THE WI NEWSLETTER 07/05

THE NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 71

July 2005

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, “No way, Sir!” Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously 24/7 since 1930.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

DON’T BE SHY
Please when you write sign your name, school and year you either graduated or would have graduated from that high school. Thanks

SUMMER FUN
PLAYGROUNDS IN CLARKSBURG
submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
Where did you “hang out” in the summer evenings when you were young in Clarksburg?
Where did you play organized summer sports?
Where did you meet your friends before you could drive?
Where did you sit and talk to your boyfriend/girlfriend in the evenings?
Where did you make that special craft?
Where did you play organized softball, volleyball, or ring tennis?
Where did you go for a pickup game with friends of all ages?

If you lived in Clarksburg, I bet you spent a lot of summer days and evenings of your youth at the nearest playground. I lived about 2 blocks from Stealey Playground and was there nearly every evening until I was about 14 or 15. I met girlfriends there, and flirted with boyfriends. I played organized softball and volleyball. We either hosted girl’s teams or traveled to other playgrounds for competition. In the mornings the playground director often had a craft to teach….. I can’t remember doing crafts there. I didn’t go to the playground in the mornings due to chores around the house. Also, my mother was a teacher, so by the time I was allowed to travel to the playground alone, I was into much more advanced crafts than those taught at the playground. But it was a marvelous place to spend time. I often stayed in the evening until about 9:00 and then walked home in the dark either alone or escorted by a friend. I never thought a thing about being scared of being picked up either! Weren’t those the days when a girl felt safe walking on US Rt. 19 after dark?

Now that it is summer, put on that thinking cap and tell me about your adventures at the local playground.

What playground did you go to the most? (WRITE TO Roleta1@aol.com)

And to start you off, here is a letter:

From: Jim Alvaro (WI 1956)

You know Roleta, there are memories I have about years ago that I think the kids are missing now days. That is the playgrounds we had back then. We also had very competitive sports between playgrounds. I belonged to the Elm Street Playground. Elm Street Playground was of course on Elm Street but was at the bottom of a steep hill off of Clay Street. It was so steep and the playground was so small that the left fielder had to play about half way up the hill when we played ball games there. In the summer evenings we would roast potatoes on an open fire and had a great time with crafts and games but most I remember the ball games between playgrounds. I can only remember Stealey, Jackson Park, and Norwood Park playgrounds but I know there were more. There was one under the Golf Plaza Bridge but I don't remember the name. Also there was one on the PK side of Pike Street near Kelly Hill. Maybe some others can come up with some names and memories of the playgrounds. I know there were playgrounds all over Clarksburg. We had no football competition between playgrounds but we did have a field we played on in Broad Oaks. The field slanted about 45 degrees long ways and it is a wonder why no one got killed the way guys flew down the hill to make tackles. We called the field Grow's Hill because Ron Grow, WI ' 55, lived near the field. We also walked and hitchhiked to most places we played.

By the way, another great Newsletter this month!

IRISH LEGENDS
submitted by: Pat Elder (ND '57)
St1pat@aol.com
My wife, Joan, and I attended The St. Mary’s/NDHS Hall of Fame awards known as “Irish Legends” on May 13 at the Via Veneta (old Green Acres I think). We sat with Jack Bennett and his wife, Judy; and Tom Basile and his wife, Folly. Both Tom and Jack were transfers from WI to St. Mary’s in their sophomore years. Jack knows that I have a full scale Notre Dame room in my house, so he brought all of his HS letters to me. He also gave me his Central Jr. and his WI freshman letters in basketball. I put those up and now it is my "Clarksburg" room, so if anyone wants to send memorabilia, I can add it.

Oliverio’s restaurant catered the event and let me tell you it was one of the finest I've ever had and I've had some good ones! That is why I am a 3XL. Bobby Nicholas provided dance entertainment and music. He is the best in WV and just a terrific voice.

Five awards are presented annually: Father Patsy Iaquinta won in the Spirituality category. I knew Patsy in North View. He is a real trip and he is both ecumenical and spiritual. We talked a long time.

The Sisters of St. Joseph won the Academics award. They do not teach any more in any of the schools. We had all nuns when I was there. I wondered if any of them were still around. To my great surprise, 4 of them drove down from the Wheeling Motherhouse where they all live in retirement now. My physics teacher, Sr. Rose Immaculate, now called "Rose" (dressed in a pink sweater and skirt) jumped up and ran over to say hello to Jack and I. She is 88 yrs. old and physically and mentally in great shape! Sr. Eulalia followed her over with a little "hitch" in her gitty-up but she too was really sharp. The other 2 were too, but we hadn't known them before. Sr. Marguerite got up and accepted the award and gave a great acceptance reply on behalf of the order. When the dance music started after dinner, they disappeared in a flash and drove back to Wheeling that night - amazing!

James Hunt won the Leadership award. I do not know him, but he is a very successful businessman/politician in Clarksburg City government. He was congratulated in the program advertisements by The National League Of Cities and Anthony Williams, Mayor of Washington, D.C. also by Pres of the NLOC. Jim Hunt is First Vice President of the National League of Cities.

Next came a highlight-- the St. Mary's HS 1947 basketball team. I was privileged to make this award. I started out explaining how Joe Malone, WI 1953 had written in the WI Newsletter about this team and suggested to 130 in attendance that they should get on line and read this every month. I rambled on and mentioned Joe Malone four more times. Finally I called Paul Romano to the podium to accept the award on behalf of the 1947 team. He talked about the team members and introduced the other members of his class in attendance. There was a tremendous amount of pride, humility and gratitude expressed by all of them that they were remembered after all those years. I really felt good about the whole thing and once more "thank you Joe Malone!"

Jack Keeley won the award for Philanthropy. His company is now known as GroundBreakers Inc. It was the Keeley Construction Co. when we were growing up. Jack's wife, Irene, is a Judge in the court system in Clarksburg. He has jumped in repeatedly to help out the physical plant at ND and has contributed unselfishly to the scholarship fund and in general.

Well folks, it is time for dessert--can you believe a very light peach shortcake & peach champagne to top off one of the best meals I've ever had! What a great evening it was and we danced the night away. Cheers,

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER
submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
Even though school is out for the summer, we are still working to collect money for the WIN SCHOLARSHIP. This is an ongoing project and I am hoping to be able to award more money in April 2006. In the last newsletter, I published a copy of a thank you note from Cory Zinn (RCBHS 2005) who received one of the WIN scholarships awarded at RC Byrd High School in April 2004. College is so costly that young people can use all the help available to them.

This month I received generous gifts from Don Sager (WI 1956) and Nancy Starett (WI 1953). Both have given to this project more than once. Jim Alvaro sent a contribution to the WIN Scholarship also this month.

In March 2004 I figured it was time for the newsletter to have a useful purpose. I tried to think of a way we “old folks” could say thank you to our home town by giving back something. I thought of the youth and figured that was a very worthy cause as we all understand the importance of education..

Now you can read the newsletter, remember your past and enjoy reading about the memories of others from the same school or same town and at the same time do something for the future! You can also become a part of the family of people who care! We really do have a lot in common and through this scholarship you can say THANK YOU to those who made all this possible.

So make out your check to:
Roleta Meredith

And mail to:
Roleta Meredith
c/o WIN Scholarship
3025 Switzer Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43219.

Thank you for supporting this important project for the future.

DID YOU KNOW?
Clarksburg Ice and Beverage Company’s telephone number was 4.
That’s right 4!
A few of the beverages sold there were 1884 Ale, Red Top and Barbarosa Beer.

In Clarksburg there were:

95 apartment buildings
52 barber shops
35 beauty shops
20 pool rooms
66 service stations
141 grocery stores (7 in Broad Oaks)
125 Restaurants

People were listed from one end of the street to the other in order.

The above information was supplied by Jim Alvaro (WI 1956) from a 1948 “Polks Clarksburg City Directory. “ This directory was given to Jim by his Uncle Angelo Alvaro (WI 1933)

Thanks Jim for sharing these interesting points with the readers

CD
The WI Newsletter CDs are still being sold. This CD includes every issue from the first five years (Sept 1999 to Aug 2004). All proceeds over and above the cost of the production and shipping go to the WIN Scholarship. You may purchase a CD for only $10.00. Email Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI 1959) at jkimler@verizon.net for information on where to send your check.

EMAIL ADDRESSES

Sarah Sinsel Locher (WI '83)	SSLOCHER@comcast.NET
Bob McGee (WI '55)	brooke107@msn.com
Kenneth R. Winters (WI '40)	krwsr@hotmail.com
James B. Potter (WI '65)	jpotter@deltagas.com
Ann Hollandsworth Fenton (WI '56)	nellafen@bellsouth.net
Jane Hamilton Ross (WI '53)	meezer83@msn.com
Philip Wygal (WI '60)	joyce.molloy@worldnet.att.net

CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS

James E. White (WI '58)	jwhite3740@aol.com
Roger Duncan (WI '57)	was roger.duncan@oracle.com is now rog.duncan@comcast.net
Dick Fitch (WI '56)	was fitch@cox.net is now fitch1@ktc.com
Marty Elliott (WI '57)	was rell904@bellsouth.net is now elliott@panax.com until mid Oct

FAVORITES
Write: Roleta1@aol.com with your favorites.

WI Newsletter readers have spoken and these are our favorites:

Tonto (Kimosabe) won over Jingles—and for those who don’t remember Jingles was played by Andy Devine and was always depicted as a buddy or sidekick to the movie hero. He was overweight and wore a black hat that had seen better days.

Trigger beat out Nellie Bell---here I must apologize---I put poor Trigger (Roy Roger’s beautiful palomino horse) against a jeep.

Flintstones beat Fat Albert

Bullet beat out Scout (Bullet was Roy Roger’s German shepherd)

Lassie was the favorite over Rin Tin Tin….maybe this was due to the TV show?

Paladin beat Bret Maverick

There was a tie between the beautiful voices of Patti Page and Rosie Clooney

Ed Sullivan won over Authur Godfrey. This was a close one. I had a hard time here also as Ed Sullivan had a terrific variety show and Aurthur entertained us on radio and TV with many of our favorites…remember any of them?

Our Miss Brook’s---what a teacher! She won out over the old radio story time show—“Let’s Pretend”….do you remember the little commercial jingle from “Let’s Pretend”?

Nestle’s Quick beat out Olvatine….I loved Nestle’s Quick but Ovaltine was a close rivalry and we got our vitamins from Olvatine…..Did you ever see the movie “A Christmas Story”? What was the secret code that he deciphered using his “code ring”?

Grapette was the favorite over Orange Crush. Oh, I loved both of these……if we could only get that true flavor in a bottle today.

Ellis Drive in won over The Sunset…but one person made a cute observation when he voted for Sunset----he said he liked it best because they turned the lights out earlier!

Carol Burnette beat Lucy! I liked them both but thought for sure you would pick Lucy because of all the movies she made.

Jimmy Rogers beat Ed Ames….Remember Ed Ames as the Indian in the TV show Davy Crockett? Do you still remember some of that song? “Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier!”

Thanks for playing along. Now here we go again….Write to me---come on—play the game…If you don’t recognize some of these…skip that number but vote for your favorite. Write to Roleta1@aol.com.

Blackjack chewing gum or Clove
Wax bottles filled with sweet liquid or candy cigarettes
Royal Crown Cola or Dr. Pepper
Shick or Gillette
Studebaker or Packard
Abbot and Costello or Laurel and Hardy
Montgomery Wards or Sears
Milky Way or Snicker Bar
Peanutbutter Flop or hot fudge sundae
Parkette or Twin Oaks
Saddle Shoes or Penny loafers
Miss Nutter or Miss Albright
Sock hop or prom
WHAR or WPDX
Sinclair or Esso

Okay---here are 15 more choices----let me know your favorites. And if I have jogged your memory, write and give me some suggestions of other choices we can give next month. Write Roleta1@aol.com.

PRECIOUS CHILD
DID YOU RECOGNIZE THE PRECIOUS CHILD FOR JUNE?
It wasn’t too hard to recognize the picture of the child in the June newsletter was it? I bet everyone saw that picture! We have been trying to explain to you that we need your contributions of pictures of you, your friends or siblings. I hope more of you will send pictures to Judy. You may scan them and send via email to Judy Kimler jkimler@verizon.net or you may email her for her mailing address. You may mail your pictures to her, she will scan them into her computer and mail them back to you ASAP. We like a picture of the person in their youth, then if possible a high school graduation picture and a current picture too….however, we are getting desperate so we would appreciate anything you can provide. Thanks

This month we received a picture from one kind, understanding, and helpful reader:
Do you recognize the child pictured below? Write your guess to Roleta1@aol.com. Remember, due to limited space, I only print correct guesses with a memory included.

Here are 2 pictures of July's PRECIOUS CHILD, 6 mo old and 1st grade

NAME THAT TUNE
Each month we will give you a portion of a phrase from a song. See if you can correctly name the tune and the singer. This month Nancy Starett has sent us 2 tunes for you to remember. Send your guesses to Roleta1@aol.com.

Here we go!
Name That Tune and Vocalist [or Singer]......
1. "do I see”
2. "keep on looking".......

Do you have some you can contribute to me for the game?

FONT
Some people have written to ask what Font we use for the newsletter so they can format their computers to match. The chosen font is ARIAL and the size is 12.

WHAT DID YOU DO THAT SUMMER?
MEMORIES
submitted by: Terry Tibbs Davenport (WI '60)
mcprport@iw.net
If I may, I'd like to roll several memories into one letter since the themes are long past due. My mother, Roxie Tibbs, was a wonderful seamstress and made 90 percent of my clothes throughout my school years. So, I had no interest in learning to sew from someone/anyone else. I smuggled my linen dish towel and my apron out of Miss Connell's classroom under my full skirt and likewise back into the room--after my mother had completed both for me at home. I have since repayed her kindness by becoming a really nice seamstress myself.

I remember Miss Wine teaching us to make "dishwashing liquid" by rolling a bar of Ivory soap around in our hands in a dish pan of hot water. To this day, I cannot bring myself buy Ivory dishwashing liquid.

I also remember planning with my daddy, who had a "stick shift" and my boyfriend at the time, Page, whose father had an "automatic", which car I could successfully drive for my license testing. I first chose the stick shift because it was more familiar to me. I was parked at the curb behind the court house with Daddy looking on, a nervous smile on his face, when what must have been a six or seven foot tall patrolman walked toward me, opened the passenger door and began to jackknife his tall frame topped off by a tall brown hat into the car. At just that moment, I let out the clutch and the car began to roll backwards. He began hopping, one leg in the car and one on the curb, also backwards and just as I thought things could not get worse, the hat fell off his head into the street. When I had regained control of the car, I looked over at him and said, "Do you still want me to drive?" He simply said, "Come back next week." I did just that, with a turquoise and white '57 Chevy with automatic transmission and drove away with the coveted driver’s license from the exact same examiner.

Many, many of my best memories are of being in the band. I remember participating at Grafton in the Memorial Day parade when we marched the entire route to a mournful drumbeat. I remember the first night we marched into the football stadium in Parkersburg! It was, as they say now and I wish I had had the word at that moment, awesome. I remember applying leg makeup on Fridays after school while I ate the sandwich my mother always had ready for me because I could eat that easier while the makeup dried, hopefully streak free. I can still hear the sound of the taps on my boots. And speaking of shoes, I remember Capezios from Pettrey’s Shoe Store. "Everyone was wearing them!"

Thank you for the Newsletter and all the warm memories it recalls to me.

ROBERT C. BYRD GRADUATION
submitted by: Pat Elder (ND '57)
st1pat@aol.com
We went to Clarksburg from Dayton to attend the 10th annual Commencement ceremony on May 28, 2005 at Robert C. Byrd High School. Our niece, Jenna Elder was the last of my bro Jon & Mary (Mancuso) three children to grad. from RCB. All three will grad from WVU. Christa is in her last year of Pharmacy; John Paul is in his last year of Civil Engineering & Jenna will be a frosh. It was a great day with about 172 graduates. That seems low to me, remembering the classes of RW, Kelly Miller & WI in 1957.

I studied the names in the program & they all sounded familiar. My wife Joan (from Cleveland) asked me if I knew any of them & I laughed & said "No, but I know all of their grandparents"

I thought about how many alumni probably have never seen RCB. It is a first class campus. They have their own sports facilities on the grounds. Later I passed Hite Field off Chestnut St. It is now the home of the Liberty Mountaineers. They were the old Victory Eagles. Now, it is the RCB Eagles.

I would like to give a little history on RCB. In1991 Harrison County passed a bond that included funds for a new state-of-the art facility. The dedication was Nov. 19, 1995 & The Honorable Senator Robert C. Byrd was the featured speaker and honored guest. The first students passed thru the doors on Jan.4, 1996. Leon Pilewski became the first Principal & remains so today. RCB earned the distinction of "A West Virginia School of Excellence" during the 2001-2002 school year. I was really proud of all of the graduates--very typical Clarksburg youth. I went to about 6 or 7 parties later. Everyone was just as kind and sociable as 3 generations ago. There was one outstanding event that I will not go into that reminded us all that this is 2005!--not the fifties. as always, it was a great Clarksburg Crowd.

submitted by: Ken Winters (WI '40)
krwsn@hotmail.com

Would like to hear anything about graduating class of 1940. My name is Kenneth R. Winters class of "40".

I would like to receive the WI News Letter.

Any questions you might have that I could answer please feel free to contact me.

submitted by: Jane Hamilton Ross (WI '53)
meezer83@msn.com

One piece of miscellaneous information: Some of the members of the WI Class of 1957 who were friends of my brother, Andrew Hamilton, provided a scholarship in his memory for a student in the class of 2005. I don't know how many folks contributed to the fund, or what classes they were in. This scholarship was to be presented on May 25th, but I don't know who the recipient was. These men were Marty Elliott, Mike Snyder, Rusty Rutan, Sarge McQuillan to name a few. From what Mike told me, there were many, many more. I was really sorry that I couldn't attend the ceremony, due to other commitments and my mom can't travel any distance any more. She's 99 and is rather forgetful these days. She no longer lives in Clarksburg, so even 1 1/2 - 2 hours in a car are not feasible for her.

Do keep up the good work! The newsletter is wonderful for folks like me who left Clarksburg after high school and was seldom back after that.

Thanks to you and Judy for all you do.

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

Roleta: Mr. McConkey, principal of Washington Irving High School, always seemed such a formidable person. I was scared to death of him. However, he did have a sense of humor because one time in our Friday morning "chapel" program he mentioned the group of students who used to gather every morning on the front steps of the school. They would stay there until it was nearly time for the last bell. He said, "I don't know the purpose of the students who meet on the front steps every morning unless they are standing there admiring each other, so from now on, I will call them the "Admiration Society". And from then on, from time to time, he would mention the Admiration Society and that is how I remember them, too.

THANK YOU
submitted by: The Editor-Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
I am sending a big THANK YOU to Bob Davis (WI 1959) for being such a big help to me and my work putting out the newsletter. Bob keeps all of the names and email addresses up to date for me. He lists the names first by school attended, then by Class year, and then alphabetically by last name (maiden names for females). Thanks Bob, without your contribution monthly, I would be lost.

JUNE TRIVIA PICTURE
The picture in the June newsletter is a current picture of what used to be Willow Beach. The picture was taken by John Teter (WI 1961) on a recent trip to WV.

submitted by: Frank Martino (WI '32)
JGray128@aol.com
I believe the June photo is Willow Beach, with Elk Creek in the background. My cousin, Tony Marra, bought the land, built the structure and ran a night club there for a number of years in the late 20's and 30's. Tony's brother, Pat, played the saxophone with the Luther Day Orchestra.

submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com
It looks like this month's Trivia picture is Willow Beach and if I told everything that I know about that place, I would loose a lot of friends. We went dancing every Thursday and Sunday night. Catfish Aiello ran it for a while and I remember Bobby Cathers as the bouncer, I mean the asst. mgr. They didn't need a bouncer. I certainly had a lot of fun there.

submitted by: Nancy Kirkpatrick Gaines (WI '50)
Nanielee@aol.com
I think that is a picture of Willow Beach, but not as I remembered it. My sisters and I performed there many years ago as the Kirkpatrick Sisters.

submitted by: Don Sager (WI '56)
dks@davtv.com
The location is Willow Beach. I have a number of memories of WB. First, when I was a youngster, I used to go out to Willow Beach with a playmate of mine, JP Criss. His father, Paul, was a well-known piano player around town and he would perform at WB on Sunday afternoons. We would play inside and out around the stream. Also, a couple of Moon Pies and an RC Cola came with the trip.

Second, about 13, tryouts for a Pony League team were held at the ball field during the summers. We would hitchhike out Buckhannon Pike from Broad Oaks to try out. Alas, good field, but could NOT hit a curve ball.

Third, while we were in HS, the Beach was a sure-thing weekend hangout and dating spot. While it was prior to liquor-by-the-drink being approved in WV, I can remember well that it certainly was liquor-by-the-bottle. I soon learned the evils and "pleasures" of Demon Rum and John Barleycorn. Actually, it was Four Roses for the guys and Sloe Gin for the girls. If you didn't get their by 8:00 PM, it was a long wait at the door. And it was always jam-packed. I still wonder how they got away with serving under-age kids but as long as you had your bottle on the floor, anything went. We would dance until they turned on the lights. I cannot remember whether it was 2:00 AM or Midnight. (And I will not mention my dates and friends who also hung out at "the Beach".)

Fourth, now when I pass by WB, it is usually with sadness in my heart as we are on our way to Floral Hills Memorial Gardens where many of my relatives are buried.

submitted by: Carolyn Pinella Warne (WI '59)
wrmychsnut@aol.com
The Trivia Picture looks like Willow Beach to us. Oh, we could write a book about all the great times we had there dancing to the Prodigals... We started dancing the minute the music started and didn't stop until the band stopped... Linda, Sallie, and the rest of the gang all stayed until the last song was played. We would love to hear the Prodigals again ... We did hear that they played at P.J. Kelley's for one of the Class reunions not too long ago.... Thanks for the Great Newsletter. You and Judy are doing a FABULOUS job.

submitted by: Marlene Andre (RW '53)
mandre1@charter.net
That used to be Willow Beach, Route 20 south, a place to go dancing, have a drink or two, with a group of others. The building is made of logs and most of them are covered now. To the Right and partly in back is the Elk Creek. To the left and further back was a base ball field. My father used to walk all the way from Nutter Fort to see the games on the weekend. He would never let me go to Willow Beach, but one evening I did, told him I was going somewhere else with a group of friends. I always have felt guilty about that. Times were different then.

submitted by: Bob Dennison (WI '57)
RDennison@MA.RR.COM
I think this is the place on Rt. 20 which was known in the 40's and 50's as "Willow Beach." My parents used to go there on dates. When I was in Central, we had a dance there. I don't know what it's called today.

submitted by: Dale Palmer (WI '59)
dpbp2020@iolinc.net
The picture is the building that stands on the site of the old Willow Beach supper club. It was destroyed by fire I believe, but don’t remember when. They used to conduct high stakes poker games there with players from all over the east coast. Next to it was the baseball diamond where the various semi-pro teams in the area played on Sundays. At one time Sam Huff, Freddie Wyant and Ronnie Retton played together, I think for Swaney Coal. We tried to never miss a game.

submitted by: Mary K. Bellisario (WI '65)
bayouduo_1@charter.net
This place has a lot of hidden memories of "Wine Women and Song" where a lot of fun & fighting occurred. 200 yards to the left saw the best baseball and softball of my time played. A Fun Place to have been!

submitted by: Bob Secret (WI '60)
RLSecret@aol.com
Roleta...so sorry to be an absentee responder of your simply marvelous newsletter...the video trivia location is the WILLOW BEACH... old "CATFISH" was the proprietor...Willow Beach was our after- hour escape from the traditional "sock hops" ...a mostly unjustifiable label was put on girls found in this location from 11 - 3. I'll never forget my sister, Diana, turned 18 and was heading there...I knew if I told her not to go curiosity would give her more of a reason...so I told her to go but she had to promise me that, if she felt uncomfortable or out of place, she would leave...unannounced to her, however, I had a fight planned between Dave Patsy and Jim Shaffer as soon as she and her friends walked in...i think she returned three years later...sorry to take up so much space...thank you for the monthly memoirs ..God bless

submitted by: Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI '56)
MSSpahr@aol.com
This looks like Willow Beach. It sat on a bend in Elk Creek close to Quiet Dell. In the daytime, people used to sunbathe. At night it was likely the closest thing to a night club that Clarksburg had. I believe that it’s greatest hay day was before my time.

submitted by: Doris J "Jeanne" Walters Webster (WI '59)
hillbilly@rivnet.net
I do believe the trivia picture for June is Willow Beach. I graduated from WI in 1959 and during my Junior and Senior years, our classes held several semi-formal and casual dances there. I haven't been back to Clarksburg in quite a while. Does the place still exist? What is in its place today?

submitted by: Lyle Corder (WI '57)
WVLyle@aol.com
This is where the Willow Beach nightclub use to be. There were dances there every week with a live band. What a great place it was and loaded with teens at every dance. It now houses a gas development company.

submitted by: Wayne White (WI '60)
WaynePawco@verizon.net
This is the old Willow Beach. It was located just outside of Clarksburg. It has had several changes and businesses in this location. The building at one time was a club. Later it became and office and dental lab. Now it is becoming a church. It is the Christ Corner Stone Church with Pastor Stout and his staff remodeling it. The Elk Creek is behind it and at one time a swimming hole was there. People still fish in Elk Creek behind the church.

submitted by: Arreta Radcliff Jaranko (WI '40)
jjaranko@frontiernet.net
I think I know the trivia picture is Willow Beach. We were friends with the people who ran the place, Bill and Julia Shuttleworth. We went to see them one afternoon and my son, Gregory, was a little fellow at the time and was playing ball. One of the men threw the ball over a fence and Gregory tore open his leg on the barbed wire trying to get to that ball. Hurt him and upset me tremendously. I didn't take him back there for awhile!

submitted by: Jim Pulice (WI '62)
jpulice@msn.com
The mystery picture is Willow Beach. This building looks to be very close to the road and it threw me off? The Willow Beach night spot was located further back toward the river. In our day and also our parents, Willow Beach was a Night Club. Most generally every one went there late after everyone else had closed up for the evening. CAT Fish ran the club. He had been a great friend of my Grandfather. I found this out one night when he and I were drinking with Johnny Folio at the Wonder Bar. When he found out that my Grandfather was Sam Pulice who had died when I was two years old, the stories started to fly. Willow Beach was a place that when you entered the place you took your life into your own hands. You never knew what to expect since there was always a scuffle going on. All the hard cores visited this club due to the "great action" and entertainment. It had quiet a reputation as a night club. But what fun times were had there. It was usually so packed you had to stand on the porch and wait to get inside. Great Memories!! Thank you Roleta for letting me share them with our classmates!!

submitted by: Steve Griffith (ND '60)
SGriff2393@aol.com
If my brain cells are still functioning properly, that is a recent picture of what was known to one and all of our vintage as "Willow Beach."

I cannot tell a lie. All the memories I have concerning "Willow Beach" did occur before I was married. The one that I remember the most is the one I have the least recollection about. It was the night that may qualify as the second most intoxicated night of my life. It was certainly not a night to be proud of. I was very lucky to have Ralph Stanton (RIP) looking after me that night. All I ended up with was a severe headache and dehydration. Thanks to all who may have had contact with me that night and decided I was too drunk to take seriously.

Confession is good for the spirit. I feel better now.

submitted by: Jayne Rose Ross (WI '57)
Jynbilross@aol.com
Willow Beach was the name of the tavern where we used to "dance the night away" on week-ends. I must admit that I had help from Sheryl Langlett Perduyn, who remembers everything!

Funny thing when I had lunch last summer here in Annapolis with Roy Bever--we both were trying to think of the name of the 50's hot spot. I remember the wooden rails around the perimeter of the dance floor and the booths along the walls.

Roy and I laughed during the entire lunch--two major points I came home with to share with my husband were that we had the most caring, wonderful supportive classmates and how naive we were! In high school neither of us had even heard of yogurt or sour cream. When I left Clarksburg I thought all fish was square and came in a box labeled Mrs. Pauls.

submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
I was not allowed to go to Willow Beach unless it was an organized event from school. I guess either my older brother helped set that rule as he knew some things that had happened there or my parents set the rule as they knew what happened there. I actually heard about some things that happened there and I knew I shouldn’t be a part of that and maybe get caught out of my boundaries. Remember, my parents were teachers from the “old school”—very strict and terribly protective of either my reputation or theirs. (Remember in the days when my parents became teachers, they weren’t allowed to drink or be seen going to the wrong places or they might jeopardize their jobs. This may have changed by the late 50’s but not in my parents minds.) I was somewhat curious about the site and thought I was missing out on some dancing. However, if you knew my parents, the punishment was never worth the crime. I did lie to my parents once about a date I was having…..the date was a blind date….and look what happened---45 years later and I am still married to him! (But I have been lucky and happy!) He took me to Willow Beach a couple of times and I was very disappointed as it was full of “kids” actually acting like “kids”. Since I was dating an older guy (and I thought we were so mature) we dated mostly at Green Parrot, Friends, Clique, Melody Manor, Billy’s Meadowbrook, Mill Club and a few other places where we would often be with a college crowd and be able to cuddle and dance all evening for the cost of a couple drinks.

submitted by: Freddie Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
This club was located South of Nutter Fort along side of the Elk Creek. It was so named because of the Willow Trees at the time growing along side of the creek. I am not sure when the club opened and who built it. A gentleman by the name of John Calligan, Jr leased it in the early forties, I do know that it was leased in the fifties by “Catfish” Aiello who lived in Kelly Hill, Clarksburg. Many years later it was destroyed by fire and had to be rebuilt. The photo below shows how the club looked in the forties. Ajacent to the club was the famous Willow Beach Ball Diamond. This is where the HARCO (Harrison County) independent ball teams played. They were from different sections of the county such as Adamston, Lumberport, North View, Nutter Fort, Shinnston Spelter, etc. At one time the Willow Beach Club sponsored a semi-pro league. The main part of the diamond today contains a mobile home sales company. The former club building is now occupied by a local business.

MILITARY RECORDS
Nancy Downey Starett (WI 1953) ncstarett@yahoo.com is busy collecting information about WI grads who have served in the military. She has had an amazing response. Nancy’s husband served in the military and she is very dedicated to honoring our veterans. In November (for Veteran’s Day) there will be a special issue of the WI Newsletter to honor those who served their country. So if you graduated from WI and served or you know someone who did, will you please send this information to Nancy---she wants the name, the year of graduation from WI, and the branch of service….if you know the rank, include this also.

I am sorry to report that no one has volunteered to do this for other schools in the Clarksburg area; but Nancy feels she just can not do a just job for all schools and is devoting her time to make a record of those from WI.

By the way, there is a huge framed list of the people who served during WW II that was on the wall of WIHS and is now at WI Middle School. Nancy is trying to get a copy of that list, a friend of hers sent her a photo of it but due to the glass over the picture there is such a glare that the names can’t be read in her copy. If you have a copy of the list from this framed picture, will you please send it to Nancy….thanks.

RW SUMMER PICNIC
R-W classes 58-59-60 will have a picnic reunion at Norwood Park on Saturday June 17.

I don’t have anymore information but if you graduated from RW in 1958, 1959 or 1960 and are interested in more information about the picnic…..email or call a classmate and see if they know anything about it.

FOR WOMEN
submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
I just saw a wonderful stage production. It was so funny that I recommend any woman see it if it comes to a theatre near you. It is called “MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL”. It is all about women and their trials with the changes in their lives and with their bodies. The music is songs from the 50’s and 60’s but with the words changed to fit the title. I attended with 4 friends and we laughed so much. Treat yourself, GO SEE IT!

DID YOU THINK IT OVER?
Sue (Selby) Moats (WI 1955) wrote to me with a wonderful suggestion of a project in which we can all participate and help earn money for the WIN Scholarship. She thought it would be nice to have a Clarksburg Quilt made to raffle off at the CLARKSBURG REUNION PICNIC in Sarasota, FL to be held March 4, 2006. 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. If you have an old tee shirt or any shirt with a logo on it, that you would like to send her, Sue will accept the shirt and will cut the logo from it herself. Just send it! You don’t even have TO SEW!

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. The size of the quilt square isn’t important since the quilt pattern will just be a collage. Typical block sizes are 6”, 9”, 10” or 12”, etc. 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! 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. Mary Liz Custer Carder has offered to help Sue (Selby) Moats with this project if they receive enough contributions….So put on that thinking cap,

DO IT FOR FUN—BUT MOSTLY FOR THE WIN SCHOLARSHIP!!!
If you will be attending the WI Reunion Picnic on August 27th at Norwood Park, Sue will be there and will accept any materials or quilt squares you wish to give to her. I hope you will participate! THANKS!

The Fifth Annual WI Reunion Picnic will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2005, at the Clarksburg Park in Nutter Fort (formerly known as Norwood or Nutter Fort Park). The time is 11AM until the last one goes home...whenever that is. This is for anyone who ever attended WI (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A GRADUATE). This year the picnic will be in the Big Pavilion, on the right just as you come in the park. It is double the size, next to the restrooms and has black top parking. Tell your neighbors and all of your friends.

LET'S MAKE THIS A BIG WI REUNION DAY!

Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI 1959) is in charge of this picnic. She will need to know how many to expect. It is nice to be surprised but it isn’t nice to be overcome with a large group of people and not have enough supplies. Bring a covered dish, your own drink 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. Some people bring a folding lawn chair. Don't forget your cameras!!!

TRIVIA PICTURE FOR JULY

Picture submitted by John Teter WI 1961
Do you recognize this picture, write your guess to Roleta1@aol.com. Only correct answers with a memory included will be published. Remember to sign your name, school and year you either graduated from that school or would have graduated.

MORGAN SCHOOL AS I REMEMBER IT
submitted by: Marolyn Tustin Jett (WI '56)
ma5388@earthlink.net
Looking back, the first grade at Morgan was my favorite grade.  Miss Chestnut had the "patience of Job" with all those boxes of what seemed like hundreds of small letters with which we learned to spell.  Does anyone else remember them?  That was about the time many soldiers were coming home. Doug Bailey was in my class and one day Miss Chestnut announced that Moxley Bailey would be called Douglas from then on. I somehow connected that to his father coming home from the war and changing his name. Actually Douglas was already his name along with Moxley. Funny the things that makes an impression in minds of young children.

The second grade was with Mrs. McClung, who had been Miss Young up until then.  One day she went out of the room and told us not to talk or get up from our desks. Needless to say we all started talking and moving around the room. She came in and caught about six of us. She gave us a spanking with her wooden paddle (one lick). I was embarrassed and humiliated and never forgot my first and last paddling. I always felt a "stigma" attached to that punishment. Years later (after I was married) I lived in the same neighborhood as Mrs. McClung and I told her how that punishment had affected me. She laughed and I felt better! I believe it was that year also that classmate David Rowe wanted to tell the class something. He stood in front of the classroom and told us of the death of his father and how it happened.

The third grade with Miss Mattie Israel was not a good one for me. In the fall I became ill with scarlet fever and was out of school six weeks. I still have that years' report card with those weeks marked absent. Our house was quarantined with a large orange sign posted beside the front door. My sister and brother were not allowed to leave the house for two weeks. That meant no school for them. We had to miss Halloween at school which was always a "big" thing. I always loved that. My father was allowed only to go to work, my mother couldn't go out in the public. Our next door neighbor Rusty Phillips, (owner of Phillips Market), would bring groceries to the front porch steps after my mother would place her order by phone. At the end of the six weeks all the walls and furniture in my room had to be washed down with Lysol. (Remember the liquid in the brown bottle?) Neighbors had given me coloring books, paper dolls, games and puzzles, all of which were taken outside and burned at the order of the Health Dept. It was very traumatic for me and I suppose for my family as well. Not long after the bad case of scarlet fever our eyes were checked at school by the health nurse. My mother received a note that my eyes were bad, so off I went to my first eye doctor appointment. I still have my first pair of glasses, round gold frames (real gold in them) with real ivory nose pieces. I also have the original glass case with Dr. Dennison imprinted on it. The doctors told my mother that the scarlet fever had damaged my eyes, tonsils and my overall health. (From then on I had tonsillitis often and couldn't gain weight.) I had these problems until I had my tonsils removed the day after H.S. graduation in 1956. I soon was gaining weight, feeling better and my eyesight improved, to the point of needing my glasses only for reading. I felt like a different person and Mr. Warfield, our class photographer and member of my church, offered to take my "senior " picture over again, If I remember correctly, my classmates Marianna Waroblak and Bernice Long also had scarlet fever that third grade year.

My Mother was a school teacher and substituted while we were growing up, sometimes at Morgan. I think in third grade she substituted my class and she told me not to call her Mom. It sure was hard getting used to that. Some mornings in the winter she would get calls to substitute while she was getting us ready for school. So she would have to then get herself ready and catch a bus and sometimes transfer buses to get to some of the outlying schools. I remember some of the principals that would call would be Mr. Fowler and Mr. Smith, (I think your father Roleta). Sometimes the principals would come to the house to pick her up.

It was about fourth grade (I think) that I saw a dishwasher for the first time. We were at Babe Bisping's house and she opened this white machine from the top and "voila", there were clean dishes! They lived on Carpenter Street at that time.

Also, a few of we "girlfriends" decided to start our own library and check out books. So Barbara Allen set it up at her house and we "borrowed books" from it, just like a real library. Sometimes we even checked out our own books since the "library" wasn't spilling over with reading material.

The fourth grade had a new teacher at the school, Miss Malone. She had pretty white hair and a very smooth complexion and wore pretty suits and always smelled good. By that grade we had "graduated" to the second floor of the school and thought we were "BIG". Alice Wood, a classmate and neighbor talked her mother into letting her take her birthday treats to the class on an antique glass pink platter with a handle. After school while walking down the steps to first floor Alice dropped the dish and it broke into several pieces. I was behind her and we both sat down on the steps and cried.

I had been the baby of the family for nine years and one day in Sept. of the fourth grade I went home for lunch and my mother wasn't home. Someone else was there preparing lunch and we were told that our mother had gone to the hospital to "get" a baby. That sure was a shock and took some getting used to.

Also I think that was the year that Jimmy Warren and I and a couple others were playing after school hours on the brick wall in front of the school. Jimmy fell off the wall and broke his front teeth. Needless to say that was the beginning of many dentist visits for him. A week or so after that Marianna Waroblak and I were playing on steps at an apartment behind her house on lower Stealey Ave. She also fell and broke her front teeth. (I swear I didn't push either one of them).

Several of us wore pig-tails so Marianna's mother started a club for us called "Polly Pigtails". We would meet at her house for refreshments and I don't really remember what else we did. We were also in Scouts so our "social life" had started. We joined Brownies in second grade and our meetings were in the school at the end of the day with Miss Dorothy Wright. I can still remember how I felt standing in the first floor darkened hallway pledging allegiance to the flag and singing "Day is done, gone the sun" after the Brownie meeting. Miss Wright's signature is on my WWII ration books (which I still have) and also on some Health and Brownie records.

I can't remember what year it was that we learned WV history and made the scrapbook. Fifth grade? We had to learn and recite all the Counties in the state. We had to do it in alphabetical order, so Sharon Greitzner's turn came before mine since G. came before T. I was so nervous for Sharon when her turn came that I thought I would pass out (which I did often). I closed my eyes and held my breath and was mentally saying the counties to myself as she was reciting them. She got them all perfect and I was so proud of her. The next day was my turn and I knew them all, and I wasn't nearly as nervous as I had been for my friend.

I think it was during this time that we had a "celebrity in the making" in our neighborhood. Phyllis Curtin was in vocal school and when she would come home we could hear her singing opera. Her parents, (the Vernon Smith's), lived on Ridenour St. at that time and I remember my sister Carolyn, Mary Beth Young and myself hiding in the shrubbery outside their front window so we could listen to her practicing.  A few years later we would say we knew a star!! I can remember her nice parents very well. Mr Smith was a small gray haired man and Mrs. Smith had dark hair and wore it in a "top knot"

Finally in Fifth grade we were able to move out to the annex. I don't know why we thought that was so special. When winter came we froze, the stove did not keep it warm, our feet were always cold. And I think the wood frame building was full of termites.   But Miss Micheaux made up for that with her pleasantness. She was always interested in all of us and also wore pretty suits, mostly brown.

I can't remember exactly what year it was that a cute little Chinese boy named Yungi Ping came to our class. His dad came to town as a doctor at the then new Veteran's Hospital. They moved to upper Stealey Ave., a neighbor of the Whites, (with Bill being in our class). Yungi was small and full of life, always laughing and making us laugh. Always have wondered what became of him. I think the family had moved away by the time we went to Jr. High.

We would play "organized" dodge ball in the basement of the school. It always seemed cold and dreary down there, with plain painted concrete block walls and gray painted floor. Since I was small and "puny" I wasn't much force. Babe Bisping on the other hand was strong and tall and was always the captain for one of the sides. She could THROW that ball and I always felt she was "gunning" for me. I can still remember how that ball hurt when it would splatter me up against the concrete wall.

Miss Mary Matthews was our sixth grade teacher and had a piano in the class room. She would teach singing class and would accompany us on piano. She had been to China and no matter if we were in math class or science she always had a way of bringing up the subject of China.. She had dolls, scarves, etc. that she had brought back with her and each one had a story. Of course back then China was a mystery to us and we really could not relate or find it very interesting. But she tried!

And last but not least, we had a wonderful principal! He was a very busy man but always took the time to make us all feel special. He would tease me and look "cross-eyed" at me. He stopped when I started looking at him "cross-eyed" and he then would tell me my eyes would stick that way

Oh to be young again! Or would we want to?

Marolyn sent this picture of the Second Grade at Morgan Elementary School taken in the spring of 1946.

Fourteen of the kids pictured went on to graduate from W.I.

Those in the picture are as follows:

Standing, top row, left to right:
Patty Snider, Jimmy Warren, Jeanette Allman, David Rowe, Unknown, Billy Conrad, Bobby Cathers, Unknown, Howard "Sonny" Creighton, Jimmy Ritchie, Helen Dale, Ronny Hill, Judy Monroe.

Seated, bottom row, left to right:
Charles "Bucky" Selby, Marianna Waroblak, Elizabeth "Bobo" Swiger, Eddie Christie, Marolyn Tustin, Linda Severn, Anita Jane "Babe" Bisping, Douglas Bailey, Alice Wood, Dickie Finley, Ruth Ann Ash, Sharon Graham, Bernice Long.

She would like to know if anyone can identify the two "unknowns".

ANDY HAMILTON
submitted by: Chuck Thomas (WI '56)
DrCRThomas@lcsys.net
After the publication of my essay “Drive-In Movie Stowaways" in the June 2005 WI Newsletter, several of Andrew Hamilton’s classmates and friends e-mailed me comments about Andy and a few questions. The following is an apostrophe about Andy and his unquestionable grit. As it is used here—an apostrophe is “digression in the form of . . . [directly] addressing . . . someone not present [in this case, Andy].”

Andy, most of us knew you primarily somewhere between 1939-61, your growing up years in Hartland, on the Hill, at WI, and through your graduation from WVU. A few knew you until the end—in 1973. All things considered, you were always a person with undisputed grit and what David Reisman in his famous book, The Lonely Crowd, refers to as an inner-directed person!!!

You were exceptionally good looking—prompting many girls to call you “handsome” and to comment on your “melting smile.” In fact, Andrew, you were the closest most of us WI guys got to looking like film icon James Dean in his famous, 1957 culture changing movie, Rebel Without a Cause. In addition, your sense of humor—cynical, sardonic, searing—plugged right into the intellectual bond that connected all of us and kept us sane.

Athletically, you excelled. You stood tall in every contest and skirmish. Your teammates described you many ways: “[An] underrated” WI varsity quarterback “who was much better than the coaches realized”; “a confident, scrappy basketball forward”; “an outstanding softball hitter”; [and] “a really fast downhill skier” in Aspen. You could be someone’s best friend or worst enemy—or both—all within the time frame of a game of sandlot football or street basketball.

And speaking somewhat facetiously, though you never won All-State athletic honors in any sport, that was only because back then, pizza eating was not recognized as a sporting event. Had it been, you would have been the first-team All-State Pizza Eating Champion regarding the Fight to Eat the Last Piece. Three WI guys would go out to Romano’s for pizza—paying 99 cents for the first pizza and getting the second one for only a penny more.

Pizzas were always sliced into eight (8) pieces. Two times eight (8) is sixteen, meaning that each of the three (3) guys was guaranteed five (5) pieces, but . . . that meant a fight for the last piece. Andrew, your fiercest pizza-eating foes still consider you today the All-Time Gladiator for That Last Piece of Pizza.

And intellectually, you stood tall also, earning high scores and grades with little preparation. Though you no doubt would have made an excellent lawyer—had you continued in law school, Andy—you decided to channel your critical thinking, argumentative skills, and strong convictions into a career—e.g., becoming a professional journalist for the associated press, marrying Lynn—your “beautiful Swede”—and living in Alaska. Along the way, militarily, you served your country with distinction as the executive officer of a U. S. Navy destroyer escort.

It’s now 48 years after your high school graduation and 32 years after your death. Andy—old friend—you were an outstanding athlete, an intelligent cynic, and a unique inner-directed individual with unquestionable grit who will always remain in many of our personal memories.

OBITUTARY
GEORGE MICHAEL LIPTAK
George Michael Liptak, 57, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., died unexpectedly April 1, 2005, in the Broward County General Hospital.

George was in an auto accident in 1979, and his unexpected death was related to that accident. He was born November 10, 1947, in Perry Mines, a son of the late John L. and Anna (Stonko) Liptak.

Surviving are his sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and John Clutter, Stonewood; a sister-in-law, Daleen Liptak Lyon AND MANY NIECES AND NEPHEWS..

He was preceded in death by his father John in 1963, his brothers Nick and Frank in 1969, his mother, Anna, in 1970, and his brother, John Paul in 1993.

George graduated from Victory High School with the Class of 1964, and was known as "Herb" to many of his friends. He then graduated from Fairmont State College with a bachelor's degree in psychology. In the 1960s and '70s, he loved to ride motorcycles with his friends and took many long rides.

He had worked in the emergency medical service field in Ft. Lauderdale, and was currently employed at The Sailor Man as a shipping clerk. He was an active member of St. Marie's Catholic Church, Ft. Lauderdale.

WE'RE READY FOR A SWIM
HOW 'BOUT YOU?

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