Charlotte Central High 1954

Reminder

2011-02-15T07:54:00.000-05:00

This site has MOVED.

across the street to chs54.net

Bookmark our new address now, because soon this address will go dark. Remember, the only thing different is the DOT NET.

Our new address is chs54.net -Ed

Breaking News

2011-02-14T17:29:00.002-05:00

(I apologize for the smart alek headline, but I couldn't resist! Besides, I understand that Mary is healing fine! -Ed)

Jerry Gaudet reports that Mary Kratt has suffered a fall.

At the February "LDL" we heard that Mary had fallen, suffering a broken fibula ( the smaller bone in the lower leg).

Speaking of her exercising program, Mary says... " I won't be exercising there for at least a month but I am doing quite well. It was a clean break, lucky for me and not on a weight bearing bone. Watch that last step!!!! Hold on hand railings!"

Get well quick good wishes go out to you, Mary! You can reach her...

Mary Kratt
3328 Providence Plantation Lane
Charlotte, NC 28270-3719

Email mkratt@mindspring.com

Don't Forget NET

2011-02-14T08:39:00.000-05:00

This site has moved to chs54.net.

Actually everything is in place over there now......so go there now and bookmark our new site now.

www.chs54.net

This site will soon disappear! -Ed

World Class Storyteller

2011-02-13T18:14:00.000-05:00

By Obie Oakley

I’m not sure what I really thought about when I heard the term, Storyteller used. I think it was more along the lines of the guy sitting around the lodge after a day of hunting or fishing regaling his companions with “Stories”. He always had a captive audience and was definitely aided by copious consumption of adult beverages. Usually, they were short vignettes with a beginning, a main character, an almost believable story and an end. That was it.

Well, my impression of a storyteller took a dramatic one-eighty on Wednesday evening when I was privileged to hear our very own classmate, Ellouise, captivate her audience for a wonderful non-stop hour of entertaining STORYTELLING.

What made it different? It was never a discernable stand-alone short vignette that would begin and end before going on the tale. What Ellouise has is the magical ability to artistically weave one story or personal experience seamlessly into the next, causing you to not realize where one began and the other took up.

Since she was the invited guest of the Olde Mecklenburg Genealogical Society and since genealogy happens to be a passion of hers, our Master Storyteller held her audience spellbound with things that happened in our hometown when our great grandparents were just coming on the scene. Stories involving such widely topics as Chief, the elephant who killed his trainer in uptown Charlotte, how hard it is sometimes to get older folks to open up with personal experiences and even about her own trip back to Elizabeth School earlier that day telling 2nd and 3rd graders what it was like for her entering that very school for the first time
.
What a gift Ellouise has and how thankful we should be that she generously shares that gift with others.

Thank you Ellouise!

Your CHS ’54 Classmate / OO

PS, there was a wonderful article in today’s Sunday edition of The Charlotte Observer about her, complete with a large color photo.

Lou is Home!

2011-02-13T14:56:00.001-05:00

Betty Rose reports that her husband Lou came home from the hospital yesterday!

She says he'd love visits.....BUT NOT TODAY (SUNDAY).
Be sure to CALL first.

Lou has an appointment at DUKE on Thursday.

Just sitting there minding their own business........when STARDOM STRUCK

2011-02-11T18:15:00.005-05:00

By Marlene Ritch Beaty

As most of you know,Thomas and I spent a couple of months in Chandler, AZ over the holidays with our daughter Valerie and her family.

We drove out, pulling our camping trailer. On the second day out, we stopped for breakfast at a Chick Fil A in Meridian, MS, and were approached by a young lady who was looking for some elderly people to be in a commercial.

I assured her if I saw some elderly people, I would send them over. It was then that she decided to use us instead.

Marlene and Tom will be signing autographs at the next LDL event. -Ed

Ellouise at Elizabeth

2011-02-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is the story that was in the Charlotte Observer telling about Ellouise's visit to Elizabeth School last week.
Ellouise will have a better, and more detailed, report for our website....as soon as she and Jim get a little rest from their very busy trip to Charlotte.
Stay tuned! -Ed

Telling tales out of school

A woman who attended Elizabeth Traditional in 1942 tells students about their history.

By Greg Lacour
Special Correspondent
Posted: Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011
ellouise1.JPG

Ellouise Schoettler, a professional storyteller, stopped at her old first-grade classroom at Elizabeth Traditional Elementary. Sarah Nelson, in background, teaches there.

First stop: the old first-grade classroom. Ellouise Schoettler walked in just before 2 p.m.

Teacher Sarah Nelson was in there, alone. Schoettler began regaling her with stories. This is what she does.

Schoettler started school in the same classroom in September 1942, though the school was then called the Elizabeth School. Her father, who'd enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, walked her to school, then left home that day to go to war. She remembers the teacher, Elizabeth Cook, a beautiful blonde who looked like a princess, her hair shining ...

Eventually, Schoettler broke from her reverie and soft-shoed into the Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School auditorium, where about 180 students - all of the second- and third-grade classes - had gathered to hear Schoettler, a 74-year-old professional storyteller, talk to them about the school she remembers.

Which, in some ways, hasn't changed at all.

"This auditorium," she told the students, "looks exactly the way it did when I started first grade in 1942." The kids gasped.

Schoettler grew up a few blocks away, on East Seventh Street in Elizabeth, but left Charlotte after graduating from Central High in 1954. That was the last time she lived in the Queen City, although she frequently returned to visit; her career kept her in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area, where she worked at various times as a visual artist, pro-Equal Rights Amendment activist and art college president before devoting herself to storytelling about 20 years ago. She speaks regularly at schools and to civic groups and organizes storytelling events twice per month in the D.C. area.

Her appearance at her old school was a happy coincidence, in a way. Schoettler's 75th birthday is coming up in July, and she wanted to tell stories about her youth to groups in her hometown.

A few weeks ago, she cold-called Elizabeth Traditional Principal Susan Spencer-Smith and told her she'd like to speak to the students. Spencer-Smith thought it'd be a nice way to get students thinking about the school's long history in advance of its 100-year anniversary next year.

"A lot of students don't realize the building they're in is 100 years old," Spencer-Smith said. "I thought it'd be interesting for them to realize how things were different in times past."

It's especially important to Spencer-Smith considering how close the school came to closing; Elizabeth Traditional was on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' closure list in the fall before parental uproar saved it.

During her talk, Schoettler told the students about her first day of school, about how Miss Cook told the class, "Boys and girls, if you're feeling nervous, don't feel nervous, because it's my first day, too."

She rushed home for lunch that first day to see if she could catch her father before he left to fight in World War II. "My little legs were going up and down like steam pistons," she said. But her father was gone. (He eventually returned safely.)

Schoettler amazed the kids with her stories about saving tinfoil for the war effort and other unimaginable hardships, such as the absence of television - the students gasped again - and clothes that had to be washed with an old bathtub wringer washer.

The kids had never heard of such a thing. Schoettler didn't bother trying to explain it in too much detail. It'd get in the way of her storytelling, after all. She told the students to just Google it.
Greg Lacour is a freelance writer.

WE'RE MOVING!

2011-02-08T11:22:00.001-05:00

However,

It's ONLY around the block. Our NEW ADDRESS is the very same......EXCEPT that
DOT COM.........is now DOT NET

We've almost completed moving the entire staff over to our new digs at DOT NET.

The staff working at their new headquarters at CHS54.NET

Check out our new house. It's the same comfortable old furniture and all the old files etc.

The only thing that has changed is the DOT COM.

It's NOW.............CHS54.NET

chs54.net

Go visit our new house now......CHS54.NET.......and bookmark it!

(Our old house at DOT COM will remain open for a few more days while we make sure we haven't left anything behind.) -Ed

Love, Faith and ENDURANCE!

2011-02-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Jackie (Hart) Lookabill, and husband Gene, wanted CHS'54 classmates to know about their daughter, LaGena, being on the cover of Endurance Magazine with a story inside. It can be viewed online at www.endurancemag.com by clicking on "digital issues", January 2011,and finally the article "Faith , Love & Endurance", pages 14 and 15.

Or, try this "link" for the pdf version of this article..

.http://www.magazooms.com/tmp/110210_195743.pdf

Congratulations to LaGena for her perserverence and to her family for such wonderful support! -JG

(What an inspiration LaGena is for ALL of us! -Ed )

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This!

2011-02-06T19:22:00.004-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Now, wasn’t that fun?!

"LDL" (Let's do lunch) was a special treat on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, (our twenty-eighth).

Mary Sue uses her school principal experience to get us started…
Charlie Willis spoke for us all in offering a beautiful prayer for our sick and meal blessing.

Ellouise and Jim Schoettler were special guests even though Ellouise says she’s “just one of us”…

Barney Lisk and his wife, Carol (next-door neighbors to John Culp) came to see for themselves what Johnny had been talking about…

And, Betsy (Villas) White came down from Atglen, PA to be with us and seemingly couldn’t believe what she was hearing…

Ellouise talked with us about her first day of FIRST GRADE at Elizabeth School, painting a wonderful word picture of our world at that time of our lives. The “LDL” attendees responded with various recollections from their own experiences…

Nobody paid any attention to Ellouise…yeah, right…we were enthralled…

“LDL”s are fun! Come be with us sometime. Second Tuesday of each month. -JG

An Army of One

2011-02-06T10:58:00.004-05:00

I’ve had a number of compliments on the two stories about my wife’s ancestor Sydney Davis, who wrote about his adventures as a US Cavalryman.

Apparently his kindness touched a lot of hearts.

Marilyn Davis Coolidge, Linda and Ed, Claire Davis

We had lunch the other day with Linda's aunt, Claire Davis, and her daughter Marilyn.
It was Claire who was responsible for rescuing Sydney Davis’ autobiography from eternal atticdom and bringing it to the attention of the Library of Congress, making it available to Civil War historians. She said that most of the books they had printed were purchased by friends and family members.

I mentioned that there were a couple of books written about one of my ancestors, but neither of them ever came close to being a “best seller,” either.

Nor, would they ever leave anyone with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

My mother was Bertha Jolly from Anderson, SC. I remember her telling me that there were two families of Jollys in Anderson; one had money, and the other had the “Civil War hero”.......Manse Jolly.

Needless to say, her dirt poor family was descended from the latter.

But not everyone thought of Manse as a hero. The Federal government certainly didn’t. They had a higher price on his head than they ever had on Jesse James; $10,000 in gold...Dead or Alive.

You see, the heroics Manse became famous for were those he performed after the war was officially declared over.

He claimed that Lee may have surrendered, but he (Manse) didn’t.
He was the only one of 6 Jolly brothers who returned home after the war.

The others were all killed in battle.

He swore that he would kill 5 Yankee soldiers for every one of his dead brothers. Apparently, that was the unfinished business that drove Manse. That, and the fact that the helpless residents of Anderson were being abused by a number of the Federal soldiers..

He more than met his self imposed quota.

One of the books about him is titled, Manse Jolly, Hero, or Deranged Killer.

Perhaps he was a little bit of both.

Anderson SC Highway Sign

But considering the evil inflicted on the South (especially South Carolina) during “Reconstruction,” the darkest period in our nation’s history, the people of Anderson at that time considered Manse a hero.

That’s good enough for me.

The soldiers of the garrison stationed in Anderson, were known to loot and pillage the area... and Jolly went after each one.

The story says that the soldiers became so terrified of Manse that back up was brought into the area. It finally got “too hot” for him in Anderson, and aware of that $10,000 price on his head, he finally decided to flee to Texas and start his life over.

Many stories and legends have been told about him, many perhaps exaggerated or invented entirely, but apparently, there’s little disagreement about his departure from Anderson.
On his way out of town.....he rode straight through the Union Camp, yelling the spine tingling “rebel yell” while firing both pistols at everything that moved......

Newspaper accounts at the time quoted Union soldiers as saying that they thought they had been attacked by an entire regiment of Confederates.

Manse and his horse, Dixie, made it to Milam County Texas, where he settled and eventually married and began raising a family.

He drowned shortly before his first child was born while crossing a flooded river.

He was 29 years old.

-ED

(Researching this story, I discovered that there is even a song about him on YouTube.
It's was written by Jeff Rose of the Cane Creek Bluegrass band.)

4:00 pm Update for Lou Palomba

2011-02-05T08:09:00.003-05:00

Betty Rose sends this update on her husband Lou's conditon:

The procedure did NOT go as planned today. Lou stopped breathing because of the buildup of food in his lungs (although he has not eaten anything but liquids). It was very scarey. They plans to do xrays Monday and see if the stuff has left his lungs before they try again. If they decide not to do this, we or they will consult with the Duke doctor that did his original operation.

This doctor also talked about a feeding tube if the other does not work. It breaks my heart to think that Lou will have to deal with something like that rest of his life. It will take him time, I am sure to adjust to whatever happens. I can certainly understand.

Right now he is on the 4th floor here at Presbyterian Main which is a step down from ICU so he is getting very good attention. Both boys and my grandson, Alex are here and we were all together during the procedure. Thank goodness I had their support because it sent me for a loop.

If you want to visit, would you call the hospital first and I will let you know if he feels like company. Thank you all for your continued support. Tony will stay as long as needed here at the hospital. We love all of you and feel so fortunate we have so many friends that are pulling for Lou........

LDL this Tuesday Feb 8th

2011-02-03T10:29:00.003-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Ellouise is coming! Ellouise is coming!

When Ellouise talks, people listen!

Well, this email was to start out like this, but Ellouise would have no part of it, saying instead, “I feel like it’s too much about me the storyteller. I am ME who is one of YOU - and I am really excited to see everybody”.

She then suggested it was OK to say: (make it our own words), but we can’t say this about her, can we?…so we’ll use her words…”But WE already know about that talking! Ellouise has been talking and talking and talking since she stepped through the doors of Piedmont Jr. High in the 7th grade. Some things just don't change. But we never thought people would pay her to talk.”

And, she has asked a favor - Ellouise has a story about the Elizabeth School that will start a STORY SWAP - - so we can all trade stories. That sounds OK, don’t you think?

So, Ellouise is going to tell us a story at next Tuesday’s “LDL”.

Don’t miss it!

Our usual disclaimer (and vision test)...

This message is being sent to all CHS'54 classmates for whom we have an E-mail address. We recognize that many of you live great distances away and may not elect to "do lunch", but we want you to know what we are doing and hope you'll come when you can.

"LDL" (Let's do lunch) will be held on
Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 11:30 AM
at "Jimmies Restaurant"
off Hwy. 51 (in Mint Hill)
7024 Brighton Park Dr.
Mint Hill, NC
704/545-7750

February’s “LDL” will have a Valentine’s theme.
Spread the word! Invite other classmates to come!
Even better, bring someone with you! Be sure YOU, come!

We’ll want to come early, order our lunch favorites, have a brief business meeting, enjoy our meal and then hear Ellouise’s story for us…and respond.

For answers to any conceivable lunch questions,
please contact Mary Sue (Banks) Burnett, marysburnett@yahoo.com , or phone 704/846-8619.

Virgil (not the poet)

2011-02-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

I hesitate to tell this story because it’s pretty well documented that naming squirrels in your yard is an early sign of insanity.

But Virgil was special. He was probably the first black squirrel I’d ever seen.

Virgil, being coy (look closely)

I don’t recall ever seeing one in Charlotte, although we had more than our share of grey ones who camped out in our yard at 2333 East 5th Street and were in constant competition (war?) with my Mom over the pecans that fell from the two large deciduous trees in our yard. (I love using words like that. It just “reeks” of intelligence!)

No doubt, I would have grown up as “anti-squirrel” as she was, had I realized that she was making those delicious pecan pies from our own home grown drupe fruit seeds (there I go again) and there would have been more of those pies if it hadn’t been for those furry grey thieves.

But frankly, there were too many distractions (great looking girls) at CHS for me to concern myself with the art of making pecan pies.

Anyway, it was my youngest son David who came up with the name Virgil.

My other two kids and I agreed that it was the perfect name for him. You could just look at him........and tell; he’s a Virgil.

Virgil at suppertime

He didn’t seem to be as aggressive as the other squirrels. We noticed that the others took most of the peanuts we threw out each day, so we began saving a few especially for Virgil....AFTER the grey hoards had gone off to stash their loot.

Not long afterward, Virgil started showing up at odd times of the day...when no other squirrels were around, and more often than not one of my kids would see him....and throw him a few nuts.

Later, my kids discovered that Virgil would come running from out of the woods behind our house if they “called him.” Or, I could just whistle and he would come. It was truly amazing.

Once I asked my Mom, who was a real country girl if she knew what the life expectancy of a squirrel was. How long did squirrels live?

She said, “I reckon til somebody shoots ‘em.”

She had a way with words.

Virgil stayed around our house, living like a king, for a little over two years. Then one day he just didn’t come when we called and we never saw him again.

That was many years ago, but my neighbors still talk about it. I often overhear bits and pieces of their conversations..... talking about.....".the Shephards.......squirrels.......Virgil.......nuts......."

-Ed

Update Prayer List for Lou Palomba

2011-02-02T15:43:00.002-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Betty (Rose Templeton) Palomba shares with us concern for husband Lou's present health situation. We have an opportunity to lift Lou and Betty through this ordeal. We have this contact information for them:

Betty and Lou Palomba
2633 Richardson Dr., Morrocroft Apt. B2
Charlotte, NC 28211-3346

Email brpalomba@hotmail.com

This email

From: Betty Rose Palomba
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 8:24 PM
Subject: Lou's operation

"As most of you know Lou went into the hospital this a.m. for a hernia operation. The anesthetist was preparing him and noticed something very unusual about his lungs and stopped everything. It seems that both lungs are filled with gunk and solids. They put him on oxygen and started scraping the lungs. He was put in ICU and induced sleep for most of the day.

Several xrays were made of the lungs during the day hoping things would improve enough to take out the breathing tube but the last one at 6:00 was still showing problems and they will induce steep tonight and retake xrays in the morning. He is not able to talk but did ask a few questions by writing them.

His first quesiton was "am I going to die". We assured him that things will turn around and he will get well. Thedoctors are very disturbed about his lungs and will be doing quiite a bit of testing. I have no idea when he will come home.

If you would be good enough to keep him in your prayers I know he will feel the strength of all of his friends. At this time I am asking that NO One go to the hospital to visit him. Tony is staying with me and will stay at the hospital until this is over. Of course Chris will be coming also. Unfortunately only 2 people can be in ICU at a time

This all sounds pretty bad, and it is, but we are fortunate he was scheduled for the hernia operation because the doctor said he could have had a spell at home and it would have "taken him".

Once again luck was on our side.

- Betty"

Keep in mind that Betty has requested that NO ONE go to the hospital at this time to visit Lou!
-Ed

"...but stay away from the liquor cabinet"

2011-01-31T19:46:00.002-05:00

"Broadcast House"

It was a Saturday afternoon sometime in 1966 and I was working my announcer shift at WTOP-TV in Washington, which consisted mostly of doing station breaks, which meant that every half hour, between network programs, I would turn on the microphone and say, “Channel 9, Washington.”

It was tough work, but someone had to do it.

I got a call from the receptionist downstairs who informed me that there was a gentleman and his son in the lobby who wanted to “tour the station”....and did I want to take the time to show them around.

As you know, I’m a sucker for that kind of thing because not too many years before, I had been the one asking stations in Charlotte to let me look around. And they had all been very kind to me.


Duke Struck (later NFL director)

The man turned out to be a minister and he and his son were both as nice as they could be. I gave them the full tour of all the studios that afternoon and they seemed very grateful. The crew happened to be taping a show that day, so they were able to observe more than just darkened studios.

I had forgotten all about that when one day a year or so later, I got a call from downstairs informing me that there was a man in the lobby asking to see me.

My visitor turned out to be the minister to whom I had given the station tour that Saturday afternoon.

He asked if we could talk privately, so I took him up to my office, where he showed me a matchbook with the President of the United States’ Seal on it.

White House Matchbook

He said his specialty was working with alcoholics and that he had been spending a lot of time at the White House.

(This was getting weirder and weirder!)

He said that for the past year he had been working with the President's brother who was also living in the White House.

I said that I didn’t know that the President had a brother!

And certainly not one who was living in the White House.

“Very few people do,” he said.

“His name is Sam Houston Johnson and he is Lyndon Johnson’s younger brother.......and I have been working with him daily...helping him to overcome his alcohol addiction.”

President Johnson and brother

He went on the tell me that the brother had made great progress; so much so that the President felt that it was time for his brother to be introduced to the public.

My minister friend had suggested that the morning TV show that I was hosting at the time would be a good place to do it.......and he said the President had agreed.

Of course, I said yes.

But the show never happened. Apparently, another reporter discovered the secret brother and broke the story, which forced the White House to respond sooner than they wanted, which negated the need for the planned introduction on my show.

Frankly, I was relieved.

The national “exposure” would have been a nice feather in my cap (unless I had asked really dumb questions) but there was at least a 50/50 chance that Lyndon Johnson might not be pleased with the way I handled the interview and little old Eddie Myers, former Elizabeth School patrol boy and CHS graduate, could very easily have found himself on the President of the United States' enemies list.

Whew!

Another close call. -Ed

(Samuel Houston Johnson (January 31, 1914-December 11, 1978) was the younger brother of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
According to the internet, he was notorious for getting drunk and then talking to the press. Eventually, the Secret Service put him under surveillance. He died of lung cancer at 64, at the same age his brother was at his death. Sam wrote the book My Brother Lyndon after LBJ left the White House.)

Friday came early this week

2011-01-31T11:58:00.005-05:00

Even though I'm almost completely retired now, Mondays still seem like MONDAYS to me.

But, there are exceptions. Like today for example!

Two things turned this Monday morning into a "Friday" kind of day for me:

First, there was a nice note from Mitzi complimenting me on a couple of stories I wrote, then I received this email from Frank Clontz, class of '55:

"As I sit at my wife's computer early every morning because the two in my office are too far away from the TV News and it's usually colder in there. I click on Mozilla and my first stop is the Charlotte Observer because I’ve lived here most of my life. Next, I click on the Miami Herald as I lived there five years, leaving Charlotte in the middle of the 5th grade and returning in the middle of the 9th grade.

Those years were spent recovering from the Polio I had at a younger age. After reading the Miami Herald, I go to the Asheville Citizen's Times to check on events in Western North Carolina as my current wife of 53 years is from Swain County, and the Asheville paper usually carries major events from there.

Then, I go to your website and find that it is more enjoyable to read, not only because most hometown papers have lost the "Home-Town" flavor years ago and only report crime, crooked politics, and city payouts for lawsuits against the police and reprint articles from the New York Times, Washington Post and anywhere else McClatchy either owns or can buy articles on the cheap.

Your website continues to brighten my mornings and keeps me informed of those that I knew and loved so very much from the class of 54 and lets me know of any loss of the members of your class as many moved away from the area very soon after growing their wings, ending up all across the US and many other places around the world.

So many in the class of 54’ were so great and helpful to me at a time, as a young man with remnants of having had polio some years earlier, found it difficult to make friends due to my insecurity, however, you and many others were there to help and share your time and energy with me. One good example was Harry Joyner helping me learn to speak Spanish as we made short time-lapsed film in his dad’s garage as he was beginning his venture into the world of movie making and there are many others that were a great help, including you during your stint at WGIV doing remote broadcast from Parker-Garner Music Store, allowing me to play piano over the great airwaves of the past. Others of the class of 54 were my mentors and many, my dream girls.

As we grow just a little bit older and a little less important to the world around us, it is comforting to be able to stay informed of the well being of those we knew many years ago. With that in mind, we look to the future and the continued ability to log on the chs54 for up-to-date events of the great class of Central High School, Class of 1954"

Frank Clontz
Class of 55'

I remember those radio remotes at Parker Gardner very well. I was supposed to ad lib interviews with customers in the store. Most of them didn't want to talk to me....and frankly, those that did found that I ran out of questions rather quickly......at which point I would say "...back to you, Frank for another tune."

Many years, and many broadcasts later, there were still times during interviews when the "interviewee" was answering my questions with "yes" or "no"...... I would think to myself, "Where are you Frank, now that I need you again?" -Ed

"Enter and sign in please"

2011-01-26T18:48:00.006-05:00

In 1964 Somebody at CBS happened to notice that there were two Lee Shephards doing TV weathercasts on two different stations, one in Washington and one in Detroit.

When the network game show people heard of this they immediately started looking for a third one.........so that we could all appear on “To Tell the Truth.”

If you remember, that was the show where three contestants all claimed to be .....somebody.......but only ONE of them was telling the truth. They contacted me and asked if I would be willing to appear on the show.

I jumped at the chance.....mainly because it would allow me to finally meet my hero, superman! aka/Bud Collyer, who was the voice of the radio Superman in the 1940's.

The idea was that after the questioning by the panel, Bud Collyer would say, and now, “Will the real Lee Shephard please stand up!”

And all three of us would stand.

Great idea. The only thing wrong was they couldn’t find another Lee Shephard who was on TV.

But they still thought that two people, both doing the same thing (TV weather casting at the time) might be a good gimmick for another one of their shows, WHAT'S MY LINE.

So, on a Sunday night in April 1964, I found myself at 254 West 54th Street in New York backstage at CBS studio 52 waiting to be a small part of a show that for many years had been “the last bit of freedom” that I enjoyed before a new week of school began.

I met the other Lee Shephard who was very personable as were the other guests, all of whom seemed pretty ordinary, like me.

There was only one person backstage who seemed a bit strange. I say that because she arrived with her hair in curlers. But even stranger than that was that she had brought her hairdresser with her......and he followed her around ...doing hairdresser stuff....while she flitted about talking with the producer and his assistants. I figured that she must be part of the show, although I was sure she wasn’t Arlene Francis or Dorothy Kilgallen.

I tried not to stare.

As you probably recall, the panelists on the show were only allowed to ask questions that could be answered with a yes, or no. So, there was nothing much we contestants could do to screw up unless we happened to bump into the wall of the set and knock it down or something.

That was another thing. That set looked so good on TV, but in reality, it would never have been allowed to be used in one of the plays at CHS because of its flimsiness. When I signed in, I tried not to press too hard on the blackboard.

So between answering “yes” and “no”......and trying not to bump into the wall of the set...my 15 minutes of fame went off OK. The panel guessed us pretty quickly, but the host, John Daly turned the cards over anyway.....and awarded us the grand prize which was $50.

Backstage again, I noticed that the mystery woman in the hair curlers wasn’t there anymore.

But the hairdresser was. He was standing there staring at the TV monitor looking very pleased.

The mystery woman.....turned out to be the “Mystery Guest.”

And not a hair out of place.

Incidentally, I don't believe they ever did send me that 50 bucks.

Maybe they found out that my real name wasn't Lee Shephard.

-Ed

Re-gifting

2011-01-24T08:51:00.007-05:00

Ellouise has a real sweet story on her blog about parting with a special "treasure" that has its roots way back to the CHS Junior Senior Prom of 1953.
Take a look.

"Duke's"

2011-01-22T20:49:00.001-05:00

There was no place in Charlotte like it.

There’s no place In Washington like it either, anymore..

Duke Zeibert

But for 44 years, everyone who was anyone went there hoping to be recognized and greeted by a man once described as looking like Ben Franklin impersonating a bookie.

Duke Zeibert was the owner of a legendary restaurant by the same name in downtown Washington. It was the home of the “power lunch” before that term was even coined.

He filled his restaurant with Washington’s most powerful movers and shakers through his back slapping personality, phenomenal memory (he never forgot a name) and shrewd flattery

Every President from Harry Truman to Gerald Ford ate there as well as lawyers, senators, lobbyists, quarterbacks, coaches and columnists. Later, The Redskins’ Super Bowl trophies were on display in the lobby of the restaurant.

When I arrived in Washington and worked for WTOP-TV (CBS) in 1961, Duke's was located at Connecticut Ave and L street, only four blocks from the White House.

One truism in the TV business is that it was impossible not to make a lot of money in the 50’s and 60’s if you owned a TV station that was a CBS affiliate. (WBTV in Charlotte was a good example.)

The same was true, not in terms of money, but in recognizability, as far as local TV announcers/newscasters/weathermen were concerned. Washington had only four TV stations during those years. Charlotte had only two.(One, for most of the '50s)

This hit home with me (a nobody compared to the power elite in Washington) when I walked into Duke Zeiberts for the first time and was greeted loudly by the Duke himself: “Why It’s Lee Shephard! Good to see you Lee, come right this way.”

That was, as they say, “a pretty heady wine.”

Needless to say, Duke Zeiberts became my favorite restaurant.

Yeah, I knew it was meaningless flattery. I was never really fooled by it.

But damn, it felt good!

So good, in fact, I couldn’t resist wanting to let some of my old Charlotte buddies in on what my life “in the big time” was like.

Jimmy Weller

The opportunity came when one of my oldest friends and CHS classmates, Jimmy Weller, arrived in town for a business meeting.

He was free one night for dinner, so guess where I took him!

Yep.

The restaurant was pretty busy that night and as we went in I kept looking for Duke.....but didn’t see him anywhere! It would be just my luck for him to be off on the very night that I was trying to impress Jimmy.

But as we got to the head of the line, I breathed a sigh of relief as I spotted Duke coming out of the kitchen and walking toward us with his hand raised high signaling Jimmy and me to follow him.....and in his customary loud voice,

“Come this way.......so good to see you....Tony!”

Jimmy was too kind to laugh.

And it was little consolation knowing that I had just joined a very small club of people whose names the Duke had failed to remember.

I never did have much success “Showing off."

-Ed

One More...

2011-01-17T12:08:00.003-05:00

I was pleased to receive a couple of very nice comments regarding the story I wrote about my wife's great, great grandfather, Sydney Davis.

Sydney Davis

That’s all the encouragement I needed to offer one more incident from those 2,000 handwritten pages handed down “ from attic to attic.”

It’s obvious that the Civil War dictated that he spend 5 years of his young life as a soldier, because he was anything but a “natural” warrior. But, as a writer, he was excellent.

His schooling was minimal; eight grades in a one room schoolhouse near Pittsburgh.

His letters to publishers......AND rejection slips....were found with his Civil War manuscript.

His notes reek with disappointment as his desire to be a published author was rejected time and time again.

Nevertheless, I digress.

In his manuscript he describes an incident about the time he was sent on a detail to find meat for some of his men:

By and by, I came upon a flock of sheep, to which I gave chase. I was rather fleet of foot and kept close to them and driving them into fence corners and over all sorts of obstructions.
Finally, one of them, made an effort to jump through a fence but became fastened, and I caught it.

Out came my knife and I felt for its throat; while thus engaged, however, I felt its heart beat wildly against my leg. “Poor old fellow,” thought I, “how hard it must be for even an animal to yield up its innocent life!”

I hesitated, I put down my hand and stroked its head; and then, returning my knife to my pocket, dismissed the sheep with my blessing.

Did the creature really understand me? It really seemed loath to go away, and instead of appearing frightened followed me all around that field.

Usually, I am not of a superstitious temperament, but there was something about that animal that made me uneasy. It was bound to be about my legs, rubbing its head against me whenever I permitted it to do so.

At last curious thoughts came into my head. Those solitudes which surrounded me…the hour of the night…the groups of dead that I had seen on fields of battle now rising in imagination about me…that sheep and his actions…..were too much for me.

I turned my face towards camp, and traveled faster than usual until I saw the lights of its myriad fires.

The foraging expedition was a failure that night.

The last I saw of that sheep was after I had crossed the fence out of the field. I looked back after I had traveled about two rods, and there he was, mounted on his hind feet, and with his fore feet upon the upper rail, and his white head up in the air, and his eyes peering after me.

If I make it to Heaven some day, I’m going to look Sydney up and let him know that it took a while, but his manuscript was finally published!

On the CHS54 website!

Then I guess I’ll spend the rest of eternity trying to explain to him what a website is. -Ed

Jim Regehr's Mom Passes

2011-01-16T10:45:00.002-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Sympathies to Jim Regehr, CHS'53, and wife, Sylvia (Arnold), CHS'54, in the passing of his mother.

They can be contacted at:
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Regehr
306 Greenbay Rd.
Mooresville, NC 28117

Email sylviaregehr@yahoo.com

Virginia Alfeld Regehr

MOORESVILLE -- Virginia Regehr, 95, of Mooresville, passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2011. She was born on April 2, 1947 in St. Louis, MO. She moved to Oklahoma City in 1934 with her husband, Jake Regehr, where she lived until 1947. Jake, a claims adjuster with State Farm Mutual, was transferred to Charlotte in 1947. Virginia and Jake lived in Charlotte until 1962, raising two sons, James and Robert, who both graduated from Central High School. Jake and Virginia then moved to Gallup, NM, where they founded Regehr Adjustment Company. Upon retiring in 1975, they moved back to Charlotte to be with family and friends. Jake died in 1994.
Virginia is survived by her two sons, James Regehr of Mooresville, Robert Regehr of Albuequeque, NM; grandchildren, Virginia Barrett, Kelly Denhart, James Regehr, Jr. and Robert Regehr, Jr.; great-grandchildren, Kyle Pope, Kendall Pope, Laura Denhart, Haley Denhart, and Victoria Regehr; niece and special friend, Carol Murphy of St. Louis; also special friends, Nancy McCorkle and Ramalda Aman.

Those who knew Virginia knew that she was everyone's friend, asked nothing for herself, and loved to do all that she could for her family and those that she knew. She was a gift to all who were lucky enough to know her and be apart of her family.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 15 from 2:00-4:00 PM at Cavin-Cook Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Genesis Eldercare Residence Council Trust Fund, 550 Glenwood Drive, Mooresville, NC 28115.
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home, Mooresville, is serving the Regehr family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.

Published in Charlotte Observer on January 13, 2011

Frank Harton Passes

2011-01-13T09:04:00.001-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Frank Harton

With sadness, we learn of the passing of former Central High School teacher Frank Harton, who taught Physics and Aeronautics. His daughter, Robin, is married to classmate Bob Ellis.

They can be contacted:
Robin and Bob Ellis
14019 Phillips Rd.
Matthews, NC 28105-3022

Email bcentral1954@yahoo.com

Frank Norville Harton
'Teacher'

Mr. Harton, 85, of Charlotte died Monday, January 10, 2011 at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, NC.

Frank was born in Toledo, OH February 16, 1925, son of the late Leslie and Lillie Clark Harton.Mr. Harton was a US Navy veteran of WWII and following his tour of duty, he attended University of Southern California and received his Master's Degree from UNC Chapel Hill.

Prior to his retirement, Frank taught physics in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System for over 30 years. Also, he owned and operated Harton Oil Company. He was a Master Mason and Past Master of Temple Lodge and an active member of VFW Post 1160. He enjoyed reading books, watching movies, travel, especially his frequent trips to Las Vegas, time at the beach, family, and his dog Lucky. In December of 1953 and 1955, he and Nelle adopted their daughters, providing them a home full of love.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Harton was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Nelle Simmons Harton, and his brother, Robert Harton.

Survivors include his daughters, Susan Graham and husband, Dewey of Charlotte, NC and Robin Ellis and husband, Bob of Matthews, NC; granddaughters, Beverly Mackey, Alison Turnbaugh and husband, Nick and Kelli Hines and husband, Davis; great-grandchildren, David and Danielle Hines, Adison, Morgan and Tyler Turnbaugh and Noah Davis.

Funeral service for Mr. Harton will be held 2:00 PM Friday, January 14, 2011 in the Chapel of Hankins and Whittington Funeral Service with the family receiving friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to VFW Post 1160, 1917 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205.

Arrangements are in the care of Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service, 1111 East Blvd. Please share condolences online at www.hankinsandwhittington.com.

Published in Charlotte Observer on January 13, 2011

A Common Soldier

2011-01-11T19:42:00.005-05:00

From attic to attic, for almost 150 years.

Finally, someone shook off the dust, took the twine from around the 2,000 handwritten pages, and started reading what the man who was considered the patriarch of the large Davis family had written.

My wife’s mother was named after him. But she hated the name because most people considered Sydney to be a man’s name; and she was right.

Sydney Davis

But if she had lived to read what Sydney Davis had written in that bundle of pages, she would have thought differently about sharing that name.

He served in the 6th U.S. Cavalry during the Civil War. He was in the battles of Manassas, Brandy Station, Antietam, and Gettysburg among others.

But what first got my attention was his initiation under fire:

Sydney Davis

“Our route lay over broken country, past earthworks, through woods, and across ravines, the command finally emerging upon the road running through the village of Falls Church…the
Leesburg Turnpike.

We had reached a point some 4 miles from Falls Church and near Tyson’s corners when a dip in the road permitted me to look over the heads of the men in front and far up the road. As I did so, my eyes caught sight of three men, dressed in grey, sitting on their horses about a half mile off, on the pike beyond us…”

They were Confederate snipers and came very close to causing those 2000 pages never to have been written; to say nothing of what it would have done to the present day Davis families.

It happened about 3 blocks from where my house is now!

And, of course, there’s always the possibility that it was one of MY ancestors who was shooting at him!

But, that’s probably stretching it a little too far
.
I grew up hearing a lot of stories about those damn Yankee soldiers and their horrible treatment of southerners, particularly in South Carolina where my people were from. Stealing food was one of the most common complaints. I’m sure there were many instances of that, and worse.. Reconstruction was an awful time in this country’s history.

Sydney Davis called himself “a common soldier.” But his words tell a different story.

As a cavalryman conducting mainly scouting and picket duty, He was often hungry, sometimes not eating for days, riding through the southern countryside, but would always courteously ask the residents of the farmhouses if they had any food that they would sell him, and he always paid them accordingly.

On several occasions, he discovered poor families who were in dire need of food themselves, and he would return and share with them what he was able to buy from nearby farms.

He was captured at the battle of Gettysburg and marched along with Lee’s retreating Army back to Virginia. The prisoners were loaded onto “cars” (the train) at Staunton, VA for their final destination: Castle Thunder at Belle Isle, right outside Richmond. (Castle Thunder was originally a tobacco warehouse that had been converted into a POW camp.)

”The ride from Gordonsville to Richmond was devoid of interest. There seemed to be an endless monotony of pine forests and lonely fields. Few words were spoken that night. The men were utterly exhausted from want of food and water and being crowded together so long without a chance to straighten their limbs in sleep.

I managed to secure a seat on the end of a car beside one of the guards…a tall, lean, lank man, 45 or 50 years of age, with long reddish hair and whiskers…and was as comfortable as circumstances would permit.

About midnight I felt the guard lean heavily upon me, and from his hand slipped the dreaded musket. As it fell I seized it, and thus prevented its loss. The man was sound asleep. My first impulse, now that I had an enemy in my power, was to push him off suddenly between the cars, and have him crushed to death; but it occurred to me that such an act would simply constitute a cowardly murder; then the vision of a family in tears rose vividly before me.

I awakened him, gave him his gun, and cautioned him playfully as to his duty as a soldier. He seemed very grateful, and said he was completely worn out from fatigue. For a few moments he sat up, and then settled back again sound asleep, and I once more caught the gun as it fell.

I allowed him to sleep until we reached Richmond, just before dawn, when I aroused him.”

Sydney Davis spent 3 months in the Confederate prison at Belle Isle, after which he was swapped back to the North. He was in the last group of prisoners to be swapped from Castle Thunder. The rest were sent to the notorious Andersonville prison.

Then, because of a government paperwork snafu, Davis was held prisoner by the Yankees for four more months.

Unknown Union Calvary Soldier at Antietam

This is but a small snippet from Davis' manuscript, which he completed in 1870 obviously hoping that it would be published.

To his disappointment there were no takers. My guess is that not enough years had passed by then for the public to be interested in reading about such recent events.. The only books that were in demand were by Generals, not privates.

Davis was a good man. A patriotic man. He never knew his mother, but discovered accidentally while in service that she had sold him when he was very young for $35... and he had grown up as an indentured servant.... to a kind man whom he had always thought of as only a friend of his father.

But, a “common” soldier?

Nope.

-Ed

Tuesday's LDL CANCELLED

2011-01-10T17:34:00.001-05:00

From Jerry Gaudet:

Cancellation notice:

Because of ice and snow conditions,
Tuesday's (January 11) "LDL" is being CANCELLED.

We hope to see you on Tuesday, February 8.

A good way to begin

2011-01-07T19:18:00.001-05:00

Start the New Year with a CHS'54 Lunch!

By Jerry Gaudet

But first, a report on our December "Special Project"...

Here's the message we received from Mary Burnett from the Avante Center where our Shirley spent her final days:

From: Mary Burnett
Subject: Re: CHS'54, Christmas gifts honoring Shirley

... "I didn't know what to expect when I suggested collecting Christmas gifts for Avante in Shirley's memory. The response was overwhelming. It just proves that our generation has a big collective heart, expecially if they attended Central High School... Heather, the activites director, was appreciative of our contributions to their Christmas. Maybe we could do something else for Avante later - or for someone or some group."

This month's "LDL" (Let's do lunch) will be held on

Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 11:30 AM

at "Jimmies" in Mint Hill.

Spread the word! Invite other classmates to come! Even better, bring someone with you! Be sure YOU, come!

This link may help you find your way:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Jimmie%27s,+Mint+Hill,+NC&fb=1&cid=18354106434370977171&li=lmd&z=14&t=m

For answers to any conceivable lunch questions, please contact Mary (Sue Banks) Burnett, marysburnett@yahoo.com

Plan to join us...there's plenty of room. And...you'll be glad you did!

Here are a couple of snapshots from last month:

Some of the gifts for Avante really are shown below

Ready for Christmas! L to R, Mamie Goodwin Baucom, Betty Rose Templeton Palomba, Sandra Lineberger Patterson & Jackie Hart Lookabill.

Peggy and Buck Anderson's Daughter

2011-01-06T20:42:00.004-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

It is with great sympathy that we have just learned of the passing of Peggy and Buck (Eldon) Anderson's daughter, Trena, on December 30. We understand Trena was diagnosed with lung cancer (though a non-smoker) in April. Peggy and Buck had also lost a son, Todd, many years ago when he was but 6 years old.

We have the following contact information:
Peggy and Buck Anderson
145 Sheehan Rd.
Fletcher, NC 28732

Email justintime4A@aol.com

Trena Mae Anderson Barishnikov, 43

Published: Friday, December 31, 2010 at 8:58 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, December 31, 2010 at 8:58 a.m.

FLETCHER — Trena Mae Anderson Barishnikov, 43, of Fletcher went to be with the Lord on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, at the Elizabeth House in Flat Rock.

A lifelong resident of Fletcher, she was the daughter of Eldon and Peggy Ann Fletcher Anderson of Fletcher. She was preceded in death by her brother, Todd Anderson.

She was a 1986 graduate of West Henderson High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Gardner-Webb University. She was employed by Four Seasons Compassion for Life as a RN case manager and, together with her husband Dema, was a co-founder and co-pastor of Destiny Christian Fellowship in Brevard. Passionate about mission work, she had served in many areas of the world, including Trinidad, Russia, Jamaica, Cuba and Ukraine. Known for her beautiful singing voice, she enjoyed singing for the Lord.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her husband, Dema Barishnikov of Fletcher; her sister, Tonya Allison and husband, John, and her nephew, Andrew, all of Hendersonville; and her beloved mother-in-law, Olga Barishnikov of Fletcher.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fletcher First Baptist Church with the Rev. Michael Brown officiating. Burial will be private. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Destiny Christian Fellowship in memory of Trena Barishnikov, c/o the Mission Fund, 240 Greenville Highway, Brevard, NC 28712.

"...and all the ships at sea"

2011-01-06T20:01:00.010-05:00

Nothing pushes my memory buttons like Christmas music.

As soon as the days turn cool and I first hear the strains of White Christmas, Silent Night, or any of those old familiar tunes, I melt like butter in a hot frying pan and get lost in thoughts of those wonderful days growing up in Charlotte.

I suppose there have been a number of Christmas songs written since 1954, but I don't know of many, and frankly, none of them have the same effect on me as those we listened to in the 40's and 50's.

With one exception.

In 1961 I was fortunate enough to get hired by one of the leading radio and TV stations in the country, WTOP radio and TV in Washington, DC.

Wash Post Ad

One of my first assignments was as a DJ on their late night radio show. Back then we "jocks" picked our own music and the only restriction was that we NOT play anything considered to be "Rock and Roll." People have forgotten how controversial that music was back then.

Now, the hours (nor the audience) weren't great (11pm til 2am) but I was thrilled to have that show! For one thing, WTOP radio was as powerful as AM stations were allowed to be: 50,000 watts!

WTOP Radio Transmitter Building

WBT Towers

WBT is also a 50 thousand watt "blowtorch" and it comes in like a local station from Florida to Maine....at night.

So, I thought, my Mom and my Charlotte friends should have no trouble hearing me!

Unfortunately, that was not the case. All 50 thousand watt stations are not the same. The frequency (number on the dial) of the station also determines the direction of the signal. It didn't take too long for me to realize that WTOP's signal was very strong north of Washington (all the way to Maine) but almost non-existent south of DC.

Letters from my listeners came from places like Delaware, Connecticut, new Jersey,
Massachusetts AND a surprising number came from ships at sea! (Which gives new meaning to Walter Winchell's signature introduction, "Good Evening Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea, let's go to press.")

I also had a fairly large number of requests from listeners who asked to visit the studio in person while the show was in progress.

Johnny Surratt WGIV

Alan Newcomb WBT

That was kind of a pain in the rear, but most of the time I said yes. After all, as a young "radio wanna be" myself, I had made similar requests of announcers and DJ's and had always been treated kindly. (Gil Stamper, Alan Newcomb, JB Clark, Johnny Surratt, and John Trimble...may they rest in peace.)

Gil Stamper WBT

J.B.Clark

I did that show for a number of years and I can still remember a few of those guests. One was a young boy from Mystic Seaport Connecticut who regularly drove down on weekends just to see the show. I later learned that he had indeed landed a job as news director at a radio station in Connecticut.

Then there was a Puerto Rican kid from New Jersey one time who brought a friend with him, who didn't give a darn about watching me play records, but was there just to help his buddy, who was blind.

My New Jersey "fan" told me how important radio was to him. He said he spent most of his time in his room listening to music on the radio and practicing the guitar.

In fact, he said he had just made a record.

Which he just happened to have with him....and would be honored if I would play it on the air.

Oh boy.

I knew it wasn't going to be the kind of music that I featured on my show, but I listened to it anyway.

I was right.

The name of the song was of all things, "High Heel Sneakers." And it was definitely rock and roll.

I suppose the right thing to do would be to explain the station's policy against playing rock and roll records and refuse to play it.

On the other hand, here was this nice, handicapped high school dropout who already had so many strikes against him and had made such an effort to visit me, that I just didn't have the heart to say no.

So, I played his record on the air. (Hoping all the time that my boss had already gone to sleep and only the ships at sea were still listening.)

Anyway, that made him very happy and he said he was grateful.

I believe him, because a few years after that, Jose started sending me (and everyone else) a musical card .....wishing us a Merry Christmas.

Or as they say in Puerto Rico, FELIZ NAVIDAD

-Ed

Jose Feliciano

Ellouise and Jim: 55 and Counting

2011-01-02T10:57:00.007-05:00

If you follow Ellouise's website (and if you haven't discovered it yet, you should!) you already know that she and Jim celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on Dec. 30th!

Ellouise and Jim Schoettler 1955

That's amazing. I'm just guessing, but I think she just might be the winner of the "Who was the first to get married" of all our classmates award.

She writes about that glorious event on her website:

" This time 55 years ago Jim and I were boarding a train for Baltimore at Union Station (DC) to start our new life together.

We were married in NC on December 30th and spent a brief honeymoon in Washington, DC on our way from NC to Baltimore to be there when the Hopkins Medical School classes reconvened January 2..

I will turn 75 in July - we were 19 and 24 on our wedding day.
Look at that math.
Jim and I have been together more than half our lives.
Our 55 years together is the heart of my life and story.

Were we doing it over - Jim and I probably would not want to get married between Christmas and New Years - its not great timing. But at the time it was perfect timing. Jim was a third year medical student at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He had a semester break then. Time to ride the train to Charlotte, get married, and bring a wife back to an apartment they had picked out.

We moved into that apartment on North Washington Street, in the shadow of the hospital with two suitcases. It will take several dumpsters and a truck to move us out of our house - where we have lived for forty one years. Along with the accumulated
stuff we have collected a rich treasure trove of memories.

A long marriage is a sweet blessing. You share each others lives, histories and memories. We often complete each other's sentences - or will say first what the other was thinking.
That connection is hard-won.
Swords as well as roses litter the road.

I am grateful we never let go of each other"

H'aint No Such Thing

2010-12-30T17:15:00.002-05:00

Nobody could tell a ghost story like my granddad. As children, my sister and I spent several weeks each summer with our grandparents on their farm in Pelzer, SC. Our chief form of
entertainment was sitting on their large porch in the evening and listening to my grandfather tell ghost stories.

The one about the headless horseman always got my goose bumps going. I’ll never forget the time he was looking for his head and…..(there go those goose bumps again)…

Suddenly the story was interrupted when out of the blue, a bolt of lightning struck the
telephone pole about 30 yards from where we were sitting!

Talk about a punch line!

Frankly, after that, I lost all interest in Ghost Stories

However, over the years, there were a few times when “ghost stories” seemed to come
looking for me.

Of course, since there H'aint no such thing as ghosts (or “Haints”) there was almost always a
logical explanation for what at first glance seemed …uh…….supernatural.

Stone House, Manassas,VA circa 2000

Take for example the time I was showing an out of town friend of mine the nearby Manassas Battlefield.

It was very early one winter morning and our first stop was the old “Stone House,” one of only two original structures still standing in that popular National Park.

It was mainly used as a hospital during both battles of Manassas.

I figured we had come a bit too early because the park seemed to be empty. But that’s not
really unusual during the winter months before the Spring tourist season starts. However, what
was unusual that morning was that there didn’t seem to be any park service employees around
either. At least, not anywhere near the Stone House.

Stone House circa 1860

The place looked pretty drab. Very much like I imagine it did during the Civil War.

There still was no sign of anyone else in the park, as far as we could see.

But perhaps someone was inside. We tried the front door……and it was unlocked.

Once inside, we announced ourselves, several times, in fact, but got no response.

The house was totally empty.

So, after a couple more attempts at announcing our presence, we started exploring the place on our own, which is the way I like to do it anyway.

We were getting braver by the minute and with still no sign of anyone in authority telling
us where we could, or could not, go in the house, we went on upstairs to try to locate the
floorboard where I had read that two wounded soldiers had carved their initials in 1862.

About the time we spotted one of the carvings, we heard footsteps downstairs.

I thought it wise to let whoever it was know that we were in the house, so I announced our presence again and noted that we were upstairs.

There was no reply.

View from second floor window

We both came to the conclusion that perhaps we should cut our visit to the Stone House short, because it just didn’t seem right for someone off the street (like us) to be able to just walk into such an historical house in a major National Park and wander around like we were doing.

Heck, I could have carved my initials in the upstairs floorboard, if I had been so inclined.

Besides, we wanted to find out who had joined us in the house, and head off any trouble that
we might find ourselves in since with all the laws Congress passes daily, I’m sure there must be
a number of them relating to unauthorized strangers wandering freely into protected National
historical monuments.

As we descended the stairs, we saw a woman, who rather frantically…it seemed to us…had
started up the stairs just as we were coming down.

“I’ve got to see it again,” she said as she hurried past us.

“I’ve got to see what they’ve done to it.”

When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned to us and said,

“I used to live here.”

(Cue the goose bumps. Up with the Twilight Zone music..and out.)

Now, I don’t want to spoil a perfectly good ghost story, so I’ll let you pick the ending.

This is multiple choice…and only one answer is true.

You decide.

She was:

A) Emily , the young daughter of Henry and Jane Mathews , owners of the Stone House,
who was killed in her bedroom by a stray bullet during the first battle of Bull Run. Every
year on the anniversary of her death, she reappears at the Stone House apparently
looking for the doll she was holding at the time of her death.

B) An actress who is part of a Candid Camera Stunt…….and who any moment will announce
that my friend and I are on Candid Camera.

C) A woman who now lives in Pittsburgh, but was born in Virginia. In the 1950’s, her
father worked for the Park Service and was in charge of the battlefield. As part of his
compensation, he and his family lived, rent free, in the upstairs of the Stone House
which was closed to the public. This was the first time she had seen the house since her
childhood.

“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone.” –Rod Serling

-Ed

Ed Sanders Obituary

2010-12-29T11:54:00.001-05:00

Edward Sanders

Mr. Sanders of Charlotte, age 88, died Sunday, December 26, 2010. He was born on May 1, 1922 in McCormick, SC.

Mr. Sanders is survived by his son, Doug Sanders and daughter-in-law, Lynn Sanders from Charlotte, NC; daughter, Sandy Sanders and son-in-law, Rick Gurunian, also from Charlotte, NC; and three grandsons, Sam Sanders, Jeff Sanders and Jimmy Mortimer.

Mr. Sanders served in the Army Air Corps during WWII and then returned to Greenville, SC to complete his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Furman University. He was a lifelong educator and advocate of human rights.

His career began at Central High School in 1951 where he taught history, served as the athletic director and then went on to become principal. It was during this time that he was instrumental in the peaceful and successful integration of Central High School. In the fall of 1959, Mr. Sanders opened Garinger High School and served as principal until 1971.

In 1974, Mr. Sanders played a major part in the successful execution of court-mandated busing requirements after much study and extensive planning. His career then expanded to area superintendent for the Charlotte Mecklenburg school system and then moved on to serve as the superintendent of the Darlington County school system in South Carolina. He and his wife, Jane Sanders were members of Covenant Presbyterian church since 1951 where he taught Sunday school for many years.

Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, January 4, 2010 at 11:00 at Covenant Presbyterian Church with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Charlotte Humane Society, Covenant Presbyterian Church or Southminster Continuing Care Retirement Community.
Condolences may also be extended at www.harryandbryantfuneralhome.com.

Published in Charlotte Observer from December 27 to December 29, 2010

2010-12-28T11:57:00.003-05:00

Final chapter for pioneer principal

Ed Sanders played seminal role in Charlotte school desegregation; Rocky River's library named for him.

By Ann Doss Helms

ahelms@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010

As principal of Central High, Sanders enforced peace when the school enrolled its first black student in 1955. Across town at Harding High, desegregation brought dramatic conflict that stuck in the public mind, overshadowing Sanders's success.

But Sanders died knowing his place in history had been recognized.

Almost every day, he would look at a 2007 Observer article that chronicled his courage. Less than two months ago, he attended the dedication of Rocky River High's Ed Sanders Media Center.

Dementia took its toll on Sanders. But his son says he never lost the quiet moral authority that made him a reluctant hero.

Doug Sanders says his father continued to dispense nuggets of wisdom, such as "Every now and then, we need to be inconvenienced; we just get too comfortable."

Ed Sanders was never a civil-rights crusader, his son says. He was the youngest of eight children who grew up in segregated Simpsonville, S.C. They didn't know black people and didn't much question the way things were.

Doug Sanders believes Ed's compassion was forged when his own father, a railway depot agent, died just as Ed was starting college.

To support his mother, Ed worked as a sweeper, then a weaver, in a nearby textile mill. He developed a deep respect for his hardworking co-workers, who didn't have the education or the means that the Sanders family did. When he wasn't working or taking classes at Furman University, he taught mill workers to read, Doug Sanders says.

Jarred into history

Ed Sanders emerged believing that everyone deserves respect and a good education, the vision that guided him when history jarred his comfortable role as a principal.

Until 1957, he was the kind of quiet leader who got respect but not much attention, recalls David McKinnon, a 1955 graduate of the now-defunct Central High.

A Supreme Court ruling that year forced Charlotte's white schools to admit black students.

"I'd rather not have been there; I'm not fooling," Ed Sanders told Observer columnist Mary Curtis in 2007. But he also believed integration was the right thing to do, and he set out to do it right.

He used the respect he'd earned from his students, including the troublemakers and athletes, to make it clear he wouldn't tolerate harassment when the black student arrived.

When white students tried to block 11th-grader Gus Roberts at the front door, Sanders walked him in. The trouble died down, and Roberts graduated from Central two years later.

Moving on

Meanwhile, photos of Dorothy Counts being jeered and spit on at Harding became the iconic image of Charlotte's slow trudge toward racial justice.

In 1959, Sanders became principal of the new Garinger High. He was charged with introducing the first black faculty member. Again, he made it clear that abuse would not be tolerated.

Sanders eventually became a central-office administrator in the merged Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. A Supreme Court order demanding busing for full desegregation "gave him some heartburn," his son recalls. He wasn't sure it made sense to shuffle so many students.

But Ed Sanders swallowed his doubts and helped craft the 1970 busing plan. Again, his son said, he fell back on his belief in the right to a good education and his determination to do his job well.

Ed Sanders ended his career as an educator as superintendent of Darlington County schools in South Carolina, then returned to Charlotte.

To Doug and his sister, Sandy, Ed Sanders was also the dad who loved fishing, frog gigging and the comic strip "Snuffy Smith."

And he was devoted to his wife, Jane, nursing her through a long decline with Alzheimer's disease. She died in 2007 after 62 years of marriage.

Remembered

In 2005, McKinnon and his Central High classmates held their 50th reunion. They invited Sanders - and to their surprise, he came. When they started meeting monthly in Mint Hill, he was an honorary member of the gang.

They thought of him as a great guy, a man of honor. But they didn't grasp his place in history until the Observer did a 50th-anniversary piece on the desegregation pioneers of 1957.

By that time, Sanders was recently widowed. His own memory was slipping. His son helped him with the interview.

Ed Sanders, who lived at Southminster retirement center, marveled when the article came out.

"His comment was, 'Did I really do that?'" Doug Sanders says.

Central High's Class of 1955 began lobbying to get a statue built or a school named for Sanders. They fell short - the statue would have been expensive, and CMS policy forbids naming schools for living people.

But Mark Nixon, principal of the new Rocky River High that opened in August, made the crusade his own. The library was named for Sanders, with a memorabilia room to help younger generations understand what the name means.

"If people don't acknowledge you publicly, the next generation won't know who you are," McKinnon says. "Heroes are overlooked because of things like this."

Sanders' funeral is set for 11 a.m. Jan. 4 at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

The delay, says Doug Sanders, is so the word can get out and people can get back from holiday trips. Because Ed Sanders no longer belongs to just his family. He belongs to Charlotte.

Ed Sanders Passes

2010-12-27T14:41:00.003-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Thanks to Joan King Hargett, CHS'55, but with great sadness, we received word that Mr. Ed Sanders passed away the morning of December 26, 2010. The following preliminary obit was in today's Charlotte Observer...

Edward Sanders

Mr. Sanders, 88, of Charlotte, NC, passed away on December 26, 2010 at Southminster. Arrangements are incomplete at this time, but will be announced in the Wednesday edition of the Observer. Harry and Bryant is serving the family.
Published in Charlotte Observer on December 27, 2010

We understand there will be a memorial on Jan. 4, 2011.

You'll remember that the Class of 1955 successfully campaigned for the naming of the Media Center of a new high school to honor Mr. Sanders. He was our Assistant Principal and became Central High Principal the next year. Bless CHS'55 for accomplishing their goal before his passing. -JG

Merry Merry!

2010-12-24T09:53:00.003-05:00

Little Bubba and the entire almost competent staff of the CHS54.COM website wish you a very Merry Christmas!!

Little Bubba

and if you CLICK HERE you'll hear an oldie, but goodie version of White Christmas.

(Clue: It ain't by Bing Crosby)

-Ed

Breakfast of Champions

2010-12-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

As children, my sister and I were “picky” eaters. It almost drove our parents crazy….trying to get us to eat. Fortunately, we never had that problem with our children OR grandchildren!

Watching my 5 grand kids woof down Thanksgiving dinner was a sight to behold. No doubt, Christmas dinner will be a repeat performance.

I told them I hadn’t seen anyone enjoy food as much as they did since my pre game breakfast with the New York Giants just before a Sunday afternoon game against the Washington Redskins.

“Oh no, Grandad. Not another one of your tall tales! You didn’t play in the NFL,” they said, almost in unison.

“Now be patient, boys," I said, "and let me finish another one of my amazing, but true stories from the past."

I continued:

"I was having breakfast with Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff and the rest of the New York Giants team in the private dining room of the Saddle Brook Marriott Hotel in New Jersey, not far from the Meadowlands where the team would be playing the Washington Redskins in a few hours. We would be taking the field first…….

(Well….there they go. For some reason my grand kids never stay around for the end of my stories. I’m concerned that they might have SASS. (short attention span syndrome.)

Anyway, Sam and I would be taking the field before the team did…since we eventually had to work our way up to the press box at the top of the stadium where Sam was going to be broadcasting the game.

Sam Huff broadcasting game for WMAL Radio 1976

This was in October of 1976 and the reason I was there was to snap pictures of Sam for my radio station at the time, WMAL, as well as some promotional pictures for the J.W, Marriott Company. (Sam’s full time job after retiring from football was as a Vice President for Marriott…in charge of arranging for NFL and other major sports teams to stay at Marriott Hotels when traveling.)

I had gotten a pretty good reputation around the station as a photographer, which had been my off and on hobby since Junior High school.. At night our laundry room became a dark room. I don’t think Linda was crazy about that, but, good wife that she is, she didn’t complain.

Marriott Chef

Anyway, back to the breakfast. What a feast! There was the standard fare such as eggs and bacon, which is what I had, but the players all had steak and eggs. Correction: steaks and eggs. Not one of the players I saw had just one steak. They all had at least 2…..and in some cases 3. I have no idea how many eggs it took to fill those hungry athlete’s plates, but my guess is 4, maybe 5.

But even stranger than that was the fact that there was hardly any conversation going on. If it hadn’t been for typical silverware and plate noise……the room would have been deathly silent.

I asked Sam about that and he said that was not unusual at all. He said that very few words would be spoken until game time. It was their way of concentrating…and psyching themselves up for the game.

And sure enough, later in the locker room, I noticed that the silence continued.

40 players dressing for the game, and not a word was spoken. Sam got the “game time injury report” and then he checked out the condition of the playing field and finally we started making our way up to the press box.

I won’t even try to describe what it was like walking with Sam Huff through a stadium full of New York Giant fans.

But I’ll never forget it.

Nor will I forget the happy celebration in the locker room after the Giants defeated George Allen's Redskins that day with a last minute field goal. ..and all the reporters (half of them women) scrambling to talk to the players as they showered and dressed!

Sam Huff, Marriott Sports Teams VP

I'm all for equal opportunity and all, but I’m sure glad they didn’t do things that way in 1953." -Ed

A Birthday Bash in Maryland

2010-12-20T17:39:00.002-05:00

Twenty women from across the spectrum of Jennie Meador Forehand's life gathered in Annapolis, Maryland to honor her for her 32 years of service to that state.

Each of the women told of their connection to Jennie over the many years and drew a very rich picture of her contributions to Rockville, MD, and the state of Maryland through her 32 years of service in the House and Senate, and, of course, her many loyal friendships.

Two of them went all the way back to high school: Ellouise (Diggle) Schoettler and Suzanne (Robinson) Hardy.

Former MD House Delegate Carole Petzold, Jennie's colleague and good friend, presented an official citation honoring Jennie.

Bill Forehand, key member of Jennie's team, completes the picture.

Christmas 1957.......a personal story

2010-12-17T11:46:00.002-05:00

Little Bill

My first job was working at Charlotte’s only independent radio station, WGIV in 1951. Independent meant that WGIV didn’t have a network like CBS or NBC to depend on for its programs.

Everything that went on the air at WGIV was locally produced; meaning disc jockies played records all day long. Which, with Television rapidly becoming America’s entertainment King, music was what people wanted to listen to on the radio anyway.

Since I was only 15 years old at the time, and WGIV was way out South Blvd on Toomey Ave…..my father had to drive me to work each afternoon. The station was located in a tiny little house right next to the Charlotte Dump. The station wasn't much to look at, but it certainly fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, which would never be confused with the Myers Park
section of Charlotte.

In addition there were lots of ragged little kids (urchins) playing around the station
all the time.

They seemed to naturally gravitate to my Dad even before he began bringing them candy from time to time. He became very fond of those kids, especially Bill, the youngest and probably the smartest of all of them.

My Dad called him “Little Bill.”

Even after I began driving myself to work, my Dad continued to drop by the station on a pretty regular basis. He enjoyed watching the inside operations of the station as well as watching all his little friends playing outside in the big yard next to the tower.

Typical Newsboy circa 1900

Christmas was always a special day for my Dad…but I’m not sure why. I never heard him say a word about what his boyhood Christmases were like, but knowing how much his earnings as a young newspaper boy meant to the very existence of his family, my guess is that they were pretty bleak.

Anyway, every Christmas eve, beginning in 1951, he would go to Stanley’s Drugstore and buy up most of the toys that had not been sold, and old Doc Stanley would usually throw in an equal number for free. And on Christmas morning, he would bring those toys to the WGIV parking lot and give them to the kids.

He continued doing this even after I had left WGIV and gone on to college.

In fact, It was at UNC when I was called out of class one day in the late fall of 1957 and informed that my father was very ill and the family had requested that I return to Charlotte immediately. He was alive, when I got there, but in a coma, and the doctor had no idea if he would ever come out of it or not.

In the weeks that followed we tried hard to find little signs that perhaps meant that he was improving, but to no avail.

We were having our Christmas Eve dinner when the hospital called with the urgent request that we come over as soon as possible….because my father was dying.

It was too late. By the time we got there, he had passed away.

If any day is worse than any other to deal with grief AND trying to take care of the many details
associated with the death of a loved one…it is Christmas.

I was on the phone almost constantly that morning.

Just before noon it rang again…….and a very small voice at the other end of the line

wanted to know ”…..why Mr. Myers hadn’t come over.”

It was Little Bill.

My heart was broken for the second time in just under 12 hours.

I regret to this day that I didn’t have the foresight and presence of mind to think of those kids and
substitute for my Dad that day.

It would have been a wonderful tribute to a kind and thoughtful man who no doubt, knew first hand the disappointment that Little Bill and his friends were feeling that Christmas morning.

-Ed

Jennie Wins her 9th Election

2010-12-13T11:32:00.005-05:00

Overcoming the "Too Old" slurs by her opponent, Jennie Margaret Forehand won her Montgomery County Maryland senate race by 78% of the vote!

How did she do it?

Jennie says she did it the old fashioned way.....knocking on doors!

She knocked on so many doors that those of us who knew her at CHS suspect that she oiled up her old blue bike....to aid her in visiting almost every household in the county.

Too old?

Ha!, she laughed in their faces.

However, she was old enough to have served for 32 years as an elected official in her state.

The jury is still out on whether Jennie employed the "Blue Bike" tactic in her campaign, but she definitely triggered the "Obie Option:"

As she explained to the Maryland press:

"Obie, was a high school classmate of mine in Charlotte who made campaign signs for my first election…and that friendship and good luck continues today. We still use the colors and design he chose 32 years ago! He was also the one who came up with our slogan,: “Back a Strong Forehand”

-Ed

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS LDL

2010-12-11T11:45:00.005-05:00

The Christmas CHS'54 Lunch is TUESDAY!
...and this one is SPECIAL!

By Jerry Gaudet

We have a Special Project for December... Mary Sue has arranged an opportunity for us to honor the memory of Shirley Maynor. Please bring simple Christmas gifts that we can share with residents of Avanté at Charlotte, the skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that cared for Shirley.

Following is a list of possible items that we can bring. Other items can always be added. The gifts should NOT be wrapped except for maybe a bow or ribbon (the Avante staff would have to unwrap any gifts to know who should receive each gift).

We hope everyone will want to participate as a way to honor our friend, Shirley, and to bring a little Christmas cheer to some nursing home residents. As Mary Sue expressed, “at Christmas we always think about children, but we tend to forget about those who are older, ill and alone”.

Here’s are some suggestions:

Candy such as jelly beans, gum drops, mints, chocolates

Christmas decorations for the bedside tables or room bulletin boards

Cookies and other snacks

Crossword puzzle books

Cups

Gloves

Hand lotion

Hats, baseball caps

Pens, pencils, paper

Scarves

Small games

Socks

Stuffed animals

Throws or small blankets

Tissues

In the meantime, Merry Christmas everyone! -JG

(.....that goes for me too! -Ed)

This month's "LDL" (Let's do lunch) will be held on
Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 11:30 AM
at "Jimmies" in Mint Hill.

Spread the word! Invite other classmates to come! Even better, bring someone with you! Be sure YOU, come!

Plan to join us...there's plenty of room. And...you'll be glad you did!

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"..... PART TWO

2010-12-06T19:11:00.004-05:00

(This is the second of a two part story about Frank Capra's ground breaking 1939 film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Please read part one (found here) first. The National Press Club sponsored the premier of the film and this is Frank Capra's description of that memorial day...from his autobiography, THE NAME ABOVE THE TITLE copyright 1971)

By Frank Capra

How I wished Papa could have lived to see the day when America’s leaders would honor the work of his youngest son. I grinned and grinned , blew my nose, and took surreptitious handkerchief swipes at my eyes.

There they were…army searchlights; their beams playing tag among the low-scudding clouds. Constitution Hall was a fairy palace of splendor. A marine band belted out the pulse-stirring strains of Halls of Montezuma; huge throungs of roped off bystanders cheered their favorite government dignitaries as they stepped out of the low-license numbered official cars.

Inside, the great Hall glittered with all the opulence of a new seasons opening at the Met. Supreme Court Justices, Cabinet officers, Senators, Congressmen, generals, pundits . We were introduced to Senator and Mrs. Burton K. Wheeler and their teen-aged daughter. Mr. Smith, in the film, allegedly came from Montana, so it was thought fitting that Montana’s Senator Wheeler should sit in the official box with us.

Senator Burton K.Wheeler Frank Capra and wife

When the lights dimmed, a spotlight hit our box. There was a thunderous applause. Good Lord. I stood up, took a bow, and sat down Columbia’s Torch Lady flashed on the screen Another thrunderous applause at the title: Frank Capra’s MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.

I crossed all my fingers and prayed a little that nothing would go wrong.

I hadn’t prayed enough.

The ominous signs that strike terror into the hearts of filmmakers…whispering and fidgeting…became evident about two thirds of the way into the picture. Walk-outs would confirm the omens. There was the first one..a couple rose, headed for the exit, the man making thumbs down motions with his hand. Another twosome followed suit, then a foursome. The scaffold was being erected…and I had a box seat.

When Jimmy Stewart started filibustering, the whispering swelled into a provoked buzz. Mrs. Wheeler and her daughter withered us with hostile glances, then whispered into Senator Wheelers ear. Arthur Hachten, (President of the National Press Club) chief sponsor of the film, dropped his twisted program, ran a finger around the inside of his wilted collar as he watched his guests move like picket lines toward the exits …flaunting furs instead of placards, Flying words, such as “Outrage,” ” Insult”….must have zinged into him like ice-tipped arrows.

By the time Mr Smith sputtered to the end music, about one-third of Washington’s finest had left. Of those who remained, some applauded, some laughed, but most pressed grimly for the doors. The Wheeler family, having courteously stuck it out, now rose and huffily left our box; but not before Senator Wheeler had thrown me a polite, but curt, over –the- shoulder “Good Evening.” He was not amused.

Later, sitting in the back of one of the Press Club’s restaurant bar booths, with my good wife next to me, I took the worst shellacking of my professional life. Shifts of hopping-mad Washington press correspondents belittled, berated, sconrned, vilified, and ripped me open from stem to stern as a villainous Hollywood traducer.

For much to my surprise..I was accused of double-sinning in Mr Smith. Sin number one was just a mortal sin: showing that graft could raise its ugly head in the august Senate chamber. But sin number two: depicting one of their own Press Club members as being too fond of the juice of the grape…WELL! That was heresy; punishable by being burned at the stake in the fires of their wrath.

It didn’t make sense. The average reporter I knew would have laughed at himself under the circumstances. But these gentlemen were not average reporters. They were demi-gods, “by-liners,” "opinion makers". What they wrote was instantly printed in hundreds of newspapers at home and abroad. Their irrational attack on Mr. Smith was not an attack against entertainment, or against me personally. It was a attack against a new, perhaps superior, power invading their empire…..film power.

Clearly, they detested Mr. Smith Goes to Washington because it was the first important film to muscle in on their private Washington preserve. So resentful were those Olympian cuff-shooters, that they could take this hypocritical stance: Holding a Martini in angry fingers, they looked me right in the eye and said, “There isn’t one Washington correspondent in the room that drinks on duty, or off duty!!

This crazy scene had to end with an unexpected topper

Our attention was arrested by a clamorous voice, loud enough to be heard over the tumult. It came from the direction of the two-deep bar.

“Where’s that Hollywood jerk!” he snarled, “Where do you get off telling the world that all reporters are drunken bums? He was fighting off restraining hands. “No, the Hell with you. I want to meet the son-of-a bitch that made that goddam picture. Where is he?” Someone pointed to our booth. “Oh there you are you Hollywood jerk, where do you get off telling the world that all reporters are drunken bums? I’m gonna bust you…” He made a wild pass with a hand and sprawled flat on his face on the table sending drinks and flying glass all over us.

In the uproar Lu and I made our way to the elevator; then ran like fugitives to the Willard Hotel.

What a daffy day.

At dinner we had been toasted, honored, and welcomed by the National Press Club. At midnight we had been roasted, dishonored, and given the bum’s rush by the same club.

There’s no dizziness like show dizziness. -FC

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"..... and took me to lunch

2010-12-03T20:00:00.002-05:00

I hosted a morning television show in Washington for about 2 and a half years. It was fairly typical of local interview shows of that time, featuring celebrities, authors, musicians, playboy bunnies, whoever we could book that we thought might be half way interesting.

David French, Lee Shephard, Carol Clark

Just about every station had one. Many of those interviews were pretty lame and believe me, I had my share.

But one big advantage I had was that my show was in Washington DC...and love it or hate it, that’s where the “action” was.

Still, finding interesting guests to interview 5 days a week 52 weeks a year wasn’t easy.

The show had no budget, no staff, just me and a female co-host (Carol Clark) a newsman (David French) who up dated the headlines each morning, and a director plus a couple of floor crew workers....who were members of the “training program”.....young kid TV " wanna be’s".... just out of school who mostly moved furniture and sets around.

One morning after a particularly dull guest, the newest kid on the floor crew, Burt Wheeler was his name. came up to me and suggested that his uncle would make a good guest on the show.
After that morning’s “bomb,” I was willing to listen to any and all suggestions.

I’m glad I did.

After a little research I told Burt to go ahead and invite his uncle on the show.

“Uncle Burt” (his nephew was named after him) called me a few days later and accepted the invitation, but insisted on taking me to lunch the day before the show....to discuss his upcoming appearance. I agreed.

When I arrived at 2121 Mass Ave he was waiting for me.

I had a feeling that my next morning's show was going to be an interesting one, when he ushered me into the luxurious COSMOS club and we sat down for lunch.

The Cosmos Club

Since it’s founding in 1878. the COSMOS club has been the undisputed social headquarters fοr Washington’s intellectual elite.

(Every time I find myself in situations like this, a vuvuzela horn goes off in my brain and I hear a little voice in my head that says, “What the Hell are you doing here?!)

Burton K. Wheeler told me about the time he ran for President In 1924. He and Robert LaFollette were the candidates of the Progressive Party. in that presidential election.

Burton K. Wheeler

Returning to the Democratic Party, he was elected to the Senate in 1928, 1934 and 1940.

He told me that President Roosevelt asked him to run as his Vice President in 1944, but he turned him down.

But even more interesting than that was the fact that Senator Wheeler was .........Mr.Smith!

You know, the one in the Frank Capra movie.....who went to Washington!

This is what LIFE magazine said about that 1939 movie:

“Mr Smith stemmed from an original short story, The Gentleman from Montana,by Lewis R. Foster.
It was loosely based on the early career of Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who was attacked and falsely indicted when as a freshman Senator in the 1920’s, he fought corruption in the Presidential administration of Warren G. Harding.

The Hays office, mindful of pending Senate bills that would have adversely affected the movie industry, discouraged other studios from going ahead with the film.

But once it fell into Capra’s hands, his clout prevailed.’

The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and is considered one of the best films ever made.

Just about everybody loved it.

Except Congress!

For example Senator Alben Barkley (minority leader 1937-1947, later Vice President under Truman) said, .

"... it showed the Senate as the biggest aggregation of nincompoops on record! At one place the picture shows the Senators walking out on Mr. Smith as a body when he is attacked by a corrupt member. The very idea of the Senate walking out at the behest of that old crook! It was so grotesque it was funny. It showed the Senate made up of crooks, led by crooks, listening to a crook . . ."

Jimmy Stewart as "Mr. Smith"

...and what did Mr.Smith, I mean Senator Wheeler, (who was sitting next to Frank Capra at the premier showing of the movie, think about it?.....)..

He told me that he walked out in disgust half way through the film.

Meanwhile, back at the Cosmos club. I stayed until after the dessert.

David French, Bunny #1, Lee Shephard, Bunny #2

And the following day, "The Uncle Burt" show was a big hit! It got almost as high ratings as the previous week's Playboy Bunny interviews. -Ed

Jim Suitt's Daughter in law passes

2010-12-03T08:47:00.001-05:00

Jerry Gaudet reports that Jim Suitt's daughter-in-law passed away last Friday at the age of 41.

Those that attended the November "LDL" will remember that Jim (CHS'55) visited with us.

His contact information is:

Jim Suitt
116 Lamplighter Lane
Mooresville, NC 28115

Email jls071637@windstream.net.

Here's the obit...

Kimberly Wiles Suitt

MOORESVILLE -- Mrs. Suitt, 41, of Mooresville, passed away on Friday, November 26, 2010 at her residence. She was born on August 4, 1969 to Coy R. Wiles and Sue Featherstone Wiles. She was a homemaker and very active in volunteering at her children's school and loved spending quality time with her children and her family. She was a member of Triplett United Methodist Church. She is survived by her husband of 19 years, Joseph L. Suitt; children, Lauren, Lathan and Lannah of the home; sister Donna Bennett and husband, Glenn and children, Jenna and Noah Bennett of Cleveland, NC; brother, Ray Wiles and Ninnette Sanchez of Cleveland, NC; in-laws, June and T.D. Rogers and Jim Suitt of Mooresville.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 29 at 2:00 p.m. at Triplett United Methodist Church with the Rev. William W. 'Bill' Roberts officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be on Sunday, November 28 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lakeshore Elementary School PTO, 252 Lakeshore School Dr., Mooresville, NC 28117, and/or Triplett United Methodist Church, 838 Mazeppa Rd., Mooresville, NC 28115.
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home, Mooresville, is serving the Suitt family. Condolences may be made online at www.cavin-cook.com.

Parental Guidance Advised

2010-11-29T20:21:00.010-05:00

It’s great reading about our classmates who’ve already achieved that 50 years of married bliss milestone.

Linda and I have 3 more years to go before we become members of that club. But we’ll get there.

There’s no doubt about that.

No, my doubts were that the wedding might not happen at all.

Linda and I had gone together for a little over 2 years, and I knew
she was a very bright and sophisticated lady......with a great sense of humor, and we were both in love, but........she didn’t have any idea how certifiable one of my best friends was.

Paul Niven at Kennedy Nixon Debate

His name was Paul Niven, who very few people remember now, but at the time was part of Ed Murrow’s team of reporters at CBS. He was moderating Face the Nation in the early 60’s and I was the announcer on that show as well as a number of Paul’s radio newscasts throughout the week.

Broadcasting was his job.

But practical jokes...the more outrageous the better...were his life!

Paul Niven, Pat Peyser, Lee Shephard

Both of us were bachelors during that time....and since our work schedules were more or less the same.......we ran around together a lot doing things bachelors do....going to bars....acting stupid...and a few times wandering 40 miles up the road to see the sights in Baltimore’s notorious Burlesque district known as “The Block.”

Paul was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met.....and one of the funniest.....and kindest.

But I knew that like all of Paul’s friends, I had a target on my back. And an up coming wedding was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

I was convinced that the “terror attack” would come right after the wedding or perhaps during the honeymoon.

So, a couple of weeks before the wedding, I didn’t think twice when Paul asked us to meet him and his date at a very exclusive restaurant (The Rive Gauche) in Georgetown.

I spotted Paul right away when we entered and as Linda and I were being led to his table........Suddenly, I began to realize who his “date” was. I recognized her even without her “boa.” It was the “Queen of the Block” and probably the best known xcydiast in the country, Blaze Star.

This was ground zero....and the attack was about to begin.

Blaze performed her part well.....telling Linda that she had been sent by the city of Baltimore to plead with her not to marry me....because the entire economy of the “block” would collapse without my many trips to the bars....."have pity on the strippers’ hungry children," she pleaded......Paul had also paid a couple of waitresses to come by our table with picket signs...with similar "unfair to Baltimore's working girls".....messages.

I was dying.

Linda thought it was hilarious.

Whew!

I figured after that, the next 50 years would be a breeze.

They were.

-Ed

(After the initial shock....the rest of the evening was great. Blaze told us about beginning her career when she was 15.........and how she had been supporting her Mom and sisters in West Virginia ever since..and talked about her long-term romance with then-governor Earl Long of Louisiana
.
It was, to say the least, an unforgettable evening.

Paul Niven died in a tragic house fire in 1979. Linda was pregnant with our third child at the time......and since our other two children were boys, we were confident the new one would be too...so we decided to name him Paul, after our friend.

But, our third child turned out to be a girl, so we named her Kendall, which was Paul's middle name.

At Paul’s funeral Daniel Patrick Moynihan gave the eulogy. Among other things he said,

“A journalist’s life revolves around stories. And stories of Paul will be heard as long as any who worked with him or knew him gather in those barrooms around the world where the day’s brutality is somehow surmounted with laughter and a comradeship of equality and honor.”

Rest in Peace, Paul. -Ed)

Our 75th Year

2010-11-27T20:04:00.000-05:00

Got a nice note from Ellouise:

Reading the blog. Loving all that good stuff. Made me realize that both Don Nance or I forgot to send a picture of our annual sandwich supper at the National Storytelling Festival, Jonesborough, Tn in October. Always great to see Don and Letty.

This is our 75th year for the Class of 1954. All of us going over that line together. I am embracing it - wearing my white hair and billing myself as "Southern, Sassy -- and 75,"

I am currently booking what I hope will be my 2011 “Diamond Julibee Tour.” Particularly hoping to tell stories in Charlotte.
Lately "house concerts" are the thing up here. Anybody interested?

Give me a call.

(At first I thought that picture was of 3 teenagers with powdered hair and makeup about to appear in the senior play portraying advanced citizens. -Ed )

Calling Mr. Keen

2010-11-27T09:19:00.003-05:00

Jerry Gaudet reports that some emails to our class members have been returned as undeliverable and letters have had no response.

Mr. Keen never had a first name

This is obviously a case for the kindly old Mr Keen, tracer of lost persons...and his faithful assistant, Mike Clancy.

Two classmates have recently gone missing or are lost:

Charles Cunningham

Ann-Elizabeth Mitchell

Emails have been returned as undeliverable and letters have had no response. If you have contact information for either of these classmates, please let Jerry know.

Those currently on our "Lost" list are:

Jim Allen
Sarah Beck Yandle
Rebecca May Brogden
Nancy Brookes Lawing
Ruth Brown Braswell
Agnes Caudell
Danny Cole
Alton Craver
Lois Dempsey
Anne Finger
John Furr
Sue Griffin Price
Carl Guest
Fred Howard
Nancy Karnes
John Keller
Kathleen Kesler
Jeanne King Kumm
Doy Lim
Ronald Little
Gary Lutteral
Sarah McWhirter Martin
Fred Merrill
Bill Moore
Esther Newell
Bill Powell
Nelda Price
Betty Purvis
Helen Ray Therrell
Rosemary Sessoms
Micheal Thompson
Bobby Tribble
Ed Turner
Bruce Wallace
Yvonne Wentz
Shirley Williams
Elizabeth Ann Wilson
Jerry Wood

(Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons was one of network radio's longest running detective shows, although listening to it now would hardly explain why. This kind, elderly, boring sleuth, in company with his bumbling assistant, Mike Clancy, was on the airwaves from 1937 to 1955, logging nearly 20 years of fighting crime.
Mr. Keen's themesong was, "Someday I'll Find You." -Ed)

Up, Up and Away!

2010-11-24T17:24:00.001-05:00

Don and Letty Nance jetted down to Puerto Rico to watch the basketball tournament and bumped into Patsy Hartsell Kilgo, whose husband John was broadcasting the Davidson games.

Don has the incredible knack of running into a CHS grad no matter where he goes.

Patsy Hartsell Kilgo and Don Nance

Now, back to the action on the court....

Good News at Thanksgiving Time

2010-11-23T16:56:00.003-05:00

Jerry Gaudet reports that Judy and Tony Thomas's daughter Evelyn has done very well in surgery!

Here's the email they sent:

"Happy Thanksgiving to the Central High Lunch group. Tony and I are happy to report that our daughter's lung cancer surgery at Duke on the 12th of this month was completely successful and she has returned home to Charlotte. God is so good and so are friends like all of you who have supported us with your prayers and emails.

Thanks to all of you; your love and friendship was felt so strongly. Tony is doing better now that he does not have this concern. Hope we can get back for lunch soon. Judy Thomas"

Amen to that!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! -JG
---
I got a note from Warren Sparrow who said he talked with Neil Jones the other day...and reminisced mostly about their Seagoing adventures during their days in the US Navy. He said Neil sounds great.

Also, Warren said he had lunch in Winston Salem last week with Bonson Hobson.
---

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

2010-11-23T10:19:00.005-05:00

That’s one of the funniest and best known lines ever uttered on television. It was from WKRP in Cincinnati's "Turkeys Away"
episode, a comic account of a disastrous promotion initiated by the station's owner Arthur Carlson.

As a publicity stunt, WKRP drops live turkeys out of a helicopter over a shopping center as a Thanksgiving Day giveaway. The domestic turkeys, which cannot fly, plunge to their deaths as shoppers run for their lives.

The entire event, however, occurs entirely off-screen, as the viewer only sees and hears Les Nessman describe the scene in words reminiscent of the “real life” Hindenberg disaster. “Oh, the humanity!”

Most people are under the impression that WKRP in Cinncinati was a “sit com.”

No, no.

The episodes on WKRP were documentaries!

WKRP Staff

Having spent a lot of years of my life working in small radio stations, I know what I’m talking about.

Almost without exception, every one of those stations had their own version of just about every character on the TV series.

And the situations they found themselves in were very familiar to small stations throughout the country.

For example, Thanksgiving was always a big day for small stations to promote themselves...usually by giving away Turkeys.

Ty Boyd,Barry Clark,Hank ?,John?,Ed Myers,Patsy Owens

WCHL in Chapel Hill is a good case in point. That little station was well represented by ex CHS students beginning with Charles Kuralt in 1954. Barry Clark and I worked there from 1955 til ’58.

Ty Boyd, who later replaced Charlotte icon Grady Cole was there during that time too. Ty was always so enthusiastic, especially about our turkey give aways, that Barry and I nicknamed him “Turkey Ty.”

Finally, the turkey story on the WKRP show was actually based on real events that occurred at WQXI in Atlanta, a station at which series creator Hugh Wilson worked while in the advertising business.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everybody, but don't forget to "look up" from time to time.
You never know. -Ed

LDL 26

2010-11-21T11:38:00.042-05:00

By Jerry Gaudet

CHS’54 celebrated its 26th “LDL” on November 9, with Jimmies Restaurant looking like Thanksgiving had come. At least that was the look in the CHS’54 corner thanks to Mary Sue Burnett and her pack horse, husband Clyde, who loaded in and out all the supplies and decorations necessary to make our surroundings so seasonally special and meaningful…

Jim Suitt

Of special note was the visit of Jim Suitt, CHS’55, who joined some of his “older” classmates for lunch and a visit. It was a treat to share with him recent contacts with Central High classmates who are mutually remembered…

Mary Sue has talked to the activities person at Avanté at Charlotte, the skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that cared for Shirley Maynor, about our class providing simple Christmas gifts for some of their residents as a way for us to remember Shirley.

We will be provided with a list of the residents who have few or even no visitors. Following is a list of possible items that we can bring to our December “LDL”. Other items can always be added. The gifts should NOT be wrapped except for maybe a bow or ribbon (the Avante staff would have to unwrap any gifts to know who should receive each gift). We hope everyone will want to participate as a way to honor our friend, Shirley, and to bring a little Christmas cheer to some nursing home residents. As Mary Sue expressed, “at Christmas we always think about children, but we tend to forget about those who are older, ill and alone”.

Here’s a start on the list:
Candy such as jelly beans, gum drops, mints, chocolates
Christmas decorations for the bedside tables or room bulletin boards
Cookies and other snacks
Crossword puzzle books
Cups
Gloves
Hand lotion
Hats, baseball caps
Pens, pencils, paper
Scarves
Small games
Socks
Stuffed animals
Throws or small blankets
Tissues

More information will follow.

In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! -JG

Being There

2010-11-18T14:42:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I feel like Peter Sellers in the movie “Being There.”

Things just “happen” to me.

Strange things.

Take for example the day I was sitting in my office minding my own business when three men walked in and handed me the original, most famous, and most studied film in history:

The Abraham Zapruder film of the JFK assassination.

Now admittedly, there wasn’t much I could do with it, like sell it or anything, since all three gentlemen were heavily armed. Two were uniformed US Capitol police officers and the other was a Secret Service agent.

This happened in 1976.

I was working for a motion picture lab in Washington at the time and my office was on K Street in downtown DC. Mine was the first office you came to after you passed the reception area.

Rita, the receptionist had the annoying habit of sending anyone and everyone who ever entered the Byron Motion Picture building straight to my office with the following instructions;
“Oh, Mr. Shephard will handle that.”

She sent one lost soul to my office one day who said he had come for his clarinet lesson.

Anyway, the three visitors that day had been sent by Congress to have a new copy of the original Zapruder film made to help in their reinvestigation of the Kennedy murder.

If you recall, 1976 was the year the House Select Committee on Assassinations undertook reinvestigations of the murders of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Later, in 1979, a single Report and twelve volumes of appendices on each assassination were published by the Congress. In the JFK case, the HSCA found that there was a "probable conspiracy," though it was unable to determine the nature of that conspiracy or its other participants (besides Oswald). This finding was based in part on acoustics evidence from a tape purported to record the shots.

Bottom line was that my lab was unable to make a copy of the Zapruder film. By 1976 we had converted to processing and printing only super 8 film. The Zapruder film was regular 8mm.

Knowing the film lab business like I did.....and recognizing all the things that could ...and regularly DID... go wrong with mechanical processes, I was very happy to see my three visitors leaving the building with film in hand..

That's the closest I ever want to get on any "conspirators" list. -Ed

Abe and Me

2010-11-12T18:09:00.006-05:00

Pseudologica Fantastica.

That’s the name psychologists use to describe people who have the compulsive need to lie consistently and about everything, however inconsequential - even if it yields no benefits to the liar.

We all knew kids in school who did that, but most of them grow out of it by high school. But some, never do.

And I’ll be darned if I don’t attract them like a magnet! My Daddy used to tell me that God gave me two ears and one mouth……..for a good reason. Sometimes I think I’m too good….at listening.

Add to that the fact that it’s not in my DNA to bluntly tell these myth makers that I don’t believe a damn word they’re saying.

I’m embarrassed to tell them.

THEY should be the ones embarrassed….for Heaven’s sake.

However, there’s always the possibility that they may be telling the truth.

Anyway, let me tell you about a man I once met named Abe Spanel.

I worked for a company in Washington for a couple of years called BYRON MOTION PICTURES…..one of the things I did in addition to “selling” was to help produce short films and TV commercials.

The Barber King

Abe was in his 80’s at the time and living in Princeton New Jersey when he called and introduced himself to me. He had invented a “personal hair cutter.” He called it “The Barber King.” (Think “vegematic for the head. “ ) He had a commercial for it airing on New York TV stations. But his hair cutters weren’t selling….and he was sure it was because his commercials just weren’t good enough.

I regularly called on clients in New York and New Jersey so about 2 weeks later I dropped in on Abe. He showed me his TV spot…..and frankly there wasn’t a darn thing wrong with it. I might have been able to do it a little better……but in my opinion, Abe’s problem was with the product, not the commercial.

I told him that.

He either appreciated my honesty, or felt sorry for me because I was such a lousy salesman. At any rate, he insisted on taking ME to lunch.

I did the eating, and he did the talking.

Did he ever!

He told me how in his younger days he sold vacuum cleaners for the Hoover company eventually working his way up to the head of sales and tripled their business in one year by paying his door to door salesmen twice as much in commisions as the other companies.

But he went on to tell me that he was more of an inventor than a salesman and that he had so many patents that he couldn’t remember them all.

He said that some of the companies he founded made a lot of money during WW2……..in fact, so much that he decided to give a million and a half dollars back to the government.

(Remember, this is a man who invented a comb with razor blades in it…..that nobody wanted to buy!)

But I continued to eat and he continued to talk:

He told me that one of his inventions had caused a revolution in women’s undergarments
He described his invention and how he had invested a lot of time and money into this completely new concept in women’s bras and girdles….and was about to introduce the product nationwide.

But just before the target date….. reports started coming in that the models who were testing these new products were all complaining of a rash being caused by the garments.

Frightened to death that his invention was about to blow up in his face, he went back to his lab….(which was in one of the bedrooms in his home) made an adjustment to his formula…….and the next batch of bras and girdles….. to his great relief, were fine.

He said he never patented that product………because he was afraid it would be stolen. ….in his mind, a patent was the quickest way to get your invention stolen. (That’s what he said.)

If you ever find yourself visiting the New Jersey Governors Mansion, ask them to show you the “music room.” That house belonged to Spanel at the time he frantically re-mixed his magic elixer. And the "music room" was where his "lab" was located.

Now you know the true story of where the word Spandex came from... And how the Playtex Company was founded.

A guy with a bad haircut named Abe did it.
-Ed

SPANEL, ABRAM NATHANIEL

(1901–1985), U.S. industrialist, inventor, philanthropist. Spanel was the founder of one of the biggest corset and brassiere companies in the U.S. and an inventor who held more than 2,000 patents.

Born in Odessa, Russia, the son of a tailor and a laundress, he was taken to Paris by his family at an early age, and then to Rochester, N.Y., when he was 10. He was a student at the University of Rochester for three years, then invented a garment bag that could be aired and moth-proofed with a vacuum cleaner. He made his first million dollars with his first business, the Vacuumizer.

Spanel retired as chairman of International Playtex in 1975, but remained active as head of the Spanel Foundation and Spanel International Ltd., a business he started in 1976 to manufacture some of his inventions. Spanel was awarded patents on an eclectic range of products, including a hair-cutting device to be used in the home and a pneumatic stretcher for transporting military personnel wounded in combat. His philanthropic interests focused on medical research, especially child care. He established the Spanel Foundation for Cancer Research in New York City and the Playtex Park Research Institute at his company's headquarters in Dover, Delaware. His employees were provided with free Vitamin C tablets and were among the first workers to have air-conditioning, paid health and life insurance, and a profit-sharing plan. During World War II, Spanel contributed more than $1.5 million to the war effort, the profits he had made on war contracts. A staunch advocate of Franco-American relations, he was made a Commander of the Legion of Honor by France.

Ghost Riders or Big Foot?

2010-11-09T16:50:00.005-05:00

I have met more than my share of famous people over the years and you’d think I could really impress my friends and family by telling anecdotes….beginning with “As (famous person…fill in the blank) told me one time…..“save your money….don’t stand out in the rain…a wet bird never flies at night")…whatever.

But no.

I usually freeze up when I meet a famous person and say something so bizarre that they wind up just looking at me like I’m from outer space…and don’t say anything…memorable or otherwise.

Which reminds me of an adventure I had as an 11 year old with the Charlotte Boys Choir.

That trip we took to New York City was the highlight of the 2 or 3 years that I was a member of the choir, but there was one other brush with the big time that we had at the old Armory Auditorium around 1947 or 48.

Vaughn Monroe

One of the most popular radio shows of that era was “The Camel Caravan” hosted by singer Vaughn Monroe and his sidekicks, the Moon Maids.

The show usually originated in New York, but would often travel to various cities and broadcast remotely from those locations and feature at least one local act from that city. When it was Charlotte’s turn, the show took over the Armory Auditorium one evening and somehow the Charlotte Boys Choir was chosen to be the local talent for that show.
.
I remember it well.

The announcer was isolated in some sort of soundproof booth on the stage of the Armory. We couldn’t hear him, but there was a man (producer) standing down in the orchestra pit who pointed a lot and made things happen. There was another man standing in the front row facing the audience who held up signs from time to time….one of which had “applaud” written on it and the other one said “laugh.”

As fascinating as that was, my most vivid memory of that event was backstage waiting for the show to start. I remember it to this day.

It happened that I was standing right next Mr. Monroe.

I didn’t say anything to him.

And he didn’t say anything to me.

But I’ll never forget one thing.

Two, actually.

He had the biggest feet I had ever seen!

(Sorry folks, but don’t say you weren’t warned. Most of my celebrity stories are like that; very forgettable.)

-Ed

Vaughn Monroe

Monroe was born in Akron, Ohio on October 7, 1911.[1] He graduated from Jeannette High School in Pennsylvania in 1929[2] where he was senior class president and voted "most likely to succeed."

He formed his first orchestra in Boston in 1940 and became its principal vocalist. He began recording for Victor's low-priced Bluebird label. That same year, Monroe built The Meadows, a restaurant and nightclub on Route 9 in Framingham, Massachusetts, west of Boston. He hosted the Camel Caravan radio program from there starting in 1946. It burned to the ground in December 1980.

Monroe was tall and handsome which helped him as a band leader and singer, as well as in Hollywood. He was sometimes called "the Baritone with Muscles", "the Voice with Hair on its Chest", "'ol Leather Tonsils", or "Leather Lungs".

He recorded extensively for RCA Victor until the 1950s and his signature tune was "Racing with the Moon" (1941). Among his other hits were "In the Still of the Night" (1939), "There I Go" (1941), "There I've Said It Again" (1945), "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" (1946), "Ballerina" (1947), "Riders in the Sky" (1949), "Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)" (1949), "Sound Off" (1951), and "In the Middle of the House" (1956). He also turned down the chance to record "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".[2]

Monroe also wrote a number of songs ranging from "Army Song" to less-known ones like the "Jeannette High School Alma Mater".[3]

Do You Know What TIme It Is?

2010-11-05T08:06:00.008-04:00

Briarhopper time?

Nope.

It's time for another exciting true life adventure in the November chapter of CHS'54 Does Lunch series.

Same time.........On the second Tuesday of each and every month 11;30 AM

Another satisfied listener

Same Station.....Jimmies of Mint Hill

(For the calendricly challenged, that's November 9th this year.)

Keep those cards and letters coming friends and neighbors. -Ed

Nellie Leventis Passes

2010-11-03T16:36:00.000-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

With sadness we received word that Nellie (Leventis) Boudoucies has passed away.

Nellie Boudoucies, 74, of Jonesboro, AR, died Saturday, October 30, 2010, at her home. She had lived in Jonesboro since 1981, moving here from Forest City, North Carolina and was a member of the Calvary Chapel of Jonesboro. Nellie was a wonderful wife, wonderful mother, grandmother and a strong Christian and was preceded in death by her parents Peter and Barbara Leventis.

Survivors are her husband of 53 years, Art Boudoucies, of the home; daughters, Barbara Anne White and husband Keith, of Forest City North Carolina; Julie Elaine Hampton and husband John of McKinney, Texas; Lisa Jane Turner and husband Kevin of Frisco, Texas; sisters, Sophie Kametches, Raleigh, North Carolina; Christine Pfister, Waxhaw, North Carolina; brothers, George Leventis, Charlotte, North Carolina; Dr. Sam Rigas of Rome, Georgia; six grandchildren, Brandon White, Kathryn White, Josh Hampton, Rebekah Hampton, Nathan Turner and Anna Turner.

A memorial service will be 1:00 Saturday, November 6, 2010 at Calvary Chapel Church with John Lawrence and arrangements by Emerson Funeral Home. Visitation will be Friday night at Calvary Chapel from 5 until 8.

For those wishing to leave lasting memorials in lieu of flowers, the family requests you please consider The Gideons International, PO Box 4002, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72403 or Hospice Memorial Fund, St. Bernard’s Development Foundation, PO Box 9320, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72403.

An electronic guestbook is available at:
http://www.emersonfuneralhome.com/index.cfm

We have this contact information for her husband:
Mr. Art Boudoucies
1405 Post Oak Cove
Jonesboro, AR 72401

And, Nellie's cousin and classmate:
Sophie (Leventis) Trakas
525 Sherwood Cir.
Spartanburg, SC 29302-2719

Email pjbmtb@bellsouth.net

Mary Sandra's Latest Movie

2010-11-01T07:17:00.000-04:00

Jerry Gaudet reports that The Mary Sandra Schulken Costner Story is now at a theatre near you!

Well, he got my attention. And although he admits that is a little bit of an exaggeration, you'll have to agree that it's a big deal anytime one of our classmates rubs elbows with Hollywood!

Mary Sandra explains:

"I thought I would share with the class the fact that I was in a movie as an 'extra'. One that was filmed in Shelby, Charlotte, and Monroe. It is "Blood Done Sign My Name" from the book of that same name. Ricky Schroder was the lead actor. True story. It is out on DVD now. If you watch it You can see me in the choir scene behind the minister. Two of my grandchiildren are in it to and they are the ones that got me to be a 'extra' so they could go. It was an interesting experience."

Mary Sandra will be available for autographs at our next reunion.

Your Government at Work

2010-11-01T07:15:00.002-04:00

Actually, it's MY government at work.

The Virginia Department of Highway Signs and Creative Napping....or whatever they call themselves...has decided to crack down on distracted drivers by installing expensive electronic signs.

This one is on the street one block from my house.

It says, "PLEASE JUST DRIVE"

In my opinion, one more sign is needed.......which says something like....PLEASE DO NOT BE DISTRACTED BY READING DISTRACTING SIGNS. -Ed

Pat and Jerry Celebrate 50 Years of Marriage

2010-10-27T16:28:00.002-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

It seems so long ago…

And yet, maybe it was just yesterday…

When two became one…and we drove off into a new and wonderful life…

When our lives were flush with color…all the photos were in black and white. Now that we have color photography, we’re the ones that are gray…

How wonderful to grow old together…and celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary at Niagara Falls.

Thank you Pat!

***
(That's beautiful, Jerry. Congratulations! -Ed)

Frances Plyler Passes

2010-10-26T06:47:00.001-04:00

From the Charlotte Observer

Frances Plyler Best

Mrs. Best, 74, of Charlotte, formerly of Warsaw, passed away Monday, October 11, 2010 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Mrs. Best was born in Charleston, SC on December 27, 1935 to the late Edward Plyler and Edith Hahn Plyler.

Mrs. Best worked as a nurse for many years before becoming a nursing instructor. She taught nursing at Central Piedmont Community College of Charlotte and James Sprunt Community College of Kenansville for numerous years
.

Mrs. Best is survived by daughters, Rebecca Stephens and husband Warren of Indian Trail, NC, Edie Adams and husband Kirk of York, SC and Mandy Allsbrook and husband Doug of Rocky Point, NC; brother, Edward Plyler and wife Pat of Charlotte, NC; sisters, Evy Smith and husband Bob of Concord, NC and Julia Dagenhart and husband Ron of Harrisburg, NC; ten grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Best was predeceased by husband George S. Best Jr.
Published in Charlotte Observer on October 14, 2010

Lookabills Celebrate 75th Birthdays

2010-10-24T17:05:00.000-04:00

LaGena (Lookabill) Green shares word that "We recently celebrated both of my parents' 75th Birthdays! My brother, Gene, and I are so thankful to God for their love and lives."...

Happy birthday to Jackie and Gene!

How I Became a Blue Bird

2010-10-21T06:36:00.002-04:00

Maybe it’s the TV influence or something, but my grand kids had no problem at age 6 making the transition from home to school for the first time. Whereas for me, the first grade was a frightening experience.

When my Mom dropped me off at Elizabeth School that day in 1942 I was convinced that I would never see her again….and that life for me had changed forever.

Of course, I did see her again, but I was right about the second part.

Yeah, I cried. But, so did some of the others.

But it didn’t take long for me to get used to the idea of going to school every day and, after all, there were only 12 more years to go.

After a few days, I was even starting to like school. Especially playing games with my new friends at recess….eating lunch in the cafeteria…and getting to know a few…….girls! (Yes, even then!)

Then, one day, it happened.

Miss Chalk gave us our first test! The kids were to be divided into three groups: Red Birds, Blue Birds, and Yellow Birds. She didn’t tell us the reason for this, but it didn’t take us long to figure it out.

The smartest kids would be RED BIRDS

The less than smart kids would be BLUE BIRDS

And…….you get the drift.

It all hinged on our first test!

She handed out the paper…..and read each question out loud….so we would all understand exactly what we were to do.

The only question I remember was the first one. But that was the only one it took to label me for the rest of my days at Elizabeth School, and perhaps the rest of my academic career…..as a BLUE BIRD.

Frankly, I blame it on Miss Chalk's southern accent. -Ed

Ed Sanders Media Center to be Dedicated

2010-10-19T18:46:00.006-04:00

By Frank Clontz

On October 29 Ed Sanders will be honored at the new Rocky River High School in Mint Hill, NC. The Media Center will be dedicated to him in honor of all his work during his years with the Charlotte/Mecklenburg School System. There will be a large photo of him placed in the Media Center that already has a plaque and other things dedicated to his work over the years.

Students in media center

Those attending will be fed a lunch, however they will need a count of those that plan to attend. Mr. Sanders and his family will be there for the ceremony that will take place at 12:30 PM. Since it will be a teachers workday the students will not be on campus which will make it much easier for visitors to park and make their way around the school.

The location of the School is 10505 Clear Creek Commerce Drive which is off the Matthews-Mint Hill Road just off Albemarle Road. The actual name of the main road, Highway 51 in that section is called Blair Road.

All Central High students are welcome. Should any of the CHS54 members plan to attend it would be appreciated if they would send an email to davidmckinnon@windstream.net in order for him to get an estimate of the number. Hopefully we'll get a decent number of our students to attend as we were trying to get CMS to name the school after him.

It is a long story but CMS will not name a school after anyone still living but with all the work involved we were able to get the Media Center, about 10k sq ft named after him. -FC

Frank Clontz is a member of the CHS class of '55

The grandkids were over again this weekend...

2010-10-16T19:03:00.107-04:00

"Gather round, boys and I’ll tell you about that Sunday afternoon your granddaddy played before an almost sellout crowd in Memorial Stadium….."
“Wait a minute, Grandad. Professional teams play on Sunday afternoons, not high school teams.” remarked grandson #1.

"That’s right, son. It was a professional game.

Jimmy Weller

We had a very impressive team; fleet-footed Jimmy Weller was the left end, 6 foot tall Barry Clark was the right end, our Fullback was the Heisman trophy winner……."(unfortunately, it was at this point in my story when the last grand kid wandered off . Kids these days must have short attention spans.)

Barry Clark

Anyway, I’ll tell you the rest of the story.

Grady Harmon

Our fullback was the Heisman trophy winner Tom Harmon’s nephew, Grady Harmon.

Wilson Snell

Wilson Snell held down the center of the line.
We were one heck of a tough bunch of 5th graders.

Back in those days there were very few, if any, “organized” teams….at least not organized by adults. We organized ourselves. Our opponents were boys who lived about 6 blocks away and had their own team.

Bobby Burris

Pete Burris was quarterback, Bobby Burris was center, John Kilgo was tailback…..we went head to head just about every day in Independence Park on those cool autumn days in 1947.

It occurred to me that the people of Charlotte would enjoy seeing our brand of exciting football, so I took it upon myself to call the man listed in the Charlotte Clipper programs as the “owner” or director or something like that and let him know about the 5th street team and the Caswell Ave team. (This was an early manifestation of the fact that I’ve always had more nerve than sense.)

But Lo and behold, he said he thought it would be a good idea!

So two weeks later we were seated on a small bench next to the Charlotte Clippers waiting for halftime to show Charlotte what exciting football was really all about.

Once we began playing there was a little bit of a letdown…because it was obvious that the crowd was more interested in heading for the snack bars and restrooms than watching us play.

Nevertheless, our 10 minutes of fame that afternoon and sitting on the bench next to real professional (semi pro) football players was an unforgettable experience.

Plus, we learned several new words.

-Ed

5th Street Team Follow Up

2010-10-15T20:19:00.002-04:00

There was one member of the 5th Street team that I failed to mention. And that’s a fellow who came all the way from east 7th street to be a part of our organization. And he was a valuable addition too.

His only problem was his name. Now, there was nothing wrong with it, it was just that we were never were able to get a good handle on exactly what it was.

His name was Don………..”Mayoneze….or Mayoreeze….or Mayanees…..” whatever it was , it didn’t compute with any last names we had ever heard of.

A few years ago it occurred to me that his name was probably Hispanic…..which would have been Menes…or Menees.

I searched the Piedmont annual………to no avail. I searched the AG annual……and there was no Don Menes….there either. There was no Elizabeth school annual so I was pretty much at a dead end.
Until, my Piedmont friend Dick Ratcliffe sent me the Charlotte City Schools Teacher directory for the years 1943 and 44.

There, I hit paydirt! In the list of teachers at Elizabeth school was a Fourth grade teacher named Mrs Julia Bell Menees…..and she lived at 1933 East 7th street!
That had to be Don’s mother!

It’s too bad it took so long to determine the correct spelling of his name, because before our 5th street team’s big game during halftime of the Charlotte Clippers game…..I was asked to send the Clippers a list of our players so they could insert it in their programs. There was no time to consult with the other team members, besides I knew how to spell all their names……except Don M’s.

But I knew (almost) how to pronounce it. So I went to the refrigerator and found the solution.

I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that somewhere out there one of those programs still exists….with all the names of the 5th Street Team….Wilson Snell, Jimmy Weller, Barry Clark, Ed Myers, Grady Harmon and ……….Don Mayonnaise.
-Ed

Remote Viewing

2010-10-14T19:40:00.004-04:00

Normally, a day or so after our monthly LDL event I post pictures of the festivities. But our ace reporter/photographer Jerry Gaudet is off this week celebrating with wife Pat their 50th wedding anniversary in Niagra Falls!

And so far no other LDL attendees have sent in any snapshots of the occassion. I was afraid that might happen, so I read up on "REMOTE VIEWING 101" as well as "OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCES EXPLAINED IN ONE EASY LESSON."

I ordered both these books from the Coast to Coast radio program with George Noory (see previous post.)

I think I mastered both techniques pretty good.......

As I floated over Jimmies of Mint Hill....last Tuesday.......I could actually see our group enjoying a typical LDL lunch........This is what I saw.........I think you'll agree that Remote Viewing really works!

Oh shoot! they sent me the wrong book. Instead of REMOTE VIEWING 101.....they sent TIME TRAVELING 101. -Ed

The Body Shop

2010-10-11T18:56:00.004-04:00

Often times I wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble going back to sleep. Whenever that happens, I’ll turn on the radio beside my pillow. It never takes more than about 15 minutes of listening to lull me back to sleep.

This happened the other night and the show that my radio was tuned to was “Coast to Coast”…the show Art Bell created. They’re always talking about the super natural world such as UFO's, Big Foot, Shadow People, Out of Body experiences etc…..the kind of stuff that will put you to sleep in a New York minute.

Seems like they were talking about horror films and suddenly I hear a caller say something about a Charlotte North Carolina filmmaker named Harry Joyner!

Harry Joyner

Suddenly I was wide awake. The caller was saying Joyner never got the recognition that he deserved as an innovative movie maker, and sighted what he said was a 1973 ground breaking horror film titled “THE BODY SHOP.”

I remembered that Martin Hill had worked with Harry back in those days so I called Martin and he confirmed that Harry had indeed made a movie called “THE BODY SHOP” and in fact, Martin was the photographer for that movie. He even had character parts in several of Harry’s other films!

Searching the internet, I found this post:

Harry Joyner Under appreciated pioneer of film

"……You're very right about Harry. I too knew him and considered him a wonderful talent and a great man. He owned his own company and gave me my first job in my field. It was always an adventure there, one day you might come to work and find him bulding a model city out of cardboard boxes. The next day he might have been hosting a local filmmaker, and you'd find yourself watching the edits.

I lost touch with Harry, but saw him much later on the David Letterman show. He had made his own how-to movie about how to create special effects on your own home movies. Letterman showed portions of the video, didn't have Harry on his show directly. In Harry's inimitable style, perhaps a disdain for perfection, he sits behind his desk in his study, talking to the camera about whatever special effect he had demonstrated. While filming, the phone started to ring. Instead of stopping, answering the phone, or even unplugging it, Harry IGNORES it, just lets it ring. Letterman starts yelling at the tape, "Answer the phone! They're trying to order your video!" The audience howled with laughter!

Wow, just realized it's been 10 years since the world lost Harry. What a poorer place the world is. Miss you, Harry!

I'm not sure who wrote this, but I agree that we miss Harry too! Especially his sense of humor.

A LOVE story? -Ed

THE BODY SHOP

Cinematography by
W. Martin Hill

Film Editing by
Harry M. Joyner

2010-10-09T20:08:00.005-04:00

At HomeROOM in ~~Mitford~~ PIEDMONT

One of my oldest grand kids, Ed, is in the 9th grade this year. That's kinda hard to believe, because it seems like it wasn't that long ago when this 74 year old Ed was in the 9th grade at Piedmont Junior High. Heck, I can still name almost everybody in my homeroom.

Well, the girls anyway.

I'm sure psychologists have an explanation for that, but every psychologist I ever met was nuts; besides, you and I already know why 9th grade "men to be" think like they do.

Coach Edelman was my homeroom teacher and as you can see there were a number of real good looking "women to be" in that class. In my opinion, one of the prettiest was Janice Wilson, the last girl on the right in the second row. Unfortunately, I was too shy to try and get to know her better.

That was too bad because Janice Wilson, writing under the name of Jan Karon, became my wife's (and millions of other American's) favorite author! She has written almost 25 best selling novels, the most popular of which is her "Mitford Series." Jan moved from Charlotte after her Piedmont years but had she stayed she would have been a member of our class.

I feel sure that Warren Sparrow, Billy Mason, Neil Jones and the other CHS54 lawyers will agree with me that a mere technicality like that will not deter us from bragging about "our" famous writer!

This is what Jan said in a recent interview:

"What a journey it’s been! Many years ago, I stepped out on faith, walked away from a hard-won, very successful career, and followed my heart—and a calling I’d felt since age ten—to become an Author. Did I sit down and write a novel that became an overnight bestseller? No, it didn’t happen that way. There were many tests along the way, and, in all honesty, some moments of despair—but also a lot of prayer.

One night as I lay in bed, I had an image of an Episcopal priest walking down the street. Then a local newspaper publisher said he’d run a weekly column of Mitford vignettes. Those columns grew slowly into a novel, At Home in Mitford. After a lot of “no’s” elsewhere, one day my publisher, Penguin, said “yes.” And then something truly humbling started happening: readers started recommending my books. So do you think I love my readers? You bet I do! "

So now that we've claimed her, maybe she'll show up at one of our monthly LDL luncheons!

But, if not, she'll be on a book tour soon in connection with her latest novel, IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS and maybe she'll come to our area.......and we can get an autograph!

-Ed

Believe It Or Not

2010-10-08T16:57:00.003-04:00

The grandkids were over last weekend and they wanted to know if I had any more of those made up ‘tall tales” about when I was growing up in Charlotte.

As you know, I can’t seem to convince them that my stories aren’t “made up,”

They’re true.

I admit they’re not your run of the mill “granddaddy stories” ( Detroit Lions playing football in the vacant lot beside Elizabeth School….My Football back up was a world record breaking athlete…My English teacher rode horses standing on his head…..etc.) but there was nothing about growing up in Charlotte North Carolina in the 40’s and 50’s that was “run of the mill.”

So, I told them to have a seat and I would tell them about singing on stage in Madison Square Garden and the time I was on Television…almost BEFORE anyone even had a TV set….and in fact, Charlotte and most every other city in the country didn’t even have a TV station!

Around 1947 the Charlotte Rotary Club decided that they would create and sponsor a "Boys Choir." (My guess was this was inspired by the Mormon Tabernacle Boys Choir....which was highlighted on WBT every Sunday morning.) Anyway, they asked all the Charlotte public school music teachers to pick several of the "most musical boys" from their schools to be asked to join the choir; which was to be called THE CHARLOTTE BOYS CHOIR.

Ed as Charlotte Boys Choir Member

One of the big incentives offered to us was that we would be paid a quarter to practice every Saturday morning at the Central High School music room. Plus, at the end of the year, they planned to take us to New York City to participate in a concert at Madison Square Garden.

I guess entertainment was pretty hard to come by back then. However, we were passably OK. About the only kids I remember from the choir were Van Faulk who was a year ahead of me and Don Harris. Don was the best of the boy singers and he was given a solo part......where he dressed up as a cowboy and sang "I'm an Old Cowhand." That usually brought the house down.

Well, we took the train up to New York in the Spring of 1948 and, sure enough, we sang in Madison Square Garden. While we were in the big city, we were invited to be on TV! None of us had ever seen TV before, but I was pretty sure it existed because there was a small input jack at the bottom of our big Philco floor model radio that the salesman had told my dad was where the TV screen was to be plugged in once it became available.

One of the earliest TV shows in the country… was being produced live out of NBC called "Ripley's Believe it of Not." The audience for this show could probably fit in a small room, because there were very few TV sets….even in New York City.

How we fit into the “Believe it or Not” format, I'm not quite sure, but we did sing a couple of tunes while trying to look angelic. The guest before us was a WW2 pilot who had bailed out of his plane......and survived even though his parachute hadn’t opened!

Although I barely remember seeing him, Robert Ripley himself hosted that show….and in fact, I later read where he had collapsed and died right after the 13th show in that series. I hope the show we were on wasn’t that fateful 13th.

I wish my grandsons had stayed around to hear that story, but as usual, their eyes had glazed over and they had wondered off earlier…..about the time when their granddaddy said he was going to sing in Madison Square Garden.

-Ed

Footnotes: Robert L. Ripley

Robert Ripley and wife

Robert LeRoy Ripley (December 25, 1890 - May 27, 1949)[1] was an American cartoonist, entrepreneur and amateur anthropologist, who created the world famous Ripley's Believe It or Not! newspaper panel series, radio show, and television show which feature odd 'facts' from around the world.

In 1932, he published the first cartoons of a little boy from his home town of Santa Rosa, California, about a beagle dog. That boy was Charles M. Schulz (1920-2000), best known for his strip, Peanuts.

A collector of all kinds of "junk," including a Chinese junk, it was said by his ex-wife, "either the junk goes or I go." She went.

-Billy Jack Long, Educator and tubist. (A tubist is a Tuba Player-Ed)

(For Comments click on time stamp)

Jerry's 50th

2010-10-07T08:17:00.006-04:00

Talk about "backing into a headline!"

Niagara Falls at night

We learned that our ace reporter, CEO of our class records, chief gluemaster of the class of 54 and all around good guy, Jerry Gaudet and his lovely wife Pat will not be attending this month's LDL extravaganza ........because their kids are sending them to Niagara Falls to CELEBRATE THEIR 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

50 toots of our vevuzela to Jerry and Pat!

Meanwhile, this month's LDL will be held Tuesday October 12th at Jimmies of Mint Hill. The theme will be CHS FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA!
Mary Sue will be there as Hall Monitor to make sure you enter through the locker room door.

Hopefully someone will email some pictures of the event to your handsome, award winning, humble webmaster.

Feel free to bring a friend !

-Ed

Millie Fogle Stanton

2010-10-05T13:50:00.001-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

We are very sorry to receive word that Millie Fogle Stanton has passed away...

Millie Stanton, 74, passed away peacefully in her home on September 29, 2010 with her family at her side. A long time resident of Santa Ana, CA, Millie was born in Norway, SC. She attended Central High School in Charlotte, NC and Furman University in Greenville, SC.

Millie Fogle Stanton

She is survived by her devoted husband of 53 years, Jim Stanton, 3 daughters (Lynn May of Santa Ana, CA, Cindy Stutesman of Sacramento, CA and LaDonna Langwell of Ridgefield, WA) and 4 grandchildren. She was an avid bowler & golfer as well as an exceptional homemaker with a passion for gardening & cooking.

Millie continued to battle extremely aggressive Periteneal Cancer for two years after extensive surgery in 2008.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Connie Mack Children's Home, PO Box 1178, Greenwood, SC 29648 or the American Cancer Society.

Memorial Services will be held 10:30am October 16, 2010 in the Samsvick Chapel of Calvary Church, 1010 N. Tustin Ave in Santa Ana with a reception immediately following at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge.

For further information please contact:
Lynn S. May (Millie's daughter)

lynnsmay1@cox.net

Jennie to be Senator Jennie for 4 More Years

2010-10-04T11:39:00.003-04:00

By Jennie Margaret Meador Forehand


Senator Jennie Forehand

"Bill and I had hoped to come to Charlotte for the "LDL" lunch this month....but we may have to wait for another time. Actually, I have been v-e-r-y busy for the last six months ---- knocking on doors and running for re-election to the Maryland Senate. My opponent was a former State Representative who ran an ad implying that I was "too old." That really energized me! She wanted to be a State Senator so she could then run for Congress. (My colleagues did not want her back!) In addition, my seniority (now 32 years---16 in the Maryland House and 16 in the Senate) is very valuable, and my colleagues, staff, and community leaders convinced me to run again (they didn't have to "twist my arm" very much). Anyhow, it was a long hot summer ---knocking on doors and meeting new voters, but the primary election was Sept. 14, and I won!!! So, after minimal opposition Nov. 2, that means I will be in the Senate for another four years.

Jennie suggests that perhaps we should have a CHS '54 reunion in Annapolis, Maryland --- which she says is a great place for tourists--lots to see and great places to eat! She adds that she could get a good group rate at the downtown historic hotel where she stays during their 3-month legislative sessions. -Ed

CHECK OUT Jennie's WEBSITE: www.jennieforehand.com

and the WINNER IS...

2010-10-04T07:06:00.002-04:00

By Nancy Grayson

I won a shiny red top -of -the- line Vespa at a local Italian restaurant which I frequent. The Vespa had been in the window for about 6 months and there was a jar into which everyone who bought something- a meal or a bottle of olive oil- could put a bill with their name and phone number.

Nancy and members of the Vespa Club

I got a call on Aug 26, two days after my 74th birthday, that I was the winner and I was invited to the restaurant's 25th anniversary dinner the next night. I went and had a ball! I was treated like a celebrity and there were some members of the Montreall Vespa Club there who were giving me advice about driving a Vespa in Montreal traffic (AS IF!).

Talk about life being full of surprises, it ain't over til it's over, and all that! Now I am trying to sell it and use the money for a trip (to Italy?)!…

To contact her:
Nancy Grayson
4542 Old Orchard Ave.
Montreal P.Q. H4A 3B7

Email nancy.grayson@sympatico.ca

Terrific story, Nancy. Frankly, it looks like it would be a lot of fun. But NOT in Montreal traffic! -Ed

Dancing with the Sociables

2010-10-03T16:00:00.001-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

We are at an age when many people are slowing down and settling in. Not so for Holly and R.L. Clark as attested to by their recent greetings and best wishes from Fairfield Glade, TN.

Holly and R.L. dance with the “Sociables”…

“Holly and I belong to a Dance Club called the "SOCIABLES" and we have 4 dances yearly. Most of them are formal. The picture below was taken of us at the previous dance. Retirement living in “The Glade” is anything but sedentary. One can be as active as he or she wants to be or can be a hermit if so desired. We do not know many hermits! We have 5 golf courses, consequently we spend a lot of time chasing that "little white ball". My daughter and her family live in Huntersville so hopefully we will be visiting her when an “LDL” is on tap.
Best Regards,
R.L. Clark”

They can be contacted at:
Holly and R.L. Clark
115 Havenridge Cir.
Fairfield Glade, TN 38558

Email cacti5@citlink.net

Up Date

2010-10-03T15:48:00.000-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

This information is from Judy and Tony Thomas in response to inquiries about their daughter, Evelyn...

"A quick update on our daughter Evelyn:

First, a sincere thanks to all of you who have sent Emails and messages. Love you all.

After visiting Duke, we found out that the doctor will take her case and plans to operate on November ll. She has to undergo another tortuous week of chemo starting Monday (Oct. 4) which will knock her out of son's wedding on the 9th because during that time is at her worst. Although this is a hearbreaker, in view of the whole picture we are thankful that the doctor offers us some hope but of course not a guarantee. Till then we will be plugging along as usual. Thanks for your thoughts, wishes and prayers. I will try to keep you undated.

Love,
Judy and Tony"

They can be contacted:
Judy & Tony Thomas
158 Tetbury N.E.
Concord, NC 28025

Email jthomas321@aol.com

50th for the Cooks!

2010-10-02T18:46:00.003-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Jim and Joan Cook

We almost missed it! In talking (via email) with Jim Cook, word of his 50th Anniversary, celebrated July 10, 2009, came to light. Here are a couple of pictures taken at that celebration…

Jim and Joan with family

Jim adds that he “thinks of the years at Central High School often and the friends he had there and feels we are where we are today by the grace of God and His love for us.”

They can be contacted at:
Jim and Joan Cook
3132 Shelly Graham Dr.
Graham, NC 27253-8247

Email cookie36@bellsouth.net

Good News from Duiboutti

2010-10-01T20:40:00.004-04:00

Remember the story we wrote about Jessica, Betty Rose and Lou's super grandaughter ..(Mrs. Jessica Palomba Siemer )
..who was serving our country as a contractor for the United States Air Force...stationed in Djiboutti, Africa?

Well, Betty Rose informs me that she will be flyiing home Saturday, Oct. 8th, after completing her 6 month assignment.

Betty tells me how proud she and Lou are of her!

And we are too!!!

Betty says that she will continue to live in Seattle, Washington and finish up her duties until she completes her five years. She and her husband, Tim, are both in the Air Force.

Shirley

2010-10-01T07:32:00.002-04:00

(Shirley's obituary from the Charlotte Observer)

Shirley McClanahan Maynor

Shirley McClanahan Maynor, 74, of Charlotte, passed away on Sunday, September 26, 2010 after a long illness.

Shirley was raised in Charlotte and graduated from Central High School in 1954. She was a longtime dental receptionist later earning her real estate broker license. Shirley was a realtor in the greater Charlotte area for 30 years spending most of that time with the Allen Tate Company in East Charlotte. She loved spending time with friends and family and will be missed by those who knew her. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Robmiller Bryant McClanahan, Reaves McClanahan, and daughter Penny Kay Maynor.

She is survived by her sons, Ray (Debbie), Robert (Dana) and Glenn, and grandchildren Colby, McKenzie, BreAnna, and Justin Maynor.

A memorial service will be held 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 29 in the chapel at Wilson Funeral and Cremation Service, 5301 Albemarle Rd. with the Rev. David Wyant officiating. Interment will follow in Sharon Memorial Park. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at the funeral home

.

In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to the Charlotte Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure , P.O. Box 601597, Charlotte, NC 28260-1597, or to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 5950 Fairview Rd., Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28210.

Online condolences may be made at www.wilsonfuneralservices.com.

Published in Charlotte Observer on September 28, 2010

Shirley's Funeral

By Mitzi Minor Roper

I went to Shirley's Funeral today. It was SO sweet!!!!! She would have been "proud". LOTS of people attended the "Family Greeting Time" that did not stay for the Funeral--- I got there at 12:30 and had to wait in a LONG line to speak to her boys. Parking lot was full.

They gave out little pamphlets with her picture on the front. Inside under same picture was a poem. Her date of birth and death were on the other side with Pastor's name---- David Wyatt from Memorial United Methodist.

Very well attended by our class as well as other friends. The Chapel was FULL. MOST of our class sat together.

Flowers were lovely----she was cremated as you know and they had her urn at the front of the Chapel. She apparently had a lot of extended family who sat behind her boys.

Her minister did an excellent job--

Glen, her youngest boy who lived with her, got up with a "pink" baseball cap on his head and spoke first----he told everyone that he was wearing the pink hat because it was what Shirley put on her head when she got cold. (She NEVER wore her 2 new wigs because she said that they were too uncomfortable) He was REALLY a comedian and told some of the FUNNIEST stories about Shirley and the boys when they were growing up!

Then Ray, her oldest who is from Huntsville, Ala., got up and said that he had done something the night before that he had NEVER done before----he had written a poem about Shirley. It was really quiet nice and he chatted a little about his Mother and some of the "trials" she had gone through---nothing "out of order", but very touching and sweet.

Robert, her middle child from Columbia did not speak---you may remember that it was Robert who was so attentive and sort of took over when she wasn't able to "think and do for herself". Then the minister read the I Cor. 4 passage and said a prayer. A lot of people went to the Grave Yard too.

Her boys (particularly Robert and Ray) are REALLY nice boys and ALL of them thanked and thanked everyone for coming. Don't think that they expected such a crowd. They reflected her hard work at being a good Mother!!!!!!

Don't know "who" planned everything, whether Shirley did, or the boys, but it was VERY well done.

While it is difficult to lose Shirley, God's timing was perfect as it ALWAYS is! I went to see her for the last time in the nursing home on Thursday----I prayed for the Lord to take her----she had been through a lot----I don't "believe" that her life had been an easy one either.

She set a GREAT example of "perseverance" for her boys and friends. Betty Rose told me that she was going to be buried in the same grave with her infant daughter, Penny.

Hopefully many of us will see her again in the future-----but God willing----not in the "too near" future.

Tomorrow is another day and life goes on!

-MMR

Shirley McClanahan Maynor

2010-09-26T10:29:00.005-04:00

Betty Rose Palomba reports:

"With much sadness I want you to know that Shirley passed away in her sleep this morning at 3:00 a.m. No arrangements have been made yet." -Betty Rose

From Jerry Gaudet:

With great sadness, we received word of Shirley McClanahan Maynor's passing. She did all she could to stay with us, but it was time and she had earned her reward.

CHS'54's "LDL" became a reality because of Shirley and we thank her for this gift.

Arrangements are not yet known. Expressions of condolence will hopefully find there way to her three sons at Shirley's address:

Family of Shirley Maynor
1171 Robinhood Circle
Charlotte, NC 28227-4034

From Mitzi Roper:

"While I am very sorry to lose her, I am happy that her long struggle is over.
I went to see her on Thursday afternoon and she was asleep. I waited for awhile (her roommate kept saying, "Wake her up!"), but I just did not have the heart to do it. I knew that she couldn't live much longer and talking was difficult. She didn't need company anyway---she needed rest.

I went to the desk and asked for a piece of paper and an envelope, wrote her a letter and put it on her bedside tray table. I doubt that she was able to read it, but that was not important to me-----I just wanted her to know IF she was able to read or IF someone told her that there was a letter for her, that she would know that (I, or someone) cared enough to come by to see her----IF she was that lucid.

She put up a fight and never complained and I'm confident that she died with dignity as she went to be with her Lord."
-MMR

From Betty Rose:

"Ray Maynor sent me the poem he wrote and read at Shirley's Memorial Service. I think it is beautiful and would like for our class to read it."

Read the poem HERE

"For best results, talk to your vegetables" -Prince Charles

2010-09-24T21:15:00.007-04:00

I see where Prince Charles is talking to plants again.
In a new BBC documentary about the Prince of Wales, he admits, "I happily talk to the plants and trees, and listen to them. I think it's absolutely crucial," the prince says. "Everything I've done here, it's like almost with your children. Every tree has a meaning for me."

That story reminded me of my mother, and how much she loved plants…..and gardening. She took good care of her plants, but as far as I know she never talked to them.

However, they did talk to her!

At least her “Cape Jasmine” bush did. That was the first thing she planted when she and my Dad moved into our house on East 5th Street in 1936.

Just like her mother had done around 1906, and her grandmother had done in 1880 or so and who knows how many other “Mothers” before that, she brought a cutting from the Cape Jasmine bush in the yard of her South Carolina childhood home and planted it in front of her brand new home. But how successful this great, great grandchild of those ladies' favorite plant would be was in doubt.

Charlotte winters were known to be unfriendly to Cape Jasmine plants. South Carolina was about as far north as they would grow.

Over the years, whenever the cold winds of winter blew, Mom never failed to cover that historical plant. With her loving care, it thrived in its Charlotte home for over 65 years, rewarding its human mother, with its oh so sweet fragrance and beauty at eerily appropriate times; such as household birthdays and special occasions.

After I moved to Washington my little family’s visits became special occasions for my Mom, and I hardly remember a time when she didn’t point to the window to show us a brand new Cape Jasmine Bloom that she contended had recently appeared as if to celebrate our visit.

Linda and I tried several times to bring a cutting up to our home to see if we could keep the family tradition alive, but to no avail. The last time we tried was just before my Mom moved out of her home. She had started the cutting in a small pot and apologized for its diminutive size, explaining that it was too early in the year for the tiny bud to bloom but by the end of the summer the plant itself might possibly do OK….at least til winter.

To our surprise, the day after we returned from our trip to Charlotte, we awoke to the sight of the prettiest little flower you ever saw standing proudly in that dull clay pot.

It was quite a sight. I even remember the date; it was May 26th.

My Mother’s birthday.

-Ed

Last Original Briarhopper Dies

2010-09-18T10:33:00.004-04:00

Roy Grant, known as "Whitey" of the "Whitey and Hogan" duo who gained fame performing with WBT's Briarhoppers died yesterday. Grant was the last original member of the band that began on the station in 1934.

Many of our class of 54 remember Yvonne Grant, one of Whitey's three daughters, who was in the CHS class of '56.

Here is an article that appeared in today's Charlotte Observer:

'Whitey' Grant, country music pioneer, dies at 94

By Joe DePriest

During the Great Depression, Roy "Whitey" Grant played old-time music with his neighbor Arval Hogan in a Gastonia mill village.

They both worked in the sprawling Firestone textile plant, picking and singing on the side.

Soon, their music found a larger audience. As members of the legendary Charlotte-based Briarhoppers, a superstar string band that performed over WBT radio, the two singing mill hands became known worldwide. They were later recognized by Nashville's Country Music Foundation as the longest-running duet in country music.

Grant, who died Friday at age 94, was remembered by his friends not only as a great guitarist and pioneer of modern country music, but as a caring person.
"As much as I loved the music he made with the Briarhoppers, I enjoyed more the gentle homespun goodness you felt in his presence," said Tom Hanchett, historian with the Levine Museum of the New South. "He was a gentleman who lived for his community. He helped create that community by picking and singing and neighboring to his region on the radio and in concerts and schools."

Former WBT radio personality H.A. Thompson called Grant "one of the nicest, finest human beings on the planet."
"He traveled the journey well, made friends along the way, and gave us music to make us happy," Thompson said. "You can't do a better job than that."

A Shelby native, Grant grew up in Rutherfordton and moved to Gastonia in 1935 to work in textiles.

One Sunday afternoon, he met coworker and mandolin player Arval Hogan in the Firestone Mill neighborhood and they began harmonizing. They got good enough to sing on weekends at country churches and schools all over the Carolinas and Georgia.

Known professionally as "Whitey and Hogan," the duo cut 16 sides for Decca Records in New York City. They played on radio stations in Spartanburg and Gastonia and in 1941 joined the famous Briarhoppers.

WBT announcer Charles Crutchfield organized the band and coined its folksy name. Beamed from Maine to Miami by the 50,000-watt station, "The Briarhoppers Radio Show," with a theme song of "Wait Till the Sun Shines Nellie," was an Americana treasure. Cast members became household names.

"In those days and in this part of the country, we were as popular as the Beatles," Grant told the Observer in 1991. "We'd get 12,000 cards and letters a week - some just addressed to Whitey and Hogan."

The singers connected with their audiences "because they were just like the people who were listening to them," said Tom Warlick, author of "The WBT Briarhoppers."
During World War II, the CBS network beamed Briarhoppers radio shows to American troops overseas. Soldiers sent fan mail addressed simply "To Whitey and Hogan, WBT Briarhoppers," and "the letters got delivered," Warlick said.

When the Briarhoppers show went off the air in 1951, Grant and Hogan, who were next-door neighbors, worked together at a Charlotte post office. Sometimes they sang as they sorted mail.
During the early 1970s, they joined other retired Briarhoppers and revived the old act. They played at schools and nursing homes, civic clubs and shopping malls. They toured Europe and got a gig on Garrison Keillor's radio show "Prairie Home Companion."

The Briarhoppers mostly stuck to the old songs - such numbers as "Old Log Cabin for Sale," "Sunny Side of Life" and "Big Rock Candy Mountain." Their kind of music would be introduced to new generations in the 2000 movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?"
In 2003, the band got a top state honor, the N.C. Arts Council's Folk Heritage Award. That same year Hogan died at age 92.

"He was closer than a brother," Grant said at the time. "We sang with one voice."
Over the years, they'd described themselves as two little dirty-faced mill boys who made good.
When his longtime partner died, Grant carried on. He continued to perform with new band members until about three years ago, according to Warlick.

"Whitey was the last of the true music stars from the golden age of radio," said Warlick, who joined the new Briarhoppers two years ago. "He was a giant."
---

Personal note:

When I was in Charlotte for our 55th reunion, I visited briefly with Whitey when I went to the Wilora Lake Appartments to pick up Mr. Ballance on our way to the event.
This is the note I wrote to Tom Warlick for his Briarhopper website:

Mr. Gil Balance, who taught English and Radio Production at the old Central High School was one of Whitey’s best friends at Wilora Lake. They both had lost a wife and a beloved child shortly before they met, so I have no doubt that they offered each other a bit of comfort in recent years.

When Mr. Balance told me of Whitey’s passing he mentioned that he had spoken to Whitey only two days ago….and he was still lucid, although “going downhill pretty fast.” Whitey told him that he was “ready to go.” He said, “I want to be with Polly.”

I was a Briarhopper fan from the time I was 5 years old and although I was in my 60’s when I finally got to meet Whitey, the years had not diminished the thrill. In fact, discovering how kind and down to earth he was only increased my admiration of him.

Rest in Peace, Whitey!

-Ed Myers (aka Lee Shephard)

(Roy and Polly Grant were married for 72 years.)

LDL 24 and Going Strong

2010-09-14T16:15:00.004-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

CHS’54 held its 24th “Let's do lunch” program on Tuesday, September 14, 2010. “LDL” is held on the second Tuesday of each and every month at "Jimmies" in Mint Hill.

With great thanks to Mary Sue (Banks) Burnett and husband, Clyde for their work in setting the scene, we celebrated this month’s “LDL” in the general dinning room of Jimmies Restaurant and didn’t miss a beat. The restaurant asked our cooperation in giving up our usual private room so they could host to a large group’s meeting and a speaker.

Earl Beckham came to give “LDL” a try. It was great to have Earl join the group and to add his name to our “LDL” roll.

And, Don and Letty Nance came “down” from Virginia for a visit with us.

As an added treat, Don brought jars of his fruit preserves to share with each of us.

Folks come from near and far so plan to join us next month, October 12. We will look forward to your being with us. And even better, call a classmate and suggest that you meet at Jimmies!

Good Eating !!

2010-09-13T19:14:00.003-04:00

Don't forget to have lunch with us at Jimmies on TODAY (Tuesday September 14th!)

This one will be a little different, according to Jerry Gaudet. Instead of our usual special dining area, our get together and eat social will be held in the GENERAL DINING ROOM! That means you will enter Jimmies at the front door.

The fun begins at 11:30!

See you there.

The Greatest Generation

2010-09-11T11:57:00.013-04:00

The Associated Press described them as “a swashbuckling lot — parachuting behind enemy lines, charging onto sandy beaches as bullets whizzed by, liberating countries from a totalitarian grip. They jitterbugged the nights away, sang about faraway sweethearts and painted the noses of their B-17 bombers with bawdy pinups. "

Donald R. Burgett WWII 101st Airborne veteran

The British complained that “they're overpaid, over-sexed and over here."

Once, there were 16 million of them, and now they’re dying off at the rate of 1,000 a day.

It’s predicted that they’ll all be gone by 2020.

Not much time left to collect memories from those who were there.

Sad, but true, is the fact that those of us who were too young to fight, but experienced war time America first hand, will be the next large group to go, and the last generation to have lived during the topsy-turvy World War 2 era.

Ellouise had a touching picture from those days on her website that prompted me to realize that the time has come for us to dust off our memories and make our contribution to the historical record.

I’ve found that my memories of that time don’t all come to me at once so it’s easier for me to just jot down a sentence or short paragraph …one at a time. Collecting these thoughts and assembling them is like writing a "term" paper.

And frankly, 12 or 15 years or so of term papers and homework was all I could take….so feel free to do it like I'm going to..... send in your short notes…one at a time….and I’ll add them as they come in.

I think it’ll be fun….plus something you write might show up in a history book…100 years from now.

Ellouise and I will start it off:

. Ellouise and sister Lynda -

"Taken in Granny's front yard at 2308 East Seventh Street - wearing my daddy's over-seas cap - I loved standing by the side of the street to salute the passing convoys of soldiers rumbling through Charlotte - they always laughed and waved back."

Ellouise

"That’s one of my most vivid memories as well. Many of those convoys came down east 5th street as well. I also remember lots of trucks containing German prisoners coming through.

My Mom told me that they were being taken to South Carolina to pick cotton. I waved at them as well…..and they waved back." -Ed


Ed Myers, Kathryn Myers, Charles Mateer -1942 (To ADD a memory....Click on the "blue time stamp" and add your comments AND/OR to READ comments the others have made. This also works for all of the "posts.")

-Ed

Thanks for the Memories, Mr. Edison

2010-09-09T20:18:00.008-04:00

Moms are famous for throwing away things like old toys, old clothes, baseball cards etc….that’s part of their job.

But my Mom was different; she saved just about everything. When my sister and I cleaned out the attic of our old house the fact that no valuable Honus Wagner or Mickey Mantle rookie cards showed up wasn’t her fault. It was mine. I never saved baseball cards.

But thanks to her, I still have all my old CHS Snips and Cuts and the Piedmont Annual….and old letter sweaters etc….things that mean a lot to me.

Perhaps the most amazing thing in that old attic was the light bulb hanging from the ceiling. My Dad put it up there when he and Mom moved into our home in 1936. Mom told me that it had never been replaced. I have no doubt that it would have made its inventor, Thomas Edison very proud.

It was still working when I carried out the last box of memories. It may still be working as far as I know.

I wish I had included that bulb in the boxes of mementos that I brought back up to our home in Virginia. I could pass that on to my grandchildren, because chances are that bulb, and those you now have in your home, may one day be as valuable as rare baseball cards .

As you know, in 2007 our ruling class in Congress passed an energy conservation measure that bans all incandescent bulbs by 2014. That’s when only compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs will be legally sold.

But hey, we all want to save the planet, don’t we?

I'm sure you've already noticed the lack of incandescent bulbs in your supermarket.

There’s only one General Electric plant left that still makes those bulbs, (in Winchester,VA) and GE is in the process of closing it.

An article in THE AMERICAN THINKER by Ed Lasky notes that GE is actually glad to get rid of the light bulb business, both incandescent and CFLs “…because of American union rules and government regulations, it is simply not profitable.” Besides, he says, GE is positioned to be a big beneficiary of the massive “green scheming of America.”

Almost all CFL bulbs are manufactured in China.

The Washington Post quotes one of the workers, Pat Doyle, who has worked at the plant for 26 years as saying, “We’ve been sold out. First, by the government….then sold out by GE.

Lasky closes out his article by saying,

“Maybe General Electric’s new slogan should not be, “We Bring Good Things to Life,” but instead, “We bring Good Things to China." -Ed

Shirley Maynor Moved to Rehibilition Center

2010-09-08T16:48:00.000-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Thanks to Shirley's good friend, Phyllis Krumel, we have information that Shirley will be moved to Avante Skilled Nursing and Rehibilition Center tomorrow. She is expected to be in a semi-private room and wioll have a telephone...(call the facility and ask for Shirley).

She can receive visits, calls and cards at:
Avante at Charlotte
4801 Randolph Road
Charlotte, NC 28211

LDL THIS TUESDAY

2010-09-08T15:52:00.007-04:00

It's that time again! This Tuesday (September 14) is the day for our monthly "LDL" event at Jimmies of Mint Hill.

This one will be a little different, according to Jerry Gaudet. Instead of our usual special dining area, our get together and eat social will be held in the GENERAL DINING ROOM! That means you will enter Jimmies at the front door.

Photos on this website may not necessarily reflect the depiction of the actual place, or person referred to in one or more of the articles purporting to be about any such aforementioned person or place. Questions regarding this site should be forwarded to the CHS54 Department of Legal Jurisprudence and Adjudacation Stuff where they will be put in our big round basket marked "legal frolic."

The Fun begins at 11:30.

Spread the word! Invite other classmates to come! Even better, bring someone with you! Be sure YOU, come!

For answers to any conceivable lunch questions,

please contact Mary Sue Banks Burnett, marysburnett@yahoo.com

Up Date

2010-09-05T19:11:00.000-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

This update was received from Judy and Tony Thomas concerning their daughter...

"We got a good report from Evelyn's doctor, saying that the tumor has reduced by 30% in 2 weeks of chemo. She had a rough time and was very sick while on the chemo but has been off for 2 weeks and feels good enough to resume her daily activities and even taught a couple students this week.

She will begin chemo again Monday and we dread what it does to her but keep praying that it will continue to work. Then we will have to prepare for the surgery.

Thanks for all your love and concern - it is felt and helps alot. Tony continues to get through - I put faith in the fact that he and his daughter are tough characters. Love from all of us....JUDY"

Shirley Maynor Update

2010-09-02T18:24:00.000-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Shirley (McClanahan) Maynor is presently in Presbyterian Hospital (main) and is a very sick girl. Her sons are considering options for Shirley which seem to be a Hospice or other nursing care facility. Shirley wants to go home, but unfortunately that seems unlikely.

Notes of encouragement will surely give her a lift and, for now, should be directed to her home address because of her pending move.

Shirley Maynor
1171 Robinhood Circle
Charlotte, NC 28227-4034

Good News for Mary Harrison

2010-08-31T18:49:00.003-04:00

By Jane Cobb

Thanks to all. Mary's news is an answer to prayers. Only had to repair and not replace mitrah valve.

Unfortunely had to go all the way in to find that out! Expecting full recovery.

Thanks everyone for their prayers. Must have prayed good ones!!

Thorny"

Mary Harrison to Have Surgery

2010-08-30T10:12:00.004-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

Jane Cobb (Thornhill) brings us word that Mary Harrison will undergo open heart surgery tomorrow, 8/31, to repair a valve problem. She is expected to do well and will have an extended recuperation. Cards would be a wonderful encouragement.
Mary Harrison
3722 Seaforth Dr.
Charlotte, NC 28205

Words Mean Things

2010-08-29T17:47:00.003-04:00

So do monuments.

Take for example one of my favorites; a statue of a confederate soldier….standing right smack dab in the middle of the main street crossing the Potomac River leading into Alexandria Virginia from Washington DC.

His body language is unmistakable.

His back is to Washington.

It was erected in 1889 and It’s a minor miracle that the statue is still standing. First of all, the middle of a very busy street can be hazardous to statues. It’s been knocked down a couple of times in traffic accidents. Secondly, being a bedroom community for the nation’s ruling class and bureaucrats who are seemingly Hell bent on getting rid of everything we were taught was good about this country (Christianity, Freedom, Liberty, Marriage, The Constitution, etc) getting rid of a Confederate soldier with his back defiantly turned to Washington would seem to be a “no brainer.”

But, there he is….as someone once said….”standing like a stone wall.”

Maybe, the message is just not nuanced enough for the “smartest and brightest” in and around Washington . It must be that they “just don’t get it.”

Just like they can’t understand why we average Americans are outraged by the proposed “Mosque Monument” named “ Cordoba,” which in Islamic symbolic terms, means "Islamic rule in the West"……at ground zero.

I have a plan; since NASA’s new role in this current administration is not to explore outer space anymore, but to foster Muslim self esteem….and to help our anointed ones in Washington understand the meaning of at least one of those monuments, I propose that the Confederate soldier’s pants be lowered on the statue in Alexandria.

This should send a message that even our anointed ones in DC can understand….and at the same time get our country back in the “moon shot” business. -Ed

Bob Welch Passes

2010-08-25T18:18:00.001-04:00

Jerry Gaudet sends this sad news:

It is with great sorrow that we learn of the passing of Bob Welch, husband of our classmate Karol Broadwell Welch...

WAXHAW -- Mr. Welch, age 76, died Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, NC.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, August 27, 2010 at Higher Ground Church, with Pastor Steve Jacks officiating. Burial will be at the Waxhaw City Cemetery.
Born in Charlotte, NC, Mr. Welch was a son of the late Sylvester Arthur Welch and Margaret Hughes Welch. He graduated from East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte and retired from Ciba-Geigy Chemical Company. He was a member of Higher Ground Church and a dedicated servant of the Lord, doing volunteer work within the community. He had a great sense of humor, enjoyed cooking and traveling and was a member of the Bojangle's Band of Brothers in Waxhaw.
Surviving are his wife of 48 years, Karol Broadwell Welch of the home; his daughter, Vickie Welch Pierce of Fort Mill; and grandchildren, Zachary, Jacob and Rebecca Pierce.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, August 26, 2010 at Higher Ground Church.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Higher Ground Church, 8365 Possum Hollow Road, Fort Mill, SC 29707; or to Waxhaw UMC Men, P.O. Box 9, Waxhaw, NC 28173.
Messages may be made at www.wolfefuneralhome.com.

Published in Charlotte Observer on August 25, 2010

We have this contact information:

Mrs. Karol Welch
8326 Viking Dr.
Waxhaw, NC 28173-8973

Email rhwelch33@yahoo.com

The Belk Bull

2010-08-21T09:15:00.010-04:00

In her great book about the history of Charlotte, Mary Kratt mentions that the Belk Mansion (where Presbyterian Hospital is now) once featured farmland and a large pasture where cattle grazed. Of course, it’s hard to imagine bovine beasts roaming that now busy area between Presbyterian and Mercy hospitals, but I can personally verify that fact. I remember it; or at least the last vestiges of it.

We used to walk past that pasture every Saturday morning on our way to the Visualite theatre to see the Kiddie Show, featuring the latest exciting serials…as well as a feature film; sometimes a double feature. Jimmy Weller, Pat Parker, Earl Pope and I were attending Elizabeth School during those years, and the walks from the lower part of East 5th Street provided us with a lot of time to discuss…..whatever 8 or 9 year old kids talk about.

The most exciting part of our journey was always after we crossed Caswell Avenue (Georges Grill would later be built on that corner which, at the time was part of the Belk property.) As I recall, the pasture extended almost all the way up to just across the street from Saint Johns Church.

And Inside the fence surrounding the pasture was what was to be the Belk's last farm animal at that location……a bull!

One thing we “knew” even at our young age about bulls was……they hated the color red. Earl had heard somewhere that the reason bull fighters use red capes is because bulls hate the color red. So we made sure we never wore anything red to the kiddie show. Apparently it worked, because the bull seemed to make a habit of ignoring us.

Then, it happened.

One Saturday as we walked by the pasture I suddenly realized the argyle socks I was wearing were predominantly red! And it was too late to turn back. I was sure the bull would attack me and the offending socks at any moment. That was one of the longest half block walks of my life.

But I was lucky that day. The bull apparently didn’t notice my red socks because he just continued ignoring me.

It wasn’t long afterward that the bull and the pasture disappeared to make room for more “citified” structures. I remember my Daddy telling me that so much construction was going on in Charlotte that by the time I was grown, it would probably look like New York City.

Oh, he told me one other thing; that bull was really a cow.

-Ed

Hot Summer Evenings in Charlotte

2010-08-14T18:03:00.007-04:00

By Obie Oakley

With all the hot weather we have had this summer, I am reminded of some very special evenings I spent growing up in the late forties.

We lived in Chantilly which is bordered by Commonwealth Ave., Briar Creek, the Seaboard Railroad Tracks and Pecan Avenue. This was a mostly blue color neighborhood where we all knew our neighbors and enjoyed doing things together. A couple of special evenings I remember in particular had to do with watermelons and ice cream. (The chapter on ice cream to follow later).

Do you remember the watermelon lots over on McDowell Street between the Alexander Hotel and Sweet Daddy Grace’s Church? The sellers would have straw spread on the ground and the watermelons were lined up according to size, shape and color. We always preferred the stripped ones over the solid dark green ones. There would be lights strung, much like today’s Christmas tree lots, and along the back would be soft drink boxes where they would ice down the melons should you want a cold one. (A cold one had a different meaning back then)!

Word would spread that there was going to be a neighborhood gathering to eat watermelons and in the late afternoon, us kids, barefooted of course, would pile in the back of Frank Farrell’s old Chevrolet pick up truck and head out to get the right one(s) for the evening. We would spread out trying to help select the ones that were just right. Of course we would have to “thump” each one to make sure it was ripe. I guess I knew what I was doing because I still thump melons.

The adult would pay for our trophies, which probably cost in the 25 cents range and we would head back to the neighborhood where we would make a grand entry much like Caesar entering triumphantly into Rome.

When we got back folks would have make-shift tables set up made of boards running along saw horses where the watermelons would be sliced and laid out for the taking. I remember also that different folks had preferences as to the best way to slice a watermelon. Some sliced them lengthwise and then into chunks while others sliced them across the girth which left rinds looking life half-moons once eaten. There would also be knives and forks, paper towels and the thing I cannot eat a watermelon without….salt.

Eating a watermelon also involved personal preference. Some would slice away the row of seeds leaving only the fruit. Some used only a knife while others also liked to have a fork. Kids did it the “old fashion” way, eschewing utensils altogether.
Some teenager would inevitably organize (?) a watermelon seed spitting contest much to the delight of everyone.

At a time when there was no air conditioning, no television and money was always tight, I can think of no more special way to spend an evening. On the other hand now that we have air conditioning, television and some discretionary coins, I still can think of no more special way to spend an evening

-Obie Oakley
(photo at top of Obie and Fluff, circa 1948)

Thanks Obie! I hope others will send in some of their memories of the times we all shared growing up in Charlotte. -Ed

From Pocatello, Idaho to Mint Hill

2010-08-11T19:01:00.003-04:00

By Jerry Gaudet

We continue to celebrate CHS’54 with our 23rd “Let's do lunch” program held on Tuesday, August 10, 2010. “LDL” is held on the second Tuesday of each and every month at "Jimmies" in Mint Hill.

Marlene (Ritch) Beaty led us through our usual program format in splendid fashion. We’re very fortunate to have a bevy of Mavens to set a pleasant atmosphere for our lunch gatherings.

Many of our classmates are “regulars” at the “LDL”s, having attended many of our lunches. We’ve had 90 different people participating at one time or another.

And, it’s so nice when someone gives “LDL” a try and we get to add them to our attendance list.
Sylvia (Dunn) Cross came through the Belmont Tunnel from Mt. Holly to be with us.

And, to top it off, Ellen (Abernethy) Bates came to lunch from Pocatello, ID (That’s Idaho), a far piece. A check of an Internet mapping program show that to be 2,130 miles…all just to be with us. Isn’t that nice? Ellen gets the prize for coming
the longest distance (Oh, sorry, Ellen, we don’t
have any prizes).

Whether near or far, plan to join us next month, September 14. We will look forward to your being with us. And even better, call a classmate and suggest that you meet at Jimmies!

LDL

2010-08-04T18:52:00.004-04:00

It's that time again!

This Tuesday (the second Tuesday of the month) will feature another fantastic LDL event at the legendary Jimmies of Mint Hill.

Jerry Gaudet has sent a blast email out to all of our "plugged in" classmates.

At this very moment, Jimmy and Ronnie Pourlis and their staff are working overtime to make our gathering special and memorable (as they always do).

All of us Wildcats are invited and encouraged to bring as many friends as you like!! -Ed

On the second Tuesday of each and every month, CHS'54 does lunch!
This month's "LDL" (Let's do lunch) will be held on

Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 11:30 AM
at "Jimmies" in Mint Hill.

- JG

WHEW!

2010-07-26T10:48:00.008-04:00

Talk about "close calls!"

Violent thunderstorms yesterday "broke the heatwave" that we were having here in Northern Virginia, but with tragic consequences for two people who were killed by falling trees.

Our 5 grandchildren avoided certain tragedy by minutes and my daughter in law suffered only a minor head injury and a sprained wrist and ankle when a very large tree fell across their backyard.

We were celebrating Jason Shephard's 10th birthday and were about to sit down for lunch. The children had just come inside from playing baseball in the back yard and were washing up when Jason's mom, Cindy, noticed that one of the boys had left a baseball glove in the yard. As she went to retrieve it from the approaching storm, a sudden and fierce wind caused a very large tree to be uprooted and fall only a few feet away. Luckily, she was struck by only a few of the smaller branches.

In spite of a huge lump on her head and a badly sprained wrist and ankle, the CT scan and X rays showed no other damage. -Ed

On The Road

2010-07-24T07:57:00.006-04:00

by Warren Sparrow

We have returned from a vacation of 2,612 miles in our 2003 Accord. She performed brilliantly. Therefore, we have named the car "Accord One." Air Force One has nothing on Accord One. Our trip began 1 July 2010 and ended 15 July 2010.

Along the way we stopped at Carlisle, PA, New Paltz, NY, Vanhornsville, NY, Fairlee, VT, Newbury, VT, Woodsville, NH, Gorham, NH, Mt. Washington, NH, North Andover, MA, Duxbury, MA and Carlisle, PA.

The high point of the trip was Mt. Washington, whose summit is 6,200 feet above sea level. . The low point was Duxbury, MA, which is near Plymouth Rock.

In between a good time was had by all. Accord One made it possible. She climbed Mt. Washington, pulling us up and down an 8-mile road. Speed limit: 20. Low gear required. Two-way traffic. No centerline. No guard rails. There were times when I almost lost it. Becky bruised her right foot because she kept pressing on the passenger's side brake.

The picture on the left was taken at the Silver Maple Lodge in Fairlee, VT. It shows Accord One parked next to a 1934 Ford. This is a remarkable photo. It is sort of an alpha and omega of my driving history. The first car I ever drove was a 1934 Ford. You can understand how proud Accord One felt to be parked next to one. It certainly thrilled me. -WS

(Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft (1,917 m). It is famous for its dangerously erratic weather, and long held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, 231 mph (372 km/h) on the afternoon of April 12, 1934.
-Wikipedia)

Bob Welch Update

2010-07-23T15:47:00.001-04:00

by Jerry Gaudet

Karol Welch gives us an update on Bob's situation...

"...to up date you on Bob...Doctor advised no more chemo...took a terrible toll on him...
He is now at White Oak of Waxhaw, Howie Mine Road, Waxhaw, NC 28173...He is in physical rehab with nursing care...no timeline on his leaving...
We are praying that the Lord will remove this tumor so that he doesn't need surgery...it is operable...thank you for being in touch...
Karol"

They can be contacted at:
Bob and Karol Welch
8326 Viking Drive
Waxhaw, NC 28173

emailto: rhwelch33@yahoo.com