After the golf scramble and pig roast, a photo

Class of '66 & Tom Priester
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. - Gloria Boutelle Olson sent along two photos of Class of '66 attendees at the SWCS Education Foundation's Golf Scramble/Pig Roast.

Exactly what is involved in Golf Scrambling and what its relationship to pig roasting is, well, I'm not sure I can even begin to contemplate. I've been in California way too long, I guess.

But what a nice photo! I posted the original of this and another shot on the Yahoo discussion site. This one I cropped to get rid of a television in the background. It wasn't turned on, so you are not missing anything.

In case your browser doesn't show the caption, left to right is Gloria, Vern Ahlgren (in the back), Linda Anderson, Tom Priester and Cathy Lindstrom Prince. If I spelled any of the names wrong, please complain to the New York Times. They're taking so much heat that a little more won't hurt.

While it seems we (some of us, anyway) might be getting a little old, I had dinner last night with some folks who are well into their 70s and still going out drinking and dancing, dancing and drinking every weekend. One of the women this summer will attend her 55th high school reunion. She is looking for a younger man to squire her around because she buried four husbands in the last 20 years, she said, and so she is searching for a newer model with a more endurance.

Sacre bleu!

I didn't break any SWCS records for the 100-yard dash last night, but I did get back to my sailboat in near record time, even hurdling a bush in such fine form that Track Coach Joe Rushin would have approved.

After I posted my brief drive-in and parking memories yesterday - at least what I am willing to self-disclose right now - I realized that I forgot to add a special drive-in/parking song, written by Carol King but made famous for our class by The Shirelles.

Here you go. Try to remember the melody.

Tonight You're Mine

Tonight you're mine completely
You give your love so sweetly
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes
But will you love me tomorrow?

Is this a lasting treasure
Or just a moment's pleasure
Can I believe the magic in your sighs
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Tonight with words unspoken
You say that I'm the only one
But will my heart be broken
When the night meets the morning sun?

I'd like to know that your love
Is love I can be sure of
So tell me know and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?

All this talk about drive-in movies & parking

Drive-in movie
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

LAKEWOOD DRIVE-IN – The Class of ’66 Yahoo website is full of chatter about going to the drive-in, and some about where people went parking. My seven-year-old granddaughter, peeking over my shoulder yesterday, saw the word ‘parking’ on my computer screen and asked me if my friends on the website couldn’t find a place to park.

How do you answer that question? Yeah, parking was a serious issue in 1966.

My memory of the Lakewood Drive-In was the same as several folks, sneaking up to the fence in the back, jumping said fence, turning on the back row speakers as loud as possible and jumping back to safety before Charlie Finnerty (I think that was the owner’s name) caught us.

Of course, if there was a car in that row with steamed up windows, it was even more fun because the folks inside frequently were too engrossed in developing their interpersonal skills than to spot the miscreants peeking in the windows.

At least until somebody laughed or screamed at what they saw.

While my myopia prevented me from getting much in the way of sex education, the preference of teenagers of that era for white undergarments gave a key to some activities. Maybe colored underwear was still a dream in Calvin Klein’s mind.

The drive-in was also a place you could sneak in a bottle of some awful liquor (Southern Comfort comes to mind) mix it with Coca-Cola and get puking drunk, always a great strategy to impress your date. Then there were the eaters – the people who would go in the snack bar and come out with trays covered with things the staff claimed were French fries or hamburgers or corn dogs. The aliens in some of the feature films looked more appetizing than those hot dogs covered in, well, best not to consider it for long.

There is a drive-in in Sacramento not too far from my house, a five-screen job, so you can park kind of in the middle and watch any of the movies. You can also park on the freeway and watch with field glasses if you are retired from United Airlines and can’t afford the ticket.

But in this new drive-in, the big thing is to go in a honking-big pickup truck, sitting in lawn chairs in the bed of the truck and turn up the truck stereo nice and loud with a good rap music selection. The game seems to be how to turn the bass up loud enough to knock the people sitting in the next truck off their chairs - but not piss them off so much that they come over and start a fight.

And people wonder why home video is so popular.

I’ll save a posting about going parking for another time, but one big question:

Anybody else ever get their car stuck up to the axles down in Celeron in an area called the bum roads?

Can you imagine this outfit at SWCS in 1966?

halter top
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. - The SWCS website has a letter from the incumbent principal posted on it about the new dress code for the high school, I posted the entire letter below.

But here's an excerpt:

"Some examples of dress that could draw a conversation with an Assistant Principal or Principal include exposed midriffs, backless halters, short shorts, one-strap shirts, etc. Please recognize that tube tops, net tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back) and see-through garments are not acceptable."

See-through garments at Southwestern. Good God!

I remember one spring trying to get my ankles as tan as possible so that I could (Gasp!) go to school without wearing socks. I believe that Bill Taylor actually was dispatched home once for that felony. I got caught once, too, but was spared calling my mother because I had craftily socked away my socks (sorry, but it was so obvious) in my locker.

It might have been Gene Munson, guidance guru who caught me sockless and ordered me to cover up my ankles. Now that I think about it, it was the Munster himself and he followed me to my locker to make sure I got back in uniform.

When I went searching for a photo to show what will NOT be happening at SWCS under the dress code, I was amazed at some of the outfits. Of course, the fall semester at my university is a pretty good time to observe women's summer fashions, too. And August is not that far away. Hmmmm...

It seems to me that we occasionally had one day in the spring when we were allowed to wear "Bermuda" shorts. And it was usually the coldest damned day of the spring.

One other part of the letter is sooooo different from what we experienced:

"Last summer we started a dress code committee that has included students, staff, and administration in the conversation...Rest assured that we will again review our Dress Code policy over the summer together with the key stakeholders..."

Key stakeholders. Can you imagine Cloise Swearingen, Joe Rushin, Gunnard Anderson, Anthony LoGuidice, and Harold Burgard (especially Harold Burgard), all getting together with the key stakeholders to discuss a dress code?

I'm sure it would have been a model of democracy.

Today's song and lyrics, is in honor of the SWCS dress code:

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-dot Bikini
performed by Brian Hyland

[Written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss]

She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
One, two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teentie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the locker she wanted to stay
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more

She was afraid to come out in the open
And so a blanket around she wore
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so she sat bundled up on the shore
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teentie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the blanket she wanted to stay
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more

Now she is afraid to come out of the water
And I wonder what she's gonna do
Now she is afraid to come out of the water
And the poor little girl's turning blue
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teentie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the water she wanted to stay
(From the locker to the blanket)
(From the blanket to the shore)
(From the shore to the water)
Yes, there isn't any more

===========================

LETTER FROM THE LATEST SWCS CHEESE:

April 11, 2005

Dear Southwestern Parent(s) / Guardian(s);

The dress code is a contentious topic in every school across the country. And while Southwestern high school is no different, we do feel good about the great strides we have made this year in how we have tried to address this problem. Here are just a few of the changes that we have made: (1) Last summer we started a dress code committee that has included students, staff, and administration in the conversation, (2) We instituted a new identification system with teachers inside the classrooms, and (3) We created a new process in the main office to help ensure greater consistency in enforcement.

While we continue to work on the dress code one thing is for sure: we need your help and support. As the students’ thoughts turn to summer, we here at Southwestern would really appreciate your help and assistance with the dress code. Please help us in our efforts to promote acceptable dress and appearance among our students. It is our goal that all students are concentrating on their studies and if what they are wearing is distracting to the teaching-learning process then we have an obligation to address the problem with that individual.

As a result, we need everyone’s cooperation and hope that you understand the difficult position that we are facing. Some examples of dress that could draw a conversation with an Assistant Principal or Principal include exposed midriffs, backless halters, short shorts, one-strap shirts, etc. Please recognize that tube tops, net tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back) and see-through garments are not acceptable.

On behalf of the entire Southwestern Community we are looking forward to a productive end of the school year for our entire student population. Rest assured that we will again review our Dress Code policy over the summer together with the key stakeholders but in the meantime we thank you for any assistance you are able to give us in this area.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Vallely Ph.D.
Southwestern High School Principal

Reaching back to kindergarten class

Mrs. Plank's kindergarten class
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

LAKEWOOD, N.Y. - Today's photo is a kindergarten shot (provided by Marianne Jim) which features lots of familiar faces, even Nancy Patchen (third from the right, bottom row) who I mentioned in an earlier entry.

Doug Hooper is on the far left. And I think the dapper fellow on the far right is Jim Nelson, next to Mick Olson.

I was asking my seven-year-old granddaughter yesterday about school photos. They take individual ones at her school but she was pretty fuzzy on whether there is a group photo taken.

Maybe it was a thing of the times. I actually have my first and second grade photos from a Catholic school in Brooklyn. And I'll be damned if ... (hmmm...perhaps not the best choice of word to use in the same paragraph with the words Catholic school)... I'll be damned if I can't recognize about a third of my classmates and name them 50 years later.

But this photo is a classic for the Class of '66.

Thanks Marianne...

Ward Romer, crew coach extraordinaire

Ward Romer, the coach
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

ITHACA, N.Y. - Some people are easier to track down than others. I thought I had found Jim Bova yesterday, but no luck.

Ward Romer, however, was easier to spot, partly due to the high profile crew coaching he's been doing for years. Today's photo is taken from the annals of Ithaca College, where he is still coaching crewing and edging into retirement. He's got a day job, too, but I'll him tell you about that some other time.

When I emailed - to make sure it was right Ward Romer, even though the photo sure looks the Ward I remember - his first question was if there would be a 40th reunion next year.

I got to give him the good news.

Hey! Maybe we should elect him to some committee right away!

Maybe we should put him in charge.

I didn't hang out with Ward in high school, and if you look at his entry for activities, he didn't hang much at all - he was way too busy earning scholarships, debating and in a half dozen clubs. And one of the years, he played football, freshman year if my reading of the entry is correct.

I remember that Ward was a pretty smart dude (sorry, but I was talking with a couple of my undergrads a little while ago, like, you know, like ...). But one day, I got to teach Ward something. Not academic. (Remember, I went to summer school - twice.) No, it was in gym class and in order to pass some damned physical fitness test, you had to climb up on the parallel bars, swing your legs up and over, and then kind of squirm along, dismounting on the other end.

Ward was in the middle of one of those awful growth spurts most of us experienced and had put on just enough weight and height that it was awkward, so I showed him how to get his legs swinging to boost himself up. After a couple of tries, Ward was zooming across the parallel bars like Bruce Jenner and even Dick Shevalier had to smile.

Ward's email address should have landed in your email inbox earlier today if you want to drop him a line and see if he needs anybody to polish the boats at Ithaca College...

Now if I can just find Jim Bova, Jim Jackson, Jackie Ericson.... gawd ...

Today's song it another driving tune, made popular in 1964 and still gets great play on the oldies stations. Brian Wilson is 63 today, by the way.

-----------------

I Get Around
by The Beach Boys

Round round get around
I get around
Yeah
Get around round round I get around
I get around
Get around round round I get around
From town to town
Get around round round I get around
I'm a real cool head
Get around round round I get around
I'm makin' real good bread

I'm gettin' bugged driving up and down the same old strip
I gotta finda new place where the kids are hip

My buddies and me are getting real well known
Yeah, the bad guys know us and they leave us alone

I get around
Get around round round I get around
From town to town
Get around round round I get around
I'm a real cool head
Get around round round I get around
I'm makin' real good bread
Get around round round I get around
I get around
Round
Get around round round oooo
Wah wa ooo
Wah wa ooo
Wah wa ooo

We always take my car cause it's never been beat
And we've never missed yet with the girls we meet

None of the guys go steady cause it wouldn't be right
To leave their best girl home now on Saturday night

I get around
Get around round round I get around
From town to town
Get around round round I get around
I'm a real cool head
Get around round round I get around
I'm makin' real good bread
Get around round round I get around
I get around
Round
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

Round round get around
I get around
Yeah
Get around round round I get around
Get around round round I get around
Wah wa ooo
Get around round round I get around
Oooo ooo ooo
Get around round round I get around
Ahh ooo ooo
Get around round round I get around
Ahh ooo ooo
Get around round round I get around
Ahh ooo ooo

A victorious group after winning the game

March 13, 1964 - Sophomores beat the Freshman
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

SOUTHWESTERN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, MARCH, 13, 1964 - From the smiles on the faces, you would almost know that the eventual Class of '66 beat the eventual Class of '67, though to be honest, this photo might have been taken before the big game.

Sure a lot of funny hats in there.

This photo came from my neighbor, Marianne Jim. Ok, she's not really my neighbor, but lives about 50 miles away. Still compared to those of you living on the East Coast, we can practically pass the Grey Poupon out the window.

I notice I'm missing from this photo. I'm not sure what sophomore year was all about, now that I think about it. My main memory from that year was Mrs. Stupka trying to teach Silas Marner. The rest of the classes were mostly a blur, though the late Dave Stark was teaching me geometry.

Sophomore year I went out for football and discovered that 130 pounds was damned light to pretend I was a halfback. Add in the nearsightedness and the rest of the disaster played out in pre-season practice before the season started.

I enjoyed the games from the bleachers a lot.

Tom Priester emailed me after reading yesterday's dispatch and reminded me that he owned a 1965 GTO convertible. It was "red with white top, 4 on the floor and it would go like H___," he wrote. "Had to trade it in when our first child was born. I've been in mourning ever since."

In Tom's honor, here's one of my favorite songs to help you drive fast. It's from 1964:

G.T.O.
performed by Ronny and The Daytonas

(Written by John Wilkin)

Little GTO, you're really lookin' fine
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin' up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa (mixed with "Ahhh, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa

You oughta see her on a road course or a quarter mile
This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style
She beats the gassers and the rail jobs, really drives 'em why-ee-eye-ild
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa (mixed with "Ahhh, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa

MIXTURE
Gonna save all my money (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and buy a GTO (turnin' it on,
blowin' it out)
Get a helmet and a roll bar (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and I'll be ready to go
(turnin'
it on, blowin' it out)
Take it out to Pomona (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and let 'em know (turnin' it on,
blowin' it out), yeah, yeah
That I'm the coolest thing around
Little buddy, gonna shut you down
When I turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa (mixed with "Ahhh, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa

A SWCS Class of '66 mini-reunion in 1978

Cheryl, Linda, Mick, Shirley & Barb
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.

PITTSBURGH, Penn. - Cheryl Towers (front left) passed along this photo along with another one from 10 years before that will show up here, pretty soon.

If the faces are unfamiliar, here you go around the circle: Cheryl, Linda Hanson, Mick Olson, Shirley Adams and Barb Bunce.

Who took the picture? That I don't know, but he or she will remain the mystery guest until Cheryl says who it was.

(AHA! Thanks to the miracle of email just now (Monday June 20), Cheryl says it was Barb's husband Scott, whose photo appeared sometime back on this website...)

Seeing Shirley in that photo reminds me for some reason of the car that Shirley drove during high school. Anyone else remember (besides Shirley)?

In high school, I drove my mother's white 1961 Rambler Classic 4-door, with a push-button transmission - at least until Bud Hooper and I lost the front wheel in a downtown Jamestown parking lot. The wheel fell off while I was driving down Pine Street and that old Hoover just went to the right and slid into the parking lot behind the offices of Dr. Marvin Siegel, whose office was above a restaurant, I believe, called The Polka Dot.

How I can remember the name of the restaurant, I'm not sure. In fact, I'm not sure. Was it The Polka Dot?

I do remember that the reason the wheel fell off is that before the axle let go, we had been in a snowy grocery store parking lot, driving the car about 40 mph and then spinning around in circles. It was a lot of fun, even if it wrecked the front end of the car.

When the car was repaired several days later, my mother drove it straight downtown to the Pontiac dealership to trade it in. One Rambler was quite enough for her. She looked at the sporty Pontiacs and for a moment, one tiny moment, I almost had her talked into a GTO. Four-speed, the big engine, the whole pagoda.

A GTO! My God! A GTO!

But, she had to have a four-door car so my grandmother could get hauled to church on Sundays. For a GTO, I would have carried my grandmother on my back to and from the Catholic Church up on Fairmont Avenue.

And so she finally settled on a Pontiac Tempest with a good sized V-8. Years later she gave me the car when I was visiting from California and I drove it across country with my sister Evelyn riding shotgun, getting that old 326 V-8 to well over 100mph for quite some time going across Nevada.

So you've had enough time to remember Shirley's car if you think you can call it up.

I think it was blue, but I know for sure it was a Studebaker, the last year they made Studebakers was 1964. Randy Carlson drove a Studebaker for awhile, too, but his was an older model.

We all drove some pretty interesting cars in those days.

Thanks Shirley, for triggering the memory for me. But what are you driving today?