THE WI NEWSLETTER 10/04

THE WI NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 62

October 2004

NOW YOU KNOW
submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
I have been asked by several people how far Judy and I live from one another. Judy lives in Barboursville, WV and I live in Ohio. We do the entire newsletter via the internet. I do all the written word and Judy does all the pictures. We saw each other at our 25th class reunion, the 40th and then the 45th. We have also seen each other at the last 2 summer picnics held in August in Clarksburg, WV. She always had a terrific sense of humor and during our brief visits together at the picnics I see she hasn’t lost it!

So if you write anything for the newsletter, write to me-I do the written word! You can also send me newsletter clippings or any information that I might use sometime in the newsletter. I keep a folder of ideas and suggestions. Write to: (Roleta1@aol.com). If you have pictures to share with the readers, contact Judy. You can scan the pictures and send to her…send along an explanation or identify the picture or persons in the pictures. You can also mail the pictures to her; she will scan them and return ASAP. We will not keep your pictures; we only want to have a copy of them. You may also make a copy of your pictures and mail to Judy, write to her at jkimler@verizon.net.

TRIVIA PICTURE FOR OCTOBER

picture submitted by: Boo Beall (ND '58)
Bbeall@buggs.net
Do you recognize this picture? Send you guess to Roleta1@aol.com. Please try to include a memory of the place.

This section of the newsletter will die without your help!

We have run out of pictures to share with you. If you have a picture, please copy it and send it to us, you can scan it or take it and have it copied. Or you can just mail it to us and we can scan it and return it to you ASAP. We do not keep your picture! We have copied and returned many pictures with no problem.

Contact Judy at jkimler@verizon.net.

YOUTH CHOIR

submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com
Members of the Duff Street Evangelical United Brethren Youth Choir were:
SEATED L-R: Mickey Ford, Sarah Gervella, Carol Corathers, Kay Corathers, Betty Poling and Sharon Gordon.
2ND ROW: Peggi Corathers, Carol Watring, Linda Matheny, Shirley Corathers, Sandy Waugaman, Betty Rule, Beth Twigg and Constance Strother.
3RD ROW: Pamela Wolfe, Patty Barman, Karen Matheny, Becky Stalnaker, Carolee Gabriel, Kay Wamsley, Linda DeTurk, Sharon Wendler, Miss Alice Wood choir accompanist and Mrs Roscoe Allman senior choir organist.
4TH ROW: Jack Dean, John Corathers, Buzzy Dean, Larry Ammons, Gary Wamsley, Mike Swiger, Mrs Isaac Lewark choir director and Mary Wilson.

Aides for the evening were Misses Marcia Frum, Nancy Seckman, Carol VanHorn, Nan Norvell, and Judy Capehart.

Ushers were Haywood Snyder and Richard Roach.

CLASS CONTACT
This is the person I will contact when I need to get a message to members of your class. For instance when there is a death or someone is ill, I often hear from a relative and I just guess at who in that class will be responsible to contact the other classmates with this message. Often there are other reasons why a contact is needed. It is always good to have someone who has a current list of classmates, their address and their email address. Last month I asked for volunteers. Many of you are apparently bashful! But it is time to outgrow that! Come on, step up and help one another. Let me know that you care and want to help. This list will not be used for forwarding jokes and other materials…this list is only to be used for emergency or class contacts. Here are our volunteers so far:

WASHINGTON IRVING
Class of 1952 Joanne Westfall Simpson Tetrick fragilegranny34@msn.com
Class of 1954 Sandy Conaway Mason sandy-lou@sbcglobal.net
Class of 1956 Don Sager dks@davtv.com
Class of 1959 Roleta Smith Meredith roleta1@aol.com
Class of 1961 John Teter jteter@balmar.com

NOTRE DAME
Class of 1960 Steve Griffith SGriff2393@aol.com

NEWSLETTER CD FOR SALE
If you wish to purchase a copy of the CD which contains all of the first 5 years of the newsletter, please contact jkimler@verizon.net. She will give you directions on how to obtain the CD. The cost is only $10.00. All proceeds over and above the cost of mailing and producing will go to the WIN Scholarship. You just pop this CD in your computer and follow the directions…it is easy and each newsletter appears as it did in the original publication.

THEY ARE STILL HAVING FUN

Pictured above are left to right: Sharyn Cottrill McGahan, Larry Martino, Jerry Warne, Becky LaRosa Fresa (WI 1960), Mike Fresa, and Carolyn Pinella Warne all from the WI Class of 1959.

They are shown here in September enjoying a cook out after they had just spent several hours on boats at Stonewall Jackson State Park near Weston, WV. These are members of the reunion committee for the class. They had so much fun together planning and working on the 45th reunion which was held in July 2004 and they just can’t stop being together. Isn’t that grand? Now they are getting together often and having fun and already talking about the 50th reunion to be held in 2009. All who attended the reunion had so much fun and appreciate the hard work that the committee did to make everything so wonderful for all attendees to enjoy. Too bad some of you didn’t make it. But hopefully next time we will see more classmates. Remember, this committee didn’t do anything at the last minute-you will have about 2 years notice to start saving your money, and marking your calendar. (Well, actually I just gave you a 5 year notice…by that time you could almost save to pay my way also!) LOL

TAKE NOTICE
In the five years between the 40th and the 45th class reunion, the class of 1959 lost 10 classmates. Time is slipping by; better make those connections with “long ago” friends and relatives now. You have treasurers of memories there that you can have awakened and really enjoy!

NEW READERS

Judith (Judy) Jane Rice (WI '57)	judithjane@yahoo.com
Nancy Jackson (WI '50)	LadyAnn@Peoplepc.com
Arthur Eugene (“Gene”) Jones (WI '56)	Genegjones@cs.com
Toby Singleton (WI '56)	tjsing@verizon.net
Teresa D. Gouer (WI '78)	DYMMom@aol.com
Judy Martino Gray (WI '65)	JGRAY128@aol.com
Marlene Oliverio (WI '52)	Moliverio4@aol.com
Joellen Fletcher Allman (WI '53)	TOLLADY@AOL.COM
Dahrie Christiansen Hayman (WI '64)	HaymanDJ@manpower.usmc.mil

CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS

Sam Urso, Jr. (WI '57)	sursojr@ma.rr.com
Anne Pears Jones (WI '58)	anannaj@earthlink.net
Andrea Rowe Ritter (VHS '59)	coachr.2@netzero.net
Don Cinci (WI '56)	DonCinci@aol.com
Jeanie Werner Davis (WI '59)	Rockwellrjd@msn.com
Chris Colombo Babyak (ND '61)	jbabyak655@verizon.net
Kitty Wells Ray (WI '63)	kitty4900@bellsouth.net

HELP PREPARE TODAY’S STUDENTS
TO BECOME TOMORROW’S LEADERS

RAMPS

Five gallons of ramps dug in the spring on the west side of Allegheny Mountain by Mike Snyder (WI '57) shown with a ramp hoe he made from an old buggy spring.

submitted by: Jill Snyder (wife of Mike Snyder WI '57)
guf00446@mail.wvnet.edu
The reason Mike looks so happy is that usually I dig most of the ramps, and this time he was able to go along. Ramps are the first wild green of the spring and ramp digging is my favorite thing to do, next comes eating them. I love to fire up the old kitchen Kalamazoo wood cook stove and cook a pot of pinto beans all day on it, bake a pan of cornbread, then fry up a black skillet of bacon, a skillet of fried potatoes, and then a big skillet full of ramps with bacon grease! A heart attack on a plate, but worth every bite!

submitted by: Dorothy Ann Hughes Shaffer (WI '52)
cshaffer@pathwaynet.com
What fun! Both my husband (who was from Thomas, WV) and I are really enjoying the newsletters.

WEST MICHIGAN RAMPS
Somehow my husband and I had the impression that "ramps" were a WV/Appalachian delicacy. Upon moving to Michigan we were amazed to find them growing in the woods near our home and wondered if this was unusual. We turned our question in as a letter to the editor of "The Hillbilly" newspaper being published at that time in Richwood, WV. The editor, Jim Comstock, printed our letter with a response that although they were found outside the Appalachians, they would be of an inferior quality.

Soon thereafter we received a mailing from Dr. Jackson Green of the US Food and Drug Adm., Washington, DC who had read our letter and was interested in examining our ramps. So off went a box of freshly dug ramps via US Postal service (with the postmaster's blessing!) Dr. Green then made his pronouncement that indeed our ramps (allium tricoccum) were of an excellent quality.

We invited relatives and had our own West Michigan Ramp Festival complete with a banner across the front of our house. Our neighbors had already known that we were hillbillies but then they concluded that we were also a little strange. At least they were polite enough to avoid mentioning the odor. We now have a nice private ramp patch in our own woods.

Dr. Green shared the following recipe with us which we felt was pretty good.:

FRENCH VICHYSSOISE

Combine:
1 pint Instant Mashed Potatoes
1 can Chicken Consommé
Butter
4 to 6 finely chopped ramps

Simmer 15 minutes
Chill

Serve in Soup Bowls. Garnish with chopped chives, diced onion or chopped onion tops.

submitted by: Jim Pulice (WI '62)
jpulice@msn.com
When I was in my early 20's working at Union Carbide....every Spring the fellows would always be talking about Ramps...I was always afraid to try them due to the smell they left on your Breath ......One day a friend of mine had a jar of ramps and Lima beans sitting on a hot furnace warming them for his lunch......He ask me to try them...since I do love Lima beans I did..........they were delicious and I wanted to eat the whole Jar...since then I have been hooked....Raw...fried with potatoes...made in a salad.. made in a minastra...they are good...yes you can freeze them...the old timers say that ramps are a spring tonic.....Mount Claire Baptist always had a ramp dinner every year...that was excellent....Here lately ..people have gotten away from digging them...the mountain areas is where they grow...and they are hard to clean if you have to clean very many....Usually in the spring you will see folks selling them along the road.....$1:00 for a handful...Best time to try them is on a weekend....You do not want to breath on anyone after eating them.............If you have never been to a Ramp supper you don't know what you are missing.

submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jteter@balmar.com
I used the INTERNET to get some of the information that you had asked question about in your latest newsletter: http://www.wild-harvest.com/pages/ramp.htm

RAMPS / WILD LEEKS
ALLIUM TRICOCCUM
Ramps and Wild Leeks are the same plant, a type of wild-growing onion generally presented fresh with the green leaves attached to the small white bulb. Ramps and Wild Leeks are distinguished primarily by growing in different regions. Where they are found growing in the Appalachian range they are known as Ramps. Harvest in this region typically begins around the middle of April. A few weeks later they are harvested in the Great Lakes region where they are called Wild Leeks. There are slight differences between the products in that the Wild Leeks generally have a larger bulb and a slightly milder flavor, especially in the leaf portion.

Where Ramps grow they are the healer, solace and friend to Mountain Folks. Ramps are folk medicine said to keep away cold, flu and the neighbors! They are Spring Tonic personified. And they are STRONG! In Appalachia Ramps have a stinky reputation.

They are known and loved (or hated) for this powerful aroma. In the Mountains of West Virgina Ramp Festivals sprout up to celebrate the root. Whole towns get together and stew up a mess or eat them raw. Halls are filled with folks feasted on Ramps, Dancin' and Stinkin'. One prominent Ramp party is the Elkins City Annual International Ramp Cook-Off and Festival.

In the North people call them Wild Leeks. While the taste is the same, somehow in the north Wild Leeks never stir up quite the trouble that Ramps seem to. The folk medicine reputation which holds both Ramps and Wild Leeks to be powerful healers turns out to be well deserved. They are high in Vitamins C and A, and full of healthful minerals. And they have the same cholesterol-reducing capacity found in Garlic and other members of this family. At Oregon State University research is going on to examine the cancer prevention capacity of Ramps and Wild Leeks.

Lest the reputation for excessive stinking scare you away from trying them, you should know that Earthy Delights sells Ramps and Wild Leeks (both) to some of the finest restaurants in America. No complaints about too much stink yet!

The picture that is on the web site did not copy in my COPY AND PASTE, but ramps look like ONIONS.

I do not remember ever actually going after ramps, but my father did. He would bring them home and my mother would cook them, even though I do not ACTUALLY remember being there when she was cooking them. PROBABLY because THEY STINK when they are being cooked, and I would think that I would have left the house. I do not know that I ever ate a ramp, but I am sure that at a YOUNG AGE, I probably did.

I do not have a family recipe for cooking ramps, but the web site that I found the above information on has SEVERAL: http://www.wild-harvest.com/pages/recipe.htm

Cooks do include ramps in other dishes, primarily (from what I read) in salads.

Ramps in the Appalachian range begin around the middle of April.

submitted by: Freddie Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
The word ramp(S) is a nickname for the word Rampion. Also known in the Scottish Language as Ramser; ramseren; ramish; ramus; ransel; ramsel; ranis; ranisch; rambs; ramsche and ramps.

They are an early spring type wild onion/scallion/leek vegetable that grows in between NC, WV and New England, and are in season from late March to early May. Also known as a “species of garlic”. The edible roots and leaves are eaten as a salad. They are found in most areas of WV with Tucker, Randolph, Nicholas, Webster and Lewis Counties being the best locations. A normal ramp dinner consists of ramps, taters, soup beans, bacon, cornbread, applesauce and sassafras tea. One of the biggest ramp feeds is in Walkersville, (Lewis County) at a cost of $10.00 and all you can eat. Be prepared to wait as least 1-1/2 hours before being served. Yes, they can be frozen as some Volunteer Fire Departments have ramp dinners in the fall. In the spring in Harrison County you will often see vehicles parked along the side of the road selling ramps at $1.00 for a small packet.

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

The ramps article brought back a smelly memory. Bob Twigg would attend a ramp dinner and then come to church choir practice. He sang bass, that put him in the back row of the choir so the fumes got to all of us. There was only one tiny window on the side which did not give us much fresh air. He would laugh and the rest of us would gasp for air. Those things give off an awful stench. How can any one get passed the smell to eat them?

I can also remember breaking the orange blister and working the coloring through the oleo. I was staying with my grand parents in Buckhannon and remember a man banging on the front door to tell my grandmother to get the light out upstairs. The light was coming from my bedroom. The blinds were down and I was reading (or looking) at a book and did not know the light could be seen. I still like to read and keep a book with me most of the time. Sorry about getting my brothers broken arm story mixed up. Could it be "sometimers" memory loss?

We left Florida the week before CHARLIE and waited in Tenn. for FRANCES and IVAN to pass through. Naples was lucky this time but you never know when it might be your turn. Sorry to hear of the damages some had. We had a great 6 week vacation. Reunion at brother Rex's was a blast. Let me warn any and all who would dare to visit him that chances are he will be into a work project or at least have one in mind. So bring your work clothes and be prepared to put them to good use.

Thanks to all who have made e-mail contact with me. Good hearing from you all. First thing that I did after turning on the laptop was to print the newsletter. Thanks again Roleta and elves for another wonderful job. Stay safe, healthy and happy.

submitted by: Toby Singleton (WI '56)
tjsing@verizon.net

Roleta--Thanks so much for your quick response to my request. I graduated with the class of 1956. Yes - I was a cheerleader for four years at WI.

I am living in Charleston, WV. The longest I've lived anywhere. Having lived in 20+ locations from ILL., to CT., to WV., this is where I have made my residence. I was employed for 18 years at the University of Charleston in the Carleton Varney School of Art and Interior Design. I retired in July 2000.

Stayed home and concentrated on my painting and working part-time for my daughter Cheryl at an all-inclusive spa for two years.

I decided I was ready to stay home, travel, paint, and be a nana to my 6 grandchildren. That didn't last long. I was called to help open a "gently used furniture" store here in Charleston. It is sponsored by the YWCA and is a non-profit business. We will support a condominium being built for elderly forgotten, abused women. We will be a year old Oct. 27. I am co-managing the store on a part-time basis and doing what I love to do - interior design. All items are donations from people in the valley.

I have three children Steven - lives in PA; graduated from Carnegie Mellon Univ. with a BFA; married and two sons. Cheryl - Marshall Univ.; single mom of one; barber, cosmetologist and gives men and women new hair for whatever reason they have lost theirs. Andrew - WVU Med. School grad.; married with three, plus one due any day; lives in Bridgeport, WV; doctors in Buckhannon.

I am now a "sr. athlete" ha! Do conditioning walks 2-3 miles every other day; do watercolors, acrylics; love traveling for inspiration; single life since 1978.

Looking forward to our BIG 50 reunion.

submitted by: Marlene Oliverio (WI '52)
Moliverio4@aol.com

Dear Roleta; I never knew this news letter existed until my niece from Fla sent a copy to me. I was fascinated to see pictures of old acquaintances and old friends with whom I have lost contact with. I would not have recognized some of them as I only remember them as very young people and Father Time has a way of rearranging things.

I would like to be added to your email list so I may receive the monthly news letter. Also, I have never been to the annual WI picnic at Nutter Fort because I didn't know it existed. If it was advertised in the Clarksburg Telegram, I must have overlooked it because I certainly would love to see old friends and make new ones. I have probably missed it this year, but will be to next years with bells on if I'm still able to walk and talk. I was beginning to feel old until I saw pictures of graduates from l934 and l935 at the picnic. God bless them.

PS I certainly admire you for being so dedicated in keeping WI graduates informed on the latest news.

submitted by: Carol Greynolds Cleveland (WI '61)
CLE704@aol.com

Roleta, Every time I see a comment from Judy Allen Hutson it brings back wonderful memories of Mary Berger School of Dance.

In case those of you who took lessons there didn't make the connection, Judy's Mother, Kate was the pianist for the dance school. Kate played piano for the Mary Berger Studio for years and if I remember correctly, played by ear.

The studio was in the basement of the Enraw (spelling ?) Building and hundreds of girls from around the Clarksburg area took lessons there through the years. Every Spring we would have a recital at the Robinson Grand Theater and we all felt like "Stars:" It was a production with fancy costumes, an orchestra and some years our parents would arrange to have flowers presented to us, on stage, after the last night's show.

I wrote to Judy after I saw her name on this site and she told me that she still has her Mom's piano.

submitted by: Dahrie Christiansen Hayman (WI '64)
HaymanDJ@manpower.usmc.mil

The WIN Scholarship---What a wonderful gesture and worthwhile cause! Count me in (check is in the mail). How about the rest of the alumni from the Class of '64?

TRIVIA PICTURE
WHAT IS THE PLACE AND WHO IS THE PERSON?
submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com

FOREVER FRIENDS
I am sure most of you remembered the place---COOPER’S ROCK. But I didn’t think anyone would guess the person. I didn’t even recognize her! It is me or is it, it is I? Judy was searching through some pictures (we don’t need to say old pictures). She came up with the picture of me as shown in the September issue of the newsletter. But better yet, she found pictures of the two of us taken on the same day. Neither of us can remember being there together, can’t remember who provided the transportation either. But look at the outfits! We certainly must have called one another to ask the eternal female question, “What are you going to wear?” We couldn’t have been more than 14 or 15 years of age.

submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com
The "Trivia Picture" looks a lot like my wife. It seems to me that it was taken at Cooper's Rock State Park. I'm not sure whether or not I was present. It must have been about 1958. She hasn't changed much. Just a little higher maintenance now! She’s still my "West Virginia Woman".

Speaking of W.Va., we just returned from the Marshall-Ohio State football game. Even though I've been an OSU fan for over 40 years, I found myself silently cheering for the Thundering Herd. I guess it's true that you can take a boy out of W.Va., but you can't take W.Va. out of a boy. Great game! Too bad either team had to lose.

Burt Spangler mentioned playing the "numbers" in the September Newsletter. I worked at Williams Mine below Shinnston right out of high school. Almost all of the miners used to play everyday. Five or ten cents at a time. When we would get into the bath house after the 3 to 11 shift, the winning numbers were always written in chalk on the concrete floor. Thus, winners were always aware of their luck before leaving for home. Now the state government has taken over the "numbers racket". Somehow, I think it is still a "racket". At least, in the 50's we knew who was getting the money.

submitted by: Beth Twigg Devericks (WI '59)
bedevericks@hotmail.com
My guess for the trivia picture for September is Roleta Smith Meredith. Could the picture have been taken at Coopers Rocks WV, that’s my guess.

submitted by: Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI '56)
MSSpahr@aol.com
I don't know the person, but I think the place is Cooper's Rock.

It happened during the spring of senior year and might have been skip day, but I don't think so. A gang of us went to Cooper's Rock just because it was there and many of us had never seen this place even though it is hardly 60 miles from Clarksburg (might have been a longer drive in the 1950s.)

Anyway, some of the more daring of us did a little rock climbing on the rocks to the right as you look out over the gorge. We were completely foolish, totally untrained, stupid, all of the above, but gees we had fun. If Mother had known, she'd have done me in just because the rocks didn't.

Now, almost fifty years later, I can't even remember whom I was with. Does anyone out there remember this excursion?

COOPERS ROCK
There are approximately 350,000 visitors annually to Coopers Rock State Forest in Preston and Monongalia counties. http://www.coopersrockstateforest.com/ On a clear day one can climb to the overlook and see hawks, the Cheat River and Mountaineer Field. There is a legend that the park is named after a fugitive cooper (barrel maker) who hid in the late 1700’s in the park area. While there he continued to make barrels and sold them to local businesses. Cooper’s Rock sits at 2,100 feet above sea level During the winter many people enjoy cross country skiing on the 18 trails, including the 2 designate ski paths. All 43 miles of trails within the forest are accessible from the main parking lot. There are many biking and hiking trails but people are warned that there are also many rattlesnakes. There are many other animals located within the forest including: fox, turkey, white tailed deer, and many bird species and bobcat. A very interesting fact---the Triodopsis Platysayoides, or the Cheat three toothed snail is an extremely rare three toothed, flat spired land snail that lives in the gorge area of Coopers Rock and across the river in Snake Hill-but nowhere else in the world! (When I read this it said to avoid these creatures as they are so rare---I laughed thinking about people looking into the mouths of the snails to see if they had 3 teeth so they could be avoided.) Many people are also attracted to the park for whitewater rafting and kayaking through Coopers’ rock ribbed gorge. Rock climbing is a popular sport there also.

I remember my favorite sport was picnicking. I remember my Aunt Delores made a different kind of cake for every picnic. (tomato soup cake, orange cake with orange icing, mayonnaise cake, spice cake---you name it, she made them…but my favorite was Tomato Soup Cake-anyone have a recipe? Send it to Roleta1@aol.com and I will publish it in the next newsletter.) We shared a lot of picnics with my Uncle Artie, Aunt Delores and cousin Cherita. Cooper’s Rock, Audra State Park, Lost River, Black Water, the Veteran’s hospital park-we saw beautiful scenery and had terrific food. My mother made the best home made potato salad dressing---cooked it from scratch! Anyone have that recipe? I will publish it also.

What ever happened to picnics? I guess they are too boring for the young people, one generation doesn’t like to cook and the next doesn’t like to go anyplace without a cell phone, TV, DVD player, or some sort of hand held game machine. And actually now that I am older-I know it is a lot of work to prepare the food.

Oh, they don’t know what they are missing! Tell me about your picnicking experiences. Write to Roleta1@aol.com.

Source for research material was The West Virginia Magazine; January 2004 issue article written by Matt Keller.

A THANK YOU FOR SERVICES RENDERED
submitted by: Joe Malone (WI '52)
jmalone934@sbcglobal.net
Roleta - My thanks & kudos....

To you, Judy & Bob (+ spouses) for all your work.
To Betty Burke for her kind words about my mother, her 4th grade teacher at Morgan school.
To Deedie (Swisher) Souders for her warm feature on our classmate, Miriam Reep.
To Dave Bates for remembering "Mud" Hite and Jake (Gus) Gudekunst.
To Mary (Stump) Harrell for her photo of some (younger) familiar faces at Carlisle school.
To Jon Darnell for "fessing up." (Smile)
To Freddie Layman for his excellent research.
To everyone who has (and will in the future) contributed to the WIN Scholarship Fund.
To all those people who organize picnics and reunions. and finally, to all those people who provide the fodder that keeps you going.

TO THE CLASS OF 1954
submitted by: Jack Emerick (WI '54)
Cadilacjak54@aol.com
I am writing this note as an inquiry concerning any of you that are not registered with the Class of 1954's Re-union Committee. I helped with our recent, very successful 50th Re-union celebration at the Clarksburg Country Club on the evenings of 13 and 14 August 04. We had several first timers (ones who had never attended a re-union before), and all that I have talked to were very happy they had attended, and plan to attend again in 5 years.

As some of you know, I also attend the Class of 1953's Re-union each time it occurs (I was a member of that class from 1st grade thru 12th grade, but failed a few subjects in WI, and had to spend an extra year), and can tell you that I thoroughly enjoy going and seeing and renewing old friendships, and look forward to going again, if the LORD allows.

I am writing this in the hope that some of you who are missing or that we have old dead addresses for will respond and send me a new address (physical and/or e-mail).

I want to also inform you all of a wonderful website. It is http://wi59.tripod.com/ (NO www ). The site was begun by Roleta Smith Meredith of the Class of 59 for her classmates for the 40th re-union in 99. Another gal from that class Judy Kimler joined with her in the effort, and with the aid of their husbands, have made it an OUTSTANDING site with a newsletter, full of nostalgic remembrances, and stories which are submitted by US, “ the enjoyers”. The site has gained area prominence, and has become a Harrison County site with all local high schools represented. That is another reason for sharing this info------the chance that someone from another school knows someone who is missing from a senior class and can provide that info to the searchers.

Statistics: We had 156 class members. 124 were listed in our re-union booklet. We had 55 who were listed to come( although there were a few no-shows). The inside front cover listed 32 as deceased, although there is some question about Edgar Dallas Bowyer. Many of the listed have no address, only their name. Some of the others have questionable addresses. We would really love to correct all of that, and would love to hear from anyone having any info on any of the missing folks.

With that in mind, I will close this out by adding my own addresses: John E. "JACK" Emrick, my E-MAIL address is Cadilacjak54@aol.com. I will be very appreciative of any info.

TRIVIA QUESTION:
How many high schools were in Harrison county, send me a list of all you remember: Write to Roleta1@aol.com

Freddie Layman researched this for me, so I know the names, the enrollment of each and the principal (all for the year of 1950).

Let’s make it fun! Come on guess!

PRECIOUS CHILDREN FOR OCTOBER
This is the last picture we have to put in the newsletter. Without your help and newsletter support this section will end with this month. Send your childhood picture, your high school graduation picture and a current picture to Judy Kimler. Contact Judy at jkimler@verizon.net for directions on how to share your picture. You don’t have to give it to us! You just copy it or send it to us and we will copy it and return it to you.

Do you recognize these children? Write your guess and a memory to Roleta1@aol.com.

PEOPLE WHO DONATED TO THE WIN SCHOLARSHIP THIS MONTH
Many thanks to the following who have joined forces with the other donors to the WIN SCHOLARSHIP

Wilma Costlow Allman (WI 1953)

Bob and Jill Modlin (WI 1950)

Jeanie Dillmore Mason (WI 1958)

Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI 1956)

Jerry Skufe (WI 1961)

Carol Greynolds Cleveland (WI 1961)

Chuck Bibbee (WI 1959)

Sharon Greitzner Dial (WI 1956)

Mike Moore (WI 1959)

Diana Swiger (write and tell me school and year)

Sharon Gordon DiMaria (WI 1961)

Charlie Burkhammer (WI 1959)

John Teter (WI 1961)

Dahrie (Christiansen) Hayman (WI 1964)

In 2005 there will be 2 WIN scholarships for $500.00 each presented to a graduate from RC Byrd High School.. I thank you and I am sure the chosen student will thank all of those who have donated. To join us in helping a child from Clarksburg further their education send your check or money order to :

Roleta Meredith / WIN Scholarship
3025 Switzer Road
Columbus, Ohio 43081

If you have any questions or comments about the scholarship, please write to me at : Roleta1@aol.com.

TOMORROW IS IN THE HANDS OF THE YOUTH OF TODAY.

PIERPONT GRADE SCHOOL

INFORMATION: In 1950-Pierpont had an enrollment of 207.
Principal was Alice Whalen
submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jteter@balmar.com
I attended Pierpont Grade School for all 6 years, and I have NOTHING but GOOD memories of going to that school. Thanks in part to a response from Harriett Danley Van Voorhis (WI 58), in response to the TRIVIA PICTURE from "some month" in the past, I was able to put a name to my sixth grade teacher which I had forgotten (Mrs. Whalen). I had remembered Mrs. Whalen as being the principal, but not a teacher as well. I had remembered both of the Mrs. Griffins as by the time that I had gotten to them in school, they were BOTH Mrs. Griffins. I think that the only teacher that I cannot remember that was mentioned in Harriett's response to the TRIVIA PICTURE was Mrs. DeVito, as I can remember the names: Mrs. Weaver; Mrs. Riley. I can remember walking to school and having recesses, and learning from 5 of the 6 teachers. When the school, located at Sycamore and Main Streets, was being torn down several years ago, I was able to SALVAGE a "few" of the bricks for members of my family to keep in memory of Pierpont. It is such an EYESORE to NOT see that school sitting on THAT corner, but instead seeing some COMMERCIAL business.

The School closed in 1990. It was later demolished to make way for a doctor’s office building in 1997. See picture below:

Above picture furnished by Freddie Layman (VHS '46)-thanks Freddie!

submitted by: Dian Gantz Hurley Class of 1946 and 1947 (I know, that sounds silly, but that's the way it is...)
WIHSclassof1946@aol.com
Memories of Pierpont Grade School! There are so many I could not write them all. I began at age 5. My parents lied about my birth date so I could begin, a fact I did not know until 6th grade when Miss Alice Whalen asked me when my birthday was and when I told her, handed me my permanent record card and told me to correct the lie my parents had told when I stared to school! Imagine the embarrassment to an already very shy person! Found out in WI that those cards were indeed permanent! Having to get it out of the file at WI one time, there were the lines I had drawn through the incorrect birth date and my horrible handwritten corrected birth date above it!

I can remember each and every teacher I had there, and marching to the down stairs rest room to a phonograph record of a John Philip Sousa march! With the above mentioned Mrs. Whalen watching and guiding each step from the steps balcony with her pointer in hand! I guess it would have been 1934 when I began my journey through those six grades. It was before Central Junior High School opened, and the 7th and 8th grades were still located in rooms on the second floor. We also had to line up for Small Pox shots in first grade and I remember being scared to death, having never had any kind of shot before! An 8th grade student calmed my fears, going with me to get the shot. I think the older students were enlisted to help take care of the younger ones.

Teachers I had were: Miss Weekley, Miss Bell, Miss Frame, Mrs. Himelrick (not sure of spelling) Miss Chevrout and Mrs. Whalen. Mr. Williams was the principal, but retired by the time we reached 6th grade and Miss Whalan became the principal along with teaching 6th grade. A post she held for many years. I also remember with horror her putting a new student, Charlie Fontaine, back in Third grade! He had come from smaller school in another country. She put him in front of the class to read aloud. He had a lot of difficulty reading. So, she decided he needed to be put in Third grade!! This was done, and no one could do anything about it!! He stayed there!! When he got back to 6th grade he was old enough to quit school, which he did, becoming a glass cutter under the tutelage of his father. Many of us never forgave this teacher for this unfair act.

I also remember how happy every one at the school was when Central Junior High School opened and we had two extra rooms upstairs!! They made one of them into an "Auditorium!" The first thing we did there was learn to do the Virginia Reel and put on a program for all who could crowd into our new Auditorium. I believe they used the other room for storage, because there is no memory of ever going into that room.

I remember also missing a lot of school due to illness and having to make the work up, either at home or after getting back to school, not an easy feat. I remember being put back in first grade by Miss Bell one time because the numbers we were doing were so hard due to my being absent when the other students learned what we were doing that day........ Made sure that never happened again!

I remember with fondness all the friendships that were made there, it breaks my heart to ride by the Pierpont location and see it gone and a small doctors office building in it's place.......They call it "Progress?"

Fourth or Fifth grade class at Pierpont Grade School, 1938 or 1939
1st Row: Vernon McWilliams, Archie Thompson, Leonard Vespoint, Charmaine Cork, Donald Elliot, DIAN GANTZ, Helen Yoquinto, Dorothy Graham, Janice Ward, Maxine Ingram

2nd Row: Frank McNaughton, Richard Holt, Martin Antoine, Jimmy Hartman, Hilda Yeager, Ruth Corsini, Arthelo Harris, Angeletta Fiora, Eleanor Jean Kieth, Patty Lee Lowther

3RD Row: Eddie Rader, John Oliverio, Lena Marra, Dorothy Patterson, May Ward, Charlotte Davis, Sarah Chubb, Patty Vore, Bertha Smith, Peggy Raikes

submitted by: Sherry Hutchison Keith (WI '64)
SKeith1514@aol.com
FASHION FLASH / PIERPONT CIRCA '57
I too attended Pierpont grade school and have already written about some of my memories from there... and won't repeat those...

I am grateful for my 6th grade year there 1957..It was a wonderfully creative year in school with all kinds of activities; dancing (square), singing, giant saltmaps, learning exceedingly hard words in spelling, learning "Ovals and Pushpulls" of the Palmer method, our last Valentine's Day Party too. The last year of childhood, really young childhood.. but we didn't know that...

Fashions were changing, the colors pink and black were "in", little skinny belts and ties for the guys, shirtsleeves rolled up sometimes holding cigarettes, most times not. "Bbbbbbbblack Slacks" as the song went, both slacks and jeans were starting to be pegged and buckles showed up on everything.. the back of pants and shorts for both guys and girls. Some shoes even had buckles in the back, remember, buckled = goin' steady /unbuckled = single! ha ha! Most guys wore loafers, sometimes two tone! Hair was slicked back in a Ducktail or DA as the older guys called it... with a Bill Haley curl in the front... nearly dripping with grease! Stephen Radcliff had the best one in our class!

Girls wore short shorts, there was even a song about it, "Who wears short shorts?" Little cotton shirts, sleeveless or short sleeved with Keds tennis shoes.. Girls hair was beginning to be shorter with waves. The sac dress came over from Paris and Carol Tibbs had the first I ever saw, it was green and blue.. so cute on her! And she was so shy!

First high heels were 1 inch! patent leather pumps and hose on Sundays made a girl very grown up. The question of being allowed to shave your legs.. and if allowed, do you shave your underarms! These were big dilemmas in those young days.

Met lots of kids who were very friendly, fun and each one different! We all accepted each other, no snobbery.. It was a great time.. and Golden memory!

submitted by: Ruth Ann Martin Hill (WI '59)
RuthAnn275@aol.com
I attended Pierpont Elementary from first through fifth grades. I have many memories of teachers, friends, and the building itself. I loved the wide wooden staircase and I fondly remember gathering around the banisters and the upper level to sing Christmas carols. I also recall the county nurse giving mass immunizations in Miss Whalen's office.

The teachers varied in disposition and I probably feared Mrs.Gifford in the second grade the most. She cracked my knuckles once with a ruler for talking. Seldom was there a vacant corner in her room. Someone usually had to stand with their nose in them.

Mrs. Gifford in the first grade (formerly Miss Weekly) was a dear first grade teacher: however, she moved me frequently to break up little talkative groups because I was too frightened to talk. This was upsetting to me so I cried frequently. I remember once I thought I forgot my hankie and as I started to cry Judy Daugherty Kimler flipped it back from over my shoulder and said, "Here it is, baby." We've laughed about it since.

Miss DeVito in third grade always called those who didn't keep up with her cow's tails. She lived close by on Locust, I think.

In fourth grade Mrs. Weaver was a jewel. Bobbie Johnston and I usually washed the chalk board because we were the tallest in the class. Can you imagine me ever being the tallest? I didn't grow much in height after the sixth grade. It was during the fourth grade that I remember Ms. Shakleford and her ovals. David Martino sat beside me and my heart ached for him. He was left handed. He had the most gorgeous hand writing, but because he turned his hand practically inside out to write he always was criticized by her. For those of you who remember her that was not a pleasant sight or sound. Now that I look back on it and have had experience as a teacher I think it was probably difficult for Mrs. Weaver to tolerate someone reprimanding her little precious ones.

Miss Riley in the fifth grade always seemed to keep up with her students long after we left. She certainly was a first class teacher.

My parents moved to Stealey during the summer prior to my sixth grade I don't know for sure. Ms. Whalen did call my house to inform my parents that she had cleared it with the Board that I could come back to Pierpont for the sixth grade. She also said I could be a girl patrol and take the banking money to the bank as my brother, Don, had done two years before, but on that first day of school I started off to Morgan. Half way up Duff Street my Mom and I turned around to go back to Pierpont. Changed my mind by the time I got to Kelley's Store and ended up at Morgan.

All in all Pierpont and the neighborhood was a great place to be in those formative years. I cherish those friendships and enjoy our reunions when we can reminisce and cause each other to recall fun times from long ago. The newsletter serves this purpose as well. Oh, the memories it jogs and sometimes I wonder where was I. Others seem to remember more than I do about places and events. So I really enjoy reading all this information that I somehow missed or have forgotten. So thanks to you, Roleta and Judy for all your hard work, time, and effort.

FIRST GRADE PICTURE OF THE PIERPONT / WI CLASS OF 1959

1st row l-r: Sarah Feeney, Keith Murphy, Cherry Gill, Larry Martino, Bobbie Johnson, Ron Werner, Becky Fragale, Mickey McGowan, Nancy E

2nd row: Anthony Julian, Sandy Iaquinta, Jerry Belt, Gerald ?, Delores Helvy ?, and Gary Austin

3rd row: Brenda Martino, Linden Perkins, Judy Daugherty, Paul ?, Ruth Ann Martin, Jerry Burnside, Susan Mayfield, Gene Davis, Nancy Mayer

4th row: Hugh Hinkle ?, Rosemary Grow, Sammy Folio, Mary Ellen Howell, John ?, Betty Jo Hustead, David Morrison, Dorothy Deering, Jimmy Conners

5th row: David Martino, Larry Tolley, Pamela Pringle, Bob Robey, Ronald Vickers?, Jimmy Byard.

THE PIERPONT KIDS AT 1959'S 45TH REUNION

Front row l-r: Jeanie Werner Davis, Bobbie Johnston Swisher, Judy Daugherty Kimler, Sandy Iaquinta, Rosemary Grow Warne
2nd row: Gene Davis Jim Martin, Charlie Burkhammer, Ron Werner, Larry Martino, Becky Fragale Baldini, Mickey McGowan
Back row: Ruth Ann Martin Hill, Bernard Bice, Phil Hooper

submitted by: Chris Hill (WI '60)
chrishll@erols.com
Even though dear old Pierpont School was torn down a number of years ago, I still have many fond memories of my time there, 1948 to 1954. Pierpont was definitely "old school," with ancient desks and chairs bolted to the floor in neat rows, students seated according to some measure of scholastic performance, and strict rules about who could talk, when. The teachers in my day were great: Mrs. Gifford "Number 1," Mrs. Gifford "Number 2," Mrs. DeVita, Mrs. Weaver, Mrs. Riley, and Miss Whelan in grades 1 through 6 respectively. (I am not sure I have indicated their marital status correctly--who knew about the personal lives of teachers in those days?) Pierpont didn't have an outdoor play area, so we took recess by marching in lines around the halls and down to the basement where the restrooms were located. Mr. Thompson, the custodian, held court in the furnace room on the "boys' side" of the basement.

(Does anyone else remember that it was a "privilege" to go down to the basement to "pound" the dusty blackboard erasers? They made such a satisfying sound and gave off great clouds of white dust. Imagine that we felt fortunate to be chosen to expose ourselves to concentrations of airborne fine particles that would surely violate all of today's clean air and OSHA standards! But, I still have a fondness for the aroma of chalk dust, and I still use chalk in my university teaching, although, as I tell my colleagues, I have adopted the latest advance in instructional technology; namely, dustless chalk, for my lectures.)

The big event at Pierpont each year was the school carnival. There were games, "fishing wells," and food galore, including unlimited numbers of wonderful hotdogs provided in my years by the Ellis family. On carnival evening, all the rules were relaxed and we kids could run around and whoop and holler in ways that were absolutely forbidden at all other times.

For the last couple of years, Dave Ellis and I served as crossing guards ("patrol boys") at the corner of Main and South Chestnut Streets. We had long talks between crossing times, and used our flag poles to create large puddles in the icy water that collected at the curb after big snows. We stored our flags at the Main Street Grocery, whose owner, Joe Pulice, was remembered so wonderfully in the July and August issues of the Newsletter. Dave and I hatched all sorts of ideas, including plans for a robot that we tried to build without success. We bet each other $1,000 that there would be a manned base on the moon by 1975 (this was in 1953 or so). I took the affirmative and subsequently lost, of course. If Dave would settle for a penny on the dollar, I'd arrange to take him out for a nice dinner some day.

Top Row: Bob Teter, ? , Richard Underwood, Nancy Lynch ?, Dave Ellis, Erma Bokey, ? ,Terry Tibbs

Second Row: Nancy Fowler, Chuck Vickers ?, ?, Christine Bailey ?, George Ash ?, Nancy ?

Third Row: Gene Cobb ?, ? , Eddie Heater, ? , ? , ? , ? , Barbara Wolfe

Fourth Row: ? , Loretta Bell ?, Leroy Berkley, ? , Frank Martino, ?

submitted by: Elizabeth Teter Akin (WI '56)
LibAkin@aol.com
In the fall of 1945, I came to Pierpont School as a second grader. Clarksburg was a city of neighborhoods and the neighborhoods that fed Pierpont School were diverse and wide ranging. In my class, some came from upper Chestnut St. (Nancy Graham, Melva Janroy, Phyllis Gotlieb), Dodge Court ("Hankie" Mayer), and Main St. west of Sixth St. (Diane Niebuhr.) From lower Chestnut came Sydney Davis and Judy Heaberlin and Sandra Allman. Sue Rolland, David Thoms, Rosalie Siegrist, Judy Hudkins, Patsy Ambrose (her father the minister at Temple Methodist) and others came from Locust and its off-shoots. "Lefty" Salario and Sammy White lived on Pike Street near the school. I recall a Delores Taylor who lived near the fire station that was where the Wendy's is now. Patty Ringer and Mary Hall lived on Beech St. I think some who lived at the Kappa Sigma Pi home on Pike Street attended Pierpont, though I don't remember who that would have been. I lived on Broaddus Avenue, then a beautiful tree-lined street.

My second grade teacher was Beulah Gifford. (Marie Gifford of the first grade was Miss Weekly, then.) I had attended first grade at Anmore and the new school was a real change. Here there was no playground, and there were bullies, girl bullies. I remember Patty Ringer reporting an incident we had with some of those bullies to our teacher. The girls were paddled, in the principal's office, in our presence. I also remember Miss Gifford striking me on the hand with a ruler for some transgression. When we worked with letter and number builders, a girl in front of me, Sandra Allman, had long hair and would throw it back over my desk and mess up my work. I missed my first grade teacher and I missed my friends. I missed the rhythm band and dance class with Mr. Louie. On the other hand, here there was a "library" at the back of the classroom and I knew how to read. It contained what were for me, then, wonderful books: the "Five Little Peppers" and "Bobsie Twins" series, among others. And we had "ART", even if it was only pasting the Old Dutch Cleanser girl onto a sheet of paper and drawing a windmill behind her, or all drawing the same bouquet of cosmos.

Early in the year I got Scarlet Fever and was quarantined for several (4 - 6?) weeks. When I returned to school, I was behind, and then my brother, Bob, got Scarlet Fever. I was rushed off to Bridgeport to my grandparents and commuted from there to school with a family friend, or by public bus! As there was no lunch program, I ate lunch at the counter of Martin's Grill (or whatever it was then) just across Pike St. from the school. I ordered a hot dog every day until my father told them to remind me I needed to vary my diet.

When Christmas came, things got better for me. I was thrilled to stand with my class on the grand staircase, where a real decorated tree stood, and sing carols. The lower grades were lower on the steps and upper grades higher. That was a wonderful experience that took place each year, as did the Halloween parade, up Sycamore to Locust, up Locust to Chestnut, around Mulberry and back to school. There was also an annual school carnival with a fish pond and other games, a bake sale and such.

Pierpont had no gym or playground. We exercised in the classroom, marching and doing calisthenics. We did sometimes go to the basement to play, but that was not very pleasant. Our real exercise came from the walk to and from school, morning, evening and at lunch time too. I have to mention the stores we stopped at along the way: Perry's at Mulberry and Sycamore and Patsey's (Ware's) at Sycamore and Locust. Patsey's carried Dana Mills paper, a staple through high school, and was, for me, a friendlier place than Perry's.

The school had an auditorium, in fact just a classroom with a stage. It was one of two rooms used by the Distributive Education program for the area high schools. It was also used for band practice, plays, and movies. There were movies shown periodically, for which we had to bring ten cents. I remember some being scary.

My third grade teacher, Miss DeVita gave me my first and only paddling in school. We were writing for certificates and the paddling, in front of the class, was for my having produced "the messiest paper and taking the longest." I didn't like Miss DeVita.

Our fourth grade teacher was, I think, Miss Himilrich. We studied geography for the first time and I loved the work books, pasting products on all those South American countries. Another memory from that year, I think, is of a boy named Billy Nottingham who wore very fancy clothes and we thought he was Little Lord Fauntleroy. He did not stay among us long.

Irene Riley, who taught fifth grade, was a wonderfully sweet teacher, so kind and gentle, with a happy sense about her, yet firm when she needed to be. I haven't specific memories of the work of that year.

I have often wondered if what I remember about sixth grade has any bearing on any reality. Alice Whelan was principal at Pierpont and taught sixth grade. I have very little sense of her as teacher. At the time it seemed to me she spent a lot of time out of the classroom and gave us "odd" opportunities. We spent time in the auditorium reading magazines (Life, Saturday Evening Post, and others). We wrote, produced, acted in plays. Beulah Gifford taught us music; another teacher brought us art. In retrospect, we learned a great deal that year.

When the school was torn down some years ago, my mother, I think, rescued a brick for each of her three children. What is really strange is that I don't really know where children in Clarksburg go to elementary school these days.

Pictured above are Jim Martin, Anthony Julian, Paul Madzin, Phil Hooper and Larry Martino, members of the School Patrol at Pierpont.

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@verizon.net
I don't remember that much about the actual classes in grade school. I do remember a few things about the school itself. The 1st thru 4th grades were on the 1st floor. 5th and 6th and the principal’s office were on the 2nd floor. There wasn't a playground, cafeteria, auditorium or gym.

1st grade was Miss Weekley who got married and became Mrs. Gifford. (or the other way around) We had little boxes of letters and numbers that we used to either spell words or do arithmetic on our desks.

2nd grade was another Mrs Gifford. No one seemed to like her because she was very strict. I think she was tall and skinny with gray hair and glasses.

3rd grade was Miss De Vito. I liked her. She was short and chubby and also wore glasses. There was a crippled girl in a wheelchair in our class. Once during a fire drill, Mrs. De Vito said if there ever was a real fire and she couldn't save the girl, she would stay with her. I always admired her for that.

4th grade was Miss Weaver. I remember her being very tall. She was a really good teacher...very patient and caring. My cousin, Mary Ellen Howell, and I were always in competition to be the best at one thing or another. We often fought (physically) when things went the others way.

5th grade was Miss Irene Riley. I remember her very well but don't remember anything about 5th grade.

In the 6th grade I transferred to Towers. I didn't have Mrs. Whalen, the 6th grade teacher and principal at Pierpont. She had a reputation of being a little strange.

I remember some things that happened that were not about class work:

One year the PTA held a raffle to raise money and I won a box of groceries.

At Halloween we always had a big party, dressed in costumes and walked around the neighborhood. One year I was a big, yellow duck. I really hated that one because everyone made fun of me.

On Valentine's Day we made little construction paper boxes with our names on them. Everyone went around and put valentines in the boxes.

I loved the school carnival that was held every year. My favorite was the fish pond. Someone (probably a parent or teacher) would be behind a sheet and when the kids put their fishing pole over the sheet they would put a small "treasure" on their hook.

Since there was no cafeteria, everyone went home for lunch . My mother always redid my braids at lunchtime because my hair was so fine that the braids fell apart. This can be seen in my 2nd grade picture. The one time she didn't redo them for one reason or another, they took school pictures that afternoon. Boy, was she mad. The pictures were supposed to be the next day.

SCHOOL FOR NEXT MONTH

Let’s hear your memories of Alta Vista Grade School.

Write to Roleta1@aol.com. Send pictures to jkimler@verizon.net. Thanks

PRECIOUS CHILD
This section will soon end. We have not received pictures from you and we have run out. We only have one more picture to run and then we will end this most popular section. Please contact Judy Kimler about sending her pictures. You can scan and email to her or you can send it regular mail and she will return ASAP. We have done this for many readers. Contact Judy at jkimler@verizon.net

submitted by: Jim Hornor (WI '59)
JYH2125@aol.com
The precious child looks like my neighbor on Waverly Way- Dick Hanifan

submitted by: Dick Frush (WI '59 & '60)
frushfamily@aol.com
I believe the "Precious Child" picture for Sep. to be a much, much younger Dick Hanifan. Dick and I spent many a summer day together on the West Fork River in Hartland in a row boat Dick built. The boat lasted quite a few years, the oars might still be under the front porch of my parents former house.

THANKFUL
Since November is the month for Thanksgiving, write to me and tell me,"What are you thankful about?" Write to: Roleta1@aol.com. Your letters will appear in the next newsletter. Thank you for helping make this a fun newsletter!

HURRICANE FRANCES
FINALLY! After 78 + hours of no power and over 48 hours of constant pounding of 70 mph winds and relentless rain, I am again able to sign on and report to you. Folks, this was a rough one to say the least. I am happy to say that God has again had his angels working full time in the protection of our residence. We do have damage but compared to those around us, I would consider our damage minor. Our pool screens will partially have to be redone and the what CHARLEY did not take of the solar off the roof FRANCES did. I cannot get over how the winds whipped in every direction at the very same time. Our yard is a complete mess but what Charley cleaned out of the trees, we did not have to deal with this time. What did happen was what Charley broke off in that storm that did not fall down, fell this time. We have very little new material down.

Our store is a different case all the way around. Flagler Beach got pounded completely and we lost another 150+ feet of our fishing pier which we can see from our shop. As most of you know we are in our 25th year at Bellevue Florist and Gifts which is located on Route 100 only five doors from the ocean. We are actually in the third building back from the beach. The physical damage at the store will probably exceed $20,000. Our huge lighted sign which had been in place for more than 30 years finally yielded to the forces of Frances. With some minor repair both lexan panels are usable but the steel framework (heavy steel at that) looks like it visited a toothpick factory. I do not know if we will be able to ever replace it because it has been "grandfathered" for the past 10 years and now is much too large for the size restrictions of new signage. We will have to wait and see what the insurance company and city hall have to say. The 8 week old new roof has a nice new skylight (no dome or glass covering). Fortunately Kyle had the foresight to place huge garbage cans near the front windows and they were all filled with 60 gallons of water to overflowing. Every ceiling tile and every light fixture glass in the front half of the store will have to be replaced. A lot of the stock is wet and the carpet will have to be replaced. The entire front window area will have to be torn out because the wood has already started to mold. Many of our plants and dish gardens as well as vases and other hard goods will need to be replaced from breakage caused by falling and wet ceiling materials and wind from the new "skylight." Kyle brought home the four computer towers so we had no computer damage.

All in all we were most BLESSED by our Heavenly Father because we have a basically undamaged house, no vehicle damage, and at least our business is still there. Many businesses were wiped from the face of the earth and strewn for miles. Our biggest problem will be weathering another huge financial loss from loss of business while our customers try to rebound, the physical loss of replacing damaged and broken stock, on top of the devastating medical financial loss I have personally had during these last two years. Putting everything together, it will be a miracle if we survive it. But I have FAITH and I told Elaine (nee Elaine Marie Fowler--WI Class of 1959) last night that GOD will provide for HIS people. What HE wants to happen WILL HAPPEN.

Thank each and every one for your care and concern and especially We thank you for your PRAYERS for our SAFETY! Material things can be replaced but the only death's I know about with Frances are four people (two couples) who should not have been riding motorcycles in complete darkness, at excessive speed, when they hit a downed tree across the road. They were found this morning about 6:30 a.m. and could have been there as much as 6 hours. All four were dead at the scene.

As a side note we heard on the news tonight that there are 200,000 families without power in Atlanta, Georgia caused by Frances and that Asheville, N. C, had had over 12 inches of rain today all from Frances. That Just gives you some idea how big this thing really was. We got her last wind and rain early this morning about 8 a.m.

P. S. Still hoping to find information about Adam SMITH and Anna CAIN in Lewis County, WV and Floyd County/Montgomery County CORELL/CORRELL Family.

Drop us a line and tell us your hurricane story at Zarvon@aol.com.

OBITUTARIES

ROBERT SIDNEY AARON
Robert Sidney Aaron, 88, of Clarksburg, WV, died Friday, September 3, 2004 in Charleston, WV. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 59 years, Edith Harley Aaron. Born June 11, 1916, a lifelong resident of the Clarksburg, WV area, he retired as owner of Aaron's Shoe Store. He graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from which he received a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering in 1937. Mr. Aaron was a major in the United States Air Force and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

He is survived by one son, Bob Aaron, a Cross Lanes resident; daughter-in-law, Kim Aaron and two grandsons.

FREDA DAVIS
Service for Freda Lynch Davis, 85, will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Dutch Fork Baptist Church, Ballentine with burial in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to Dutch Fork Baptist Church. Visitation will be Monday 6-9 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel. Mrs. Davis, wife of the late Paul M. Davis, died Saturday. September 11,2004. Born in Clarksburg, W. Va., she was the daughter of the late Robert and Ersie Collins Lynch. She was a former resident of Clarksburg, W Va. and was a former member and Sunday school teacher at Broad Oaks United Methodist Church. At the time of her death, she was a member of Dutch Fork Baptist Church. Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Robert A. (WI 1959) and Janet (White) Davis (WI 1960) of Irmo, SC.; daughter and son-in-law Sandra Davis Grose and Clarence Grose of Washington. Pa., five grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

PHILIP GABRIEL KYLE
Mr. Kyle of Werninger Street, Clarksburg, died Tuesday, September 21, 2004, at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Kyle was a retired theater manager with Lowes Cineplex Entertainment Corporation, working in the Maryland and District of Columbia areas with 22 years of service.

He was born in Clarksburg June 19, 1942, a son of the late Judge Karl B. and Emma Gabriel Kyle. He is survived by a brother, Karl B. Kyle Jr., Clarksburg.

Mr. Kyle was Protestant by faith. He was a 1960 graduate of Washington Irving High School and attended the University of Virginia before graduating from West Virginia University.

Many thanks to the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram for allowing us to use excerpts from their obituary column.

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