Est. March 31, 2000 41,749 Previous Hits June 30, 2003 Editor:Tommy Towery http://www.leealumni.com Class of 1964 Page Hits This Issue e-mail ttowery@memphis.edu Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly , Joy Rubins Morris, Cherri Polly Massey, Paula Spencer Kephart, Rainer Klauss, Bobby Cochran, Collins (CE) Wynn, Eddie Sykes Staff Photographers: Fred & Lynn Sanders Contributers: The Members of Lee High School Classes of 64-65-66 |
I Was A Lifeguard At The Big Spring Pool by Sarajane Streigerwal Tarter Class of '65 During my sophmore year I took life saving classes at the Central YMCA and that prepared me to be a lifeguard at the Big Spring pool for the following two summers. The only time I was able to use my lifeguarding skills was when a toddler lost his balance in the baby pool and I found him floating facedown. The biggest problem I had with the job was the transportation. I ended up going to summer school at Huntsville High so I could ride with Harold Tuck and after class he would drop me off at the pool. I relied on various friends (esp. Escoe) for rides home. It seems that my highschool buds enjoyed the scenery that was provided by the Huntsville High boys that were the "real" lifeguards. (Would you believe that Mr. Blackburn taught me every bit of high school math since he was my Geometry teacher that summer!) Among my many duties as lifeguard of the baby pool was to clean the showers. The manager of the pool was a nice, college guy from S.C. and he made this chore a lot of fun. We would put soapy water all over the floor and dance to the songs blaring over the loud speakers. On the last day of work of that first summer I went running into the chanaging area and slid across the floor similar to Tom Cruise in Risky Business. I was stopped by the lip of the shower and only ended up with a broken toe. If I did that today.... __________________________________ TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK Where did you put your clothes when you changed to go swimming at the Big Spring Swimming Pool, and what process did you follow to put them there and get them back? ___________________________________ |
Music Trivia Returns It's been a while but this week we test out your ears and memories again by offering up sound bites of five songs of our times. Now there are a lot of different comptuers owned by a lot of different classmates, and they do not all work the same, so there is a chance that you might not be able to hear the music. For those that can, click on the records below and send you guess on the names of the songs. As in the past, if you can share any tale to go along with any of the songs, we would like to hear them. Good luck. ____________________________________________________ |
After leaving Lee, I married Sherry Gross (Class of 1965). I didn't have much luck in finding steady work in Huntsville due to the cut-backs on the Arsenal,so Sherry and I moved to Tuscaloosa, AL. My parents were from there, so I had family who helped get me a job as a structural designer. I also tried to attend the University of Alabama while we were there, but I was like so many others, I wanted to party too much. I also had to help support two children we were blessed with. Sherry worked as a secetary at several different places during this time. Sherry and I moved back to Huntsville after 6 years. We divorced shortly after that. I married a girl from Grant, AL and moved there. I also had another son with her. This was a very bad period in my life (a lot of drinking and no plans for the future). After three years of being wild, I decided to get myself staightened out. My wife did not want to change to a better life style, so we divorced. I moved back to Huntsville and met the greatest person in my life, Rose Marie (Adkins) Walls (Class of 1965 - Huntsville High). She and I married in 1976. Sherry let Rose Marie and I take the children and she has raised them as if they are her own. Rose Marie also has a son from a pervious marriage. Rose Marie is a RN at Huntsville Hospital in Pediatrics. She has given me the support to become the person I am today. When I was growing up, I wanted to be a part of the space program, we all had grown up with. I am fortunate that for the past 20 years I have gotten to stay in Huntsville and work with several of the companies that work on the space program. The company I work for now gave me the opportunity to design and build an instrument for testing the coating (paint) used on the Russian MIR space station. This flew aboard the Shuttle to MIR and back after the tests were performed. I am at present designing another instrument to do testing in space of different materials. I have gotten to meet many of the astronauts because of my work. Rose Marie and I have several motorcycles that we enjoy traveling on when we have the free time. We have made many long trips around the country on them. We are looking forward to our retirement, so we can enjoy the remainder of our lives together. The things I miss most about Huntsville: Since I am still in Huntsville there is not much to miss, but a few things that aren't around anymore that I miss are Jerry's & Shoney's as we knew them, the drive-in theaters, the ice water in Big Spring swimming pool, the small town atmosphere, the teen clubs, and all the fun we used to have in school. ___________________________________________ |
We Are Fami-LEE! |
Est. March 31, 2000 41,749 Previous Hits June 30, 2003 Editor:Tommy Towery http://www.leealumni.com Class of 1964 Page Hits This Issue e-mail ttowery@memphis.edu Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly , Joy Rubins Morris, Cherri Polly Massey, Paula Spencer Kephart, Rainer Klauss, Bobby Cochran, Collins (CE) Wynn, Eddie Sykes Staff Photographers: Fred & Lynn Sanders Contributers: The Members of Lee High School Classes of 64-65-66 |
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
The Traveller staff welcomes our newest addition this week as Eddie Sykes, Class of '66, joins the other dedicated classmates in their efforts to keep the Spirit of the Lee Generals alive. Look for his candid views as time allows him to share them with us. We'll celebrate the Fourth of July before the next issue, so this week we remember the heat that we grew up with in Huntsville. Maybe you should print a copy of this out and show to your children and grandchildren. It ranks right up there with the old walking five miles to school (up hill both ways) stories that we had to endure from our parents. Thanks to all of you who keep clicking on the buttons and sending us your own memories of jobs and moves. It is quite interesting to read about life then and now. Music Trivia returns this week with a small collection of songs which should not tax your brains too much. It has been a very well received feature in our past issues. Happy Fouth of July.... T. Tommy _____________________________________ |
How I Ended Up Back In Huntsville by Glenn James Class of '65 |
Hot Town Summer in the City by Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly Class of '64 The way I remember it, Huntsville was much, much hotter when we were young than it is today, and I have a theory about the reason behind that oddity. You see, there were fewer people in the city. In fact, population-wise, Huntsville was still so small that it wasn't even necessary to use its name when addressing an envelope. To simply write "City" would suffice. Now this lack of people meant more air space in which the heat could maneuver to envelope you from head to toe and cause hot, salty sweat to roll into your eyes, stinging them beyond imagine. There was no feeling quite like running full-out on a hot summer day, legs pumping and blood pounding in your temples. Then, when that sudden "stitch" in your side finally forced you to stop and gulp in a deep breath of heat-heavy air, you could almost swear that your lungs had been scorched. The heat was all-encompassing, but I was much more tolerant of it. Maybe it was because there were so many fun things to do and discover outside. I remember sitting down many times to a peanut butter-and- banana sandwich lunch, one foot on the floor, already pointing at the door for a quick getaway. We had oscillating fans in every room of the house, a couple of floor fans, and a huge window fan in the living room. Most homes had some sort of fans such as these, and every church pew was laden with hand-held, paddle-stick fans usually courtesy of Spry or Laughlin Funeral Homes. We didn't have an air-conditioner installed until I was around 15 years old, and I didn't like it at all! When it was time for bed, I would shut the door to my room and push the windows up, breathing in the scent of roses under my windowsill. I fell asleep to the rhythm of the fan and the songs on my favorite radio station (1550 on your radio dial) WAAY, of course. If I recall correctly, there was a commercial for the station which was a conversation between two beatniks (although it could have been Woody Beck and a friend) which went like this: "Stay at 1550 and you'll keep in touch." "What is this . . . in touch?" "With the time and the temperature." "Oh, yeah . . . too much!" In those days, cars didn't have moon roofs, air-conditioner temperature dials, or remotes which would allow you to lower the windows before reaching the car! It was so hot when you opened the doors, the odors from the vinyl seats and dashboards and the rubber floor mats were stifling. Few automobiles had leather or cloth seats then. When the vinyl finally broke down and cracked from age, heat, and the sun, cloth seat covers were put on the seats, which, at the very least, alleviated the problem of sticking to the seat (Ouch!) in ninety-eight-degree temperatures. Some people used steering wheel covers, and others used those huge, faux-wood knobs (I think they were intended as a fashion statement, such as they were!), which meant that only your thumb and first finger were fried while steering! For most of us, playing outside in those halcyon days of youth was better than any television program. At my grandmother's house, my uncle would sit on the porch while all the neighborhood kids played kick-the-can and hide-and-go-seek well past dark, sometimes only stopping for a quick drink of ice-cold sweet tea (the kind of sweet that sets my teeth on edge today) to soothe the spirit and thwart the heat. It was a magic potion in a class all by itself. My grandmother lived with my aunt and extended family at 1014 (later changed to 1127) O'Shaughnessy Avenue just across the street from Jerry Brewer, Linda Brooks, and Gary Kinkle, all from the class of '64, who were some of my pals then. My aunt also owned the huge lot next door, so it was the logical house on the block for us all to meet, having numerous places to hide during the games. You couldn't, however, hide from the mosquitoes as big as B-52's! And just a short lull in movement served as a beacon, not only to the mosquitoes, but to the odd, short-lived breeze which would cause clammy goose-bumps to pop up on your skin. I suspect that God put the beauty and grace of lightning bugs on this earth to balance out the peskiness of mosquitoes. I still find them fascinating and almost ethereal. I remember the "Dinner Bell," which was a produce stand on a flat-bed truck. It would travel, bell ringing constantly, slowly down the street every morning in the summertime, stopping when the neighbors went out to buy fresh produce for "dinner." This was the noon meal for most folks then, and at my grandmother's house, it was enormous! She started preparing "dinner" not long after the breakfast dishes were cleared, and everyone came home from work to eat. There were sometimes 10-12 people at the huge, circular table for the noon meal. Looking back now, I marvel at how my grandmother managed to stand in the heat of that small kitchen for so many hours every day. Somehow she also managed to churn butter from the cow she kept and even had enough left over to sell to some of the neighbors. My grandmother used to joke with me about growing potatoes in my ears if I didn't get them good and clean. I used to wonder, however, about the disgusting-sounding "toe jam" she often complained of to my cousins! For years, I couldn't figure out who made it, and why! The dirt was hot and dry back then, and it would kick up easily. Waves of heat rose from the asphalt like iridescent snakes. Rivulets of sweat would course down the neck, causing it to "bead up" into dirt globules, and it seemed as if the creases in our elbows and behind our knees were always coated with black streaks. At my house, the heat was sometimes so overpowering that we'd sling a blanket over the clothesline and pin it to the grass with clothespins. We'd get inside just long enough to gulp down a glass of grape or cherry Kool-aid, and then we'd run through the sprinkler in our bathing suits. I remember being barefooted more than wearing shoes and stepping on more bees than you can shake a stick at! The boys would sometimes take off their t-shirts and shove them under their baseball caps to protect their necks from the sun. I thought they looked like the guys in movies about the French Foreign Legion. There were several other ways to beat the heat in Huntsville during my youth. One of my favorite places was the pool at the Big Spring Park. Linda Ragland (class of '64) and I were frequent visitors throughout the summer. We could stay all day for only a dime. She had a naturally-wavy, short haircut called a "Swan" a sophisticated version of the D. A. (Oops! I mean "Ducktail."), which flipped up slightly in back, thus resembling a swan's tail. When we got out of the pool and her hair dried, it looked almost as good as it did before swimming! Mine didn't. I remember laughing at those kids who tried to ease into the pool. There was just no way to get around the icy cold of that pool, other than just jumping in and hoping for the best. These were the same kids who ran to their mothers, blue-lipped with teeth chattering and knees knocking, begging for " . . . just 5 more minutes." I understood that completely. I did not understand why I craved Fritoes (something Tommy and I had in common) when I was at the pool, but never ate them any other time until many years later. They are still a favorite especially in the summer on the water. The other way to beat the heat was the air-conditioned movies or the "shows" as we usually said then. Linda and I spent many memorable days, just chillin', so to speak. My favorite theater was the Lyric, and my earliest memory of the price of admission was, again, only one thin dime. We didn't even bother to ask what time the feature started, because we really didn't care. We'd go in and start watching the movie no matter how long it had been on and then just stay until we reached that point again. Of course, most times it was a several-hour venture. Back then, more times than not, there'd be a double feature, each being two hours or so in length. There was always a newsreel, during which we could make a run to the concession stand for a nickel Baby Ruth, as big as a horse's leg! If we were really lucky, they'd throw in a Three Stooges short. Saturday mornings, you could usually count on a cartoon carnival and a serial. My favorite was "The Marshall's Daughter." They didn't stop the projector and turn the lights on either! It ran continuously, and they didn't care if we stayed all day. We really got our dime's worth in those days. It's too bad air-conditioning isn't that cheap today! That was the sweetest air on earth during a sudden shower, with the raindrops pounding the pavement like miniature soldiers marching in a line, steam from the day's heat escaping. But make no mistake about it, Huntsville was HOT ". . . hotter than a matchhead" when we were young. More and more often, memories of those days return in a rush, as another song says, "like a heat wave . . . burning in my heart." I wouldn't have it any other way. _________________________________ |
From The Bench by Eddie Sykes Class of '66 High school began in the 9th grade in the '60's, but for the Class of '66 it started for us in the 8th grade. In 1961, I was a pre-freshman in the 8th grade at Lee High School. I would like to share some memories of those in-between years. Some of the 8th grade teachers left Lee when we moved on up and Lee dropped the 8th grade. One of those teachers was Coach Myhand. He was my American History teacher as well as my B-Team football coach. He was a legendary baseball player and coach, but was at the end of his teacher/coaching career. I think he retired the next year. I don't know how old he was -- but told us stories of his life before car's. He even told a story once about his team ridding to a football game in a box car of an old train. Every now and then, he said, "someone would through the football off the train and he would jump off and run fetch it and then run back and catch-up with the train, and jump back on." I don't know if that story was true, but he told us, to let us know how old he was. He said "trains were not very fast back then." He should have retired years ago, but I am (and many others) blessed that he did not. I think the administration had so much respect for him that they allowed him to teach longer than (they should have) normal. He made us learn and recite the Preamble to the Constitution. You could not pass his class until you recited it perfectly. But, he would give you as many chances as it took. History was important to him, and he made it important for me too. Maybe it was because he was my coach and I wanted to "suck-up" or maybe just some of his passion rubbed off on me. I don't know. However, some of his test questions were near impossible to answer correctly. I recall that dozens of parents paraded into Mr Hamiliton's office a couple times that year to complain. Since, I was a B/C student, it didn't make that much difference to me. I actually remember one of the questions that nearly everyone missed ( I got it right- somehow). Mr. Myhand question was "Blank Blank invented Blank to make trains go faster. True/False". I'm not kidding - the only correct answer he would accept was "George Westinghouse invented air-brakes to make trains go faster. False". Mr. Myhand made a big impact on many people and we could use a lot more teachers like him. He had passion for life and love for the "kids" he taught. I remember picking out my football equipment from big cardboard boxes. The B-team got all the old discarded gear. There were even leather football helmets in there from the 30/40's. I picked out a silver/gray plastic one with no face-mask. It was a real trick to make it through football practice without a bloody nose. We did not have mouth pieces and it was not uncommon for someone to get his front teeth knocked out during practice. I played center. Since both of my hands were between my legs the guy across the line got a clear shot at my nose while I was snapping the ball. When school started that fall, I got moved up from the B-team to the varsity. I never knew if it was because I was "good" or that they just ran out of centers. However, that meant that I got the good equipment - a gray Rodell Helmet with a double-wide face mask and I even got a mouth pieces too. That twenty-year advance in equipment helped me to keep those teeth even until today. Even the A-team practiced on a dirt field and we could spit mud by the end of practice. That too improved over the next couple of years. We played in the old Goldsmith-Schiffman field. Over the field-house door was an old horseshoe nailed to the wall and we would all touch it for good luck on the way out on the field. I had to jump to touch it and always wondered if the visitors had a horseshoe over their door ? I guess not - we won all of our games that year. And I was the number one cheerleader - from the bench. _____________________________ |
A Social Circle Reunion by Jennifer White Bannecke Class of '66 I wanted to share a wonderful reunion that occurred in May at the Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle, Georgia. I have included pictures from our 1966 yearbook and the picture taken at our reunion. I found Sharron's address on our webpage and contacted her a few months ago. After numerous e-mailings back and forth we decided we had to get together. We had planned to meet at the May Mini-reunion in Atlanta but since Craig was on a fishing trip and would not be able to attend Sharron and I decided to meet half way at Social Circle for lunch. We were only two hours apart. She being in Atlanta and me in Augusta. Up until my first e-mail to Sharon we have had no contact since graduation. Sharron Smith and I were buddies and did some fun things together back in the good old days. We spent many Sunday afternoons at the drag races out by Sparkman. I can't remember the name of the place but Sharron and I took part in the Powder Puff races a time or two. We also have some memories of some fun times on Monta Sano mountain but choose not to reveal the details. We were both very nervous on the drive to Social Circle wondering what we were going to talk about. Well, that was not a problem. We had a wonderful time and shared memories plus some stories of the past 35 years. After lunch we sat on the porch and continued to share stories of our children and families and found out that our lives had been quite similar with us both raising two boys, etc. It was a wonderful day and I hope we will be able to do it again one day. There are no friends like old friends. ___________________________________________ |
The Smile Is Still The Same One of last week's Pre-Lee photos was identified by Rainer Klauss who wrote: Since I sent in the picture of the male Mystery Classmate, it wouldn't be fair for me to supply his identity (unless no else comes through). The cute young lady is Dianne Hughey, right? Correct, Rainer. Dianne is shown above at East Clinton, her senior photo at Lee, and at the 1990 reunion with the Traveller editor Tommy Towery. _______________________________________________ |
From Our Mailbox Subject: Teachers Eddie Sykes Class of '66 I hated to here of Mr. Hamilton's passing. However, I loved the write-up on his life. It was interesting to see the influence he had on many of our other teachers over the years. I would love to see more write-ups of Lee teachers and staff... what ever happened to them living or dead. Maybe, you'll could make it a regular column. ____________________________ Subject: Terry's Pizza Andrea Gray Roberson Class of '66 It was fun to read about Terry's Pizza. May husband, Terry, and I had a Terry's Pizza every Firday night for the first 10 years of our marriage. We live off of Weatherly Road in Huntsville and we still get a pizza from Terry's on South Parkway but Terry's on North Parkway was and still is the best pizza in Huntsville. _____________________________________ Subject: Great job to all. Vicki Haas Metzger Class of '67 Although I was a 1967 graduate, I thoroughly enjoy your weekly newspaper. It is a great source of information and a tribute to Lee High and your classmates for their lasting friendships. Thanks to you and your staff writers for making my Sunday morning coffee even more fun. ___________________________________ George "BUCKY" Hoffmeyer Class of '66 This is really a great web site!! Love reading all the stories that are e-mailed in. Sure would be nice if all the kids that grew up in the Darwin Downs/ Chapman Heights area could get together and tell some lies. _________________________________ Subject: Email from Eddie Sykes Barbara Seely Cooper Class of '64 Redeemed! Thank you, thank you, Eddie Sykes. You remembered there WAS a replica of the gymnasium picture for the football team to tear through, therefore saving me from seeking counseling for muddled memories. With your recollection, I now recall the pile of bodies that formed at our feet (we, the creators of the Big Picture, got to be on the field to watch the big event as the football players - tough, heavy brutes - were supposed to easily tear through the paper to great fanfare). Needless to say, we did not do that sort of thing again. Eddie, better late than never, I hope, but so sorry for the pileup! As always, I enjoy the website. Good work! ____________________________________ Subject: Happy Landing Store Mark Bentley Class of '66 Tommy wasn't "The Happy Landing" located in Agana? I was in the Guam Naval Hospital for about six months and I think I was there. I certainly remember the juke box! _____________________________________ Subject: Happy Landings Store Jim Bannister Class of '66 Tommy, I have tipped a few cold ones at the "Happy Landings Store" also. Guam was still very primative when I was there, the "Future home of" sign for the Fujita Hotel was in place but they had not started construction before I left the island. Spent a lot of time diving & sunning at Tumon Bay and the store was the closest place to get a cold drink. I don't believe that it had the name sign up then. We called it "The Banana Tree" because there was a big banana tree next to it. I remember the porn juke box and pinball machines, they also had a shuffleboard table then that I lost a few beers and quarters for the Juke box playing. I have attached a photo taken from the top of one of the radio towers at NCST "Beautiful Radio Barrigada" ( Tallest structures on the island, 400 ft). Tumon Bay is in the center, NAS Agana is to the left. ___________________________________ (Editor's Note: It must have been in the genes! What are the odds of three people who went to the same high school in Huntsville, finding the same "dive" on a remote little island in the South Pacific to hang out in. There just must have been something about that place that reminded us of home.) _____________________________________ |
Time Submitted by Chip Smoak Class of '66 I thought that you might be interested in the full story that goes with the adage that you have used many times. It's a bit long but worth the read. A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door. It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him. Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. "Jack, did you hear me?" "Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said. "Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him. "I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said. "You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said. "He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said. As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away. Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time the night before he had to return home. Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly. "What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked. "The box is gone," he said. "What box?" Mom asked. "There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'The thing I value most,'" Jack said. It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it. "Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom." It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died when Jack received a package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside. "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser." "The thing he valued most...was...my time." Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked. "I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!" "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away." Have a great day and...to each and every one of you, thanks for your time! Then and now!!! ______________________________________________ |
Tumon Bay |
Bobby Cochran ____________________________________________ |
