THE WI NEWSLETTER 06/05

THE WI NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 70

June 2005

NEWSLETTER CHANGES TO BE MADE
submitted by: THE EDITOR
Roleta1@aol.com
I didn’t receive one e-mail this month from anyone who screamed at me! Thank you. Life is Good! Most everyone remembered to sign their names, school and year either they did or would have graduated from high school! Life is Good!

The newsletter is becoming bigger and bigger and we are all happy with that! There is so much work involved to putting the newsletter together from all of the emails from you readers which I have to edit, and I try to answer each email I receive concerning the newsletter. I add all of my comments and suggestions in the body of the newsletter. Then I send the newsletter to Judy to do the artwork and put it on line for my eyes only. Between the time I send the first draft to her and it is finalized, there is a lot of work that goes into it. She does her magic and then I reread it a couple of times and tweak it and smooth it until it is ready for your eyes. She then puts it on line, I notify you and you read it.

With all of this work and due to the size of the newsletter, it just puts too much pressure on us to get it on line by the first of the month so I am putting a deadline into effect to see how that works. I would appreciate you sending me things for the newsletter by the 24th of each month. We will try this and see how it works for all of us. If you have any comments or suggestions, please write to Roleta1@aol.com.

NOTRE DAME CLASS OF 1960 45th High School Reunion June 24, 25, 26, 2005
All Festivities will be held at "The Ordinary" on Main Street in downtown Clarksburg.

Friday night is our get-together, and is the normal evening for "Open Mic" at the Ordinary. Anyone is welcome to drop by to say hello and visit with old friends from the ND Class of 1960.

Saturday evening is a closed dinner party, but the doors will open at 9:00 PM to the public and there will be a band playing later in the evening.

Sunday the classmates and families will assemble at Immaculate Conception Church for an 8:30 Mass celebrated by classmate, Father Patsy Iaquinta. The class will then assemble for a private brunch at The Ordinary. This is for the Class of 1960 and invited guests only.

Steve Griffith
NDHS '60
SGriff2393@aol.com

CENTRAL
submitted by: Mary Stump Harrel (WI '55)
msharrell2005@verizon.net
When I was in Central Jr. High the 7th grade sewing class was taught by Miss Gertrude Connell - she had a formidable temper. When I and my friend Judy Lough, who was an in-law relative of Miss Connell (Miss Connell's sister, Angela, was married to Judy's great uncle, Dr. Tom Gocke), we would pass Miss Connell at the bus stop on Main Street near Oak. She would always fuss at us because we did not have on hats and she claimed we would catch our deaths of a cold. She ran a tight ship in the classroom, and we feared her temper. But she was a good teacher and the class was fun.

The 8th grade home ec teacher was Mrs. (Miss?) Wise - the subject was cooking. But we spent huge amounts of time taking dictation (called taking notes) and we were required to use pencils in the classroom and then to copy the "notes" in ink is another notebook. It was in this class that I learned the most UN-useful skill of copying material without letting any of it stick in my brain. I remember learning to make scrambled eggs in a double boiler that year. (Another not particularly useful skill.) Ms. Wise also had quite a temper as I recall. However, now that I realize that these poor souls were dealing with 7th and 8th graders, perhaps they can be forgiven their short tempers. They were lucky to escape with their faculties intact - I greatly admire anyone who can teach that age group. I tried it on a couple of occasions and was a total failure.

I am only this far in the newsletter today, but knew that if I did not respond to your query immediately, I would not get back to it.

Thanks again and always for the newsletter - It is a highlight of my month!

submitted by: Freddie Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
**Central Jr. High Home Economics Teachers

**Originally known as Foods and Sewing Class

Wilma Wyne - 1934 - 1965
Gertrude Connell - 1948 - 1970
Ann Pozega - 1965 - 1967
Bettie Curtis - 1966 - 1967 [Originally a Science Teacher and then back to teaching Science in 1967]
Bettie Curtis - 1970 - [Home Ec. Teacher again till school closed]
Dortha King - 1967 - [Till school closed]

Note: Lorana Riley never taught Home Economics at Central Jr.High School. She started her teaching at Washington Irving in 1955 till 1969.

submitted by: Carole Findley Cinci (WI '64)
GCinci@myacc.net
Roleta, my wife Carole says that the 7th grade Home Ec. teacher was Miss. Connell . She taught sewing. The 8th grade teacher was Miss Wine who taught cooking in a beautiful kitchen.

submitted by: Sandy and Steve Limbers (WI '57)
Limberses@cs.com
Sandy and I are pretty sure her aunt's sister, Gertrude Connell, taught 8th grade Home Ec when we were in CJHS. Gert Connell was Sandy's GREAT aunt.

In reading more of the newsletter we came across the name Miss Wine. She was another Home Ec teacher, along with Miss Connell, when we were at CJHS. We believe Miss Wine's room was on the 8th grade floor and Miss Connell's was on the 7th grade floor. It's a shame we didn't have yearbooks.

submitted by: Gloria Hunter Kennedy (Would have been with the class of 1957)
Gloknn@aol.com
I attended Morgan Grade School from 1945 through May 1951 (there was no kindergarten in those days), then Central for the seventh grade in 1951-52. When we returned after the first weekend of the school year, the Methodist Church had burned and for the rest of the year we walked past the shell. My father was a projectionist and announcer at the Robinson Grand from 1930 to 1952. I graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1957. My mother graduated from WI in 1937, and up until 1952 I had always assumed I would, too. However, we moved West and I attended Bret Harte Junior High (now Middle School) in Los Angeles, then Lincoln Junior High in Santa Monica, then Santa Monica High School. I graduated third in a class of five or six hundred.

I attended UCLA for three years, then my family moved and I graduated from Long Beach State College, now California State University at Long Beach, with a B. A. in Math. That is where I met my husband, actually in the Math Society. After we married, I obtained an M. A. in 1966 from the same school. Over the years I have gone back to school for different reasons, but often ran into child care conflicts. I did manage to teach at Los Angeles Harbor College from 1970 to 1980, then studied accounting at Cal State University at Northridge and passed the CPA test in 1982. My husband was an engineer with the City of Los Angeles, but retired in 1997. Now we live in Oregon and I am into grandmothering and genealogy.

I remember Rita Drummond, Nancy Hamilton, Barbara Sutton, Helen Logsden, Corky Guy, Barbara Helmick, Judy Zickafoose, Dixie Lee Whitehair, Mary Lou Vincent, Mere Gurson, Nancy Sole, Mary Supler, Wilma Knight, Patty Swiger, Danny Kelly, Donny Moran, Rusty Rutan, Andy Hamilton, Lonnie McCabe, Jimmy Westfall, Page McIntyre, Howard Creighton, Bobby Schultz, and probably a few more if I could think a while. Andy Hamilton lived a couple of blocks from me in Hartland, and my first memory of him was when we were in the second grade as we both arrived at the foot of the Hartland Hill bridge at the same time and walked to school together. He had bandages on most of his fingers and said he had bitten his nails to the quick. That was the first time I heard that expression. He was the only kid in our class with glasses for many years. Years later, when he and I and Freddie Dunham were playing in a framed house under construction, he jumped down from an extension at the level of the first floor and split his arm near the elbow. I was so impressed when I offered to walk him home and he shrugged it off, but a few minutes later he casually said, "Well, I guess I had better be going home." I thought then that boys were playing by different rules! A girl would have cried and been comforted all the way home.

The teachers I had at Morgan were Miss Lucy Thomas, Mrs. Ethel Heinzman, Miss Dorothy Wright, Mrs. Della Funk, Mrs. Bertha Stout Brown, Mrs. Rose Pierpont, and from the "other side", for geography, Mrs. Micheaux. Naturally the principal was P. N. Sheets. I had tap dancing from "Mr. Louie" Buttafusco.

The teachers I had at Central were Mrs. Ruth Ferguson (homeroom and geography), Miss Neva Switzer (English---I corresponded with her for a few years after I left), Mr. Moore, (arithmetic), Miss Hayes (science--one day she came to class and said her house had burned down and the only clothes she had were the ones she was wearing). I remember the sewing teacher as Mrs. McConnell or Connelly, or something similar. We had to hem a linen dish towel and make an apron in anticipation of cooking class in the 8th grade. She was very much against dirty elbows. I had Miss Stealey (P. E.), and I don't remember the art teacher as she did not appreciate my artwork. We had a young music teacher named Mr. Green, I believe, but he had to go to the Korean War, and then we had Mrs. Rice. Everybody was leery of Miss Cannon, but one day we had to go upstairs for study hall and she was very kind to me when I became sick with what turned out to be the flu. Mr. Lowther was the principal.

Some of the students from the seventh grade were Betty Carr?, Paula Morris, Denny Pickens, Virginia ?, Cheryl Langland?, Gary Robey, Bif Hutson (who was apparently in my grade school class but escaped my notice). That was the year Howard Creighton was accidentally killed, as Barbara Sutton Elder described to you, but I didn't go with the class to the funeral. I went with my parents as my father had been with his father in Cincinnati when it happened, so we went as a family.

Thank you for your interest. I stumbled upon your website and it was very interesting. I am ordering the CD of the first five years. Also the streetcar CD.

submitted by: Mary K. (McDaniel) (Lynch) Bellisario (WI '65)
bayouduo_1@charter.net
I don't know how long they had been there, but when I went to Central, Miss Connell taught sewing to 7th grade girls, and Miss Wine taught cooking to 8th grade girls.

submitted by: Leslie Moore (WI '79)
LMOORE761@aol.com
I cannot recall the name of the 8th grade cooking teacher, although I do recall that on the day of the final exam, our oven malfunctioned and my group's muffins didn't bake.

However, I vividly recall Betty Curtis who taught sewing in 7th grade in the 70's. While I remember the aprons (mine had Raggedy Ann on it) and the ugly elastic waist shorts we made and then had to wear to school one day, I mostly remember the day we studied feminine protection. She had every tampon and pad on the market at that time on display and gave a tasteful (but at that time, quite scandalous!) dissertation on the use of each. While it was a horrid thing to sit through, it was some of the most useful information of my education! Thanks, Mrs. Curtis!

submitted by: Wilma Allman (WI '53)
Wallman103@aol.com
When I was a student at Central, the Home Ec teachers were Gertrude Connell (7th grade) and Wilma Wyne (8th grade). In 7th grade we learned how to do even and uneven basting, made a dish towel and an apron which we used in 8th grade. The only thing that I remember making in 8th grade was stewed fruit medley (ugh!). It was hot and I do not care for hot fruit nor did I care for some of the fruits that were in it.

submitted by: Ann Yoke (WI '46)
annyoke@aol.com
It is hard for me to imagine anyone forgetting Wilma Wine, who taught cooking. She was very strict and her favorite saying was " a place for everything and every thing in its place, and a time for everything and everything on time." Gertrude Connell taught sewing.

Thanks for another colorful newsletter. They get better and better.

submitted by: Anne Pears Jones (WI '58)
anannaj@citcom.net
If I remember correctly, one of the teachers for 8th grade was a Miss Wyne........or maybe the spelling is incorrect, but pronounced wine.

I hated her class, but I now have a degree in home economics.

submitted by: Kim Ludwick Wildt (WI '77)
kwildt@sc.rr.com
I attended Central Junior High 1971-1973 (7th & 8th grades). Mrs. Curtis was the Home Ec teacher for 7th graders. We made an apron with about 4 pockets--I still have it. She also introduced us to "female anatomy".

Mrs. King was the teacher for 8th graders. She continually stressed that after washing and drying the dishes, the sink should be rinsed and completely dry. And, to this day, every time I'm using my kitchen sink, I think of her and water spots!

submitted by: Leslie McKinley Wallace (WI '60)
Momvol@aol.com
I believe that 7th grade (sewing) was Mrs. McConnell and 8th grade (cooking) was Miss Wilma Wine.

MISSED AN ISSUE OF THE WI NEWSLETTER?
Did you know that you can read this newsletter to the end, click on the words NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE and you will be able to read a few of the issues from the past few months? The others have been saved for posterity on a CD.

REMEMBER YOUR WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY?

JUNE 20, IS WEST VIRGINIA DAY.

TENNIS IN HIGH SCHOOL
Roleta1@aol.com
Did you play tennis in high school? Students who attended school later than the 1950’s had the opportunity to participate in so many more things than we were offered while in high school. Seems to me that after football, basketball and track the only other extra curricular activities we had were “down town after school”. And come to think of it there were no organized competitive sports for girls in the 40’s, or 50’s. I wonder when that started?

I would love to hear about your experiences with your extra curricular activities.

Here is a great letter that reminded me how little high school back in the “olden days” offered other than a good education!

submitted by: Kim Ludwick Wildt (WI '77)
kwildt@sc.rr.com

WI Tennis Team rocked! From 1975 to 1977, Coach Jim Cleavenger coached us.
So many memories of practicing on the courts at the VA Park.

The two years I got to go to State in Charleston, WV were the best.
And thanks to Parke Thrush (Park-n'-easy), he won his first match every year,
so we got to stay at least one night. The rest of us lost ours.

To Coach Reed (I believe he is teaching at RCB now)---
I had you first period every day.You helped a shy girl become a little less shy.
After announcements each morning, you made a point of asking me if I had won
my match. Cause I would answer you that we (both boys & girls teams) had won.
Thank You!

SCHOLARSHIP DONORS
Following are the names of those who contributed to the WIN Scholarship this month. Their generous contributions have been put in the WIN checking account. We are working on collecting enough money to give more scholarships next spring. Wouldn’t you like to join in with those who care about the youth of Clarksburg today and the future of our nation tomorrow?

Many thanks to the following four who sent checks for the scholarship this month:

ALLEN ALVAREZ          WI 1958
JERRY WEINERMAN    WI 1957
HERB CASHDOLLAR    RW 1957
DOROTHY SHAFFER    WI 1962

If you would like to be among the list of those who care, send your check to me today:

Write the check to:
Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

And send to:
Roleta Meredith
3025 Switzer Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43219

Judy and I thank you and the recipients of the scholarships thank you even more!

THANK YOU
EDIOTR’S NOTE: Below is a thank you note from one of the recipients of a $500.00 WIN scholarship given to a RC Byrd student who is in the graduating Class of 2005.

Dear Sponsors:

I would like to thank you for the WIN scholarship that has been awarded to me. With graduation in just one week, and West Virginia University creeping into my present, I know the scholarship I have received will go a long way. This scholarship means a lot to me, knowing that my community is giving back to young children. I hope to be as generous as all of you have been to the graduating classes of Robert C. Byrd.

Thank you very much,
Cory Zinn

MILITARY VETERANS TO BE HONORED
Roleta1@aol.com
We are still in need of the name, and year of graduation (or the year the person would have graduated) of any WI graduate who served in the military. Please also include the branch of the military if at all possible.

Nancy Starett has volunteered to gather this information and formulate it for the newsletter. So far she has over 500 names. There will be a special issue of the newsletter in November (for Veterans Day) in order to give a THANK YOU salute to all those who have served their country throughout the years.

Write to Nancy at ncdstarett@yahoo.com.

I did send out a special letter to each one but in some of those letters I may have printed the incorrect address…..If you did not succeed in your try to reach her, please try again. Thanks

Also, please note---Nancy just does not have the time to gather and compile the names of people from schools other than WI. So if you wish to volunteer to work on this for your school, please contact me…thanks Roleta1@aol.com.

TRIVIA PICTURE FOR MAY

NOW picture of The Christ Episcopal Church furnished by John Teter (WI 1961)

submitted by: Diana S. Cleavenger Swiger (WI '66)
Mamaswag6@aol.com
This is the Episcopal Church on Main Street across from the Fire Department in Downtown Clarksburg. Rev. Bowie was the Minister.

submitted by: John Timberlake (WI '48)
JGTimberlake@aol.com
I think this is the Episcopal Church at Sixth and Main before it was remodeled. I was baptized and confirmed there. John W. Davis, candidate for President in 1924 attended, also Louis Johnson, Secretary of Defense 1949-50 was a member. Cyrus Vance, we called him Bob, and his brother John were also members. There is a Parish house behind the church with a great gym; we spent many winter afternoons playing basketball there.

submitted by: Wayne White (WI '60)
waynepawco@verizon.net
The Christ Episcopal Church located at the corner of 6th Street and Main in Clarksburg. I believe Bill Bowie's dad at one time was the minister years back. Bill and his brother all went to WI.

submitted by: Jim Pulice (WI '62)
jpulice@msn.com
The mystery picture is of the Episcopal church across from Central fire station...Bowies church Bill and I played together next door were he lived as his father was the minister there...Skip Bowie was in High school.. Bill and I were in 6th grade... Pete was very small. The Bowies were wonder people and I enjoyed many visits to there home and dinner table...One evening Bill and I took his Mothers Bread knife at the sink, sliced open our thumbs and became blood brothers....to this day...I want to become a preacher !!!!!! That would make for another good story!! Great memories there....Wonderful family!

n the late 60's a car at a high speed came down the street along the Clarksburg fire dept...the Driver (an old W.I. grad I will not name) lost control of his car and ran directly into the front door of the church causing considerable damage......I went to the Hospital to see him....he looked liked he had been sewn up with a sewing machine he had so many stitches.

submitted by: Carolyn Hornor Wilson (would have been WI 1960 if I had not gone away)
chw10@gv.psu.edu
I was baptized, married, (and probably will be buried there) as was my Mother, and my oldest daughter was also baptized there. It holds many memories for my entire youth. While in the choir there were MANY laughing spells (you would bite your knuckle to keep quiet) with Howdy White, Gary Bailey, Jim Hornor, Diana Calverly and a few others to the point of a few reprimands afterwards. The youth group was quite active and had sock-hops frequently. It also served at community affairs such as the HiY banquets

submitted by: Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI '56)
MSSpahr@aol.com
I think this was a small Episcopal church on W. Main Street across from the main firehouse. It may have been at the corner of Main and Chestnut. It was a beautiful little old church.

submitted by: Betty Beverlin Miller (WI '48)
Betts08@verizon.net
This month’s photograph is the Episcopal Church on the corner of 6th and Main Streets. My dear friend Julia Jackson's funeral service was held in this church. I remember it as a lovely building, simple but beautiful.

The article in the newsletter concerning the St Mary’s basketball team certainly brought back a lot of memories for me. I remember the great Friday night dances held there and all those beautiful basketball guys were present. I had an enormous crush on one of them, who shall remain nameless. One of my friends dated Paul Romano. Those were great years. Great basketball, great dances. Wonderful times!

submitted by: Bob Dennison (WI '57)
RDENNISO@MA.RR.COM
I had the pleasure of knowing "The Bowies" in the late 50's and attending a few services at this church while I was looking for a place to Worship God. I was welcomed here and enjoyed a few basketball games in their gym. Skip played football with me at W I -his other two brothers followed in Skip’s footsteps. Thank God for the Church and the Bowies for being in my life.

submitted by: Bob Kramer (WI '65)
Slimedawgg@aol.com
The picture is of the Episcopal Church across from the Central Fire Station. Reverend Bowie was the minister there and lived up the street from me in Stealey.

submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com
We know this picture well. Roger sang in the choir at the Christ Episcopal Church for many years. Also, we were married there New Years Eve 1960. Father William Bowie was rector there at the time. Our wedding was nothing like the weddings are today. No wedding dress, ushers, invitations, bridal shower, or rehearsal dinner. Roger had been drafted into the Army, and was home for a weekend. I bought a white dress to wear during the Christmas holidays and just in case we decided to get married then I could wear it as a wedding dress. When the time came, we were going to elope and my sister talked us into getting married at the church and she would plan the wedding. So, plans were made in about 3 days. I wore a net hat for the veil. My neighbors were upset because they hadn't received an invitation. No one received an invitation. My mother was ill with multiple sclerosis and an alcoholic, so I had no direction or support, only from my sister. But, we have some nice wedding pictures I wouldn't trade for anything. Roger wearing a hat and he had just bought a new Volvo. We've been married almost 45 years and have lived a good life.

submitted by: Deb Caplinger/Queen/Yorgensen (PCHS '69)
dyorgensen@cox.net
Christ Episcopal Church - I was married there and my kids were baptized there by Father Seitz. Bill/Skip/Pete Bowie's father was there before Father Seitz (maybe one before Father Seitz).

submitted by: Elaine Zabeau Norteman (ND '62)
enorteman@adelphia.net
I know this is the Episcopal Church across from the Fire Station on Main Street. I always remember thinking what a lovely church it is...all white and immaculate. However, I think the last time when I passed by it they had put up protection for those gorgeous windows and I found it quite a shame that that was necessary. Times sure have changed. I can't even imagine the thought of someone wanting to destroy the art. Anyway, I remember passing by it on my way to my grandparents who lived on Washington Avenue, we would turn right at the fire station.

Thanks for the memories.

submitted by: Joanne Simpson-Tetrick (WI '52)
Fragilegranny34@msn.com
I just finished reading the Newsletter and it truly was a good one. You and Judy do a superb job and I would guess that the mailing list keeps growing.

As for the Trivia Picture, it has to be the Clarksburg Episcopal Church on the corner of Main and Sixth Street--the Clarksburg Fire Station is directly across the street. The church is very old and as long as I can remember, the brick has been painted white. It has gone through several renovations. I have attended weddings and funerals in the Sanctuary. I remember the Parish House behind the church and the dances that were held there while I was in Central and W.I.

Thanks, for all your hard work to help us keep in touch with each other.

submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com
Roleta, I believe the Trivia Picture for June is the Episcopal Church on the corner of 6th and Main St. across from the Fire Dept. Mr. Bowie, father of Skip, Bill, and Pete all graduates of WI, was the Pastor. They did have "Sock Hops" adjacent to the Church in the Parish House. We had to take our shoes off of course since it was a "Sock Hop". Our socks got really dirty but we didn't mind. Now "kitty corner" from the Parish House is Fairmont St. College or now may be University. Across 6th St from there is the Senior Citizen Complex. When I would go in I would meet my Mom and Dad and join them for lunch. It is really a great place for the Senior Citizens.

I'll bet Skip could tell you a lot more about the Parish House AND the Church.

That is a lot of info concerning I might be wrong on the place.

submitted by: Skip Bowie (WI '57)
Sbowie11140@aol.com
This month's Picture is the Christ Episcopal Church. The “Christains” are celebrating One Hundred and Fifty years this season.

The Bowie Boys lived in the house next door from 1953 until we moved to Stealey. There is a great deal of history in those hallowed walls.

F. Layman will lay it out in the next epistle, I hope.

My little brothers, W. Holloway and Peter Rockwell may fill in a few cracks that are not on the books.

Again, Thanks for the memories !!!

submitted by: Marlene Andre (RW '53)
mandre1@charter.net
That is Christ Protestant Episcopal Church on Main St. in Clarksburg, It is located right across the corner from the Seniors Citizen Center.

All sects of religion are represented in the City of Clarksburg. While people entered the area at different times, churches were built to serve as worshiping centers for the various religions. With the widespread settling of foreigners on the new frontier, missionaries came from all over to establish churches for the new Clarksburg citizens. Some of the first religions represented in the area in the early 19th century were Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist. Recognizing immorality in the community, these sects established qualifications for membership and stressed repentance, rebirth, and redemption. Elders in the church sat in judgment on the conduct of the members. People were tried for practicing witchcraft, working on the Sabbath, drinking and other sins against God.

Forced by citizens of the community, almost all residents attended church in the earlier days of the city settlement.

Many church-goers apportioned their salaries to build, furnish, remodel, and pay the preacher's salaries. Thus churches in the city thrived and have continued thrive through the years.

Christ Episcopal was built in 1853. Notice the basement window to the left in picture, you can hardly see that now, due to the resurfacing of the street over the years, and also the sidewalk.

submitted by: Bill Bowie (WI '62)
Bowiech4@aol.com
We moved to Clarksburg in September of 1953 and lived beside Christ Episcopal Church. The church was built in 1853; therefore, the year we moved was filled with celebrations and paraphernalia (plates, drinking glasses, etc.) which still float around antique shops and flea markets. I think Burton Despard while honeymooning in Ireland saw a church he liked which inspired a replica is Clarksburg, WV. He also donated the land. The American Black Walnut used to make the pews, altar, etc., was selected from the local forest. One little interesting tid bit was that when the Yankees came to town and arrested Waters Smith, they held him in the church. The walls of the church are three courses of brick, made on location and Sam Karis now deceased, used to say that if we ever removed the paint, the walls would crumble and fall down.

The church was completely renovated a few years ago and using pictures from the past as guidelines, was made to look as it did in the 1800s.

Some of the windows are Tiffany and are works of art. There are histories available about each one. Behind the alter is a likeness of Christ which if you look closely, is not in correct proportion. The head seems smaller in scale than the rest of the body. I understand that the original may have been knocked out with a baseball or something. This is unsubstantiated. At one point, there were some interesting initials carved into the back of one of the pews on the left side of the church. They were put there by a 4 1/2 year old who would roam under the pews during services. The initials were PRB. My brother, Peter Rockwell and I and guys like Jim Pulice, Tim Ross, Clarence Gross, Tom Thorn had some really great football games in the yard. Another interesting fact is that at one point there was a balcony in the rear of the church for the black community. One bad thing about living next to the church and being a PK was that you had to be available as the altar boy for weddings, funerals, etc., that always seemed to happen on Saturdays. There are pictures of Pete in his robes and if you look closely, he has on dirty white sneakers which was just not done back then.

There are many histories available about the church and I would be glad to provide what I have to anyone who may be interested.

submitted by: Fred Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
The latest trivia picture is of the Christ Episcopal Church built in Clarksburg, VIRGINIA. The building was started in 1953 and complete in 1954. It is located at the corner of South 6th and Main Streets. It sits opposite the Central Fire Station which was built in 1928. The minister at the time was Reverend Mr. Castleman. The church was remodeled in 1893 which included it’s first pipe organ. A parish house was built in 1910. In 1956 the church bought the William Osborn property next door. Several years later it became parking lot. Around 20 years ago a lady coming up Main Street during the early morning hours at a high rate of speed was turning left on 6th Street and drove into the front of the vestibule doing considerable damage. It was repaired back to normal.

submitted by: Anne Byrnside Davis (WI '52)
Annbyrn@ma.rr.com
The trivia picture in the May newsletter is of the Episcopal Church on Main St. This is an old photo and how much better it looks here than the updated one. Also it is nice to see some trees. Clarksburg's favorite occupation (after tearing down stately old houses) is to chop down all the trees.

TRIVIA PICTURE FOR JUNE

Do you recognize the place pictured above? Please write to Roleta1@aol.com with your guesses and include a memory of the place. Due to space, incorrect guesses and those without a memory are not printed.

Thanks

UPDATE ON GREGG SIMPSON
In March Joanne Simpson-Tetrick (WI '52) wrote that her son, Gregg Simpson, (WI '77) has been fighting Adenocarcinoma of his lungs for the past year.

Good news, Gregg recently had a scan of the lungs done. The drug that he is taking, Tarceva, is supposed to stabilize his condition. The tumors have shrunk since January. He is the first patient to have these kind of results. They really believe that God is at work here and are grateful for these small miracles.

Gregg's co-workers at Artesia Technologies in Herndon, VA formed TEAM HOMER based on their nickname for Gregg, “Homer.” In three months, TEAM HOMER gathered over 100 team members and raised upwards of $15,000 in the fight against cancer. For more information on TEAM HOMER: http://www.teamhomer.com/

Joanne sent the following pictures of Gregg.

If anyone would like to email Gregg, his address is gsimpson@opentext.com

NOTE FROM JOANNE: Thank you for your prayers, concerns and donations in his honor. We are deeply humbled by your continued sharing of this illness of his. Blessings, Joanne Simpson-Tetrick

Don’t forget the WI Reunion Picnic to be held August 27th, 2005 at at Clarksburg Park in Nutter Fort (formerly known as Norwood or Nutter Fort Park). This year it is in the large pavilion on the right just as you enter the park. This is for anyone who ever attended WI (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A GRADUATE). Tell your friends and relatives. Bob Stealey always puts a notice in the Clarksburg newspaper and Sharyn and Judy put ads in papers throughout the state. The time is 11AM until the last one goes home...whenever that is. Bring your own drink, a covered dish and some money to help Sharyn cover her costs of doing this for you. If you are able to attend or if you are willing to help Sharyn with the picnic---cover tables, registration, tell people where to put their food, clean up, etc. please write Sharyn and tell her - Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI 1959) mtmama41@msn.com.

This year the date of the picnic is close another big event in Clarksburg---“The Italian Festival” so you can just make your plans to attend both while you are in town. Motel information was given in the May issue of this newsletter.

Judy Daugherty Kimler WI 1959 working the registration table at the 2004 WI Reunion Picnic.
In the background are Sue Smith Moore and Joy Gregorie Stalnaker both WI 1959.
With their backs to the camera are Jack Emrick WI 1953 and Roleta Smith Meredith WI 1959

OUR FAVORITES
Here are the results.

Favorites:
Ozzie and Harriet
Red Skelton
Bob Hope
Bing Crosby
a. Remember these? Bing Crosby -- White Christmas, Vaughn Monroe -- Racing With The Moon
The Little Rascals
Roy Rogers
Abbot and Costello
The Shadow
The Lone Ranger
The Saint and Inner Sanctum tied
Glenn Miller
Sam Cook
Nat King Cole
Four Freshmen
Ink Spots

Now let’s try it one more time. I didn’t get through life (so far) with giving up so easily. Come on---PLAY THE GAME! You aren’t so old that you have given up on a little fun are you? I didn’t receive many votes last month show me you are reading these things. I try and try to come up with new ideas to spark that old gray matter in your skull…..Respond, let me know that my efforts are working!

Now it goes like this! I give you choices---you pick your favorite. To vote: Type your choice, copy and underline or any other way you wish to send your picks to me. I will tally the votes and we will see who comes out ahead. If there is one number that you don’t have a choice, say so—it is called a tie! If you can give me any suggestions for the list next month, I appreciate that. I have tried to come up with a few that should be known by people of all generations.

Jingles or Tonto
Trigger or Nellie Bell
Flintstones or Fat Albert
Scout (Tonto’s horse) or Bullet (Roy Roger’s dog)
Rin Tin Tin or Lassie
Paladin or Bret Maverick
Patti Page or Rosemary Cloney
Arthur Godfrey or Ed Sullivan
Our Miss Brooks or Let’s Pretend
Olvatine or Nestlé’s Quick
Grapette or Orange Crush
Ellis Drive In or Sunset
Carol Burnette or Lucille Ball
Ed Ames or Jimmy Rogers

Send your selections to Roleta1@aol.com

CD
If you wish to read the old issue of The WI Newsletter you may purchase copies. The first 5 years (from August 1999 to August 2004) are on a CD. The CD comes ready for you to just pop into your computer CD tray (that is the little tray that looks like a cup holder) and you are walked through the rest. This was all designed and made by Larry Kimler for your pleasure. Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI 1959)—my co-producer of the WI Newsletter has taken on the sale of the CD’s in order to raise money for the WIN scholarship. All profits (after the cost of shipping and purchasing the blank CD’s) are contributed to the WIN Scholarship. This is a wonderful project that Judy has done and it has earned over $500.00 for the scholarship fund so far. So if you would like to purchase a CD and help the Scholarship Fund at the same time, contact Judy at jkimler@verizon.net. She will give you directions on how to send her a check for your purchase. I don’t think we can make that any easier! By the way, several people have bought the CD’s as gifts.

REMEMBER TO DISPLAY THE FLAG ON FLAG DAY
JUNE 14, 2005

submitted by: Francis D. Muscari Sr. (WI '57)
fmuscarisr@cox.net

First off, let me say that you have brought life back to many wonderful people, who would have lost one another through-out the past years because of your dedication, thoughtfulness, and love for your fellow classmates of Washington Irving High School. We, meaning all the people of Clarksburg, all acknowledge the time and effort that you put into making the WI Newsletter the VERY BEST possible, and it is! You sent the newsletter back to me in great time (thank you) and I couldn’t put it down until I finished reading every page. Thank You.

I will have a lot to say for the newsletter after I retire and get settled down, but for now I will just cherish the letters that I have received since January '05. Question, when did the Newsletters start? If I send to Judy Kimler for the CD, will that catch me up to date? (EDITOR’S ANSWER: The newsletter will be 6 years old in August. If you buy a CD, you will receive the first 5 years of the newsletter on one disk.)

Again, thanks for all the happiness that you have brought to me and all the Gang on the Hill.

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

I may be a little late with this. My favorite theater was the Robinson Grand, even though I did not go to many movies and still don't.

The movie that I remember the best was "The King and I". This was my first date with Virginia and it has ended in a very happy marriage. We just celebrated our 48th. Anniversary on May 11.

submitted by: Kim Ludwick Wildt (WI '77)
kwildt@sc.rr.com

My Freshman year at WIHS (71-72), I was assigned to Mr. Frederick's Class 1st period. I didn't know what to think of this little man shuffling around telling us to take our seats.

He was really & I mean really into Fallacies. How many of you guys remember copying each fallacy from the text to our black/white composition booklets.

One class, we watched a movie. Mr. Frederick went back to rewind the film-------------major problem----------all the film was on the floor. He didn't get all bent out of shape when he saw the reams of film on the floor. He said, "Oh, my my"!

I liked him and really believe a lot of his ways were acts.

Thank you Mr. Frederick for making my American History Class different. But, I have to admit, I do not care if George Washington had wooden teeth or not.

submitted by: Dr. Arreta Radcliffe Jaranko (WI '40)
jjaranko@frontiernet.net

Good morning, Roleta: I just happened to think about what you said about schools in Stealey. As far as I know, Morgan was the only one and my mother said Mr. Wolverton was the principal. He lived there on Duff St. and was the principal when my brothers and I attended Morgan. He was such a good, kind man. Then my mother said she went to Towers school, I think she said for 7th grade. Of course, there was no Central Jr. High at her time like there was for us. If I remember correctly, Towers became a grade school--I didn't pay much attention when I began 7th Grade at Central, but I know children were going there. And Imperial Ice Cream was next to Towers School. My uncle worked there and would bring home yummy ice cream for us. It was MISS Rohrbough who was principal at Point Comfort. I am not sure how she ended her career but it seems to me she was transferred to Northview when they closed Point Comfort, not as a teacher or principal, but as a librarian or something. I am not sure, as I was living in Morgantown and teaching in the Graduate School at West Virginia University. Wish I could get the newsletter on my computer but when my son forwards it to me, I can not bring it up. Don't know why. Best Wishes

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Robert B. Fittro (WI '49)	bfittro@charter.net
Chuck Thomas (WI '56)	DrCRThomas@lcsys.net
Shari Josephs (WI '65)	was bcollins@uswa.org is now sjoseph4@columbus.rr.com
Mary Ann Conrad Cowger (WI '58)	was mcowger@berryenergy.com is now sheppard604@yahoo.com
Mary Nicewarner Tucker (WI '56)	was spankytuk@netscape.net is now spankytuk@aol.com
Ruby Mathews Casto (VHS '47)	was recasto@westvirginia.net is now recasto@citynet.net
Jane Davis Weida (WI '62)	was b.weida@att.net is now jdavisweida@wi.rr.com

NEW READERS

Bill Kaska (VHS '59)	Billkaska@earthlink.net
Hencie Williams deGive (WI '53)	pansyflower1@iwon.com
Dr. Arreta Radcliffe Jaranko (WI '40)	jjaranko@frontiernet.net
Gloria Hunter Kennedy (would have been Class of 1957 but moved to CA)	Gloknn@aol.com

AN INTERESTING SUGGESTION
submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
Sue Moats (WI 1955) wrote to me in May with a wonderful suggestion and she even volunteered to be in charge of the project. Isn’t that marvelous and generous of Sue? She came up with an interesting idea of a way to raise money for the WIN Scholarship. It is a way for each of you readers to become involved in this project. She thought it would be nice to have a Clarksburg Quilt made to raffle off at the CLARKSBURG REUNION PICNIC in Sarasota, FL next March with the proceeds going to the WIN Scholarship. The raffle will be open to anyone who wishes to participate and would like to donate to win the quilt.

Here is the way you can make it happen. You will need to make a quilt square. Make up your own design. Use the name of a business in Clarksburg, a picture of a building, a picture of a school mascot, a picture of the courthouse, school colors, piece a quilt square, cross stitch, embroider, have a photo copied at a local store onto a piece of material, use the logo from a work shirt from a business or service in Clarksburg---use your imagination. I hope people from all the high schools that were in Clarksburg will participate. You may write to Sue (Moatsue@aol.com) with your idea and I am sure she will give you some help. Now here is the amazing part! YOU DON’T HAVE TO QUILT! You just make your square. She will put it all together, put an inner layer in it, put a backing on it, and quilt it, etc. Isn’t that amazing? And you people who say you can’t sew — seems she has made it very easy for you too! Stop by Wal-Mart and go to the photo department or go to Jo-Ann’s Fabric Store and ask them what you need to do to get a picture copied onto a piece of material. REMEMBER to first wash and dry the material …. pre-shrink. Now won’t you help? Write to Sue or write to me ….. but please take an interest and help. This could be a wonderful money maker for the WIN Scholarship. Email Sue at (Moatsue@aol.com) and she will give you her address and you will be able to mail the square to her. I hope you will participate! THANKS!

PS: If you wrote to Sue in May, please write to her again as she was away from her computer and missed a lot of emails. Thanks

PRECIOUS CHILD FOR MAY

submitted by: Judy Zabeau Shepherd (ND '58)
jzshepherd@aol.com
I believe that precious child to be Jimmy White. Jim lived up the street from my home on Stealey Avenue. He was in my classroom at Morgan Grade School in the 6th grade. I remember also that he was my first boyfriend and my first date. I thought he was so cute. We went to the movie but I don't remember if his mother drove us or we took the bus. After the movie we went to Candyland for a coke. Many years later, at WVU, our paths crossed once again as he dated and later married, I believe, my sweetmate and sorority sister, Carolyn Miller of Parkersburg. I have lost contact with both of them as many of us do with friends from school as we concentrate on our own families. I trust they are both well and would enjoy hearing from them.

submitted by: Elaine Zabeau Norteman (ND '62)
enorteman@adelphia.net
Do you know how you are making me search my brain? I KNOW this face. I think it is Jim White who lived up the street on Stealey Avenue. If it's not, I can't wait to see who it is because I DO remember the face.

submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com
May's precious child is Jim White. Jim lived in Stealey. We attended Morgan school beginning the first grade in Miss Lucy Thomas' class.

Say Jim, I'm sure you remember being in Miss Funk's class. Jim and Bob Turner sat on either side of me in the front, right in front of where Miss Funk was trying to teach the class. When I got both their attention, I started nodding my head to block them and Miss Funk sent me to the cloak room. She told me to lean over and put my hands on my knees "Whack!" She pulled me back by my blouse collar and "Whacked me again." I can't remember seeing her smile, ever. She didn't put up with any foolishness. My seat was third row, first seat. I remember learning to play the recorder in her class. Also, a song "Come come if you can. Hear the organ man. Oh he is sure to bring, a monkey on a string." Miss Funk was a good teacher for those who paid attention, but unfortunately, I was not one of them. I was a dreamer.

Fond memories. Ha!

submitted by: Barry Mazza (WI '58)
Mutzy007@aol.com
For sure I know that one, the Jim White [JEW], as we in the "hood" called him. We first met when I moved to Stealey around 1949 and, shared lots of events that were both good and bad for all concerned. We were pals for quite a while till we both went out of town. We built some great carts and scooters to run down the hills on. I'm 99% sure that’s him.

submitted by: Betty Latstetter Burke (WI '58)
ejaneburke2000@yahoo.com
May's precious child is Jim White. With his reddish hair and freckles he looked like the All-American boy. He was full of fun and full of mischief--a really great kid. I got to know him when he transferred into my fifth grade class at Morgan where we had Mrs. Micheaux. I can remember his coming into school all excited because his dad had brought home a new car and there was the time his father was fooling around with a copperhead snake and his mother was all upset. (They were among the first families to live on upper Stealey Ave., and they were close to wooded areas.) I can recall coming to school with a new red coat (a little big--my mother wanted it to last for awhile) which Miss Israel (my third grade teacher) had praised only that morning, and when I got into the classroom, Jimmy hollered, "Egad! She's wearing her mother's coat!" We went through Central, WI, and WVU together, but the most vivid memories I have of him are from our days at Morgan. How happy I was to see him and his wife Carolyn at the Sarasota reunion in 2004!

PRECIOUS CHILD FOR JUNE

NOTE FROM JUDY: Guess what? I have no PRECIOUS CHILD pictures. Please help!! Send me a child picture for people to try to recognize. Just email me for directions on how to mail it or email it to me....(Judy Daugherty Kimler) jkimler@verizon.net

TO BE ELIMINATED
The following names will be eliminated from my notification list unless I am advised otherwise. These addresses have bounced back to me. It may be that some of these are old addresses and I just forgot to eliminate them from my lists.

craven@westol.com
Perkins@mchsi.com     Linden Perkins (WI 1959)
Jew1jaw@udata.com     Joyce White Wyatt (WI 1965)
Missygh519@aol.com     Karen Myers Horton (WI 1966)
jzickefoose@na.coke.cc.com     Judy Zickefoose (WI 1957)
scfoxden@charter.net     Nancy May Fox (WI 1965)
scfoxden@sc.net     Nancy May Fox (WI 1965)

If you know of a reason I should keep one of these names, please advise.

ALMOST HEAVEN WEST VIRGINIA CHILI
submitted by: Charles McClung (VHS '48)
cmcclungsr@msn.com
1 lb. bacon cut into chunks
1 lb. ground beef
1 16 oz. can each butter beans, kidney beans and pork & beans
1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 onion (chopped) optional
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 T. mustard
2 T. chili powder

Cook the hamburger in a skillet, drain and add to crock pot or pot on stove. Then cook the bacon in the same skillet. The microwave doesn't get the bacon done real well. Add all the other ingredients. Simmer 1 hour. It is good served over mashed potatoes.

MEMORIES OF A FRIEND
submitted by: Jeanne Thomas (ND '61)
Thomas4two@aol.com
Roleta,

While sad, another great aspect of the newsletter is knowing what has happened to old friends - in this case the death of Denny Norris. While I never "realized" I knew Denny while living in Clarksburg, my husband and I moved to the Monroeville area and joined a club where Denny and Sandy were members. Lo and behold through friends, we became dear friends and in talking one day about our pasts, realized that we both were from Clarksburg. Not only living only blocks away, but that Denny was the lifeguard in the summers at the Keeleys' pool, where a lot of the ND kids hung out. What a small world. From there, it was endless the friends and memories we had in common. I would like all his friends to know he remained the dearest person all through his life and to all his friends there and in Monroeville, he will be greatly missed.

LONGTIME DOCTOR GOT HIS START AS A TRAINER By MICKEY FURFARI

MORGANTOWN - Dr. Brooks Gainer, (WI 1961) a well-known Morgantown physician, knows all about the importance of athletic training. That's because he served as both a student and then a graduate assistant in that field before going to medical school 40 years ago. The Clarksburg native actually got his start while a student at Washington Irving High. That was several years before schools in the state had athletic trainers. Gainer recently recalled his modest beginning: "I went out for manager in track as a sophomore at WI and showed interest in health care. And the team physicians, Dr. George Rose and Dr. Lawrence Mills, and Joe Manchin, a physical therapist, got me going. "They taught me to rub ankles, wrap ankles, apply first aid, etc. And Bill Moore, the coach, urged me to take a mail-order course in training. "So I was a trainer at WI in all sports for two years. I think I was the first student trainer in the state."

After graduating, he enrolled at West Virginia University with the intent of eventually being accepted into its medical school. "But I wanted to make sure I could pass pre-med before I got involved in training," Gainer explained. "I really missed training, though, so after my freshman year I talked to WVU trainer Whitey Gwynne about being a student assistant." That became a reality in the spring of 1963, and he loved the experience for which he has a lot of good memories. "Being in pre-med, I was tied up in classes until late afternoon," Dr. Gainer remembers. "So most of my time in the training room was spent either getting athletes ready to go to practice or taking care of the injured coming back in." But he did find time to travel with the soccer team and freshman basketball team in 1964-65.

"Among my fondest memories is playing bridge with sports writers Bill Evans, Shorty Hardman and Mickey Furfari in football camp at Jackson's Mill," Gainer said. During this period, he worked with WVU's first black athletes. He got to know both Dick Leftridge and Roger Alford in football and Ron Williams and others in basketball. "I never really sensed among the players any interracial problems at any time either at WI or WVU," Gainer said. "I spent a lot of fun years with athletes in the training room. "I got to know Fritz Williams well. Ironically, my wife, the former Suzanne Powell, is a Weir High graduate. And she was ahead of Fritz in school. "She used to rub it in about Weir's state championships while we were dating. So I knew about Fritz from her before he got here."

Gainer received his M.D. in the spring of 1969, spent two years as a resident in Akron, Ohio, then returned to Morgantown to complete his residency at WVU. He joined the Morgantown Internal Medicine Group in July 1974. He retired a few months ago. Treating infectious diseases was his specialty. Gainer was the senior member of that firm which Joe Rhudy and Joe Renn started. "I quit practicing medicine because of a back problem," he said. "I've had a very rewarding career. I miss seeing people every day. But sometimes you have to make decisions that you don't like to have to make."

He is a fellow in the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Disease Society of America, and the Society of Health Care and Epidemiology of America. "I was privileged to be president of the Outpatient Intravenous Therapy Association of America for several years," Gainer noted. He got to know many of the most prominent physicians in his specialty. As a result, he was able to bring some of them to Morgantown for conferences in the 1980s. Gainer also served on several national committees. He and his wife have two daughters, Kristin Hamrick of Cary, N.C., and Shelby Gainer-Weber of Raleigh, N.C. They also have four grandchildren: Harrison and Hunter Hamrick and Abagail and Avery Weber.

This article is from the Morgantown Newspaper and printed with permission of the staff writer, Mickey Furfari.

ALL CLASSMATES and READERS ASSISTANCE NEEDED
The WI Class of 1956 is planning their 50th reunion in 2006. We hope to make sure that we are able to communicate information concerning this important occasion to ALL our former classmates. We have NOT been able to locate the 1956 graduates listed below. If anyone has any information, no matter how slight, concerning these valued classmates, please communicate with me by e-mail or phone. These grads may be your aunt or uncle, your cousin, lived near your parents or you in Clarksburg, old friend of the family and possibly your parents.

The computer world makes them easier to trace, if I can at least find out WHERE they may be. We had 199 grads—28 are known deceased (14%)---88 are living outside of WV (44%)---these 13 are missing (7%).

ROBERT BRIDGE
SANDRA SUE DAVIS
ELEANOR GRIFFITH
MADYLON RUTH HAMMOND
JOEL BERGER LYNN
PATRICIA ANN LYON
DONNA MAE SHOMO MIDDLETON
KENNETH WILLIAM MYERS
ROSCO OFFETT
PATRICIA ANN RINGER
MARVEL LOUIS ROSS
NANCY CAMILLE WHITE

Don Sager dks@davtv.com 843-705-3900

DRIVE-IN MOVIE STOWAWAYS
submitted by: Chuck Thomas (WI ’56)
DrCRThomas@lcsys.net
Andrew Brian Hamilton moved to the Hill on South Seventh when he was in the eighth grade and I was in the ninth. I still remember the hard hitting football tackle he threw on me on the Alvarez Football Field, the matchbox sized vacant lot right next-door to Alan Ogden Alvarez’s family’s home. Andy—or Drew—and I soon became good friends.

Initially, I was drawn to Andy as a friend for several reasons: he was good at sports, especially at football—i.e., later making the high school varsity for three years—he was witty, cynical, and intelligent, and he had a profound interest in adventures. Andy and I and perhaps a dozen other guys were bonded by our cynical values, our sardonic perspectives on life, and our love of sports, especially basketball. We all had things in common, but not everything. Each of us had his specialties. As a high school derelict, I specialized in wild things—instigating pranks and trouble, getting drunk, and going on hitchhiking adventures. Drew, who focused mostly on “being cool,” was absolutely fascinated by my wild travel excursions—like the Saturday at midnight I was blitzed and hitchhiked with two other guys in the back of a huge Pittsburgh Press newspaper truck to Pittsburgh, riding almost all the way to the downtown Golden Triangle.

For several reasons, Andy and I never set out together on an adventure. His parents kept a closer watch on him, and because he was a year younger, he usually hung out with his own classmates, whereas I tended to hang out in neighborhoods all over town—making friends primarily by playing basketball, telling jokes, and trading insults.

Oftentimes, we guys would sit on a wall, steps, or street corner talking late into the night about our various adventures, pranks, and misdeeds. And Andy would seriously regret never having had any “really neat adventures.” I always promised him that one day we would find something really wild to do. Then, one summer day right before his junior year and my senior year, our first real adventure as a team started falling into place.

Our plan was quite simple. We’d find a ride to the Ellis Drive-in Movie, hide in the car trunk, and then sneak in without paying. We’d hang out near the concession area—an excellent location for checking out girls—and in between times, we’d watch the movie. Bob Davis, my classmate from the East End, had a car and a date for the drive-in that same summer Saturday night and agreed to help. When I set it up, Bob stipulated: “You can both hide in my car trunk to sneak in, Chuck, but then, you’ll have to find your own ride back home to Clarksburg.” I emphatically assured my long-time friend—“No problem, Bob! You get us there—Andy and I will find a ride back! Guaranteed!!”

The plan went well. Bob and his girlfriend picked us up in front of the Hagan’s Ice Cream Store, we rode almost to the drive-in, then Andy and I got out and hid in the car trunk, and once inside the drive-in, Bob let us out of his car trunk.

Andy was ecstatic. At last, he was in the midst of an adventure. It was still daylight, so we found a good spot close to the concession area and started checking out the babes. Since the Ellis Drive-in was five miles from Clarksburg and only a mile from Bridgeport, there were girls there from the five Clarksburg high schools, including our own, WI, and also from Bridgeport. We talked with the girls we knew, yelled at others, and a few voluntarily came over to talk with us—probably because Andy was good looking. Anyway, we saw hundreds of people heading for refreshments — his classmates, my classmates, and other people we knew from dances and parties.

Andy and I were both exuberant as the coming attractions were playing. But he was so pumped because we got in free and were meeting all these good looking girls. We hoped some of them might even pick us up after the movie and we were thumbing home. We were positive we’d get a ride the five miles back to Clarksburg.

At intermission, we beat the crowd to the concession area to get our refreshments for the second half of the movie. In addition, we met a few more girls and saw more people we knew. And as the second half of the movie was ending, we hastily made it out the exit so we could get out on Route 19 to start hitchhiking. We picked a spot to thumb where a car could easily pull over to pick us up and take us back to Clarksburg. Up to that point, “Everything was going like clockwork!” . . . as the old cliché goes.

But after about 5,000 cars left the drive-in, zoomed right past us towards Clarksburg, and none of them stopped to pick us up—Andy’s mood changed. I did mention that Andy was cynical. But maybe I neglected to say that during bad times, Drew could be downright pessimistic. And this was one of those times. Once the drive-in was empty, we essentially had two choices. We could stand there on the far side of Bridgeport Hill—5 miles to Clarksburg and still maybe another mile to South Seventh Street and continue to thumb—or we could start walking. We opted to walk.

Neither of us was in a joyous mood. And to pass the unfortunate two and a half hour trek, we began to curse all the people who didn’t pick us up. About an hour later and a little after midnight, we greeted two older, down-and-out drunks walking in the opposite direction towards Bridgeport: “How ya doin’?” They mumbled something incoherent back from the other side of the highway. That long boring, arduous walk home was a bleak ending to our hoped-for adventure that initially had so much promise.

The Marquise du Deffand’s quotation about the length of a journey is well known: “The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.” Based totally upon our experience that dismal night of walking 4.6 miles home when we couldn’t get a ride hitchhiking, I think Andy—were he still alive—and I would humbly disagree. We would respectfully say: “In a journey, the first step is nothing; it’s the next 8,489 steps that prove to be the most difficult.”

OBITUARIES
KENNETH JEFFREY PETHTEL
Mr. Kenneth Jeffrey Pethtel, age 56, died May 10, 2005, at the United Hospital Center in Clarksburg following an extended illness.

He was born September 8, 1948, a son of the late Edward James Pethtel and Geraldine Fitzwater Pethtel. His wife, Nancy Louis McCauley Pethtel, whom he married July 15, 1978, preceded him in death on June 10, 2004.

Surviving are two sons and a daughter-in-law, John J. and Tabatha Pethtel, Denver, Colorado and Kenneth Jeffrey Pethtel, Salem, WV; one daughter and son-in-law, Sheila B. and Mike Cottrill, Wolf Summit, WV; one sister, Elizabeth Lynne Pethtel, Medford, OR, and two grandchildren. He was a graduate of Washington Irving High School, Class of 1966. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served his country during the Vietnam era.

CLARA JEAN LOVER BONASSO
Clara Jean Lover Bonasso, 72, of Clarksburg, died Thursday, May 5, 2005, at her residence following a six month illness.

Mrs. Bonasso was a retired secretary with the Clarksburg Water Board. She was born in Clarksburg, June 24, 1932, a daughter of the late Dominick and Florence Cava Lover. She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Frank A. "Nanny" Bonasso, whom she married November 27, 1954. Also surviving are two daughters, Donna K. Merryman and her husband James, and Stephanie A. Woods and her husband Roger, all of Morgantown and owners of Sabraton Chrysler Dodge; and three grandchildren.

Mrs. Bonasso was a graduate of Washington Irving High School and WV Business College. She spent six months out of the year living in Florida and traveled extensively with her sisters.

JAMES “JIMMIE” OLIVERIO
James “Jimmie” Oliverio, 89, of Clarksburg, WV passed away May 1, 2005 at his home following a brief illness.

He was born August 27, 1915 in Shinnston, WV, a son of the late Dominick and Maria Guarascio Oliverio. He is survived by his wife, Joann Stumpo Oliverio; one daughter, Irma Linda Kolosky and her husband Alex of Annapolis, MD; two sons, Dominick M. (Donnie) Oliverio of Clarksburg, and Vincent J. (Vinnie) Oliverio and his wife Debby of Clarksburg; four grandchildren, Jamie Means and her husband Kevin, Johnna Oliverio, Courtney Oliverio and Whitney Oliverio and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Oliverio was a barber for 50 years in the Clarksburg area, beginning at age 12 standing on a wooden box that was constructed for him to reach the patrons' hair. He was affectionately known as "Jimmie the Barber" in Glen Elk.

He then traveled to California and worked in the CCC camps (Civil Conservation Corps). During WWII, he worked for Goodyear Aircraft in Akron, OH, constructing B-25 and B-26 bombers. Mr. Oliverio also owned several businesses in the area, including Jimmie's Restaurant in Glen Elk during the 1950s. He also owned Trader's Barber Shop and Empire Barber Shop until his retirement in 1979.

MARGARET ANNE (NANCY) MALONE
A private graveside service was held Monday, May 16, 2005 for Nancy Malone of California who passed away Thursday, May 12, 2005. Nancy was born in Philadelphia, PA on March 4, 1932. She was married for 43 years to Joseph Malone (WI 1952). Together they raised two sons, Rob and Jim, in Saratoga, CA over the past 42 years. Jim’s wife, Diana and three grandchildren, Bobby, Sarah and Bryan Malone, also survive her.

Nancy was a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She taught elementary school in Swarthmore, PA, Coronado, CA, San Bruno, CA, and Fostoria, OH. Later, she was a Teacher’s Aide in Saratoga for many years. In addition to being an accomplished educator, Nancy was an outstanding wife and mother.

Newsletter Archive

Back to WI Index