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Mark Schweickart

Janie & Joe,

Thank you for the nice comment about the song lyric. You can access a bunch of my songs on my website: www.marqmusic.com. You will find this song if you scroll down about 15 entries.

However, this site was created using QuickTime files, so 1) You may need to download QuickTime from Apple.com if you do not have this on your computer, and 2) some browsers no longer support Apple QuickTime files--Explorer and Google Chrome, for example. Therefore you need to use a different browser. Of course, Apple's Safari works. Firefox also works, although it will initially block QuickTime files and give a warning at the top of the page asking you to allow the use of QuickTime. Once you click the okay button, the files should load. It might take a few seconds.  I know, what a hassle, but I have not felt like making an entirely new website, since, as you might imagine, it gets very little traffic, and just because certain things have become outdated--like all of us for example.

David Mitchell

Wow Dan, I had never heard that about Mr. Shevlin. How sad! I had him for somehing - homeroom, english - I forget. That is horrible.

Makes me think of another horrible tragedy in our own class right after graduation. I'm sure you all remember. I had some meetings with Mike when I moved back to Columbus, but no contact for years now. I seem to recall someone told me that he even paid for one of our reunions, but didn't show up himself. I'd be curious to know if anybody is in touch with him? Maybe we should leave this one alone. But if anybody knows I'd appreciate some word on my off-forum email. 

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

• Sr Cecily was my freshman HR teacher as well as Latin 1. She was sweet nun. My mother thought she was adorable! after a phone conversation about my struggles that year, Sr got me out of college prep and into the General course Sophomore year. The course load incl homework was overwhelming. 
• Even though Latin and Algebra & English grades were average, I flunked World history and ended up at LM to retake—summer ruined. I was not very fond of Fr Durbin either. Anyone remember that front-page newspaper type project we had to do? I hated world Hist. 
• Sr Michele was sweet as well, but I hated nearly all those novels we had to read. 
• I did love Fr Grimes religion class. He was so cool, easy goin and interesting, at least I thought so. You could asked him anything. I always looked forward to his class. 
• Sr Norbertine (Algebra1) was tough sometimes, but I really liked her. She used to say she was not like other teachers, and I can still hear her say, "Not this chick! Not this chick!" Made us laugh. 

• A few years ago a grade school friend told me that Sr Francesca was in her late 50s-early 60s those years, but I can hardly believe it. 
•  

To sum up my four years at WHS: I just did not want to be there. I wanted a job, car and apartment. No intention of going to college so what was the point? (I DID go to college 1990-1994 and I loved it!!!! Who knew?)

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

I received a request to rack my brain (I am honored to think that someone exists who actually believes I still have one!!!!!!) to come up with some names from freshman year homeroom 115. I could remember only a few......Janie, Debbie, Toni, Jane Bush, Julie Carpenter (?), the only guy I could remember was Ken Seminsky!!! I have been told Tim was in my homeroom and perhaps Barb Hauer.  I decided to pull out an old basketball program from '62-'63 as I remembered that homerooms used to sponsor a space on the programs and that some homerooms actually included the students' names.  Unfortunately Homeroom 115 wasn't one of them. There were 3 homerooms, however, who did and so I am posting those as a way of taking another walk down memory lane  


 

Joseph Gentilini

Lots of conversation and memories.  I was in Sr Norbertine's homeroom (I think).  I liked her and even liked Algebra I because Norbertine made it interesting and had a set way of teaching Algebra.  Even though I never liked math, I did learn algebra.  When I took algebra II ad Trig, I had Sr. Mary Malcohm (?).  She never smiled!  Interestingly, I try to go to the wake and/or funeral of the Dominican sisters.  I went to Malcohm's wake and the nuns all remember her as laughing with a great sense of  humor.  I never saw it!  Ray Vaughn was in Mr. Shevlin's (spelling?) class and hated it.  I hear that he could not keep his class from talking and making fun of him - sad how he died.  I also have Durbun for World History, but can't remember anything about it.

Michael McLeod

I had coach walker for history. I actually liked that class. He loved talking about WW2, the big one.

Beth Broadhurst (Murray)

Debbie, I don't remember you talking but I remember whatever class we shared  you would break into song with a rendition of Johnny Angel in that cute little voice of yours. I was in Sr. Francesca's Latin class and poor thing did water artificial flowers. Speaking of conduct in looking at my report cards I had forgotten we were graded every marking period with a numerical.  Wonder how that was determined?  Anyone get 100? Also all the report cards were handwritten until typed senior year  

Jim and Donna,  there was a previous discussion of Latin. As a science major I found having the two years was a great help in my medical classes  

The best teachers I had at WHS  were Sister Norbertine and Sister Marie Karen, who inspired me to major in science. Loved POD (pretty teacher forget name) and World History with Mr  Maninion. I would have loved US History, except Mr Walker was probably the absolutely worst teacher I ever experienced, just sat at his desk with open book. Freshman year I had Father Laurinitus, he was terrific and Soph and Jr  ----young Father Metzger whom we made blush a lot, 

Scarriest teacher  by far Sister Amy for Chemistry. There was only one person who could charm her and I think it was a Senior Phil Gordon?

Mary Margaretand Clare,  I amazed at all you have saved!

Janie Albright (Blank)

I had Mr. Mannion, our basketball coach, for freshman World History and loved that class! We had to order Newsweek and I continued to subscribe over many many years until it went out of business. Every day we'd set aside 10 minutes for the latest in the news like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Fostered a lifelong interest in current events. 

I can't recall who my freshman English teacher was but I'm pretty sure I had Sr. Michelle sophomore year. Linda     Weiner we are exact opposites lol. I loved history and every novel we read in high school.  I passed my collection on to my older daughter who read every one. Jane Eyre and Tale of Two Cities being two of my favorites. I once saw a graduation card that said "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was school!"  Pretty much sums it up don't you think?! 

Deborah Alexander (Rogers)

Beth, how funny that you remember me singing "Johnny Angel" in class!  I don't remember doing that, but it must have been because I had a huge crush on John Favret freshman year.  I think we were an "item" for a minute or two that year.  I wish John was still with us, with his wonderful sense of humor.  He would have been a great addition to this forum.  Sad to think he is gone. 

Sister Amy was definitely the scariest nun we had.  I was terrified in her Chemistry class.  On the first day, she asked me if I was "sieve head's sister"  (sieve head being my brother who was 2 years ahead of us).  Needless to say, it was not a good start to my Chemistry experience.  She was quite intimidating. 

Joseph Donahue

Imagine my luck. I had Mr. Shevlin for home room and 1st period Algebra. I the went to Coach Walker's class for History.  No memories of what I learned in his class but I do remember that he used to chew his wrist. Interesting story - he ended up coaching at a local high school here in Georgia.  I went to his game one Friday night and he actually remembered me. I was shocked but we did have a nice visit. The highlight of my day was Latin with Sr. Cecily. Ah memories....

David Mitchell

I wish I could go back and find the two issues, but anyway - years ago, in my "mid-kid's" (Sara, Watterson 1991) apartment in South Pasadena (teaching L.A. inner city hispanic grade school), I picked up a couple of her alumni magazines from John Carroll (swim team co-captian 1994 - or 95? - go, Jay-Cee-U ! ). There were two articles in two successive quarters about a story in which some guy steps on a class ring in the surf at Virginia Beach, picks it up, and traces it back to JCU from the class of (about ?)1955. When the guy finally finds the correct school, the school identifies the graduate and notifies him in a suburb of Atlanta. The two men eventually meet and the finder gives the ring back to the original owner. Great story so far!  

Turns out a young soldier just out of basic training (I think) somehwere in the area, had payed football at John Carroll, but had shed a lot of weight at "Basic", and gone off with his buddies to a weekend in Virginai Beach and lost his ring in the surf - - as the ring was now so loose on his "skinny" finger.

The ring belonged to one Richard Walker of John Carroll University. The story spanned two issues since one had the story and the "search notice", while the next quaterly issue had the wonderful conclusion of the story. 

Odds of him losing his ring that way - pretty low.

Odds of him getting it back after 30+ years - and under those circumstances - about a million to one.

Odds of the father of a Watterson student (later JCU) stumbling upon the two articles - ridiculous!

(I shared that story with Ron Shay at one of our annual alumni "Phone-athons" and he had heard it from Dick himself.)

David Mitchell

Mike's question about what one thing we learned is a tough one. We learned a lot of stuff, both from the "text" and from our surroundings in general. I struggle to come up with one single thing. I had to learn to hide my crippling shyness and my inadequcies (reading comp.) and, just keep up. By all means, child, don't fall behind and don't let anybody know you are weak, worried, or frightened.

Yes, I loved History in Mr. Mannion's class - even though I struggled so badly with reading comprehension. Once I tried to fake my way through a book report on Charlemaigne (from a college text I bought at Long's down on campus) and he saw right through me. I couldn't have read that book in 9 lifetimes and he knew it. But he was a fine person and a very good teacher. (I loved good stories, and History is full of them - I just prefered to have my dad read them to me as a kid or watch them on TV)

But I think I have to give my gold star (if there are any left from Nina's stache) to Sister Constantious. She, more than anyone at the time (Father Grimes included) pushed me - but in a positive way. English and all those novels (and the class play) went against my grain because of all that reading and memorization. But she challenged me relentlessly. She would catch me outside the classroom and back me up against the locker and get right up in my grill (if that's possilbe for a woman a foot shorter). And she'd say stuff like, "I'm disappointed in you!" - or "You can do better that THIS!", or "who do you think you're fooling, this isn't your best work", and with that stern (but somehow trusting) look, wave my test paper or my composition in my face. She made it seem like she knew me personally, and that she really cared. I'm sure they all cared, but when it came from her it really got to me.

Honorable mention to Sssssissster Norbertine - God love her! And a shout out to Sister Frederick, a good scout and a calming influence.

But the most important thing I learned, I just didn't realize until last fall at the reunion and on this subsequent forum. We lived in a golden age, and now - "WE ARE FAM-IL-EE".  ----- It's nice to belong to somebody. 

Fred Clem

Debbie,

I had a similar incident with Sister Amy.  She stopped me in the hall at the beginning of Junior year and asked why I wasn't taking chemistry.  I said I don't like science and had just barely gotten through biology.  She went on to say "Your brother John did quite well in chemistry".  I came back with something like "good for him".

Fast forward to POD senior year.  I really liked Sister Vincent Ferrer and it was always fun since John Favret sat behind me.  In the class there was a test from the Quill and Scroll Society dealing with current events.  I read both Columbus newspapers and several news magazines on a regular basis.  Current events was right in my roundhouse.  I aced the test and got a pin for best in the school.    My only academic claim to fame in four years at BWHS.

That award got me an invitation to the Honors Banquet at the end of the year. (Banquet? It was catered by KFC).  When Sister Amy saw me sitting at a table she asked "Mister Clem, what are you doing here?".  

She wasn't the nicest nun I ever met.  I can't imagine how I would have survived a year in her classroom.

Fred

Joseph Gentilini

Reading David M and Fred C's latest posting got me thinking.  I never had Sister C that David did, and right now I don't know who I had (I suppose I could look it up some day). Sister Mary Alice (Barbara) stopped me in the cafeteria and was upset that I did not do a project for the Science Fair.  She didn't realize that I was filled with feelings of inadequacy and almost sure that I would be a failure.  Sister Amy - I was scared to death of her! Frankly, she should have either not taught Chemistry or should never have taught high school level.  Reading these classmate stories I now know that I was not the only student who was filled with shyness and often inadequacy feelings.  I guess many of us just tried to kept to ourselves and hoped that no one could see our 'inner' self.

David Mitchell

Looking back up at Mary Margaret's post #1107 with the basketball program I notice some interesting things.

First, It's obvious that we were segregated by intelligence. Look at those names in homeromm 111 - I mean Jeesh! Colson, Ellerbrock, Jackson, Roush, Reid, Hodges, Hamilton, Eilers, Hummer, Weber, Zeyen, etc. etc. etc. Are you kidding me?

And you need to understand that there was a reason we of homeroom 114 could not publish our last names. I think they were afraid that they might be able to link us back to our parents in the witness protection progrm. Either that, or they were trying to save money on ink for that program.

But looking even more closely, the page bleeds through from the other side and I think we are looking at Pat Mannion on the left, and possibly, Charley Mental on the right, our sophomore JV basketball coach. Didn't he go on to become one of the most popular Columbus City Council members of all time? And then died early in life? Fred??? 

Fred Clem

One final Sister Amy story.

Sometime around 10-15 years after graduation, I was inspecting a gas station at the intersection of Henderson and Dierker Roads.  A car pulled up and the driver greeted me, but I didn't recognize her.  She identified herself as Sr. Amy, a former teacher from Watterson.

I was tempted to say "Oh, I would have thought you traveled by broom!", however common sense overcame my personal feelings.  I was cordial but did not get into an elongated conversation.

Joseph Gentilini

May you have a wonderful birthday, Jane.  You have done so much for me and our classmates and I want to thank you!  Joe

David Mitchell

Urgent message:

Right Coast Dave to Left Coast Tim (sounds kinda like "Ground Control to Major Tom") stop.

Only one rain in three months ain't gettin' it here - stop.

No "Rainy Night in Georgia" (or South Carolina lately) - stop.

Please forward all available excess rainfall A.S.A.P. - stop.

Will accept delivery by Trains, Planes, or Automobiles - stop. 

(Will consider by boat while sittin' on my dock o' the bay) - stop.

Or even pack train - "20 Mule Team" is best - stop.

  (but leave out the Borax, okay?) stop.

Hurry - stop.

(yea, yea, yea, I have moles too)  STOP!

Michael McLeod

Ha - Fred Clem's story about a teacher who was shocked at seeing him winning an award reminded me of a story my mother told me, after the fact, of a conversation she had with one of the nuns. Can't recall the name.

Whoever it was had told her that I wasn't "college material."

My mother took some relish in later years letting her know about it, once I'd proved her wrong. 

I was a pain in the ass in the classroom and for all I know if I were growing up today I'd get that generic attention deficit disorder diagnosis. So I'm tempted to blame the nun, whoever she was, for judging me, but then again, I kinda don't. Mostly I appreciate my mother, bless her soul, for having faith in me. 

I also believe that it wasn't altogether a bad thing, growing up, as we did, in a world where you were either a good kid or a bad kid -- there were fewer excuses and explanations for your behavior. 

At the same time I am happy for and respectful of the insights into behavior, and the compassionate intervention available now, for kids who are troubled and different. 

Julie Carpenter

Mary Margaret -- first of all, what a nice gesture your get-well card was. Wish I'd thought of it!  Secondly, yes, I was in Homeroom 115. Unfortunately, my memory is not as good as yours--and apparently everyone else's. All  your comments have brought back memories I'd lost for years. I remember my best teachers as Mr. Manion, Sister George Ann, Sister Marie Karen, and Sister Norbertine. I remember Sister Stephanie, Latin II teacher. She was kind of cold and aloof, as I recall. She eventually became, I think, the noviate supervisor at St. Mary of the Springs. When Kathy Reilly (I know you were there, too, Donna!) was in training, Sister Stephanie granted me permission to visit Kathy at the nunnery! She remembered me from Latin class (one of her poorer Latin students, I'm sure) and seemed happy in her new endeavors at St. Mary's. I particularly remember being in Sr. Stephanie's Latin class when JFK was shot. We were supposed to take a test that day, and Sr. Stephanie insisted that in spite of the shooting, we should continue class as usual. She said she realized that some of us would better on the test, and some would do worse as a result of the news, but nonetheless, we should all just do our best under the circumstances. In hindsight, it was probably better that we had something else to think about during that afternoon class. JFK's death sure made an impact on our lives.

Anyway, Mary Margaret, thanks for keeping all that stuff and actually being able to put your hands on it! I know I've got some stuff in a box somewhere, probably under the basement stairs where I keep all my important papers! After reading everyone's comments over the last few months, I wish I'd been a bit more outgoing in high school and gotten to know more of you back then. My loss.

Julie Carpenter

Oh, gosh! How could I forget Sr. Vincent Ferrer and St. Antonia? They were great, too. Of course, I knew St. Vincent Ferrer a little better than Sr. Antonia since she'd been at St. Francis before coming to Watterson. I did so love glee club!

I'm sure there were others I liked, but can't remember them all right now. Sr. Frederick was always nice to me and generally seemed to be a fair-minded nun. Of course I usually tried to stay on the good sides of my teachers as my parents made it pretty clear to me that if I got into trouble at school, I'd get double the trouble at home! My folks were great ones for grounding us (which meant no games, dances, outings, etc.) when we didn't toe the line. 

Joseph Gentilini

Julie, did Sister Antonia leave the convent?  Sister Vincent Ferrer (sp?) died recently of a blood disease and had reverted to her original name of Martha.  I really wanted to go to her wake and funeral, but my week was off a day and I thought it was on one day and found out that she was already died and buried - my poor mind!  I liked her, but can't remember if I had her for homeroom or only POD.   Joe

Mark Schweickart

Not only do I not remember the faces that go with the names of the various nun's being mentioned in these recent posts, but I embarrasingly, must also admit that I do not remember what POD stands for, which has been alluded to repeatedly. Someone throw me a lifeline.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Michael McLeod

Your sense of decorum is appreciated, doctor. We must keep the unruly rabble at bay.