Be aware, the "Message Forum" is NOT password protected.  Unlike profiles that are password protected, anybody who gets to this webpage can see what is written here.  Nobody can contact you directly based on this forum unless you reveal your personal contact information.  Use the "Message Center" for sharing personal contact information with another classmate.

This message forum is an ongoing discussion about anything and just about everything ... within reason.  One thing our class was good at was having opinions.  Almost 70 years of life experience certainly qualifies us as experts on most everything!   Ask a question ... give an opinion ... share some insights ... it's our web site, it's our forum.  That said, it's probably not a good idea to get into arguments about politics, religion, and the like.  While we're experts on everything, we also have a wide range of values and beliefs. This site belongs to all of us ... the whole range ... and we are not here to isolate, alienate, or subjugate anybody.  Of course insults, humiliation, sophomoric barraggadocio, and demented humor is expected behavior among some of us less mature people.
 

Kenneth Pallaske

You are right, Karen. The 50's was an awesome time to grow up.I tell stories to my grandchildren and they are amazed....not sure if they think I am as old as dirt! lol

Remember the Sheeny Man?

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Well, if we're that into going down memory lane: when our 15 month old grand daughter is old enough, I'll tell her about staying on my aunt and uncle's farm In the late forties. No indoor plumbing, heat from a pot belly stove (grate in the ceiling for heat to go upstairs -a great place for us kids to eavesdrop on the adult conversations after our bedtime), and no t.v.. But we had Fibber McGee and Molly on the radio. Now that was living!

Ronald Willman

Have many fond memories of the Pig, it was a fun place. Unfortunately, I have a very sad memory of the race thru Estabrook Park, because three King foolball players I knew, driver Al Crane, Ron Sterling and Dave Rabbe crashed - Ron and Dave were killed instantly. The tradegy was compounded by the fact that Ron's father was among the emergency responders first on scene, a shocking, horrible way to learn his son was one of the deceased.

Sandy Wachs (Oldham)

Ron, I do remember that horrible accident.  RIP for those involved.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

To Garry, or anyone who knows: what is the best website for finding lost people? I just paid a small amount of $$$ to  Intelius only to get outdated, useless information. Glad it was a small amount!

Garry Sellers

Terri, you're asking the wrong guy.  After Google and a couple others I'm lost.  They all seem to get into that loop, "We found  Susan Maertz and for only $8.95 we'll give you her prison record, divorces, plastic surgeries, and Zodiac sign."  I'm trying to draft a woman from the 1972 class who is incredible at this kind of thing but she's like a professional.  She looks at court records, marriage records, divorce filings, social security files, military records, obits, etc. etc.  She's the one who has found most of our teachers.

Garry Sellers

So does anybody else have a thought about what's going on with the website and the reunion?  Amazing.!  Where's everybody been?  Why now?

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I would also like to hear people's thoughts about how unique our generation was! We had our high school years in the "Happy Days" - as someone said, it seemed like almost the perfect time to grow up. Then - "Whammo " - the social upheaval of the late 60s - early 70s. I remember just wanting to go to class in college, and walking through tear gas to get there. All values of our parents' generation turned upside down and inside out. I didn't really feel prepared for all that. Even my husband's class of '61 were still children of the '50s - and most were settled before the worst of the changes - but we were at the beginning of all that.

Ray Thompson

Does anybody remember Woodstock?  It was August of 1969 and I was in Fort Dix, New Jersey waiting to ship out for my over seas duty in the Army. Heard there was some kind of music thing in White Lake, New York. Had time off and went up there. Most incredible experience I ever had. Mud. Music & hippies. Still remember my favorite group there. Country Joe & The Fish. Now that's old.

Carol Albers (Pederson)

Wow, to finally hear about someone who was really at Woodstock!  Beside going to a few coffee houses on the Eastside, I missed the whole 60's hippie experience .  Stayed at home and worked while going to UW-M.  (Not even the Madison protests!) 

Speaking of working, anyone spend time at Capitol Court? Favorite store? Anyone remember a great deli there?  I worked at Lerners and Rog worked at the Hobby Horse and before that Kiddie Town.  Trampolines!!

Carol

Sandy Wachs (Oldham)

I remember the protests in Madison.  We would see the TV trucks, and head up to Bascom Hill to try to get on TV.  I also remember the guys in our class facing big decisions about the draft.  Some went into the peace corps, some went to Canada, and some went to Vietnam and did not return.  Those times were very difficult, especially for the guys.  My eyes and mind were open to lots of new ideas being on Campus in those times. 

I remember walking back to the dorm after class, and someone yelled out the window:  Did you hear that President Kennedy was shot?  We went to a service on campus that was lead by a priest, a rabbi, and a minister.  That was a very moving experience.  Where were you when President Kennedy was shot?

Kenneth Pallaske

Sandy,

I was on the rifle range at 29 Palms, California, qualifying with an M14 rifle in the Marine Corps. We got back to the base and saw the Flag at half staff. What a shock. How ironic.

Patricia McCarthy (McCarthy)

Garry, You're kidding about  Susan Maertz, right???? I was going to ask you if you'd heard from her, cuz I think she lived right next door to you in Thurston Forrest.

Carol and Roger, I remember Roger behind the counter at the Hobby Horse!!! You and I used to go to Capital Court alot...remember  the chocolate ice cream sundaes with Marshmellow topping??? Still one of my favorites.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Capitol Court - I think we LIVED there! Only 2 blocks away. I remember the trampolines, buying all my cosmetics at Woolworths ("Blue Waltz" perfume comes to mind - very high-class!), then having a soda in the booth. But my favorite memory was at Christmas:  there was a big tree in the center that played carols in chimes. Walking through there in the snow, listening to the carols - now THAT was Christmas shopping! I'm so impressed that someone was at Woodstock! I was at the California version - Altamont & the Rolling Stones - a scary experience! Someone was actually killed there.

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

I also worked at Capitol Court...a little bit at Lerners, and a long time at West Federal Savings. Used the money to pay my tuition because I couldn't get a scholarship. Spent a lot of time at that shopping center as we lived only 9 blocks away. I remember the big Christmas tree as well. In fact, we could see the top of it from my block. And, if I remember correctly, it wasn't lighted until AFTER Thanksgiving. Those were the days when Turkey Day wasn't a forgotten holiday and Christmas didn't appear in the stores at the beginning of September!

Regarding JFK, I was in the student union at UWM, nursing a horrible cold with chicken noodle soup and hot coffee. Suddenly, a friend appeared at my table and asked, "Aren't you a big Kennedy backer?" When I replied in the positive, he told me that JFK had just been shot. I truly thought he was kidding until he led me to the lobby where radio reports from Dallas were being broadcast through the PA system. I rushed back to the Fine Arts building to phone my mother at home for details. I reached her just as it was announced that the president had died. I guess I was totally numb, as were all my other music dept. classmates. Such a sad, horrible time, only to have it repeated twice more in 1968 with MLK & RFK.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

"Where were you when Kennedy was shot?"

I was in the cafeteria of the Bell Telephone Company (remember Ma Bell, who sent bills you could actually understand without an MBA?) enjoying my break, when all hell broke loose. I was a long distance operator and the boards were lit up like a Christmas tree.....we all dashed back to work. Everyone in town was calling friends and relatives to relay the bad news. Some people would just dial "O" to ask us if it was really true. Those were the days when you could actually talk to the operator (or rather, she was actually allowed to talk to you).

On another note, I remember some really long bike rides - to Doctor's Park or downtown - with a peanut butter sandwich (wrapped in wax paper, of course) and a can of something strapped to the back wheel. No bike helmets, of course. What I can't remember is - was that junior high, or was it 9th grade? Sandy? Judy? Meribeth?

Sandy Wachs (Oldham)

Nancy, those bike rides were while we were in high school.  We rented bikes built for two every spring break.  We rented them on the East side of Milwaukee, and then we biked along the lake front.  One year we ended our ride at the airport, and had to call someone to give us a ride home because we were too tired to peddle those bikes back.  We had a pretty big group of riders, and had lots of fun.  I can not remember who started this in our group, but I know that you, Merebeth, Judy, Angie, and maybe Marion were part of the group.   Anyone remember if they road with us??

Fun memories.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Wow - your memory is much better than mine!

I can guess that we had exactly one gear on those bikes, too.

We still bike, here at the lake and - especially fun - around Mackinac Island (about 75 miles north of us). Distance, however, a bit reduced; also, lots of sunscreen and a helmet (for me - not Karsten, who was delighted to learn this spring that Michigan had rescinded its helmet law for motorcycles....now he can risk life and limb on his "crotch rocket" too. Why are men so dumb?)

Carol Albers (Pederson)

Kennedy Assination?  I was driving home from UWM and wondering why they were playing sad music on my favorite Rock station.  My folks went to the cottage for the weekend and my grandmother was at the house.  I remember actually wishing they home to say something comforting about what was happening.  Rog and I went out that evening after work, but it was a more subdued time together.

Patty, I do remember those trips to Capitol Court. Do you think Rog was a bit annoyed when we would bug him?  As for the marshmallow sundaes, I still order them, only less frequently!!  Sometimes now you have to explain to the "soda jerk" how they should be made. 

I also remember going out for pizza on a Friday and waiting til after midnight so you could eat meat!  I do remember one time you "forgetting" that it was Friday.

Terri and Jeanne, I loved Christmas at Capitol Court!  And the lights didn't go on until after Thanksgiving.  I didn't know you worked at Lerners Jeanne?  I earned my tuition there.  Of course when we started at UWM,  I believe it was less than $90 a semester and then it went to $95.  More protests.

Before, I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't socially aware of what was going on with the war and the protests.  Living at home and not on campus, did insulate me from actually experiencing the protests, Sandy.  Roger and I lost a good friend and '61 grad, Jim Ketterer in the war.  He was a pilot and for many years was listed MIA.
 
 

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Dear All, 

It's been a blast reading all your memories and reminiscences, but somehow I keep hearing the refrain of that old song (Peggy Lee?), "IS THAT ALL THERE IS?"

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Hey, Jeanne,

As Jack Nicholson asked, "Is this as good as it gets?"  But I think we were luckier than the poor kids going to school now (those would be our kids and grandkids) and paying thousands per semester in tuition, then having no idea if they'll ever get a job when they graduate. When we went out to lunch with our neighbors after their daughter's H.S. graduation, they were incredulous that there was actually NO tuition at Foothill Community College, where I went for my 1st two years. There was a $12 student fee and books. That's all! And it was a beautiful brand new campus with very good instructors. That was back when the government and voters of California valued education and strove to have a first-rate school system, with equal opportunity for all. Now it is becoming a system of "haves" and "have nots", and the latter increasingly can't afford higher education.

Garry Sellers

"Is that all there is?"  Funny, after 50 years we're in a position to say yes or no to that question.  I think that's the beauty of a 50th reunion.  We don't owe an explanation or apology to anybody for anything.  Sure, we've all made some mistakes, some bigger than others ... but here we are.  We can't undo any of it, not that we necessarily want to. 

I'm always struck by the saying, "Life is what happens while we're waiting for something else to happen."  "Wait until I get my dirver's license"; "Wait until I get my degree"; "Wait until after the wedding";  "Wait until we can buy our own house"; "Wait until the kids get old enough", "Wait until the divorce is final"'; "Wait until I have more money in the bank"; "Wait until I can retire." ......  All the while the clock is ticking.  And then somebody sends you an email about the 50th reunion! OMG!!!

I vote that we just keep dancing and smiling knowlingly as our grandchildren crawl up onto our laps and say, "How come you've got so many wrinkles Grandpa?"  I'd like to say it's because I used baby oil and iodine as a sunscreen at Bradford Beach, I wore none playing baseball or picking acres of strawberrys on my Grandpa's farm, or at the McGovern park pool, or while stationed in the Phillipines, or living in Phoenix, or playing golf,  etc.

But instead I say, "What wrinkles?  Do I have wrinkles Sweetheart?"  All the while thinking about the journey they've just started.  Don't you wish you knew what their answer will be?

Karen Gerstl (LeDuke)

Is that all there is?

Wow!  Looking back, it was not always perfect, and sometimes seemed more difficult than I could handle, but I would not change a minute of it.  The experiences made me stronger, wiser and a better person today!  It has been a great ride, and if this is all there will ever be all I can say is.......Thank you God for this great life!

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Amen, Garry, Karen & Jeanne,

A wonderful life, the past 50 years covering our own unique time on this earth. Looking forward to dancing at the reunion, maybe bring on some booze, too!

Ray Thompson

Could not have said it better. 50 years is a very long time. 18 years ago today my wife and childhood sweet heart passed away from cancer. Took me a long time but married Mary in 2007. We live a wonderful life on Lake Camelot with our ATV and pontoon. Love having the kids and grand kids up. I could not ask for any more than I have.