THE WI NEWSLETTER 09/06



THE WI NEWSLETTER


Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith Issue 85 BEGINNING OUR 8TH YEAR September 2006






SEVEN YEARS

submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith
Roleta1@aol.com

Who would have thought that this newsletter could have gone on for 7 years? As many of you know, the reason I started this newsletter was to keep my classmates connected so we wouldn’t lose touch with each other. However, many of my classmate’s siblings enjoyed reading the newsletter also and joined in with comments and memories. There are readers who send the newsletter on to a lot of their friends, classmates and relatives. Then the readership just kept growing as one of you told someone else who told someone else, etc. Thus the readership grew from about 25 to about 1,200 today. So from it’s small beginnings, the newsletter now keeps many networks of friends and classmates connected.

My first month of doing the newsletter and emailing it to my classmates, I was so proud of the simple graphics I had installed in just the right places. After I sent out the newsletter, I received several comments from classmates….one being from my high school friend, Judy Daugherty Kimler. I ask her how she liked the little blue flowers (blue for WI, of course) I had put in the newsletter, she then told me that she didn’t receive any blue flowers and probably the only ones who would ever see them were those who also had AOL. I was astounded, all my creative work and no one saw it. What to do? Judy then offered to put the newsletter up on her “free” website and everyone could just go there to read it. She is married to Larry, who I call “ our computer guru”, who taught her how to put in those wonderful graphics and how to put it all on the website. She and I had to learn a lot. So up it went. At the same time we were trying to get a chat room going for our classmates. In that chatroom, (which no longer exists) classmate, Bob Davis volunteered to help me with the names and email addresses…he would keep them in order. Bless his heart, I doubt if he ever guessed it would be a monthly chore for him, adding new email addresses, changing email addresses and deleting some who didn’t respond. But he has stuck with us and revises the list for me each month. And so we were started, it was great but after a couple of years the web site crashed and we thought we had lost all of the past newsletters to “outer space” but Larry was able to come to the rescue and find them for us. Now they are preserved on a CD.

We continued for a couple more years putting out the “WI Class of 1959 Newsletter” but all of a sudden it dawned on me that we had more readers and writers from other classes than from our own class. So, I renamed the newsletter “The WI Newsletter”…..thus I think all people who ever attended WI felt welcome to read and write to us. Since we discussed so many things about Clarksburg and surrounding area in general we started getting comments from people who never attended WI but another high school in the city, then some from other Harrison County schools who were interested in the memories of the city, county and state. It wasn’t too long until we had readers from all over the state, other states and even some other countries. We welcome them all...All have added interest to the newsletter and helped it “LIVE” for seven years..

The one thing that has amazed me is that we haven’t run out of subjects to explore. But I do have moments when my brain goes dead and I can’t think of a thing to suggest for the next month, I still welcome suggestions.

So I wish to thank Judy and Bob for sticking with me, encouraging me the first couple of years to hang in there. Also, a big thank you to Freddie Layman for all of his research and interesting contributions to the newsletter. Thanks to my hubby, Bill, for putting up with me being on the computer so many hours each month and for his contributions of subjects to explore.

This newsletter has brought together old friends, neighbors and relatives. Through this publication we have all remembered how wonderful it was to grow up in that special time in Clarksburg, WV at it’s “hay day”. We are proud to be West Virginians and even prouder for being from Clarksburg.

Thanks to all of you who write to the newsletter on a regular basis as it is due to your help that this newsletter has continued for so long.



THE ARCADE


ARCADE BEFORE THE FIRE

submitted by: Anthony J. Selario (WI '56)
aselario3257@charter.net

Dexell's was the place to buy records in the Arcade. My Godmother, Philomeno Oliveto, worked there for many years.



submitted by: Phyllis Alton Nichols (WI '57)
Nmimiphyllis@aol.com

The store in the Arcade that catered to teenagers was the Debuteen Shop. It was a part of the Kiddie Shop that was located on Main Street. The record store was Drexels and I believe there was a weekly newspaper called the Clarksburg News that was also located there. I don't remember the girls singing or whistling, going through the Arcade, but I do remember the boys whistling and calling out to the girls.!! They would walk behind us and sure did get our attention. It was fun.



submitted by: Beverly McClung Eye (WI '70)
beverlyeye@bellsouth.net

Yes, there was a bakery. It was the Chalfont Bakery. My uncle, Fred Chalfont's, mother owned and operated it. He is married to my aunt - Mary "Jo" Young - she graduated from WI around 1933. My favorite was the salt rising bread have never tasted any made any better any where else.



submitted by: Tom Kearns (WI '61)
ftkearns@iolinc.net

On the subject of retail outlets in the Arcade.........I seem to remember a shoe repair shop, a record store, a jewelry store and a shoe store....Wow.......that's really digging deep in the memory banks.......

Does anyone remember a shop, located across from the Court House called Manny Nesbaum's novelty shop....It would have been just to the right of Murphys 5 & 10 as you looked from the Court House........It was a kids dream come true, filled with Magic stuff, yoyos, Items to perform tricks, games, etc.........Toys R Us 1950s style........

No one seems to remember this shop but me........Perhaps I just dreamed it..........Ha Ha.,,,,,,



submitted by: Jim Hovey (WI '62)
jhovey@bwiairport.com

The continuing discussion about the Arcade brings to mind memories and thoughts. I remember Mike (Frankhouser) Patrick and I walking from Chestnut Hills one cold winter day to buy one (and only one) 45 record each from Drexels in the Arcade. I chose “Sea of Love” by Sam? Phillips. I don’t know what Mike’s selection was but I didn’t care - I had “Sea of Love”. I remember when the Arcade burned down and even though I was only 12 or 13 at the time, recognized it as some sort of significant event. And it was significant! With its Arcade, the forerunner of “The Mall”, Clarksburg was well ahead of the retail/marketing concepts that prevail in America today. I have always felt that Clarksburg lost more than just “a building” when the Arcade burned and was not rebuilt. Too bad we can’t have a do-over. I know we all have pretty good hindsight, but I agree with you that rebuilding the arcade probably would have at least slowed the decline of the city. I too remember what I thought was a bustling city. And special treat days of walking down the hill from WI to Anderson’s Restaurant for the best bean soup I’ve ever eaten (including the famous “Senate Bean Soup”).

And I remember sitting on the courthouse wall on a summer day with Fred Alvaro (and many others) watching what I knew were the most beautiful women in the world stride by on their way somewhere (sometimes passing by three or four times). I still haven’t found a better way to while away a summer day. Thanks for helping me dredge up those over 50 year old memories.

By the way, thanks again to you and Judy for all of your efforts toward this newsletter. It is always a welcome read.



submitted by: Bob Davis (WI '59)
RAD29063@aol.com

My memory is a little fuzzy on some things about the Arcade, as that has been about 50 years ago!!

But:

I remember the bakery--I think it was Home Industry (doesn't look right) at the top east side of the Arcade. They baked salt risen bread one day a week and it really stunk and when we would walk from shop or mechanical drawing next to Central Jr. on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, you could hardly stand the smell.

Drexel's was the record shop (on the west side) and I even remember buying Davy Crockett by Tennessee Ernie Ford there. The other shops I can remember, but no names. Seems that Aaron's shoe store was at the lower end east side of the Arcade.

Just like going through a tunnel--everybody--well kids--hollered, whistled, etc. And some drove through it!



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

Of course I remember the Arcade Building, and not just because it was the way we walked back and forth to WI. I spent lots of time there because my mom's office (the Girl Scouts) was in it for years, upstairs, where the strong smells of the salt risin' bread wafted up from the bakery. (Later the Girl Scouts moved to the Terminal Building.) I was inspired by reading the salt risin' recipe to make some the other day, and imagine this, my husband, who is allergic to mushrooms and all things yeasty, can eat it with no problem. It has opened up a whole new world of BLTs and toast with breakfast. Wraps are ok, but sometimes you just want a sandwich. So, once again, the Newsletter serves a greater purpose than just that of the guilty pleasure of keeping up with old friends and renewing old memories.
Thanks!



submitted by: Joanne Westfall Simpson-Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny34@msn.com

Ah, yes, the Arcade....My memories are as follows: There definitely was a bakery and I believe they baked Salt-rising bread on Mondays, the smell was not pleasant and you could smell the aroma all the way up or down.

I think there was a hat shop somewhere in the middle (remember the days when women wore hats?)

It is possible that there was a dry-cleaners near the top. I have no idea why it was built, but the four years on the "hill" provided us with shelter coming and going.

I was not living in Clarksburg when the fire destroyed it and I don't think I have ever been in anything like it since. I heard that on prom nights, there were some that decided to drive through it.



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

The Arcade in Clarksburg. (You are really getting all of us organized now!!)

The shoe store was at the first store beginning at the bottom of the Arcade. This was Aaron's Shoe Store. I remember drooling over the "new style" penny loafers every time I walked by there. By Christmastime, my Grandfather Greitzner was living with us then, and those special penny loafers were my special Christmas gift that year. I could not tell you how many times I had those shoes soled and heeled with a bright new shiny penny in each shoe!!



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

Lucille Ellis's father had a shoe repair shop in the Arcade Bld. Pete Rago....wonderful man. he made me a sheath for a hunting knife one time for me.. no charge......I helped deliver groceries to his home on Sumner street....He and he wife were always so kind. Buster Brown Shoes were sold in the Arcade Bld...bought all my Records at Drexel's Music store which was also located in the Arcade....75 cents for one 45 record ..My first record ever purchased “ Where are you Little Star”



submitted by: Raymond E. Cox (RW '63)
Buttonpuller@aol.com

I remember the Drexal's Record store was in the Arcade near the top on the east side. It was owned by a Mr. Phares. I had an aunt who was a waitress at the Manhattan Reataurant on Pike Street and she worked the midnight shift. Mr. Phares supposedly came into the restaurant early in the morning after the fire and announced he had the hottest records in Clarksburg. Funny how certain things stick with you forever.

There was a shoe store at the lower end of the Arcade. I think it fronted on Main Street but had an entry door out of the Arcade. I do not remember the name of the store but they sold Buster Brown shoes. There was an advertisement painted on the wall of the Arcade with a picture of Buster Brown and his dog Tag.

I always felt the Arcade was the forerunner to todays malls. It protected you from the weather as you went from shop to shop. Kind of a neat idea after all! At one time the City Council of Clarksburg was considering the idea of building an Arcade type structure over Main Street from Third Street to Fourth Street. It was too futuristic for the town fathers and shortly after that the Middletown Mall opened up at Fairmont. This was the beginning of the exodus of the downtown Clarksburg businesses. Later with the coming of Hills shopping plaza and the Hecks discount stores, Clarksburg was doomed. The Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport pretty well finished it off. If anything was left it fell victim to Wal-Mart.

The Arcade was a challenge for any young man with a motorcycle. I did not have my license during it's life span or I would have been guilty also. From first hand accounts, I guess it was quite an echo chamber for straight pipes on a Harley Davidson.



submitted by: Gloria Rosenthal Plevin (WI '52)
gloriaplevin@adelphia.net

I lived on Maple Avenue and walked through the arcade every day going to and from WI at lunchtime. My memory of the arcade is so strong that for years I dreamed about it.

Usually I was with friends, Nancy Carskadon who lived across the street from my house, or Suzanne Stickman who lived a couple of blocks away, or Ann Brannon who lived down the hill on Main Street. We walked very fast, had a certain stride that we perfected for fast walking. It was the smell from the bakery which was a combination of rising yeast, cinnamon and sugar that is so clear in my olfactory memory. The bakery was midway in the arcade, I think. It was a treat to buy a twisted donut, and I can still think of the arcade anytime I see a twisted sugar coated donut in a bakery.

Thanks for the wonderful newsletter.


ARCADE AFTER IT BURNED IN 1957




SUBJECTS TO REMEMBER AND WRITE ABOUT:

Football Friday night---did you play football, march in the band, help with the team, sell programs, sell refreshments, or attend the game---what did Friday night in the fall when you were in high school mean to you? Write your memories to Roleta1@aol.com.

Autumn in West Virginia---What do you remember about fall? Write to Roleta1@aol.com.

School started in September, so did many romances, tell us about your school romance. Write Roleta1@aol.com.



BACK IN THE USA

submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith
Roleta1@aol.com

I had mentioned to you that Bill and I would be traveling a lot this summer. We returned to the USA on the 13th of August after 3 weeks in Europe. We traveled from an airport in the UK with just our wallets, tickets and passports in a clear plastic bag. Even though it was very frightening, I felt more secure than what we encountered in JFK airport. The people working in the airports seemed incompetent and non informed. The lines were terrible and the people standing in the lines weren’t sure if they were even in the correct lines. These lines had 100 to 200 people in them. After feeling rather safe traveling from London, we boarded a plane from JFK to Sarasota, Florida and I did not feel safe at all. People were still shoving their huge carry ons in the luggage areas and under their seats. All I can say is we had a marvelous trip but I won’t be flying again anytime soon…..I’ve had enough for awhile. I do know we will fly to Ohio for Christmas but that may be the only flying I do each year for several more years.

We traveled to many different countries on the Baltic Sea and I was amazed at how people no longer like the US and our dollar had lost a lot of its value. So Thank God I live in the USA! It is great to be home!



BANKS IN CLARKSBURG

submitted by: John Timberlake (WI '48)
jgtimberlake@aol.com

Clarksburg was the financial center for central WV. It loaned money for many coal operators and other businesses. In the 1940's there were two main banks, the Union National and Lownes(sp). After the war in the late'40s strip mining was big and the local banks were deeply involved in loaning money to these operators, as well as managing the payrolls, investments, etc. I do not know the names of these banks as they appeared after I left Clarksburg in the early '50s.



submitted by: Joanne Westfall-Simpson Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny34@msn.com

Now we can talk about the banks that have changed since the 50's or 60's. The first bank to mention was the Empire National Bank on the corner of Main & Fourth Sts. That building is empty except for a law firm and a new bank sits on the corner of Fourth & Pike Sts. and is called BB&T.

The next bank was Union National Bank on the corner of Main & 3rd Sts. It has changed names a lot since then and is now Chase.

On the corner, diagonal was Merchant's National Bank. Across 3rd St. and Main Sts. sat the Lowndes Bank. It now on the corner of Pike & 3rd. Sts. and is known today as Huntington Bank



submitted by: David Saucer (WI '51)
dsaucer@sbcglobal.net

Banks…There was/is the Empire National Bank at Main and 4th, the Union National Bank, the Lowndes Bank and the Merchants Bank, all facing each other at Main and 3d.. The Merchants bank building was a very solid structure constructed of pink sandstone. I hope it still stands today. In Bridgeport there was/is the Bridgeport Bank where I used to visit with my Grandfather. Also, while we are discussing banks, do you remember in elementary school, the schools promoted saving. At Alta Vista, we had savings day on Tuesday. We brought our dimes and quarters to school and put them into our savings account. We had little deposit books that were kept by the teachers. In sixth grade I was a lucky guy as I was tapped by the Principal Mr. Lawson to be the courier. About once a month he gave me bus fare and the deposits. I rode the bus uptown to Pike and Third, walked up Third to either the Lowndes or Union Bank (Senior moment, I don’t remember which) and made the deposit. Then I rode the bus back to Broad Oaks and returned to class. I wonder if today they would allow a sixth grader that responsibility and freedom to perform such a task….I rather doubt it. Then it was not a big deal.

Now, I also wonder if I or any of us cashed out those accounts. I do not remember doing so, do you? Maybe some of us have compounded interest over the last fifty years on our small accounts and now they are large accounts.



submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI '50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com

The bank I remember the best was the Empire National Bank on the corner of Main and Fourth St. Everything was wood and marble. The floors were the octagon shaped white tile. The counter tops were marble and there were bars in front of the tellers windows. The rest of the inside of the bank was beautiful wood. I often wondered if the building was torn down or if they renovated it. If so what happened to the wood?

At school we would take a dime each week for savings day. We had cardboard books that the banks furnished and we would put our dime in a slot in the book. When the book was full the teacher would give them back to us and we would go to the bank and deposit them into our account. I don't suppose I had a very great amount on deposit, but it taught us to save.



submitted by: Wayne Winters (nearly class of '66) at WI
wwinters@ix.netcom.com

At the courthouse at Stonewall's statue-The Union National Bank was just directly across the street. Kitty cornered was the Lownes Bank. My uncle Orval, a WI grad 1939 or 40 was employed at the Union Bank. At church, Central Christian, on Pike and Chestnut another Union Bank employee and co worker of my uncle was a lay leader there. Dave Corsini --his wife was named Jackie if memory serves me. I remember the marble floor at Union Bank and the elevator that would take my dad and I to my uncle's office on the 2d floor as I remember.

I still have some of the give-aways from the advertising department at the bank . There was a spring loaded coin dispenser that was supposed to stick to a car dashboard by means of a suction cup. The largest diameter coin for the parking meter dispenser was sized for the nickel. So a penny, dime, or nickel would fit. The parking meters here in Sacramento today take only quarters or electronic cards you can purchase at city hall. I have retired that dispenser. Another memorabilia of the Union bank was a money clip which had 2 blades like a pocket knife to be used for a letter opener. Security at the Federal Building here wanted to confiscate it as a dangerous weapon after 9-11. The blades must be almost a half inch in length. I exercised the option to return that bad boy to my vehicle instead of allowing them to have custody of it.

Some of the conversations at the bank between the brothers were pretty good. Some of the more interesting ones to me were the ones in 1960. Uncle Orval was a Yankee fan and my dad was a Pgh Pirate fan. Would have been interesting to hear what if any conversation took place between dad and Orval when Mazeroski ended the 1960 world series with a walk off home run at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. I was in New York City on one of the trips Pat Dodds of Central Junior High made with her students at least once a year.

Going to Alta Vista I remember the students at least part of my time there had Bank savings books. About once a week the student had a chance to give their change to the teacher who would collect our money and pass on the deposit to the bank. The little passbooks were smaller than a 3 by five index card and were brownish in color on the cover. What a choice --pass up those little rows of sugar pills on the paper or the sweet kool aid in the wax bottles calling your name from the stores on the way back home from school-- or to walk up to the teacher, turn ever your loot, and get an entry in your little brown bank book!




OLD ONE ROOM SCHOOL

submitted by: Will Johnson (WI '42)
tomcat6@prodigy.net



This old one room school is at Smith Chapel. Will thought everyone would enjoy seeing how things used to be.




TRIVIA PICTURE

EDITOR’S NOTE: This picture garnered many memories, and there seems to be a common element …. read on:

submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI '50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com

The furniture store is Palace Furniture Co. By the time I graduated from WI in 1950, I don't think there was any furniture in my house that was purchased there. The favorite salesman was Sam Babb who happen to live on the corner of Milford and Waverly Way. My parents wouldn't deal with any other salesman. I think they trusted him to tell them honestly about the furniture or appliance they were looking to buy.



submitted by: Willard F. "Bud" Wheelock (WI '60)
hawkewoode708@yahoo.com

First of all, the latest picture shows the one and only Palace Furniture Company. Unfortunately though the building still stands, the store is long gone. I enjoyed going there with my parents and just exploring the place. I believe there were some government offices there for several years before the new federal Building on Pike Street was finished. Also at one time a telemarketing company was quartered there as well.



submitted by: Betty A. Beverliln Miller (WI '48)
betts08@verizon.net

Is there anyone who doesn't remember The Palace Furniture Company? I still have Henredon bedroom furniture I bought there in the 50's. I also have other various pieces of furniture in my home today. They were the best Clarksburg had to offer back then.



submitted by: Chery Taylor Curtis (WI '63)
chercurtis1@sc.rr.com

The picture is of Palace Furniture. We bought all our furniture at "The Palace". Wish I still could!!



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

TRIVIA PICTURE FOR AUGUST 2006 is the Palace Furniture Company on Main Street. The Palace holds many memories for me. Our family was intimately involved with the store. My grandfather, Sam Babb, was vice-president of Palace until he retired in 1958. He joined Palace around 1915. When I was a kid, my sister and I used to run into the Palace to see Grandad when my mother brought us to town. Grandad would give us each a 50 cent coin, a fortune to our young eyes. On these visits, we got to know many of the Salesmen and service people who worked there. One of them who worked there on evenings and weekends was Kenneth Cubbon, our WI principal.

My aunt Anne Babb also worked at the Palace in the '40's.

Later, when I was attending WVU, I used to work for Palace installing awnings and Venetian blinds in the summers. I think was paid $1.25 per hour. I usually earned enough each summer to pay for my clothes for the upcoming college year.

Jeb Carskaden, a cousin of ours, was president. Also, Lem Jarvis managed the store after Carskaden took a less active role in the daily operations. Uncle Doc Hyde worked at the store, too. He was another cousin, and his family had a cabin at Lake Floyd, next to my grandfather's.

The Palace eventually was managed by Charles Hart (a grandson). Then, the store failed.



submitted by: James Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com

That is definitely the Palace Furniture. My Mother or Dad and I would go into Palace Furniture once a month and she would pay her furniture bill. I think I remember the offices were on the second floor. She would not mail any of her bills. Dad would walk and pay electric, gas, water, insurance, etc.



submitted by: Diana Sue Cleavenger Swiger (WI '66)
Mamaswag6@aol.com

Seems to me that when Graduation time came around, Palace Furniture gave, probably all the schools' girls a miniature cedar box. I still have mine and keep some keepsake jewelry in it.



submitted by: Sonny Talkington (WI '57) and
Judy George Talkington (VHS '64)
Sonnytalkington@aol.com

The August trivia picture is the Palace Fruniture Store on Main Street in Clarksburg. My parents bought furniture there.



submitted by: Nancy Crane Jones (WI '48)
njones@eohio.net

The name of the Furniture Store on Main Street was The Palace Furniture - It was a wonderful place to window shop.
Thanks for the memory.



submitted by: Don Marple (WI '53)
dmarple@bellsouth.net

Thanks again for the newsletter. It brings back so many memories of a place I loved so much and reminds me of how solid and good my upbringing there was.

The picture? It's Palace Furniture on Main Street. The view is looking down the hill toward Elk Creek and, farther on, Broad Oaks. From the cars, I'd say it was taken in the late 40s or early 50s, before tail fins were popular.

I'll bet a lot of people get this one.



submitted by: Joanne Westfall Simpson-Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny34@msn.com

Nothing like being persistent--After studying the picture again, I know it is Main Street and I think it must be the Palace Furniture Co. and the old Sears-Roebuck buildings. If that is so, the First Presbyterian Church is across the street on the corner of Second and Main....



submitted by: Jon Darnall (WI '53)
jondarnall@dslextreme.com

Pic is looking down Main St. (circa 1952/53) with Palace Furniture on left. Krogers was on right where we used to borrow apples and run like the devil to gain distance before we consumed them, before they went bad. There was an old saying, "stolen chicken always tastes best".....stolen apples weren't that bad either. Who said we were all bad, Cubbons I think. He wasn't always wrong. The Broad Oaks gang did have its moments.-

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Broad Oaks Gang is one of the largest gangs I have ever known! It includes everyone but ME!



submitted by: John Cooper (WI '51)
Mysto99@aol.com

During the Christmas season, I remember "Santa's Toy Shop" in the Basement..? Upstairs was the Radio and TV's for sale.....also with the WILCOX-GAY disc-recording units on sale. I bought one and they gave away free wax blank discs, plus you could buy the blank wax-type disc records with the metal base to record. I recorded (cut) plenty of them ,including all my friends voices, old radio stuff, and many of the local high-school and WVU-Jack Fleming football and basketball games off the radio. Government offices went in when the furniture store went out. Just after the Palace Store closed.. for a limited time the local Art Center used the first floor for rehearsals of their lavish and expensively produced play-PETER PAN.



submitted by: W.F. (Bill) Phillips (WI '51)
SilverFeather588@aol.com

This was the Palace Furniture Co I think The Carskadons, and Hart family owned it. They were wonderful people to deal with. Christmas time was special to a young lad, to see all the great decorations. I Graduated WI class of 51, so if you look at the cars it was very close to that time. We also had a youth center down and on the right. Loads of very pleasant memories. Thanks.



submitted by: Shirley Heidelmeier Williams (WI '57)
Joeandshirlw@aol.com

The trivia picture is of The Palace Furniture Co. located on Main St. heading east, and across from James & Law. Also, there was a little house on the right side displaying their furniture that you entered from the inside of The Palace. The bargain basement had a lot of great buys. When my husband (Joe Williams 56), myself, and our first daughter came back home from Washington State, after being discharged from the Army, we bought a lot of our first furniture there. We are still using our umbrella table that we purchased at Palace. They had a great variety and well made items to pick from. The Palace Furniture, among other Clarksburg businesses is really missed.



submitted by: Francine Willison-Perry (WI '64)
francinewp@sbcglobal.net

It looks like Palace Furniture on Main Street. I don't remember other furniture stores in the 50's or 60's. We had several department stores but I only remember Palace as the one and only furniture store. At Christmas time they had the most wonderful assortment of toys and I remember going in there and dreaming about the beautiful dolls and hoping to get one. In those days we only got toys at Christmas unlike today when the children get toys on a daily basis so the Palace toy section during the holidays was a phenomenon. It was like a wonderland to me and I used to go in by myself and just stroll around willing the toys to come to my house. I don't remember much about the furniture but I still can see the toys all lined up just waiting to be delivered by Santa.



submitted by: Alex Thwaites (WI '65)
Alex13741@cs.com

I believe the store to the left is the Palace Furniture Company on West Main Street. Nestled next door to the actual store was a small gingerbread style structure (resembled a small house) that featured Santa Clause and his toy land during the holidays. Better question however, what is the shorter structure across the street that resembles a warehouse?



submitted by: Fred G. Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@AOL.COM

The latest trivia photo is of the former Palace Furniture Company which opened in 1898 and was incorporated, May 12, 1906 as the Palace Furniture and Undertaking Company. By being incorporated they were allowed not only to sell furniture but have an undertaking business, sell hearses, funeral cars, harness and horse supplies. In 1907, the name was changed to the Palace Furniture and Piano Company. In 1910 the “piano” was removed from the title. In 1921 four more floors were added to the building making Palace the largest furniture store in West Virginia. Kenneth Cubbon, former WI principal, sold me our first living room suit. Mr. Cubbon worked mostly on Saturdays and then full time in the summer months. They also had a bargain basement on used merchandise and the salesman was Harry McCoy. They had a large ware house at the North end of Oak Street. The store closed in 1980.



submitted by: Wayne White (WI '60)
waynepawco@verizon.net

This the Palace furniture company located on main street downtown Clarksburg. It was one of the fine furniture stores in the area, They had quality furniture and very nice people worked there, When they went out of business due to the malls and lack of business in downtown Clarksburg we lost a very nice furniture store, The building at one time housed the Govt offices the was later used by Infusion a telemarketing company,,,This was a loss to the city of Clarksburg but lack of business forced them to close



submitted by: Gloria J. Shaffer (WI '58)
mshaffer@ma.rr.com

I am sure the trivia picture is of the Palace Furniture Store. My parents shopped there and when Mike and I were married in 1960 we bought our furniture there. In fact, we still have several pieces of that furniture in our home today and it is still just like new.

I remember at Christmas time that Palace decorated the front window with a beautiful animated Christmas display. There were always so many adults and children standing in front of the window that it was hard to get close to it. Later Parsons Souders would put a competitive Christmas display in their window.

I don't think any business in this area has recreated such beautiful animated displays for several years.



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

The name of the furniture store is Palace Furniture. It was owned by the Jarvis's. It was a wonderful store with all the latest in furniture from New York. Their buyers really knew furniture and whatever you purchased there was top quality. I walked by the store everyday on my way to WI. Our house was at the top of the hill in the background on Main Street.

Have a great summer!



submitted by: Douglas Sinsel (WI '56)
DPSinsel@aol.com

I remember the furniture store, pictured on Main street as being the PALACE FURNITURE STORE. Perhaps I'm wrong but it looks like the old Palace I remember.



submitted by: Nancy Mayer Capilla (WI '59)
rcapilla@verizon.net

After graduation I went to work at the telephone company and I bought my bedroom furniture there. I still have the dresser but the bed frame, a four poster, finally gave out.

I really enjoy reading the newsletter keep up the good work.



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

Well, finally a trivia picture I know-I hope. The August picture is the former PALACE FURNITURE STORE on Main St. This picture was taken in the late 40's or early 50's. In fact, I still have a desk and chair that my mother gave to my father for Christmas which was bought from Palace. I am not sure what year this was, but I do know I was a student at Alta Vista. Just before Christmas, we were taking an evening family walk and as we passed the Palace, my brother or I blurted out that that was where mom had bought dad's desk for Christmas. Now the surprise was out. It created a big laugh with Mom and Dad.



submitted by: Martha Ann Jeffries Rice (WI '55)
lonoma@aol.com

This looks like the Palace Furniture Co. I worked there in the summer after my freshman year at WVU. I was the telephone operator. It was my job to answer the phone and then direct the call to the appropriate person. I wore headphones and had a microphone curling up to my mouth. I picked up the plug and pushed it into the correct hole to reach the intended person. I thought it was great fun and felt very important. Peter Messenberg was the interior designer. He was a very flamboyant person that kept me entertained with his designs. His partner, Jerry, was a great cook. The women who worked there taught me a great deal about fabrics and design.



submitted by: Nadine Schaffer O'Connor (WI '56)
toconnor1@verizon.net

I believe the Trivia Picture is the Palace Furniture Co.. I worked there in the office after school and on weekends during high school. I remember one time my mom happened to come in while I was working. The office was all open and I was chomping away on my gum as fast as I was filing! I doubt that I ever chewed gum while working again!

I really enjoy the Newsletter. Thanks for all your hard work.



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

It was the Palace Furniture Store. We didn't buy much new furniture, so my best memories are of the exquisite Christmas displays. It was something different every year, and they were gorgeous. They were large with moving parts. It was like looking in a window into a fairy tale.



submitted by: Phyllis Alton Nichols (WI '57)
Nmimiphyllis@aol.com

I think the trivia picture is the Palace Furniture Co. The building is still there, but it is being used by various businesses.. The Chamber of Commerce is located there now. All the other buildings around it have been torn down. Chase Bank (The old Union National Bank), has a drive through next door. The old Sears store was located there, and I can't remember what some of the other buildings were.



submitted by: Glen W. (Bill) Cowgill (WI '59)
gcowgill@adelphia.net

Palace Furniture on Main St. On the right further down the street was Lowell Drummonds Hot Dogs. Across the street was the Presbyterian Church.



submitted by: Jim Martin (WI '43)
Sodajerk112@aol.com

The building---housing the furniture sign-was the Palace Furniture. The first building housed Sears and Roebuck Store, across the street and down the hill was the Streamline Super Market, later changed to Kroger’s. I remember it well.



submitted by: Chuck Wilson (WI '67)
cwilson@aviall.com

This is a picture of the old Place Furniture Store, next to it was Watts Sauder & Lear and Sears & Roebuck. I can remember buying my first stereo, a four speaker quadraphonic, by Maxnavox. In the basement they sold used washers, etc. This is where you brought the good stuff.

Enjoy the trivia.



submitted by: Ken McIe (WI '59)
kenmcie@yahoo.com

And the August Trivia Picture is Main Street looking east. On the left is the Palace Furniture Building. This is the way home! My City Lines bus route went down Main Street. At the bottom of the hill when the A&P Store was there after crossing the river, the Broad Oaks bus turned and went out Monticello Street (Yeah! I was a Broad Oaksian too). In my Senior year, I rode another bus route that continued on out Main Street to East View (Lived in the RW catchments area then, but that is another story).

Thanks for the memories, Judy and Roleta!



submitted by: Carolyn Lawson Bailey (WI '56)
carbail@msn.com

This is a picture of the Palace Furniture Store. I worked there for 3 summers after my junior and senior years at WI and after my freshman year in college. It was a large store, considered very fine in its day. My experience there was wonderful. That was the day of charge accounts and people would come in and pay on their accounts at the window of the billing department. My job was to help record the payments and help prepare the billing cycle....all manually.

We've come a long way!



submitted by: John Timberlake (WI '48)
JGTimerlake@aol.com

This was the Palace Furniture Co. located on Main. My uncle sold appliances and kitchen cabinets there for twenty years. It was owned/managed by Lem Jarvis. For many years the Palace was the premier furniture company in central WV, carrying a large selection of furniture, appliances, carpeting, TVs, wallpaper, paint, etc.Many families had one or more items from the Palace especially in the '40 and 50's.



submitted by: Ron Talkington (WI '54)
rontalk@juno.com

I believe it is the Palace Furniture Store. In our day, it was one of nicest furniture stores around. I have a lifelong memory regarding Palace. It centers on a lovely piece of furniture that I have in my home to this day. One day, the Palace delivery truck pulled up to our house in Broad Oaks and dropped off this Queen Ann styled cabinet. It was entirely out of place in our modest and crowed house. My father had a fit when he came home from the Pittsburgh Plate that evening since money was very scarce in our family. When he asked mother what it was, she said she didn't know, she just liked it. It had no shelves. My father eventually put it some rough ones. It was a marginal piece of furniture for the entire time my parents lived. I know now, it was a radio cabinet although it was never used for that purpose. I've had it refinished and it sits in our dining room to hold small accessories. All who see it remark on its good looks. Every day I see this cabinet and am reminded of my childhood, my parents and the Palace Furniture Store on Main Street.



submitted by: Konrad Melkus (WI '55)
and submitted by: JoAnn Zasloff Melkus (Bridgeport 65)
Km13787jm@aol.com

This is the picture of the Palace Furniture Store on Main St. I had a friend who worked there for many years. His name was T. DeWitt Shingleton.



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

Finally an easy one!

That's the Palace Furniture Company, heading toward East Main Street (and toward the BROAD OAKS end of town)!

I can still see the black and white tile floor inside on the first floor, where patio furniture was often displayed.



submitted by: Marcia Booth (WI '65)
marciabooth05@yahoo.com

That is the old Palace Furniture building. It had really good furniture and an area decorated for Christmas after Thanksgiving.



submitted by: Jim Ali (WI '65)
jimali@verizon.net

The picture is of the Palace Furniture Store. My dad Chester and his brother John worked for their brother, Vincent who had an upholstery shop behind the “Palace”. My grandfather was a cabinet maker who worked for the Palace Furniture Co.

My Uncle’s shop was close enough to WI, that I could grab my sack lunch and walk there and eat when the weather was decent.

At Christmas time, the front windows at the Palace were decorated for the season, probably the best looking Christmas displays in town. I do not remember the name of the gentleman who “dressed” the windows; but, I do remember my parents commenting that the “windows were never the same” after this gentleman left.



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

The name of the furniture store was PALACE FURNITURE, and was located on Main Street heading down the hill as you left downtown Clarksburg.

I just found out that there was also a PALACE FURNITURE STORE WAREHOUSE located on Oak Street (I think) out Pike Street past Notre Dame High School and to the left in the general area of Raymon's. The warehouse is now being used to store cars.



submitted by: Bud Smith (WI '55)
bud.threeamigos@gmail.com

I believe this is the Palace Furniture Store. This is on Main Street looking East. The large building down the Street on the right hand side is the Kroger Store.

As you know, I've been in the in the Clarksburg area, going on two months now, doing Genealogy work. I've driven down Main Street several times since I've been here. What a difference between the picture and today. I'll take yesteryear anytime.

I'm going to the WI Picnic this Month.



submitted by: Jerry Winerman and Harriet Murphy Pansing (WI '57)

The picture is of south Main Street with the Palace Furniture Co to the left and the Kroger Store to the right. The street is going up to the Broad Oaks Area.

This info is given by the duo of Jerry Winerman and Harriet Murphy Pansing together in Los Angeles. (Harriet is just visiting, my wife Gerry is still around)

Hope you are doing well Roleta and thanks for the newsletter and all the reunion gatherings.



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

The furniture store in the picture: "The Palace Furniture Co"

This beautiful 7 story building displayed one of the finest collections of furniture in Northern W.Va. This Family owned store, was always proud of their family traditions offering the best quality, selection, and services to their customers.

The furniture was designed to work with any budget and for just about any style home or office in this area. It always would make a statement in any room for the new home owner’s decor. The Palace had carpet, custom upholstery and they specialized in drapery designs. There was a Contract Dept.: Specializing in designs for the many needs in the community.

What made The Palace so unique was their Interior Design Dept. on the mezzanine overlooking the main floor. Each of the Designers in this Dept. had a professional background. Many of the men Mr. Jarvis brought into the store were from The Sloan’s Furniture and Design Studio in New York City. I am happy to say that Mr. Jarvis invited me to join their staff of designers in the mid 60's. I first worked as an apprentice under Mr. Moore, AID, for a year before I went out on my own to work with so many wonderful families and professional people in the Clarksburg Area. I can't say enough about all the great people I had to work with at The Palace Furniture Co. They were the best there was, and each one had a very special gift!!! My gift for this store was the Interior Design that I would be able to give back to my customers in their own home: A Decor that was Unique, Beautiful and Comfortable.

The Palace Furniture donated many things to many groups and organizations for special occasions like the Holly Ball Christmas Dance, fund raiser, for the two local hospitals. Both in 1968 & 1969, I went to Pittsburgh to work with a "display house" and plan the decorations for the Holly Ball Christmas display at the Nathan Goff Armory. Working with the Chairman of the Holly Ball, I was delighted to be able to implement my design work into the creations of a beautiful and spectacular Victorian Winter Wonderland with a million lights. This was the first year that the mini lights had been introduced to the public for Christmas. Therefore a lot of families had never seen them as yet, so when you entered the large room this year it was breath taking to look around the armory to see such a fabulous display for the Holiday Season.

The Palaces front windows also come alive at Christmas with animation of dancing dolls, beautiful decorated Christmas Trees with many unique store accessories, gifts, lights, and music ringing out with Christmas Carol's....This is an Old Fashion Christmas Scene...

The Little Palace, was an early 1880's home that was still standing beside this large building, for whatever reason, it was never torn down when they built the Palace Furniture Co. Mr. Jarvis cut an opening in the first floor of the building and made a door way into this house. This was around the early to mid 1960's. This now housed a collection of Early American Furniture for the customers to see in a room style setting rather then just displayed on a show room floor. This concept was brought in by The Kling Furniture Co., a division of Ethan Allen Furniture. Later it became a show room for the Penn. House Gallery.

Each of the 7 floors held a special collection and a show case of different vignette's pertaining to that floor:
The 7th floor displayed the top of the line furniture in Living Room upholstery, tables and accent pieces.
The 6th floor displayed stereo's TV and appliances.
The 5th floor displayed Dining room furniture and Dinette Sets.
The 4th floor displayed bedding and mattress Dept. Sleep Systems
Sleepers, and Lane Cedar Chest for all the girls who graduated from High School received a miniature one as a gift.
The 3rd floor was the business office and the Carpet Dept.
The 2nd floor displayed some chairs and recliners
The 1st floor was displayed for both winter and or summer furniture depending what time of the year it was.

The basement was a fun place to look around: Customers could trade in their "USED" furniture on new furniture and it was sold from the basement. They also sold the dent and scratch furniture from the store.

The Mezzanine displayed a make believe house with groupings in each room. They were set up in a complete vignette with lamps and accessories... You would also find quality crafted sheets, comforters, bed spreads and many items designed exclusively for your bed room in this area.

When I was going to high school, I would often stop in the store to look around and admire this make believe house of displays. It was such a nice change of pace for me after a long day at W.I. to be able to think about having such a lovely home like that someday and to be a designer to make it all come true.

Between Parsons-Souders Co., the Fashion World and The Palace Furniture Co. for the Interior Design: I had the best of two worlds.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I still have my little cedar chest presented to me upon graduation from WI by The Palace Furniture Store. It is still jammed with all the letters I received from Bill when we were dating-he was in Morgantown at WVU and I was in Clarksburg at WI. This was before cell phones, fax machines or the internet. One day when my daughter was a teenager, I mentioned that I had kept all the letters from her daddy and she replied that she knew that, she had already read all of them! LOL---Roleta



TRIVIA PICTURE FOR SEPTEMBER 2006



Do you know the place in the picture above? Write your guess to Roleta1@aol.com. Remember, I only print correct guesses so there is no harm in you trying to guess…test your memory. If your answer is incorrect, sometimes I even give you a clue and ask you to try again…..



BASEBALL


Bill Akin, husband of Libby (Teter) Akin, WI ’56, has written a history of baseball in West Virginia. He is a member of SABRE (Society for American Baseball Research).

"West Virginia Baseball: A History, 1865-2000"
William E. Akin; Paperback; $29.95

Sold by:Amazon.com
Or contact John Teter (WI 1961) at JTETER@BALMAR.COM and he can help you find a copy.

Here is an ORDER FORM for people to order the book direct from my brother-in-law.








LOOKING BACK ON BROAD OAKS

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

Some who wrote stated that Broad Oaks went from about Buckhannon Ave. to Tyler. Man, that is WAY too small. Broad Oaks, in my opinion, starter on East main at the west end of the Golf Plaza Bridge and extended east to Buckhannon Pike. Buckhannon Pike to Haymond Highway. It would have included all of Haymond Highway all the way to Montecello Ave. It would have included all the houses "on the hill" above Haymond Highway. It included everything south of Elk Creek between East main and Buena Vista. The Alvaro boys lived at the end of Haymond Highway near Montecello, and that was Broad Oaks. Mary Kay McDaniel lived at the other end of Haymond Highway and that was Broad Oaks. I hope this helps.



submitted by: Don Sager (WI '56)
dks@davtv.com

The area of Broad Oaks depends on the size of your Heart. As the known Center of the Universe (per my Mother), there is no way to measure a dimension that large.

Miles are but a set measure in the here and now. Broad Oaks memories are with us forever in all dimensions of time--therefore Broad Oaks is EVERYWHERE WE ARE.

As to the % of C-burg? Broad Oaks was just like Ivory Soap. 99 + 44/100 % of C-burg. The only reason it seems like almost all your readers are from Broad Oaks is the fact we all attended Alta Vista Grade School and we all can read and WRITE many, many articles also.

Actually, THE BROAD OAKS COURIER does have a ring to it. Maybe "The Broad Oaks Banner".



BROAD OAKS REUNION

On September 9, 2006 there will be the first of many Broad Oaks Reunions; sponsored by Friends of Broad Oaks. This picnic is for anyone who ever lived, visited, played or worked in Broad Oaks. Reunion is at V A Park 11:00 am til ? - at the shelter by the pool. Bring lawn chairs and your favorite covered dish everything else is furnished. Reacquaint with old friends and classmates.

Contact: Judy McDougal Siders WI 1957
siders_judy@sbcglobal.net




REFLECTIONS


Dear Roleta
We appreciate your work on the WI Newsletter and want to thank you for your effort and diligence in putting it together. I know that many people enjoy it.

I am sending my check for the scholarship fund. Here’s hoping that more of us from WI’s Class of 1956 will remember to contribute.

The reflections on growing up in Broad Oaks were particularly interesting because I attended Alta Vista and was often in the neighborhood. Several seemed to touch on a common theme, the feeling that our neighborhoods, in the 40s, 50s, and 60s were safe places for children. I grew up in Arbutus Park where, I can assure you, we enjoyed a freedom I wouldn’t begin to think of giving my grandchildren today.

In addition, I was a rather independent little cuss. As a first-grader at Alta Vista, I took the public bus from the corner near the school to downtown Clarksburg, one day, to have lunch with my mom, who worked on Fourth Street. We went to Harbert’s, also on Fourth Street, for a ham salad sandwich. Then I took the bus, alone, back to Alta Vista for the afternoon session. I probably wouldn’t remember that outing at all except for the fact that the ham salad didn’t stay with me very long. We parted company during the recess walk-around-the-hallways, leaving an angry janitor with a mess to clean up. No one knew who’d thrown up, except the kid walking in line behind me, and he didn’t squeal. I returned to my desk and continued for the rest of the afternoon. It would never have occurred to me to report to the teacher that I didn’t feel well.

I remembered that story recently when my eight-year-old grandson, Christopher, called me from his school, asking to be picked up. He didn’t feel well, he said, in his second call from the school in less than two weeks. His older brother, too, had called just a few days earlier and had enjoyed a day at Grandma’s, watching TV. I suspected that a game of one-upmanship was going on. The school, though, had no option but to send home the kids who claimed to be ill. Annoyed, I went to the office to pick him up, where I shared with the secretaries my little tale of the “old days,” when sick kids just threw up into their hands, wiped themselves off, and went right back to work. They laughed, thinking I was kidding.

Christopher was aghast when I informed him that there would be no TV and no video games at Grandma’s that day. “I might as well be at school!” he wailed. Eventually, we read some books together and then he got out some paint and did several watercolors. One was so nice that his mother framed it and put it in her front hall. Perhaps the day wasn’t a total waste after all.

Thanks for your work in bringing Clarksburg alumni together again.
Jean Taylor Teter (WI 1956)



MOTHER'S MUSTANG

submitted by: Bill Spears (WI '62)
SpillBears@aol.com



ELLA KYLE SPEARS

Those who attend the August WI Picnic in Clarksburg see a familiar face. My Mother, Ella Kyle Spears, who has attended all of these picnics. She graduated from WI in 1934 and has been the oldest, if not one of the oldest alumni there. She is also the mother of my sisters, Dottie Spears Rinehart (Class of 1960) and my "Baby Sister" Carolyn Spears Garber (Class of 1972). Her birthday is April 23rd, and this year she contacted me in mid-April to seek my opinion about her possibly purchasing a new Ford Mustang. I gave her my full support for this and told her "You go girl ". She gave me general information as to the specs she was looking for and I made some inquiries and gave her some information. Due to her impending 90th birthday we set this aside.

My sister, Dottie, coordinated a beautiful gathering at the First Presbyterian Church in Clarksburg with family and friends. One of her long time friends showed up to honor her. She is a spry and personable lady who happens to be 96 years old.

Unbeknown to other family members, Mother got her 90th birthday present for herself from Chenoweth Ford on May 20th of this year. A brand new, red 2006 Ford Mustang, fully loaded including a 500 watt, 8 speaker stereo system, and many bells and whistles. Once everyone heard about this they were extremely happy and supportive and we heard "You go girl" many times.

To complement her new car purchase I burned a CD (her first). The first song on that CD was "Mustang Sally" The second was from Rod Stewart, one of her favorite artists entitled "Forever Young"

Other Rod Stewart and Big Band Sound music was on that CD. In addition my better half Carolyn Smith (WI class of 1963) and I asked her to give us a name she wanted on a front vanity license plate. She chose MUSTANG MAMA and Carolyn got that made for her. We presented the CD and the vanity plate to her Independence Day weekend. She was so appreciative for all of that!

I had even e-mailed directly to Ford Motor Company about the story jokingly suggesting that they might want to consider a new promo "You are never too old to drive a Ford Mustang". I really just asked them if they would send her an acknowledgment of their appreciation for her buying a Mustang. Their reply " Direct your ideas for advertising to J. Walter Thompson, Detroit, Michigan. I suppose that I knew that is what the answer might be. Big Business!

Unfortunately we must see news of our parents passing on. Our family is thankful for every day that we have a very young (at heart) mother and we really count our blessings for that. She is certainly our inspiration and we love her dearly. This includes her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren who call her G.G. for Great-Grandmother. There are 10 of these Great- Grand Children.


ELLA AND HER MUSTANG




STEALEY PLAYGROUND REMEMBERED

submitted by: Wilma Costlow Allman (WI '53)
wallman5@verizon.net

As a child growing up on a dead-end street in Stealey (Davis) there was an empty field right below our house. It had several apple trees and we were always told not to eat the green apples. We always picked them anyway and had a salt shaker hidden in the bank beside our fish pond. We would go down there under our peach tree to hold our "club" meetings and eat the green apples. I don't ever remember getting sick on them. The reason I am telling you this is that we had to go down through our grape arbor to get to the apples. We had a lot of grapes and Mom always made grape jelly. Every time I think of them, I still get that taste in my mouth and my mouth almost waters. I never could understand how they could taste so sour and yet the skin was very sweet. They were also a haven for bees but I don't ever remember getting stung.



MEMORY LANE 1966-1967

submitted by: Chuck Wilson (WI '67)
cwilson@aviall.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: This could have been any guy from Clarksburg and any year….the memories seem the same!

High School, the good old days! My junior year I ran with the guys from the senior class, a crew consisting of Larry Hovey, Jim Combs, Pete Bowie, Dana Mitchell, Brian Keys, Jim Talkington, and Tim Warblak. The good time included: after school hanging out at the Stonewall Billiards, shooting one pocket; going to BAB ( this was in Hartland); climbing up on the train trestle jumping into the West Fork. Then sometimes for real fun, going up on Lowndes Hill having BB Gun battles, what were we thinking? We often did this after skipping our afternoon classes.

Friday nights were dance nights at the Y, on Washington Ave. Then there were the Strip Mine Parties out on Rt 19, up behind the Dodge Garage. I remember going to lunch out to the Burger Chef, in Nutter Fort, just enough time to get back up on the hill. Sometimes we would go to lunch at the Stonewall, which was usually standing room only, then run back up on the hill.

In the winter we went sledding and had great fun. I grew up in Glen Elk, so we would ride from the top of Clark St down across Seventh end up down on Eight St. When that got old we would go up on Wilson St. and ride, or off of Lowndes Hill and ride a gas right of way.

We had the Mud Bowl at the Stealey Playground in the fall and during the summer each community had a playground basketball team, so you walked to Stealey, Nutter Fort, or Kelly Hill, no problem!

These were times and memories shared with friends that keep Clarksburg always in the heart. Where else could you get the best pizza, hot dogs and pepperoni rolls? For those of you that played football at WI, remember waking to practice down the old Cow Path that was from Chestnut St. down to the field? Another memory is of sitting on the power bench painting your feet with Tough Skin, how long did it take that stuff to wear off?

Just a short journey down memory lane!



JOINT REUNION WI CLASSES OF 1945 AND 1946

submitted by: Dian Gantz Hurley (WI '46)
WIHSclassof1946@aol.com

Washington Irving High School Classes of 1945 and 1946 held a joint reunion on Saturday, June 24, 2006 at the Holiday Inn.

CLASS OF 1945



FIRST ROW: Sara Romano Imperial, Polly Powell Card, Polly Costlow Dennison, Mijee Everett Mumaugh, Alene Gregoire Riley, Rosemary Brown Bown, Lucie Walsh Romano, Edith Jean Lemmert.

SECOND ROW: William C. Wymer, A. William Gaston, Gerald McClain, Joseph R. Rokisky, James L. Barrick, Charles Childers. Present but not pictured: C. Jack Tetrick and Robert Small.

CLASS OF 1946



FIRST ROW: Mary Joe Nelson Stoner, Edith Post Cooper, Elizabeth Stanley, Barbara Burnside Wood, Rebecca White Dunn, Betty McHale Gaston, Jean Kaites Drizos.

SECOND ROW: Luella Hinkle Zickefoose, Dian Gantz Hurley, Anne Romine Yoke, Elaine Markowitz Pollack, Betty Robinson Childers, Paktricia Heitz Stanley.

THIRD ROW: Wilson Brinkley, Raymond Schaffer, William Yoke, Ralph Farris, James Hartman, Charles M. Farrell, Jack Lynch.

Present but not pictured, Peggy Walden Helmick, John Oliverio and John S. Stump.



WIN SCHOLARSHIP

Thanks to Jean Taylor Teter (WI 1956) for her generous check to the WIN Scholarship this month.

If you wish to join the others who have contributed to the scholarship fund, please make out your check to:

Roleta Meredith/WIN Scholarship and mail it to:

Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Drive
Sarasota, Florida 34240

Many thanks.



NEW READERS

Deb Yorgensen Caplinger Queen
(1969 Parkersburg Catholic High School)		 dyorgensen@netpnt.com
Francis McQuillan (ND '61) Irond3@yahoo.com
Pam Bokey Mitchell (WI '70) jamitchell1@msn.com
Linda Newport Stricker (WI '65) DaveLinStricker@msn.com
Barbara Paugh Patton (WI '61) BAP5555@aol.com
Gloria Rosenthal Plevin (WI '52) gloriaplevin@adelphia.net
Linda Bond Graffius (WI '70) graffius@atlanticbb.net
Cindy Miller Murphy (WI '74) cindylmurphy@bellsouth.net
Rachel Hines RMH88Keys@aol.com
Colleen McQuillan Moore (ND '60) moore1999zip@yahoo.com


CHANGED ADDRESS

Polly Costlow Dennison (WI '45) Polly817911@cs.com
Skip Smith (WI '58) and
Sharon Dillmore Smith (WI '58)		 shanangels@comcast.net
David Hodges (WI '58) and
Janet Post Hodges (WI '59)		 Britt33169@adelphia.net
Hayward “Habie” Snyder (WI '59) hbsnyder@cavtel.net




submitted by: Rachel Hines
RMH88Keys@aol.com

I just read the summer Newsletter and really enjoyed it....all the news about WI, Broadoaks and all the rest.....My late husband was the scoutmaster for the Sea Scouts. and my son Bruce Hall graduated from WI in 1972.....we live in Timberlake, NC. now......

We would really like to receive the newsletter.....let me know if we need to send any money or any information.......

EDITOR’S NOTE: No charge for the newsletter, if you wish to say thanks for the newsletter, just contribute to the WIN Scholarship.

Roleta Meredith/WIN Scholarship
3201 Charles MacDonald Drive
Sarasota, Florida 34240



submitted by: James Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com

About 10 years ago, while living in Lawrenceville, Ga, I was out on the front lawn and my neighbor came over to talk with me. He said it sure is cold today. I told him if he thought it was cold here he should be in WV. He asked which part. I told him, North Central. He asked which town. I told him Clarksburg. He asked which part of Clarksburg. I told him Broad Oaks. He asked what Street. I told him Haymond Hwy. He asked if upper or lower. I told him lower. He said he was born on upper Haymond Hwy and his dad was manager of Palace Furniture probably in the late 40's or early 50's. He moved from there when he was 9 years old and he thought he remembered going to Alta Vista. I don't remember his father's first name but his last name is Trimble. We had been living across from each other for several years in Ga. As they say, "Small World Isn't It?"

A sneaky way of getting in another Broad Oaks story huh?



submitted by: Deb Yorgensen Caplinger Queen ('69 Parkersburg Catholic High School)
dyorgensen@netpnt.com

I graduated in 1969 from Parkersburg Catholic High School but was married to Roger Caplinger and Randy Queen and lived in Clarksburg for years and years. My mom lived there as well when she was in high school. She and my aunt were drum majorettes in the early 1940s.



submitted by: Carol Shinn Schweiker (WI '56)
cschweiker@yahoo.com

I am sending you some information that is as valuable as gold for any current or former north-central West Virginian. A website link that is about Pepperoni Rolls and WV Folklife.

Fairmont State University has had a Folklife Center for several years. The center itself is devoted to the traditions and history of the peoples that are the heart of our Mountain State. I suggest that anyone interested in their family history, remembrances of their family or neighborhood elders might even want to pass along some of their memories or artifacts to the institution. When I taught at Salem College and was the administrator of the Fort New Salem Museum, we attempted to use our 18 historic log buildings for much the same purpose. I taught graduate students and designed programs for grades K - 12; in fact, anyone who wanted to know the history and lore of our state, and in particular of North-Central WV.

If the readers don't know, Salem College became Salem Teikyo Univ. then Salem International Univ. Our Museums Studies degree went the way of many departments, and in 2004 the Fort closed. It is now in the hands of a private foundation. I hope that their future is successful.

My point is that most of the academic and philosophical mission was transferred to Fairmont State University and their Folklife Center. If any of you knew John Randolph, whose vision began Fort New Salem in 1970, he is involved with FSU, and his vision is continuing, but in a different form.

What has this got to do with Pepperoni Rolls? Well, those little delicacies are living history, and here are two sites that will enable you to both visualize food history, tradition and get a recipe.

www.fairmontstate.edu/folklife

and

www.fscwv.edu/users/rheffner/pepperoniroll




WI CLASS 1961 REUNION

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




WI class of 1961 had their 45th reunion the weekend of July 21st and 22nd, 2006.

Front Row: Seated Left to Right
Carolyn Reed Bonner, Dawn Chilton Manchego, Linda Cooper Cooper, Carole Jackson Nicholson, Patricia Hickman Cravey, Frances Burdiss Woodward, Joyce Guinn Elbon, Charlene Rolland Leon, Mary Jo Pulice Benedetto

Second Row: Left to Right
William Lance, Carol Greynolds Cleveland, Mary Barbour Hulick, Margarette Dennison Crislip, Shirley Metz Allessio, Barbara Paugh Patton, Karen Pleasant Booker, Carolyn Marano Shields, Elizabeth Swiger Layton, Linda Graves Somazze, Linda Humphries Hall, Susan Heston Palmer, Connalee Combs Terango

Third Row: Left to Right
Barbara Thomas Smith, Jean Fleming Tucker, Patricia Harvey West, Mike King, David Kulina, David Bevan, Steve Toryak, Brooks Gainer, Carol “Mimi” Lee Fanning, Sarah Gervella Frush

Fourth Row: Left to Right
James “Jeep” Wilson, David Talkington, William Seckman, Floyd Leaseburg, Victor “Bill” Woodward, James Harrison, James “Jimbo” Gallo, Steve Elbon, Robert Swats, John Teter, Donald Shaffer, Charles McGlumphy, Robert Swiger, Coach Al Castellana, Richard Malcolm, Stuart “Butch” Felts



THE RIDDLE
You were not born with it. You have to obtain it yourself! All of the readers have it. No one can steal it, and you can’t lose it. You can use it all of your life. What is it? Write your guess to: Roleta1@aol.com

Some great guesses are:

From: Jim Alvaro (WI ' 56 Alta Vista '44-' 50 WAS located in beautiful Broad Oaks EDITOR’S NOTE: Jim just has to keep rubbing it in about how great it is to be from Broad Oaks)

The ability to write anything in the Newsletter. You do not have to perfect to write in it either as I am a good example.

From: Jim Pulice (WI '62)

YOUR ABILITY TO READ......

From: Ron Harvey (WI '55)
w4rrh@wt4ra.org

There are several things that fit most of the criteria. The one I think fits it best is KNOWLEDGE. You certainly were not born with it. You have to obtain it yourself. It can’t be stolen. You can use it all of your life. The only thing that gives me trouble is you can’t loose it. If a person were mentally hindered, their knowledge might be altered. I’ll stick with KNOWLEDGE.

From: Phyllis Alton Nichols (WI '57)
Nmimiphyllis@aol.com

My guess is knowledge. It my not be the right answer, but it seemed like a good guess.

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

When I wrote this little riddle, it was obvious to me that the answer was education. The answers given above were mostly KNOWLEDGE. Education is knowledge, because one does not exist without the other. Thanks to all of you who gave some thought and came up with the answer and wrote to tell me that you read it and thought about it. Hopefully others of you gave it some thought even though you didn’t come up with the answer.



CITY GOVERNMENT DAY" IN 1959

submitted by: Fred Alvaro (WI '59)
FAlvaro33@aol.com


This is a picture of "City Government Day" for local high schools in 1959.


FRONT ROW: ? , ? , Holly Furbee (WI), Diane Nose (RW), John Thomas (ND), David Hornor (WI)
2ND ROW: Ed DeVoge (RW), Fred Alvaro (WI), Frank Mazzie (RW), ? , ?
3RD ROW: ? Keeley (ND)

Maybe the readers can name the ?'s.



POISON IVY

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

It comes on like a Rose...But everyone knows...it will leave you in Dutch...You can look...But you better not touch.....Yes we got it...My brother Joe would get it so bad Mom would take him to the Doctor to get shots....Calamine lotion, Clorox, white shoe polish...we used it all...if you got it between your fingers.. you suffered.. One winter I got poison oak.. from carrying in a arm full of fire wood....go figure



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

I have always been prone to catching poison ivy. My mother and my sister never got it but my dad, my brother and I got it if we walked by it. I still catch it very easily. I remember the worse case I ever had, as a teen-ager, I was playing hide and seek after dark. I was wearing shorts, running through fields and jumping down in ditches and holes that some kids had dug and hiding from the other kids playing. I got the worse case of poison ivy on my legs. Nothing seemed to work as a cure until a neighbor told me to coat my legs with white shoe polish. Boy, did I look funny. But I washed my legs and gave them a fresh coat several times a day. It worked, the sores dried up and after a couple of weeks I was healed. Later I told a druggist about this miracle cure and he told me to never do that again, he said I could have been poisoned from the polish getting into my open sores. I have never done it again but it certainly worked that one time.



GROWING GRAPES

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

Well, I did not actually make wine, but Toby Singleton and I certainly got to witness the basement wine making process in her basement!! Perhaps, her brother, John, and neighbor, Jim Strider, could volunteer their "secret" recipes!! I didn't even get a taste, did you, Toby??



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

We did not have a grape arbor at home, but my Grandparents Scholl did. They lived about a ten or fifteen minute walk from our house. We were walking home one night from grandad's with our parents and my brother was carrying a bottle of wine that granddad had given us. On Lynn Ave. there was an area that was dark from the trees blocking the street lights. As my brother and I were in this area several feet in front of our parents, the wine had had about as much jiggling as it could stand and the cork blew out of the bottle. The cork missed his face but gave him a good scare and a good laugh for all. AT LEAST HE DID NOT DROP THE BOTTLE.



THE MAUD YOAK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

A scholarship program honoring the memory of teacher Maud Yoak from the previous Washington Irving High School is provided at Davis and Elkins College.

Qualified graduates from public or private high schools in the Clarksburg area are eligible. If local, eligible candidates are not available, candidates from other Harrison County High schools may be considered.

Recipients must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and must meet the admission requirements for Davis and Elkins College.

Of the eligible students each year, the most financially needy shall receive the highest priority to receive the scholarships.

Each scholarship is renewable for up to four years provided the student maintains at least a 3.0 GPA.

Depending on the availability of funds, approximately four scholarships are awarded each year for varying amounts currently about $6,000 each.

D and E will publicize the availability of these awards each year. To find out more about Davis and Elkins College and the Maud Yoak Scholarship Program call the Office of Admissions at (304) 637-1230 or visit on-line at www.davisandelkins.edu

I'm not sure how much publicity the program received this year in the local school system.You would think most of the guidance counselors would be informed but you never can tell. I hope this is useful.

Bill Snyder



WI CLASS OF 1952

Attention to anyone from the Class of 1952. Will you please respond to this letter if you know anything about a Class reunion….Thanks---Roleta

Ms. Meredith,
My name is David Vespoint and I am writing from Baltimore, MD. My father, Salvatore Vespoint is a graduate of WI, the class of 1952. Since he does not have internet access, I am writing to find out if you know where I can find information about any class reunions this year for the class of 1952.

Any help or leads would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
David Vespoint
vespoint@verizon.net



MORGAN 5TH GRADE

submitted by: George Cinci (WI '60)

1 Kathy ?, 2 Ron ?, 3 Linda Jenkins, 4 Don ?, 5 Phillip Wygal, 6 Amy Selby


1 Danny Pettry, 2 Nancy Mollahan, 3 Harlan Sheets, 4 Greg Jaranko, 5 David Andre, 6 Breem Turley ?, 7 John Jones, 8 Joy Guy ?, 9 Phillip Kyle


1 George Cinci, 2 Ralph Turley, 3 Kenny Brand, 4 ?, 5 Nina Meredith, 6 Claire Malfregeot, 7 Larry Ammons, 8 Nancy ?, 9 Alice Steele



ROLLER SKATING

submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI '50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com

My dad would drive and gather up several kids that lived on Davisson Run Road and take us to the roller rink out near Stonewood/Nutter Fort area on a Saturday. I remember it was a big barn like building and we skated on the second floor. He would give us three hours and then be back to pick us up. I always had street skates and wore the wheels off a few pair of them along with the soles of my shoes. Remember they clamped onto our shoes and we tightened them with a key we wore around our neck. But to wear shoe skates and skate on a wooden floor was a real treat. Little did I realize that in later years, skating in a roller rink in Washington, DC that I would meet my future husband thanks to the Ogren twins who introduced us.



submitted by: Jim Potter (WI '65)
JPOTTER@DeltaGas.com

You sure know how to bring back the memories. The 1960’s Carmichael Auditorium Skating Rink. Friday and Saturday Nights. The Two Step, Reverse Doubles, Conga, Moon Light Doubles, Waltz, Speed Skate, Ladies Only, Men Only, Ladies Choice, Advanced Skate. New Years Eve Skating Parties, I still have tickets in my year book. Kids from Victory and WI spent a lot of weekend evenings there in the fall and winter. Good music, good exercise. Many nights I carried my skates from Broad Oaks all the way to the Auditorium and up the ramp to go skating from 7 p.m till midnight. Our senior class had a Senior Skating Party there. It was fun to see how many couldn’t skate. I remember John Dolan, his brothers and sisters were regulars there we sure had some good times. Some times we went to Nutter Fort skating rink, it was up over a furniture store. It’s floors were not as good as the auditorium, and it was smaller. They always ended the evening skate with a moonlight doubles you considered the evening a success if you had a partner for the last skate. If memory serves me right the final song was Thank you and Good Night. There were a couple small sandwich shops around the corner where you could get a coke and pepperoni roll or dog on the way there or home. Thanks, Roleta, you and Judy bring us back to a simpler and truly better time.



submitted by: Wilma Costlow Allman (WI '53)
Wallman5@verizon.net

As a child growing up in Stealey, we were always on roller skates. We skated on our street (Davis) and then we would skate around the block. We would go up Davis, down Duff Avenue to Baker and then back up Stealey Ave to Davis again and then start all over. We knew every hole in the sidewalk so that we could jump over them and not get tripped up. I remember one time we were skating and for one reason or another my older sister, Helen, did not change her dress after church. She fell and got blood all over the dress and ripped it so that it could not be fixed. I was furious with her because I could hardly wait until she outgrew the dress so that it would be mine. I still see that dress and I could describe it to you. I was totally unconcerned about how badly she was hurt. I guess that was sisterly love.



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

I can remember ROLLER SKATING at the roller skating rink in Nutterfort/Norwood in the upstairs of the building out close to RW. I can remember having a lot of fun and being quite good at roller skating, but I cannot remember who else was there when I was.

SO, that must mean that I was roller skating when I was REALLY YOUNG, like 10 - 12, as a little earlier than that age range I was involved in archery and baseball, and a little later than that age I was involved in basketball, football and GIRLS! I can remember the roller skating rink, with the railings around the rink and I remember the different skates that they would have like: REVERSE SKATE and COUPLES ONLY!

I probably mention the roller skating building, to whoever is with me, everytime that I am out in that area.



FAVORITE OR LEAST FAVORITE TEACHER

submitted by: Frances Tate Barrett (WI '50)
flmom1cat4@juno.com

My favorite teacher was my senior English teacher, Ms Bailey. She was most certainly a lady in every way that you could describe. She worked extra hard to help me pass her course. She knew I was not comfortable with English Literature (especially Shakespeare). If she hadn't stayed after school to help me out I probably wouldn't have graduated. I was not good at writing essays either and I think when she graded mine she really gave me a break and pointed out to me where I could have done better. I'm almost sure she has passed on now, but I will always be grateful for her patience with me. I also need to thank Jean Atkinson Turner. I don't know if she remembers but she helped me when she could.

Oh, how could I forget Ms. Malone at Central. She was the ultimate "witch on wheels" when it came to the girls in her class. The boys could do most anything and it was fine with her. But she sure didn't like me or at least I had that impression at the time I was in her class. I made the mistake of calling her Mrs. Malone one day, her face turned red and I thought she was going to whack me with a yard stick. When she handed out reading books, she picked out some little kiddie books, because I wouldn't understand what I read in the others. One time we were doing an art project, most everyone had water colors, a few us she made use crayons because we couldn't handle the water colors. Does anyone else remember her? For several years I wished her nothing but bad luck, but I finally got over it and changed my way to a more Christian thinking



submitted by: Willard F. "Bud" Wheelock (WI '60)
hawkewoode708@yahoo.com

I was fortunate to have a lot of great teachers during my 12 years in Clarksburg Schools, but the one that made the greatest impact on my life was Mr. Edwin J. "Cactus Jack" Frederick, who taught from 1946 until his retirement in 1981, almost all of it at WI. This man did not miss a single day in the classroom during that long career! No one will ever come close to that! He served in the air Corps in WWII with distinction. As far as I know, he got his nickname because he was an admirer of FDR's first vice-president, "Cactus Jack" Garner.

Every day in his class was an adventure. If you did not care about history when you started in September there had to be something wrong with you if you felt the same way by June. I have known no one, myself included that could use audio-visual presentations as effectively as Jack. I still have and still use many teaching aids that he gave me when we worked together from 1972 to 1981.

With every holiday, you expected to see him go all out decorating his room appropriately and sometimes wearing a costume of sorts in keeping with the event. We looked forward to that.

There would occasionally be someone who was "defying him" and needed discipline. Though not a man large in stature, he could always handle the situation & we had some pretty big "boys".

I was fascinated with history before I went to school, but it was "Cactus Jack" who instilled in me the desire to teach it. I still consider him the benchmark and I will be starting my 36th year of teaching history this fall, at Robert C. Byrd High School.

Jack was at Wishing Well care facility in Fairmont, but I was told he left on June 8. As usual, they couldn't or more likely wouldn't give me any information or forwarding address. If anyone out there could help me track him down, it would be greatly appreciated.



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

I had many wonderful teachers throughout the year. The best were in Alta Vista and in WI. The only teacher whose name I even remember at CJHS was Mr. Corder who was a wonderful person.

The teacher I feel was the best I ever had was Mr. Dumire who taught biology. He was very demanding and set very high standards, but he was also fair. He expected everyone to keep up, hence the little 11 question test almost daily over the material we were supposed to study for homework. Why 11 questions? Well, even though the test was based on 100 points, you'd could get an extra 10 points on your scorecard that could mean the difference between passing or failing for some, or the difference between an A and an A+ for others.

I've never had a teacher who explained things better or who drove home the logical, sequential elements of the subject. Some did not like the man, but I revered his knowledge and his methodology. Had I chosen to be a biology teacher, I would no doubt have tried to emulate him. My hat is off to Mr. Dumire.



submitted by: Fred Alvaro (WI '59)
FAlvaro33@aol.com

While attending WI, I would have to say that Mr Jack Frederick was my favorite teacher, insofar that he was comical and unintimidating to the students. After graduating from college and looking at my teachers retrospectively, I would choose Mr. Gudekunst as my favorite. He was strict but fair and the C's I received from him for three years, enabled me to earn A's in every math class I took in college. After college, when I worked downtown at Mercer's Drug Store, I would frequently run into him and he was a lot of fun and we often joked about his strictness in class. He was a very nice individual.


PRECIOUS CHILD



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

There's no doubt about this month's trivia picture. Deloros Costlow and I started out together in first grade. Delores's mother was my Sunday School and Brownie leader. I remember Dolores being in the band too. A fine person to know.



submitted by: Polly Costlow Dennison (WI '45)
Polly817911@cs.com

I remember well the night the August precious child was born as she is my baby sister, Dolores Eileen Costlow Wall, class of 1958. I was thirteen and in the eighth grade. Our father was in Fort Benning, GA, getting additional military training, so my step-mother had to rely on a taxi to get to the hospital. It was a cold and icy night and the first cab that came did not have enough traction to back out of our dead-end street. A second cab was sent and managed to get the mother-to-be transported to the hospital. Dolores was the fifth girl to be born in our family. There were no boys. We all graduated from Washington Irving High School as did my four children. Dolores told me about this newsletter and I have enjoyed every one of them. Thanks to you and Judy for the time and effort you invest in this project. Keep up the good work!



submitted by: Wilma Costlow Allman (WI '53)
wallman5@verizon.net

The picture of the little girl is very well known to me. She is my sister, Dolores Costlow Wall. I was really surprised to see her picture.



submitted by: JoAnne Drummond Marlette (WI '58)
cricketmarie@verizon.net

This is Delores Costlow. I went to Morgan Grade school and we finished up at good ole WI in the year of 58.



submitted by: Anne Pears Jones (WI '58)
anannaj@citcom.net

This is Delores Costlow. Her mother was my scout leader and Delores and I went to scout camp together. We were also in the band together. She is a great gal and always fun to be around.



PRECIOUS CHILD FOR AUGUST



Do you recognize the above child? Do him a favor, write to the newsletter with your guess as to his identity and include a little memory of him. Write to Roleta1@aol.com. Only correct guesses with a memory will be included in the newsletter due to space. I am sure he would love to know someone remembers him.



I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

EDITOR’S NOTE: Maybe you have seen something like this….a friend sent this to me and it is just a little different from some I have seen so I thought you might enjoy it.

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

If you've fished in clear waters and waded in the mud,
Watched the calm rivers, seen many a flood.
Traveled the highways on good roads and bad
Cussed like a trooper, yet seldom are mad.

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

If you've sweat in the valley, cooled off on a hill
Tramped thru the mountains, drank corn from a still
If you like a good fight, can lose and grin
Get up on your feet and again try to win.

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

You ain't afraid of the devil, got fire in your eye
God fearing and loving the father on high
Go the LIMIT for FRIENDS but slow to forgive
Nursing that hurt as long as you live.

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

You've drunk SASSAFRASS and old mountain tea
Used PENNYRILE(?) for the bite of a flea
You say what you think whether sober or drunk
Can tell by the wind, the trail of a skunk

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

If you've cleaned your teeth with a birch tree twig
To Old Dan Tucker danced many a jig
Stole behind the barn, away from your folds
For Indian stogie and corn silk smokes.

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

If you've talked pig latin, sung the old gray mare
Felt the bite of a chigger, love a good country fair
A bit Clannish of kin, tho' onorey they be
You admit it yourself, but dare us to agree

I BET YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA

You hate flag burners and almond eyed lice (?)
Itching to fight them and no count the price
You're proud of your state and thrill when you hear
The Star Spangled Banner and stand up and cheer

I KNOW YOU ARE FROM WEST VIRGINIA




OBITUARIES

NANCY L. (SHEETS) ARTHUR

Nancy L. (Sheets) Arthur, age 80, of Clarksburg, departed this life on Sunday, July 9, 2006, in the United Hospital Center. She was born in Clarksburg, WV, on June 16, 1926, a daughter of the late Paul F. Sheets and Gladys V. (Ritter) Sheets. He husband, Thomas Arthur, preceded her in death in 1978. Surviving are a brother and sister-in-law, John Paul and Rosalie Sheets, Claymont, DE; a brother-in-law, Lem Higginbotham, Bridgeport, WV and many nieces and nephews. Mrs. Arthur was a graduate of the class of 1944 from Washington Irving High School. She previously worked at the Boy Scout Office in Clarksburg.



KATHERINE SIMPSON BRANNON

CLARKSBURG - Katherine Simpson Brannon, 76, a former well-known resident of Clarksburg, WV, died at 10:10 p.m. Sunday, August 6, 2006, at home in Dunn, NC, after a long and valiant battle with breast cancer.

She was born in Clarksburg, WV, on February 15, 1930, the daughter of the late Alvin Ross and Katherine Waldeck Simpson, the granddaughter of the late Albert W. and Jean Pascoe Simpson and Clarence and Della Keyes Waldeck.

Surviving are one son, Robert Simpson Welch (CDR, JAGC, USNR) of Dunn, NC; four stepsons; eight grandchildren; and one cousin, Gladys-Louise Pascoe Rebar of Stockdale, PA.

Mrs. Brannon was educated in the Catholic schools at Hagerstown, MD. She graduated from Washington Irving High School in Clarksburg, WV, and later from Mount Vernon Junior College in Washington, DC.

She was an active and sustaining member of Christ Episcopal Church, Clarksburg, the Clarksburg League for Service, the Clarksburg Country Club, the Sunny Croft Country Club and the Oral Lake Fishing Club (her maternal Grandfather, Clarence Waldeck, was a founding member). She was also a member of the Tuesday Club (a literary association founded by Julia Davis, the wife of John W. Davis).

Later in life, she served as a couture consultant and agent for Doncaster Clothing. She moved to North Carolina in 1993 to abide with her family.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Frank M. Welch, President and CEO of the F.C. Welch Co., whom she married in 1952, and her second husband, John Linn Brannon, CEO and President of Transportation Inc., and Fair-Clark of WV, whom she married in 1968.



ANTHONY POLICANO

Anthony Policano passed away April 6, 2006 in Houston, Texas, following an extended illness. Anthony was born in Clarksburg, WV, on June 28, 1940, the son of the late Larry and Rose Policano. He is survived by a daughter, Becky Myers of Houston, Texax; two sons, Kenny Policano of Houston, Texas, and John Policano of Clarksburg, WV; one stepson, Bobby Policano of Clarksburg, WV; a brother Larry Policano of Alexandria, VA; and many nieces and nephews in Calrksburg, WV.

He is preceded in death by a son, Anthony Policano; sisters, Mary Fuscaldo Marano, Kathy Fuscaldo Guzzi and Floria Policano Mazza; three brothers, Dominick A. Policano, Frank Fuscaldo and Joe Fuscaldo.

Anthony graduated from WI in 1959. He was a successful business man in Clarksburg and owned and operated a used car lot. He last worked for 18 years for the Mylan Pharmaceutical Company in the weighing department.



FLEMING (SKIP) WINE, JR.

A. Fleming (Skip) Wine Jr., age 88 passed away at 8:20 p.m. on Thursday, August 3, 2006, at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg following an extended illness.

He was born in Clarksburg, WV, April 6, 1918, a son of the late A. Fleming Wine Sr. and Ethel L. Bond Wine Butler.

Twice married, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth Lucille Kelly Wine, in January 1964.

Surviving are his second wife, Annie Adams White, whom he married July 22, 1985; Myron S. Jackson, Clarksburg, WV, who was like a son; a brother and sister-in-law, Maurice R. and Dolly Wine, Beckley, WV.

Mr. Wine was also preceded in death by a sister, Eleanor Lee Lambiotte.

Mr. Wine was Baptist by faith. He was a graduate of Washington Irving High School, Class of 1936. He worked at White-Bailey Glass Company of Clarksburg for ten years.

He started in the electrical trade in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 596 in Clarksburg and ended up in the I.B.E.W. Local No. 569 in San Diego, CA, retiring in 1983 with 36 years of service.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during World War II. He was a lifetime member of Meuse-Argonne VFW Post No. 573 in Clarksburg, the AmVets and the L.O.O.M. General Assembly of Mooseheart. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 416 in Encinitas, CA, the National Rifle Association of America and the Harrison County Senior Citizens Center.



CARLETON COST ‘BUZZ’ WOOD III

HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. - Carleton Cost “Buzz” Wood III died unexpectedly of a heart attack on July 26, 2006, in Hampton Bays, N.Y.

He was born in Clarksburg on Jan. 22, 1957, and was a graduate of Washington Irving High School and Fairmont State University.

He was a drafting engineer by profession. He had been employed by Consolidated Gas Supply Corp. in Clarksburg and later was employed by STV Incorporated in Fairfax, Va., and Pottstown, Pa. He recently had retired to Long Island, N.Y.

He is survived by his mother, Barbara Burnside Wood of Clarksburg; two sisters, Carolyn Wood Kaeser of Hagerstown, Md., and Mary Ann Wood of Gaithersburg, Md.; two nephews; two uncles and aunts, Edward J. and Carol Wood of Logan and L.W. “Cappy” and Carolyn Burnside of Bridgeport; and a longtime friend, Jim DeLouise of Southampton, N.Y.

He also leaves behind a host of friends and family in Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, Washington and the Hamptons.

He was preceded in death by his father, Carleton Cost Wood Jr.



MARTHA LOU WHITE

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Martha Lou White, age 86, a resident of the Colonnades Assisted Living Facility in Charlottesville, VA, died on Monday morning, July 3, 2006, at The University of Virginia Hospital.

She was born January 26, 1920, in Clarksburg, WV, a daughter of the late Wylie Arlington Smith and Martha Poole Smith.

In 1941, she was united in marriage to Edgar S. White, who preceded her in death on May 17, 1992.

She was also preceded in death by her two brothers, Wylie Arlington Smith Jr., an infant, and Charles Holden Smith, and by her two sisters, Wilma Augusta Souders and Mary Eliza Calverley.

Surviving are one son, Andrew S. White and wife, Geraldine of Columbia, MD; two grandchildren, Erin Kathleen Linke and husband, Alfred of Santa Clara, CA, and Bridget May White of Columbia, MD; a great-grandchild, Leila Xara Linke of Santa Clara, CA; one sister, Margaret Jean Westerman of Raleigh, NC; three nephews and four nieces, Charles Holden Smith Jr. of Charlottesville, VA, Robert Arlington Souders of Pittsburgh, PA, William Lawrence Souders of Del Ray Beach, FL, Claudia Westerman Seiple of Raleigh, NC, Carolyn White Putney of Arlington, VA, Diana Calverley Haskel of Cary, NC, and Susan White Barnes of Beckley, WV.

Mrs. White graduated from Washington Irving High School in 1937. She worked at Parson-Souders Co., the Personal Finance Department of Lowndes Bank, and was office manager at First Federal Savings and Loan from 1954 until her retirement.

Martha Lou was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Clarksburg where she was a member of Circle No. 5 and after retiring from First Federal Savings & Loan, she volunteered in the church office until she moved to the Colonnades Assisted Living Facility.

She was a cellist in the Washington Irving High School Orchestra and later played with community orchestras in Clarksburg, Fairmont and Morgantown and the Buckhannon Chamber Orchestra. During the 1970s and 1980s, she resumed cello studies at West Virginia University’s Community Music Program. For 20 years, she was a member of the string trio, Bel Canto, with Betty Perry and Cleo Rollins. The trio played at dinners, weddings, receptions and public events. At Christmas the trio played carols at Fort New Salem.

Martha Lou also had a life-long interest in art and collectable crafts. She admired the work of artists and artisans in West Virginia and had examples of their work in her home. In addition, she enjoyed painting with oils and pastels and on her floor loom, she wove decorative wall hangings and household textiles.

Dr. Eric Faust will conduct the memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church, 175 W. Main, Clarksburg, WV, on Saturday, August 12, 2006, at 11 a.m. After the service, the family will host a Celebration of Life luncheon at the Clarksburg First Presbyterian Church. Interment will be at the Bridgeport Cemetery following the lunch.



VIRGINIA RANDOLPH

Mrs. Virginia T. Randolph, age 92, passed away at her residence at 6 a.m. Saturday, August 5, 2006.

She was born in Wolf Summit, WV, September 23, 1913, a daughter of the late John Isaiah Thompson and Etta Gay Pratt Thompson.

Her husband of 63 years, Sandford Fitz Randolph preceded her in death.

Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Karen Sue (Randolph) Aman and husband Joseph W. Aman, Boalsburg, PA, with whom she made her home; a son-in-law, William J. Grottendieck III, Glenville, WV; one sister, Dorothy Grace (Thompson) Joseph Stuaffer, Parkersburg, WV; five granddaughters; four great granddaughters and many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Randolph was also preceded in death by a son, Sandford Fitz Randolph II; a daughter, Virginia Ann Randolph Grottendieck; a sister, Lois Elizabeth Thompson Morris, and a brother, Roy Thompson.

Mrs. Randolph was a graduate of Washington Irving High School, Class of 1931, and Salem College, Cum Laude, in 1935. She was a lifelong member of Orpha Chapter No. 30, Order of Eastern Star, in Salem, WV, as was her mother, Etta Gay Thompson and her grandmother, Dora Pratt.



GARY LYNN FLOYD

Brief note to inform all of the death on July 16, 2006 of Gary Lynn Floyd, WI class of 1963 (brother of Larry L. Floyd (WI 1958) . Gary was 61 years old. He is survived by two sons; Neil Floyd serving in Iraq with the Army and Scott Floyd. Also surviving is one grandson Cary. Gary was preceded in death by his father Harry Lee Floyd. His mother Nina Lee (Hamrick) Floyd is surviving. Both parents were graduates of WI in the 1930’s.

Excerpts from the Obituary columns of the Exponent Telegram-used by their permission.









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