"Bomber Memories"
October 7 & 8, 1998
October 7, 1998
Dick Wight (52)
I remember the flood, though that school year I was a freshman at a military school in Portland. The next winter, I remember the Yakima River froze over again, and some volunteers from the cadet Civil Air Patrol squadron (me among them) patrolled the river watching for ice jams. Cold work, but it beat going to school (or so we thought).
Anyone remember Dutch Haag? He was a history teacher (I think) and cross country coach then "fleeted up" to vice principal around '51 or so. In later years ('77 and later) I was in the Port Angeles Kiwanis Club with Dutch and he had absolutely astonishing recall of the students way back in the '50's. Dutch helped me a lot, arranged for me to do advance work in Dec. '51 and take my midterm final exams on Jan. 2, 1952 and I joined the Coast Guard the next day. I always "checked in" with him in the '50's every time I was home on leave. Dutch moved to Port Angeles sometime in the '60's, I think, and was principal at Port Angeles High and before retirement was, I think, asst. superintendent. Fine man. He died a couple years ago, and I attended his funeral.
Remember Walt LePage? He taught science classes, meteorology etc. and was a pilot and flight instructor who taught many of us how to fly. He himself flew to work often from across the river where he had a farm. Walt was alive and well last summer when we had a CAP reunion in Richland, organized by Kay Mitchell Coates (52).
Millie Finch Gregg (54)
To: Marilyn Peddicord Whitley (53) - I agree, it is unbelievable that a letter could be earned for basketball the way we had to play. Do you remember they often had free throw contests? I won a trophy one year for that as I was able to get 47 out of 50 (or some such #'s). Being as short as I am that was truly amazing, but I was sure proud of that trophy.
Millie Finch Gregg
Norma Loescher Boswell
(53)
"Termination winds," our parents called them. Brown, blinding winds rattled windows, shook walls and blew drifts of sharp sand into every crevice. After each episode came the whir of the vacuum and the whisk of the broom. Keeping a Richland prefab clean was never easy. We heard tales of immigrants returning home because of these winds. Not us, of course. Stubborn German stock, the Loeschers, bolstered by resilient English lineage. Children of such people could deal with sandstorms.
My first sandstorm came as I was learning the bus system. It was 1944 and I was eight years old and going to Sacajawea Grade School. Marcus Whitman was on the school system’s drawing board and would soon be built near my neighborhood on Thayer Drive. "Sacky" was a few miles north on Thayer and then a few blocks east on Williams Boulevard.
I was wool-gathering on the bus home from school when I noticed the blue sky turning brown. Newly planted trees began to bend and point south. The bus turned a corner and I heard the wind whistling for attention. Sand hissed like rattlesnakes on the metal skin of the bus. I looked for street signs and panicked. There were none I could recognize! Through the thick brown air I managed to pick out a street sign on Duportail. I stood and pulled the overhead cord that signaled the driver to stop.
As the bus departed, I saw I had missed my regular stop. This was not Thayer, but Smith. I ran back back along the way the bus had come, checking the intersection signs. Eyes squinted into slits. Bare legs were peppered with grit.
There was Sanford. I was getting warm!
Luckily, it was Indian Summer. I felt no cold, only embarrassment, chagrin, sand pins in my legs and increasingly wet eyes. I could run faster without books in my arms, but I held them close to my chest, protecting them as they armored me.
I passed Rossell, then Robert, and finally turned left on Thayer. There were the welcoming pots of red geraniums on our white porch and tropical foliaged drapes in the windows. Home had never looked better.
"Shut the door, quick!" Mom said as I burst in. "I just finished vacuuming before the sand started blowing." Then she added, "Look at those red legs!"
After my story she shook her head. "Where did you get your sense of direction?" she joked. "Well, sandstorms make all these houses look alike."
Today I still see those 1944 rows of flat-topped houses sitting like cracker boxes on bare sand. Before long our lawns grew. Trees and other plants anchored the sand. After that time, sandstorms seemed more civil, depositing more than they took away. Now they are part of Richland’s character, woven into our lore. Richland High School’s newspaper has been called the Sandstorm for more than half a century.
Bomber cheers,
Norma Loescher Boswell
Denny Damschen (62)
I have to disagree with those who have said that our little bomb exercises in grade school (where we went into the hallway and laid on the floor, at an angle, for some reason, and put our hands on our heads to protect ourselves) were silly and useless.
I participated in the prevention exercises as much as any of you and I can honestly say that I have NEVER been hit by one.
Denny Damschen
Ann McCue Hewett (63)
Some time back someone was remembering the ministers at the various united Protestant churches.... and mentioned a Rev. Bob at CUP.... he was Bob Uphoff. My family still attends CUP.... ever remember the church bus with the logo "My CUP overflowth"... was that a cool dream or a reality.
I had written on my "memory list" the red dot and margarine and remember squishing it in and lo and behold a couple days later it came up as a topic.
Thanks!
Ann McCue Hewett
Veronica Yates Jones
(64)
Someone asked how long the little cedar chests were given out to graduates. I don't know the whole story for Richland, but I received one in '64.. and... I have one that my mom received in Missouri in 1941(?). Always thought it was a promotional gimmick so the girls would buy a cedar chest.
Another topic I haven't seen is the visit by the Kobe Japan choir in late 1962. I had one of them stay with me. It happened to be at the time of the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and we all tried to be politically correct (before there was such a thing!)
Ronnie
Rick Maddy (67)
Did anybody ever go faster than 25 miles per hour over the washboards, other than Dick Pierce? Certainly, I wasn't the only one that captured the little brown ants and dumped them into the middle of a stirred up red ant's nest - was I? Yes, I remember the sweaters, and later, the addition of the micro-mini skirts, especially the one’s going up the stairs in Mac Hall.
Vickie Andersen Simmons
(67)
Boy this walking down memory land is great! I believe Joe Largé lived at the end of my block on Birch Street.
One of my most vivid childhood memories is of the first sonic "boom". (This is also a story I will never tell my children!) My brothers and I were running around on the roof of our ranch house while dad was inside watching TV. We had just gotten down when the first jet to break the sound barrier flew overhead. My dad came screaming out of the house: "What the @#%#@ are you kids doing NOW?" I guess selective amnesia wants to prevent me from believing that I was capable of making that much noise!
Also, I read where someone was talking about the infertility of people who grew up where we did. I seem to be here to throw a cog into the statistics - I have two sets of twins.
Vickie Andersen Simmons
Mina jo Gerry Payson
(68)
All this talk about patrol boys... I remember that about the worst thing that could happen as an "underclassman" was to have your name taken by a patrol boy to be "reported." I don't know how or to whom the reporting was done, but we were careful to stay within the lines of the cross walk and always walk our bikes across the street.
Did any other elementary schools have a library club? Marcus Whitman had one up until about six or seven years ago, when the school libraries met the computer age. I was a library girl. We had red caps with white pompoms, similar to the patrol girls caps. Mrs. Pitts, the MW librarian, ran a tight ship. I remember thinking that I really deserved on of those caps. I went to good ole mom, thinking she would smooth the way because she and Mrs. Pitts were friends. Bad decision on my part. She more or less told me to suck it up and go plead my own case. Being scared of almost everything, including teachers and my own shadow, I practiced all the way to school. I went into the library, gave my speech and fled, glad to still have my skin. Apparently, I did a good job, because at the next library club meeting (we were very organized) I was one of the proud recipients of a library club hat.
By the way, Bill Porter, you don't remember your spelling lesson very well. The first word on our spelling list in 6th (or was it 5th?) grade was our teacher's name -- B-R-E-I-T-E-N-F-E-L-D-T. Once again it is amazing what sticks in the gray matter after all these years! He was great and later went to the Yakima area to be a principal and eventually superintendent.
I guess I will add my contribution to the PATROL BOYS exchange. In my 5th-6th grade era at Jefferson (1963-64) we had patrol boys who managed the crosswalks. Real cool white hats, shiny patent leather black brims, red jackets (I think) and white belt. Patrol girls guarded the doors and hallways and they carried these green army style fabric hats. I never saw one girl actually wear one.... just carried them. However a handful of us misfits found working in the cafeteria for lunch was kind of cool/anti-patrol boy. Anyone remember chili day at Jefferson? Remember those cinnamon rolls? We got all we could eat.... what a deal!!!! I don't think we got paid, just free grub!
I remember I was in the cafeteria working (the radio was always on) ....6th grade November 22 when we heard of the Kennedy shooting.
I remember Mrs. Byrd was kind of our boss in there. I think she was Mike Byrd's Mom. Any other cafeteria crew members out there?
October 8, 1998
Jack Hooper (53)
TO: Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60) In the 40's and maybe early 50's horse back riding was $1.00 per hour.
TO: Norma Loescher (53) I remember all those sandstorms - great stuff!
I remember going to bed one night with the ground covered with clean, white snow, and during the night a wind came up the next morning the snow was brown!!!
Jack Hooper
Marilyn Peddicord Whitley (53)
Do you remember Hall Patrol - we had those at Lewis and Clark - taking names of people who ran or whatever in the halls. I remember my father's disgust as I went off early to school one day to assume the hall patrol role - he thought it a silly thing to do.
Denny Damschen (62)
Ahhhh, Little League. Thanks, Hambone, for reminding me about the itchy, scratchy, wool uniforms. I wore my pajamas underneath. Perhaps you don't think that got a tad warm in Richland in June-July- August!! I played in the National League for Auto Supply and Machine. The field was where Lewis and Clark school is now. I was an All-Star my final year, but was pretty much 'all glove-no stick' hrough Little League, Pony League on Moose Lodge, and Colt League on C&H Foods (I think). I also remember the Richland American Legion team going to the American Legion World Series in Anaheim, California, I think in 1960. We got beat by Pensacola, Florida.
My little brother Dale (71) was the baseball player. I played basketball as far as Freshman at CBC. (I skipped from Carmichael directly to CBC). I didn't try to play at Col-Hi, except for intramural, because I found out that girls were more fun after school than practice. I quit basketball entirely when I started consistently shooting my 20 foot jump shot 19 1/2 feet.
The legs were the second thing to go. For the life of me I can't remember what was first.
Denny Damschen
Don Panther (62)
I've read two references to the cold winters of '48 - '50 that have triggered some of my memory cells...
I remember walking out on a frozen Columbia River near the mouth of the Yakima, holding my dad's hand and seeing a car on the Pasco side spinning around on the ice!
And as the fall winds bring a change in our weather I also remember some awful sandstorms that filled the "utility room" of our ranch house with fine sand that blew in through the door cracks and also made those old aluminum windows hard to operate. Thank goodness for the shelter belt and the large rocks they covered the sand dune with (between Cottonwood, Swift, and the bypass) that provided some relief from the sand.
And there were the migrating flocks of ducks and geese that literally made the morning and evening skys alive and spoke to us of the coming winter. I remember one Saturday hunting with my dad (he was hunting and I was watching) on the Pasco side as he sneaked up to a wheat field. When the birds began to jump and fly they were sillouetted against a brilliant sunset sky! It sticks in my mind because I remember the whole sky filled black with birds! Now we see so few birds these days in comparison.
I'm sure my view from a child's perspective made some of these experiences seem much more magnificent than they might be today; however, it's still the picture I see in my mind's eye, and it's those happy memories that I share with my children, much as my Dad shared his childhood memories of life as a large family of poor farmers in Redlodge, Montana. Such good memories and a wonderful heritage.
Thanks... MANY THANKS... to all whose memories are stirred. My memories still good... just getting shorter!
Don Panther
Earl Bennett (63)
I do remember Ray Stein and Gary Webb as Juniors, my senior year, '63, leading the Bombers to a 103 to 59 victory over Ellensburg, possibly in the Eisenhower gym in Yakima at the District championships. It was hailed as "breaking the clock," since the scoreboard only showed two digits per team. Dave Simpson and Pook Smith were also on that team, probably Theartis Wallace and Jim House, too, and I believe a hot sophomore was brought up from JV and played in that game as well - and scored! A large contingent from Richland drove to Yakima to attend - Col Hi basketball was a major element of Richland's "community" identity then. My throat was raw for days from cheering that evening. We took third in the state tournament that year, as well as the year before and the year after (anybody else remember the lecture from the physics teacher about why the four day state tournament was a bad idea? "a bunch of drunk teenagers and pg cheerleaders is all that comes of it" - his accuracy could have qualified him as a prophet). I was always fascinated by the fact that we beat the same team, Hudson's Bay of Vancouver, all three years (or at least 62 and 63) in the final round. If memory serves, our third round losses in 62 and 63 were also to the same Seattle school - was it Ballard? I also remember either Ray Stein or Jim House talking about how great it was to play in the UW gym, because the floor was almost "springy" compared to the gyms back home, assisting with jump height (assisting everyone equally, of course). Hudson's Bay had a very slender 6'10" center named Craig Raymond who was nicknamed "the Spider" because his arms and legs spread out so far. Not too coordinated, however (I should talk).
Later. ecb3
Jim House (63)
Re: BOMBERS 103 - ELLENSBURG 59
The victory over Ellensburg was for the district championship in Yakima. It was probably the best game we played against a quality opponent. In today's lingo they would say we were "focused" as we lead by 24 points after eight minutes. There was an element of revenge. Ellensburg had the league's leading scorer and had previously beaten us on their home court in a game that saw four Bombers foul out. The loss in Ellensburg included my lowest personal moment in sports that still haunts me today.
Regards
Jim House
Kathy Rathvon (63)
Does anyone remember the name of the librarian at Jefferson? She was so wonderful & kind. During the lunch hour, when it was too cold to go outside, she would teach the girls how to knit and crochet. She also taught my class (I don't remember what grade) the titles and authors of the classics. She gave us hints on how to remember the authors - like Salten wrote "Bambi" - deer like salt licks, so Salten. She was one of my favorites.
Kathy Rathvon
Bob DeGraw (66)
To all Bombers. (Notice that I don't say Alumni or alumnus because.... When your a Bomber, you are a Bomber all the way. From your 1st Bomber breath to your last Bomber day!!)
It is evident, that for the most part it is a very positive thing that has stirred some great memories and feelings for those of us who grew up in Richland and attended it's schools. I was going to respond to Irene Hays about her views concerning the "symbols of death and destruction" but by the time I finally calmed down and put away my nuclear toys I decided not to embarrass myself. As I thought about our mascot/s, a couple of things popped into my mind. First I thought "Who or which class was responsible for naming us the Bombers?" (ok club 40's, here's your chance) Second, who or which classes actually had a bomb that they put out into the center of the court during warm ups at basketball games. ( I have a story about a bomb that I will relate on another occasion) Third, despite it's destructive nature, how many of you who have witnessed a nuclear explosion can honestly say it's not fasinating to watch. Fourth, is our mascot the Bomber or the Cloud or both or what? It was always the Bomber during my days. I don't ever recall having either on our football or basketball stuff. I do remember having a bomb in the middle of the Basketball court during warmups.
My memories of Richland are all good. I was never bothered by the "secrecy" factor. I was never afraid of what was going on out in the area's. (My dad worked in the 200 West area and my Grandpa worked in the 300 area) I never had concerns that I was being radioactivly poisioned. My Grandpa was 93 when he died and my grandma is 90. They had 9 children all of which are still alive. Other than bulging green boils all over my body I am fine. My 5 kids are all wierd but I don't think it's due to radioactive genes. I always thought of Richland as a small town. (which it really is) When I was growing up,there were around 23,000 people there but to me it was like a 5,000 people town. What bonded us together was the commonality of our parents. They all worked in the area's or in support of the area's. They all got on the bus at the bus stop on the corner at about 8am and they all came home on the bus at the bus stop about 5pm. I used to run down to the bus stop every night to wait for my Dad to get off the bus. (At 5 :10 like clock work) They all made about the same amount of money and so we all lived in the same quality of housing, ate the same quality of food and were able to dress about the same. I think most of us had some sort of religious affiliation, and our morals were pretty much the same. And as it follows, because of the commonality, most of us had similier experiences growing up. We went to the same places, we did the same things at school, we did the same juvinial delinquent things to get into trouble. I think I should add a note here. In all honesty I think because you West Richland kids lived so "far away" and because you were probably the only ones who had to be bussed, many of us "in town" kids thought you were a little wierd too. But for the most part, that was just until we got to know you. (Except the ones who came to school with horse manure on their boots. You guys were still weird) So it is natural that most of us grew up with the same feelings and that those feelings still exsist today. For
those of you who still live in Richland or that area, maybe some of those feelings have changed with the times. But for many of us who have left and only make occasional visits, those feelings are just about as strong as when we lived there. And the memories we are sharing just reinforce some of those feelings.My home is Richland! With the exception of 3 years (1971 to 74) I have not lived in Richland since 1967. I have been in Alaska for 21 years. And although I have enjoyed living in Alaska, I have never thought of it as home. Richland is my home and I am a Bomber! (and a Cougar) And I say... NUKE UM!! (with a growl)
Pam Ehinger Nassen (67)
How about all the Christ the King kids, do you remember the patrol boys and girls? We had hall monitors, for all of you that missed the world of CK, there were girls and boys who stood in the halls and bathrooms and would hand you a pink slip if you were caught talking. On Fridays they came to the class rooms and called out your name if you had a pink slip. How about Mother Superior, I believe here name was Sister Marie. She was very short. When the short skirts came out, she'd come up and tap you on the shoulder and that meant to get down on you knees to see if you skirt touched the floor!
Then when we left the safe haven of CK and went out into the world of public schools!! Some to Carm. and some the Chief Joe, what a rude awaking!! In CK were called by the proper name, Pamela, Gerald, Garland, ect. so we became Pam, Gerry, Gary. We were use to standing when called on, no more, we use to stand when an adult came into the class, no more. I know at Cheif Joe, my first class, when a person came in there were 3 or 4 of us CK kids and we all started to stand but stopped real quick when we noticed we were the only ones. Also the first time when called on, I started to stand to anwser and everyone looked at me as if I had two heads, believe me I sat very quick!
I know this is suppose to be a Bomber site, but we CK kids made up a lot of the class of 67 and many others too! We'er one in the same Bombers and CK graduates!!
Ya All Have a Great Day Ya Here!!
Pam Ehinger Nassen
Susy Rathjen Whitney (71)
I've been trying to remember all the games we used to play at school. I was hoping maybe some of you could remember some of the games, jump rope rhymes, or anything else you can think of. So many of these games are no longer played by the children and I'd like to teach some to my grandchildren. I remember the jump rope rhyme:
"Mable, Mable, set the table.
Don't forget the red hot peppers."
And part of: "Mother, Mother, I feel ill. Call the Dr. over the hill."
We used to play crack the whip, red rover, 4 square, jacks etc... Does anyone remember the Eskimo yo-yo?
All this talk about the sandstorms reminds me of my mother when she use to hang wet sheets at the windows and doors trying to keep the sand out. I don't know if it worked or not. I loved the sand storms! Living in Richland, it was the most exciting thing going on!
Susy Rathjen Whitney
Darvi Markfelder Hull (72)
My family moved to Cullum St. in 58 and we went to Lewis & Clark elementary. There was also a very old spooky looking building across the street from our house, was told it was the old high school, sure would like to hear more about that building, was that also Bomber land? I was just 4 then, but I remember how it looked, my sister, brother, and cousins, Randy and Marlene Kozitka would bravely go over there and tell ghost stories at twilight time.
Thanks again,
Darvi Markfelder Hull
Marjo Vinther Burt (77)
TO: Norma Loescher Boswell (53) - your sandstorm story was great! I'm glad I never experienced true termination winds like that! When I was in grade school (Marcus Whitman 1964-70) the sandstorms always seemed to hit when we were outside on the playground! I can still see all of us girls hopping up and down frantically as the sand stung our bare legs - as if that somehow would lesson the sting!
Re: the bomb drills - they quit having us do them by the time I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. And I don't remember having to lay down flat when we did them. I remember crouching down on my knees with my head down (forehead touching the floor where it met the wall) and my arms over my head. Maybe this was the new-and-improved duck-and-cover method for the sixties! Does anyone else from my generation remember this, or am I just losin' it?!
I also remember being a member of the library club at Marcus Whitman. I was scared of Mrs. Pitts for some reason, though. Wimp. We didn't wear hats, but we each received a pin to wear. I still have mine.
Larry Reid - I was a Patrol Captain in 6th grade. Although we girls still only patrolled the hallways and the steps. Fortunately we didn't have to wear those hats someone described! I remember what a tiny little Patrol office we had. It was right next to the main office I think. It was a great place to play in! One day there were about 4 of us in the Patrol office and we shut the door. One of the boys climbed up the shelves and squeezed himself between the ceiling and the top shelf, when all of the sudden the door flew open and it was a teacher shouting, "what are you doing in there!" I can't even remember which teacher it was - perhaps Mrs. Downing - but we were mortified! I'm sure we all had that "deer in the headlights" look on our faces! By the grace of God, that teacher never looked up to see the kid on top of the shelf! Whew!
Did anyone else ever attend a preschool called "Musical Kindergarten"? My teacher was Mrs. Carter, but there were different teachers before her. I remember it being a lot of fun. I also remember the day my Mom was driving me home from MK and we heard on the radio that President Kennedy had been shot and killed. I can still see my mom's hand reaching for the volume control on the radio as they repeated the report. Then she started crying. I was 4 1/2 years old, and the news scared me more than anything else. I thought that it was impossible for a President to die! I remember wondering if it meant something bad was going to happen to all the rest of us. Well, enough comments from this after-the-60's graduate!
Sara Gonzales (96)
Thought I would share my classes Senior Motto with you:
Growing up tall and proud, in the shadow of the mushroom cloud.
Bomber Pride,
Sara Gonzales
