSLETTER

submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com

Was there life before the WI NEWSLETTER? The people were out there, but there was no communication. I had a list of names and addresses which may or may not be working and occasionally a new email address would appear. There was a website www.hilltoppers.com with some basic information and a chat room we enjoyed for a time. But then, two outstanding classmates opened a whole new means of communication for us and created the WI NEWSLETTER.

It's overwhelming to think of the countless hours, devotion and dedication these women, Judy Kimler and Roleta Meredith exert EACH MONTH for all of us in cyberspace to enjoy.

On a personal note, I was very shy in school, but deep down my spirit has always been strong. The WI NEWSLETTER has given me the opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings, as many others, which otherwise, I probably would never have done.

The WI NEWSLETTER keeps me informed of events, interests of trivia, current email addresses, tidbits and history from readers which in turn helps me to get to know my fellow classmates somewhat better, cheerful graphics and good reading.

The WI NEWSLETTER reveals our true spirit of Clarksburg, West Virginia.



submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
Jalvaro@aol.com

I look forward to reading the Newsletter for many reasons, Roleta. Most of all it lets me get in touch with friends I have not seen or heard from since high school. Not only did it let me get in touch with them but also now we are constantly communicating with each other. Some of those have stopped down to see me in Ga. on their way to someplace else. Just think, without the Newsletter, where would the Sarasota and the Clarksburg get together be right now? It is a lot of fun to read the Newsletter with the trivia and precious child sections. Not to mention, it put me in touch with your hubby Bill. He is a hoot!!!   I have contributed some to the Newsletter but probably not as much as I should have considering the work you are putting into it. I know how hard it is just proofreading what I send in let alone all the others like me that didn't set the world on fire in English at WI. Keep up the good work.



submitted by: Sherry Greitzner Dial (WI '56)
Luman4804@aol.com

The WI Newsletter is always printed out at my home so that I can just sit back and relax with it just like a favorite book retrieved from a bookshelf. I enjoy every single part of the Newsletter and really do not have a favorite part. What I would like to see in the Newsletter, as time progresses, is information pertinent to the WIN Scholarship Fund.  Then later, regarding the recipients of the WIN Scholarship and a bit of history of the student, his/her family, what college will be attended and profession that student will be seeking. This stimulates and creates continued progress with the WIN Scholarship. Since just this past January coming on board with the WI Newsletter, I did not realize there was a Clarksburg WI Alumni Picnic held at Nutter Fort.



submitted by: Jim Pulice (WI '62)
Jpulice@aol.com

Thank You, Roleta and Judy,  for giving us a chance to look back at our lives of "Wonderful Days" gone by.  Thank you for your time, patience, and the opportunity to be a part of this "Spectacular" Newsletter !!! For me it stirs up so many wonderful memories.  It is as if it were a Lifetime ago. When classmates send in their stories I can pick up on those times and places and it brings back wonderful memories for me and the friends with whom I shared those great times. I think our hearts do not really mature till we reach the back side of the Ruler.  It is at this time of our lives we can appreciate those we grew up with and those who shared our lives!



submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
Jteter@balmar.com

I read the Newsletter to find out what is happening in and around Clarksburg and to find other people that I knew at some point in my YOUNGER life. I have found articles from MANY PEOPLE that I had lost contact with and have since seen several of these people during my trips back to Clarksburg. I enjoy the TRIVIA pictures, except that I seem to have forgotten a lot of the surroundings that I grew up in as I do not remember a lot of the PLACE TRIVIA, and the PEOPLE TRIVIA is just about as bad, but I enjoy when people guess and I say to myself "John, you should have known that place and/or that person". I do not enjoy reading the obituary section, as I have had to read TOO MANY obits on people that were a BIG part of my growing up. I think that the two that hurt the most were Dave Corbett (61) and Mary Clyde Stephens (53). Dave was one of my best friends in high school and Mary Clyde (Murph) lived across the street from where my mother still lives and where I grew up with my brother, sister and dad. I think that you and Judy have kept the Clarksburg connection available to a lot of people. You have advertised for MANY GATHERINGS of several classes and the two annual picnics have brought a lot of people together that would not have gotten together if it were not for the newsletter announcing the happenings. I have enjoyed the many articles that I have seen in the newsletter from my brother and sister.  It is always funny to me that my sister knew this TRIVIA PLACE or my brother knew that TRIVIA PERSON, and I didn't and yet my brother and I were only a year apart in school and my sister has been a big part of my life.  

I wish that more of my classmates from 1961 would contribute more to your newsletter and I wish that there were more letters from other people that went to some of the other schools in Clarksburg that I knew. I have been in touch with several people from other schools, THANKS TO YOUR NEWSLETTER. Two that come to mind are the ZABEAU sisters from Notre Dame.  

ONE ADDED ADDITION to my enjoyment of reading the newsletter, is that I have gotten to meet you and Bill! I have also met a lot of people that I would never have known without going to events that the newsletter has advertised.  

I have been given some "FIND THE MISSING CLASSMATE TRIVIA", thanks to your readers, and I think that I have been able to help put some other classmates from WI and Notre Dame back in touch with each other. I REALLY LIKE BEING ABLE TO FIND MISSING CLASSMATES. I got the WI class of 61 missing classmates down from 18 to 5 in trying to find people for our last (and next) class reunion. I am still missing: Constance Kittle, Alice Reynolds, James Smith, Patricia Taylor and Roger (Toby) Wise, so if anyone knows where any of these people might be E-mail me at JATETER@AOL.COM.

I hope that you continue the newsletter for a LLLLLOOOOONNNNNGGGGG TTTTTIIIIIMMMMMEEEEE. Thanks to you and Judy for your efforts.



submitted by: Anne Harter Corbett (WI '57)
rcorbett@tampabay.rr.com

Hello to all,
Just wanted to let you know how I look forward to reading the newsletter, every month. I can not remember now, how I even found it to start with, but I did, and personally think it is a very interesting, wonderful way to keep in touch with those who may have touched our lives in some way.

I actually never went to WI, but did go to Towers and Central Jr. We moved after I finished the 7th grade. I lived on the hill, actually a few houses from Carolyn Harbert and her sister. I hung out on Jayne Byrnsides front porch in summer. My best friends were Eliza Swiger and Mary Helen Thompson.On summer evenings all the kids would meet at the bottom of the hill, to do whatever, just hang out as the kids today say.

In winter we all would ride our sleds down Preston Ave or any of the hills that cars couldn't get up. I remember the boys, Roy and Don Bever, Chuck Thomas, Alan Brassuer, Mike Tricot ( my hero , at the time).Bobby and Paula Morris and so many others.

The point of all this, is when I read the newsletter, I see some of these names plus others that I  recognize, and it brings back so many good memories. The pictures of places that I had almost forgotten until someone guesses what they are bring back more memories. I enjoy all the stories written, as they touch on things I remember too.

I have had a good life but reading the newsletter makes me wish I could have gone on to graduate from WI, and been a part of all the experiences that all of you share.

Don Sager, bless his heart, has sent me many photos, of people that I knew , in grade school and Jr, high. Reading the newsletter and looking at you all now, makes me feel *back home again*



submitted by: Mary K. McDaniel Bellisario (WI '65)
bayouduo_1@charter.net

Though I never met you, I want to thank you for bringing together so many people from different graduating classes of W.I. Your newsletter has brought a new prospective to all of us, and especially my life. Please use the following comments, as much as you have space for:  

Why I read your newsletter: Keeping in touch with my past. Since graduation from W.I. in 1965, and then graduation from W.V.U. in 1968 (December), I have not lived in West Virginia. From 1968, I have lived in Pittsburgh, PA, a couple years; then Tokyo, Japan, for more than a year; then Washington, D.C. for 10 years, and now Louisiana for 20 years.  I have lost touch with most of my own Class of '65. Fortunately I keep in touch with a handful of other W.I. grads around the country. And I have lost touch with Clarksburg-- the one or two times a year we get "up north," we visit my parents in Clarksburg and my husband's family in Pittsburgh. Not enough time for sight-seeing -- I'm sure I wouldn't recognize downtown Clarksburg!  Your newsletter has provided a sense of being, of heritage that I have missed down where almost everybody else has "lived here all their lives."

What I particularly like about it:  I just was introduced to your newsletter this past month, and went back and read everything in your archives. I have really enjoyed all parts of it -- comments from other graduates, descriptions of the changes at W.I.,  all the topics you've chosen to address, and especially the trivia pictures!  I missed Joe's (Dairy Bar) in Broad Oaks, even though I grew up there! The two photos of Roosevelt-Wilson High School and Linden Grade School were amazing!

Especially amusing to me was the recent account of living through a hurricane by a W.I. grad living in Virginia. Having lived in south Louisiana (near New Orleans) since 1983, we've prepared for and survived many. As anyone along the southern East coast, or Florida, or the Gulf Coast could have told him:  at the beginning of hurricane seasons (June 1-Nov. 30) stock up on batteries, working flashlights, bottled water, a battery-operated radio/TV, and foods that don't require much cooking to weather the storms!  His description of grocery near the time of a hurricane was perfect. I never have to worry about stocking up -- being a West Virginian, I always keep a well-stocked pantry in case we got snowed in!

What would I like to see added:  Please keep up the good work. The only addition to your excellent newsletter is not in your hands alone -- I would like to see more messages from graduates of the classes during the 1962-1966 era. While I've enjoyed everyone else's memories, my classmates and I shared a lot of different experiences, and often didn't go to the same places that I see referenced by the grads in the 1950's. And so many of the teachers were different. But W.I. remained the same. Only for a while, apparently!   

I'll do my part to help spread the word! C'mon, grads of '62, '63, '64, '65 and '66!




WI PICNIC

The following 78 WI grads attended the picnic:

Ella Grace Kyle Spears  '34 Clioreta Post Criss  '35 Roxie Heather Tibbs  '35
Ann Yoke  '46 Bill Yoke  '46 Dian Gantz Hurley  '46
Fred Wilson  '48 Nancy Crane Jones  '48 Bob Harrison  '52
George Scholl  '52 Virginia Scholl  '52 John "Jack" Emrick  '54
Shirley Whaley Johnson  '54 Bob Hart  '55 Bucky Tustin  '55
Bud Collins  '55 Konrad Melkus  '55 Chuck Thomas  '56
Jim Alvaro  '56 Joe Williams Jr  '56 John Harrison  '56
Bob Dennison  '57 Diana Folio Watne  '57 Jim Brown  '57
Phyllis Alton Nichols  '57 Shirley Heidelmeier Williams  '57 Skip Bowie  '57
Walter "Sonny" Talkington  '57 Betty Latstetter Burke  '58 Bill VanVoorhis  '58
Gloria Caruso Shaffer  '58 Harriett Danley VanVoorhis  '58 Jane Heaberlin Rakestraw  '58
Joan Riggleman Paugh  '58 Mike Shaffer  '58 Beth Twigg Devericks  '59
Charlie Burkhammer  '59 Fred Alvaro  '59 Hank Ross  '59
Jeanie Werner Davis  '59 Joy Gregoire Stalnaker  '59 Judy Daugherty Kimler  '59
Ken McIe  '59 Larry Martino  '59 Mike Moore  '59
Phyllis Fittro Brown  '59 Richard Hanifan  '59 Roleta Smith Meredith  '59
Ronnie Werner  '59 Sharyn Cottrill McGahan  '59 Sue Smith Moore  '59
Becky McClain Werner  '60 Dottie Spears Rinehart  '60 J Stanley Jenkins  '60
Jim Campbell  '60 Pam Wolfe Brown  '60 Barbara Thomas Smith  '61
Charlene Rolland Leon  '61 John Teter  '61 Bill Norris  '62
Bill Spears  '62 Dave Rowe  '62 Gigi Selby Meredith  '62
Carolyn Smith  '63 Carolyn Wise Norris  '63 David Morris  '63
Margaret Ann Heflin Bailey  '62 Naomi Burnell Burkhammer  '64 Richard Iaquinta  '64
Rocky Axton  '65 Mary Singleton Davis  '66 Larry Alvaro  '67
Becky Smith Hunn  '69 Allena Paugh Johnson  '78 Brenda Johnson Thompson  '79
Frances Lopez  '79 Susan Fittro Thomas  '80 Marlene Paugh Goldsmith  '93

These are the WI Grads that signed in. If you were there and don't see your name listed, it is because you didn't sign in. Be sure and sign in next year so you can be counted.



YOUNG GRADS AT THE SUMMER PICNIC



Pictured above are left to right:
Susan Thomas (WI 1980), Frances Lopez (WI 1979), Brenda Johhnson (WI 1979), and Allena Johnson (WI 1978). All had a good time at the picnic and wonder where the rest of you were?



HUNTING, PICKING AND EATING RAMPS

What is a ramp? What does it look like? Does it grow in all states or is it native to the Appalachian Mountains? Did you ever go ramp hunting and picking? Where did you find the ramps? Did you ever eat a ramp raw or cooked? Can ramps be frozen or canned for future use? Do they cook down and not smell or taste so strong after they are cooked? Do you have a recipe for cooking ramps? Do cooks include them in other dishes or just cook them alone like greens? Did you ever get dismissed from school because you smelled so strong of ramps? Do you pick ramps in the spring or fall? Write your memories to Roleta1@aol.com.




A SHOCK!

EDITOR’S NOTE: I received the following letter from a reader (I will protect the reader and not publish the name). I was so shocked that something like this could happen. At my Class reunion we want everyone there…those who graduated, those who were in our class but moved, those who would have graduated with us but for one reason or the other quit school. I hope all classes will take note, this just should not happen.

IF YOU MISS YOUR CLASS REUNION----YOU ARE AN IDIOT!
I read the above sentence in your latest WI Newsletter (8/04) and thought it was a bit harsh. I guarantee you that I am no idiot......But, I have never gotten ANY invitations to ANY of my WI class reunions for my class.  Isn't that rude? I just recently attended my boyfriend's 20th class reunion for Grafton High School and there weren't very many in attendance.  One of his former classmates (and still a good friend) stated to me that it was most likely because not everyone got an invitation.  He stated that it was a "clique thing" and that whomever was in charge of the invitations, if they didn't like you then they most certainly still don't like you therefore you don't get invited.  When I told him that I never got invited to any of mine, he just said "see what I mean?" I think that is a shame.  I would loved to have gone to any of mine had I known when and where they were being held.  That's very sad for those of us who are left out.  I am STILL venting because of my missed reunions.  I had many great friends and would have LOVED to have seen them again.  Yes, some of my classmates were not so nice, but I didn't give them a second thought.  But not seeing the cherished friends made me very sad.



ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED


Pictured above are Joe Williams (WI 1956) and wife Shirley Heidelmeier (WI 1957). They were at the summer picnic on August 28 in Clarksburg. They celebrated their 47th anniversary on June 15. Joe and Shirley are parents of 3 children and have 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.




YOUR CLASS CONTACT

We are starting a new service to the readers. It seems that when people move or change email servers they don’t contact someone in their high school class. I can understand that if you are one of those people who have lost contact with your classmates. However, there needs to be someone for each class who will keep the record for that class.

So I need a volunteer for each class……the first person to respond will get the honor. This will be the person you will contact when you move (include your name, address, phone). I will be the contact for my class of 1959…..Bob Davis keeps the records straight—I have a backup—but you know my address so write to me Roleta1@aol.com.

For the Class of 1961, John Teter has volunteered, save this address Jteter@balmar.com. Now write and volunteer for your class. Do it today!



HOW ABOUT THIS IDEA?

Many have sent very generous gifts for the scholarship. Graduates from ND, RW and WI are joining us to help a child from Clarksburg further his or her education. The scholarship bank account started with me giving the $968.00 collected at the CLARKSBURG PICNIC in Sarasota, Florida last March. Some of this money was from the comforter raffle and the rest was gathered to cover the cost of the picnic costs. I donated all proceeds I collected that day to the scholarship fund. I love those generous checks that some of you readers have sent to the fund. AND I HOPE you will continue to be generous. However, I know that not all people can afford to send large gifts. So I came up with an idea that should fit every person who has a computer and can read this newsletter. We have about 1,000 readers of the newsletter. If half of you would send me $12.00 (that is only $1.00 per month EACH YEAR) for the WIN SCHOLARSHIP we could give a large scholarship and have money in our account to give for years to come. Look at it this way---that is ONLY 25 cents a week! Surely you can afford that! What better way can you spend $1.00 per month? (That is less than the cost of your favorite soft drink or your favorite candy bar.) Your gift will be put into the WIN SCHOLARSHIP bank account and along with the gifts from other readers we can build a fund that will be used for years to help many children in Clarksburg with college expenses. So far in 5 months 41 people have sent me a check or given me money. So come on, join us and feel good about helping a young person from Clarksburg attain a future.

Write your check to:
Roleta Meredith/WIN Scholarship and mail to me at our office:
3025 Switzer Ave
Columbus, Ohio 43219

My aim is to give a $1,000.00 scholarship each year to a child who will graduate from R.C. Byrd High School. Perhaps if we collect enough, we can give more than one child a scholarship. This is not some little passion I have for just this year. This is something we will be doing for as long as we can for the youth of Clarksburg.

THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF OUR YOUTH!




SHARYN GETS KEY TO THE CITY


Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI 1959) shown here receiving the key to the city from City Councilwoman and 1962 WI grad Margaret Ann Heflin Bailey. Sharyn has organized and run the Clarksburg picnic for the last 3 years. Many thanks to Sharyn from all who attended the picnic.




E-MAIL ADDRESSES THAT NO LONGER WORK!

THESE WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM MY LIST. If you know this person and they wish to remain on the notification list, please have that person contact me with a request. These addresses have not worked recently and I must eliminate them. It is time consuming each month when I try to send out the newsletter to have these stall or bounce back. REMINDER TO ALL READERS: If you change your email address or wish to no longer receive mail from me, please just notify me….thanks

Alexis Julian Scott (ND 1965) nunniescott@aol.com
Anna Pears Jones (WI 1958) anannaj@earthlink.net
Love2paint@ma.rr.com
Mastevenson@lexcomic.net
Greg Myers (WI 1956) Myers@usna.edu
Bob Dennison (WI 1957) recdennison@iolinc.net
Tanui.bryan@lmco.com
rustye@earthlink.net
fmeredith@mial.fscwv.edu
Gary Weiner (WI 1960) Cias@iolinc.net
David Bennett (WI 1954) dbennett5@neo.com




HURRICANE CHARLEY HIT SOME FRIENDS

If I missed anyone else who was in Charley’s road, I am sorry for your suffering.

submitted by: Sam Iaquinta (WI '54)
siqiii@aol.com

Hi All:  Hurricane arrived Fri. Tis now Tuesday and we just received power, H20, telephone, and computer back. Still no TV except a couple local channels. The lack of these basic services has been the hardest to live with. Just to give you an overview of how much of a total disaster this is.

There are 25 counties listed as disaster areas w/ damage, no power, etc. extending from Marco Island northwest right through the state. Our county alone has 75% of its businesses either damaged or destroyed in Punta Gorda and  Port Charlotte. In this county here are still over 90,000 without any basics of power, water, sewer, and telephone in our county.  In our county there are over 80%, or 10,000+ homes either damaged or destroyed. There are 21 schools in Charlotte County. Only 4 escaped damage, and 8 of the schools are very probably beyond repair, including the high school.  In our county, there were over 30+ mobile home complexes totally destroyed, having held thousands of residents. The damage is so horrendous, sad, and devastating to see.  Punta Gorda was a lovely little town, quaint, historic, exceptionally clean, becoming trendy and progressive, very proud, growing beautifully, etc. It basically is gone!!

Our personal neighborhood has 52 estate homes and 48 of those have lost their pool/lanai cages.  We are lucky enough to have one of the 4 that survived destruction. The fringe of the eye came over Burnt Store Marina before the eye itself went right over Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. Here in BSM the damage is very extensive. It basically came in from the east and southeast. Almost everyone in the marina has lost their lanai cages, portions of roofs or at the least many roof tiles, etc. The older condo complex of 8 bldgs w/ 120+ units right by the channel out of the harbor has been nearly destroyed.  It really looks like it would take years to refurbish, if even possible.

We left because Susie, Tim, and the kids were here. We went to Sebring to a golfing resort we go to frequently.  It apparently was a bad choice, because the storm arrived there about 2 hours after it hit here. However, winds there were only about 100 mph rather than the 145 mph here and really not dangerous to us. That county is still totally without power.  Since we were without power there on Sat. a.m., we figured we might as well try to get home. The closer we got to Punta Gorda, the worst the destruction was. We wound in and around downed trees and twisted power poles and lines from about 20 miles out.

Our personal damage was far less than we anticipated. Our builder did an excellent job in that our home survived. Our front doors blew in, as did those of many of our friends. That in turn blew out one of our slider panels.  (we've learned that double doors that open out are much more secure than doors that open in. Why didn't they tell us that we built the house????)  We returned to leaves, twigs, dirt, pine needles all through the main living area. In addition, we have a couple broken windows, facia/soffit damage, and garage door damage. etc. Nearly all of our personal damage has arisen from the demise of many of our 50/60 ft tall pine trees, which became projectiles when the 20/30 ft tops of them hit the house. Since we have a very large lot, the cleanup of pine debris will go on and on and encompass many loads to have carted away.

Thank God our son-in-law has building trade skills.  He is the only reason we now have front doors and sliding doors to the lanai back in place.  All of what has to be done is up to us as homeowners and neighbors to help each other, because it will be impossible to get repairmen or tradesmen for absolutely months.

A secondary little item for us is that the roof blew off the Life Care Center where my mother has been.  Until the roof is repaired and services safely restored, they have transferred all 170 residents to other facilities.  Mother has been moved to one of their sister facilities in West Palm Beach, nearly 3 hours away.  She has been close to terminal for nearly a month now, so this is especially stressful for us to have her now so far away.

We were scheduled to head to New England for 2-3 weeks on Sept 1. With our needs to recoup from the storm, coupled with Sam's heart scare, and my mother's unstable situation and a probable return of her to Michigan, we have felt it a necessity to cancel that trip.

No doubt most of you think we are absolutely out of our minds to live with the hurricane threat over us in Florida.  I must say though, that by the morning after the storm, we were back to beautiful paradise weather conditions.  I guess anywhere we live we buck the percentages -- tornado alley, forest fires, dust storms, landslides, avalanches, winter blizzards, constant terror worries, etc.

Do share these thoughts w/ any of our friends or relatives whose e-mail addresses we do not have.  Love, IQ's     



submitted by: Carlisle and Elaine Fowler Bowling (WI '59)
Zarvon@aol.com

Charley was a direct hit for us dearest friends. This whole thing was a complete surprise to us, especially the severity. The eye went straight over our house and on out into the ocean here in Ormond Beach, FL.. Our house lost power at 9:50 p.m. and back up at 8:20 tonight. Our house was actually hit by a tornado about that time and was damaged more by the tornado than by the hurricane. I had to watch it from my hospital bed in front of the patio sliding doors as I could not get into the hallway for safety so I just completely covered head and all with hospital blankets and all was fine. 

We have two huge trees in front of the house (east side actually) that fell across the power lead in to the house, ripped the power weather head off the house. Telephone line severed completely, and the cable for the computer is still out. Kyle (our 34 year old at home yet son Thank You God for that) spliced the telephone cable back together so we have telephone. So I just switched the computer to telephone instead of cable. Kyle and our neighbor chain sawed enough to free the power lines and Kyle nailed the weather head back up. The power line fortunately was not broken but the ground is broken but at least we have power until they can get the ground repaired. We have a huge tree down in the back yard also. But other than that we have NO DAMAGE compared to everyone else around us. The van was hit by a large limb and the passenger door mirror was broken off. We also lost the pool solar heat off of our roof but fortunately it did not damage the roof--do not ask me how that happened because all I can say is ANGELS!! So we are most thankful.

My friend and Nurse/caregiver, Brandon in Port Orange, FL lost all the windows on the back side of his house, the sliding doors, the garage door which had a hurricane lock on it, and his pool enclosure. His whole subdivision was hard hit. I DROVE around with Kyle and Hannah (Our Doxie) this afternoon (down to Brandon's in Port Orange) and the devastation is totally unbelievable. New Smyrna Beach, FL is 100% without power, water and sewer. There are still 160,000 without power in our county alone. First damage estimates for OUR COUNTY is over 3 BILLION DOLLARS. The winds here were between 80 and 100 mph even after it came completely across Florida. Unreal!

None of us got much sleep last night and I wish you could have felt the feelings as the eye went over the house. Total calm, dead air! Most eerie to say the least.

Elaine and Kyle went to the shop (our family flower and gift shop in Flagler Beach, FL)  this morning and all is well there except for a serious roof leak--but that is par for the course as we hardly have been without a roof leak for going on four years although a brand new roof was finished less than two months ago. Of course the shop is without power and telephone also.

Our hurricane deductible for the house is $2,150. ($500 for everything else) so we will not even file an insurance claim at all. There will be very few homes in our county who do not file claims. We are a complete disaster to say the least. Some power outages will not be fixed for at least a week,

All in all, God blessed us so much.



submitted by: Tannis and Jim Warren (WI '56)
tanniswarren@hotmail.com

Barb and Bob are fine, well almost fine.  She is in the hospital with pneumonia, but will only be in a few days.  They evacuated with another couple up to Sarasota and were fine--they were able to get back into the area on Monday and they had lost the roof off the carport and the room across the end had lost the roof which fell down against the room.  They lost the computer in that room and carpet and some other furniture, but the rest of the place is fine, except it is all damp since there was no AC.    Of course, they have been down there working every day trying to clear out the room and save what they can--and figure out how to wrap the area in plastic, which they did with 2x4s yesterday.  She did too much--had had sinus surgery 6 weeks ago.  They are okay and hope to get someone in to work on the room in the next month.  If that happens they will be very lucky.  Don't think Jim and I will make it to Clarksburg--just got back from Nags Head.  Had a great week and great time.  Tell all hello for us--Tannis and Jim



Also, about Gene and Sallie Holden Day (WI 1959): They have a condo right on Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda. They eye of the storm passed right over their place. Thank heavens they were in Michigan at the time of the arrival of Charley. Their condo suffered minor damage but the complex itself did not fare so well. The top floor is in bad shape. Their garage and storage area received a lot of water. Sallie’s car was hit by a flying door and suffered some damage.




MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 1961


Picture above are John Teter, Charlene Rolland Leon, and Barbara Thomas Smith while at the Summer picnic on August 28, 2004 in Nutter Fort, WV.



LYMPHOMA

submitted by: Diana Shablack Sandy (WI '69)
Icedteadee@aol.com

Hello Everyone, I am on the Lymphoma website. Go to home page and the second section says "FEATURES" and the 2nd item says, "Diana diagnosed with indolent in 2001". They let me use an older pic, thank heavens! I sent a current one and it didn't go thru and then Carolyn Bell told me I could use an older one so I sent again and she got it. They contacted me in June just before I left FLA for WVA.Here's the address: http://www.lymphoma.org/




CONTRIBUTORS
to the WIN Scholarship in August

John Campbell (WI 1959)
Janet Webb Wendt (WI 1956)
Mary Stump Harrell (WI 1955)
Carolyn Harbert Eneix (WI 1959)
Konrad Melkus (WI 1955)
Bill and Harriett (Danley) VanVoorhis (WI 1958)
Ken McIe (WI 1959)
Kenneth Nesselrotte (RW 1956)
Sallie Holden Day (WI 1959)
Connie Bailey Casto (WI 1959)
Marolyn Tustin Jett (WI 1956)

Send your check today and have your name listed in the September issue.

Make check or money order out to:
Roleta Meredith/WIN Scholarship

Send to:
Roleta Meredith
3025 Switzer Ave
Columbus, Ohio 43219



TRIVIA PICTURE FOR SEPTEMBER



Can you identify the person and/or the place pictured above? Write to Roleta1@aol.com




CAMPING

submitted by: Sherry Greitzner Dial (WI '56)
Luman4804@aol.com

"Ninety nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety nine bottles of beer, and if one of those bottles should happen to fall, it's ninety eight bottles of beer on the wall...............singing that all the way to Girl Scout Camp Horseshoe every summer along with the many Campfire Girl songs that would last the whole trip there.  Our poor bus driver!!  That was one of the best parts of the whole trip!!The next trip at Camp Horseshoe by  bus , however, was the award!  The Lions Club had chosen me to represent them for  Leadership Camp, and I was so honored to speak before them upon my return.   The last bus trip was the scariest coming from Washington, D.C. where I worked in '58 and '59  coming home to Clarksburg for the Christmas Holidays........I had "smuggled" my kitty aboard the bus and was terribly afraid that we would be caught!  She was a little Calico kitty, and I had her tucked in a towel inside my purse with my coat draped over my arm hiding my purse.  She never meowed, even once......... oh, I was soooooooo scared!!!  Never got caught!! 



submitted by: Louanna Furbee (WI '55)
FurbeeL@missouri.edu

I attended several sessions at Peterkin, a wonderful church camp and conference center near Romney. I remember square dancing until I was dripping wet and gasping for air, visiting a hermit who lived on the edge of the property, swimming in an icy pool and in a big river, meeting wonderful folk from all over the diocese, and having at hand inspirational clergy and lay people, one of whom famously told Lil 'Erbert stories.  How I wish I could remember some of those stories (about an evil little kid that the parents were forever trying to dump who always innocently returned), but then again, maybe the priest who told them (who was he?  Anyone remember?) was actually making them up on the fly.

From age eight, I was an enthusiastic camper, starting with a Y camp on one of the many Lake Loons in Michigan when we lived in Bay City.  Once we'd moved back to Clarksburg and my mom was a Girl Scout professional with the local Council, I did lots of Scout camping.  I went to sessions at Camp Horseshoe, which the Council rented before it owned its own camp.  I attended a primitive session at the Girl Scout Camp Barre in Pennsylvania, which was great - we lashed everything, including our kitchen, and did lots of overnight hikes with nothing but bedrolls and ground sheets and cooking gear.  But maybe the most fun of the entire Scout camping were the over nights spent at our local "day camp" site, the name of which escapes me, but it was down along the river.  I remember once being up and terrified with my other troop members all night as we heard weird sounds emanating from the river - splashing, and smacking, and all sorts of ghostie ghoulie noises to enrich our imaginations.  At dawn, we discovered that what had terrified us just barely adolescent girls was a bunch of enormous goldfish:  It was mating season for the carp, and they were whooping it up.  I was one of the lucky ones who had wonderful Mrs. Myrtle Bisping as my Senior Scout leader. She always saw to it that her troop had adventures.  Her husband Frank played a similar leader role for a Boy Scout Explorer troop, which actually canoed all the way down the Potomac on one of their adventures and got national press coverage, I believe.

Once I was in college, camp counseling was one of my summer jobs; I worked for the Huntington Council Girl Scout Camp and for the Union Carbide Camp, both times as waterfront director.  My skin and nerves will probably never recover from all the sun and responsibility at an early age, but I have irreplaceable memories of exploring the virtual wilderness that was the Union Carbide property on dawn horseback rides before the rest of the camp awoke, riding in pristine forest, across flower fragrant meadows, and through streams filled with tiny orchids.  Those mornings represent some of the peak experiences of my life.

For those of you who also love West Virginia camping, I recommend my friend Maureen (Bunny) Crockett's recent book,  JEWELS IN OUR CROWN:  THE STATE PARKS OF WEST VIRGINIA, 2004.  Charleston, WV: Quarrier Press (ISBN: 1-891852-35-3); distributed by Pictorial Histories distribution, 1125 Central Avenue, Charleston, WV  25302; http://www.wvbookco.com. She introduces each of the State Parks in W. Va., recording something of the history and offerings of each and giving an account of the founding of the State system.  There are nice photos of every park. She and her husband, Bill, are great campers and naturalists.



submitted by: Chris Wyatt (WI '71)
cwyatt@access.k12.wv.us

I went to church camp at Peterkin Conference Center outside Romney, just like Skip. (Skip’s dad was the Rector at our church when I was growing up.) It was great. The bishop was there part of the time and he wanted to teach some of us how to box. I even had a girlfriend for a while. I met another priest, Snork Roberts that impressed me and got me into fossils. I still have a fossil that I found at Peterkin. Friends are made and remembered. Several years later at WVU, Snork had a folk mass on Sunday afternoons. I attended these services and another Peterkin attendee, Flick, provided the guitar music. Peterkin was a wonderful experience.



submitted by: Bernice King McHenry (WI '52)
BerniceMcHenry@aol.com

Hi, Roleta, another fantastic job on the newsletter.

Your camp memories take place at one of my favorite places ever. The church camp you remember was at Camp Horseshoe, a YMCA camp near Parsons, WV. I went to Camp Horseshoe, a YMCA Camp near Parsons, WV one year for church camp, and I don't remember how many years the Methodist Church offered camp at that site.

Beginning in about the 5th grade, I attended Girl Scout camp there each summer. I remember the ice cold mountain-spring fed stream, the dining hall, where we all washed our dishes after meals at the table, and the camp staff supplied hot water, dish pans for soaping and rinsing, and towels for drying, and we sang loudly as we cleaned up. I have some pictures somewhere of the campfire circle, the vesper area, and the stream.

During high school, there was a summer when the gal who worked in the craft shop needed to return home, and I was asked to stay for the rest of the summer as a camp staff person teaching, helping campers in the craft shop. That was a summer of special memories. Most of the staff were students at WVU , and those friendships lasted for many years.

You will note in your picture, in the next to the back row, one person has a "Horseshoe" t-shirt on. (I still have mine) Therefore, I think you were at the same camp. Thanks again to you and Judy for such a great piece of work.



submitted by: Dolores Costlow Wall (WI '58)
Kidneybean7@aol.com

I attended Girl Scout Camp at Camp Horseshoe for many summers. We usually went for one week, but sometimes we got to stay for two. It was wonderful. There were, I think, 12 cabins and each held about 16 girls with the two counselors in a room in the middle. These counselors were teen age girls and were called CITs, counselors in training. All of us dreamed of growing up and becoming a CIT. Of course, no AC or TV. We never dreamed of missing them. The cabin had screens all around so we got a nice breeze at night and it was in the mountains, so was cool. We were never in the cabins much in the daytime as we were too busy with all of our activities. We had a community building where we had all our meals and they were delicious. You had to try at least one bite of everything, whether you liked it or not. I remember I did not like cream of wheat and had to take a bite. I discovered that I DID like it and ate a couple of bowls. Funny the things we remember. WE did crafts, went swimming in an ice cold river and did many other such as archery, baseball, ect. At night we would have a huge campfire and sing and play games, etc. If you got a package in the mail that day, you had to perform a song, skit or something. I loved to get packages from home but hated that! Oh, we also had outhouses, which we hated! And to wash or brush our teeth, we had a large sink under a roof that was totally outside. Kids now would die before putting up with such primitive stuff, but we never thought to complain. That is just the way it was. I loved camp and think that every child should have the experience.



submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com

Okay, I still am not sure where I was when my picture (shown in last month’s newsletter) was taken. I know I was at a Methodist Church Camp. I know it was near the game farm. Here are the possible locations as submitted by friends who also attended camp.
Selbyville
French Lick (the game farm was at French Lick)
Camp Horseshoe
I still am not sure….but I tend to think it was Camp Selbyville near French Lick. Next time I am in WV I am going to the game farm—turn down the road beside the game farm and travel to the camp.




WI NEWSLETTERS FOR SALE

Are you one of those who wish you could read a newsletter from 2000 or 2002? Well, now you can! Fact is, you can read any newsletter from the past 5 years on your computer. Just write to jkimler@verizon.net and she will give you the directions on how to purchase a CD that has all of the newsletters. The CD is programmed and instructions are included so you can easily access the newsletters. And every cent over and above the cost of producing and mailing the CD goes to the WIN SCHOLARSHIP. Several who have ordered a CD have even included a few extra dollars for the WIN Scholarship. The cost of the CD is only $10.00. So far the sale of the CD has netted the WIN SCHOLARSHIP $81.00.

Those who have bought the CD and helped the scholarship fund are:

Augie Malfregot (WI 1956)
Mary Stump Harrell (WI 1955)
Don Sager (WI 1956)
Betty Latstetter Burke (WI 1958)
Natalie Traugh (WI 1963)
Dottie Spears Rinehart (WI 1958)
Jack Emerick (WI 1954)

Anyone that purchased a CD after Aug 26 will be counted in Sept.



OLDEST GRADS AT SUMMER PICNIC


Pictured above l-r are: Roxie Heater Tibbs 1935, Clioreta Post Criss 1935 and Ella Grace Kyle Spears 1934



BUS RIDES

submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jteter@balmar.com

When I first moved to the Greater Washington D.C. area in 1962, I used to travel the miles between here and Clarksburg on both the BIG DOG and the SMOKY TRAIN, sharing equal time on both. The main thing that I can remember about the bus rides was that the trip SEEMED to take FOREVER and that was because the bus seemed to stop EVERYWHERE between here and there. PLUS, it had to stop at all of the railroad crossing. I had to take public transportation from here to there from 1962 to the fall of 1964, when I bought my first car. The one good thing that I can remember is that the bus NEVER seemed to NOT be able to make the trip, even in the winter months. Of course it could be that I had better sense back in those days and just did not make the trip in the winter months. Unlike now.



submitted by: Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI '56)
MSSpahr@aol.com

I traveled on a Greyhound bus quite a lot when I was in nursing school in Baltimore, MD. Going back and forth between Clarksburg and Baltimore took about eight hours under the best of conditions, ie., an express bus in good weather. Back in those days, they had "express" and "local" buses. The locals stopped anywhere and everywhere along the road that a person would wish to get off. Or, a person standing beside the road was frequently picked up. In those days, the trip to the east coast was straight over the mountains on Rt. 50, a nauseating winding road.

My most memorable trip back to Clarksburg was my first time home after entering nursing school. I hadn't gone home for Thanksgiving, so I was going home for Christmas. Alas, I had already met a young man and fallen in love. That was the exact day in my life that I learned the word ambivalent. How could I not want to go home when three months before I was so homesick that's all I could think about? But I did want to go home. I was dying to see my parents and the other members of my family. But I didn't think I could stand to leave my boyfriend for ten days. And so it went, back and forth.

Of course I tearfully said goodbye to my boyfriend, got on the bus and went home for Christmas. He was going home to New Jersey anyway, so it would not have done me a bit of good to stay in Baltimore. I had a wonderful time at home and a wonderful holiday season. I also learned the lesson that we all learn once we've been on our own for a while, and that is nothing is ever the same again. You can't pick up where you left off as a youngster and fit right back into the mold. Too much changes. Relationships change. People change. Situations change. Emotions change.

As I sat in my seat on the way back to Baltimore, it dawned on me how much I had enjoyed being "home" again, but I had a new home and a new place to be and independence that I had grown used to in just three months. And of course there was the boyfriend picking me up at the station on the other end of the ride.



submitted by: Diana Cleavenger Swiger (WI '66)
DIANASSWIGER@aol.com

When my sister and I were in early grade school, it was nothing in the summer to travel by bus to Philippi, WV. our Grandpa Jesse W. Green's farm. We would get on the bus and travel RT S 20 to Hodgesville, and stop. I think this was a connection they had to stop at, but I really don't remember a lot of people getting on at this stop. Then we would travel on Rt. S 250. Or N. I'm not sure which. Anyway we were traveling towards Philippi. When we got to the Mansfield store, located in Mansfield addition, we would get off the bus and walk approximately 3 miles up on Cherry Hill Road. Even though it wasn't up hill all the way, it seemed like it. My Aunt Ruth knew we were coming, but absolutely no one ever met us at the bus stop, that I can remember. Carrying your clothes too, made a very tiring walk. To this day, every time I go up that road, I'm always reminded of the fun we had and probably didn't know it at the time. We always stayed at least a week. One year we went up the week between Christmas and New Years and got snowed in. I guess this trip we had to have gone in a car, because I don't remember walking in the winter time. This New Year's Day we witnessed twin calves being born. My grandpa, said it was good luck. I don't think I could walk it now, but I'll never know. My sister's name is Margaret Louise Cleavenger, Hart, Maiocco class of 1965 and myself, Diana Sue Cleavenger Swiger, (both WI 1966) Incidentally, Margaret’s husband, Joseph Maiocco, Jr. (WI 1954 or 1955) passed away from cancer last week. His funeral is tomorrow, July 18, 2004 and his father, Joseph Maiocco Sr. just died, I believe it was June 30th 2004. My dates might be off a day or two, but my sister has had to plan 2 funerals back to back. She needs everybody's prayers. I don't know how she's doing it. Thank you



HANK MAYER

Check out this website and read the article about Hank Mayer, former band director at WI. Thanks to Jeanne Webster (Doris J. Walters - WI 1959) hillbilly@rivnet.net for this information.

Check it out: http://www.geocities.com/wvmea/jp10-96.htm






NOTE TO WI CLASS OF 1959

submitted by: Carolyn Pinella and Jerry Warne (WI '59)
Wrmychsnut@aol.com

Dear Classmates,
We are still receiving beautiful notes in regards to our class reunion. We truly appreciate each and everyone that we have received and we assure you that we are sharing them with the entire committee. Thank you again for taking the time to let us know what a great time you had and if you have any suggestions for our next reunion please don't hesitate to send your suggestions to us.

To those of you that paid for a DVD from the reunion, Dr. Martino has not delivered them yet because he has added some pictures that he took on Friday evening as an extra bonus. He did call to tell us that they would be ready soon.

One last thought: One of our classmates has written 4 books and we are proud to let you know that it is JOHN STEALEY. If you are interested in finding out more about his wonderful talents, please drop us an email and we will be very happy to tell you more. John has been very successful and is quite talented. I wish we had known about this at our reunion because we certainly would have mentioned it to our classmates and they could have talked to John that evening about his books.

The reunion committee just can't stop meeting, we had a great meeting after the reunion at Stonewall Resort and we are now planning an outing on Larry Martino and Jerry Warne's boats at Stonewall and a wiener roast


Enjoying the meeting at Stonewall Resort are:
Front row l-r: Sharyn Cottrill McGahan, Carolyn Pinella Warne, Rosemary Grow Warne, Bobbie Johnston Swisher, Sandy Drummond Hefner, Becky LaRosa Fresa.
Back row l-r: Jerry Warne, Larry Martino, Jim McGahan, Allen Hefner, Mike Fresa.




MORGAN GRADE SCHOOL



picture submitted by: John Stealey (WI '59)
jstealey@shepherd.edu




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

Mr. Sheets was principal. I walked to school from Hartland. It was quite a hike and a lot of it was up hill. We went home for lunch and then rushed back to school. Ronnie Hill, Jim Ritchie and Bill Swiger were patrol boys. Once in awhile I got to fill in if one of them was absent. I read where someone else remembered Mr. Louie. He taught tap dancing. I think it was $ .05 a lesson. ~~~brush, brush, tap~~~~ I can remember the flute-a-phone band too. What a racket we could make! I'm not sure you could call it music. Did we call the fifth grade class room the chicken house? It was a small white building to the side of the main brick building. Miss Mathews taught 6 grade. She gave me my one and only paddling for missing a spelling word. You got a whack for each missed word. Was that really abuse or a lesson learned? Who else from Morgan can remember their years of 1 thru 6 grade? If my memory is a little off please correct me and let’s hear your version. Hats off to you and Judy. Another terrific job on the newsletter! Thanks to Bill, I am so glad he will share you and your time with us Roleta.



submitted by: Wilma Allman (WI '53)
WAllman103@aol.com

This is just a few of my memories of Morgan School. I started school there in the fall of 1941 as a first grader. As my older sister had taught me to read before I went to school, I could read anything that was put in front of me. I remember Mr. Phil Sheets, the principal, taking me out of class and taking me up to his office and putting me on his lap. He would then pull a large book out of his bookshelves and have me read to him. I really felt important.

My first grade teacher was Lucy Thomas who looked ancient then and would tell her students she was a hundred and twenty-four. I found out years later that either she lied about her age or she did not turn 70 until 1958. Seventy was the mandatory age for retirement. My second grade teacher was Ethel Hinzman. Don't have many recollections of her except she sold Compton's Encyclopedias besides teaching. Our family bought a set of them. My third grade teacher was Dorothy Wright who was a wonderful lady. Not only did she teach all day but she was also the Brownie Scout leader and her room would be full of little girls for meetings after school. That was a real good year for me. I got to be Mr. Sheet's secretary and answer his phone as his office was right beside her room. I also got to run the ditto machine sometimes. I knew that I was his pet at least for that year. Miss Wright taught until the year before our oldest daughter should have been in her room. In her later years, she would take all of the girls in her room to her house one Saturday to make cookies for their moms for Christmas and another Saturday, the boys got to go over and make something. She called me and told me that she wanted our daughter, Nancy, to go with the girls since she was going to miss having her as a student. I tried to tell her no but she insisted so Nancy got to make me cookies. Fourth grade was a different story. Miss Della Funk (smells like a skunk as she was affectionately called behind her back) was my teacher. The only thing I remember about her class was that we had our first class in history. I loved that - hated geography. Fifth grade was taught by a young woman who was only there that one year I think. Class was out in the out-building where you froze to death. I could never keep my mouth shut (loved visiting with friends) and the first six-weeks when the report cards came out, I had received a red "U" in Respect for Rules. I will never forget that. My birthday was October 16 and the first report cards came out about that time. That year it was on my birthday. I was scared to death to go home. I thought I would probably not get any gift for my birthday. I remember what I got. It was a library of card games, six different ones in all. Of course, that was after I got scolded for the grade and told I better never have another one like that. I never did. The teacher's name was Mrs. Wise and I loved her and loved that grade. My sixth grade is a little foggy for me. I know that I started out with Catherine Anglin Welch but I think she quit to have a baby and we had another teacher. Mrs. Welch always smelled so good. That year, there were a couple of us girls that got to do some more "office" work. We had good penmanship so we got to fill out cards for kids coming in to the school. It was for their shot records.

Of course, my school years at Morgan were during World War II and we always had a big paper drive. There was a room in the basement that was piled clear to the ceiling with paper bundles. They had a contest to see who could bring in the most and the teachers weighed everything that was brought in. Can you see that happening today? Does anyone remember the big face that was up by the railing? We also collected scrap metal and we could try to hit the face with it and make the bell ring. I don't remember whether it was Hitler, Tojo or Mussolini.

Well, I got through Morgan, went on to Central and then to Washington Irving. I got married, had kids and they went to Morgan School. Of course, there had been a lot of changes. A new gym had been constructed with two classrooms connected. The gym also served as an auditorium and the old auditorium became a classroom and a library for the entire school. The front entrance was closed and that area became the principal and secretary's offices. Mr. Sheets was still there. When our oldest daughter was in the fourth grade, I went to work there as Mr. Sheet's secretary. I had come full circle. They started a hot lunch program and we had the best cooks in the county. We had homemade rolls every day and I gained weight that year. I worked for him for two years when he was forced to retire because he turned 70. Rosanell Chestnut was still teaching at that time and she decided she was going to retire also because she did not think she could work under a new principal. The other first grade teacher, Mildred Tallman, did the same. The county sent Richard Nichols over to be principal. We had a staff of young teachers. He was there for five wonderful years and he was promoted getting a larger school. Myra Townsend became the principal. After she left, Marcel Malfregeot became the principal. I worked with him until 1980 when I left and went to the County Office where I worked until I retired and Marcel was one of my bosses as he went to the county office the year after I did.

A few years ago, they consolidated most of the city schools into Nutter Fort Elementary and the building was closed. The original building was razed and the new addition became property of the City of Clarksburg.

I am also sending you a donation for the WIN Scholarship and I would like to challenge all other graduates of 1953 to do the same. I noticed in the last newsletter that there were none from our class. It was real nice getting to meet you at the picnic at the park.



submitted by: Margaret “Fran” Tate Barrett (WI ’50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com

My first day at Morgan School, I was sure I would never find my way outside once I went inside that huge red brick building with the cut stone foundation. In front was a huge cement retainer wall that kept the bank from sliding down onto the sidewalk. The first struggle for a first grader was to navigate all those front stairs. Inside the big, heavy double doors was a wide hallway with 20 foot high ceilings. The first room on the right was Ms. Thomas' 1st grade. As you turned right down the hall, the room on the left was Ms. Chestnut's 1st grade room. That was where I was assigned and thereafter all your classes were on that side of the hall. Outside her room were two sets of stairs, one went up and one went to the basement. I remember the steps had groves worn on each side. In fact for punishment, several round trips up those steps across the hall and down the other side seemed to make a big impression. Mr. Chestnut's room was bright with all the ceiling high windows on two walls. The other walls were blackboards. All the rooms were painted brown on the bottom and yellow on the top. Along one side was a dark cloakroom. Now that could be good or bad. It was good if you had a coat to hang up, it was bad if you were put in there for punishment. If you needed a drink during recess the fountains were half-way down the hall. Dare to go beyond the fountain and you were in big trouble. For second grade I had Mrs. (Young) McClung. She had married over the Christmas holidays. The year went smoothly, even thought I hated the harmonica band. Never could get it straight whether I was to blow or draw. For third grad I had Ms. Mattie V. Israel. We really go into the spelling bees and math that year. Ms Israel only lived a block from me, so my mother made it a point to run into her quite often to be informed of my academic development and deportment of lack of. My fourth and fifth grade teachers must have really made an impression on me, I can't remember their names. I do remember the fifth grades were in temporary rooms that were erected on each side of the main building. Sixth grade was Ms. Matthews, a tall, freckle faced, red headed lady. To me she was the perfect teacher. She had to have the patience of Job to try to help us with writing and music. We had a traveling specialist that came in about once a week for writing and music, but the home teacher had to see that we practiced those dreaded "slants" and "ovals". The gymnasium was in the basement. We also had recess down there when the weather was bad outside. The auditorium was in the back center of the school on the first floor.

Lunch room, what was that? If you rode the bus you were allowed to bring your lunch and a teacher was assigned to sit with the students in a classroom while they ate. If you were a walker, you'd better have a darn good excuse for bringing your lunch. I remember one time I took my lunch to school because no one was going to home for the day. The lunchroom teacher lectured me on how I should be able to walk home and get lunch by myself. After that I made quite a fuss at home if I had to take my lunch. I really didn't want another lecture. And if you wanted milk to drink you took it with you and by lunchtime you had warm milk. How did we survive, we must have been a sturdy bunch as I don't remember anyone getting sick from the warm milk and lunch meat.

Girls remember in cold weather we were made to wear knee socks, then we would roll them down after we got to school and made ankle socks out of them. Can't you picture the fat ankles? I walked from Euclid Ave. to Morgan three times a day. Six years of that and I knew where all the cracks in the sidewalks were and what kind of shrubs were growing in the neighborhood yards. Several of us walked together until we got to Euclid Ave then we parted and they walked up the hill to Waverly Way and beyond.

Frances sent the following pictures to go with her article.




This was Miss. Young/Mrs. McClung's second grade class of 39-40. We started out the year with Miss. Young, she married over the Christmas holidays and came back as Mrs. McClung.



submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com

My first six years at Morgan laid a good foundation for my life. There was structure and obedience. Every day was lead with The Pledge of Allegience, singing My Country Tis of Thee and saying the Lords Prayer. It amazes me to think about the control and respect one teacher had over 35 pupils. All of my teachers were close to retirement it seemed like, but in actuality, they were probably approaching 50. I was not a bad child, but an extremely testy child. Mr Sheets was our principal and I had a lot of respect for him. Having to answer to him for any misdoings was a definite threat.

Every teacher and class holds a distinct memory.
First grade teacher was Miss Lucy Thomas, as my father's. Miss Thomas told our class to be careful and not to get paste on our desks or when we came back to school from the Christmas holidays, we would get a spanking. So, what did I do? I smeared a coat of paste on all four corners, covering my desk completely, then worried myself to death over the holidays about getting the spanking, which I never received.

I remember making applesauce in class and getting to taste it on a toothpick.
And making salt and pepper shakers with flower decals for our parents.
First song learned...'Trot Trot Trot Trot Come my little pony, light foot, white foot on we go.
Trot Trot Trot Trot Hurrry little pony, home we're going, slow now whoa.'

Second grade teacher was Miss Hinzeman. Talking at the wrong time got me in trouble at least a few times. My mouth was tied up across my head with gauze which I eventually managed to poke a hole through with my tongue. We went to the auditorium for Toy Orchestra practice. I played cymbals. We were told not to talk. Of course, I had to talk and was sent to my classroom. The idea of facing my consequences frightened me so much, I left the classroom and walked home. My mother was shocked to see me that time of day, but listened to my excuse and wrote a note for me to return to the teacher, so I could return to class.

Third grade teacher was Miss Wright. Miss Wright pulled teeth for several in our 3rd grade class....but not mine..I made sure of that. Very compassionate teacher. I loved her. Dorothy Blizzard, my neighbor friend had a sled accident running into a pole on Hart St and broke her leg. Her mother did not take her to the doctor. She was cruel and forced her to walk on her leg until Miss Wright took Dorothy to the doctor herself and found she had in fact broken her leg. (Rita Drummond, Mary Lou Vincent and I were close friends and neighbors and walked to school together.) Rita and Mary Lou pulled Dorothy to school on a wagon every day until her leg was put in a cast and she got crutches. It was my turn to clean the chalkboard. Miss Wright told me to not write on the chalkboard while it was wet or it would ruin it. So what did I do? Wrote on the wet chalkboard and ruined it.

Fourth grade teacher was Miss Funk~Talking again at the wrong time, I was sent to the cloakroom, and told to put my hands on my knees and Whack! with the board. She grabbed me by the shirt collar and gave me another Whack! and told me to sit down.~Playing the recorder and singing "Come, come if you can. See the organ man. Oh, he is sure to bring, a monkey on a string." Dad brought home 'steeles' (silver marbles) from the Carbon Plant and I used them when playing marbles on my way home from school. Miss Funk caught me playing with them in class and took them from me which really upset me, so during lunch time the next day, I got in her desk drawer while she was at lunch and retrieved my steeles. Nothing was ever said.

Fifth grade teacher was Miss Brown, a widow woman and a kind person. I behaved myself that year.

Sixth grade teacher was Miss Pierpoint She lived on Milford St and had a retarded daughter, Suzanne. I had strep throat that year and she came to my house to give me my exam. Bob Bartos and Rita Jergens were in my class and they sang a duet for the class. I remember the paper drives and taking a Christmas card (snow scene with house) for sketching it onto the black board with colored chalk. Each student had his own drawing.



MORGAN SCHOOL GRADE 1 1946/1947



submitted by: Delores Costlow Wall(WI '58)
kidneybean7@aol.com

MORGAN SCHOOL GRADE 1 1946/1947

1st row: Connie Coffindaffer Ferrell, Lawrence Bennett, Judy White, Jim White, Betty Hardy, Herbert Enlow, DeDe Means Pendergast, Warren Whaley, Connie Thompson Lantz
2nd row: George Barkley, Jane Haynes Fiorenza, Bobby Turner, ?, Louise Posey Lanier, Murrell Baughman
3rd row: Barbara Kemper Harris, Kenneth Hanson, Nancy Laird, Joanne Drummond Marley, Steve Nicholson, Janet Scott
4th row: Dolores Costlow Wall, Sandra Wamsley Bennett, Linda Moore Pritchard, Louise Echenmann VanRiper, Larry Floyd, Helen Kirchner, Patty Taylor, Patty Harper, Phyllis Steel
5th row: Jeannie White, Gary Carpenter, Beverly Morris Hissong, ?, Carol Van Horn Dean



submitted by: Chris Wyatt (WI '71)
cwyatt@access.k12.wv.us

Ah yes, Morgan Grade School. The Pirates. Our colors were Red and White. I went there from 1959 to 1965. We lived right behind Morgan on Ridenour street, which made it very handy for the school to get a hold of our parents. Of course, they never had to call our parents about the conduct of my brother or sister, just me.

The first and second grades were on the first floor, the third, fifth and sixth grades were on the second floor, and the fourth grade rooms were in the two outside buildings. I remember doing the twist for Phys. Ed. in the gym in first grade. There were two big concrete holes behind the school so light could be let in the gym from outside. I had Mrs. Rosenau Chestnut for first grade, Mrs. Watson for second, Mrs. Israel for third, Mrs. Marra for fourth, (thank goodness I didn’t have Mrs. Funk), Mrs. Brown for fifth, (when we found out President Kennedy died,) and I can’t remember my sixth grade teacher, but Mrs. Nicholas was the other sixth grade teacher and taught us math.

The principal was Mr. Phillip Sheets. What a wonderful principal. It was rumored that he had an electric paddle in the closet in his office that was at the end of the hall by the third grade rooms on the second floor. During one of my several trips to his office, he left me in there alone to tend to business somewhere else. I got up and looked in his closet for the electric paddle, and lo and behold, there was NO electric paddle. I think I clued my friends in, but told the younger kids, which included my sister Alice that there was an electric paddle.

When we were in sixth grade, we put on a play called “Sliding Down a Moonbeam.” Mike Allen, who is now a Baptist preacher in Beverly, WV was in the play too. I played a Ginkgo tree. We put the play on at the Robinson Grand Theater. Big production for a grade school! The lead cast was all sixth graders. The supporting cast singers, etc. were younger students. When I was at WI, several years later, Dad actually bought a Ginkgo tree and planted it in the backyard. The tree is still there in what is now my brother’s backyard.

These are just some of my memories. I could go on for hours. After all I just lived right behind the school.



submitted by: Betty Latstetter Burke (WI '58)
ejaneburke2000@yahoo.com

I attended Morgan School from 1946 --1952--very happy years for me, although I felt that I would never get out of grade school--those six years seemed like such a long time.

I had Miss Chesnut in the first grade with the greatest bunch of kids. I can still remember being told to "put your wraps in the cloakroom" and in the morning reading in unison the day of the week, the weather, and other pertinent items of the day printed on the board in colored chalk. We had to have a handkerchief every day and those who did not had paper towels pinned on them. We took money for milk that year, and we bought wooden salt and pepper shakers which we put decals on for our mothers for Christmas. I can remember getting into trouble for talking one day (a recurrence throughout my grade school days), and I had to stand out in the hall. The fourth grade came down the steps for recess with their male teacher, and they all looked so big to me--I started to cry. Mr. Sheets, our principal, saw me and took me in the auditorium and talked to me, making me feel much better. He was a great principal.

Mrs. McClung was my second grade teacher, and before class got underway, we were supposed to involve ourselves in studious activities. Some people took their boxes of letters of the alphabet and arranged them in order. Not me--I hated all those little letters and usually ended up spilling mine. As I recall, I studied my spelling. I also didn't like those felt circles that were used to teach us fractions--the teacher would put colored pieces of different sizes on the circle to help us understand the concept. She also used pencils to teach us the difference between the ones and the tens when we were learning to add and subtract.

Miss Israel was my third grade teacher. She was a really fine teacher, especially in art. I had no art ability whatever, but we got along anyway--except of course when I was talking. When she left the room, everybody else would start talking, and I would sit there quietly with a halo over my head; then I would think, why am I sitting here silent when everybody else is talking so I would start talking as everybody else stopped, and the teacher would return--and write my name on the board. The grades that year were s's and o's. I can remember getting an s in deportment when Miss Israel had told the girls to wear leggings, and I had not. Those leggings were really the last word.

Mrs. Malone was a good teacher. She taught us "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," how to play the recorder, and the Twenty-Fourth Psalm. I can still recall how to play "My Grandfather's Clock" on the recorder.

Mrs. Micheaux was my fifth grade teacher, and she was everybody's favorite. She was attractive and lots of fun. I remember her teasing me when I showed up in class with a black eye. I had been playing touch football in Steve Barnett's back yard. No rough contact or anything--I had run into his mother's clothes pole. Steve had a birthday party that year and invited about twenty boys and me. I was really the belle of the ball.

I had my first date that year. Carolyn Grant and I went to the movies with Jimmy Hall and Bobby Monteith. We saw "Three Guys Named Mike" with Howard Keel and Jane Wyman. During the movie Bobby leaned over and said to Jimmy, "Are you gonna hold hands?"

That was the year Truman fired MacArthur, and our class went into the auditorium to see MacArthur's farewell address to Congress on television. Television was still relatively new then so that was a big deal.

Speaking of the auditorium, we used to see movies sometimes (along with concerts, talent shows, and other cool things), but the two types I will always remember were westerns and jungle pictures. In the westerns a wagon train would settle down in a valley and two or three of the leaders would look up at the surrounding mountains. As the camera rotated, Indians would appear until there were Indians on all sides. That scene never ceased to be thrilling. In the jungle pictures a long fat snake would drop from a tree and wrap itself around one of the natives. That scene was always terrifying and everybody would scream.

Miss Matthews was my sixth grade teacher. She had been a missionary to China earlier in her life. She had an old organ she enjoyed playing when we would sing. Everybody was either laughing or trying not to laugh--it sounded so bad. Miss Matthews read us "Anne of Green Gables" and we really enjoyed it.

As others have mentioned in grade school reminiscences, we at Morgan also wrote with Miss Shakleford, sang with Miss Caulfield, danced with Mr. Louie, and were examined by Miss Duncan. Regarding the writing, I used to turn my paper sideways to do the ovals and the push pulls. Whoever thought up the idea of arm movement during penmanship anyway? We took in money for banking every week. At recess we also marched around to Sousa marches, danced the Virginia reel, and played games. Our favorite was dodge ball. I'll never forget the way Jim White, Barry Mazza, and Jim Hall would slam the ball from one end of the gym to the other. We thought it was wonderful.

I remember walking home from school with Carolyn Grant and Sharla Reynolds. One time Carolyn fell in the fish pond behind Ridenour's store. It was winter and there was a thin layer of ice on the top of the water. Carolyn got soaked, and she was wearing her leggings to boot. I remember when Lawrence Bennet and I looked at each other, we would always start laughing. That went on for six years.

Our ritual on the last day of school was to throw our ink and paste bottles, rulers, notebooks, etc. down the hollow at the bottom of the hill from the school. Some of our old stuff may still be there even though Jimmy White and Barry Mazza decided to clean it all out one year. They were throwing all our old cast-off school supplies up from that hollow for all they were worth. They were among the first environmentalists, and they came from our class.



submitted by: Jerry Warne (WI '59)
Wrmychsnut@aol.com

My most interesting memories of Morgan School are when Mr. Louie would take Terry and I to all the schools around Harrison and surrounding counties to tap dance......

We were in recitals and performed for different clubs. It was fun then.



submitted by: Tom Marshall II (WI '59)
marshall@rmu.edu

Here is a little story for you. I remember that in the third grade I had a crush on a pretty blonde girl named Marilyn Lynch. One day after lunch we were walking up the hill toward Morgan, and I had my arm around her kissing her every few steps, and she kissed me back (these were childhood pecks, for what the hell did we know about passion). Several kids saw us and were teasing us. There was a little commotion about it. When we arrived at the steps of Morgan, Mr. Sheets, the principal, was standing at the top. I gave Marilyn a big smack to show off what we were doing. Mr. Sheets pointed out that "we ought not be doing that." I sensed his disapproval, as did Marilyn, and our rapture fizzled quickly. Our relationship was over. So much for puppy love!

I went to Morgan through the fifth grade, after which I moved to Weston for three years before returning to WI as a freshman. I had Lucy Thomas for first grade. She went to college with my grandmother Babb, nee Stealey, and taught both my aunt and my mother. My mother was a brilliant student, and so expectations were high for me. I also had several of her teachers in WI. It was a burden. I was a pretty good student, and my sister followed me and hated us all for expecting her to measure up. I am sure that many other kids had the same situation. Now, of course, I think that it was great for two or three generations to have the same teachers, a continuity that is long gone for our sons and daughters raised elsewhere. But I digress.

Miss Thomas kept me in school as punishment one day for talking in class. I was absolutely humiliated and a bit terrified at having incurred her wrath. When she let me go home, I ran down the school steps with tears in my eyes, afraid she would tell my mother, who would then break out the trusty hairbrush for a few whacks across my bottom. (It was an ivory-colored flat-backed hairbrush that could raise quite a welt when wielded expertly by my mother. How I hated that damn thing.) Of course, Miss Thomas said nothing to my mother, and I gratefully behaved thereafter.

Miss Wright was my third grade teacher. She was one of the kindest persons I have ever met. You wanted to do right for Miss Wright. One girl was limping one day, and kids started to tease her. Miss Wright stopped and gave us a little lesson in tolerance about not teasing those with difficulties and differences. I don't remember the words, but I remember the tone. One other third grade memory: I threw up on the class train ride to Washington, D. C.

Fourth grade was fearful Miss Funk, the wicked witch of West Virginia. God, she was mean-looking. I don't remember any particular event, but I remember how she looked.

I had Mrs. Brown for the fifth grade. She was always kind, too, but if you forgot your handkerchief, you had to wear a paper towel pinned to your shirt. But before I could get into too much trouble, my mother remarried, and I was shipped off to Weston for a brief period of exile.

These are some of the things I remember from Morgan.



submitted by: Marianna Waroblak (WI '56)
mariannaw2001@yahoo.com

Morgan Grade School on Duff Street in Stealey. When I was very small, it seemed like a very large building. It was a long walk to school, seemingly, as I lived on the 300 block of Stealey Avenue - a trudge around the corner past the EUB church and up the hill to the big brick building of my childhood. Although the years are hazy in my mind, my mother taught sixth grade there. I do know that she did not teach there during most of the time that I was a student. I do recall going into her classroom a time or two and those kids were so "big and old." I would ask her questions and all the kids would laugh. My mother always told me that Jack Bisping was her favorite student in sixth grade. In my adult years, I often return to the old "hood" to check out the house of my childhood. I am always amazed at how really very small the distances are from place to place in Stealey. How marvelous is the perspective of a child! I have also been saddened by the absence of Morgan School perched on its own little hill.

I vividly remember my very first day of school. Grade 1 at Morgan School. I remember it because we were told to sit at small round tables with other kids whom we, of course, did not know. We were given white lined paper and crayons and told to draw a picture. I drew a skyscraper sort of building with smoke coming out of the top (as in chimney but, hey, it might have been a premonition of 9-11, now that I think about it.) I drew the entire thing with a burgundy-colored crayon and was so upset because I was too shy to ask my table partner for another color. My table partner was David Rowe with whom I went to school from first grade through WVU. I still have the drawing.

I guess the most important thing about Morgan school to me were my friends. I went to grade school with some of the most faithful friends I have ever had in my life so far, such as: Anita Jane (Babe) Bisping, Marolyn Tustin, Sharon Greitzner, Barbara Allen, Berenice Long, Jim Warren, Alice Wood, Patty Snider. We all lived within a few blocks of one another. Not only did we progress from grade to grade ad infinitum with one another (and some through college), but we shared in the joys of Morgan School extra-curricular activities such as the Toy Band, the Chorus and the Tonette Band. We also had crushes on the boys who proudly wore the blue and red badges of the School Boy Patrol. When a boy gave you his badge to wear, it was akin to being "pinned" or very nearly engaged!

I would like to mention a few escapades, in particular. Babe Bisping somewhat adopted me as her special responsibility. Upon occasion, we would go to town to shop at the dime stores. She would always make me let her carry my "pocketbook" for fear I would lose it. She was sort of like my "mom." However, I will add that this mothering continued through high school and I can see hints of it now when we are together. Babe and I also grew taller than anyone else by the 5th grade. I recall that we were in a talent show together during that grade. We sang a song and we practiced for days and days. To this day, I cannot imagine doing that in front of the whole class! I may be wrong, but I believe that we sang THE WHIFFENPOOF SONG. Oddly enough, this is a 2004 sought after "number" in the current A Capella college craze! You see, it may have been the 40's, but we were ahead of our time!

Barbara Allen and I used to write the great American novels together in 2nd grade. We would spend time after school writing mystery novels either at her house or at mine. Sharon Greitzner lived just up the street from me. I don't know if it would be tactful to mention what we shared in 5th grade! One day the teacher said she had to examine our heads, not for knowledge, but for "bugs." You may draw your own conclusion. We laughed about this incident at our last high school reunion but, at the time, it was the most humiliating thing that could ever have happened to us! We also had a crush on the same boy who lived a bit further up the street. The boy in question was very fickle with the both of us. Patty Snider's dad had a darkroom in the basement and so did my dad. We formed an after school photography club (sort of) and we learned to print photos. I'm still doing just that. I have become a photographer and teach it at my school. Jim Warren lived next door to Patty. His best friend was David Rowe. Marolyn Tustin and Alice Wood lived just over the hill from Morgan and across the street from one another. This sort of explains the demographics of my intimate neighborhood situation. I loved it and Morgan School was our hub, our daily meeting place.

Mr. Sheets was our principal and he was a big man with glasses. Very kind. I will always remember Mrs. McClung, my second grade teacher. (At least, I think she was second grade.) She was tall and thin with very red lipstick and she had the nicest smile. Miss Israel was my 6th grade teacher. To us, she was OLD. She was also fairly strict with us. However, she fascinated me because she had lived in China and she personally knew Pearl S. Buck who, incidentally, came from West Virginia. We always heard stories about China and we marveled that someone we actually knew had lived somewhere so far, far away. I still have a drawing that I did for her of 5 Chinese men in a row. I always looked very oriental as a child and I was sometimes made fun of because we were engaged in the Second World War at the time. This made me both upset and curious because I didn't know from where I had come! Of course, I now know that my looks come from my Eastern European heritage but, back then, Miss Israel was my only connection to the mystery of the Orient.

I have come to the conclusion that life and the formation of our very characters are a collection of memories which, in turn, create our dreams, inspirations and aspirations. The memories of Morgan Grade School and the daily long walk there are mostly gentle ones to share with you. I was so very proud to live so far away from school. Everything was huge - my street, my house, my school, my neighborhood and my heart. That imaginary hugeness of my childhood has, in turn, launched me into a very special life.



MORGAN 6TH GRADE 1956-57


picture submitted by: Carolyn Smith (WI ’63)

Carolyn included the names but she thinks it would be fun for you to try and identify the kids.




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

I guess "oldtimer's disease" is finally catching up with me.

I went to Morgan School for six years. My strongest feelings are that it was one of the best times of my life. I loved all of my teachers. Miss Chesnut, first grade. Mrs. McClung, second grade. Miss Israel, third grade ( I still have a book that she gave me for my birthday about children of foreign lands). Mrs. Gimmel, fourth grade. Mrs. Micheaux, fifth grade (She was a favorite of everyone). Miss Matthews, sixth grade. You either went up one side of the building or the other. If you started with Miss Thomas, you had one set of teachers; and if you started with Miss Chesnut, you had the teachers that I had

In the third grade, we had a wonderful choir and we got to perform in our pale green and white outfits. We really thought we were "hot to go".

The neat thing about fifth grade was that you got to have class in what was probably one of the first "portables". We didn't know that it was second class. We thought that it made us special because we got to go to class outside of the regular building.

Mr Sheets was the principal for all the years that I attended and ruled with strict discipline, but was a very loving man. I remember that I got to run the movie projector and thought that I had to be his pet.

One memory that I have is of the horrible smell of the soap in the restrooms. Every once in a while, some public restroom has the same smelling soap and it takes me right back to those days. I remember that you had to go all the way to the basement for the restrooms and they were painted rough block.

Mr Dawson was the janitor, and his son Charles was in my class.

Another happy memory was the annual Halloween parade. We got to not only dress up for school, but got to parade up and down the street so all the neighbors could see all the costumes.

Right across the street was a little family owned store where you could get real "penny" candy that cost a penny, not a quarter as it does today. I remember licorice twists and Black Jack chewing gum, candy cigarettes and Double Bubble bubble gum.

Oh, yes!!!!!! Being at the top of the hill meant sliding down on a snowy day was a special treat. Of course that slide was nothing compared to coming down Nicholas Street, the hill beside Miss Israel's house.

There was no lunch program, but milk kept on the outside windowsill often meant ice crystals or a column of frozen cream coming out of the bottle that you could lick like ice cream.

Probably the nicest thing that I got by going to Morgan School was a series of lifelong friendships. Keeping in touch or just seeing those friends at reunions bring back memories as if we were all together yesterday!

Thanks Roleta for helping to get us together as often as we do.



submitted by: Mike Snyder (WI '57) Morgan School grades 1-6, 1944-1950
mefastwater@yahoo.com

World War II--the last two years at Morgan School: newspapers in the halls stacked to the ceiling, brought in by the young patriots for recycling;--our teachers drilling us in the gym to the marches of John Phillip Sousa. We never doubted that we would win--we knew we were on the side of good and would defeat the evil powers of Germany and Japan.

The teachers paddled the ornery boys whenever they needed it. Evidently, I needed it a lot because I was paddled by every teacher I had all six years--too numerous to count. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Michaux who also had the mightiest paddle swing--exceeded only by Coach Bond at Central--the undisputed paddling champion.

When they wearied of paddling us, we were sent to Mr. Sheets' office. He would give us a perfunctory tap on the seat, put up the paddle and ask the guilty party to have a chair.

"Well, Mike, what would you like to be when you grow up?" he would kindly ask.

"Oh, a G.I., or a cowboy, or big league baseball player," depending on the day. Or, secretly to myself--Huck Finn, Robinson Crusoe, Tarzan, a wild Indian, depending on my mood.

We respected our teachers, esteemed our principal and accepted authority in school and at home. We paid for it when we were disobedient. This was the way it was and we all knew it and accepted it as right. How did we ever make it without school psychologists, standardized tests, juvenile authorities and the welfare department?

Just ask us. We'll be glad to tell you!



submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com

My family moved to Clarksburg when I started 5th grade….thank heavens Mr. Sheets put me in the class room on the left as you entered the school yard-the “chicken house”-run by Mrs. Micheaux. As many others who wrote testified…..she was a wonderful woman, a beautiful lady and a great teacher. I actually loved her. She was so nice to every student in her classroom. In the 6th grade I was assigned to Miss. Matthews classroom. I had forgotten about her little organ that she played for our music class when we sang along…..I had forgotten until someone wrote about it and the cobwebs were dusted away. A reason I love this newsletter---now I remember things so much easier. Miss. Matthews, a cranky old woman who should have retired about 10 years before she had me in the 6th grade. She was entirely too old to handle smart mouthed 6 graders. I spent a lot of time in Mr. Sheets’ office---and I know I was his pet. He was very kind to me when Mrs. Matthews sent me to his office and I got to help him with tasks in the office. I bet if he had spanked me once and had not been so nice to me, I would have been better behaved. If I hadn’t looked forward to going to his office, I would have stayed in her class and been a nice little girl. I remember how amazed I was that there was no playground at Morgan, no hot lunch program and yet the big brick building was very impressive. You see I had gone to Wolf Summit to school for 4 years prior to moving to Clarksburg. Wolf Summit was a white clapboard building but it had a large playground and a wonderful hot lunch program. I do remember at recess time at Morgan we went to the basement and played dodge ball - I loved dodge ball and played with a vengeance. I remember being very good at dodge ball---now I wonder if it is just a memory or if I really was good? It is amazing that none of the schools in Clarksburg had playgrounds …obviously fresh air and exercise was not important to the school board.




PIERPONT GRADE SCHOOL

Did you attend Pierpont Grade School? Do you have some memories of this school that you would like to share with the other readers? Write your memories to Roleta1@aol.com thanks. Pierpont will be the featured school in the October Newsletter.



CLASS OF 1958


Pictured above are members of the WI Class of 1958 having some laughs at the Summer picnic on August 28, 2004.

Left to Right: Harriett Danley VanVoorhis, Jean Werner Davis, Betty Latstetter Burke, Jane Heaberlin Rakestraw, Bill VanVoorhis, Gloria Caruso Shaffer, Mike Shaffer.



JOB EXPERIENCE

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@verizon.net

My friend Pat and I retired from the Telco in Dec 1992. After a year or so, she applied for and got a job at Kroger's. Every time I went in she begged me to come and work with her. I always said no, I don't want to go back to work.

Well, in Oct 2001 in a weak moment, I gave in and applied. The NEXT DAY they called me in for an interview. That should have been my first red flag but it wasn't. I went for the interview and was hired on the spot. They set up my training for noon the following day and said I would be working in either the deli or the salad bar. I chose the salad bar (big mistake). The training consisted of looking at 4 hrs of computer programs on Kroger policies.

After "training" the asst mgr took me to the salad bar and introduced me to the girl, Marcie, who was working there. At this time, he told me the girl (Jessica) I was to replace had gone on medical leave early and I would have to take over the next day. Marcie was really nice and I followed her around for 3-4 hrs. trying to make mental notes on what to do.

I went in at 1p the next day to try and do a job with no training at all. I was supposed to get 4-5 days of on the job training but with Jessica in the hosp that didn't happen.

IT WAS AWFUL. The job consisted of keeping 60, that's SIXTY, large, heavy glass bowls of fruits, veggies and desserts, plus 6 hot dishes, plus all the salad trays full so people could use the salad bar. I had to go around the store and get the food to prepare, peel and chop all the fruits and veggies, clean up around the bar, mop the floor in the kitchen area and log everything that I had taken off the shelves . And if that wasn't enough I had to clear the bar, put all the food away, weigh and log the losses on the things I had to throw away, wash all the 60 bowls and containers and utensils and mop the floor again. All this was to be done between 8-9 because I couldn't close the bar until 8. Needless to say I didn't finish til 11.

One thing Marcie had forgotten to tell me was that when the floral dept closed, I had to work the salad bar AND the floral dept at the same time. The floral dept closed at either 6p or 8p depending on what day it was. Even though it was closed, I still had to wait on customers and fill balloons with helium for balloon bouquets, make floral arrangements in vases, wrap flowers in plastic wrap and anything else someone might want. I was there until 9p (and later). I would be knee deep in dishes or mopping the floor and someone would come to the only person still working in the floral dept/salad bar area, me, and want a balloon blown up. I would have liked to have blown him/her up instead.

Opening up in the morning is easier. All you have to do is refill those good ol' 60 bowls and cook the 6 hot dishes. I went in at 8a and had to have all this done by 11a. Sounds easy? Well, if the one who closed up the night before didn't do the job right, you came in to a big mess. One time the late person got sick and went home and a cashier cleared the bar. She did wash the dishes but didn't know what to do with them. She just left them laying around the kitchen.

It didn't get much better. I worked thru Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, the busiest times of the year. In addition to the regular salad bar work, during the holidays we had to make fruit and veggie trays non-stop.

I really liked the people I worked with, especially Rosie and Marcie the other salad bar workers, and they begged me to stay. There was no one else to do the job. So, like a dummy I stayed. After a while it started to be funny. They all bet on how long I would last. I lasted 11 wks. By the time I quit I had learned how to cut a few corners and was able to finish at 9:30.

It would take an article 3-4 times this big to relate all the things that I experienced during my "JOB" at Kroger's.



MISS WEST VIRGINIA FROM CLARKSBURG

submitted by: Deedie Swisher Souders (WI '52)
DeedieDesigns@aol.com




Did you know that Washington Irving High School had a very pretty girl who became our own “Miss West Virginia” in Sept 1952 and went to the “Miss America Pageant” in Atlantic City N.J.

Miriam Reep gave a spectacular performance and represented her State, City, and her High School with the utmost dignity. The Parsons-Souders Co. was one of the main stores who had helped Miriam coordinate and design her personaI wardrobe for this trip. The store envisioned and created a sophisticated fashion statement that was complete and appropriate just for Miriam‘s petite figure. Many of the important details were done for her in order that she was ready to compete in every category for The Miss America Pageant.

Miriam's charm captivated the hearts of the judges as well as the other girls who were contestants in the event. After her once in a life time experience, Miss Miriam returned home and went on to school at W.Va. University

Later, "Miss Miriam" was on the television morning show, as the teacher on the new program called: "The Romper Room", a show for small children. Again she won the hearts of all the wonderful kids in Central W. Va..

Mirian lived just a block from WI and needless to say she was always on time for school.

Miriam was Vice-President of the Class of 1952. She was one of Wl Festival Princess— Member of Athena, National Honor Society and B-Square. She was on the Executive Committee, a member in the Dramatic Club and the Art Appreciation Classes. With her love for music, she sang in the All State Choir and the A-Cappella group. Miriam was active in many social organizations.

Even today 50 years later, she is still a very pretty petite girl, her golden hair is still like sunshine, and a big heart of Gold. Miriam lived up to her year book quote— in every way.




CORRECTION

submitted by: George Scholl (WI '52)
georgegin@juno.com

Once again, you and your "staff" has done an outstanding job with the August Newsletter. I look forward to it each month. However, this month I am very sorry I must point out what I personally consider a very bad error. [I do not know how you keep things as straight as you do.] On page 21 you have printed a letter indicating that I have had a stroke. I an VERY HAPPY to advise that I have not had a stroke. I have had my share of medical problems, prostate cancer, which is very well controlled, and triple bypass surgery. I am doing great, just do not have the stamina I use to have. Being nearly 70, no doubt has a lot to do with this. I only wanted to point this out so that those who read the news letter and know me, will not be lead astray. We will contribute the error to your accident with the garage door and your fingers. OUCH!! Hope they are much better by now.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I am sorry to George and all of his friends for the error I made in the August newsletter. We corrected it shortly after we received this note but in case you did not see the corrected version, I wanted to make sure.




MEMORIES

submitted by: Marcia Booth (WI '65)
marcia.booth@marshall.edu

Ok. How about these recollections:
When I taught at Lincoln High School (1979-1985), Lewis Traugh was the chemistry teacher there. We had lunch together a lot, and he still had a marvelous sense of humor. One day when just the teachers were present for an inservice and nothing was planned, he taught me how to do logarithms. I always thought that he was the best teacher I ever had.

I kept in touch with Margaret Bauld over the years. I was a Latin major in college, so every time I visited Clarkburg, we would discuss Latin authors. Later, I sent her postcards when I visited Italy. After my trip to Italy in 1999, I visited Mrs. Bauld in a nursing facility. She was still alert enough to identify the different buildings in the Forum Romanum. I left a picture of the Colosseum with her because that was her favorite building. She did not get the opportunity to see it in person, but she was always excited to hear about my travels.



TRIVIA PICTURE FOR AUGUST

submitted by: Freddie Layman (VHS '46)
FGL1946VHS @aol.com

The latest trivia photo is of the North Pole Ice Company located on Monticello Avenue. This business was started by the Viglianco Family in 1928. To keep the ice from melting in the hot summer they covered it up with a heavy canvas tarp in the back of the GMC pickup truck. The ice blocks weighed 100 lbs and could be chopped into 25, 50 or 75 lb size depending on what size the customer wanted. Most housewives could only use the 25 lb size because of the size of the small wooden ice boxes they had in their homes or on the porch. The delivery man would sling a leather pad over his shoulder to keep the ice from freezing his bones as he delivered the ice to the customer. In the early fifties the block ice gave way mostly to modern refrigeration. They later started making ice cubes in 10 lb bags. This business has grown so much today that the North Pole Ice Company also uses a refrigerated tractor trailer. There was also older ice plant in Clarksburg which was named Clarksburg Ice and Storage Company but it burned down in 1975. The building burned quickly because the walls were insulated with saw dust. When I grew up there wasn’t any electricity in the farm house so we had to depend on the ice man. My mother would tie the ice card around a tree so the ice man would know what size blocks of ice to cut. We could only use the 25 lb size. The biggest draw back was that each day one had to empty the water from the drip pan where the ice had melted. Besides North Pole Ice, there are two other ice distributors located in our area. Home City Ice has a distributing facility located in East View and The Dennison Family, Ray and Molly are located on the outskirts of Adamston.



submitted by: Kenny Winters, Jr (WI '65)
kwintersii@hotmail.com

The picture submitted by Melinda Mazza Sutter is the front entrance to the North Pole Ice Co on Monticello Ave. Clarksburg. It was probably taken in the late 60's or early 70's. I remember hanging that RC banner there for my family owned the RC-Dr Pepper Bottling Co. of Clarksburg.



submitted by: Wayne White (WI '60)
waynepawco@aol.com

This is the North Pole Ice Plant on Haymond Highway and Monticello. It has been in business for years and made lots of money selling ice by the block and now it sells bags of ice to a lot of stores in the area. I used to take my deer there to freeze and the freezer was full of all the hunter’s deer. They have since moved to a game room and remodeled the store but the business is still very good.



submitted by: Chris Wyatt (WI '71)
cwyatt@access.k12.wv.us

The trivia picture for this month is North Pole Ice on Monticello Avenue. We used to have a pop up camper. We would get a block of ice to put in the ice box in the camper when I was young. As I got older, we would stock up on beer for our camping trips. As I remember, we may have even gotten our beer for Senior skip day from North Pole Ice. They still deliver ice to the stores around Harman-Job area. I saw Mark Vilianco (sp?) delivering ice on the 4th of July to the corner store in Job where I live.



submitted by: Debora Ferguson
deb_ferguson@earthlink.net

It's North Pole Ice, where I definitely wasn't allowed to stand around on the corner. Although I could buy a fifth of Boone's Farm Wine there for $1.99.



submitted by: Bob Kramer (WI '65)
Slimedawgg@aol.com

The picture is of the North Pole Ice Plant on the end of Monticello Ave. in Clarksburg. We all at one time or another purchased beer and party supplies while being under age. The owner Mr. Villianco never got back many of the taps for the kegs of beer and finally started charging a deposit for the taps.




submitted by: Marlene Paugh Goldsmith (WI '93)
terryandmarlene@msn.com

Hello Roleta. My name is Marlene, and we met at the school picnic Saturday. You said for me to e-mail you if I wanted info on the newsletter, and to be put on the list to receive it. So, if you don't mind, I would like to be put on your list. I graduated from WI in 1993, and that was the last full four year class to go there. Freshmen were not at the school after the 1989-1990 school year, when the 1990-1991 school year came about, it was only Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. That was a good school, I hated that it was made to be a middle school, but at least it wasn't closed for good. Well, I won't take up anymore of your time, I just wanted to get in on the newsletter, that's all. Thank you for the offer.

Hilltoppers Forever,
Marlene



submitted by: Dave Bates (WI '51)
Bates8806@aol.com

Now we know what the "B" stands for. I asked him once, and the subject somehow got changed. Do you know what his nickname was? "Mud". As well as I can remember the tale, he picked up this moniker while playing football at WVU. He was on the team with "Rat" Rodgers (the only All American WVU had in its history up through at least 1951). Allegedly, Rodgers, upon receiving the award said, "If it hadn't been for 'Mud' Hite's blocking I would never have been heard of."

Now, from nickname to given name. What was "Gus" Gudekunst's first name? Answer...Jacob. Cheers! dbb :o)



submitted by: Mary Stump Harrell (WI '55)
maryharrell@direcway.com

First I want to say that I will be sending a small check for the WIN Scholarship by mail tomorrow.

My brother and his wife were here to spend the weekend with us last weekend. We spent an entire rainy Sunday afternoon reading the newsletter - and as always, thoroughly enjoyed it. John is WI 1946 and has asked to be put on your mailing list - He is John Stump, WI 1946, and his e-mail address jstump@mcguirewoods.com

John remembers well the old streetcars and he enjoyed those selections - I remember riding the streetcar from Clarksburg to Weston one time with Dincy Rede - but have no other association with the street cars. I did not know that they ran on city streets - my brother, who has eight years on me, was surprised to realize that I was too young to remember them in the city.

We especially enjoyed the Carlile school news - we laughed at how many people mentioned that our recess activity was marching around the central staircase! I know that we had Sousa marches, but the march I remember best was "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. " I thought that song was a WW I song, but John says it was WW II.

We both remembered people who wrote in (John remembers Ann Romine Yolk, John Timberlake, and DeeDee Swisher - whose mother, by the way, was my kindergarten teacher at Carlile) and people who were mentioned in the remembrances too. I suspect that our spouses were perhaps not as enchanted with all this as were my brother and I, but they were good sports about all the Clarksburg trivia.

Anyway - once again I have to say thanks to you for all this work -- FIVE YEARS!! -- It must be - in truth- a labor of love .



submitted by: Becky Rumble Littlepage (WI '66)
rlittlepage@cox.net

I moved from Pa to WV when I was in the third grade and eight years old. I quickly made friends with Jane Poulicos. We have remained best friends all through school, roommates in college and our adulthood. Even though I live in Va and she lives in Fl we manage to see each other about twice a year and talk on the phone at least once a day. We also had another good friend, Linda Courtney and we three were always together. Sadly, she was shot and killed when we were in our twenties and we miss her so much. I have fond memories of playing dodgeball on the playground, walking home for lunch and having a great experience there.

There is one experience that really stands out : one day, Jane and I were being disciplined for who knows what and were sent to the principal's office. No one was there except the cake they were going to serve for one of the teacher's birthdays. So Jane and I dived right in . IT was delicious. We were so bad , but it was a good bad. What a great childhood we had there and growing up in Clarksburg



submitted by: Burt Spangler (WI '38)
burtsbs@nccn.net

How do you do it? Each issue out does the last! Each one also manages to open gaps in the fog that serves as my 84 year old memory. This month it was the Main Street Grocery and Sam Pulice. Since it was across the street from St Pauls Methodist we were in the store frequently and my parents dealt there for the limited amount of groceries that we had to buy--bread, canned goods and sometimes meat. I remember the time my dad was out of work for a couple of months and we couldn't pay our bill. Sam extended our credit but we owed about 50 dollars--an astronomical amount in the early 30's. When my father got back to work he went in to settle up with Sam who offered to settle for half of what my dad owed--Dad said he could do better than that and they settled for 35 dollars.

The stories on the street cars opened a gap too--I remember buying books of student tickets for 3 and a half cents a ticket--I used them to ride to the skating rink. Also the summer camp discussions--we were Methodists but all of us boys sang in the boys choir at the Episcopal Church for the few pennies a month they paid us. One of the perks was to attend the church’s summer camp on the river up near Romney. Rev. Carter took the whole choir for two week each summer.

Does any one remember the "numbers game" (racket)? Almost every one played as you could play for a penny. You chose three numbers and if you hit you got back about six dollars for each penny played. Of course the odds were 1000 to one against you, but people loved to play even if it was illegal. I never won but was assured that the winners were always paid off. My folks--strict Methodists--never gambled--but I would occasionally "box a number" for six cents. There were a couple of places on my paper route that would book numbers for pick up by the "runners".

Does anyone remember the "Squire"--Mirth Kuhl--the Justice of the Peace for many years in Clarksburg? He was hard on "numbers runners" and really socked them when the came up for trial before him. Mirth was my uncle--my mother's brother--but he didn't become JP until after I had left for the army, but I heard the stories of his administration of justice-He died several years ago but I am still in touch with his boys and daughter.

I am interested in your archive CD and will probably be ordering one with a donation to your scholarship fund though I am already donating to some scholarships funds for a half dozen grandkids right here. Well-- It is only money and I can't take it with me--how is that for a double cliche?



submitted by: Natalie Traugh (WI '62)
Nntraugh@aol.com

I hope I am sending this to the right person. I am the wife of Lewis Traugh, who formerly taught at WIHS. In the past few months he has received notes from 3 of his former students and he was thrilled to receive them. He remembers most of his students, when I can't even remember who I met yesterday. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that he passed away on July 15th at United Hospital Center. He had been in failing health for the past 5 years but this was certainly not expected. He received a letter from Dr. Thomas Spelsburg following his death and he would have liked to have read it I know. I didn't know of this site before but since I graduated from WI in 1962, I will certainly keep returning to read your notes. Thank you so much for including him and his address. Teaching was his heart and soul and he truly appreciated the letters he got.



submitted by: Jim Pulice (WI '62)
Jpulice@msn.com

Who ever thought that 1 day Bottled water would be so popular ? Not I...I can remember the days when you never had the money to purchase a soft drink....If I would have come home 1 day as a teenager with a bottle of water in my hand my Parents would have thought there was something wrong with me ??? How many of our parents would have purchase Bottled water? I met a 85 year old man recently who came out of retirement and Purchased a farm Near The Greenbrier just for the springs on the property to bottle water...he was excited like a kid who had found a $20.00 Bill...We raise a fuss when we have to pay $1.95 for a gallon of gas....but do not think anything about paying $1.00 for a 16 oz bottle of water...What is wrong with this Picture ?



submitted by: Diana Cleavenger Swiger (WI '66)
DianaSSwiger@aol.com

I can remember getting to the movies on Saturdays for 10 cents and 6 Pepsi caps.



submitted by: Mary Beth Sterling (VHS '58))
marybwv@ma.rr.com

Hi Roleta, I saw your picture in the paper for the '59 WI class reunion. Although I've never met you, you looked darn good! Doing all of this has kept you young and beautiful (as well as some others I saw). I recognized many in the photo and know you all must have had a good time. Thanks for the Newsletter--even though I didn't go to WI--I enjoy it. Kudo's to you



submitted by: Rex Zickefoose (WI '59)
REXZICKEFOOSE@peoplepc.com

I WANT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT! My sister wrote about Hanging out in Hartland that was published in the August newsletter about a broken arm, etc……That was my arm that got broken and Moody (that's Hubert Modispaugh) was so afraid of my dad that he almost panicked and would not go ahead of me to the house to tell our parents what had happened. For some reason dad had that affect on all my friends. I think maybe his being a policeman had something to do with it.



submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com

I've just finished reading another issue of the "Wonderful West Virginia" magazine. It is great to see all of the interesting places & people mentioned each month. If you miss the hills like I do, call (800) 225-5982 & order a subscription. It only costs $17.00 per year & is well worth it.



TRIVIA QUESTION FROM THE AUGUST NEWSLETTER?

Who shoved all the unlocked boats out into the middle of Maple Lake one night in summer of 52? Will any wimps own up to it?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION:

NOW FOR A CONFESSION!


Answer to trivia question re. boats in Maple Lake. I did it alone and rec'd kudos and much money for collecting them back the next day. Jon Darnall (53)



WORLD WAR II MEMORIES

submitted by: Jack Emerick (WI '53)
cadilacJak54@aol.com

How many of you remember what it was like living during World War II ? If the folks living today had been living then, I'm afraid we would all be speaking German or Japanese. We had rationing. A substance called oleo margarine came along during the war years. It was against the law for the makers to put coloring in it so it came to us off-white. It was in a heavy clear plastic bag , in a box. When you wanted to use it, you took it out of the fridge, removed it from the box, and put it in a bowl to warm. After a short time it would get soft enough to knead. On the side of the bag, was a blister containing no. 5 yellow food coloring. The children loved to work the margarine, so one of us would pinch the blister so that it would burst inside of the bag. We kids would then take turns kneading the oleo margarine to mix the color into it. No matter how much you kneaded it, you could never get it to be a uniform yellow. It was always marbleized, with light and dark stripes in it. My mother baked bread often, and would give me a cup of her STRONG coffee, with a big squirt of Carnation milk in it. She always put it in a white McNichol Pottery mug. She would cut that freshly baked bread and put lots of that oleo margarine (creamery butter was rationed) on it and I would dip it in that coffee. UUMMM UUMMM GOOD. I can close my eyes and see those margarine globules floating on the surface of that coffee, and smell that aroma of fresh bread and margarine and coffee. Makes you salivate , doesn't it?

Along with rationing we had censorship. The guys over seas were not permitted to tell us at home where they were (I can hear the "truth in information " crowd screaming now). It was to protect the troops. We could get maps from the service stations which showed us where the boys ARE, which was really where the boys WERE, as the maps were actually 4 or 5 weeks behind. Sugar was rationed. Gadoline, shoes, tires, and cigarettes were also rationed.

Reporting on the combat situations were not as they are today. Our news was way behind what was going on and personally I think it was better that way. That is a part of the problem today. Something is reported and is only partly true, and by the time it gets corrected, half of the people are confused as to what happened. Can you imagine what would happen today if people had to go and stand in line to get their ration books, and then were only given so many gallons of gas , and had to make do with that for a whole week. Why, my goodness, you surely don't expect me to walk to town do you? There would truly be " a weeping and a gnashing of teeth "!

We also had air raid drills. The siren would sound, and we would close all of our blinds, and we had air raid lamps that had a yellow nite lite and a reflector that would reflect the light toward an inner wall. The air raid warden would walk thru his assigned neighborhood and check for light showing thru, and if he saw any he would knock and say "get that blind closed tighter", or "put out the light". It was a difficult time, but you know, it was also a time of drawing close to your family and your neighbors. It was a patriotic time I try to pray for our troops whenever I think of them, and I think of them often. Well I hope this little bit of remembering will have a nostalgic effect on all who read it. I pray that we will all count our blessings, as this is the greatest nation, with the greatest opportunities on EARTH.



NEW E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Robert Dixon Bewick, Jr (WI '47) dynaflow29@verizon.net
Debora Iaquinta Ferguson (WI '84) deb_ferguson@earthlink.net
Frank Iaquinta (WI '59) fiaquinta@kdaholdingsinc.com
Mary Beth Riddle Sterling (VHS '58) marybwv@ma.rr.com
Natalie Traugh (WI '63) mmtraugh@aol.com
Frank S. Martino (WI '65) Ttypke1@aol.com
Dahrie Christiansen Hayman (WI '64) dchayman@msn.com
Kenny Winters, Jr (WI '65) kwintersii@hotmail.com
John Stump (WI '46) jstump@mcguirewoods.com
Nancy May Fox (WI '65) SCFOXDEN@cs.com
Pat Morris (WI '47) MorrisDaPat@aol.com
Don Martin (WI '57) DMartin740@aol.com
Frank S. Oliverio (WI '50) Oliverio@tsixroads.com
John Madia (WI '60) jsmadia@aol.com
Leslie McKinley Wallace (WI '60) momvol@aol.com
Rebecca Ann Gabbert Webster (WI '66) bwebster@crhc.org
Larry Floyd (WI '58) larryflyd@aol.com
Judy Cutlip Floyd (WI '59) larryflyd@aol.com
Allena Johnson (WI '78) ajohnson2@ma.rr.com
Susan Thomas (WI '80) Sthomas@ma.rr.com
Marlene Paugh Goldsmith (WI '93) terryandmarlene@msn.com

It will make it easier to get her email address correct if I just copy her note here:

For the record, my name is:
Mary K. (McDaniel) (Lynch) Bellisario (WI '65)
Living in Slidell, Louisiana, since 1983
E-mail: bayouduo_1@charter.net
[If it's hard to determine, that's an "underscore numeral 1" before the charter.net.]


CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Ruby Matthews Casto (VHS '47) recasto@westvirginia.net
OLD ADDRESS WAS:     recasto@iolinc.net




PRECIOUS CHILD



submitted by: Rosemary Grow Warne (WI '59)
Warne02@aol.com

That is a picture of Carolyn White Rector...I think that I actually have that picture "somewhere" in my collection of "treasures."



submitted by: Bob Teter (WI '60)
bteter@chartertn.net

Has to be Carolyn White Rector. Picture even looks a good bit like I remember her from WI days.



submitted by: Judy Allen Hutson (would have been class of '56)
judithahutson@webtv.net

I believe the August child is Carolyn White. Her dad Joe and my dad Leonard Allen were best fiends most of their life. At least - I think it is her.



submitted by: Carolyn Pinella Warne (WI '59)
Wrmychsnut@aol.com

My guess for the precious child is.............. Carolyn White Rector .........

Carolyn and Jerry (especially) go back many years... We always have a great time when we have the opportunity to get together.... Bob always says........ There's Jerry cutting in again....... Ha Ha.......... Just Wonderful Friends..... Bob and I joke about it!



submitted by: Jane Stout Galvan (WI '59)
Jognjsg@aol.com

The precious child is definitely Carolyn White Rector and I was lucky enough to have seen her at the Florida Picnic after some 40 years.



submitted by: Jim Hovey (WI '66)
jhovey@bwiairport.com

August's Precious Child has to be Carolyn White (Rector). Carolyn lived catty-corner across the street from us on Taylor Street in Chestnut Hills. What a great person!



PRECIOUS CHILD FOR SEPTEMBER



If you recognize this person, write and tell me and include a little memory about the person. Roleta1@aol.com




CLAY BRAMMER HITE


Here is the evidence of the correct middle name for Clay B. This picture was taken and furnished by Jim Martin (WI 1959). Jim, Phil Hooper and Charlie Burkhammer recently made a trip to the graveyard to discover the middle name.



OBITUTARIES

BLAINE CURTIS CAMPBELL

Blaine Curtis Campbell, age 64 of Phoenix, AZ and formerly of Clarksburg, WV, passed away July 29, 2004 at John C. Lincoln Hospital, Phoenix, AZ. He was born February 12, 1940 in Reynoldsville, WV a son of the late Delbert Blair & Dora Ethel Campbell. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Patricia Gawthrop Campbell; one son, Blaine Curtis Campbell II and his wife Pamela of Dunkirk, MD; two daughters, Belinda Kay and her husband Chris Simmons of Glendale, AZ., and Melissa Ann and her husband Jan Philippsen of Falls Church, VA; 7 grandchildren. Mr. Campbell served in the Marine Corp from 1958-1961. He was also a retired police officer from the Metropolitan Police District of Colombia with 26 years of service.

Published in the Arizona Republic on 8/3/2004.



ROBERT LEE WILLIAMS JR.

Robert Lee Williams Jr., age 66, of the Laurel Park section of Clarksburg, passed away suddenly August 10, 2004, at his brother's residence in Clarksburg.

He was born May 8, 1938, in Rosemont, a son of the late Robert Lee Williams Sr. and the late Pauline Jones Williams. Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Sharon Ruth Sinclair Williams, whom he married July 14, 1962; one son, Michael Scot Williams of Nutter Fort; one stepdaughter, Robyn Jo Marlette and her husband Thomas of Bridgeport; one grandson and one brother, Charles Richard Williams of Clarksburg.

Mr. Williams was a 1956 graduate of Victory High School and a retired employee of the Clarksburg Water Board, having retired as a supervisor in 1999 after 38 years of service. He was a member of the Duff St. United Methodist Church in Clarksburg and was a veteran who served with the United States Army.



P.G. HOLLANDSWORTH

P.G. Hollandsworth, age 97, of 256 Parkway Drive, Arbutus Park, Clarksburg, WV, died of natural causes at 1:25 p.m. Monday, August 16, 2004, at his residence.

He was born in Webster County on August 26, 1906, a son of the late Squire L. Hollandsworth and Bessie (Mollohan) Hollandsworth.

His wife, Ruby Beatrice (Rush) Hollandsworth, preceded him in death on October 24, 1986

Surviving are three sons, John Lee Hollandsworth, Shinnston, WV, Roger Karl Hollandsworth, Barnesville, GA, and David Rush Hollandsworth, Inwood, WV; three daughters, Nella Ann Hollandsworth Fenton, Athens, TN, Mary Rebecca Hollandsworth Day, (WI 1959) Houston, TX, and Donna Sue Hollandsworth Williamson, Cape Coral, FL; 20 grandchildren; and 40 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by 2 brothers and 3 sisters



LOUIE LOPEZ VICTORY 1946

Mr. Louis F. "Louie" Lopez, 76 years of age, of 620 Lawman Avenue, Bridgeport, WV died July 26, 2004 at his residence. His death was unexpected, although he had been on dialysis treatments since 1999. He was born in Clarksburg, WV on April 25, 1928, a son of the late Anthony "Tony" Lopez and Rosa Secreto Lopez.

Mr. Lopez is survived by his wife, Anita Mutafis Lopez, whom he married on February 18, 1956. He is also survived by his daughter Tamra "Tammy" and her husband Frank Diaz of Clarksburg, WV, a son Theodore "Teddy" and his wife Tina (Karakiozis) Lopez of Bridgeport, WV, and three grandchildren.

Mr. Lopez graduated from Victory High School in 1946 and shortly thereafter joined the armed forces. He was a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division. He retired from Anchor Hocking Glass Company.



LT. COLONEL CARRIS LAYTON RADCLIFFE

Lt. Colonel Carris Layton Radcliffe, USAF (Ret.) passed away on August 3, 2004, at his home in Santa Rosa, California. Born on August 15, 1924, he was the son of the late James R. Radcliffe and Mary Swiger Radcliffe Lynch. Born and raised in Stealey, Clarksburg, WV, he attended Morgan School, Central Junior High School and graduated from Washington Irving High School, Class of 1942, where he played on the football and track teams. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lou; daughter, Carolyn; and his brother, Carroll Radcliffe.

He leaves behind one son, Carris Jr.; three daughters, Susan, Nancy and Linda; sisters, Helen R. Brown of Perris, CA, and Dr. Arreta Radcliffe Jaranko of Shenandoah Junction, WV; a brother, Darrell M. Radcliffe, Bridgeport, WV.

Lt. Col. Radcliffe was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. On his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was a fighter pilot, flying the P-51 Mustang and later flying B-17 bombers. During his military career, he qualified to fly all kinds of aircraft. Between World War II and the Korean War, Lt. Col. Radcliffe attended West Virginia University, graduating with the Class of 1949. Later, he earned two master's degrees, one from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO, and one from the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio.

While at WVU, he was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After his retirement from the United States Air Force, Lt. Col. Radcliffe joined the newly-formed Federal Protective Service in 1970. He rose to chief of Support Service, Region 9/10, San Francisco. Federal buildings and properties of eleven Western states were under his protection. As chief, he was head of security for the 1984 Olympics, held in Los Angeles.

Excerpts from The Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram





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