The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Message" button to add your entry to the forum.

David Mitchell

 Just found a room - all teh way up in Worthington. Everything in Columbus is jacked up double for a big concert in the "Shoe".

But I made it!

In case you can't make it.........

Michael McLeod

MM As for the 100th anniversary story I've decided to volunteer a story about the perils of coming home via the alley behind the school, which I stopped doing the day after a gang of big kids grabbed me and "crammed me" one afternoon.

Cramming was when you grabbed the waistband of a kid's whitey-tighties from behind and yanked that particular undergarment up up in such a way that if your testicles weren't still the size of marbles at that stage of their development it would have hurt like hell.

I can't expect you as a woman to understand.

It's just another one of those burdens that we, as men, have to bear.

As a journalist myself I feel an obligation on behalf of Freedom of the Press and innocent young men everywhere to volunteer this information in spite of the obvious embarrassment it brings me. Somebody had to step forward and have the balls to do so, which I still do last time I checked.

Joseph Gentilini

Hi everyone, just came from the Watterson 66 Birthday Party.  It was great seeing so many of my classmates there and catching up.  There was even a cake and we sang Happy Birthday to all of us.  Really enjoyed being there.  Thanks Jane and Clare (I think) for arranging this!  joe

David Mitchell

Ditto Joe!

James Hamilton, M. D.

MM,

I don't know what kinds of "historical" info that is wanted regarding IC school.  

Most of what I remember is snippits from individual days and events. Such as certain teachers and things that we did in their classes and other activities:

-Sr. Archangela (3rd grade 1956-57) had each student stand before the class and sing a solo song every Frday afternoon.

-Putting book covers on all of our school books the first day of class each year.

-Having the teachers confiscate those pencil cases that had the "times tables" on their lids. 

-Fr. Roland Torrer (the "Parachuting Padre") who was one of he assistant pastors around the early 1960's who took President Kennedy's physical fitness programs seriously and placed them into our school,in some capacity. He later served as an army chaplain (airborne - thus his above title).

-The "multi-purpose" room - cafeteria, basketball court and theater. When we had basketball practice we had to put the tables and chairs up on the stage and put them back after practice.

-About 2-3 times a year the whole student body was treated to a movie - ususally Shirley Temple - in that same room.

-Cleaning the blackboards and pounding the dust out of the erasers when our turns came up.

-Going down to the KofC building for weigh-ins for the football team.

-Each class taking turns singing in the choir loft for "High Masses".

-The Sisters using "crickets" so class could genuflect in unison.

-Mary Clare crowning the statue of the Blessed Virgin in May.

-Always assembling in "ranks" to walk into school after recess.

-Those little red booklets that had all the prayers in Latin that those of us who wanted to be alter boys had to memorize before we were allowed to serve Mass.

-Football coaches Dick McQuaid and Bill McMahon, Basketball coach another McQuaid and Baseball coach Jim Lawson. 

Jim (ICS Class of '62)

James Hamilton, M. D.

Another Colorado Icon Has Passed

What John Denver's songs are to Colorado is what John Fielder's photographs are.

Fielder died yesterday. 

His legacy and images will live on. May he rest in peace.

Jim

Michael Boulware

Thanks for planning the birthday party at The India-Oak.Jane and Mary Clare have emerged as our class leaders and we could not have better ones. It's always good being with our classmates. I was really impressed by John Schaeufele. He was always a good guy in high school, but was shy. He turned out to be everything good. He was extremely interesting, confident , poised, handsome, and great to be around. John's brother-in-law is Brian Donovan from the class of 67. Brian is a very close friend and a good guy as well.

Julie Carpenter

What a great party! Really enjoyed myself last night. Spoke to as many people as I could including Johanna Wuesthoff and John Schaeufele whom I haven't seen in decades! They were just as fun and nice and interesting as they were in school those many years ago! And, of course, all the old regulars kept me laughing and talking all night (well, for a few hours at least), including Carol Morse and Toni Borean whom I haven't seen for several years. . Thanks to Janie and Clare who did all the heavy lifting. I'm glad we've been able to connect every year or so to keep in touch. I'm only sorry we weren't able to call Jeanine in Arizona--we couldn't find her number to annoy her in a long distance way. But we were thinking of you, dear Jeanine!.Happy 75th Birthday everyone!.

Janie Albright (Blank)

Thanks for the kind words for Clare and I. This was by far the easiest ever. We appreciate the nice turnout and have some pictures I will post on the home page since (amazingly) everyone does not read this forum. ;)  But I wanted to wait on the group photo of those of us left toward the end taken with Carla Kreamer's phone. Carla, if you aren't reading this maybe someone will remind you. Send to:

watterson1966@aol.com
 

Lynn Fuller (Royer)

Twas a fun event at the wonderful India-Oak, one of my favorite dive bars. It was fun to reconnect with everyone I saw. Hayyp days in everyone's "new" year. The party was a blast. Thanks for inviting me. Lynn Royer

Joseph Gentilini

Happy early Birthday, Jeff - enjoy your special day on the 20th.  I tried to leave this greeting on your profile, but it would not let me.  Joe and Leo

Joseph D. McCarthy

Alas, I too enjoyed the 75th party.  What made it different for me was that as it turned out I was not the only former Aquinas classmate in attendance.  Tom Fitzpatrick, who taught for a couple of years at Watterson and was an honorary member of the group attended.  This made up for Larry Foster staying in California rather than atending and Richard McNamara not being ab attend.North Platte, WY I was thinking I was traveling in circles.  But, dle toeja vu, it was even worse as we headed East towards Omaha, NE on Monday.  I may have missed a few, but I counted eight more times that we drove over the Platte River, made really famous by the book Centennial.  Of course we had driven I-80 East when we crossed the Continental Divide at least three times.

Passing around, at this point I-80 passes above Omaha like I-270 passes around Columbus, Omaha we continued East towards Des Moines, IA where you can drive through the city, like I-70 or I-71  goes through Columbus,  We always follow the Northern route. Onward to the next major item to encounter, the by now famous Quad Cities where we head South to I-74.  One side item, a friend and his son were traveling East in early July and I told him to hold out for a truck stop just before the Quad Cities, the FAMOUS I-80 Truck Stop.  He says to plan my funeral when I return home to California.  The I-80 Truck Stop is billed as the LARGEST truck stop in the world.  Besides fuel it is a small city that includes about a dozen restaurants, a dry cleaners, you get the picure - oh and a CASINO. Bill says he lost $300.

Continueing East/SouthEast to I-74 where we headed South to SouthEast heading for Bloomington,IL, for the night.  We checked into the hotel and headed out for alate dinner.   We had departed North Platte at 7:50 A.M. for another long day.  So we headed for the local Bob Evans, it was closed.  We headed four blocks away to the Cracker Barrel, they had just locked the doors.  Finally found a fast food that was openafter 9:00 P.M.

The next day we departed at 8:00 A.M. heading South on I-74 to Indianapolis,  On the way we passed over the Mighty Mississippi,  At Indianapolis we toook the Southern direction on the outerbelt, and for once traffic was light and generally moving smoothly.  Once we were around the city we picked up  I-70 heading for Columbus.  A quick stop for lunch and we made the rest of the trip to Columbus; where the first problem hit us.  In JanuaryImade reservations for a suite on the third floor of the Homewood Suites in Hilliard.  The room was still in use so we had to stay in other accomodations for the night.  The following day the origijnal room had to be cleaned once the holdovers departed.   So we took the time to pickup a rental vehicle,  While in Columbus my wife drives our Expedition, while I get a rental, so that we can do our own things.  So they had a Chevrolet  Malibu assigned for me; i should have known there would be trouble when I had to act like a criminal crawling in backwards holdig the top of my head so it wouldn't hit the roof (thatwas Wndesday).  Back to the motel where wemoved our belongings into our room for  the rest of our trip.  Went to dinner at MCL cafetria, Kingsdale. back to thehotel where I finished unpacking then went to sleep.  Thursdaywe went to lunch at the Olive Tree in Hilliard for some "Med." Greek food. After that my wife said that she could no longer sit comfortably in the Malibu.  I drove to the rental agency.  The manager was sympatico, so she told us to try afew other vehicles on the lot.  The first we tried was a Ford e=Edge, which we decided would do nicely,  I asked about the upgrade charges and the manager said it was on her (I imagine Her location).

Since we have been here we have eaten a number of times at our fall back the MCL cafetria, the mentioned Olive tree, Cracker Barrel, a Red Lobster in Fairfield, Bonefish Grill (twice), Bob Evans, Carrabas, Schmidts, Skyline Chili, Cheesecke Factory and last night at the Polaris Grill which has a wonderful Walleye sandwich.  Today for lunch my wife said we could try he Golden Corral off Rt 161 at Sawmill.  In the following weeks we have to go to Cap City on Olentangy and the Columbus Fish Market next door.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, I headed to the Detroit area fordinner with my cousin and her husband; then drive back to Columbus that evening

I could BORE you some more, but I will stop for now.  

John Schaeufele

Thank you Janie and Clare for organizing a great time to celebrate our 75th with old friends.  Clare your cake was wonderful and so beautifully displayed.  And, Mike B thank you for your kind words.  It was great catching up with you and Sue.  I will be sure to give Xander, my "cousin", your regards.  Julie I did find your picture which I will send in an email.  Lynn you wore me out hearing about all your outdoor activities.  Carol, love your hair - you're lookin good girl  I am sorry that more of our Columbus classmates did not come out for the celebration but it was great visiting with those who did.  OLP had a great turn out with Dave Mitchell, David Dunn, David Barbour, Carol Weiner and myself.  Joe McCarthy gets the award for driving the farthest from CA (great meeeting you Joe) followed by Dave Mithcell from SC and me from Richmond, VA.  Thanks again to Janie and Clare!!!

Michael McLeod

wow.just wow. thanks so much for the remembrances past and present and it sure is a melancholy tradeoff I have living down here and missing columbus.

I'd love it to see any more remembrances from those of you who were fortunate enough to attend - and even if, like me, you could not.

we were surely lucky to have the childhoods we did. I know the passage of time turns everything into a sentimental watercolor, but even flat out objectively we had a privileged, wondrous collective childhood in a time of peace and prosperity and with parents who had lived through a very rough era and came out of it as strenghthened survivors. Thank mom. Thanks dad. Thanks  Mrs.Ertel. Thanks Jim for walking me most of the way home when I slipped on the ice on the playground and had a concussion/contusion as an eighth grader that I have used as an excuse for every goofy thing I have ever done since then, though my girlfriend never buys into it. Thanks East North Broadway and thanks IC and watterson and thanks Jane and Clare and thanks OSU and finally Thanks Carla if you see this for the secret crush I always had on you.

Michael McLeod

Meanwhile this teaser is enough to make me renew my lapsed subscription to the atlantic:

Over the past eight years or so, I’ve been obsessed with two questions. The first is: Why have Americans become so sad? The rising rates of depression have been well publicized, as have the rising deaths of despair from drugs, alcohol, and suicide. But other statistics are similarly troubling. The percentage of people who say they don’t have close friends has increased fourfold since 1990. The share of Americans ages 25 to 54 who weren’t married or living with a romantic partner went up to 38 percent in 2019, from 29 percent in 1990. A record-high 25 percent of 40-year-old Americans have never married. More than half of all Americans say that no one knows them well. The percentage of high-school students who report “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” shot up from 26 percent in 2009 to 44 percent in 2021.

My second, related question is: Why have Americans become so mean? I was recently talking with a restaurant owner who said that he has to eject a customer from his restaurant for rude or cruel behavior once a week—something that never used to happen. A head nurse at a hospital told me that many on her staff are leaving the profession because patients have become so abusive. At the far extreme of meanness, hate crimes rose in 2020 to their highest level in 12 years. Murder rates have been surging, at least until recently. Same with gun sales. Social trust is plummeting. In 2000, two-thirds of American households gave to charity; in 2018, fewer than half did. The words that define our age reek of menace: conspiracy, polarization, mass shootings, trauma, safe spaces.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Mike....I will offer this article written in 2020 that reflected on the reason for the state of our culture.

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/fulton-sheen-s-timely-insights-on-today-s-america

Michael McLeod

ok mm I will read it -- right now there is a lot of that down here with teachers going on in florida - also right now I am trying to figure out why taylor swift is such a big deal.

Fulton sheen - I remember being so impressed by his regal eloquence. i think my mom had a chaste crush on him.

fyi regarding  other mysteries columbus is famous everywhere today thanks to some idiot at the zoo...who belongs there...getting himself arrested in bizarre fashion.

Anyway You know a dude with a name like fulton is gonna bring it.

David Mitchell

Yes, It was a blast at the party.

But driving 800 miles (each way) and missing the 4 or 5 guys I most wanted to see was dissapointing. My 2 emails to each of them (a week before the party) went unanswered. 

Michael McLeod

dave: face it. we are crochety old people now. some more crochety than others. the guys you were trying to contact were busy doing crochety things like yelling 'you kids get off my lawn.!'

Meanwhile in a win for democracy I see the biggest shoe of all finally dropped yesterday in Atlanta. Stay tuned -and rest assured this one will all play out tv-wise ala Watergate. I say it's a win but it's tragic that's it's happening at all and I think the country will survive it but not necessarily without being further damaged in the process. Were we better off or worse after Watergate? Or is that a foolish comparison to try to make?

Meanwhile, in Miami and thanks to global warming, the waters off shore are at sauna temps: 100 degrees.

Quite the news day. Strange days indeed. 

David Mitchell

Let the games begin!

Go Fani!

Go Fani!

Go Fani! Go girl!

Sheila McCarthy (Gardner)

Thank you for posting the 75th birthday pictures (with the names!)... Such a treat to see all those dear faces... Sorry I had to miss it... 

David Mitchell

Oppenhiemer  -  INTENSE!     (and loooong)

 And a few of those stupid sexually explicit scenes - that add absolutely nothing whatsoever to the story - insuring that you can't take teenagers to see an otherwise important historic film.

Why do they do that?

Michael McLeod

Ha yeah the oppenheimer opus

Dave, we have a gorgeous cabaret-setting cinema house down here that I wish you could see. It's not far from my house. It's in the middle of a grove of live oaks and you can order a meal and drinks and sit at private tables to enjoy a movie and I was never more grateful than I was that night to watch a 3 hour movie that was simply way too long and involved.

What I'd like to do is read up on the science and see it again. That's what made it a challenge for me. I know we were supposed to care about Oppenheimer and I hate to admit this but I didn't. I nerded ouy about fission and fusion rather than mutt and jeff but it was way over my head. See it with a geek.

Getting ready for my class, which starts next week. I've been checking out chatgpt which is one of the robot writing programs I need to guard against. I do have a strategy that I'll talk about once class starts that will make it impossible, i hope, for students to use the bot to cheat. 

Check out chatgpt if you want to amuse yourself. It's astonishing what it can produce so quickly, Just feed it a subject and see what it does.

PS 

Clarence Thomas is every bit as rotten to the core as Donald Trump.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

My son and his family were blessed to vacation in Hawaii last month and loved their visit in Lahaina, Maui and so were shocked and saddened, as we all were, by the devastation that community has suffered. But amidst all of the destruction, a sign of hope was given. 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/948262966474144  

David Mitchell

Tragic! And so sad.

Sounds like the local offiicials could have been much better prepared - but weren't.