THE WI NEWSLETTER 06/06

THE WI NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 82

June 2006

I APOLOGIZE
submitted by: Roleta1@aol.com
Many of you have teaching degrees or other degrees which required you to know all about punctuation, spelling and general writing skills…. I have no such degree and you will just have to overlook such errors.

I have never been skilled at spelling and it has gotten worse due to spell check but again, I do the best I can. One place that even my spell check fails me is with the spelling of names. There was a wonderful diversification of nationalities in Clarksburg, thus there are names in the newsletter from those nationalities. I don’t know how on earth to correct the spelling of those names as some names I have never before heard. I know that there can be many ways of spelling the same name…even in the same family. If there are misspelled names in any newsletter, I apologize. There are certainly a lot of unusual names in the WI newsletter.

THE CLARKSBURG CITY FLAG
submitted by: Freddie Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
The Clarksburg flag as it appeared in the WI Newsletter last month was officially adopted by resolution of the city council in April 1923 following a city-wide contest. As to the description and meaning of the flag:

The bright red, five pointed star, symbolizes the city of Clarksburg, composed of five former towns.

White bars, extending diagonally, corner to corner, across a bright blue field, represent two intersecting state highways that serve the city.

The bars radiating to the four corners of the flag, are likewise symbolic of Clarksburg products distributed to the four corners of the earth.

A further symbolism denotes the star of hope, with the sky as the limit.

The colors red, white and blue, suggest the national flag, as allegiance to the city of Clarksburg implies greater allegiance to the nation. They also imply that patriotism begins at home.

The blue is a bit lighter than that in the federal flag as the skies seem brightest in West Virginia.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I apologize to Freddie for not running this in the May issue. He had sent it to me and I had mislaid it. However, I am sure many of you are interested in these facts.

HOT DOGS
submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
One of my favorite memories of growing up in Clarksburg was the hot dogs we ate while living there. People in Clarksburg take the hot dogs there for granted. Little do they know that those of us who have moved away from Clarksburg can not find our favorite creations any place else on earth. We crave them. We were asked the other day if we were going to Clarksburg when we travel this summer. Bill said, “ Sure, but in May when we pass through we will only have time to stop for lunch so Roleta can get her 2 hot dogs from the “Ritzy” for lunch.” Yes, I love hot dogs…I won’t eat a steak or any other beef but I love hot dogs…That small variety of questionable meat packed in a little tube shape and nestled snuggly in a steamed bun with that delicious sauce, onions and mustard on top! Now that is another reason WV is almost heaven! I know a lot of you have your favorite hot dog chili (or sauce) recipe and some won’t share with anyone as they consider it a big secret. But many of us have our own way of making a sauce that we love. When I was a young housewife I made hot dog chili which was great but not too close to what I remembered as a child in Clarksburg; however, my family loved it. Within the last 4 or 5 years I have started making hot dog chili that is almost exactly as I remember it from Clarksburg. I love it as do the people who eat hot dogs at my house, that is, all the people except my husband and children---you see, after they ate my “concocted” recipe for about 40 years, that is the one they love. So which one do I make most often? My favorite of course!

If you love to read cook books---(I am one of those who loves to read cook books and try new recipes) here is an interesting book advertised in the WEST VIRGINIA MAGAZINE in the April 2006 issue. I did not order this book but it certainly sounds interesting. Here is a copy of the article:

HOT DOGS FROM ALMOST HEAVEN: A HOT DOG LOVER’S BEST FRIEND By Harry Lynch
$6.95, 5.5x8.5, 104 pages, paperback in Hot Dogs from Almost Heaven, foodie, chef, and hot dog lovers’ best friend Harry Lynch pays tribute to the hot dog, aka the frankfurter or the “gimme one with slaw and chili.” Hailing from West Virginia, Lynch is a crowd pleaser. He imparts an arsenal of recipes for dogs and their fixins with humor and flourish. He includes recipes for chili, other toppings, and side dishes, as well as for the perfect desserts to accompany your frankfurter fantasies. You’ll be ready for company whether you want to cook dogs Chicago style for 2, Coney Island style for 20 or West Virginia style for 90. And, you and your guests will be holding your sides the whole time from both laughing and eating. (if you order this let me know what you think of the book)

Send your name, address-city, state and zip along with your telephone number, your Visa or Master Charge number and expiration date with your Signature to:

West Virginia Book Company
1125 Central Ave.
Charleston, WV 25302

Or order by phone:
(888) 982-7472 or (304)342-1848
Email: wvbooks@verizon.net

Sorry this is long but I know most of you are interested in that wonderful WV product.

FIVE AND DIME
submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
I apologize to the person who wrote to me and guessed that Kresge’s was one of the Five and Dime Stores in Clarksburg---I never knew Kresge’s had been there….Read the letter below from Freddie Layman to see why I didn’t remember Kresge’s.

I believe that Clarksburg in its day had the best Five and Dime stores of any city in WV… maybe in the nation, but at that time I hadn’t traveled to so many places, so I didn’t know much about anything outside of WV. I have so many fond memories of these stores. Remember the holiday decorations? Thanksgiving didn’t start until after Halloween---and yes, we had Thanksgiving decorations unlike today when we have Halloween decorations that go up just after Fourth of July and Christmas starts in mid October…No Thanksgiving decorations nothing mentioned about Thanksgiving except in the grocery stores--strange. Do you remember the March of Dime drives? I remember in March back in maybe 1953 or 54 that there was a two sided kind of tape put across the windows of the stores along Main Street---well, in particular I remember Murphy’s….and everyone stuck dimes on the tape…this money went to fight polio…….that was back when no one would have thought about taking dimes off the tape! I remember Easter in Clarksburg….candy and the eggs with your name on top, Easter toys, and baskets filled. Murphy’s as always so pretty and decorated in those wonderful pastel colors, truly our first breath of Spring after the dark colors of WV winters. I remember that I liked Woolworth’s food counter to sit and have a toasted ham salad sandwich with lettuce. This was a nice lunch when we walked down from WI. I remember once when I was a teen-ager and was at the food counter in Murphy’s with my mother and I ordered a hot fudge sundae and a small bowl of pickles. My mother was so shocked she said, “You can’t eat ice cream and pickles together in public! People will talk about you have cravings!” I remember it as though it were yesterday……I didn’t even know what a craving was, I just knew I liked hot fudge sundaes and I liked pickles! I loved their pickles, heck, I love all pickles (especially home made which I never get as I don’t can and I don’t know anyone who does) -I have never met a pickle I didn’t like-would that make me a PICKLEAHOLIC? Anyway I could go on and on about my memories but those can wait until another time.

submitted by: Sharon Myers Hall (WI '65)
hhubert@bellsouth.net
I have been going thru old pictures of G. C. Murphy's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Festival from when I worked at the luncheon counter there 1964-66. I have not found my picture yet, My mother made my dress. I loved working at Murphy's and seeing all the people that came to town.

The pictures shown below are of different areas of the store and some of the ladies in their old fashioned dresses.

Candy Department, Mary Johnson at fountain

Hazel ?, she worked the end of the lunch counter. See the Hula Hoops?

Mary Johnson in the book department

submitted by: Fred G. Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
At one time Clarksburg had 5 brand name Five and Dime Stores. They were S.S. Kresgre, John McCune, Mgr; W.T. Grant, Harold Brown, Mgr; J.G. McCrory, Morris R. Ziegler, Mgr; G. C. Murphy, R.S. “Pappy” Flynn, Mgr; and F.W. Woolworth, F.A. Burdulls, Mgr. The Woolworth store replaced Kresge’s in 1935. As most should remember Woolworth’s had this huge wooden barrel with brass bands wrapped around it containing Hire’s R.J. Root Beer at 5 cents a glass. Woolworth’s closed in 1976, Grant’s closed in 1972 and moved to Hill’s Plaza. “Pappy” Flynn retired Jan. 30, 1965 and James f Slaughter became the new manager. Murphy’s closed in 1985. McCrory’s became the lone survivor of all the dime stores. It closed in 1991 and moved to the Middletown Mall.

Freddie sent the dime store Christmas ads from the 40's shown below.

submitted by: Barb Warren Williams (WI '58)
bjwilliams@overusa.com
I worked at Murphy's Five & Dime store in the toy department at Christmas time. Oh what fun it was just imaging the faces on the children Christmas morning when they opened these presents. When I worked at Williams Jewelers I always stopped and had breakfast in Murphy's before going to work. Murphy's was the only Five & Dime that I shopped in. My mother worked at Grants for many years.

submitted by: Frank Bush (WI '59)
Frank.Bush@Legacynet.com
When you asked about memories about the 5 and dime stores you really took me back. If I remember correctly there were four stores on Main Street in Clarksburg. They were Murphy’s, McCroy’s, Grants, and Woolworths. I know Murphy’s was my favorite one but that might have been because my mother worked there for period of time. I remember that they used to have an employees night between Thanksgiving and Christmas. (This was the time when Christmas decorations didn't appear until the day after Thanksgiving.) The store would be closed to all except the families of the employees and it would be the time to buy at a discount. They would also have drawings so you could win prizes. Murphy’s also had a lunch counter that was always busy and next to it in the center of the store was the candy counter. I know a lot of my allowance went to that candy counter. It was always a stop on my way to the Saturday matinee. I also remember buying rubber band propelled airplanes in their toy department that were made in Japan. You could tell the metal used was cut from cans and covered in thin fabric. At that time if it came from Japan it was considered "cheap" goods. McCroy’s was the other "nice" 5 and dime and would be the second one I would visit. The other two didn't have the selection and always seemed to be a step down (at least in my mind). Thanks for short trip back to the time of innocence and wonderment.

submitted by: Mary Stump Harrell (WI '55)
Harrellms2003@yahoo.com
I just finished reading the May newsletter and was especially fascinated by the enthusiastic response from the baseball guys. I was never aware of baseball until the days of friends' children in Little League -- had no idea there were so many great teams and competitions in Clarksburg.

You asked about the "dime stores" -- I wouldn't say I had a favorite, but I do remember spending much time in Murphy's, McCrory's and Woolworth's. I think it was Murphy's that had a large central staircase to the basement. On the right in the basement was a favorite haunt of mine -- they had a shelf of "Big Little Books". These were about 25 cents apiece, I think. They had a small picture in the upper right hand corner of every page, and when you riffled the pages the figures moved. This was a special fascination to me as a child. I don't remember owning many big little books -- we had comic books at home and in the neighborhood-- but I must have checked for new moving pictures every time I went to town for at least one period of my life. Another thing I loved about that basement was the fish and birds. Remember them? Can't tell you how many poor gold fish I carted home only to have them perish almost immediately... I always wanted a bird, but as we had a fearsome mother cat named Jake, it would have been a certain death sentence for any poor bird that might have been carried home.

Finally, I remember Woolworth's from my high school days - in the fall, around Halloween, they made candied apples - and I loved to get a candied apple after school. I have a vivid memory of the joy of walking down Main Street to the courthouse corner where we caught the bus home - savoring a wonderful cinnamon-y candied apple! You could not get them at any other time unless at a circus or carnival.

Does anyone remember a shop called Nussbaum's? It was located east of Murphy's where later, I think, Wells Haymaker located before moving across the street to the Goff Building. Nussbaum's must have been gone by the late forties. But they had wonderful storybook dolls - and I remember the proprietor, Mr. Nussbaum, as a jolly sort of man who was very nice to those of us who came to admire the dolls.

Once again, thanks for the job you do with the newsletter -- I look forward to the first of each month and read it in its entirety as soon as it comes in.

submitted by: Joanne Westfall Simpson-Tetrick (WI '52)
Fragilegranny34@msn.com
I certainly do remember the "dime" stores in downtown Clarksburg. The first one was Woolsworth; followed by Grant's; McCrory's; and of course the biggest being G.C. Murphy. Those were the days when you could run in any of those stores and pick up items that were no where else to be found. Murphy's was considered to have a great breakfast counter and the coffee was good. When I was about seven years old, my Daddy took me Christmas shopping for my Mother. I really spent a lot of time deciding what she would like. I bought all the Evening in Paris things they had. Wow, that is a memory. Downtown Clarksburg is rather sad today and I remember way back, we always "dressed" up with hat, gloves, etc. to go shopping and what great places there were to shop.

submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI '50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com
In February 1948 I turned 16, of course I wanted a job so I could have my own spending money. My first job was at G. C. Murphy about a month before Easter. I was sent upstairs to decorate Chocolate Easter Eggs. The frosting came in huge barrels and we had to dip it into cloth bags. I had never in my life seen frosting in a bag. There were several girls at that time, just as green at this job as I was and one supervisor. I remember her name was Peggy and she always wore spike heels. After a few days of trial and error we finally got the hang of it and decorated some nice looking eggs. The eggs all came packed in boxes, once decorated and dried we put them back in the boxes. By Easter the boxes were stacked at least six feet high around the room. A few weeks before Easter we started taking the boxed eggs downstairs. They didn't put them out after Valentine's Day like they do now. When the eggs went on sale, some customers wanted names put on them, so someone from the candy counter would run upstairs with the name and we would put it on the egg, hold it in front of a fan and pack it back in the box. Then back down the stairs the egg would go to the customer. After Easter they kept me on to work Friday and Saturday nights on the candy and nut counter. I loved those coconut bon-bons. Saturday evenings after the regular girl that worked the nut counter went home, I worked there. I loved those cashews. When the store closed on Saturday night, any of the nuts that were left I could give to the employees as they left to go home. I made sure there were always cashews left over. I would take my little bag and go home where my dad and I would have a feast. Can you believe that today I have highly allergic to any kind of nuts. I worked there through the summer of 1950 when I went to Wheeling to go into Nurse's Training. When I graduated "Pappy" Flynn, the store manager, gave me a personal gift for graduation and he was equally proud because his son Russell Flynn, Jr was also in my class. I have many happy memories of my time working there. We were paid every week in cash which was put in a small brown envelope with the hours we had worked, the pay we had earned and all our deductions written on the outside.

There was another 5 & 10 store just down the street, I think was McCrorys. I don't remember any other stores in that category in Clarksburg at that time.

I worked in Pennsylvania for 23 years in a school district. So much has been made of the poor education that children in West Virginia received. Well, I'm here to tell them they don't know what they are talking about. I believe we had an equally good education in that state as any other state. Look what so many of our classmates have done with their lives. I know I graduated with a better education to go forward in life than a lot of the students that I have worked with in this area. Many did not know how to write a complete English sentence, their math was poor to terrible, their Science and Geography knowledge was horrible. Because, they were pushed to graduate even thought they were not qualified. Just so the schools records in Harrisburg would look good. Since I have been retired this has all caught up with the schools and now the seniors have to take a test to graduate.

submitted by: Mary Harbert Nophsker (WI '58)
Menrn40@aol.com
It's amazing how we can look back with fondness on these downtown stores. I remember GC Murphy’s, Woolworths and McCrory’s. My job when I was a junior and senior was at McCrory’s. I thought I was really lucky because I got to work in the jewelry and candy counters. It was my first introduction to the business world! There were several much older ladies working there who were always willing to help and give advice. The bad part was if your money drawer came up short your name and amount of the shortage was posted on the office wall for everyone to see, and they told you that if it happened again it would come out of your salary of 62 cents an hour.

One of our big treats when my sister and I were going to Towers was our mother meeting us for lunch and going to Murphy’s for a hot dog and a coke. It made lunch seem like it was so much longer since we didn't have to walk home and then back to school again.

Picture submitted by: Sharon Myers Hall (WI '65)

submitted by: Shari Josephs Collins (WI '65)
sjoseph4@columbus.rr.com
I have a memory of the 5&10. I was in the third grade and it's the first place (and the last) I shoplifted. I stole a squirt gun and a spool of thread. I have no idea what I wanted to do with the spool of thread but the squirt gun was quite unique. It had a water canister on a holster with a water line going from the canister to the gun so you didn't have to refill for quite awhile. I think it was quite ahead of the times. Anyway, my mother made me return the gun but I still have the thread because to this day, I still don't sew. This can go into the newsletter - I'm over the guilt and way beyond the statute of limitations for such a crime.

submitted by: Gladys Williams (WI '71)
GWill1004@aol.com
During the summers of 1973 and 1974 between my Junior and Senior years at Fairmont State College, I worked the candy and nut counter and also sliced an assortment of ham and lunch meat and cheeses. Mr. Slaughter was the manager of the store. They would run specials on Saturdays. I can't remember the price per pound, but people would be lined up outside the front doors before 8:00 am waiting for the store to open. We would slice ham and cheese all day. The only break we would have was our half hour lunch. I worked with 2 other ladies. I believe their names were Geneva and Betty. After working there for the summer, I knew I needed to finish my degree so that I could become a teacher. I am completing 30 years this year. I have taught all of them in Harrison County - 14 at Roosevelt Wilson, 3 - Lumberport Middle, & 13 at Bridgeport High.

submitted by: J. Malone (WI '52)
jmalone934@sbcglobal.net
Someone said once that, "Honest confession is good for the soul?" (Anyway, my mother said it.) You asked for memories around the Clarksburg "Five and Dime" stores. I have two with regard to the G. C. Murphy store. The first is pretty straightforward. When I think of "Murphy's" I think of the plaque outside that commemorated the birthplace of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. I have often told people that old Stonewall was born in a "Five and Dime" store on Main Street in my hometown. It was usually good for at least a chuckle from those who knew what a "Five and Dime" store was.

The other item that comes to mind is not so flip. It involves a trip to Murphy's that I made on my bicycle sometime when I was a sub-teen. I leaned my bicycle up against the wall under the Stonewall Jackson plaque and entered the store. While inside, i proceeded to "pilfer" a handful of small balloons. Feeling particularly guilty, I emerged from the store to find one of "Red" Amsler's finest uniformed policemen from the Main Street beat standing beside my bike. (I think I must have "soiled" my britches.) I didn't know whether to run back inside the store and return the balloons, run down the street or just break out in a lamented confession on the spot.

I approached the officer with my hand tightly wrapped around the purloined balloons in my jacket pocket. Sweat poured down my face. He asked if this was my bicycle? I nodded "Yes." He then turned to an older woman (my age now?) standing behind him and indicated to me that my bike had fallen over, knocked her down and she had broken her glasses. I think I must have smiled (in relief) as he became very stern with me about my responsibility for the incident. I dutifully gave him my name and address and he let me go on my way. Shortly afterward, (a day/week?) the lady called on my parents and reported the incident which I had already "prepped" them for. They made it right with her and nothing more was ever said.

And what of the "hot" balloons, you ask? As best I can recall they were promptly buried, uninflated, deep in the nearest garbage can I could find. I believe that ended my brief, but dramatic "shoplifting" career. So there, Mother! I have finally publicly confessed my sin after several decades of consuming guilt! The "scofflaw" has come clean at last! I am now ready to take my "Final Exam." Let this be a lesson to all of you other readers out there who picked the pocket of the "Five and Dimes" over the years.

PS - Are the ubiquitous "Dollar Stores" supposed to be what the "Five and Dimes" used to be? UGH! Where are the lunch counters?

submitted by: Mary Weaver Snead (WI '60)
auntmerts@earthlink.net
I believe there were 4 stores in the row. Also Kinney Shoe Store and a clothing store was amidst the five and dime stores. And I can remember in the winter time how the wooden floors were always slippery from the snow being tracked in. It was always fun to go from store to store thinking we could find different items. But they all carried just about the same things. I do remember most of them had counters where you could sit and eat. I remember one of my favorites would be a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of chocolate milk. To this day that is still a favorite of mine.

REMEMBER TO DISPLAY THE FLAG ON FLAG DAY
JUNE 14, 2006

AWARDS ASSEMBLY
At the R. C. Byrd Senior Awards Assembly, on May 24, 2006, the WIN Scholarship for $1,000.00 will be presented to a graduate. I will have the name of the recipient for the July issue.

When I started this endeavor, I thought that everyone of you would want to join in for one reason or the other to help a child in Clarksburg go on to further their education.

Thanks to the following who gave so generously in May:

Bill Brassine (WI 1954) Given in loving memory of his parents Florent and Marguerite Brassine.

Mary Stump Harrell (WI 1955) “As much as I love and look forward to the newsletter, the best thing you have done is starting this scholarship.”

Leslie McKinley Wallace (WI 1960)

Bill Hutchinson (WI 1952) Given in memory of Ruth Ernestine Gimmel (WI 1932-33)

If you wish to donate, please write your check to: Roleta Meredith/WIN scholarship

and mail to: Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Dr.
Sarasota, Florida 34240

REMEMBER:
It is not important how much you give,
But it is important that you join us and give.

QUILT
Will you please take the time to help us with some decisions?
Sue Selby Moats has agreed to again piece a quilt from squares submitted by readers. The proceeds from the quilt raffle go to the WIN Scholarship fund. This year over $700.00 was earned from the quilt raffle.

She wants to make a useable quilt this year, not a memory quilt. However, she needs your ideas…You can help even if you aren’t going to make a quilt square. Please write to Sue and give her your opinion on the following ideas:

Do you agree that the colors for the quilt need to be different, not the colors from a Clarksburg School since all schools in the area are involved?

This quilt should be useable on a bed and not for display only as the first one was.

What colors do you suggest? Blue/White; Red/White; or Beige/White. Or do you have another color suggestion? Should all squares be alike (same pattern) or should each square be made up by the person contributing the square?

The size of each block should be a 12 inch square.

We are hoping all of the people who made squares last year will be willing to sew some up again this year to help raise money for the WIN Scholarship. We hope more will contribute this year. But right now we need your ideas.

Write with your ideas and suggestions to Sue at Moatsue@aol.com.

THANKS for HELPING with this survey.

TRIVIA PICTURE FROM MAY
submitted by: Barb Warren Williams (WI '58)
bjwilliams@overusa.com
This picture is the Stealey Playground. I used to spend most of my summer days there playing softball, doing arts & crafts and just hanging around.

submitted by: Larry Alvaro (WI '67)
alva33alva@yahoo.com
Can you please add me to your newsletter list? My name is Larry and I am the younger of my two brothers - Jim & Fred Alvaro. What those two put me through when I was a kid, I am just happy that I am halfway normal. That pic. in your May newsletter was a playground that led to the infamous "Mud Bowls" played on Thansgiving Day. It was a casual event but later in the '66-'67 years, it was played in Honor of deceased Mike Rector and his dog Hildegard. One time, the fire dept. actually came out to water down the Park for us...If the talent during that day would actually have played varsity football for W.I., they would have been city & state champs many times over...Of course, the strip mine parties would always get into the way !!!!

submitted by: Doug Aspy (WI '62)
doug@aamcincorporated.com
The trivia picture is of the one and only "Stealey Playground". I have many fond memories of football and basketball contests played there. What comes to mind regarding some of the many basketball battles would take place on hot Saturday afternoons, when Bob Westbrook's face would turn various shades of green, then he would take a time out, bend over the side of the court and relieve himself of the previous nights exploits, come right back and play like nothing had happened. Not a pretty site.

The playground really reached it's notoriety when it became the home of the famous "MUD BOWL". It all started I believe when we were playing during heavy rain and from there evolved into an annual contest, which was even written up in the Clarksburg Telegram. If the conditions were not exactly right a hose was hooked up to a neighbors house across the street. Playing in this game was even more of a challenge for those of us who were on the WI football team at the time, because it was a no no to play sand lot football and the coach was known to drive around looking to see if players were violating the rules. It didn't take long though that everybody looked the same. My thanks to the Bowie boys, the Combs boys, the McGahan boys, and everyone else that helped make that one of the greatest events of "Stealey Playground" history.

On one other occasion at the playground Marty Elliott, Bill Stanton, Pete Holt, and myself made our own mud bowl on a rainy Sunday afternoon. We all rode to the park in Stanton's old Ford, but on the return trip weren't allowed to sit on the seats. So we all rode in the trunk, with it open, covered from head to toe with mud through the streets of Clarksburg. Great fun and great memories!

submitted by: Jody Buffington Aud (WI '77)
jbuffaud@comcast.net
One more thing you can add to my guess…..I remember the biggest tradition at Stealey playground was to hose down the ground every Thanksgiving Day and play the annual “Turkey Bowl” football game. Guys would leave there covered head to toe in mud. It was great fun to watch!

submitted by: David Corsini (WI '50)
DLCOR114@aol.com
The trivia picture of this month is Stealey playground, where I played basketball with my two sons and others for years. I originally lived on Euclid Ave and love it and had a wonderful time there. I finally had to give up the game at 49 because of bad knees and have had four replacements, but am doing well. Playing golf again and enjoying life. I am a retired Banker and have been for 11 years and enjoy my winters in Fla. Thank you for your great letters and for us to keep up with everyone.

submitted by: Don Marple (WI '53)
dmarple@bellsouth.net
As always, I enjoyed reading this month's newsletter. I think the trivia picture is the Stealey Playground on Milford Street. The view is looking toward the basketball courts and Euclid Avenue from home plate of the softball diamond, where the league games that "Meatball" Trent wrote about were played. I played in that league, too, on a team from Northview. We weren't very good, so we never played for the championship, but I remember playing against "Meatball" very well.

He was a right handed pitcher with a good fastball and a wicked curve. I was usually the lead off hitter for the Northview team and he would greet me with a fastball to the ribs my first time up. As I trotted to first base, holding my side in pain, Meatball would come over and say, "You @#%$*!!. I'm going to hit you every time." The next time I was up, Meatball would throw his curve that started inside and broke over for a strike, and I -- and most of my teammates -- would jump toward third base to avoid being hit again. He got a lot of strikeouts doing that.

submitted by: Bob Feltner (WI '63)
bobf@cfl.rr.com
The May trivia picture is a recent shot of the Stealey playground, which is bounded by Nicholas, Milford and Euclid Avenues. When I was a kid (early '50s), there was a covered activities shed where summer classes in such things as clay sculpture and drawing were offered under the direction of a playground employee (usually a high school student). In addition, there was a large metal sliding board, a tetherball pole and "Jungle Gym" located near where the trees are in the background. The chain-link fence surrounding the playground didn't exist but I think there was a board fence along Milford St. The smaller basketball court (to the left in the picture) was originally a shallow wading pool. During the summer in the early - mid '50s, the city (Park dept.?) offered an outdoor movie (I believe one each week) on a portable screen, which people from many surrounding neighborhoods would watch while sitting on the grass on blankets.

This is a picture taken in 1944 of a group of children at the Stealey Playground.
I'm so sorry I do not have the name of the person who contributed this picture.

submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI '50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com
I believe the Trivia Picture for June is the Stealey Playground. If so I can account for many, many hours of happy memories. I only lived about a half block away, so it didn't take me long to get my chores done so I could go play. The swings were fantastic. We would have contests to see who could swing the highest. I went up high enough to see over the top bar. And the sliding board, at that time seemed to be the highest one in the area, especially if one of us could talk our mothers into giving us a piece of wax paper. Then we would sit on the paper and fly down the board. Also bread came in waxed paper then and they worked well too. Then we would slide down in tandem. That's the time I cut my shin open when I went over the side and caught it on a bolt. A nice man in the house next to the playground came out and put band aids on my leg and I still have that scar today. Once someone went down with the wax paper, that waxed the board and we could again fly down and hit the ground. Most of us were good enough we could land on our feet every time. Once in a while someone would land on their behind. What a jarring that gave you. Later on the city started a summer program and we would have crafts, contests. Maybe that's where I was instilled with the love of crafts.

submitted by: Tom Kearns (WI '61)
ftkearns@iolinc.net
As I was reading thru the current of the News Letter I couldn't help but notice a lot of it was devoted to baseball.....

One of the things that always bothered me was the fact that WI was the only school in the county without a baseball team.........In 1979 I was elected to the Harrison County Board of Education and served thru 1984....

Sometime in the early 80s I along with my fellow board members brought Jim Bennett ( a name that will be recognized by many WI Grads ) on as our new superintendent of schools.........Shortly thereafter with Jim's help I pushed thru a baseball program for WI, which I'm proud to say still survives today at RCB.........

During my time on the board I helped accomplish many good things for the school system but I think the high point for me will always be the Washington Irving Baseball Team........

submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com
Looks like Stealey Playground with the cluster of trees pictured on the right and Hall Street going to Milford St with white houses on the other side of the street. I remember some playground equipment where the ball court is now. Several of us could ride on that at a time and one would keep it going with our foot pushing it around. Also, I remember my mother taking my sister and me to the playground to watch a movie. There was always a good crowd. We took our lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Also, there was a shelter where we worked on crafts during the summer. Mrs. Pierpoint (sixth grade teacher at Morgan School ) lived across the street on Milford St. Those were some precious days.

submitted by: Tom Blizzard (would have been WI 1960 but moved away)
HwySparky@aol.com
Lots of kids from the neighborhood spent countless hours at the playground, We were playing baseball or basketball and in the fall we would choose sides for touch or tackle football. The girls would gather under the shelter and talk. It is still so vivid in my mind it seems like I drove by there just yesterday.

submitted by: Joanne W. Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny34@msn.com
Could that be the Stealey Playground? It has changed so much since I used to spend lots of time there. I remember sitting on the ground and watching movies in the summer.

submitted by: Larry Martino (WI '59)
MJSPoppy@aol.com
This is the infamous "Stealey Playground", the Home of the "Annual Turkey Football Bowl". This game is played in the mud (the field would be watered down before the game) every Thanksgiving Day. Although, I did not participate both of my boys played in the game. Once the game was over the best thing you could do with your clothes was to put them in the garbage. This game continues to be played every year and is a great Stealey Playground tradition.

submitted by: Sarg McQuillan (WI '57)
Sargent827@sbcglobal.net
Looks like the Stealey Playground. Many a day I spent there playing, with the winners staying on the court; losers to the back of the line.

Everyone got there early as teams were chosen. tough to get on a team after they were chosen, someone had to go home.

submitted by: Bo Kramer (WI '65)
Slimedawgg@aol.com
The picture is of the Stealey Playground. We played baseball, basketball and the Mud Bowl (football) on Thanksgiving Day.

submitted by: Kelly Werner Audia (WI '88)
KLA6247@aol.com
This is the Stealey Play Ground. I lived a block away from here. I spent a lot of time swinging on the swings, talking to my friends, and watching the guys play basketball.

Keep up the good work on the newsletter!!

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@verizon.net
When I was in the eighth grade my family moved to Stealey. That following summer I started going to Stealey playground. I probably spent more time there than at home. I went in the morning and stayed all day except to go home and eat. I loved all the activities there...volleyball, softball, ring toss, arts and crafts. I played everything. I wasn't very good at anything but I sure tried.

Roleta and I met there and became good friends. I remember as if it were yesterday, all the summer evenings we spent there. It was a really great place to hang out. Occasionally, if I stayed to late, my parents would drive by and make me go home...how embarassing!!

submitted by: Mimi McNutt Hughes (WI '62)
mimidltn@netzero.net
The trivia picture for May just has to be the Stealey Playground. Back in the 50's and 60's it was still safe to ride your bike or walk several blocks from home to visit the playground which I often did. It was always alive with laughter and activity. I believe the pitched roof behind the trees in the middle of the picture is the top of David Brown's house and Margaret Hefflin lived across the street.

I look forward to the Newsletter every month - beautiful job. Thank you!

submitted by: Phyllis Alton Nichols (WI '57)
nmimiphyllis@aol.com
I believe the picture is of the Stealey playground. It looks like it is the section that borders on Hall Street. The playground has changed a lot since I used to play there. I lived on Milford Street, and loved to go to the playground to swing in the early evening. The grass wasn't as smooth and the basketball court was a lot rougher.

The playground teacher one year was Miriam Reep who was a beautiful Miss West Virginia in the Miss America Pagent. Early fifties I think. Love the Newsletter.. You girls do a great job.!!

submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
In September of my 5th grade school year my parents moved to Clarksburg, the following summer, I fell in love with Stealey playground. I often had to work at home or help neighbors out during the morning hours but in the afternoon I escaped for a few hours everyday to the playground. I remember belonging to a volleyball team---we actually had games against other playground girl’s volleyball teams. I remember we were pretty good. We played a game (now long forgotten by most) called “ring toss” which used the same volley ball court…somewhat the same rules. I also belonged to the Stealey girl’s softball team. We hosted games or traveled to other Clarksburg playgrounds for games. After dinner (oops it was supper then) in the evening and the dishes were done, I was allowed to walk to the playground….this was a favorite time. Sometimes we could watch a movie being shown but the most fun was meeting friends, talking to boyfriends and after the attendant left for the day we kids could do things that the attendant when present would never allow. A person could get on a swing and pump and pump up to the sky. I had always heard that some person had pumped the swing so high that they had looped the swing over the bars. I tried and tried but couldn’t come near it….the chains would kink at the top and jump and you would sort of fall back down to the proper arc….REMEMBER THAT? I never saw anyone loop those bars and now am know that it can’t be done! That is an unaccomplished engineering feat! Gravity just won’t allow it. But as a child it was exciting to hear the rumors and try to accomplish it! We older kids would get that little merry-go-round going so fast then we would lean our heads back and look at the sky and get off that contraption dizzy and “drunk” and laugh as we tried to walk. (a safe way to get dizzy!) There were no bathrooms at the playground so we would go to the Sinclair station on the adjacent corner on Milford Street…I know they had to get sick of kids using their facilities. I also remember if we had a nickel or dime we could go to that little drugstore across from the Stealey Methodist Church and get an ice cream cone or some other treat. The playground is where I first met Judy Daugherty, we hung out there many evenings and walked up Milford after dark toward my house, she turning right at Waverly Way to go home and me continuing on down Milford. This happened many nights at 9 or 10:00, even though I was often scared to walk along US Rt. 19 that late and alone, I was assured by my grandmother that I would be fine that if anyone picked me up they would let me go as soon as they got me under the light and saw my ugly face cause it would scare them. I always hoped that if anyone stopped to capture me it would be under a street light. Silly kids…but wonderful memories of summers gone by and those freedoms will never again be enjoyed by anyone as America has lost its innocence.

TRIVIA PICTURE FOR JUNE

picture submitted by: Buzzy Floyd (VHS '56)
Do you recognize the place pictured above? Please send your guess to Roleta1@aol.com. Remember I don’t publish incorrect guesses so you won’t embarrass yourself. Also, we enjoy a memory included with your guess.

PRECIOUS CHILD FOR MAY

The Precious Child for May was Lanny Miller (now using name Lance), would have been WI class of 1961 if he hadn't moved to Florida

NOTE FROM JUDY: I have childhood pictures of some people, high school pictures of some people and current pictures of others. But I need at least 2 pictures of the same person. Until I get them there will not be a PRECIOUS CHILD section in the newsletter.

THE ANGLE INN/END
submitted by: George “Bill” Scholl (WI '52)
I just finished the May Newsletter. And once again, another great issue.

I can not tell you where the "Inn" came from for that area. However, after the merger of the streets going west, it is West Pike St. which goes out through Adamston. Near where the Kroger store is now, at the location of the old railroad crossing, the street that turns to the left is Milford which goes to Stealey.

I was not involved in sports, but I remember hearing Mr Cubbon, principal in my days, telling someone that three sports were enough when he was ask why WI did not have a baseball team.

As for the Clarksburg flag, I do not remember ever seeing it. Would age have anything to do with this?

Keep up the good work!

submitted by: Buzz Floyd (VHS '56)
Floyds4@cox.net
This is just a guess, but I have always assumed (making an ass out of u and me?) that the Angle Inn was originally Angle End, and in keeping with us hillbillies’ propensity for contracting words (Norfew = North View; up air = up there, etc.), that Inn was easier to say than End. Probably my VHS buddy Freddie Layman has the definitive answer. That name could go back as far as the 1700s when Clarksburg was established. I have been confused though, in recent years, about whether the junction of Main and Pike was the Angle Inn (End), or whether the Angle Inn was further west where Pike, Milford, and I think, Peck, Streets come together at the RR tracks and two bridges. There may even be, or once was, another street at that intersection. I believe the location did have a name if not the Angle Inn.

The street that continues west of where Pike and Main come together is West Pike Street. I lived, worked, and attended school at various times on West Pike Street, which ends just west of Victory High School at the junction of Rt. 19 and Rt. 50.

submitted by: Jim Brown (WI '57)
Jb1obx@aol.com
My mother always indicated that there was an establishment there called the "Angle Inn" I believe it was a tavern or what was commonly called a "beer joint" when we were growing up.

No one mentioned White's Drug Store which was in the next building up Pike toward town. It is in the building with the upstairs porch on the left behind the Angle Inn in the picture in the May Newsletter.

White's was a typical drug store of the time, very much like Roger's uptown only smaller. They had fountain drinks and for a while, a new type of milk-shake called "Malt-a-Plenty".

They were really good and I had several a day until the novelty wore off (or my money ran out). The latter was probably more likely. I think they were a quarter.

submitted by: Freddie Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@aol.com
At the angle inn, West pike Street extended west going past Victory High School and stopped at the bottom of the hill just below Mike Swiger’s Welding Shop.

submitted by: Ron Harvey (WI '55)
w4rrh@charter.net
Why was the Planing Mill called the Hartland Planing Mill?
The Hartland Planing Mill was established in 1919 in what was then called Hartland Addition of Clarksburg. Hartland was a section of Stealey on the downhill side of Milford Street/US 19. Originally this area was owned by the Hart family. By 1927, or a little before, the business had moved to 715 West Pike Street, formerly the home of the Glen Elk Lumber Company. History does not show the Glen Elk Lumber Company located in Glen Elk, but it is shown located in the Angle Inn Building (709 West Pike Street) before moving to 715. In other words The Hartland Planing Mill got its name from being started in the Hartland Addition.

Where Did Angle Inn get it’s Name?
The building called the Angle Inn was built about 1912. As of 1913 it housed the Angle Inn Pharmacy and, upstairs, six apartments called the Angle Inn Flats. The Pharmacy didn't last many years. Other businesses came and went, along with residential use of the some of the lower floor, while the apartments continued to be known by their colorful name into the late 1920's.

What is the Name of The Road After Main and Pike Come Together?
The road becomes West Pike Street.

REMEMBER YOUR WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY?

JUNE 20, IS WEST VIRGINIA DAY.

PLEASE HELP LOCATE THESE PEOPLE
If you have any information on any of the people listed below, please write to Roleta1@aol.com. I will notify the person who requested the information…thank you for your help.

Steve Lynch, (WI 1958) Last we know he was in Clarksburg.

Virginia Kemp, (WI 1949) We know nothing about her. She grew up in Arbutus Park. Her father was an osteopath. Her uncle was Meyer Seagal. She was married to David Flannigan and had an adopted son also named David. He would be around 44 years old.

WRITE: Roleta1@aol.com. You may have information that you don’t even think is important. Do you know a brother or sister’s name? Females are hard to find as they change their name when marrying so if you know the new name, that would help. Do you know anything about a parent, sibling or cousin---they often can be contacted and they can help. Give us anything you might know or think you remember as it might be a helpful clue!

Thanks

LITTLE LEAGUE IN CLARKSBURG
Sent to the newsletter by: Ron Cleavenger (WI '63)
Ron Cleaven @aol.com
FIFTY YEARS AGO-WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
In the summer of 1955, a group of young men captured the hearts of the citizens of Clarksburg, Harrison, and surrounding counties of Central West Virginia. This group of teenager men ages 13-15 comprised the following: Twins John & Max Curkendall, both of whom pitched and played outfield when not pitching, Dave Hutson, shortstop, Paul Popovich, second baseman, Merrill Bray, first baseman, Junior DeSist, right fielder, Phil Weese, Dave Hess, center fielder, Willard West, third baseman, Harry Hull, Albert Toth, an outfielder, Bobby Fortney, John Lough, Patsy Minnite, catcher, Fred Alvaro, Managers Domenick Salentro and Andy Garcia, and bat boy, Jimmy Salentro. Local Babe Ruth Commissioner Pete Romano accompanied the team after it left Clarksburg for other games.

Their trek began with the local Babe Ruth Tournament held at Clearlite Field near the old Rolland Glass Factory in the Northview section of Clarksburg. All-Star teams from the area, including the Clarksburg Americans, Clarksburg Nationals, Weston, Mannington, Grafton, Elkins, and Buckhannon competed in an elimination tournament beginning on 22 Jul 1955. When this competition completed, the Clarksburg American team composed of the formerly mentioned individuals emerged victorious.

Next stop was the West Virginia State Babe Ruth Tournament at Parkersburg, WV; others here were Follansbee, Parkersburg, Huntington, and Beckley. The Clarksburg Americans, led by the two-hit shutout pitching of John Curkendall defeated Beckley in the championship game, 9-0, and again emerged in victory, qualifying for the Eastern Regional Championships.

In their first game against Trenton, NJ, a team, whose first baseman was Al Downing, later of note for surrendering the 715th home run to Hank Aaron, as Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s long standing home run record for home runs for a career, were defeated by Max Curkendall and the Clarksburg Americans 4-3 in the semi-final game. Brother John Curkendall pitched the 12-1 victory in the championship game against a Frederick, MD, team, who had beaten a Suffolk County, NY, team in the other semi-final game 4-1, as the Clarksburgers were now headed for Austin, TX, and the National Babe Ruth Tournament.

Upon arriving via train in Austin, the first task was an Omaha, NE, team, which the locals defeated 5-0 behind John Curkendall’s two-hitter. Next up was Terre Haute, IN, who had defeated Stamford, CT, 3-2. Birmingham, AL, beat a Portland, OR, team who was led by future Detroit Tigers pitcher and winner of the 1968 World Series MVP Award, one Mickey Lolich 7-5, to play against a Tulsa, OK, team that was beaten by Oakland, CA, 6-3 in the other quarterfinal games.

Against Terre Haute, IN, which included future Purdue University basketball All-American and Olympic Gold Medalist (along with WVU’s own Jerry West) and later dentist Dr. Terry Dischinger, Clarksburg was leading in a rain-shortened game that was called before it became an official game. The following day the Americans succumbed 4-3, as Birmingham, AL defeated Oakland, CA, to reach the finals against the eventual national champion Terre Haute. Clarksburg encountered Oakland, CA, in the game for third place. In this latter game, John Curkendall was masterful as he struck out 18 Oakland batters in a seven inning game setting the new Babe Ruth World Series record for strikeouts in a game at that time, earning a 9-2 victory for the Clarksburg team. The record was subsequently tied in 1965 by Wade Boyette of Mobile, AL. John’s 38 strikeouts in the series still stands as the record. John was named the most outstanding player in the World Series for 1955, with Mickey Lolich being similarly named in 1956.

The Clarksburg team earned the Babe Ruth World Series Sportsmanship Award while in Austin. They returned to Clarksburg again via train and arrived at the B & O Railroad Station in the Glen Elk section of Clarksburg to a welcoming crowd estimated at about 2000. A parade ensued with the team being transported to the Courthouse where they received a key to the city and a reception by fans and local dignitaries.

As a boy of 10 years of age, this is probably the most memorable of the sports events that occurred in Harrison County for me in my time. Paul Popovich subsequently played in the major leagues in the National League as a utility infielder for the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and later still the Pittsburgh Pirates. I got to see him play in person in Atlanta against the Braves for the Dodgers in the summer of 1968. In researching the writing of this, I was amazed at how little local coverage there was in the local newspapers in Clarksburg for this team and their accomplishments. The only picture of significance was on the front page of the 23 August 1955, Clarksburg Telegram newspaper, which showed victorious team members Patsy Minnite, Merrill Bray, and John Curkendall.

submitted by: Buzz Floyd (VHS '56)
Floyds4@cox.net

As you can see, Victory had a great baseball team. This was the 1954 team. When I cropped the pic and listed the names I went about it bassackward and listed them from right to left.

In the first pic in the back row, right to left, is David “Tuffy” Knight, ‘54, Bunk Sprouse ‘55, Junior Perri, ‘56, and Kenneth “Punky” Garrett, ‘56; seated from right to left is Clarence Leggett, ‘54, Sam Hilton, ‘55, and (I think) Don Smith, ‘54.

Pic #2, right to left, back row, Anthony DeMicco, ’56, Keith Clark, ’55, Robert “A” Williams, ’56, and John Anderson, ‘55; seated right to left, Joe Perri, ’54, Paul McNabb, (?) ‘55, I think it’s Jerry Stackpole, ’56, but it could be Charlie Pyle, ’56, and Robert Byrnes’ ‘54.

Pic #3, right to left, back row standing, “A” Williams, ‘56, John Anderson, ’55, Dr. Jimmy Kopp, ’55, Laverne Murphy (?), ’55, and David Toothman, ‘56; seated, Jerry Stackpole, ‘56 (or Charlie Pyle, ‘56), Robert Byrnes, ’54, George Beezel ?), ‘55, and Coach J. Neil Sappington, WI (ca. 1938?).

Because of baseball being played late in the year, and the yearbook deadline, the team standings weren’t published until the next yearbook came out. Per my 1955 yearbook, which didn’t list wins and losses, this 1954 team won the Big Ten Conference Championship, as did the 1955 team the following year with a record 6-1 in the Big Ten, and 12- 7 overall. There was no mention of baseball in the 1954 yearbook, and I don’t recall how we came out in 1956, the year I graduated. But, Coach Sapp wrote in my 1956 yearbook about the small picture and short write-up of the 1955 Big Ten win, “How do you like this big spread? I guess if we had lost them all we might have gotten a full page.” Coach Sapp was a helluva guy and a highly underrated coach. He was my favorite teacher even if he did graduate from WI. And to think, my mother and my aunts once babysat him.

submitted by: Joe Marra (WI '58)
Marra3@earthlink.net
I didn’t get to answer your request about playing ball, so I will now.

We started out in Glen Elk playing softball for our playground under the 4th Street Bridge. Some players were Bob Secert , Buck Wolfe, Sam Goots, Anthony Policano, Buddy Bias and others. Then we played little league for Rusco and were coached by one of the nicest men I ever met. His name was Pat Secret, Bobby’s dad.

Some other players were Sonny Donaldson, Gene his brother, Bob Secret, Wolfe and Basil. Wolfe also played on the Babe Ruth League for Clearlite Glass Co. in North View. Joe Deluca played with us on that team. Then I played for Knights of Columbus with Jim Capage, and Anthony Julian. I played 2 years of American Legion. I felt lucky to make that team. We had good players like Secert , Ricky Shreves, Babe Sirriani, Sam Fernandez, Fred Alvaro, Mickey McGowan, Dan Terango, Ed Devoge and more I can't recall. Our coach was Smiley Jamison. I think guys will remember him and all of his coaching. I forgot Cotton Thomas, Bernie Jehosit , Pat Carder, Frank Robinette, and the Scotts from Kelly Hill.

You are invited to the Sixth Annual WI Reunion Picnic in Clarksburg, West Virginia, on Saturday, August 26, 2006, at VA (River Bend) Park off Milford St. You can also get to it via the Nutter Fort area by going over Rt 98. The time is 11AM until the last one goes home...whenever that is. We were unable to get a pavilion at Clarksburg (Nutter Fort) Park this year. The picnic is for anyone who ever attended WI (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A GRADUATE). Let's make this a big WI REUNION DAY!

Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI 1959) is in charge of this picnic. She provides the table settings for you. You will need to bring a covered dish, your own drink, and money to put in the pot to help her cover her expenses. Some people bring a folding lawn chair. Don't forget your cameras!!!

You do not have to make a reservation but she will need to know about 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. So write to Sharyn at mtmama41@msn.com and tell her you will see her there.

If anyone needs directions to Veterans Park they can e-mail Sharyn or Judy Daugherty Kimler at jkimler@verizon.net.

If you live out of the area, you might want to make this picnic part of a week long vacation that would include the Italian Heritage Festival in Clarksburg on Labor Day weekend. If you don't have family in the area with which you can stay, you should make motel reservations now.

Some area Motels:

Days Inn      842-7371    Off exit 119 then west to Bridgeport
Knights Inn    842-7115   Off Exit 119 then west to Bridgeport
Sleep Inn      842-1919    Off Exit 119 then west to Bridgeport
Holiday Inn    842-0503 or 842-5411    Off Exit 119 then west to Bridgeport
Hampton Inn    842-9300    Exit 120 (Mall Exit)

NEW READERS

Larry Alvaro (WI '67)	alva33alva@yahoo.com
Luke Christie (WI '75)	luke.christie.bwgb@statefarm.com
Jean Young (WI Faculty 1964-1968)	nfdg83e@juno.com
Gene Davis (WI '59)	genedavis@charter.net
Warren Whaley (WI '58)	Warren.Whaley@cox.net
Jim Marple (WI '58)	jbgmarple@aol.com
Nancy Andre Hatton (WI '52)	nandrehl@yahoo.com
Marilyn Lightner Kittle (WI '65)	Pamak41371@wmconnect.com
Bill Bowie (WI '62)	Oilpumper@aol.com
Susie Wysong Sutton (WI '65)	susiesutton65@adelphia.net
Kitty Wysong Cobb (WI '62)	wysong44@hotmail.com
Nadine Schaffer O'Connor (WI '56)	toconnor1@verizon.net
Ernie Bastin (WI '57)	bastin@ohio.edu

CHANGE OF MAILING ADDRESS

Joe Boomer (WI '54)	jboom36@tds.net
Mickey Drummond (WI ’60)	drummond1@tampabay.rr.com
Bill May (WI '63)	billmayflorida@yahoo.com

submitted by: Sharon Myers Hall (WI '65)
hhubert@bellsouth.net

Patty Weaver, who plays Gina Roma on “The Young and the Restless”, joined the cast of the daytime drama in 1982.

Weaver's television career began with appearances on the series Maude and All in the Family both on the CBS Television Network. She also appeared as Trish Clayton Banning in Days of our Lives for nine years. Before launching her acting career, Weaver formed the rock n' roll band, the Loved Ones. She continues her singing career with several record albums.

Weaver keeps busy on the night club circuit. She has opened for Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, Jerry Lewis and the late George Burns in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. She's a regular on some of the most prominent telethons and has helped raised millions for charities.

Born in Clarksburg, West Virginia and raised in Dayton, Ohio, she now lives in Southern California. She is married to The Young and the Restless writer Jerry Birn. Weaver's birthday is September 23. She stands 5' tall and has blonde hair and blue eyes.

What a soap star, I probably watched her and didn't have that connection!

I found this on the Internet.........so I do think this Patty Weaver is the sister of Suzette Weaver that lived on Locust Court Apartment. I think I sent a picture on the first CD I made for you. I guess she grew-up, but I still see that little girl with her beautiful blonde hair in pigtails.

I remember Suzette being in 5th grade with me at Pierpont Grade School in Ms. Riley's class.

I am still working on the other CD with pictures of Clarksburg and will try to get it off soon, I think I am about half way on it.

Good job to you and Judy for all the hard work you do. It is like being in Clarksburg and the area around and seeing peoples names bring back fond memories.

submitted by: Marlene Andre (RW '53)
rw53@verizon.net

Hi! I finally found the photo I wanted to send you. I do not know for sure if this is the Alta Vista school boy patrol, or some other grade school.

My late Husband Leon Andre, WI class of 1946 is sitting in the front row on the right. Probably some others can help with the identity of these young gentlemen.

submitted by: Mary Virginia Duncan Johnson Wilke (WI '55)
Mwdusty1@aol.com

Thank you for adding me to the newsletter. It is so great to see all the stories & pictures. I had no idea that we had a flag. I am in possession of books on the early days of Clarksburg & didn't find one mentioned. They do, however, show many places that are now gone on Pike & Main Street. I was amazed at the destruction on these two streets when I was there. It makes one wonder how good modern progress is. Remember the arcade, Grand & Ritz Theaters, Friedlander store, Blands drugstore, Hagen's ice cream store, Anderson's Restaurant - onion rings to die for, Central Restaurant, the Greek Hot Dog stand,etc. All gone but not forgotten.

Yes, I remember the "Five & Dime" stores. There was Murphys, Grants & Woolworths. We spent many a time looking through all the things there. And yes, you could buy many a thing - barrettes, fake rings, jewelry, household things, etc. for five cents or a dime!

Well, enough rambling for this month.

submitted by: Ron Cleavenger (WI '63)
RonCleaven@aol.com

Roleta-You emailed me and ask if I wrote the story about the Little League in Clarksburg, and you mentioned my writing ability-- I graduated from W-I 1963; I had the following English Teachers there-- Mss. Ione McGee, Emily Taylor, and Glyde Bailey. To them I owe my writing abilities !!!!! Thanks for the compliment. I had talked with Fred Alvaro, whom I know lives near you about this baseball team. I am very interested in genealogy and actually Dick Nuzum, whose obit I sent you was a distant relative of mine along with five other classmates from my 1963 class-- none of whom have the Clevenger/Cleavenger surname, but who do have that surname in their ancestry.

Warm regards and again thanks. You and Judy do a TERRIFIC JOB !!!!!!!

submitted by: Susie Wysong Sutton (WI '65)
susiesutton65@adelphia.net

I would be interested in getting the WI newsletters. Shari Josephs forwards them to me. Also add my sister Kitty Wysong Cobb, class of '62 wysong44@hotmail.com Thanks I'll look forward to it.

About the 5 & 10's:
This past year Kitty and I were dividing up old Xmas ornaments from our parents and Kitty remembers going to the 5 & 10 and buying them with our dad. We then talked about those 3 or 4 in Clarksburg.

submitted by: Jean Young (WI Faculty 1964-1968)
nfdg83e@juno.com

Bob Feltner has recently been sending me the Clarksburg newsletters, which are very interesting. I would like to be put on the list to receive them. I was a member of the Washington Irving high school faculty from 1964-1968. All four of our children were graduates of WI: Wendell - 1963; Marcia -1964; Roger-1972 and Melanie-1974.

submitted by: Marilyn Lightner Kittle (WI '65)
Pamak41371@wmconnect.com

Rose Bosley Sands McGee sent me your address so I can receive the WI newsletter too. Would you please add me to the list! I am Marilyn Lightner Kittle- graduated in 1965 from WI too!!! always good to hear about everyone. Thanks! Have a good summer as Rose tells me you are going to be traveling. I will look forward to receiving THE newsletter next time. She sent me this one. Thanks again!!

submitted by: Luke Christie (WI '75)
luke.christie.bwgb@statefarm.com

My name is Luke Christie a 1975 graduate of WI High School. I want to get on your mailing list. The WI class of 1975-1976 will be having our 30 year reunion this Labor Day weekend. Joe Marra referred me to you. He said you do a great job on your newsletter etc! Thanks

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

It is "Angle End" not Angle Inn. I would think that Inn probably came from our WV accent. My parents did not have an accent and they always said "Angle End" which makes sense, as the angle does come to an end in a point-- You know, Roleta, that was the first time I ever heard it called"angle inn---but it could be that some people meant "angle in" because it does angle in to become one street!!! Now, how about that? And did you ever hear Mr. Sheets, principal of Morgan School, say "rightcheer" for right here? Gregory came home one day from school and he was just a little fellow, too, and he said "Mommy, do you know what Mr. Sheets says when he wants you to come right here?

And a note to Dick Hanifan, Phoenix always has had a West Virginia picnic--since my brother, Charles Carroll Radcliffe isn't there to tell me about it anymore, I don't know if it is still being held or not. Betsy Bartlett Davis, WI class of 1940, always told me about it, too, as she used to do some of the organizing. Really enjoyed this newsletter. Great work.

submitted by: Marcia Porter Heinz (WI '65)
mheinz2@earthlink.net

I just love the newsletters and enjoy reading them. I was not born in Clarksburg. We arrived at the beginning of my seventh grade term at Central Junior High. My father, Leonard Porter, was the new manager at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. My experiences are so much different than everyone else because my neighborhood was the hotel and downtown area.

Many of my friends parents did not want them to come to the hotel because of the “things” that went on in a hotel. But, we had great places for parties. Who else could have the ballroom available for birthday parties? It was fun.

For a while, we had a Seafood Jamboree on Friday nights. That was the best time to have friends come over for dinner.

Living in the hotel was also like living in a fish bowl. All calls went thru the switchboard so they knew if a “boy” was calling me or my sisters. They also knew whom we were dating and when we got back home. ugh

There were advantages living in the hotel because we got to meet the famous people who came to town. When Kennedy was campaigning in WV, he stayed at the Hotel. We got to meet Jackie, John and Bobbie. Harry Truman was a guest at the hotel. This was not new to me because my father had been a hotel manager for many years. I grew up in hotels.

Clarksburg was our home for over 12 years. There are many fond memories of friends, food and places. Madge Daud gave me a free pass the summer before I went to WI. Every Friday night, Marcia Fox and I would go to the movies. We did not have to stand in line, we got escorted to the front of the line and went right in. Those were the days!

At lot of my friends were at the Clarksburg Baptist Church. We had a great group who went on Wed. night and Sunday school. I got married in that church.

I have been to Clarksburg several times since I graduated and have attended class reunions. Now I live in western Nebraska and can not get back very often. The downtown looks so much different. I remember going to the shoe store just before school when they had all shoes on sale for $5. What a deal. We stocked up. And the pepperoni rolls. No one can make them like the bakery. On special occasions we headed to Bridgeport for pizza. (Not the delivery like today.) And, remembering the trip across Bridgeport Hill, I often thought I was die at the top of that hill. It was very dangerous!

Keep up the good works and I am so sorry for being so long in writing.

submitted by: Jeanne Colasante Thomas (ND '61)
Thomas4two@aol.com

Anoher great Newsletter. Not being from WI and having a problem just getting some of our Class of '61 to answer e-mails, I am always so amazed and impressed at how people take the time to be involved to make the Newsletter such a great one. This is something of which you both should be proud.

I had meant to send this in for last month, but now that the article appeared in last week's USA TODAY I wanted to make sure everyone was aware that after many years, they are finally making a movie about the Marshall University plane tragedy. The working name of the movie is "Forever Marshall" and it will star Matthew Maconahey who is in WV now filming the movie.

Frank Loria was a cousin of mine through my step-father; and, my husband John "Cotton" Thomas lost a very good friend in Shorty Moss, who was also a coach at Marshall at that time. Franks wife, Phyllis, grew up and lived around the corner from me in Clarksburg, so the crash was a great loss for our family.

OBITUARIES
EDITOR'S NOTE: I can only publish obits that are sent to me. I have no time to research this and if I did, I might miss someone. So if you care enough to send it, I will publish it here.

HAROLD V. TATE
Harold V. Tate, 82 of Stoneybrook Rd, passed away April 24th at home. He was born Aug 2, 1923 in Clarksburg, a son of the late Harry & Sarah Margaret (Dobbins) Tate.

He was preceded in death by his wife Olive Genevieve (Cookie) Fansler Tate on May 7, 1984. He is survived by two sons, Harold D. Tate and his wife Caroline of Bridgeport, and David B. Tate of Clarksburg; two daughters, Karen K. Tate of Morgantown and Shari S. Tate of Clarksburg; two grandchildren; and one sister Margaret Frances (Tate) Barrett of Erie, PA.

A 1941 graduate of Washington Irving High School, he entered the United States Navy during WW II and served for 32 months, stationed mainly on the Aircraft Carrier the USS Langley. He worked for the United States Postal Service for 25 years and retired as Superintendent of Mail. He was a member of the Reynoldsville Baptist Church.

RUTH ERNESTINE GIMMEL
Ruth Ernestine Gimmel, age 92, of Clarksburg, WV, passed away at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, April 29, 2006, at United Hospital Center following an extended illness. She was born July 1, 1913, in Clarksburg, WV, a daughter of the late Elbertus E. Holden and Iva Liggett Holden. Mrs. Gimmel was preceded in death by her husband, Edward C. Gimmel, whom she married in 1943; her son, Ernest C. Gimmel, April 3, 2004, and a sister, Virginia Wellock.

She is survived by her nieces, Katie Rodella and husband, Joseph, Pittsburgh, PA, Christie Surmacz, Trafford, PA, and nephew, Richard Wellock and wife Dody, Ligonier, PA, and her daughter-in-law, Linda J. (Nutter) Gimmel of Clarksburg, WV.

Mrs. Gimmel was retired from the Harrison County Board of Education as a teacher with nearly 40 years of service. She was a graduate of Washington Irving High School, Fairmont State College and West Virginia University.

She was an active 50-year member of the Stealey United Methodist Church, a past president of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Kappa Chapter, the Clarksburg Quota Club and a past matron of Queen Esther Chapter No. 11, Order of Eastern Star.

ROSEMARY McCANDLES BEVER
Rosemary McCandless Bever, 90, of Clarksburg, passed away at her residence on Saturday April 29, 2006. She was born on February 14, 1916, in Oklahoma, a daughter of the late Orpha McCandless. She is survived by one grandson, Brett Bever, of Fort Myers, FL; one granddaughter, Shana Conti, and her husband John and their three children, Rachel, Hannah and Julia, all of Cape Coral, FL.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William H. Bever and two sons, Donald and Roy Bever. Mrs. Bever was a well-known local artist and a church vocalist and had a passion for the sun and beach.

She was a member of the Watercolor Society and the Art Guild, Eastern Star and Y.W.C.A.

CHARLES RICHARD NUZUM
Mr. Charles Richard Nuzum, age 60, (WI 1963) of Surfside Beach, SC, passed away at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29, 2006, at his residence following a brief illness.

He was born in Clarksburg, WV, May 23, 1945, a son of John David Nuzum and Virginia Armstrong Nuzum of Route 2, Box 229, Mount Clare, WV (Quiet Dell).

In addition to his parents, he is also survived by one son, J. Richard “Richy” Nuzum, Myrtle Beach, SC; two daughters, Joanna Lea and Stephanie Nuzum, both of Parkersburg, WV; two brothers and sisters-in-law, John Thomas and Randileen Nuzum, Clarksburg, WV, and David Stephen and Sandy Nuzum of Quiet Dell, Mt. Clare, WV; seven grandchildren; three nephews and two nieces.

Mr. Nuzum was Methodist by faith. He was a long-time D.J. on several local radio stations, such as WBLK and WMMN, before moving to the Myrtle Beach, SC, area in 1977. After getting his certification, he worked as an EMT and fireman in Surfside Beach, SC. He later became an agent working for the Budget Car Rental Agency, a division of Avis.

DONNA LOUGH DYER
Donna Lough Dyer (WI 1963) died on May 14 in Morgantown, WV from illnesses following a shoulder replacement. She was preceded in death by her husband Glendon and by one daughter. Her parents, Donald H Lough and Mary Frances Gocke Lough, also preceded her in death.

Surviving are three children and five granchildren. Also surviving are three sisters (Judith Lough Bell, Sandra Lough Limbers and Sharon Lough Price) and one brother (Donald H Lough, Jr).

LESLIE HOLDSWORTH
Leslie Holdsworth, (WI 1931), died peacefully at the age of 94 on May 1, 2006 in Lake Wales FL.

Newsletter Archive

Back to WI Index