"Bomber Memories"
November 25, 26, 27, 29 & 30, 1998
November 25, 1998
Carol Converse Maurer
(64)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING all you Bombers out there in Bomber land!! I remember Thanksgiving WITHOUT tv. My parents had some very close friends that had come out to Richland from New York at the same time. Each year they would take turns having Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, depending on which shift the guys were working that year. It was a tradition that after dinner had settled somewhat, we would all go to the movies.
I remember how packed the theater always was on those holidays. That is a very fond memory for me. I also remember going riding horses at the riding academy one year in high school.
Carol
John Bradley (65)
The three of us Bradley men had a great converstion a couple of weeks ago about the day's in Richland when we were trying to grow up.
Since we span a few years at Col-High (56, 60 and 65) there are many stories that cannot be retold, because we must protect the innocent, or guilty for that matter.
My brother Pete (60) used to have the only and I believe the first ice cream business in Richland. His mode of transportation was a Cushman motor scooter with an ice box on it. It was called "Pete's Treats". That would have been around the late 50's. He used to travel all over town and ring that damned bell, and the kids would come running. If the parents of those days feel about the same way I do when the ice cream trucks come, they probably either wanted to thank him or hang him for that bell. Does nay one out there remember "Pete's Treat" scooter?
How many out there remember buying old junk cars and running them all over the desert till they either ran out of gas, or just gave up the ghost? There were many an old car in the north end of the desert when I started doing it in the 60's.
My brother Mike (56), seemed to like to work in gas stations around town. Have no idea of how many, but he was always working at some station in Richland.
Myself, I worked the gardening service business. Used to work for Bill Johnson (Wegee) out by the Knox's. Worked for him for two years until the fateful day I graduated and went to pea harvest. SHould have stayed in the gardening service, lost my hindquarter to a one legged man in a pool hall in Waitsburg. The old boy sure could shoot pool, and I was a damned fool and bet him some money. Talk about getting hustled, I got ran out the door.
Since my father was an enterprising man, and he did not believe in allowances, we boys had to go to work doing something. My brother Pete, was the most enterprising and most inventive. Not only did he have Pet's Treats, but he ran the first "still" for the high school. It was down by the Yakima River, and quite well hidden. My dad never caught on to him. Mike and I always got caught, but Pete just rolled along. You see, my dad made beer in the basement, and one time when Dad got ready to make another batch, he couldn't find the items he needed. Pete had borrowed them to set up his own business. Neither of us ever sold the beer; it was just for personal consumption at the drive-ins.
Yes, Richland brought the best out of a whole group of us. Now as you look around and remember those who you graduated with, and see how well they have done, it can really amaze you. We were fortunate to have a school district that had so many teachers who were far above the norm. They took the time to help us in any way they could. Sometimes they had to get real straight with us, but they were honest and straight forward. The most straight forward teacher I had was Matt Greenough, economics, he told me the truth and lit a fire under me. It was not a pleasant conversation, but it was hard and straight. HE never was one to mix words with a student. Told some great stories though.I can only agree with Mike Monasmith (65), Emil was a trip and in his own world. He didn't do much good for me when I went to Germany in the 60's for the first tour.
John Bradley
P.S. The drags at Columbia Park were the best, or the keg parties at Bateman Island.
Shirley Collings
Haskins (66)
To Gary Behymer, '64: Mr. Gallaher was my 6th grade teacher at the "old" Sacajawea. I don't recall his first name, but "Ken" sounds right. He is not listed in the Tri-Cities phone directory. I recall that I really enjoyed him as a teacher, though. We would go to Mr. Younce's classroom for Spanish that year. Perhaps some of my fellow classmates from that year might be aware of Mr. Gallaher's current location. Looking at my class picture, there were: David Caraway, Marcia Setbacken, Kirk Welsch, Candy Scott, Ken Olsen, Judy Ward, Sherrie Carrick, Virginia Morris, Gary Clark, Mike Seeman, John Wingfield, Kathy Hayner, Kerry Love, Les Curtis, Richard Last, Ron Cates, Jody Kendrick, Jane Vosmer, Tom Newby, Cynthia Oates, David Marks, Dru Murphy, Phil Webb plus two girls whose names I don't remember. Mr. LeClair was the principal.
Shirley Collings Haskins
Pam Ehinger Nassen (67)
Talking about where you were 35yr. ago. First, it's hard to believe that it's been that long ago. I was in Mrs. Latta's homeroom class when they announced over the PA. The whole class went silent, and we just sat in shock. Some girls and boys started to cry. Pres. Kennedy had just been to Richland a month or so before, and a lot of us had seen him there. So his death seemed so unreal to us. I also remember sitting in front of the TV and watching the funeral and the swearing in of Pres. Johnson. I know they show it on TV all the time when little John saluted, but I remember seeing it for the first time and crying my eyes out. It was so very sad. Remember when Jack Ruby shot Harvey Oswold on TV?
Do you realize that the things we saw as kids and adults are now in the history books our kids and grand kids are using in school? We do live in a special time.
Pam Ehinger Nassen
Mina Jo Gerry Payson
(68)
I don't remember sex-ed in junior high. I do remember that in 6th grade (I think) all the boys went out to recess while we girls were ushered into the gym and had the basic facts of life explained to us. Just the basics, none of the good stuff. Of course, we were such innocents at that age that I probably would have had the same reaction my daughter did at the age of 3, when we explained how her little brother happened. She looked at me with wide-eyed amazement and said,"You're kidding!!" After the film and talk, we were sent back to class and admonished not to tell the boys what we had just learned. My husband is still trying to get the information out of me, but I promised not to tell.
The film I remember from junior high was in health class. It featured some kind of cancer, lung or throat and an operation - in living color. Not something I want to remember. I didn't see "Reefer Madness" until many years later, when I was in college. I think it was on public television, a kind of documentary series on drug abuse education.
Mina Jo
November 26, 1998 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Grover Shegrud (56)
Subject: Sacajawea -- I was in Mr. Webber's 6th grade class he taught me to run the movie projector (1948/49)!. The lady teachers didn't know how so I had to set up and run the films for the girls "girl stuff". I would set it up and start the projector and when the count down reached "2" I was ushered out. One time the film messed up half way through and I had to go back in and restart the film: I never saw such embarrassed girls in my life.
Does anyone remember Mr. Webbers stories of his homestead somewhere in central Washington?
Grover Shegrud
Tony Tellier (57)
SUBJECT: Message text written by John Bradley (65)
""How many out there remember buying old junk cars and running them all over the desert till they either ran out of gas, or just gave up the ghost? There were many an old car in the North end of the desert when I started doing it in the 60's.""
I sure do. What a blast ... and the thrill ain't gone yet. Now the car's aren't junk but they still run out of gas and when they give up the ghost it is mucho $$$$ or you are on your lid.
TT In Yuma
Paula Beardsley Glenn
(62)
To Denny Smith [63]: Hi neighbor - Was great to read a contribution from someone else in that great neighborhood on Cedar. The Ranch Houses were "Y" and "Z" houses. I think yours was a "Y" - 3 bedroom ranch and Ours - 4 bedroom - was a "Z". I remember it was pretty cool because we didn't have those blasted stairs to worry about. Now I live in an "A" and HATE it.
Mary Sullivan (64): Yes I remember the Cinnamon Bear. My husband works for a guy in Spokane that collects old radio show tapes and owns several Christian radio stations. My husband and I were talking about old shows and I mentioned the Cinnamon Bear being my "fav" as a child. He talked to his boss and for Christmas I got a copy of the entire Cinnamon Bear show. It is too cool. We played it on our way to Colorado to visit our grandchildren that year and my son - 12 at the time - thought it was pretty cool too. Will have to get it out and remember to play it again. As I recall, there was one episode each day between Thanksgiving and Christmas about 4:00. Wouldn't it be cool if someone would broadcast those great shows again.
Remembering JFK: President Kennedy was shot on my Dad's birthday- I was living in Seattle by that time and I remember calling home to talk to my Dad and neither of us could talk. I sat in our apartment while it rained outside watching "our innocence" come to an end. It was awful.
Thanksgiving memories - I remember spending every Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Reil family. One holiday at our house and one at theirs then alternating the next year. After dinner, my brother, Charlie and Scherion Reil would get to go to the movies and Saralyn, Janice, Nancy and I had to stay home until we got a little older. We played dressup and thought it was so cool that Punkins' (Mrs. Reil) clothes and especially her shoes fit us. She was such a tiny little thing.
Paula Beardsley Glenn
Jim Botsford (69)
WOW!! What a bunch of fun things to read from a lot of folks from Richland. I almost feel bad for moving away early in life. However, the memories my brothers and sister and I still have are wonderful. Does anyone remember riding our bikes right behind the D.D.T. truck?? The more spray they put out, the closer we were to the back bumper, just sucking that stuff into our lungs. It was like being in a cloud up in the sky, except that it was poison, and we were huffing and puffing it into our little lungs,,,,,,, YUCK!!
Also, can you guys remember going out toward Hanford and riding on those homemade sleigh/sleds that were towed behind cars when it snowed? And how about the sledding hill, was it called Plumber's hill? I remember that it had a wall at the bottom, and took just a bit of skill to stop the sleds before you slammed into the wall.
And oh yeah, I think that I still possess the winning pop-sicle stick from the gutter races when it rained.......
Jim Botsford
Susy Rathjen Whitney
(71)
To Sherri Fisher [74]: How well I remember the "milk wagon". You're right, it was in kindergarten. Two kids from one of the kindergartens would be sent down to the cafeteria and outside the door would be the milk. We'd take the wagon to the other kindergarten class, where the teacher would take out the number of milks needed for her class, then we'd bring it back to our own class. It was soooo much fun! It didn't take a whole lot to excite us in those days. Then, while we were taking naps on our rugs or blankets (or a big towel in Kelvin Soldat's [71] case), a couple of kids would place the milk and a graham cracker at each persons place on the table. At least that's the way it was in Mrs. Badgett's class. Once in a while we would have juice in "dixie" cups and soda crackers, instead of the usual snack. Mrs. Badgett for some reason always seemed to get orange-grapefruit juice... yuk. Anyway, that's what I remember about that.
Susy Rathjen Whitney
Kim Richey Dykeman (74)
Re: Lewis and Clark - Kindergarten - Miss Hosack... who didn't have her and how many years did she teach? The Map of states on the asphalt, hop-scotch. Sharing time. Chili and Cinnamon Rolls!!!! Being a Patrol Girl. Walking down to Riverside Park (Amon Park now) for the class picnic. 3rd grade - Mrs. Phillips, reading the entire series of the "Boxcar Children". Wanting to be in Mrs. Brinkman's 5th grade class, knowing that her daughter, Kippy Lou, would visit sometime during the year, and possibly play her harp, but I was in Mrs. Graham's class instead. 6th grade was a blast... Mr. Dunwoody.. his first year teaching at Lewis and Clark (replacing Mr. Neidhold, who went to teach Drivers Training at RHS ) we had a SNACK TIME everyday. How many guys out there remember "HACKS" from Mr. Lane?
Re: Carmichael - 7th grade orientation was enough to scare anyone... But then came the pep assemblies... football and basketball games, making spirit ribbons and painting signs in pride of the COUGARS. Looking forward to the the cross town rivalry games with the Chief Jo Warriors. Depending on which sport, games were always played in Bomber Bowl (Fran Rich Stadium now) or Dawald Gym. After games, we would walk down to the "BA" (bowling alley). Sock-Hops were usually held in the Gym.. and yes.. we really had to take our shoes off to be on the gym floor. And who could ever forget sledding down Carmichael Hill in the winter, the school store, the school newspaper - "The Cougar's Tale". One always wanted to be chosen girl or boy of the month. Those three years went so fast. Next thing we knew..we were Bombers!
Re: Col-High. - First thing I ever learned was - NO ONE WALKS ON THE BOMB. Second thing I learned as a Soph. was to make friends fast with someone who drives... Lunch off campus was cool... Zips, A&W, Arctic Circle.... anywhere but the school cafeteria. Each year has it's highlights of memories....
Soph.. Meeting all new kids... finding out the Chief Jo kids weren't all that bad after all. Singing at assemblies with Mary Creek to "Carol King - Tapestry" songs. Experiencing what it was like to be at a Bomber game and actually being a Bomber. Typing in Mr. Cole's class... those old manual typewriters. Homecoming mums. (does anyone ever do that anymore?) Soph. P.E... warming up to Stars & Stripes Forever.... Dancing - The Box Step, The Jitterbug, "Soul Dancing". Basketball - An experience in itself. BBA (Bleacher Bums of America) Headed up by Bob "Eagle" Adeline. Regionals in Spokane... I remember spending the night at school to make sure I got my tickets as well as those for my parents. (This meant my parents would be in Spokane... would my party plans have to be altered... I think not.. Spokane's a big city filled with a variety of hotels right?) Standing outside the Coliseum waiting for doors to open, the
chants of We're #1 or "Here we go, Bombers" had already started from the hundreds of students. The funny thing was that we played the last game of the evening but we were the first ones there. After a week-end blur of games, shopping (Sea-Farer jeans from Mike's West), and partying we knew that we were going to Seattle - ON TO STATE. The next week-end was pretty much like the one previous - Partying, Shopping and games... Except this time we would go home as State Champs..#1 . . A large group of us sophomore girls stayed in a sorority house for only $1 a night - thanks to Anna Manolopoulos's sister, Rebecca. Spring sports lead into a winning season for the golf team as well as a State title for the Cross-Country team. How many years in a row did they do this. 3-4?Jr. - Summer going into Jr. year was a great one. Tanning out at the sIab in North Richland. I got my drivers license, and I got my first real job... a car hop at A&W. Those are stories within themselves. Am I right Debbie (74) and Patti Murray (73)? Many activities happened this year, Bomber sports continued to be dominating and yes another repeat of the basketball season again.... Spokane and then ON TO STATE again (University Towers) We came home 2nd in State that year. Cross Country took another State title in the spring. Before I knew it Junior year was over and I was a SENIOR!
Sr - (73-74) - Summer going into my Sr. year I got my first car (67 Mustang), met Randy and did some traveling. Mary Creek also had a mustang and we were always meeting up at Payless parking lot after games. You could usually find the crowds there or "tooling Zips" across the way.
Kim
Dave McAdie (79)
O.K. you hard cases, now that I have been "thoroughly" chastised for using the term "former" Bombers, greetings to all.
Re: JFK, I don't know why, but I remember my mom watching on T.V. I was born in Canada (Vancouver) and was barely 2, so it surprises me that I remember. We came to the states in 1968 - to L.A. - and I remember RFK and MLK events very well - as well as all the rest of the social turmoil of those times. My question - "Where were you when the 'Eagle' landed?"
We came to Richland in 1975. I finished 8th through 12th grades here. It is great to read about all of your memories, I can relate to a lot of them. I remember Mr. Hughes (Marion) at Carmichael. He caught me wandering the halls one day offered me a great way to have people remember my name - "Hi Dave, let's go golfing today, you can be M'Caddy" - It was perfect, and as a "hacker" now myself, it fits.... for my kids :) I also remember Mr. Davies (was that a Board in his back?). I had Mr. Lippert (hi Tim) in 9th and many others - and oh yes "Keep your head down, keep your head down, keep your head down" Chitty. Anyone remember Warball ?!?!?! Ouch!!! How about Mr. Arnold in wood shop and the "slingshot" the last day of school............
I remember the first time I saw "Reefer Madness" - it was at the Uptown as a lead-in to the first Cheech and Chong movie "Up in Smoke". Some of the out loud comments were awesome! :)
The teachers at Col-Hi (sorry, that's what it was then) were fun. A remember Mrs. Larson - she had this amazing ability to add up numbers with lightning speed - and laugh out her nose :) Mr. Blankenship was great - I'll never "Laisez Faire" (sp?). I see him from time to time - last time at the Grand Opening at Columbia Point Golf Course (he worked there for a while). I also had Senor Lujan for 3 years of Spanish. I did play football for all 3 years, but unfortunately was always more of a tackling dummy - still loved it though and it helped when I coached Grid Kids for several years. Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Deatheridge, Mr. Pearson - they were the "newer and younger" staff and we related to them well.
To the family of Robley Johnson out there - my folks own Sunland Camera (that's what brought us here in 75) in Uptown and would be happy to help you out if you have any old photos/negatives that you need printed/ copied, etc. Probably even have some darkroom equipment that can be bought - cheap........
Dave McAdie
November 27, 1998
Dick Pierard (52)
SUBJECT: Message text written by John Bradley (65)
""HOW MANY OUT THERE REMEMBER BUYING OLD JUNK CARS AND RUNNING THEM ALL OVER THE DESERT TILL THEY EITHER RAN OUT OF GAS, OR JUST GAVE UP THE GHOST? THERE WERE MANY A OLD CAR IN THE NORTH END OF THE DESERT WHEN I STARTED DOING IT IN THE 60'S""
I had bought a Model A Ford for $25 and drove it around town a bit. It had a reasonably decent body but the motor was pretty well shot. Then I had a chance to buy another one for $15 that had a good motor but the body was in wretched shape. So a friend and I took the cars out into the country north of town one afternoon, used a tree to mount a block and tackle, and moved the engine from one car to the other. I don't remember exactly what we did with the old motor, but if I recall correctly he took home for parts. The remaining vehicle was so dilapidated that we decided to simply dump it out on the desert. Apparently a "bear in the air" (remember the old patrol planes?) spotted this scene in action because a patrol car came after us, but we moved quickly enough to make a get-away. Since the only reliable identifying mark in those days was the motor number (I took the license plate with me), they could never trace us. I assume the statute of limitations on this has long since expired!
Dick Pierard
Jim Russell (58)
A few more disjointed memories from the late "40's" through the late "50's":
We moved to Richland in 1949, sometime around October or November. That Spring, there had been a good deal of flooding throughout the region, and the Yakima River had not only overflowed, it had destroyed the only bridge leading to Richland from Kennewick/Pasco. The Army Corps of Engineers installed a make-shift bridge, riding on pontoons. As a nine-year old, this was an exciting entrance into an unknown city. Throughout the "50's", I enjoyed many summer nights attending the Tri-City Braves baseball games at Sanders Field in Kennewick. Edo Vanni was the manager during the exciting years. His occasional outbursts toward the umpires were always fun to watch. I'm having difficulty remembering the names of the players that went through the Braves system: I seem to remember Len Tran at shortstop or second base, Vern Kindfather as a good pitcher. I enjoyed many evenings attending those games with Dave Elderkin (57) and his family. They must have had season tickets, we went so often. Peanuts and soft drinks and the smell of pine tar, sweaty bodies and beer, all mixed into the night air with the chatter, chatter, chatter of young men hoping to make their way up the ladder to the "Big Leagues." Visiting teams included the Yakima Bears, the Spokane Indians, the Edmonton Eskimos, the Calgary Stampeders, the Salem Senators, and the Wenatchee Chiefs. Later League adjustments added the Eugene Emeralds. Radio Daze: I seem to remember a DJ named Ray Court on KORD, or was it KORD on Court Street? I remember calling in requests to "Dusty" Rhodes, who broadcast from the Dessert Inn, and occasionally sitting in with him as he spun the platters. He would chat when he could while the records were spinning. I had a lot of fun playing basketball in the church leagues: for SSUP church and for the DeMolay 'A' and 'B' teams. I was a part of the Junior Bowlers at the old recreation hall bowling alley, before the "new" Atomic Lanes were installed below Carmichael hill. The rec-hall on Geo. Wash. Way also offered pool tables and ping pong tables. In Carmichael, I enjoyed a good friendship with Earl Dean Nicholson, and especially enjoyed his singing at a talent show: "Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed." I can still remember the tune, but the words no longer surface. Does anyone remember the words to "Sleeping" or the names of the Braves, or the names of the DJ's?
Jo Miles (64)
For Denny Smith (63) - Boy, did you conjure up some flashbacks. I remember the winter that Jim Spencer (62) moved into our neighborhood on Howell Ave. None of us "regular kids" had ever been near a snowball thrown at 200 miles per hour. The hapless victim never saw Jim's frozen missile until it splattered against his face. It sounded like a rocket but you never saw it because it was faster than the speed of light. Phil Armstrong (63) was the only one quick enough to duck a Spencer fast ball. Of course, Jim got his (in the face) from Paul Sterling by a real baseball at a Pony League game in 1959.
Speaking of small paper routes. In 1957 I delivered the Spokane Daily Chronicle in the north end of Richland for a whopping 8 customers. Fortunately, I got a better job the following year with the Columbia Basin News serving 130 customers who paid $1.25 per month. One day delivering papers I was bitten by a large dog in front of Teresa DeVine's house and her dad had to give me first aid. She claims it was just a small dog but believe me it was huge!
You mentioned Werner, as in Terry (65). He was driving during the ill-fated pheasant hunting trip with me in 1963 on a dirt road by the Yakima River when he rolled his dad's 1956 Chevy. The song, "Peggy Sue" was still playing on the radio as we lay upside down in the mud. We kicked out the windshield, crawled out, and hiked to West Richland to use a telephone somewhere near Marlene Walton's (66).
Speaking of hunting. The late and great Mike Jennings (64) could drop a dove at 60 yards with his 20 gauge shotgun. Byron Shaw (64) shot a limit of doves with less than a box of shells back when the limit was still 12. Those were the days before we needed bifocals.
Good memories.
Jo Miles
Mary Sullivan (64)
To Sherri Fischer (74) - Even though I graduated 10 years ahead of you - I DO remember the "milk carts' at Lewis & clark -- they were for the Kindergarten classes for "snacks" after "nap time"!!
And for Kim Dykeman (74) - I had Miss Hosack for Kindergarten (as did my brother Denis (62)! but I too, was wondering how many years she had taught! I had Mrs. Damon for third grade and SHE read "The Boxcar Children" to the class and that began my love of reading. I don't believe that the actual series was available at Lewis & Clark at that time but I could be wrong!!
To Paula Beardsley Glenn (62) - I too, have a copy of the "Cinnamon Bear" tapes thanks to my older brother Denis (62) who re-discovered them about 10 years or so ago, and a second generation of "Sullivan's" still listen to them each year!
Mary
Kathy Rathjen Loper
(66)
Did anybody every really know what it meant to wear red on Thursday? I had some guesses, though never really knew. I sure panicked one day in seventh grade when I wore a red sweater and didn't realize it was THURSDAY until I was half way to school. I ran all the way back home to change, and then had to run back to school. Also seventh grade, some of the boys got together and all wore white dress shirts, blue jeans and tennis shoes on the same day. We girls thought it looked stupid (and told them so), and decided to be equally silly by wearing hair bows. Mr. Olson had the counselor reprimand us for "organizing." I think we must have been the first gang in Richland. I think that was also the last thing I actively participated in, as I began a spiral into painful shyness that lasted throughout the rest of my school years. Miss Skogan, Algebra, had a requirement that each student stand before the class at least once during the quarter to explain and solve a problem or take a grade drop by one letter. I gave great consideration to taking the grade reduction, but finally got through a problem.
Re: Kennedy's assassination - I was a sophomore in Mr. Carlson's biology class in Mac Hall when the note arrived Kennedy was shot in Dallas. Mac Hall had no functioning speaker system from the office, and the student sent with the note received an angry lecture from Mr. Carlson about playing "pranks." That afternoon, in Mr. Lawson's English class, the announcement came over the speaker system that Kennedy was dead. My recollection was that we did not have school on Monday, and that there was nothing on TV from Friday through the funeral except coverage of that event. Like most everyone else, I was glued to the TV, absorbing every detail and weeping, weeping, weeping.
Pam Ehinger Nassen (67)
They talk about this being a small world...... it is!! I work at the Cle Elum Fam. Med. in Cle Elum, as a nurse. Well I call this patient back and notice she lives in Richland and not to far from where I use to live (1304 Wilson). So as the story goes we start talking and guess what? Her husband is Mr. James Loss was my sophomore English teacher!!! In 1965 Mr. Loss was a very handsome man and most of the girls just sorta stared at him. He was also the DJ on KORD radio station. In those days it was the Rock N Roll satiation. I asked about his thick dark hair and mustache, Jean (his wife) told me it was now white!! But she still see him with dark hair also.
Does anyone know how long Arlene's Flowers has been around? I listen to a radio station from the Tri-Cities 95.7 the oldie station. When I head the Arlene's ad. I was surprised!! I remember the BIG yellow Mums with the green R in the middle for homecoming! Was just wondering how long they have been there.
Pam Ehinger Nassen
Rick Maddy (67)
The A to Z house per year for the Christmas ornaments is a neat idea and means I will probably be in my nineties before I can hang my two-bedroom pre-fab orny on the tree. But that's okay because I will still be able too drive my truck to the Tri-Cities to snag that gem.
Kati Ash Noehrenberg
(78)
Marjo Vinther Burt (77) mentioned Musical Kindergarten. I have vague memories of my mother driving me over to Richland from Kennewick, where we then lived, to attend a preschool that stressed music. I was probably three or four, so the memories are few. I do recall putting the tops of peanut shells on our fingers. This may have been to increase the sound our fingers made when we were drumming on the table.
Memories of our attempt to collect 1,000,000 bottle caps in eighth grade at Chief Jo are much clearer. Thanks Rhonda (Rhonda Miller Williams '78) for triggering that memory. Collecting those caps became an addiction. It started innocently enough - saving 7 Up caps at home. Soon, that wasn't enough; and I found myself begging neighbors to save their caps for me. Then I graduated to the big time, going to gas station attendants and asking them to empty the caps from their soda machines. All too soon, the soda machines in the Tri-City area were wiped clean (we were a busy bunch). My parents (John and Kathleen Ash - not RHS/Col-Hi grads, but some of you may have worked with them) were enjoying the hunt (at least at first); so, when we would go on trips, we'd stop frequently at gas stations and motels to empty their soda machines. In retrospect, it was amazing how nice most of the people were. Only a few declined to help Mr. Beeson's class reach the one million bottle cap mark. We even got to help one of the motel managers, in return. He did not know you could open the soda machine and remove the caps. (Those of you who engaged in the bottle cap drive may remember that many soda machines were constructed with separate keys and doors for the the caps, coins, and bottles). For years, he'd been scooping out those caps he could reach to make room for new ones. He was thrilled to learn he could empty the whole metal bin. There were some really old bottle caps in the bottom of that container. Alas, the high of the collection was always followed by the crash of having to wash those dirty old caps in the bathtub. It isn't easy to remove gooey soda.
Someone asked when Warren Hopkins started teaching Bomber Band. I believe it was in the fall of 77. From the beginning, he expected excellence from the band, and got it. I did not play in the band, but was a flag girl.
I don't think anyone has mentioned Mme. Reya Gore, yet. She was a fun teacher. Does anyone remember the French Club trip to Vancouver and all the crepe sales leading up to it?
Kati Ash Noehrenberg
November 29, 1998
Tom Hunt (60)
Wow! Jim Russell's (58) recent correspondence rang some old bells that sent bats winging from my bellfry with his recollections of the Tri-City Braves. Who would ever remember Edo Vanni?! I'm sure others can add to the roster, but how about Nick Pesuit or Persuit at catcher and Vic Bucola at first?
Playing old radio days reminds me that Lyn Bryson had to be one of Jim's classmates at Col Hi. Bryson began as the night time rock dj at KPKW Radio in Pasco along about '58 or '59 picking up extra cash by bringing in groups like the Kingsmen and Mary Lee and the Turnabouts. He helped me get started in the broadcasting business there in '59. KPKW was a 250 watt am at the high end of the dial so the signal barely escaped the Pasco city limits. Lyn had one of those "will it be a hit or a miss" shows one night each
week where he pulled locals from the high schools for his panel. One night the owner was auditioning another fellow when I was on the panel and I asked if I could try. I began doing weekend and fill in stints and thought I was on my way! It was hardly major league radio. We had a fellow who came in each night to sweep up so he could broadcast his own religious show for an hour each Sunday! Each night he would go through the waste baskets retrieving discarded audio tape so he could record it. Now those
were the days.Tom Hunt
Paula Beardsley Glenn
(62)
To Pam Ehinger Nassen(67) - Arlene's Flowers has been owned by Dottie Ryan - mother of Barronelle Metcalf Stutzman (62) for about 20 years. It was previously owned by the Douglas family who had Dordons in Uptown for several years until they recently sold it. I know it was there when I was 21 and that was 33 years ago and I don't know how long before that. This past year for homecoming - we didn't make one single homecoming mum - guess they don't have the kind of great school spirit we did.
Paula
November 30, 1998
Bob Loper (Lefty Roohr)
(60)
Re: Arlene's florist shop - I think it was '61 when a '55 Crown Victoria Ford went through the wall of Arlene's after high-speeding around Zips, resulting in the addition they made to the building.
Ed Burnet (??)
How many of you CAP Cadets remember cooling their beer with the CO 2 fire extinguisher at the old CAP Airport?
When you all talked about the Link Trainers, they were fun to fly. I was easy to fly with the hood off to one side. But when they closed the hood you really lost it. I can recall it well. My job was to try and keep them going with nothing but some old spare parts and patching material for the overworked diaphragms.
I really am not a Bomber. But I flew the Bombers airplanes during WW 2. I was also Commanding Officer of the CAP Senior Squadron for some seven years.
It is a pleasure to read about the Bombers and the things they recall so well when they were in school. We raised 5 children in Richland and all 5 of them are BOMBERS as well.
I can recall some of the Fathers of some of you and some of them I know very very well. And some of them were very close persons to me as a friend.
Even at my age at that time I also can recall so many good time things some of us did. In fact I have been writing my memoir of my past for some time. There is a lot of it written during the several years that we lived at 1714 Hunt Avenue and 803 Cedar in Richland.
If you recall the Richland Flying Service at the AEC airport, well I had a great deal to do with the Flying Business along with some of our employees who were Bombers.
As ever. Old Timer. Signing off now.
Older CAP Senior Capt.
