It's been a while.....

With the early onset of Spring in southern Indiana come early landscaping demands. The bulbs popped early, the weeds emerged before pre-emergent weed killers could be applied, and the grass is thick enough to stop our John Deere cold until we set the cutting deck higher. The unwanted side effect of all this early warm weather was severe weather which popped up all around us. We were lucky, but many nearby communities sadly were not. I just ended up having to pick up a lot of branches and sticks. So many others had to pick up the remains of their homes and lives.

In addition, the Reitz class of 67 Reunion committee, in which I strangely find myself a part , is now meeting to decide the few things that still need deciding. We are delighted to discover that there is really not that much work to do this time around because of the groundwork we did last year and because we chose an all inclusive place in which to hold it.

The Wayne Valley class directory, the other big task on the short list, is not yet complete either, of course, since there are a lot of current photos missing. It is farther along than the drop ceiling in the basement though. I'm hoping to correct the photo situation at reunion but until then, I still encourage you to have your kids take a photo of you and post them on facebook or email them directly to us. The drop ceiling is another matter altogether.

Thanks to Craig Meinking too, for sending in a bio for his entry which we posted in the last few days. I also encourage all who have been following this blog to try and attend the reunion. I think the deadline is April 25, 2013 for reservations.

Finally, a reminder that the Class of 67 2013 cruise bookings are proceeding with the best room locations booking fast. For more information about the event, here's the link:

http://cruises.advaia.com/details/?CID=41&OfferID=876387

Till next time, Milton signing off.

Teachers are People Too and a Loss

I remember many teachers from high school I never had for any classes. I think I tended to objectify them. I have found, after speaking with quite a few, that the obvious is true: Teachers are people too, with lives and histories as varied as ours.

One recounted how her year of teaching at Wayne Valley was her first and the worst. She took that year's personal lessons to become a much better teacher. Another has contacts with friends from that period, but isn't interested in expanding her contacts. One is deep in the grasp of Alzheimers, others are strikingly lucid despite advancing age. As often as we can, we are capturing some of their lives beyond their brief contact with us and it is as fascinating as the stories we have shared of our experiences with each other. Almost all remained educators for their entire careers. Most are now retired. A good number are sadly gone; a few, like Ronald Kerr, have disappeared. Others, like Judy Bradley, have been very helpful in providing information about others' locations, and the help is accepted with much gratitude.

Very few days go by without someone sending in a photo or anecdote for the website or just a note saying that another is planning on attending the reunion. There are changes frequent enough that it is difficult track. I know, I need to update the State list.  I must confess that my nursing responsibilities for Linda as she recovers rapidly from her hip surgery has been nearly all consuming.

I just received word from Ruth Spae that we lost Dave Spae on Sunday, 2/12/2012. Despite a rocky start to our relationship back in Anthony Wayne, we became friends, lost touch over the years and reconnected with the class directory. Now he's gone. This is hitting too close to home. Rest in peace brother. His Obituary can be found at http://www.vandermay.com/Obituaries.aspx?from=obtDet&obituaryid=3952

Teachers are a hoot; more notes on the Cruise

I've been trying to contact our teachers, and was able to contact Ed Sorock, one of the business education teachers who was also the sponsor of the Audio Visual Club.

Ed is now retired, 88 years old and living in Fairlawn, NJ with his also retired school teacher wife, Nan of over 60 years. Understand that I never had Ed Sorock for any classes, and I also understood that over his years of teaching, he has had thousands of students. I didn't expect him to remember anyone in particular, although those he remembered, I didn't.

After introducing myself, and explaining what I was trying to do, he wanted assurances that I wasn't one of those scam artists trying to steal his money. I reassured him that if I was trying to do that, I probably would be better served to try someone other than a retired school teacher. He thought that was very amusing and we shared a good laugh.

He then inquired about my political affiliation (and subsequently told me that he had voted  for FDR and would be voting for Obama in November) and said that he would have talked to me anyway unless I had told him I was a Republican.

Finally, he wanted to know who I was going to root for in Superbowl 46. After replying "the Giants, of course", he decided that he would share his wife's email and I will be reminding them to forward a current photo.

Like finding classmates, this is a hoot.

Freedom of the Seas

Just a reminder too that the Reitz 67 Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, is open to the Wayne Valley Class of 67 too. Set for February 10, in 2013, the more the merrier. David Fritz of Cruise Everything is the contact. David is a private cruise director who handles everything on board, during the cruise. He has arranged to waive port fees and a room to meet and other amenities for our group. There is a  down payment to book and you've got till November to finalize payment. I am told he prefers to talk to you on the phone so that all communications are direct and questions can be answered immediately. His phone number is 800-959-7447. Just let him know you are part of the Reitz group. Unlike many cruise lines who tag you for $100 for tips up front, tipping is optional based on your perception of service. We just booked so we could get the room and dining seating we wanted. We're anticipating perhaps 20 or so from Reitz and there has been some strong interest from the Wayne class too. We'll keep all updated on this as time passes.

In the meanwhile, we will continue to try and contact teachers for current photos, contact information, and to see if they'd like to attend the Reunion.

Teachers Page Published

We're back from the presurgical cruise (Linda knew she'd be holed up in the house for a few weeks so jammed in a cruise prior to surgery; any excuse is fine with me.) So the surgery went well and the recovery is proceeding apace. It's never fast enough and while the surgery went faster than expected, you can only heal so fast. I will say that we were supplied with island dressings that had some of the most aggressive adhesive we either of us have ever seen. Until we abandoned the cursed bandages for more conventional ABD dressings and paper tape, there was much cursing and swearing at the Yuan household and a lot of needless suffering.

So we're back and we've been busy....

We have completed scanning the teacher yearbook photos and including them by department and the page is published at http://waynevalley67.net/html/theteachers.html There are only a few for whom we have current information and we invite all to dig in and share what you know. I would think that all teachers are automatically invited to the reunion but you never know.

I was delighted to find an article about Adrian Van Zweden who at 92 is apparently still delighting kids with his practical knowledge. We also found Esther Van Kampen on Facebook and provided a pretty complete biography.

I suppose I was as guilty as anyone in objectifying teachers with whom I either didn't have classes or didn't know that well. They all had lives too though.

I do know that Lindas Eckert and Ucko are working on a 7-3/8-4 get together prior to the reunion with the Piagets. If you were a member of this group, make sure to contact them if you can attend.

Ah, back in the saddle again.

No Snowflake........

No snowflake ever thinks it will become an avalanche. But that is what is happening. In reality, Evansville got its first little snowfall which resulted in a moment of idyllic winter scenes. Then people started playing demolition derby on the streets. It wasn't enough to cause a run on bottled water and milk at the local Walmart though, and the stores aren't out of snow-melt either. On the class front, we also have an accumulation. Of news.

Rick Sasse sent this link to me. Don Gerola's been at it again up in Rhode Island:

http://news.providencejournal.com/arts-entertainment/2012/01/artist-weaves-city.html

We've also been in touch with Shigemi Suzuki who says she'll be to the Reunion.

Additionally, when we get back from vacation, we will begin filling in content for our teachers page, which will include much information about all our teachers, living or deceased. Where we can, as we have for classmates, we will be providing obituaries and contact information where available. Moreover, we will be inviting you, their students to provide anecdotes and comments which we will post with the listing. You know how proud you are of your accomplishments in your various careers. We are their accomplishments, and ultimately their legacy. We have so much to tell you about them. Something to look forward to. The page that will be published today is just a sample of what is to come. They have left their imprint on more than just us.

Holiday Cheer

After taking a little break for the Holidays from this blog, it is a little bit amazing how much connecting is happening on Facebook. For those of you not yet addicted to the social network scene, don't feel left out because you can now go the the Wayne Valley 67 Class Directory and locate many of your old friends there. Drop a dime (is that showing our age?), Drop 'em a line; If they're within driving distance (you can check the state listings (which by the way will be updated in the next few days) get together for real and break bread together.

Thanks to all for the holiday cheer and greetings. If we missed anyone who was gracious enough to send us greetings, our apologies. Like everyone, things were in a total frenzy right up until the final countdown. Even though the website activity slowed a little, the research didn't and we're still cranking away. We are hoping to get info for Mike Williams from Rick Sasse, I think Mike was one of the few I know for sure who understood what Mr. Grundy and Mrs Thompson were talking about.

Doc Piaget

Darth Tunis

Speaking about teachers, it seems fairly likely now that there will be a get together for the Anthony Wayne 7-3/8-4 block class of Dorothy Tunis and Dr. Al Piaget over the Reunion Weekend. Linda Ucko and Linda Eckert are arranging the details. The Piagets (I'll always say "Pie-A-Jet" but "Pee -ah-jay" seems to be the preferred pronunciation nowadays) are happily retired and in Wayne. Doc, you may know, helped found the Benway School originally on Black Oak Ridge but now I hear recently relocated to Valley Road).  To those of us who had them for block those two incredible years, they represented enlightenment, new horizons and self exploration not typically encouraged in the Wayne of the mid sixties. Their current photos  adorn the website in the activities area where you will find a teachers page. If anyone else has current photos of our teachers, please send them in and I can arrange a location of greater prominence on the site. There are also active threads about teachers of our era on the I'm from Wayne Facebook group with many of the old Anthony Wayne faculty photo pages.

And speaking about photos, I encourage everyone to send in their own current photos from the scads that had to have been taken over the holidays. I know you've got them. Everyone wants to see everyone to either gloat or sympathize (depending on your own self image I suppose).

And by all means, visit the Return to Senda page of the website. If you have any clues about the whereabouts of any of our lost classmates, good news or bad, please feel free to let us know so we can follow up. I for one have no intention of just letting a classmate go that easily. So even it means following up on a long shot "six degrees of separation" clue, we'll do it.

On a far more sad note we just learned yesterday of the passing of Richard J. Geraghty, on October 10, 2011 in Manahawkin, NJ. An obituary can be found on the Memorial page on the class directory website, http://waynevalley67.net/html/inmemoriam.html.

Eye on the Prize

You'd think that with the holidays imminent and family get togethers about to commence, that Linda and I would not be doing classmate finding stuff. Well, prepare to be jealous. We have all the shopping done, everything decorated, everything except one late arriving item (which should arrive today) wrapped, menu planned so there. Be very jealous. We are also battening down the hatches for the supervision of our temporarily resident grandchildren during the Xmas school recess.

So what better activity could there be to search for lost classmates? Well, there is catching up to my researcher to make sure that we are both on the same page with the website and Linda's research notes. The content of the site is really filling out nicely, and our vets are certainly doing their part. So while outreach may defer a little to the holidays, it is not as though all activity will cease.

There always seems to be a delayed reaction with any line of inquiry. It's been a while, but we got an email from Caroline Czaplinski Elio out in Arizona. We also found out through Paula Hackos Damien that Janice Boehme Casey had a FB page. We had just sent the Caseys a postcard to Maryland. Now we have only to get photos from the Mastropietros and Hennemans to complete our Class Mates page! And finally, we located Nancy Jacobs Boudreau in PA thanks to Linda Lamwers who clued us in. That's the way it works. Almost forgot about Barbara Preusch Saltmarsh in Arizona

Scott Shepard emailed us this morning and asked about Paul Gurda and several other people who did not make Embers. I sure remember Paul. I'm sure many of you do too. So what happened? I'm up for finding him. He's part of the class as far as I'm concerned. There are others too. If you think of them let us know. I know I for one am past pregnancy, dropping out or expulsion as reasons for exclusion from the Wayne Valley community.

The sad news is that we discovered a death notice for Rich Kirk on Tribute.com from January of this year. We are trying to get some confirmation from family members and will keep you all informed about this. Another sobering reminder that time is slipping away. Use it well.

May we all live life to the fullest in the coming year.