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.
 

Jim Cejka

Terri,

Bong was an Air Force base they were going to build in southern WI, Racine county I think, but it never got off the ground.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Well, Jim - that's a Bong I haven't heard of.  I asked Jon, my consultant on all matters Air Force, if he remembers Bong - and he does. He's Googling right now to remind himself of its history. Nancy, it WAS an uphill battle to be a serious person trying to get an education and start an actual career during the hippie scene. I'm sure just as hard as trying to be a mom raising a toddler. Although much easier than being a member of the military. People seemed willing to throw out their values, their education, everything to be a part of that scene. I can remember a college professor saying if we wanted to skip class to go to a scheduled rally, it was okay. It WASN'T okay with me. But somehow, we all made it, it seems! :-)

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Terri, it's because of that toddler that Karsten didn't end up in 'Nam. Thank goodness for that. He thought we had no business in that war from day one, which was not a popular position to hold at a conservative school like MSOE. I'm sad for everyone who served there, whatever their reasons. It was not an easy war to come home from, with the "welcome" our soldiers received. Not to mention the war wounds, visible and not. I don't think anyone really wins in a war.

Lauren Dieterich

My brothers and I never did much skating; either rode bikes or walked. One of the few kids my age; in the neighborhood; my youngest brother and I walked for hours, after supper; after we were in high school. Also, spent a lot of time at Smith Park and McGovern Park.Used to hunt rabbits with bow and arrow, in the fields next to the tracks, along Mill Rd. Gary, we went to Brown Deer Park's archery range.

We used to try to catch pigeons in the barns near 51st and Mill Rd. We would climb up and crawl along the beams with a flashlight in our mouths; while hanging on with one hand and trying to grab a pigeon with the other. I have no idea of what we would have done, if we would've caught one.

I have to go with ' olly, olly oxen free; and, don't forget Red light, Green light.

Missed most of the 60's and early 70's. For one, I didn't go to college; my choice; and getting involved in racing for 8 years. Which took all of my youngest brother's and my spare time.

Have to admit that I tried pot; but,  tried is all that I did. I got nothing out of it; so, why try and waste money in the process. Family has a high tolerence to drugs.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Nancy/Karsten - At the risk of getting into politics, it does seem as if many of the beliefs of the war protestors were justified in recent confessions by people such as Robert MdNamara, etc. Most of the war protestors I saw did not do it out of disrespect for those soldiers fighting, but to get them home alive from a war they saw as a lie. It is terrible that there were some who met the returning vets with disrespect - but they weren't all that way, and our troops did come home. Too late for some, but in time for many.

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

BRAVA, TERRI!!!

Jim Cejka

Terri,

Richard Bong was a guy from WI who was America's top ace in WWII with 38 victories. Flew P-38s in the Pacific. They bought the land for the base and that was about as far as it got.

Most of us went to Vietnam because we were in the military and that's what your orders said. I was there early, and the protest were just beginning, as it appeared we were going to be there a long time. I came back and went to college. It was a different world. The protests were heating up, and I was a vet just back from 'Nam, going to school in CA. Commute, work, study. None of the usual college times or memories. Stay invisible. Got my degree in Zoology, and never did a thing with it, but could really impress the kids when we went to the zoo. Still can. 

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Thanks for the info, Jim. I know the guys who went to Nam were going there on orders, and not only "doing their job", but putting their lives on the line - that's what was so brutal about the reception some of them got upon returning. I am not aware of any of our classmates who lost their lives in that war - were there? But I shed many tears for those who were lost, nevertheless.

To switch topics completely, I just fertilized my lawn a couple weeks ago with - you guessed it - Milorganite: the best there is! And regardless of how it's made (I know!) - not only is my grass brilliant green, but, to my nose, I have the smell of Lake Michigan for a couple weeks.

Melody Jones (Parker)

Yes, riding the bus downtown to the museum and central library at age 9 - loved to do that on a Sunday afternoon if I didn't have 50cents to go to the movie at the Sherman theater.  Bus only cost 7cents one way.

Going to Silver Spring community pool and taking swimming lessons from the Red Cross, then stay for "free swim".  Later, when I had babysitting money in my pocket (started at age 11 for 25cents per hour), I could rent a rowboat and row around on the "pond" there at Silver Spring.

We lived on Congress and 50th, so walking over to Capitol Court and spending the afternoon go-carting and trampolineing was also a frequent activity if money was available.  If not, just playing down by Johnson's Creek for free was also fun!

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

OMG Mel, you lived a half block from our house near 51st & Congress. What elementary school did you go to?  We went to Congress School. We loved Capitol Court! It was our major occupation - going to Walgreens and sitting, sipping a soda, and watching who came by;  and shopping - window shopping, mostly -  so I could get ideas for things I could sew. And trampolining too! Did you mean Lincoln Creek? It was amazing when it was still wild, before they graded and landscaped it and made "Lincoln Creek Parkway". There were huge roots of fallen trees which made fabulous hiding places.  You could walk across the trunk of that tree to get to the other side. You could also ice skate on the creek in the winter - and then we would skate all the way down to the place where it went into a huge concrete sewer.  It was creepy in there, and that's where we stopped!

Lauren Dieterich

I got as close to going to 'nam as you could get without actually going, I was supposed to go to the 504th MP company in Saigon. But, orders were changed at the last minute; I was put in for a security clearance; and, sent to Ft.Devens, outside of Boston. I was called a 'baby killer' and had people spit in my face; while flying military standby. You had to fly in uniform.

Donald Christnacht was in Security with me at Ft. Devens; at least until he lost a paternity suit. The Army pulled his clearance and sent him to a regular MP company. He bought a house across the street from my Dad sometime around 1980. He died of cancer a couple of years later.

Be careful with milorganite; it has traces of chrome in it; so wear some kind of plastic or rubber gloves. And look out for the dust. I did chrome plating for awhile; after I got out of the Army. But, it is good fertalizer.

Garry Sellers

Terri -Tom Schmerda from our class was killed in Vietnam.  He's on our In Memory page.  Tom was a really neat guy who was a fine athlete and student but didn't have all the bravado of some.  Younger sister, Sue, was in the '63 class.

Mel - Are you talking about McGovern Park and the pool and lagoons there?  Between 40th and 51st and Silver Spring.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I knew Tom from orchestra from Edison through Custer - he played cello. A really nice guy, with a quiet sense of humor. What a terrible loss.  

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Re: the homepage, "reasons not to go to the picnic............."

Dear Cute Hunk,

I know EXACTLY where I'm supposed to go. But when I get there, I just can't quite remember, "now, what did I come here for?"

Melody Jones (Parker)

Oops...showing my senior brain drain!  Yes, Terri, I meant Lincoln Creek, not Johnson Creek.  Yes, Garry, I meant McGovern Park, only we always called it Silver Spring.  I was in town in 2004 and saw that the pool is no longer there.

Terri, I moved into 50th St house the summer of 1959 right before starting HS.  I was enrolled at Washington HS because I graduated from Peckham Jr high.  We were living on 43rd & Congress at the time.  Due to the move, I was transfered to the Custer HS district and had to spend the first day of school in Sept. 1959 making my transfer and signing up for whatever classes were open.  Most of my friends from Peckham went to Washington.  But I am assertive and make friends easily, so I was soon a converted Custerite!!!  I have fond memories of being on the stage singing during talent shows and playing "Laurie Williams" in "Oklahoma!" during my junior year.  I was a singer...after all, my name is MELODY!

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

I wonder - will my grand daughter play " Red Rover, Red Rover,

let --------------------------- come over" ?

Lauren Dieterich

The pool at Mcgovern park was removed before I moved to New Mexico ( lived there in Deming. 30 miles from the border) in 2002. Too many problems with street gangs. The lights on the basketball courts, there, were removed about 4 years ago, because of fights. While I was in New Mexico; Edison was closed. I was glad to hear that. No longer had to worry about the garage being broken into; every afternoon, while I was sleeping. I worked 3rd shift ( for 23 years ) Regarding school closings; Carlton grade school was closed a few years ago; and, the school on 76th and Silver Spring is now a private school.

You won't recognize West Lawn on Silver Spring, between 60th and 68th, either. The old 2 story row housing is being replaced with 5 story apartment style buildings.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Nancy, we used to play "Red Rover" as a regular outdoor game when I first started teaching in '68. But that, along with Dodge Ball became officially "no-no"s because kids arms occasionally got broken in Red Rover during the break-through part, and sometimes the Dodge Balls would knock someone in the face; they were deemed too brutal. And I'm sure the school districts couldn't afford the lawsuits that followed. Melody, I am showing my failing memory (and if anyone saw my previous posts, you'll see why I love the Edit button!) - I realize we didn't actually do the whole play of Oklahoma, did we? I still sing the whole song when we drive through OK. When I was in orchestra I remember playing the music, and rehearsing it.. You were great! We must have done music from "Oklahoma" and "Carousel"  in addition to the class plays in the Talent Shows, right? (Thanks, Jeanne Z. G. for jogging my memory). 

Jim Cejka

We were quite lucky at Custer, band, orchestra, plays. Being in orchestra, we got to see 3 "senior" class plays. All were excellent, talent, costume, and direction wise. Through 5 kids, haven't seen anything nearly as complete and well done. Band, the parades, football games and those half-time manuevers. Mr Ochs and Mr Thom gave us a great variety of music to expose us to timeless stuff. Had 2 kids take band in their high school, there was no orchestra, they didn't do football games, didn't march parades longer than 2-3 blocks, and played everything in the same tempo - march, broadway, classic - in a sort of modified disco. The directors arm had only one motion. We were lucky. 

Ray Thompson

Some people were posting about the hippie movement. I remember back in August of 1969 I was in the Army & sitting in Fort Dix New Jersey waiting to ship out to Germany. We had 7 days to kill and heard about some kind of music festival in White Plains, N.Y. going on. Only 80 miles a way so a few of us wandered up there and turns out it was Woodstock. Now that was an experience I will never forget. Mud--Mud & more Mud.--But did get to hear some guy called Bob Marley. I have been his greatest fan ever since.

Melody Jones (Parker)

Terri,   You are right.  We did not do the entire Oklahoma play.  Thanks for the compliment!  Glad you remember the performance.  In our senior year we did a partial Carousel.  One of the whole plays we did was The King and I.   We had two Annas; one for Friday night and one for Saturday night because the instructors could not decide which one should play the lead.  Victoria Somers played Anna on Saturday night, she was an old time friend of mine from church.  She had a fantastic voice!  She was also a member of a Milwaukee group called the Nightengales who sang light opera professionally.

After high school in 1964, I was on stage in a non-musical play called "Father's Been to Mars" for little theatre in Lake Mills, WI.  I love to perform.  But I can't be on stage now due to my disability.  However, I do get to fill in for the minister of my church and preach the sermon now and then.  It is a performance of another kind...and I love it!

Kenneth Pallaske

Hello everyone. I am posting this note to let you know, if you believe Gar(r)y, he had me dead and burried. For goodness sake, I'm old and was taking an afternoon nap. If that doesn't work for you, my twin is still alive too. Gar(r)y still has some left-over pot from his "Hate Azburry" days after he was deproted to California. The stuff must be moldy by now, Gar(r)y.

I see he is on line. Spying on me....huh, Sellers?

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Melody, thanks for clearing up the mystery of "Oklahoma" and "Carousel".  I was one of the many wives of the King in K&I' and totally enjoyed the play - although I still have pangs of conscience for "ditching" orchestra in favor of being the play, as many did!  I was always a little afraid to look Mr. Bolltz in the eye after that. As Jim said, he was one of the hard-working musci staff that enabled us to have wonderful performing experiences. Friday night's Anna was Jeanne Zinser, who also sang beautifully and went on to become a music educator, putting on musicals and shows of her own! 

Melody Jones (Parker)

Terri, thanks for the update on Jeanne, I remember her performance also.  I'm glad she went on to make music her career, she was very talented. 

Does anyone in the class know whatever happened to Jerry Grasse, the male cheerleader and dancer in many of our plays, etc?  I always thought he would be successful on the stage in New York.

I think there is another of our classmates who is successful in professional music. When I was doing a web search for Michael Minikel, I found him in Las Vegas, playing guitar at a club.  I attempted communication around Christmas time, but did not get a response.  Anyway have any further info on Mike?

Jeanne Zinser (Gottschalk)

Melody...

Unfortunately, though Jerry Grasse went on to do minor stage work in Vegas and N.Y. after graduation in 1961, he died a number of years ago, a victim of AIDS. 

Thanks for the kind words. FYI, 10 years after performing the role of Mrs. Anna in "The King and I," I directed a production of it at Milwaukee's Notre Dame H.S. (quite well known at the time for their excellent musical theatre). I was even able to rent 3 of the costumes that were made for Custer's production, including Anna's gorgeous ballgown.

Jeanne