Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly, Joy Rubins Morris, Rainer Klauss, Bobby Cochran, Collins (CE) Wynn, Eddie Sykes, Don Wynn, Paula Spencer Kephart, Cherri Polly Massey
Contributors: The Members of Lee High School Classes of 64-65-66 and Others
I need to remind our readers that if they want someone to contact them, then they need to include their own e-mail address or some other contact method.
It's HOT in Memphis.
Please include your class year with your e-mails.
T. Tommy
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Last Week's
Mystery Photo
Current Open Topics
Do you have any memories of a special something that you were given, but may not still have? Send in any graduation present memories you would like to share with your classmates.
Do you have a story about the first big thing you bought with money earned from your first real job, either during or after Lee?
What did you do or do you have planned for your 60th Birthday?
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This Week's
Mystery Photo
From Our
Mailbox
Begin Again and Again
Collins (CE) Wynn
Class of '64
It is a commonly accepted truism that the Spring of each year is the time of renewal and rebirth and that Fall is the harvesting season (the end) preceding the dead of winter.
However, to a student of any age, Fall is maybe the most exciting time of the year - because school starts! All of a sudden there is excitement in the air - a new beginning, what to wear, where to be, how to act. There are things to be learned, of course, but there are new friends to be made as well.
Some start their school-year learning several weeks before the actual start of classes. The marching band starts just about now spending long, hot, dusty afternoons marching to and fro to seemingly endless renditions of the same tunes.
And the Cheerleaders practice and practice, and practice some more; over and over trying to get their routines to look fluid and natural all the while going to competitions and selling ads in the football program.
The guys on the football team are having to endure brutal two-a-day practices for the next weeks all the while learning valuable lessons about tenacity and "sticking it out" - things that are learned only by doing, not by discussing. After a day or two the practice field becomes nothing but a hard pack dirt square that throws up a cloud of red dust every time someone moves.
But everyone is excited - school is starting!!
The parents in the Band Booster and the Athletic Booster Clubs are busily inventorying t-shirts left over from last year and ordering more. Some are checking out the refreshment stands making sure the grills are all in good repair in preparation for a night of cooking southern cuisine at a football game.
The school staff is scurrying around looking for enough volunteers to man the ticket booths and gates all the while wondering "How are we gonna do this year, you think?"
Since starting 48 years ago at Lee High School, these events have unfolded each and every year on an annual, predictable basis. Some might take the phrase "....the only thing that changes is the names...." as a negative but in many ways it is a soothing concept - the rhythm of life - all things are new again.
For some long ago forgotten reasons, my Mom saved a few Fall newspaper clippings for me and I'd like to share them with you over the next few issues of the "Traveller". I hope everyone enjoys these articles especially my team mates - perhaps they have not seen them for a long, long time.
This is an article and two photos from The Huntsville Times of October 22nd, 1963.
Go Generals!!
Chip Smoak, Class of '66 - This week's mystery item is a coin change holder which was worn by carhops, the now extinct service men at gas stations, and newspaper delivery boys, of which I was one for the Huntsville Times. As you can see I had one that I wore whenever collecting for the newspaper. I remember it well.
I was proud to have one. It certainly made keeping up with coins and counting them much easier than digging into the pockets of my jeans and possibly pulling coins out of my pockets with the folding money and losing them.
I don't know what happened to the one that I had. I guess that it got lost in a move or it was acquired that someone renting the house where I may have had it stored along with some of my other treasures.
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Bobby Cochran, Class of ’64 -The latest "Mystery Photo" sparked a VERY old memory of Huntsville. When our family moved to Huntsville right around Labor Day in 1956, we had one car, a 1950 Studebaker; my dad had a job on the Arsenal, so he drove the car every day. There were a couple of "Mom and Pop" grocery stores on Adams Avenue, about 6 blocks from our apartment. So I did a lot of "errands" for my Mom during the week. Every once in a while, though, my Mom would need to go downtown during the week for some reason or another. Logistically, it meant that I had to take care of my younger brother, Joe, while Mom took care of business. She'd call a cab, and we'd all take a ride downtown. That's where your "Mystery Photo" item comes in. Of course it's a "Money Changer." The cab ride downtown from Harrison Avenue to the Courthouse Square was 35 cents. I can clearly remember my Mom handing the cabbie a $1 bill, and the cabbie counting out the change from his "Money Changer" and giving my Mom 65 cents back - and she tipped the cabbie a Dime. After I was "grown up" (physically - I've NEVER "grown up") I asked Mom if a 10-cent tip was a fair amount. Without batting an eyelash, she said, "Yes."
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Brenda Burkett Elders, Guest - The picture you have as a mystery picture is a change holder the bus driver wore on his belt to give change. It was very interesting watching him wasn't it?
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Linda Beal Walker, Class of '66 - This looks like a coin changer that is still used by the Sonic employees. I cannot remember the first time I saw one used.
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Pat Torzillo Stolz, Class of '66 - This weeks mystery item is a coin changer, and I have very fond memories of one person who used it. It was our neighborhood bus driver, "Jingles." He didn't drive the school bus, but drove the bus in the Oak Park area that went downtown. I use to ride it on the weekends, and I remember what a sweet man he was. I also was married to a man whose father was a cab driver, and he had an old one that belonged to him. Thanks for the memories!
Betty Jo Key (Scholter) - I remember this when I road the bus. It is a coin holder. Quarters, dimes, nickels.
Jeff Fussell - Class of ’66 - I first saw one of those belt coin changers being used by the carhops at Elias Brothers Big Boy Drive-In back in the fifties. I remember being fascinated by them. Those carhops could snap out change faster than a vending machine (not that there many that give you any change at all these days).
Well, don't you know that when I started throwing papers, I got myself one of those bad boys. The paper was $2.05 per month, so I plowed through some change. On collection day, I'd sometimes get three dollar bills from a monthly customer. It was "Yes, ma'am!!", chikachikachik, two dimes and three quarters -- just like that!
I love technology just as much as the next geek, but the belt changer is one thing that technology has completely failed to improve upon.
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I went searching and found this on e-Bay. I know some of you must know what it is.
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Subject:Terry's Pizza Is Closing
Dwight Jones
Class of '64
Another Icon of Huntsville is lost. Terry's Pizza was my favorite and i'm sure always will be. It was one of the places like Shoney's, Jerry's, MugsUp Root Beer and Zesto's that will live forever in my heart from growing up in Huntsville. You can read the artical here from the Huntsville Times.
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Subject:Terry's Pizza
Skip Cook
Class of '64
Terry’s Pizza is closing!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Subject:Lee's Traveller
Brenda Elders
Huntsville High Class of '60
I am Brenda Elders. I wanted you to know I sent the newsletter to my class of 1960 Huntsville High. We all began school at Rison but had to go to HHS. It was not bad. My girlfriend Peggy Watson Sharpe called me to say her daddy drove a city bus in Huntsville so she knew this item. We all have fond memories of Dallas.
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Subject:Steve Norrod
Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama
Thank you for featuring the passing away of Steve Norrod (Class of '66) on the Lee webpage. I am Steve's first cousin and loved him as a brother.
I was hoping you might include the following details to Steve's death. In the words of Steve's Doctor, he "never saw anyone fight cancer like Steve."
If you could find a way to add the following I would be grateful:
Four months before his death, Steve was advised that he should enter Hospice as his cancer spread. He refused this care and continued working even carrying his own oxygen.
On Monday, July 24, 2006, Steve was short of breath readying himself for work. He called his own ambulance, was admitted to the hospital and passed away shortly after dark. He was courageous and determined as he literally fought to the very end.
Thank you.
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Subject:Bail Money
Jim (Jailbird) Pierce
Class of '64
I need bail money to get out. Please call me ASAP and pledge $25 or more to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Jerry's Kids) so I can get out of jail. The sheriff is gonna pick me up at 9:00 a.m. and I need all the help I can get. Thanks for your consideration.
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Subject;Looking for Ernie McAlister
Sandi Brown
Guest
I checked this site looking for my ex-husband Ernie McAlister! Low and behold there he is in the picture!!!! I would love to talk to him and catch up on his life! I know his father passed because my mother read the obit int the Huntsville Times, but I didn't even know where to send a card. You can disclose my email to hime if anyone reads this that knows him! (Unfortunately, Sandi did not send her e-mail address with this request)
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It's Soooo Hot!
Submitted by Linda Beale Walker
Class of '66
The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
The trees are whistling for the dogs.
The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
Hot water now comes out of both taps.
You can make sun tea instantly.
You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
The temperature drops below 95 F (35 C) and you feel a little chilly.
You discover that in August it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.
You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.
You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m.
Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"
You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.
Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
