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Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

Janie, I am thinking this would be a great time to take up another collection for the continuity of our website!!  

The fun we are having remembering and sharing the memories is fantastic. We owe you big time. Right, everybody?

Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

That was just a way of saying many thanks, Janie, for providing us  with this forum to allow for sharing all these fun memories.

Guys, your memories and embellishment of your recollections are hillarious. Mike, it would appear that your  bedroom had a window on the world. Who knew?

Mark Schweickart

Clare--I imagine your tryst at the Whetstone casting pond took place in the dark. Are you sure that "inconvenient thingy" you were bumping up against was in fact a "gearshift gizmo" -- just wondering?  

James Hamilton, M. D.

Fred Clem

My dad and I would go to breakfast Sunday mornings @ the Jerry's across from WLWC, now WCMH.  During basketball season Fred Taylor & Jimmy Crum would be there prepping for the coach's show.  Jimmy was much more friendly than Fred.

Michael McLeod

Yes, Donna, I will second the thanks to Jane for the creation of this website. Really appreciate that and all the work on the reunion.

And yes it is funny how that bedroom window of mine looked out on numerous opportunities; some legal, some not. It also overlooked a patch of elderberries growing wild at the back of our lot; if we picked enough of them, our mom made us a wonderful pie, the likes of which I have yet to encounter since.

Do we all remember collecting Frito wrappers? Cannot remember why. They were redeemed for something or other.

And I remember making things - tiny little rafts - with popsicle sticks. And collecting acorns. And havng tiny turtles that died prematurely, and dyed chicks at easter time who fared no better. My parents told me they took them to a farm. Yeah, sure.

Oh, as to tv peeps of the day: anybody remember Aunt Fran?

David Mitchell

Janie, 

I agree whole heartedly with the gratitude we all owe you for the work you put into the reunion(s) and this web site. This forum thing is almost becoming more fun than the night of the reunion itself - which was approximately 3 days too short in my humble opinion!

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And Jim wasn't it -- "I'm the Omar man, knockin' at your door. When you taste my bread, you're gonna want more".

But my mother always went to a little bakery down on High Street owned by a Yugoslav immigrant named Eleck (I think) or Eleck's Bakery. It was on the west side of the street but I forget if it was north or south of North Broadway - a little red brick two story building. Always fresh baked breads and wonderful doughnuts and sweets. 

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And in case anyone is counting, I think Jim and I are tied for the lead in mis-spelled words. You might want to check that out Mike.

David Mitchell

Here's another "restaurant" memory that we've all missed. And Bill Reid, if you don't recall this one we are officialy revoking your subscription to Fude and Whine Magazine - forever!

I will start with a little history. One of my mother's first jobs was the phone operator at the company's main office. This had to be around 1930. She was there when they got so busy they had to bring in a new piece of equipment that required the girls to pick up one plug connected to a wire on an inertia cord and shove the plug end into a receptical hole on an upright board facing her. This connected the incoming caller to the department they wished to speak to - ala "One Ringy Dingy" (Lily Tomlin). It was called a "switchboard". She loved working there so much she kept going back to employee reunions into her 70's. 

The "restaurant" I am talking about is that singular bastion of epicurian delight, that shinning city on a hill, that monument to fine dining, that shimmering ---- wait for it ---- White Castle ! 

Home of America's only "steam grilled" burger  (AND remember, the holes are free).

Mom and I always went for a "bag" at the one down on High Street near the end of Arcadia - near North High School (where my Mom and Dad first met). But I am not sure that one is still there. Whenever I am in Columbus, I make it a point to stop for a "bag", usually out at the one on Kenny and Henderson, or sometimes on High Street down in the Short North. In my travels I have also discovered one on the far south side near I-270, and far west side out off of I-70 near Rome-Hilliard road. But I can no longer find the one on W. King Ave (or was it W. 3rd?). Anyway, there are few memories in life that delight like those do.  

David Mitchell

Sally Flowers - wow!  What about Ruth Lyons and the 50-50 club (from Cincinnati). Or Jerry Razor's teen dance club. Wasn't it Saturday mornings? 

We loved to watch  "Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, and Paul Winchell with Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead. Dad loved  Jackie Gleason on the "The Honeymooners" , and Mom watched Perry Como and the Gary Moore Show. How about Ed Sulivan and of course Bishop Sheen!

And OMG - Arthur Godfrey, Howdy Doodie, and Pinky Lee.  Does anybody remember "I Remember Mama" where they worked the Folger's comercials right into the scene - and then went right back into the plot without an actual comercial break ?

James Hamilton, M. D.

Bill Reid

Dave Mitchell, I surely do remember White Castle sliders! My dad used to love them too. As he aged and developed Alzheimer's, I'd take him there and for at least a little while he understood where he was (the one at Kenny and Henderson) and he'd eat as many as 4 in one meal. Our son went with us when he was very young and would eat one or two; now he'll eat as many as 10. Crestor or Zocor is surely in his future, and Zocor is one of my best friends. No doubt due to all that grease! My brother-in-law's father worked for White Castle and made two important contributions to their success. One was the Paperlinen hats, the ones that looked like an army hat and were made out of paper. His other contribution was the idea of punching 5 holes in each burger so they didn't have to be flipped while on the grill. I see the hats at our local White Castle (in Carmel Indiana) and the burgers still have those holes in them. What a great combination of grease and onions! And just think, if you can eat 8 of them, that's almost a quarter pound of beef!

Michael McLeod

Yes to Dave - that is the rest of the Omar jingle.

And true, so sadly true, that the frozen white castles are a pale imitation.

We would go swimming as a family at the indoor, "natatorium"  pool at Ohio State and get white castles on our way home -- this was at the one on high street and arcadia, which is, yes, now gone - they are putting up a residential high rise on the site, as I understand it.

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

I think we watched way too much TV.  Does anyone remember the Wrangler?  My brother had a bedroom lamp shaped like a covered wagon. So cool when you turned the light on inside.  ThecWrangler had a membership club with all kinds of cool stuff. And Mike, I was on the Aunt Fran Show when I was 5 or 6. Later we had one of the first color TV's on Oakland Park. Time for Bonanza!! We had an egg lady too--Mrs. Hazzard, I think. Came every Saturday. Mark, I'm sure it was the gearshift!!!  Clare

Robert Berkemer

Dang! Clare saw right through my trick question. Well, I tried. And as for the coolest cars... Those would have to be Karen Sylvesters white 57 Chevy convertible with the red interior. She picked me up several times on the way to school which was WAY cool! Also, cool to me was Steve Roach's (Dad's) 63 or 64 Ford station wagon which was a fantastic platform for tripple dating ;-) And lastly was Fred Wehausens beautiful 58 two tone gold Chevy Impalla  which was hopped up a bit as well. Most of you won't remember Fred but he was maybe the best looking guy in our class if not Watterson but he dropped out in the middle of Jr. year. But none of this gets us any closer to the "aimer la vie" of Mary Clare who has started a real mystery! ;-)

Robert Berkemer

Fred, the "sure Don" response was a phrase used in a mocking way and was based as I recall on dislikes between some students and another student.  But I remember a better one that was common in Columbus at the time during OSU basket ball games...  The announcer  frequently said, "Folks, it's a real barn burner tonight". Who was it?

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Fred, The Don was from parish Immaculate and I'm thinking "Sure, Don" started out as a rather derogatory dismissal of said person or person's opinions. Probably not one of our shining moments. Eventually it was directed to anyone whose statements were doubted. I heard it has been resurrected during this year's presidential race. 😬  Clare

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

And Bob. You're so right about Karen Sylvester's car. I'd forgotten how smooth it looked pulling out of the lot.     But I don't remember that Fred Wehausens person. Did he start out with us as a freshman? Have a good weekend, friends  Go Bucks    Clare

Robert Berkemer

Clare, Fred did start our as a freshman. He was from St. Francis parish and was in the "general" program with me and was one of my best friends. He dropped out in October of our jr. year much to the great saddness of his Mom, bought a big new Honda 650 motorcycle and hit the highways of America for three years. He then joined the Navy and went to Vietnam. Got his GED while in the Navy and later graduated from OSU with a masters in Psychology. He was a very smart guy who did well in his career and in life.

Robert Berkemer

Dave, There were two bakeries that I remember on High St. One was at Como and High and was the "Clintonville Bakery". This might be the one you are thinking of. That guy had the best glaze donuts in the WHOLE WORLD as well as killer cinnimon rolls. He also provided the pasteries to Immaculate Conception School. Paul Kaisers Mom worked there for many years. The other bakery was on High St. down in the Village and was owned by Italians but I don't know the family. That was also a great old family bakery. Sadly, both of these great bakeries are long gone...

Fred Clem

Bob,

Was the Italian bakery you mentioned Giantonio's?  Janey is going to get on me for responding to another italian food establishment question.

Fred

David Mitchell

Bob,

I think you got it. I believe Eleck's was at Como and High. And yes, I still have never tasted a better glazed doughnut. And those pecan rools - mm mmh!

But back to cars, I have a question. Who knew Karen Sylvestor even had a car? Or maybe I should say - who cared? I mean I'm talkin' 'bout one cute chick!  The heck with her car!

Just thinking about that very first day of school at Watterson. We were all standing around near the big front door in neat little circles of 6 or 8 divided by sex and by grade school. I'm hangin with my buddies, Kevin Ryan, Tom Litzinger, Joe Royce, Tommy Swain, John Jackson, etc. And I'm starin' at this one guy from St. Michael's (the circle closest to us) with the thickest glasses I had ever seen and figured he had to be the nerdiest guy on the planet. But wait - how cold he have such big biceps if he was a nerd? So, was he a nerd, or some sort of freak muscle man? I guess it was the latter. It was Don Holland. 

But our attention quickly moved on to more important matters - like who had the biggest "flip" of all those girls. And who were those little "hotties" like Leslie Casbaro, Karen Sylvestor, and Kathy Wintering? We were witnessing what may be perhaps the finest bevy of "chicks" with "flips" in one gathering in history. Jodelle Simms, Kathy Wintering, our own Kathy Shanahan, or Mary Ann Nolan, and (by virtue of her small size) the "Dark Helmut" of them all, Mary Joe Fortin - who I already knew because I had had a two week crush on her during grade school basketball while I played for OLP and she cheered for St. Christopher. She had an enormous flip on top of that tiny body! Wow, there were some hot chicks floatin' around there that morning. 

Remember the term "tough"?  As in describing really cute girls.  "Wow she's tough!"

Shy as I was, I was really nervous about all this. But we get into the homerooms and I am seated in the back row almost in the corner. The guy in the very back corner next to me was a familiar face. He was St. Agatha's catcher and he leaned over and introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Bill Fisher". Nice guy - I was at ease - everything was going to be okay.

David Mitchell

Clare, you mentioned something about a presidential race?  First I'd heard of it.

(oh please God, lets not go there - we're having too much good clean fun)

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Wow Clare, I didn't realized we had a real "Hollywood" star in our midst. You were actualy on the Aunt Fran show. I'm impressed. We shoukd have aranged a VIP box for your seating at the reunion. 

Speaking of Spin and Marty - oh my - what a great TV epic? Ranks up close to Love Boat and Downton Abbey in my book.

Get this. I took Nina Osborne to see the "John Williams Show" at Mershon Auditorium down on campus. Might have been after graduation. Recall he was a handsome pop singer with a brief TV show at the time. He ended the show with an introduction of each of his band members - one by one. And as he gets to the last one he says, "And I always love doing this last one, my drummer, and your pal from the Mouseketeer Club - Cubby O'Brien!"

We cheered wildly. In fact, Nina and I discussed it until almost 3:00 a.m. in the parking lot at Dominion Junior High. Sorry Nina, I couldn't resist.

Michael McLeod

One thing I notice when I look at our accumulated memories is how different they all are from the memories many of our children will have.

We had random adventures in hidden glens and in vacant lots. We were out in the sunshine at community swimming pools and covered with snow as we sledded down ravines.

Yep, my bedroom window framed many an adventure out there. So many of today's kids see the world through digital windows; have their adventures pre-packaged and neatly framed for them on video screens.

My significant other is an early childhood, Montessori-trained educator who sees so many children not getting the real-world environment, both physical and imaginative, that we had. So many of them are overweight and under-stimulated. Learning disabilities abound, and it's partly because kids, to a certain extent, need to run wild. Sorry if this is a buzz kill for all the sentiment I see here and feel myself; I guess this is just another way of saying how lucky we all were.