THE WI NEWSLETTER 10/09



THE WI NEWSLETTER


Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith Issue 122 October 2009






ROADKILL QUISINE

submitted by: Sue Selby Moats (WI '55)
Smoats@aol.com

Here is info about a CD of early songs of WV and the upper Ohio Valley from late 1700s to late 1920s and a CD of original songs about life in WV, including one called "Roadkill Quisine". Though it might be of interest to some of the music buffs reading the newsletter. If not included that's okay too.

This is the title of one of the original songs written and recorded by Gary Eller. It is included on a CD titled "Appalachian Sons" which features 15 songs written by Gary along with family and friends. Gary was born & raised in New Martinsville, WV and still has family and friends in that area. Although he now lives in Idaho, he comes back to WV and travels to other states to perform with the group Bona Fide.

"Appalachian Sons" is dedicated to Gary's Mother, Virginia and deceased father, Thad as well as grandparents along with other family & friends. Song titles on the CD are: Little Pocket Bible, Roadkill Quisine, Dilly's Bottom, Tater, Appalachian Sons, Roll on Ohio, Slim Chance Hill, The Auction, Palestine Church, Aunt Ginny's Waltz, L.V. Came to Town, Moundsville Pen Blues, Coal Train Rumble, Thad and Dolly, with Rhododendron as the last song.

For those of you who are WV history buffs, his new CD is "A Sampler of Early Songs of West Virginia and the Upper Ohio Valley". This CD consists of 14 historically-based songs written from the late 1700s to the late 1920s with illustrated booklet and text. This was recorded in conjunction with a performance of these songs at the invitation of the Wetzel/Tyler County Arts Council in August 2009. Again Gary was helped by family and friends with the performance as well as the production of the CD.

A booklet with a photo and text about each song is included with the CD. The list of songs on this include: We'll Chase the Buffalo, Boatman's Dance, Wheeling Bridge Polka, Ohio River Blues, West Virginia Gals, Banks of the Ohio, The Great Ohio Flood, Baltimore Drummer, Wreck of the FFV, West Virginia Highway, Where the Old Allegheny and Monogahela Flow, West Virginia Rag, Dinger Daugherty and Explosion in the Fairmount Mines.

If you would like more information about Gary and the CDs, check out http://www.bonafidaho.com/. Click on Recording & Books and then select Early Songs of Northern West Virginia and the Upper Ohio Valley. Here you can read about his work and the CDs as well as hear some selections from the CDs and purchase if you wish.



MORGAN GRADE SCHOOL PICTURE 1946-47

DO YOU RECOGNIZE ANYONE, PLEASE WRITE AND TELL ME

WRITE TO Roleta1@aol.com

Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks.

Below is a picture sent to me by Augie Malfregeot (WI 1956) who wishes to challenge you to a game to help raise money for the WIN Scholarship.

Pictured is Grade 3 of Morgan Grade School which was taught by Mrs. Wright and the school Principal was Mr. Sheets.

Please name as many as you can. Augie will give an undisclosed amount for each correct name you can come up with. So come on and play the game!

Have some fun and help the WIN Scholarship at the same time.





NOTRE DAME WEBSITE UPDATED

submitted by: Boo Beall (ND '58)

The Notre Dame Class of 1958 Web Page has been updated............

Check out a good book about Clarksburg.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzew42av/notredamehighschoolclassof1958/



GROWING UP IN BROADWAY
EAST OF CLARKSBURG

submitted by: Walt Cleavenger (RW '52)
cleavy1@verizon.net

I was born at home in Broadway, my father (Gilbert) worked at South Penn Machine Shop in the pipe yard. While growing up we moved around a lot, but ended up in Broadway on Nutter Street. As a young boy my friends and I played lots of games such as marbles, dropsy, kick the can and mumbly peg ( also called baseball) using a knife. Yes, we even played touch football in the street.

We would go to the play ground to shoot basketball, play volleyball, play horseshoes and do art. Every where we went we walked. We would play other playgrounds in softball and volleyball. We would walk to Nutter Fort to see the stock car races. It used to be a horse race track first then motor cycles, then older race cars then better ones. I remember the one grand stand there. We would also go there because there was a skating rink there.

I remember walking to Broadway School and to go in you had to go in single file and when school was out you had to go out in single file. I got to be a patrol boy and that was a big thing then. I played all sports at Broadway and here are some of the boys that played together, Ted Moscar, Leroy Cogar, Jamie Gorby, George Herrick, Glen Gorby, Marshall Vansant, Fred Hikel, Gail Herrick, Tony and Jimmy Fugo.

In the summer I would mow lawns for other people for 50 cents and give the money to my mother to help buy groceries. In the winter I would shovel sidewalks for 75 cents. Movies up town were very cheap so I would collect pop bottles and Clorox bottles and get money for them at the grocery store. Do you remember the names of the four theaters up town? They were the Orpheum, Moores, Ritz, and Robinson Grand. Remember back in our time things were cheap and so were the wages.

I remember working at the Roller Drome in Nutter Fort putting skates on people's shoes using a special key, I was only eleven then. Do you recall the two bowling alleys up town? They both were under ground and I sat up pens at both places. One was the Gore and the other was the Club.

Broadway was a nice place to grow up and I'll never forget my childhood and the people that lived around me. I do remember my hair cut was 50 cents and Patsy Guzzie our grocer would deliver groceries to our house if mom asked him.

I remember the drive-in theaters that opened in the late forties, that was something nice. I found out later in life that my wife's father Bud Simons raced motor cycles and the older stock cars in Nutter Fort.



ARBUTUS PARK

submitted by: Kay Lawson Adair (WI '58)
Kladair1@aol.com

At one time you asked me to write a memory of Arbutus Park but I couldn't get my thoughts together. Something happened in mid August when I was in Clarksburg to attend my 51st WI reunion that I would like to share. After checking into my hotel, I needed to get my Minard's Spaghetti fix which I had not had in 9 years. There were a lot of people waiting for a table and I was just observing the people but not really looking at them. I heard a laugh and looked over and it didn't register until she shifted in her seat. To my complete disbelief and amazement sat Chery Taylor Curtis and next to her, her sister Jeannie Taylor Teter and her husband Roger Teter as well as their children and grandchildren. I almost collapsed with excitement. I had not seen Jeannie (lives in Calif.) in maybe 45 years and had not seen Chery (lives in Myrtle Beach) in maybe 15 years. When it registered who I was, they were like springs popping off the sofa. There were lots of tears, hugs and excitement. In many ways it was surreal. Jeannie and Chery grew up next door to me in Arbutus Park. Our parents were very good friends. We could walk into each others house without knocking. They were really like sisters to me. What a wonderful evening we had together as well as breakfast the next morning.

Whoever said you can't go home LIED, ---I went home



VACATION TIME

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS SUMMER?
Write to Roleta1@aol.com and share your fun.

Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks

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

Hi Everyone,
We had a sensational trip to Italy. We started in Rome with a welcome dinner where I learned two rules of life in Italy.........One, everything important happens either upstairs or downstairs and never on the entry level. Two, food is central to all activities and events. Anyway, the welcome dinner was down about twenty steep steps and it consisted of about five courses plus plenty of red and white wine. First was a plate with sausages and cheese. Second was light pizza with olive oil and fresh tomatoes. Third was a soup. Fourth was pork with potatoes and salad and finally a torte and espresso for dessert. AND THEN WE HAD TO CLIMB BACK UP THOSE STEEP STEPS.

Next day we had a walking tour of the Vatican BEFORE we had a walking tour by the ancient palaces and government places including a good look at the forum where Marc Antony made his famous speech on the event of Caesar's death. Just across the "street" is the Colosseum where we learned graphic details about man's inhumanity to man. Did any of you know that watching executions was a form of entertainment to the Romans? Ugh. Anyway, this particular walking tour was about three hours long and it was 94 degrees that day. I thought I was going to die. Truly!

We visited Venice and had a lovely gondola ride plus a boat ride through the Grande Canal. So much opulence and wealth I've never seen before in one place.

We went on a walking tour of Assisi and learned about St. Francis. And........walked up and down steep streets on the side of a mountain which was his home. It is a beautiful place.

No trip to Italy would be complete without a look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is interesting to note, thought, that there are many leaning towers in Italy. Only this one is famous. They are the bell towers of churches and are top heavy, so we're told, and the quickly begin to lean after being built on soft soil.

A walking tour of Pompeii was one of the high points of the tour. Archeological digs continue constantly on the site and treasures continue to be discovered. It is a fascinating place that stirs empathy to the plight of those poor souls who didn't have a clue how to save themselves until it was too late.

Next, we visited the Isle of Capri. Since the island is almost totally vertical, they gave us a break and let us ride up about 1000 meters on a funicular. The scenery is breathtaking. We enjoyed the facilities of a gorgeous hotel for two nights while we ate, drank and walked the steep and narrow streets looking at Armani suits, crocodile handbags with 9000 Euro price tags (about $14,000 give or take) and emeralds the size of silver dollars encrusted in diamonds. We bought nothing but food and we took spectacular pictures.

Sorento is just across the bay from Capri and was our final stop on our trip. I wish we'd had more time to spend there because it is an extraordinarily beautiful city.

Italy was wonderful. The people are hard working, energetic and friendly without being solicitous. The hotels were the cleanest we've seen anywhere in Europe. And of course the food is to die for but in spite of the many courses and the endless bowls of risotto and pasta, I returned only one pound heavier thanks to walking tours and step climbing.



THE ANNUAL WI PICNIC
IN CLARKSBURG, WV

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

We had a great time. My wife, Loretta (VHS 1950) went with me at 9:30AM, no other school showed up. We helped decorate and set up the tables. Tim Corsini (WI 1951) showed up with his wife and said he came on his way from South Carolina to Md. because I asked him to come on the Internet after getting his address there....haha. He stayed a couple hours and had a great time. He and I were the only 1951 graduates and the oldest alums there, He left before a picture was taken. The gal from 1953 and I were in a single picture. It threatened rain all day but only had a few sprinkles, and ended up being a great sunny day. It had to be close to 90..and the boss-gal and her husband and a couple others really do a great job..!!!! Others asked me where you were Roleta, we missed you!



OCTOBER SONGS

submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com

All treats and very little tricks here for this month's presentation of songs that were #1 in the month of October in years past. Before we get to the hits I wanted to share two of my favorite songs that always make me think of my favorite month for football, bonfires, and hobgoblins.

"Moondance" Michael Buble. For the second year in a row I couldn't find a video of the MUCH preferred version by Van "the Man" Morrison. This is a decent enough performance and finally lets me get the "...'neath the cover of October skies..." line into this 10th month of the year tribute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABxlQkIOfmA&feature=related

1962....'Monster Mash' Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers.....Kind of the 'White Christmas' of Halloween....or at least the 'Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer'. The song charted again in 1970 and '73. I love this video....a well done tribute to 'monster' movies of all kinds....brace yourselves, this is a fun little ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI&feature=related

Let the Hit Parade begin.

1944..."You Always Hurt the One You Love" The Mills Brothers. I just recently started listening to this wonderful vocal group from Piqua, OH. Lucky me, what a find!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cTxNlxPasw

1948..."12th Street Rag" Pee Wee Hunt. One of those familiar tunes where, because it has no lyrics, we often can't recall the title. Now we know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-T2vDox4Fg

1952..."You Belong to Me" Jo Stafford. Great song, great delivery. Click the "more info" alongside the video for lyrics and more about Ms. Stafford. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw3Yi8kmp98&feature=related

1954..."Hey There" Rosemary Clooney. Here's a double dose of Ms. Clooney. The first is the song as it was heard on the radio in '54; and the second is a live version from 1983. The aunt of dashing leading man, George Clooney, she was very popular in my household as I was growing up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU_Gj51Uk6k&feature=fvwe2

"Hey There" Live -1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCF9SfUZY4U&feature=related

1957..."Wake Up Little Suzie" The Everly Brothers. Grainy video with very annoying horns trampling all over this little gem. Every time they played "Suzie" on a TV variety show back in the '50's, inevitably that shows musical arranger couldn't resist trying out a "rock and roll" arrangement with the show's house band. Every fifties rock and roller had to endure this bombastic overkill...death by trombone. (See some of Elvis' TV appearances for similar dismal musical backing.). This still delivers as the Everly's were good entertainers and my favorite singing "group" of the 1950's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kooAgqCHGvU

1960..."Mr. Custer" Larry Verne. Wonderful one hit wonder, that is one of the funniest novelty songs of all time. A couple of listens to this and every kid in America (OK...every boy kid) was whooping like an Injun and trying to make the "zipping" sound on an "error" coming right at ya, trying to mimic the record. Watch as Mr. Verne mugs his way through this one, and at the very end, I'd swear that's Shelley Berman sitting there in glasses. Number one for one week, and perhaps it was one week too many. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N4VVreH-7A

1963..."Sugar Shack" Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. Nice enough tune presented here via a pretty lame lip-synch performance that, if their "threads" are any indicator, looks like it comes from about 1967. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DW8ecqu0Iw&feature=related

1966..."Reach Out I'll Be There" The Four Tops. If I haven't said it before in these columns, let me say it now...Levi Stubbs' was one of the best soul singers ever. This guy's voice came straight out of the church, up my street, onto my record player and gave me the chills. It had grit coupled with grace; powerful yet tender. I reached out and played these guys' records, a LOT! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9sSOwJDtsk&feature=related

1969..."I Can't Get Next To You" The Temptations. The Four Tops and the Temptations back to back...now that's what I'm talking about. Al Green also did a nice version of this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ5bHts9dNA&feature=fvw

1971..."Maggie May" Rod Stewart. This song was number one in the nation the entire month of October of my senior year at WI. I'm sure it has everything to do with my life long preference for older women. Wonderful live version from 2004 at the Royal Albert Hall with Ron Wood alongside playing guitar. Turn this one UP and sing along. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlWpnLdPwvk

1975..."Bad Blood" Neil Sedaka. Nice comeback single for the Brill Building song writing legend, performed live on The Midnight Special. Neil reinforces the stereotype that white boys can't dance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xqEiN73WGQ

1979..."Sad Eyes" Robert John. I always thought this had a little Neil Sedaka in it, crossed with a good bit of Leo Sayer. It was #1 for one week in October of '79. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1pRxLxkVS4&feature=related

1982..."Jack and Diane" John Cougar Mellencamp. A little "ditty", indeed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcJz-x6idd8

1985..."Money for Nothing" Dire Straits. This is a good live version from 1990. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlPjxz4LGak



NEW READERS

John Carney (ND '61) carneyj276@comcast.net
Virginia A. Lawson-Mosgrove (VHS '55) pacodog@roadrunner.com
Cary Randall "Randy" Pritchard (WI '58) and
Melinda "Linda" Lee Moore Pritchard (WI '58)		 moolinda_9@msn.com
Linda Jenkins Purnell (WI '67) linda.lpurnell@gmail.com
Linda Wallace Leonette (WI '67) time4lulu@yahoo.com
Bob Sommerville (WI '66) rjs4u2uz@verizon.net
Patty Moffett Austin (WI '71) moffettaustin@frontiernet.net
Robert L. Manley (WI '34) Zumwohl@tampabay.rr.com
Carole Findley Cinci (WI '64) ccinci@hotmail.com
Joyce Aspy Molly (WI '70) gogetterz@hotmail.com
Marcia Young Fletcher (WI '64) gonzodante@msn.com
Patti Elaine Shaffer Bayes (WI '66) dbpb67@peoplepc.com
Louise KelchI (didn't graduate from WI,
but my 4 children did and I enjoy reading it)		 BK3252@aol.com




JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THE CHECK WAS RECEIVED

I had asked that the Financial Administrator at WVU to notify the recipient and to let me know when the WIN Scholarship check was received at their office. They didn’t respond so I wrote to Tara Southern, one of the 2 graduates of R.C. Byrd in 2009 who rec’d the scholarship. She replied:

Hi!!
I actually never got a conformation email or anything like that from them, but I did get on my Mix account which is my WVU school account and I checked out funds and it was on there so it did go through. Sorry for taking so long to respond. It’s been hard trying to get situated up here, I will stay in touch.

Thanks, Tara.



COACH AL CASTELLANA


Pictured above are Al Castellana and wife of 53 years, Sara Jean Brunett Castellana. (WI 1953). Picture was taken the night of August 9, 2009 at the dinner to honor Coach Castellana.



FRONT PORCH ENTERTAINMENT

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

Back when we were young, on warm summer evenings after “supper” people would sit on the front porch with family and friends. Often the family would include some from three generations. The older folks would entertain everyone with weird little songs and poetry that had been handed down through generations. Some of these songs were only familiar within the family but many were known by others too. I wish to explore this phenomenon! So if you know of such a “little ditty” won’t you please share it with us?

Just write them to: Roleta1@aol.com

This all started when Dave Grimes sent me the following note.

I remember my Dad teaching me some of his WV folk lore songs, MANY years ago. For example: "Oh she promised to meet me when the clock struck 17, in a stock yard 10 miles out of town. Where the pig's feet and pig's ears and tough ole Texas steers sold sirloin steak at $.17 a pound. Oh she's my darlin', she's my daisy, she's cockeyed and she's crazy. She's knock kneed, bow legged, got the rheumatism, all her teeth are false from eatin' Epsom salts, she's my freckle faced, consumptive Sally Jane". It looses a lot when not "put to music", but, you get the picture. He had many others which I hope to teach to my 7 grandchildren before I die.

And, here's another of my Dad's. It has many verses but I'll just share one for brevity sake.

"I seen a feller lookin at my pocket book, he says ya got two tens for a five. I say ya dern fool, I be the constabule, and I'll have ya arrested soon as yur alive. Well, I swan, I must be gettin on, giddy up Napoleon it looks like rain. I'll be jiggered, the cash ain't figgered so come over to the farm when yur here again."

From Roleta: I know you are sitting there remembering some little poem or song –so click on my name and write it to me right now..Just put your cursor on these underlined words Roleta1@aol.com. Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks



PROUD GRANDDADDY ANNOUNCES TWINS

submitted by: John “Jak” Emrick (WI '53)
cadilacJak54@aol.com

Just a note to let you know that my daughter, Alisha Faith and her husband, Ross Setchell are the proud parents of twins, Faith Alayna and Connor Ross. They were born on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009 at UHC in Clarksburg, WV at approx. 5;40 PM. Faith weighed 6 lbs 11 ozs and Connor weighed 5 lbs 3 ozs. They both have dark hair, and I still don't know how long they were at birth. Both parents and infants are doing great. I think that they will be going home on Friday. Needless to say, we are all very thankful for the prayers of our friends and family. Please keep Ross in your prayers as he will be returning to Camp Pendleton, CA to continue his training for deployment to Afghanistan in December. Thanks to all in advance.



WV WINTER WONDERLAND

submitted by: Roleta Meredith
Roleta1@aol.com

Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks

  

You will notice here some of the beautifully quilted squares made by newsletter readers who volunteer their time and talent to help Sue Selby Moats complete the lovely WIN Quilt. This quilt has become one of the biggest money makers for the Scholarship. This year the quilt is named “WV Winter Wonderland” and features snowflakes with the backing being made from a beautiful material (sample shown last month) which is manufactured by Hoffman of California and is titled “Weekend in the Woods”. The color theme for the quilt this year is blue and white.

Tickets are now on sale. You may purchase 1 for $1.00, etc but for $5.00 you will receive 6 and for $10.00 the deal is 12 tickets…and so forth. So if you wish to purchase tickets for the quilt, send me a note with your name, address and phone number…and please make your check out to: Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

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

Those generous people who sent checks this month are:

Marcia Fletcher (WI 1964) Marcia is currently living in Germany. And working as a civilian employee of the US Army at the hospital where our wounded soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq are treated. Thank you Marcia for the service you are doing. Email…gonzodante@msn.com

George (WI 1960) and Carole Findley Cinci (WI 1964)

Mr. Rex Zickefoose (WI 1959) Thanks for the continued support and friendship all of these years.

Ann Pushkin Thanks for the check to the scholarship.

Fran Barrett (WI 1950) Thanks for the late birthday gift for the scholarship.

Lynn Hornor Keith (WI 1966) Gave a nice check in memory of her dear friend Jimmy Talkington. And Thanks for the birthday gift!

Mary M Robey (grandmother of Ron Fazzini who was a recipient of the 2009 WIN Scholarship)

John Cooper (WI 1951) mysto99@aol.com Thanks so much for your continued support

Mary Stump Harrell (WI 1955) Thanks for the generous birthday check.

Connie Bailey Casto (WI 1959) Thanks for being a good long time friend and for your continued support.

Herb Cashdollar Thanks for your continued generous support of the scholarship.

Bill Bryan (RW 1957) Thanks for the $1.00 I ask everyone to send me for my birthday. And a special thanks for the generous check and your continued support for the WIN Scholarship. Good luck after your bypass and we will miss those pepperoni rolls since they are a NoNo for you now.



MEMORIES

submitted by: Bob Sommerville (WI '66)
rjs4u2uz@verizon.net

My name is Bob Sommerville. I graduated from WI in 1966. Nila Means sent the latest copy of the newsletter to me. Thanks for your service. I do not have much contact with Clarksburg since my mother passed away this year, actually very little in the last 5 years since she moved up with us. It 's nice to reflect. I lived on Coleman Avenue and Baltimore Street in Point Comfort.

Some reflections:

The roundhouse
The railroad tracks from the roundhouse to West End and walking across Coleman Field and the endless games
Sledding down the banks at Coleman field
Chili dogs at the corner
The wall at the nursing home
Changing Coleman Avenue and Watkins Lane to one way streets - anybody living in Clarksburg should drive them and imagine two way traffic
Hazel Atlas Glass, later Continental Can and then Brockway

It is interesting that Steve Horr (64) who lives nearby and I were looking at old pictures just last week.



submitted by: Patti Elaine Shaffer Bayes (WI '66)
dbpb67@peoplepc.com

I was a member of the band/majorette junior and senior year. Have great memories from those days. Loved Glenn Goodwin. He was a great teacher and friend. I remember those early morning field practices during football season and riding the bus back to school just before second period. Rushing into the "girls" locker hallway and taking the curlers out of our hair and changing into school clothes. I lived only a few blocks from the school and also remember walking in the freezing winter weather and snow (no pants back then) and my knees being nearly frozen when I arrived!! Many of my close friends were upper classmen, so I have no idea where any of them may be. Have only had the opportunity to attend two class reunions. #16 and #42. I wish I knew where more of my classmates are these days. I have been married for 42 years. My husband and I spent 35 of those years in the ministry. We are now settled in the Myrtle Beach, SC area where he is working for the state until retirement age and I am an independent distributor for Premier Designs Jewelry.



TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH

For the females…in what year were you allowed to wear slacks or jeans to school?
What changes in a woman’s life have you noticed most over the years?

Write to Roleta1@aol.com

Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks



submitted by: Dixon Bewick (WI '47)
dynaflow29@verizon.net

Thank you very much for continuing your wonderful newsletter.

Dick Tetrick, Tom Seckman and me (Dixon Bewick), all WI class '47 attended fellow WI Class '47 John Paul Sheets funeral on August 26, 2009 in Wilmington, DE. Dick gave a very meaningful tribute to John Paul's (Jeep) life and we will all miss him. We also share the grief with his loving wife of 57 years, Rosalie Stuart Sheets who was also a WI Class '47 graduate.



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

My contribution of the salute to AL was nice..but has the city misspelled and should be Iaeger,WV..spelled it with a capital "i"...sure looks like an L...always blame it on the sticky keyboard... Thanks



submitted by: Bailey Williams (WI '60)
cmw_millersville@yahoo.com

I've been reading the newsletter for several months now, and I really look forward to each new issue. I graduated with the class of 1960, then moved to the Washington, DC area where I spent most of my life. I moved to Myrtle Beach, SC four years ago, and am loving it here. But I did love growing up in West Virginia and the newsletter reminds me of many good times I had there. Thanks so much for all your work in putting it together and keeping it going.



submitted by: Patty Moffett Austin (WI '71)
moffettaustin@frontiernet.net

Would you please include me on the list for the WI Newsletter? I just heard about it through some ladies that are guests at our family's resort in Capon Springs, WV. I looked over September's and some of the past issues -- there is lots of interesting information!

I grew up on Hartland Avenue, and was in Clarksburg regularly and frequently, until my mother passed on 4 years ago. I'd appreciate hearing news from WI and fellow Hilltoppers.



submitted by: Joyce Aspy Molly (WI '70)
gogetterz@hotmail.com

I used to receive your newsletter but have been without a computer for a while now and so have not been receiving it. Could you please put me on the mailing list using this email address?

I enjoyed it so much and my sister, Judy, tells me I have been missing some great issues.



THIS IS SO WONDERFUL
YOU MUST READ WHAT THE CLASS OF 1958 DID!

Hi, Roleta and Judy!
I am very happy to announce that the W.I. Class of '58 is contributing $1024.00 to the W.I.N. Scholarship Fund! Because of the extra effort made by Allen Alvarez to "rally the troops" and because of the generosity of our class members, some deserving student will have a little extra help with college expenses.

Our 50th reunion may have been a year late, but the results were outstanding! Thanks to one and all!

Proud to be a member of the best class in the best high school in the country,

Harriett (Danley) Van Voorhis
W.I. Class of '58


EDITOR’S NOTE: Judy and I thank you and some deserving child who will be graduating from RC Byrd thanks you. I am sure everyone who has contributed to the WIN Scholarship joins us in thanking you. We are so grateful that you thought of the newsletter and the WIN Scholarship.

THANKS TO EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE WI CLASS OF 1958
WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS.



OUR WEST VIRGINIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUDMezJR7uc





FYI DEPARTMENT

submitted by: Sherry Hutchison Keith (WI '64)
SKeith1514@aol.com

Hey Gang, Clarksburg and Harrison County are in the Goldenseal's current edition. If you are not familiar with this rag... it is made in WV by WV!! And a newly published book is available set in our area!

Goldenseal, West Virginia Traditional Life.. Fall 2009 $4.95 Volume 35 number 3.

Cover photo of Emilio Fernandez Alvarez and family circa 1923. Spanish West Virginia.

Special Report Spanish Mountaineers Page 13 by Editor John Lilly

Asturian West Virginia. by Luis Argeo..Page 14

La Familia Fernandez Recalling a Spanish Family in Clarksburg by Raymond Alvarez, Page 19

The Spanish Picnic by Raymond Alvarez.Page 24

DVD available: Asturian U.S. from http://audienceservices@wvpubcast.org/.

Check out Goldenseal on the Internet...http://www.wvculture.org/goldenseal/.

Also a newly published book!!! Pinnick Kinnick Hill : An American Story by G.W. Gonzalez published by West Virginia University Press..Presents the true to life fictional story of our area and the struggles and triumphs of a Spanish immigrant and his family... English and Spanish text on facing pages throughout. Paperbound: 246 pages available through WVUPress for $22.95 plus tax and shipping. Hard-cover is also available. Visit http://wvupressonline.com/ or phone 1-800-621-2736.



ONE HIT WONDERS
COME ON, JOIN THE FUN—SEND ME YOUR GUESS, IF IT IS
CORRECT I WILL PUBLISH IT…..

submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jateter@aol.com

I was surprised that I did not get more response from the readers of the WI Newsletter in my article regarding "One Hit Wonders" (including my Brother Bob), but I did have two replies and have updated my findings for the next newsletter. I hope that other readers send me additions to jateter@aol.com as both people that did send me "One Hit Wonders" thought that it was a terrific idea, and we all hope that others contribute and this list gets longer and longer. In researching to qualify these listed as being "one hit wonders", it was interesting to find that there were several artists that sang the same song and both versions ended up in the "One Hit Wonder" category. For example: Stay, as provided by Terry Shorr (WI 1960) was later sang by Shakespeare's SIster in 1992 and also made the list of "One Hit Wonders".

COME ON READERS: Add to the LISTand ADD to the FUN!




75th REUNION OF THE CLASS OF 1934
THEY NEED YOUR HELP

submitted by: Robert L. Manley (WI '34)
Zumwohl@tampabay.rr.com

I live in Tierra Verde, near St. Petersburg, FL. I graduated from Washington Irving High School in 1934. Since 2009 would be our 75 th. Anniversary it would be nice to know if any other graduates are still around and where they are living. Maybe you can help? I would like to receive the Newsletter.

Please write and tell me if you know of anyone who graduated with me. Send me their address, email address or phone number so I can get in contact with them. Thanks



OLD NEWSLETTERS
 Yes, you can read old newsletters….There are usually about 10 of the most recent past newsletters in a file where you can go visit anytime and read. To locate these, go to the bottom of any newsletter that you have on your screen while on the Internet. There you will find the word ARCHIVE. Click on ARCHIVE and a new screen will pop up which will offer you the few past newsletters. Just click on the one you wish to read.

However, if you wish to read a newsletter from the past 10 years that is not listed, you must buy a CD from Judy Daugherty Kimler which costs $10.00. The CD is simple to use. It comes with instructions. Just place the CD in the holder in your computer and follow the directions. No special program is needed. Judy sells these CDs and all proceeds go to the WIN Newsletter.

Recently CDs were purchased by:
Barbara Paugh Patton (WI 1961)
Diana Cleavenger Swiger (WI 1966)

If you wish to purchase a CD and help the WIN Scholarship at the same time, just write to Jkimler@verizon.net for information about purchasing the CD.



VICTORY CLASS OF 1954 REUNION

submitted by: Jackie (Hays) Lafferty (VHS '54)

Our 55 year reunion was July 24, 25. We had a great turnout and a wonderful time.






submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com

Roleta has been trying for several years to encourage readers to submit comments about sports to the newsletter. Since her success rate has been minimal and I am a sports nut, she has asked me to jump start the process by asking (begging) readers to discuss sports with me every month. As most of you know, I am not from Harrison County, but, I have been following sports in North Central West Virginia since about 1948. I plan to make controversial statements occasionally to spark a little interest. Please bear with me, since I have never done anything like this before. However, one thing I will guarantee you, we WILL have fun. This month, I received four comments from our readers. I hope these are the first of hundreds. Initially, I will strongly depend on my friends for input---Buzz, Buck, Jim, Fred, Jay, Pat, Norman, Bud, Alan, Larry, Mike, Jerry, Bob and all of the others. Eventually, we hope to hear from everyone interested in sports in the Harrison County area. Send your comment to me at billmere@aol.com--Please sign your name, school and year of graduation to all emails. Thanks

Since this is my first attempt, I'll try to cover as much as I can, without boring you. I won't focus on the high school football season yet, since I haven't had time to do enough research on the various teams. However, it appears that Bridgeport is still doing well, while RCB---(WI/RW) is a bit down this year. I haven't checked on Liberty---(Victory/Salem), so I can't comment on them. I've noticed that Lewis County (Weston) is much improved and the class of the North Central AC is Fairmont Senior (West), which recently beat Morgantown for the first time in decades. Much has changed in the conference alignments, but I'll save that for another time. In future issues, I'll talk about Notre Dame (St. Mary's), South Harrison (West Milford, Lost Creek, etc..) and the rest of the schools so close to our hearts.

Let's go to the colleges. Salem has discontinued football. Glenville State has been doing well, but lost to Fairmont State last week. By the way, Fairmont is now a university. Roleta now claims that she went to FSU. Our friends always ask, " Did you go to Florida State?" She, of course, tells them that she went to the "Other" FSU.

Now, let's talk about the Mountaineers. We attended the Liberty game. It looked almost like the Villanova game last year. That game told me that it was not going to be a great season. The Liberty game sent me the same message. The next week, East Carolina played well, but Brown's scrambles saved the day. Fast forward to Auburn. Again, Jarrett Brown tried to salvage a victory, but he found out that it is still a team game. He couldn't win it alone and he didn't lose it alone. The defense sorely missed Reed Williams and Scooter Berry. As always, WVU is not deep enough to lose two starters and remain competitive. Thank the Lord for the week off. The next couple of games will dictate how the season will go. We caught a break when Matt Grothe, the USF quarterback went down with a knee injury. He is out for the season. What a loss. I've watched him for over three years and always dreaded it when the Mountaineers had to face him. He still might have a shot in the NFL. We still have a chance to win the Big East and get a BCS bowl bid, but a very good Cincinnati team stands in the way. I predict that Brian Kelly, their coach, will not be there two years from now. There is still a chance for 11 or 12 wins. GO MOUNTAINEERS !!!---BEAT COLORADO !!!

LETTERS TO THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT

Following are letters I received and my replies.

Hi Bill:

Here is something you might find interesting. There was a story in the Morgantown paper last week which included interviews with the quarterback Brown and his father. Pat White had told Brown that he was almost certainly going to go pro after his Junior year. Then, he changed his mind and stayed. According to the Browns, the main reason he stayed was because Stewart was named head coach. So, thanks to Stew, we got one more year out of White. For that alone, we owe him some level of gratitude, don't you think?

How about that.....Lyle Corder (RW 1957) WVLyle@aol.com

To: Lyle,

Thanks for your comments. I always used to read the Morgantown paper online, but they started charging and drove me away. It is interesting that Pat White said this. I personally think that he should consider baseball. He was a great college quarterback, but, I don't think he is sturdy enough to make it in the pros. It would be a lot of fun to see him change the pro game, but it just won't happen. Brown, on the other hand, showed a lot of class by staying at WVU until his time arrived. Whether Stewart will be good for WVU remains to be seen.

Bill


To Bill:

Well Bill, you made me tired and thirsty explaining "The Dog Days of Summer."

I know exactly what you mean. I remember my freshman year at WI when we went out for football the weather was hot and humid. I think we had over 100 guys going out for football. I was scared to death. I had no idea what was going to happen. I had no experience playing football. When I went out for football at Central Jr High, the method of deciding who would make the team was determined by who was the fastest running sprints. I think the fastest 25 or so made the team. Well, I was about 4 feet tall and weighed about 420 pounds. Give or take a few inches and a couple of pounds. So as you can see I was not in the "Elite Fleet" and did not make the cut. So here I was a freshman with no experience and really not sure how to even put on a jock strap. The first day was pure hell to say the least. Two a day, that could have been ten a day practices, as far as I was concerned. I could not get more tired. The first practice was hot and no water. Could you imagine 150 degrees with no water. Well, I wasn't having any of that. I went home after the first practice and told my mom I was quitting. She said no way I was going to quit because she just spent 5 dollars on a sweat shirt we had to furnish and a buck fifty on a jock strap. They did furnish the T-shirt and the rest of the uniform. I told her I will go to one more practice but if it was as bad as the morning practice I was going to quit. I noticed the locker room didn't have as many guys in it as the morning practice did. Smarter guys than I dropped out. Every muscle in my body hurt. Even my hair hurt. Remember now, I was walking from Broad Oaks to WI Field and back to Broad Oaks and repeated it in the hot afternoons. Well everyday was getting easier although I was "one more daying it" everyday. The morning practices were easier because I had a good nights sleep and most of all there was dew on the ground which meant "Moisture." I couldn't wait for someone to knock me on my butt so I could lap up a little water from the grass. No water! Can you imagine what would happen to a coach today if players were not aloud to have any water during practice? My freshman year went well. I made the team and got to play a lot. Now the next three years were just as hot and just as dry and still NO WATER!!

Other than the WIN Scholarship, the Newsletter has brought us together with the Sarasota and Clarksburg reunions so we can talk about times like I have just mentioned. Some still remember some of the plays we ran and what happen on those plays. We cannot remember what happened yesterday but I can remember what Bud Collins did on one play during a Parkersburg game. Or I can remember Doug Bailey punting a ball and it hit the butt of a blocker in front of him. I think any football player, or any player of any sport, will have memories of a specific play or an event that happened during a game.

I didn't mean to get into all of this even though I planned on saying something about the four years of football at WI. I guess one year is more than enough.

I hope others such as Bud Collins, Augie Malfregeot, John Harrison, and my brother Fred will respond as they have a lot better memory than I do.

Appreciate you helping out Roleta and Judy and handling the sports part of the Newsletter.

Jim Alvaro WI ' 56

To Jim:

As always, it is great to hear from you. Preseason football practices are among my many memories from playing high school football. August was always hot. After a few practices, the dirt turned to dust (we had no grass). I've addressed the lack of water in my reply to your brother below. Our field was about 1/4 mile from the school, so, we had to walk, without shoes, to practice. (No shoes, because the pavement would wear-out the cleats) Freshmen never got uniforms, even for practice, so, we wore shorts and tee shirts until November. It all seems like fun now, but it was not that enjoyable then. I, too, hope that we can generate some interest in sports for the newsletter. W I and Harrison County had many great teams and athletes. Life is only about creating memories. We need to hear about what all of you remember about sports.

Bill


Bill,

With a high school coach in Kentucky being tried and found innocent for the death of one of his football players because of their strenuous practicing in excessive heat, this brings back memories of the practices we had twice daily under Coach Tony Folio. We were not allowed to have a drop of water, in the high heat, until we returned to the locker room. If we saw a small 'mud puddle' in the area of the practice field, we would run to it and gladly throw water onto our face. I am sure any player during those days does recall this. Right guys? Luckily, there were no unfortunate or negative health results. Today, this would definitely not be allowed, for obvious reasons.

Fred Alvaro

To: Fred,

You are right on with your comments. I have mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating. My school never allowed a drop of water at our practices. We began carrying lemons in our pants, just to be able to get a little bit of moisture during practice sessions. Players would fake a toilet break, just to search for water in a nearby stream. Most would drink from this stream. Toward the end of one season, someone found a dead cat in the stream above where we drank. It had been there for months. The next season, no player tried this trick. We suspected that the coaches put the carcass there. It worked.

Bill


I played sports most of my life and at Broadway I participated in track, football and basketball, When I got to RW I played baseball, basketball and football my senior year. In 1951 we were CITY CHAMPS in basketball and the starting five were Jack Biafore,Walt Cleavenger,Gail Herrick,Bob Sullivan and Jerry Cooper. I received a basketball scholarship at Alderson Broaddus  

While growing up I would listen to all of the West Virginia Basketball games on radio and would write the names of the players for both teams and keep the players points and score by quarters. I want to add that I have five brothers that also played basketball for RW and we all graduated from RW along with my two sisters Loveta and Aletha. All six of us also served in the service.  

Thanks, WALT Cleavenger (RW 1952)  

Walt,

Wow, what a family. I count eight grads of RW. That alone is quite an accomplishment. You are a few years ahead of me. I, too, remember listening to Jack Fleming broadcasting WVU basketball on the radio. Do you remember Jim Walthal (Maybe from Princeton??) Mack Isner (I think he was from Elkins), Clyde Green and Mark Workman (From Charleston)? This was in the late 40's and early 50's. I lived for WVU basketball. They seemed to win every game by at least 20 points. Of course, later we had the great teams with Hundley, West & Thorn. I'll never forget when the freshman team drew more fans than the varsity, when "Hot Rod" was a freshman.

What a wonderful time in WVU sports history.. Please write to me with some other memories.

Bill


QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH

Did WVU make a mistake by hiring Bill Stewart as the head coach?
Please write me at billmere@aol.com. and give me your thoughts on this. Don’t forget to sign your name, school and class yr. to each email.



JAKE AND FRIENDS

Bluffton Today » Bluffton’s Only Hometown Newspaper….Bluffton, S.C.

DON SAGER


Jake likes volunteers who help homeless hounds and ran into at the Animal House Thrift Store on S.C. 46, where Sager volunteers.

“My wife and I came to the Lowcountry from Maryland 10 years ago after I retired. Our visit to Sun City and Bluffton two year’s prior to our move convinced us that this was the place to live out our golden years. And, I am still convinced that it can’t get any better than this.”

“From my shopping days, I have a collection of ‘Monks.’ Paintings, prints, statuary, furniture, plates, mugs, steins and more. Over 125 pieces.”

“I met Jake while he was visiting the Palmetto Animal League Thrift Store on S.C. 46 in Bluffton. I volunteer on Fridays and we could use some more volunteers to assist us in our efforts to protect our pets and build a shelter. Incidentally, Jake has the most beautiful blue eyes of any dog I ever met.”

“My favorite hobby used to be antique and flea market shopping. While I still enjoy this activity, our home floor space limits my purchasing. Now it is following the fortunes of the West Virginia University football and basketball teams. Gooooooooo Mounties! I will always be proud to be from West Virginia.”

“My motto came from a United Airlines Flight magazine I was reading on a plane from Harrisburg to Omaha in the late 1960s. ‘One man may not be able to change the world, but every man should try.’ I do not remember who received credit for it, but I never have forgotten the message.”

“I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. I am so proud of my fellow Sun City Democrats who have increased the membership of the club by getting people ‘out of the closet.’ It’s tough to be outnumbered, but there is hope.”

“We flew to Tahiti for our 45th wedding anniversary three years ago. This was the most exotic place we ever visited.”

“It is always a surprise for people to learn that I met my wife, Kitty, in Morocco. I was in the U.S. Navy and her father was my commanding officer. Even though I married the boss’s daughter, I left the Navy and went to college. Really smart move? Since then we have lived in West Virginia, Virginia, Harrisburg, Omaha, Rochester, Dallas, Detroit, Ft. Wayne, Dayton, Maryland and now Bluffton.”

“We have always had cats in the house. Right now we have Jasper and Amber. Jasper was a BT ‘Top Dog’ for a couple of weeks a few years ago and Amber lost out for the same award to a real dog.”

“The inspiration for my life is our Lord God and his son our savior Jesus Christ. This lifelong belief calls us to be all that we can be directed by the Holy Spirit”

“My wife, Kitty, is an accomplished quilter. She has served as president of both the Palmetto Quilt Guild on the island and the Sun City Sew What Club. She also makes the baptismal banners for the Church of the Cross.”

“Many of the Sun City residents know me as ‘The Cookie Man.’ I worked for Del Webb as a resident host in the model home park baking and serving cookies while escorting the visitors in a golf cart.”

“My proudest moment in retirement is being nominated and selected to receive a Sun City Board of Directors Award in 2007 as a Volunteer of the Year. We are all called to be ‘good servants’ to our fellow men/women and it brings great pleasure to fulfill this challenge.’

NOTE FROM Roleta1@aol.com... Don’s latest venture, starting last week, is teaching English to Hispanics with the Literacy Council ESOL Program. I have classes twice a week for 2 hrs. each.



WI CLASS OF 1960
50th REUNION
PLANNED

To all 1960 classmates after 3 meetings we are well on our way for our 50th Reunion but we need your help with your current information: full name, mailing address, email address, phone & cell numbers. Please share this information with classmates with whom you are in contact and may not read the Newsletter.

Send information to pameez@aol.com or by snail mail to Pam Wolfe Brown Rt. 1 Box 463, Grafton, WV 26354

Our Reunion date is August 27 & 28, 2010, mark it on your calendar



HITCHHIKING

submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com

I remember when I was a young girl suddenly realizing how easy life was for a guy. I remember when my brother couldn’t have been more than 12 or 13 I often watched him jump a train and ride it a long way up the tracks while holding onto one of those ladders that were attached to the side of a boxcar. I wanted to do that….but #1. I was too small and #2. I WAS A GIRL! This continued to haunt me. I WAS A GIRL so I couldn’t do a lot of things that guys could do. If a guy wanted to go someplace ---a mile trip or 30 or 40 mile trip away from home, no problem…they just found the route to their destination, stood by the side of the road, stuck out their right thumb pointing in the direction they wished to travel and waited. Waited until some charitable soul stopped and took the hitchhiker either to his destination or part way where the hitchhiker would exit the car, stand there on the road and proceed to stick out his thumb again.. Guys didn’t have to catch a bus, wait for someone to invite them to go someplace or beg a friend for transportation. Yep, life has never been fair has it? So I have never been a hitchhiker but I know of a hitchhiker who used to come and visit me often because he didn’t have a car.

I want to explore this subject—HITCHHIKING! So write to me about your hitchhiking experience and I will publish it in the newsletter. Write Roleta1@aol.com. Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks

I hope the following experiences will jog your memories. These 3 guys just happened to have been talking about Hitchhiking on US Rt 50. However, there are many, many other roads in the Clarksburg area that I am sure some of you hitchhiked on…

WRITE TO ME! WRITE TO THE NEWSLETTER--- ON THIS SUBJECT



HITCH HIKING US RT 50

submitted by: Boo Beall (ND '58)

I would like to have a dollar for every time I made that trip......Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall. From the time I was five years old until I was twenty-five. (Route 50 and meandered through Grafton, Fellowsville, Mount Storm, and Capon Bridge) I was born in Hedgesville and moved to CKB when I was five. Still have family in Martinsburg. Don't make the trip as often now.

One of my trips across Route 50 was a beautiful Fall Day. I was attending Potomac State College at the time and Potomac State was playing Shepherd College (Shepherdstown, WV). Glen Morrison (WI 1958) and I skipped our Saturday morning English class and began our hitch hike trip to Shepherdstown for the football game. Somewhere in the mountains we were picked up by a couple headed to DC for the weekend. Turned out it was our English Professor and his wife. They dropped us off in Winchester, we picked up another ride and made it to Shepherdstown in time for the game. We did not get a good grade in the English class. I don't recall how we got back to Keyser on Sunday.



submitted by: Pat Elder

Talk about hitchhiking RT. 50---The first time I traveled to the U. of Dayton from Clarksburg to see it, was a 9 hour trip in all. I got several different rides and then still about 50 miles away, a Scientist from Wright Patterson Air Force Institute picked me up. We talked and U. of Dayton was about 20 minutes past WPAFB, but he took me right on into the heart of U. D, parked and proceeded to show me the campus. What a guy!! I stayed there 2 days in a dorm and then thumbed back to Clarksburg. I was so impressed with that kind gentleman that I returned to go to U.D. and still live in Dayton to this day.

During preseason football at NDHS in '56 or so, we went to an Agricultural farm in Huttonsville, WV for two weeks at the Don Bosco Farms. There is a state prison at Huttonsville. After about a week and a half, I got happy feet one evening. Coach compared going off campus to Adam and Eve eating the apple. Well, there was a town down the road somewhere and I decided to go see it. I snuck out of camp. Started walking down towards town, after about a mile, I decided to stick out my thumb as I always had. I was used to getting a ride right away. Well, the cars just kept streaming by me! I was getting a little upset about not getting a ride. I just kept on walking. I was about 3 miles on my way into town and all of a sudden a State Patrolman came speeding with his bright blinking lights on. He came right up to me and stopped. He jumped out, came right at me just as another police car was speeding my way, too. It turns out that there had been a prison break that day and those cars were not picking me up, because they knew I was not local. The police were all going into town to turn me in as an escaped prisoner! The police really got into me!! After I convinced them that I was not the escapee, they insisted on driving me back to camp and taking me directly to see coach. OUCH, that was the greatest punishment I could get. It was getting dark, but the bright full moon came out and the night was just as light as day but much longer ... Coach started me off running laps around the track ,lighted by the moon. I ran all night !!!! At least I think I did. It took a long, long time to get out of Coaches Doghouse after that stupid thing I did. Then, he had to tell my parents when we got home...Double Ouch !! That was the only time that hitchhiking got me in trouble.

Thank you for asking us to discuss hitchhiking. I had almost forgotten about these events. Those were great times, indeed!!!!!!



submitted by: Larry O’Grady

Hitchhiking was a 'way of life' in my high school years of '52-'55 and the first three years of my Navy stint. It was quicker than riding the bus, usually, and was free.. In the summer, it was out to Maple Lake and back nearly every day by way of 'the thumb' and to and from Clarksburg almost daily to the jobs I had at the Ritz Theater and the W.T. Grant Store. I 'hitched' several times to Morgantown and a couple times to Washington, DC in the high school years, then countless times in from DC and Norfolk while in the Navy.

All those years of "riding the thumb" provided some pretty interesting and unusual experiences, indeed!

While in high school, I went to Carmichael Auditorium one night to see a rising star in the pop music world, Fats Domino (Blueberry Hill, right?). I'd come from our dance band's rehearsal and had my sax with me. Was talking to one of the guys in Fats' band and he invited me to "sit in", which I did for a couple of sets. Yes, just like Blueberry Hill...it was a thrill!

Afterward I made my way to Main Street to hitchhike home, walking east as I thumbed. It was late at night, very scant traffic, and I'd made my way down to the bottom of the hill to the bridge between Water St. and Monticello Ave. Was beginning to believe I might have to walk all the way to Bridgeport!

Here comes this 1950 or so Cadillac coupe (it looked about as long as that bridge!) The car stopped, the window rolled down and the guy asked, "Where you goin', man?" It was Fats Domino! They were headed east on Rt. 50, through Bridgeport and took me home...right to the door!

One of the most unusual 'rides' was a Saturday while I was in the Navy. I'd hitchhiked in from the Washington, DC Navy base the evening before and was going up to Morgantown from Bridgeport to see some friends from BHS days, starting out on Main St. in Bridgeport. A guy stopped, telling me he was going to Pittsburgh. No problem...one ride all the way; gotta go right through Morgantown if you're driving to Pittsburgh.

A couple of minutes into the ride he announced he was flying to Pittsburgh. Disgusted that I'd be 'thumbing' from a bad place, I told him I'd get out at the airport entrance. "Oh no, I'll drop you off in Morgantown" was his reply.

My reply to that was..."you're going to land first, right?"

Honest injun...we went to the Bridgeport airport, got in his plane and about 40 minutes after I first got in his car, we were at the Morgantown airport!! He even let me fly the plane...a little!

Yes, there were quite a few other "interesting" hitchhiking experiences...but not for publication here!



“THE LITTLE GIRL DRESSED IN BLUE”

Book with a lot of information about Clarksburg.

By Julia Margaret Koebert Burns and Maureen Burns

submitted by: John Carney (ND '61)
carneyj276@comcast.net

Hello, I'm John Carney, I graduated from ND in 1961. I'm really into genealogy, and I ran across one of my "DOTS" (as I call them ).

Her name is Julia Margaret Koebert Burns, she graduated from St. Mary's in 1941. She along with her daughter Maureen Burns, have written a book "The Little Girl Dressed in Blue". It was published by Bell Harbour Press. It is registered with the Library of Congress. The ISBN is 0-978829-01-1. The book has a lot of information about Clarksburg that I and I think many others can relate to. I thought you might want to include it in your WI newsletter.

If you have any questions, please call me at 276-326-2680.

EDITOR’S NOTE---you may find this at your local library, check book stores or Amazon.com if you wish to buy a copy.



NEIGHBORHOODS

No one wrote to honor and pay their respect to Point Comfort or Park Plaza.

submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith
roleta1@aol.com

POINT COMFORT

I feel sad that no one wrote about Point Comfort, I know many of the readers grew up in that area. I did not grow up there but my mother taught third and fourth grades at Point Comfort School for several years. I still hold it dear to my heart because of the experiences she (and our family) had there. The principal most of the time was Mr. Rittenhouse, who later left to move to Florida and I believe was a principal there. One of the other teachers was Cora Mae Coleman and the other teacher changed several times and I am not sure of any one name. The building was old, even in the 50s. It was covered with gray stucco and I remember there was an ugly spot right beside the front steps where a piece of stucco had fallen off. There was an ugly metal fire escape up the side of the building. But at least it was a safe way for the people on the second floor to exit the building if there was a fire. All the floors were wood and had that oily smell that we all grew up with. There were no lunch facilities. The teachers usually ate their bag lunches together in one of the classrooms which also means that the students ran home for lunch and back to school in their allotted time-(I guess no matter the weather.)


The Point Comfort families seemed a very tight knit group and had a lot of fun times together. Luckily for my parents, they fit right into this group of new friends. I remember a few family names, The Whites, I remember Mr. White was a postman. He had a hobby of word working. He remodeled our kitchen and he built the most fantastic little doll house for his daughters. The Wamsleys….I remember the son’s name was Gary and he had a sister. The Noe family….I attended Central and WI with Gary and we were very good friends. The adults of these families (and maybe more who I have forgotten) used to get together and play cards or just visit.

I remember the S & S Chevrolet Dealer (later named Harry Green Chevrolet) in Point Comfort. Remember how they used to park the newest car of the year in the show room’s big window and keep it covered until that special day? Oh, the anticipation about what changes would be made to this year’s model.


I am sure Point Comfort was a nice place to live. It produced many nice people and was always one of my Mother’s favorite teaching positions. I thought I should at least pay respect to my mother and talk about Point Comfort. Thank you for reading. I hope that you would now like to share some memories of Point Comfort, you still can write to me! Write roleta1@aol.com.



Next month the neighborhood being discussed will be STEALEY. Even if you didn’t live there, you must have fond memories of Stealey as many of you played at the best playground in town, attended church there, or went to school there. And too, many did live there! Won’t you please join me and give a big salute to STEALEY in the November issue. Write any memories you have of STEALEY to roleta1@aol.com. Remember to sign your name, school and yr. of graduation to all emails to me…thanks

Thank you.



submitted by: Bill Adler WI ’54 almost (moved to Arizona in 1953)
billsreflections@gmail.com

The Summer Evening Ritual
The two Terra Cotta Gangs©

In the late 1940s in our home, the summer evening ritual began when we sat down, as a family, at the dinner table. Father came home from his store at 5:10 PM. At 5:20 PM we were all expected to be seated at the table. On days he had a late customer, we waited for Father.

Following dinner, dad would give me 3¢ (later a nickel) to walk across Main Street to Smitty’s Drug Store to buy his Pittsburgh Press. If he was in a generous mood, and he usually was, I would get 13¢, enough to buy the paper and two 5¢ Popsicles. Because there were two halves to the Popsicle, each of his four sons could share the bounty. The burden of deciding the Popsicle’s flavors was left to me, the eldest, but I got plenty of help from my brothers. Dad was teaching us the gentle art of leadership and compromise.

As the sun set on a warm summer evening, the Terra Cotta Alley gang would meet in the street to decide, not what store to rob or what rival gang member to take out, but rather what games to play: hide and go seek, kick the can (my Mother usually furnished a can), red rover red rover, or stick ball. Some evenings we would end up on Colin Church’s driveway shooting baskets and playing horse. For the kids in the ‘40s and ‘50s, sunset meant playtime in the street.

And there was another neighborhood gang. They weren’t our rivals, they were our fathers. For the men of the neighborhood, sunset on a warm summer evening meant spirited conversation with the firemen at the East End fire station.

Like their gang, in our gang there were just guys, although occasionally we would let some girls play too. Everyone went to Linden Elementary, except for Dick (Zeek) Feeney who went to St. Marys. If we were going to play ball, even some of the older kids on the street, Calvin Griffin and the Oliver twins, Dick and Dan would join in.

On my way to Smitty’s, with coins in hand, I passed the fire station and the other gangs’ meeting place, two benches on a small green wedge of grass next to the station. Occasionally, as I passed by, there was a fireman and a neighborhood father already engrossed in conversation. I knew not to stop, but just keep walking, respectfully acknowledging their presence as I passed. After all, they were having a “Big People Conversation.”

Often on my way back home, father had already joined the group and they were laughing about something adult. I just kept on moving; knowing full well what ever they were talking about it wasn’t for my ears.

Most of the time I couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to! I had Popsicles to deliver to my three younger brothers before they melted. After making the delivery I’d often grab a tin can and head out the back door to meet the gang on Terra Cotta Alley.

I would be a teenager before, occasionally, being invited to join in dad’s gang’s conversation to listen to “Big People Conversation.”

You are invited to read other Reflections of my Youth on my blog at http://reflectionsofmyyouth. blogspot.com/. This and many other stories about a young boy growing up it a small West Virginia town are posted regularly for your reading enjoyment and comments.



Terra Cotta Street; we kids called it Terra Cotta Alley. It was a very narrow street running along the wall of our home and past the garage. Dad’s new 1948 Buick and Smokey’s dog house, stories for another day, can be seen to the left and right of the tree just sporting its spring leaves.


In the above piece I mentioned playing basketball in Colin Church’s driveway. I had not seen nor heard anything about Colin for over 55 years…until last Friday evening at the reunion mixer. There he was my long lost neighbor and Terra Cotta Alley gang member. He was a returning member of the Class of 1954. Because I moved to Phoenix in 1953 I actually graduated from North Phoenix High School in 1954. Through Jack Emrick I was invited to join the reunion, as in interloper, correcting a 55 year mistake, i.e. not contacting someone from that class to see if I could attend one of the much earlier reunions. I plan on doing a piece called, Correcting a 55 year old mistake



MRS. MALONE’S 5TH GRADE CLASS



THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED

JOE MALONE will pay an undisclosed amount to the scholarship fund for each child correctly identified. Thanks to all who participated and earned money for the WIN Scholarship. There were 43 students in the class and Mrs. Malone wrote their names on the back of the class picture…. I received emails identifying the students from Melinda Mazza Sutter, Marcia Young Fletcher, Carole Findley Cinci and Bill Yoke all from WI Class of 1964.

So Joe, I am expecting your check…please make it out to Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship. Mail to:

Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Dr.
Sarasota, FL 34240

I received a nice letter from Marcia Young Fletcher (WI 1964) saying the following!

ROLETA: I'll pay an unspecified sum for any blanks that get filled in (the ones I don't know or got wrong) if someone else writes in with additional, correct names - other than Joe, of course.

The chart below was made by Melinda Mazza Sutter. Each of those who played the game contributed in filling in all but one of the spaces. Good work and I hope it was fun for you readers. Carole Findley Cinci got half of the name of the one listed as NOT IDENTIFIED, she named her as Susan Zimmerman…



Below are the names as listed by Mrs. Malone on the back of the picture.



From Roleta1@aol.com do you have a class picture and you know the names of those pictured but would like to see how many others know the names? Are you willing to pay an undisclosed amount for each person named correctly? Just email the picture and the names of those pictured. We will run the game.



MY FRIEND

submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com

I have met many people over the years because of this newsletter who have become friends. Some become special friends, Deedie Souders was my special friend. She had a terrific sense of humor and we talked back and forth over the internet many times. We did meet and visited twice when she made the trip from her home in Ormond Beach, Florida to attend the Clarksburg Picnic in Sarasota. Her husband, Bill Souders, pushed her in her wheel chair and she visited with her friends. They even celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with us by bringing a huge cake all decorated in black and white to share with everyone. Deedie was a decorator and her favorite colors were black and white. For years her Christmas cards and Christmas trees were always black and white. Also, her house was decorated in black and white too. The last time she attended the picnic was a windy brisk day and she was having a hard time trying to be comfortable. She told me that she might not be able to make the trip again. I miss this new found friend.



SARA DIANE SOUDERS

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — Sara Diane Souders, or as her friends affectionately called her, “Deedie,” passed quietly from this life, surrounded by her family, at Hospice Care at Florida Hospital Oceanside, Ormond Beach, FL on Saturday, September 5, 2009, after an extended illness.

She was born on October 7, 1934, in Clarksburg, WV, to the parents of Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Swisher, where she spent the first half of her life. She worked for the Parsons-Souders Company from 1950-1958 in Fashion Merchandising, Home Furnishings and Store Display. In 1954, she married William L. Souders, also of Clarksburg, whose grandfather, Lloyd P. Souders, was one of the founders of the Parsons-Souders Company, later known as Stone & Thomas.

“Deedie” was part of the 1952 graduating class of Washington Irving High School.

She attended Fairmont State College and West Virginia University studying art. Eventually she entered the home decorating business on the prompting of many friends who realized her natural talent.

She received her interior decorating training from the New York School of Interior Design, LaSalle Extension University and Duquesne University. She worked for Palace Furniture Company as a Design Consultant and Accessory Buyer from 1966-1970. She then went to work for Veronica’s Studio of Interior Design, also in Clarksburg, as a Design Consultant.

“Deedie” contributed her decorating talents on the Holly Ball committee while serving two consecutive years, one of the largest social events in Central West Virginia. She served on the executive board of the League for Service as Festival Chairman and Treasurer. These same talents surfaced while serving the local hospitals and hospital auxiliaries, the Thrift Shop, the Woman’s Club of Clarksburg, the Clarksburg Art Center, and the local YWCA. In 1972, the family moved to Ormond Beach, FL where she remained with her husband, Bill until her death. She began her Florida decorating career with McFarland’s Furniture of Daytona Beach and then helped to open McFarland’s Ethan Allen Carriage House where she remained for several years.

She later joined Kitty Scott’s Furniture until her health forced her retirement in 1995.

As a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Deedie established a reputation for high quality design work throughout central and north Florida.

She served clients, not only from the local area, but also from all parts of the United States, Canada, England and Germany.

But she is best remembered as the “Black and White Lady.” The News-Journal carried a full page story on her in 1979 entitled, “Deedie’s World Is All Black and White.”

In her retirement she was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Deedie researched the family genealogy and found that part of her ancestry included the wife of William Bradford, one of our first colony’s founders from the Mayflower in 1620.

The WI Newsletter was still very much a part of her life enjoying keeping in touch with all of her friends and reading the wonderful stories shared. She is survived by her husband, Bill and her four children, Bill Souders- Columbus, OH, Commander Steven L. Souders, Chaplain-Seattle, WA, Gigi Hagge-Los Angeles, CA and Tiffany Brown-Ormond Beach, FL, 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandsons. A private family memorial service was held in Ormond Beach, FL


A TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND

submitted by: Bill Berger (WI '60)
bbaa@mindspring.com

The hospice nurse smiled gravely as she placed her stethoscope against the side of his neck, and then shook her head slowly from side to side. His girlfriend/fiancé of 12 years whispered quietly into his ear as she stroked his forehead. His dog whimpered from the floor. I held his hand. A sudden calm spread across his face as he passed peacefully into the next world. All at once the pain was gone.

He had been my best friend for almost 60 years. We played ball together, ran through the woods and hills surrounding Chestnut Hills together, swam in the pools and parks and rivers together, took road-trips together, when to 4-H and Church Camp and fought like all friends do, but never for very long.

He attended military school for several years, then came back to Clarksburg and after a lengthy sabbatical at the prestigious Stonewall Academy of Billiards where he majored in nine-ball and related activities, he re-entered the public school system and eventually graduated from W.I. (Class of 1963).

Shortly after graduation, he was seriously injured in a car wreck and that began a series of illness that lasted the rest of his life. He did graduate from Glenville State and in 1968 he moved to Florida and began his teaching career. In 1970 he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, which he survived, but lost most use of his right hand during radiation. He subsequently completed his masters at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and then his doctorate at Mississippi State. After a brief stint at school administration, he returned to his real love, teaching math to middle school students. In 1998 he had a heart attack and was diagnosed with diabetes around that time which forced him into early retirement. During the next 10 years he survived prostrate cancer and lung cancer. I never saw him loose a game of chess and rarely loose a game of pool. In the past year a second lung cancer and bone cancer ultimately did defeat him. Archie Goff Davis III was 66 when he died. He left behind a small group of relatives but a large group of friends. Life is translucent, but friends are forever. He will always be my friend.

CASSELBERRY, Fla. — Archie Goff Davis III, age 66, in, September 8, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born April 14, 1943, in Clarksburg, WV, the son of the late Arch G. Davis and Betty Starrick Davis.

Archie was a retired middle school math teacher. He received his Doctor of Education from Mississippi State University, his Master of Education from Rollins College, his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Glenville State College and graduated from Washington Irving High School in the summer of 1963.

Archie always had a great love of Art and Music and was the Rhythm Guitar player for the Vistas, a 1960s Clarksburg rock band, from the summer of 1963 to the late Sixties


JAMES SHERWOOD DRUMMOND

CLARKSBURG — Mr. James Sherwood Drummond, age 95, (WI 1932) of Pittsburgh, PA, (formerly of Duncan Avenue, Clarksburg, WV), September 11, 2009, at St. Clair Memorial Hospital in Mt. Lebanon, PA. He was a son of the late Nimrod Drummond and Ada Grace Lowther Drummond. His wife, Anna Mary “Susie” Brass Drummond, preceded him in death.

Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Rita Ann and Jack Bowen; two sisters, Eva Douglass and Sarah Newbrough,; two grandsons and five great grandchildren.



JOHN P SHEETS

WILMINGTON, Del. — John P. Sheets (WI 1947) died August 21, 2009 He was the son of the late Gladys and Paul Sheets. He married Rosalie Stuart. John was a veteran of the Korean War and then worked for the DuPont Company Film Department from 1953 to 1964. He then worked for State Farm Insurance Company as Manager and Agent until his retirement in 1995.



SUZANNA IMAGARD MILLER MATHENY

SHINNSTON — Suzanna Irmgard Miller Matheny, age 56, (WI )died September 11, 2009. She was the daughter of the late Raymond and Irmgard Miller. She was preceded in death by her brother, Raymond George Miller, Jr, in 1990.

She is survived by her companion of 23 years, Charles Ozalas; daughter, Jennifer Malcolm, and her husband Brock; and three grandsons.



JOHN ADAMS


John L. Adams, 84, of Las Vegas, passed away Sept. 10, 2009. A World War II U.S. Naval veteran. He was born in Clarksburg, W.Va., to the late Michael and Josephine Adams. John is survived by Dorean, his wife of almost 25 years; children, John Jr. (Cindy), Sheila Ritz (John), Michael (Kim), Rhonda Mona (Michael) and Doug Soren (Lori); several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.; brothers, Robert and Don; sisters, Mary Ellis and Lois Tribett; and former wife, Angeline. John operated Michael Adams Co., in Clarksburg, as well as A&A Uniform Co., and Adamo Custom Clothes, in Las Vegas



MARY V. STEALEY

Mary V. Stealey, age 87 (WI) , passed away September 12, 2009 She was the daughter of Harry E. Stealey and Effie Tucker Stealey.

Surviving are two nieces, great-nieces and great- nephews and cousins.

Miss Stealey was also preceded in death by four sisters.



BILL BARKER

Bill Barker age 62 (WI 1965) of Clarksburg, WV died September 10, 2009. He is survived by three children and several grandchildren. He was a 32nd degree Mason.



JAMES ROBERT “BEAR” BARTLETT

James Robert “Bear” Bartlett, 59, (RW 1968) died September 8, 2009 He was a son of the late Robert Lownds Bartlett and Adlaid Virginia Whitehair Bartlett.

Jimmy is survived by his two daughters, Teresa Dawn (J.L.) Bartlett-Slay and Jennifer Anne (Jason) Bartlett-Wisenbaler; his sister, Sandra (Robert) Weekley and her husband Robert of Clarksburg; his grandchildren.



JOHNNIE W. HARRIS

FAIRMONT — Johnnie W. Harris, 59, (WI 1970) of Clarksburg, died September 8, 2009. He was a son of the late John Chester and Pearl Snyder Harris. He is survived by his wife, Sharon K. Hossler Harris.



CHESTER F. ALI

CLARKSBURG — Chester F. Ali, age 89 (WI 1937) died Sept. 6, 2009. He was born in Calabria, Italy, the son of the late Domenick Ali and Rosa Grantano Ali. His wife, Bonita McGuire Ali, preceded him in death.

Surviving are a son, James F. (Karen); one daughter, Pamela R. (Bruce) Carey; two brothers, John A. Ali and Don V. Ali; one sister, Theresa Lanham, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Mr. Ali served in the U.S. Army during World War II from Aug. 6, 1941, to May 1946. He served in the Medical Administrative Corps and was a retired Major from the Army. He served in the North African Theater of Operations-Oran Algeria, the European Theater of Operations, Naples, Italy, and the Pacific Theater of Operations on the Island of Okinawa. Mr. Ali served as Company Commander, personnel and executive officer of the 106th Station Hospital.



TOM STEEL (WI 1964)

submitted by: Bill May (WI '63)


I just learned that Tom Steel, WI class of 1964 died on 28 August 2009 from a long battle with Cancer. He retired after 20 years in the Air Force and I believe he lived in Morgantown for a while. I think, but am not sure, that he may have moved back to Clarksburg. He was a really nice guy. He was a neighbor of mine from Duff Street in Stealey. He had very nice parents and a sister named Alice, I believe that was a couple of years older. That is all the info I have.



ELWOOD STANLEY WILT

CLARKSBURG — Elwood Stanley Wilt, 78, (WI) passed away August 28 2009. He the son of the late Harry and Stella Percy Wilt. . Mr. Wilt is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kathryn L. Murray Wilt. Elwood is survived by one daughter Jeanie (John) Bord; two sons Stanley and Michael.

Wilt was a graduate of Victory High School and a Korean War Veteran.



NEIL ALAN WINTERS

CLARKSBURG — Neil Alan Winters, 54, passed away September 13, 2009 following an extended illness. Mr. Winters was a 1973 graduate of Bridgeport High School and worked for RC Cola-Dr. Pepper Company from 1973 to 1990. He was most recently a production technologist with R&T Enterprises. His father Ken Winters graduated from WI in 1940, and his brother Ken Winters II graduated from WI in 1965.He was the son of Kenneth R. and Kathryn E. Tannehill Winters, who survive in Bridgeport.

In addition to his parents, he is also survived by his wife, Susan E. Russell Winters, two stepchildren, Nicole Heimbach and J.J. Heimbach, and six grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by one sister, Kim Elaine Winters.



BARBARA ANN GREGOIRE WEEKLEY

submitted by: Jimmy Weekley (VHS '54)


My name is Jimmy Weekley, Victory ‘54, I was married to Barbara Gregoire, WI ’54, for 54 years.

We would go to the football games and sit on opposite sides of Hite Field and wave at each other. Then meet after the game and walk home.

Our last year in high school, I fortunately, only had to go to school from 8 to noon. I would get my parents car and get Barbara after school at WI and take her home. To let her know that I was there, I would go up South 5 th street, and blow the Oogah horn on the car. I believe that Barb had an accounting class at the time and the teacher didn’t like the interruption. LOL.

After graduation, I joined the Navy and Barbara and I were married a year later on June 11, 1955. We had three daughters and they have given us 8 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.


Barbara Ann Gregoire Weekley, 73, formerly of 1001 Wenwood Circle, Greenville, SC passed away on July 24, 2009 at Skylyn Place of Spartanburg, SC.

Mrs. Weekley was born in Clarksburg, WV, a daughter of the late Fernon Ulyssis and Lucille Davis Gregoire. She was retired from Palmetto Bank, Laurens, SC. She was of the Baptist faith. Surviving are her husband of 54 years, Jimmy; children, Melissa Serafini and her husband Eric of Boiling Springs, SC, Melinda Berg and her husband Don of Waxhaw, NC, and Jaimee Kittel and her husband Steve of Greer, SC; eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren; and one sister, Aline Riley of Bridgeport, WV. Predeceased was a sister, Jean Musser and nephew J. K. Musser of Clarksburg, WV.

Mr. Gregoire taught in the Industrial Arts program at WI.




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