"Bomber Memories"
September 18, 19 & 20, 1998
September 18, 1998
Art "Tom" Hughes (56)
As I remember there were also some green plastic tokens as well as the aluminum ones. There was also the cardboard meat ration tokens in use until about 1946. I think they were red. There were ration coupons for sugar and lard and some of the other rationed items. Does anyone remember the savings stamp books where you would buy stamps, I think for 10 cents and stick them in a book? I seem to remember this was once a week in the class room. When the book was full you could get a war bond in exchange.
Does anyone remember Ms. Koss, the art teacher at Marcus Whitman?
Art (Tom) Hughes
Gloria Falls Evans (58)
As to the tax token: I remember them well and they did have a hole in the center.
Carol Converse Maurer (64)
TO: Tom Matthews (57)
You wanted to know if anyone else remembered the tours of Hanford. I remember the first one in the '50s. I was so excited about going and then I came down sick and couldn't go. I believe the same thing happened the next time that they had a tour. Can you believe that I've NEVER been out to Hanford, except the 300 area, where I worked at my very first real job back in '65.
Until it was mentioned, I didn't remember that Pres. Kennedy was at Hanford when he came to town. I did go see him.
Carol Converse
John Bixler (64)
As for memories I remember going to a movie in the mid fifties at the Richland Theater. This movie was about these alien monsters that look like brains with a sort of spinal column for a tail. They drilled their tail into the back of peoples head and sucked out their brains. The monsters were winning when the hero said "we can kill them with power. We need to get all the power we can. Call Hanford and have them go on maximum and power we can tap into that." Needless to say the theater erupted into cheers and whoops.
Anybody remember foot long hot dogs at the Stop and Go in the "Y". Or the Big Y tavern (still there) where I used to buy beer for me and the boys. This is one of my claims to fame - I would by beer at the Big Y passing for 21 on Friday night. The next day we would go skiing at White Pass and I would buy a under 14 chair lift ticket - is that versatility or what.
Patty de la Bretonne (65)
I attended Jason Lee. Miss Fleckenstein and then Mrs. Russell for kindergarden, Mrs. Truman for 1st grade, Miss Whitehead for 2nd -- loved her so much -- she read to us every day after lunch -- about the old lady who when she had to solve a problem sat in her chair with a towel wrapped around her head, put her finger to the side of her nose, closed her eyes and thought and thought! Anybody remember those stories? Connie Dame are out there? 3rd grade with Miss Gravelle. I kind of loved her and hated her. She wore "White Shoulders" and it stunk on her. Miss Shotz (sp) for 4th grade, Miss Meade (Miss Meatball) for 5th, I had a double whammy that year because she also attended my church! Then Mrs. Brown for 6th!! I was her pet because I wrote good essays, but it was really the only way to survive her because she could be so cruel and sarcastic! She moved up to 7th grade and I had her for homeroom, and really hated it!
Do I remember using the tokens for a bus on Van Giesen when I was very small? Or was that a different token altogether?
Oh, Miss Just! In 2nd grade I played the violin in her orchestra before school in the morning. What a funny lady, and a dedicated teacher I think.
Patricia de la Bretonne
Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
TO: Cheryl Moran (66)
I was going to bring up the murder of Mrs. White, in the kitchen, with the knife (sounds like "Clue") but wasn't sure if I should. So, because you asked, I will answer. The murder occurred in the White residence on the corner of Harris and Newcomer (it is 1947 or 1949 Harris). Mr. White was the Richland fire chief and was always thought to be the murderer, even though he passed the lie detector test and all questioning. The murder happened sometime between 1959-196l (can't remember exactly, just remember being afraid to sleep outside with friends about that time). It was at least 30 years before a patient in a nursing home in California gave an accurate account of the murder and confessed. The person went to the White residence to obtain "drugs" from Mrs. White, who was a nurse. The person's confession contained details only the murderer could possibly know, therefore, the case was closed. This information was given to me by one of our neighbors who used to be an assistant fire marshall. There were many stories that no family ever stayed in the "White house" very long without "problems" occurring among the family members. Families would only live in the house a short time before moving out. Could Mrs. White's "presence" have remained in the house until her murderer was found ... ?? As the house is not far from where we live, I did notice that the last family to have moved in the house has remained for several years and has fixed the home up quite nicely ... of course, that has happened only in the time frame since her murderer confessed ... !!
Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
Mike Franco (70)
Re: "the murder of nurse WHite"....
I barely remember that event. She worked for my Dad, Dr. Robert Franco, at the time of her murder. I think it was the first murder in the city of Richland. I remember "sleeping out" that night with a bunch of kids in the back yard at good ole 1909 Davison (Meekers, Turpings et al). I remember the police cars prowling the area. I don't think the killer ever was caught.... and yeah, I was pretty young , it must have been around 1960..... I am sure someone out there can come up with more details....
Doug Payne (aka Doug) Noblehorse
(73)
Dale Hosack (69) wrote: (some time ago)
Teachers: Miss Koss the Art teacher at Spalding. She was great!
I haven't thought about Miss Koss in years - wow! This takes me right back to what... 5th or 6th grade at Spalding - our class participated in the tradition of freezing whenever the bell rang. The only time I remember everyone in class freezing all at once was in Miss Koss' art class - it caught her by surprise I think. Remember that old station wagon she used to drive around - what was it, a DeSoto or a Plymouth?
And speaking of 5th grade - does anyone remember Miss Jones? I don't think I ran into another teacher as strict as she until Mrs. Busey at Col Hi.
Doug Noblehorse - known as Doug Payne in an earlier incarnation
September 19, 1998
Marilyn Peddicord Whitley (53)
I was in Second grade at Lewis and Clark when the new town was founded and so many people moved in. I remember in fourth grade going to school in shifts and sitting two in a desk during most of the year. I also remember Mrs. Miller as the 5th grade teacher. A kind lady that taught me how to take notes - an important skill that lasted through graduate school.
Oh Mr. Jones - I remember the day he took the mannequin apart that is every part except the reproductive system. He also taught us how to catch and cook worms just in case we were caught without food in a jungle.
Speaking of paper routes - I had the paper route in the Women's Dorms on Lee Blvd. -- cross the street from where we lived from the time I was 11 until I was a Jr. in H.S. At that time Mr. Stoller who owned the laundry came over and asked "when are you going to quit that stupid paper route and come to work for me?" So the next day I went to work in the office of the laundry - passing out clothes.
Tom Matthews (57)
TO: Art "Tom" Hughes (56) and TO: Doug Payne Noblehorse (73)
I remember the tokens and still have a metal one. Also have a red and blue cardboard tokens with "OPA Red Point" and "OPA Blue Point" on them - could be the ones for meat rationing?
Ms. Koss was teaching at Spalding when I was teaching there (61-63) and kids seemed to enjoy the going to the art room as I recall.
TO: Carol Converse Maurer (64)
Another benefit of being in Richland was a chance to hear scientists like Arthur(?) Compton and Glenn Seaborg, the latter discovered some of the 'man-made' elements. They spoke in the auditorium at Jason Lee in the early 60's.
TO: Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
RE Gene Conley; I remember Miss Mecum the first day of biology class in the old building (before the 'new wing' [MAC Hall] was open) pointing out to us where the famous Gene Conley sat. Sorry to say, I also remember a song based on "Davy Crockett" that started out "Ida, Ida Mecum, Queen of the wild frontier..." Don't know if there were more words. I actually enjoyed her class however.
MLou Williams (60)
TO: ARLENE WALLACE TOWNE (56) is looking for class of 56 thyroid problems. I'm in class of '60 and had my thyroid removed about 14 years ago with 10 tumors in it. Doc said they were slow-growing and had been doing so for about 30 years. I wonder how many other Col Hi kids, especially Jason Lee, closest to the Hanford Areas, developed thyroid problems? This is a good site to find out, isn't it!
TO: JOHN CAMPBELL (63): Regarding Dick's Drive In in Seattle - on 45th in the U. District? We called it "Ricardo's Club 19" because it's where cheap dates went - burgs were 19 cents! Then McDonald's opened and theirs were 17 cents, 24 cents with cheese. But you had to drive down to the Rainier District and it was always jam-packed.
TO: KATHY WERSEN ALDER (64): I believe you are thinking of "Atomic Frontier Days" held each summer in Richland. We had the best parades in the world, with marching units, big tanks, bigger guns, and it was all really quite impressive. Most people today don't have the opportunity to get that close to military stuff. I know, it's bittersweet to think we had that kind of growing up. I prefer that we not need such 'military stuff' but seeing it gave such a feeling of safeness and security.
TO: CHERYL MORAN (66): Mrs. White's murder -- I still talk about it! We were seniors when she was murdered, and we all knew her husband did it, except for the police! Of course, we really knew nothing. It was the first murder in Richland 59-60) since the town was created. It really shook everyone up. Imagine, today, how many murders don't even hit the newspapers anymore. Oh my, am I pining for the sweetness we had back then and didn't know we were going to lose so completely? Yes.
Sonja Harmon's was my favorite teacher in junior and senior high - homeroom and French at Chief Joe and Russian at Col Hi. The languages came easily (most of the time) -- it was the self esteem she developed in us who needed it, and the courage she gave us to speak up. Also, anyone remember Miss Colliton, the Col Hi French teacher who taught us French HISTORY in the French language (it was supposed to be second year French language, and she really messed up our grade points!)? I don't think she lasted long.
David Rivers (65)
Question: does anyone else remember the fake "bomb" they set off when Richland broke away from the "gubment" and got it's charter? I remember it happening in the vacant lot north of the uptown... I think the Stanfield girls' dad owned the lot. All these years I recalled it happening in 1960... but recently I read something that said '58 (I think). I remember it made a huge crater in the lot. Just wondering...
David Rivers
Dan Henry (68)
I'd forgotten about many things and now it is all coming back. We grew up in some good times. Street dances, car hops, room to move around without running into some houses. Greenways in the middle of the blocks where all the kids played. The old janitor at the Lutheran Church on Van Giesen that would turn the water on us. Muscles. Mosquito foggers. The Teen Center. The riding academy. Bateman Island. Good Years.
Thanks again,
Dan.
Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
I remember Miss Koss. I loved art but was scared of her at the same time. Of course in elementary school, I was scared of my shadow. I remember at Marcus Whitman she had a sign on the art room wall that read "Plan Ahead" and the word "Ahead" was all scrunched up at one side of the paper. She also always said "Can't never did anything and never will." I guess you could say she made a big impression on me. She taught crafts at one of the shops in Uptown after she retired and I had children. I took tatting from her. I called her "Niss Koss" and she admonished me to call her Geri, because after all, I was an adult now. I know that she became an adopted grandparent to a friend's children. She told me one time that she had always thought that 80 years would be a long enough life, but the closer she got, the more she thought she was wrong and that maybe 90 would be better. I lost track of her shortly after that. I wonder if she made it to 90? By the way, I think that was a Plymouth station wagon that she drove, yellow with big fins.
Another Marcus Whitman teacher that made was a big influence in my life was Mrs. Matthews in fourth grade. She was tough on us, but loving. I learned how to write cursive from her. We had penmanship and drew endless old fashioned exercises. I get compliments to this day about how pretty my handwriting is and I always credit her. Except for that one college English teacher that told me I better type my papers because my writing was too "fancy."
Mike Figg (70)
A couple people, including Shirley Hastings and Mike Franco, talked about the Mrs. White murder. That one has stuck in my head for a long time too, although all I really remembered was a woman was murdered on the corner of Harris and Newcomer. Although I grew up a few blocks south on Davison, our family knew just about everyone in that neighborhood except the White's. I think the Lindgrens were next door, and across the street were the Heinemans, Georges, Mathias, Kiels. It did seem like there was a lot of mystery about the murder, and it seems like it was even earlier than 1960.
Mike Figg
Lois Clayton Colton (72)
I remember receiving a jewelry box from Bell Furniture when I graduated from High School. How many years did they do this? I think they wanted us all to by cedar chests. I still have mine. They sure must have given out a lot of boxes. It was very nice of them.
One of my favorite teachers in High School was Frau Maberry, who taught German. It's also where I met my future husband. :-)
Does anyone remember EFFE week's? I think it stood for Experiment in Free Form Education. Don't remember what years they started this, but they did it in '71 and '72, I think. We didn't have our regular classes then. It was a lot of fun.
I don't remember anyone mentioning the alligator upstairs. I thought it was sad to be in there, but pretty cool anyway.
One of my favorite teachers at Lewis and Clark was Mrs. Phillips. I had her for two years. Does anyone know anything about her? Also Mrs. Brinkman was the best.
Lois (Clayton) Colton
Donna Fisher (80)
I graduated in 1980 from Richland High School and I can remember going to A&W when I was little, my dad and I would ride our bikes down to Mayfair market on the corner of Comstock and Jadwin for ice cream.
Donna L. Fisher
September 20, 1998
Betty Johnson Bennett (46)
My family moved here from Denver in 1944 and I went to Col-Hi for 2 years. They were just building the houses, had only a few grocery stores, the roads were gravel and we had to go to the post office to pick up any mail. We lived in a 3-bedroom prefab and the garbage men would go around to the back and get out the garbage can and carry it to the front. Was here during the "termination winds" when the wind would blow the dust around so bad that you couldn't see the house across the street. There were free buses so my friends and I would ride a bus all over town just to have something to do. In my last year of school, I worked a while in the downtown Thrifty Drug store behind the sandwich counter. I never moved away from here, though. Have lived in the Tri-Cities all these years, mostly Richland.
Have read comments about Mrs. White's murder. Also read that someone in a nursing home confessed to doing it, although I thought it was still unsolved.
Also have seen that a lots ot people mentioned Sharon Tate. Is that the same Sharon Tate that was murdered by Charlie Manson?
Betty Johnson Bennett
Ralph Myrick (51)
I wonder how many of you remember Sonny "Muscles" Robinson. Everyone called him Muscles and everyone in Richland took care of him, especially the merchants. I believe they even bought him a bicycle. I remember when his family moved to California and we all wondered what would happen to him. Every time he would see you he would say "Hey, hey." His brother was quite a trumpeter.
Ralph
Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight (59)
About the tax tokens: I think I remember having them strung on a string or a key chain, carried them around when I was really little - for fun? Or to spend, when tax was 1/3 or 2/3 of a cent? Boy, that's a real faded memory....
Anyone remember when the Volkswagen Beetle first came out? Helen Clark (59) and I went to Jason Lee, and we decided to save our money so we could get one when we turned 16. We heard they were $1500, and we thought it would be great! (Never happened, though, but it was a fun plan)
Irene (Smith) Goodnight
Billye Conley Drew (61)
Does anyone else have memories of:
-- lilly dillys at Tastee Freeze for 5 cents in a little dixie cup?
-- the merry-go-round, train and other amusement rides behind Tastee Freeze?
-- Hi-Spot for dancing on Wednesday and Saturday nights?
-- the circus that came to the Bomber Bowl in the summers?
-- the delivery of coal to heat our houses and watching our parents shovel it into the furnace?
-- half of the basements of our 'A' houses being filled with dirt?
-- playing shuffleboard and ping-pong below the hill (high school)?
-- the swimming and wading pool at what was Riverside Park?
-- getting our faces painted with lipstick for initiation into Jr. High School at Atomic Frontier Days?
-- the burgers on the grill at Newberry's?
-- walking around and around and around Uptown on Saturdays?
-- the double feature movies on Saturday afternoons at
the Village Theatre?
-- going swimming at the city pool for l0 cents?
-- going horseback riding for $l an hour at the Riding Academy and never getting the horse away from the barn?
-- riding bikes all over town in the summers and stopping to eat fruit (cherries and plums) off the fruit trees by the dormitories?
-- watching The Creature from the Black Lagoon with 3-D glasses at the Richland Theatre?
-- being served a plate of french fries and a coke at Pennywise Drugstore after school for 25 cents?
-- going to the Kennewick Highlands to order and eat something delicious called Pizza?
-- visiting friends who moved to Kennewick and had fireplaces in their houses?
-- catching tadpoles in the irrigation ditch and watching them turn into frogs?
-- playing the sticks in the Sacajawea band and wishing you could play the triangle or the tambourine?
-- going with your parents to check the house list to see if your name had moved up to qualify you for a house other than one in the first 8 letters of the alphabet?
-- wearing Mr. Bentley's (p.e. teacher at Sacajawea) whistle around your neck but not being allowed to blow on it?
-- lying face down and four-deep on each side of the halls of elementary school in our pretty dresses during an air raid drill?
-- the cans left on our front porches weekly and what they were for?AHHHH Memories!!!! I think growing up in Richland is similar to the Truman Story; what do you think?
Billye Conley Drew
Earl Bennett (63)
Mary Sullivan: I, too, loved "The Boxcar Children," but until today when you mentioned it as a series I was unaware of anything but the original story. I think my favorite part was the detailed account of how he ran the race.
Joe Large: Second reference to Jabberwocky I've seen here (isn't it gyre with a y?) - a few weeks ago someone mentioned that Ken (Wright? Carlson?) would recite it from memory. I, too, was sufficiently fascinated to commit it to memory, but not until later in life after leaving Richland
The amazement grows when we realize that a lot of the words were invented, but selected from sounds and usage patterns that made the intended meaning clear, or surmisable, and some even came into common usage ("he chortled in his joy" was a nonsense phrase until this poem came about). The vorpal blade, the manxnome foe, galumphing, burbled - still nonsense, but in the twilight zone of being understandable. O frabjous day, I've found the Bomber Alumni web site!
Kathy Wersen: Yes, Atomic Frontier Days and the hydroplane races are indelible memories. One of my uncles would enter the beard-growing contest each year, and his grew so fast that he only had to stop shaving for a month or two. I learned the hard way that the carnival skill games like breaking balloons with arrows and the basketball toss are very different from the real world activities they simulate, by design. Atlas Van Lines, Miss Budweiser, Slo-Mo I-II-III-IV - stuff of legends!
Carol Converse Maurer (64)
TO: Lois Clayton Colton (72)
I still have my cedar box along with the key. They were giving them out back in 1964 at least. Yes, I wonder what year they began. Perhaps we can get more people to respond to this question.
I remember hearing about Mrs. White's murder. It did shock everybody in Richland. I mean, we still sometimes slept with the door opened up during the summer to keep the house cool. Nobody thought about leaving their home locked up. I think people began to lock their doors after the murder happened.
Carol Converse Maurer
Chuck Monasmith (65)
RE:: the "fake bomb" celebrating the incorporation of Richland.
I remember it was 1958. Broke out the window of Korten's didn't it?
~~~ CMM ~~~
Gary Bush (66)
I remember Jet Jackson and his sidekick, Ichabod Mudd ("with 2 d's). It was a weekly series -- on TV about the same time as Captain Zero, Pinky Lee Show, Andy Devine Show, and other kids' programs. It was one of my personal favorites - in fact, when a friend of mine was recuperating in a Seattle hospital, he was visited by the actor who played Jet Jackson (whose name I used to remember) [It was Maury Amsterdam]
Some memories are fading.... by the way, Moms Mably (a popular black comedian up through the 1970s) had a great expression about growing older that I've adopted: Growing old ain't a bad thing; but, it sure is inconvenient!
In one of the Alumni Sandstorm issues, you mentioned that no one had mentioned the 5 and 10 store in Uptown Richland. The one I remember was Diamonds; it was a 5 and 10 store that faced G'Way; also, was one in Downtown Richland on the corner of Lee and The Parkway. During the summer of 1966, John Gile ('66) and I cleared out the Uptown store as well as one on Lewis Street in Pasco and loaded the contents into a boxcar in Pasco. It's now an antique store.
Gary Bush
