Beaubien Class of '64

Oh What a Night!

2006-09-16T09:26:00.000-05:00

Okay 4 hours of sleep and wide awake - - what a rush it was last night. That will go down as a red letter day in my life of great memories.

So, now, fellow '64ers - we need to stay in touch and keep each other informed. I didn't get to talk to everyone I wanted to. . but I think I at least got to say Hi. I have to say, I really enjoyed the dancing -- so while you were all busy planning basement dance parties at Kim Dusza's house - I was living a very quiet life as a All girl Catholic School student, going to Weber Sock Hops where the good nuns would separate the boys and girls on the dance floor to "leave room for the Holy Spirit!" . . Last night brought me back to what I really missed. . . Thank you - - AND, to the R2 Crew (Roberts Square Crew) table - WOW can you guys dance!!!! I had so much fun. . .

So lets get together again soon - something more casual I would say - mostly because my aching feet are talking to me right now. . But I'm up for it anyway. . . Thanks for all the help on this too . . . I really did not do this alone . . so if I didn't thank everyone involved personally, please accept my apologies. .

Sanding Desks

2006-09-09T19:58:00.000-05:00

SO HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD TO SAND DESKS??? I THOUGHT OUR CLASS WAS THE ONLY ONE!
Josie

Josie, Reading Don Kaihatsu’s article (item #11-sanding desks) reminded me of another story I pulled out of my “Dumb Stuff I did while at Beaubien” file. While in Mrs. Shrivers 6th grade I thought it might be interesting to leave a legacy to the next crop of 6th graders by carving my initials “PG” into the top of my desk. Mrs. Shriver was not amused and on top of fulfilling my duties as her nominated “Vice-President In Charge of Looking Out The Window” I had to explain what I had done. She didn’t buy my story that a buddy of mine tried to frame me after I taunted him for stapling his own finger to the black board. Neither did JJ Healy who made me stay after school to complete my very first woodshop project of sanding my desk. A great time was had by all. Phil Guske, class of ’66.

Memories from Carmen Lewis

2006-08-29T00:26:00.000-05:00

Hi, got this great message from Carmen Lewis tonight - - she won't be able to make it to the reunion but is checking the site regularly - so leave a message for her!! Also, she sent a now picture - - watch for it on the site soon ! ! Josie

Hi Josie,
I have enjoyed reading the Beaubien Blogs and memories so much! I am sorry I will not be able to attend but thanks for all your hard work in getting this together. I was reading The Beaubien News and Views and thought, “who wrote these things?”, then I saw that I was one of the authors – oh my. Now, I just have to share my Beaubien memories:

Kindergarten: Miss Noel – the sweetest teacher alive. We use to sit in a circle and have our warm milk and graham crackers, and liked it. Nap time. Wearing our father’s shirt to paint. My favorite color was magenta.

First Grade: Mrs. Nalitz (?) – a far cry from sweet Miss Noel – Nail Nalitz, said the boys.

Rocco the janitor, always mopping the floors.

Stopping at the candy store on the way back from lunch – eating dots, whips, Nicos, root beer barrels and drank this sweet liquid out of wax bottles, wax lips, candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars. Bazooka bubble gum had a joke and your fortune in each piece.

The cloak room – who ever thought of that name when we never wore cloaks?

Getting a note to go to the Principal’s office.

Being one of the tallest girls in 4th grade; being one of the shortest girls in 7th grade.

Learning how to cha-cha in Kimberly Duza’s basement. Having Kim’s mother tell us her “nickname” – Don’t worry Kim, I’ve never told – honest.

Being a hall monitor – I always wanted to be a Patrol Boy because they got hot chocolate on cold mornings.

Since I won’t be there, I can confess that I secretly had a crush on Charles Andrazek, Jerry Miceli and Danny Bowman.

Waiting for high school and “getting outta there” only to find that I had to stay at Beaubien one more year as freshman year at Schurz was on the 3rd floor – shucks.

Those stylish blue shorts and white blouses we wore for gym. What was the name of our gym teacher? She was tall and taught us gymnastics on the rings.

I was so impressed that James Schranz could name all the dinosaurs and he knew how many bones each one had and what they ate – I am still impressed by that.

Remember that some bad kids put tar on the slides in the park? And so many of us spent hours after school using wax paper to rub it off.

Book fairs and science fairs – when Pluto was still a planet.

Being told that baseball cards were not for girls –oh ya?

Never did understand “Duck and Cover” but I did like the fire drills because we got out of the building.

“Dead-eye” Detterman, Mr. DeBruzzi, Miss Moor, Miss Phipps.

Summer vacations never ending, reading so many books on the porch, going “Up Jeff”

And I still like movies, records and pretty things!

Wishing everyone a Happy Reunion as you laugh down memory lane.

Submitted by Carmen Lewis Clay Class of 64

Memories from Roger Wendt

2006-08-28T17:15:00.000-05:00

Hi - Roger Wendt emailed me with these memories - - unfortunately he won't be able to make it to the reunion - - but he is visiting the web page often. . . . . so post a message for him! josie

- Some trivia...... Remember Miss Phipps (principal before Mr. Healy)? And, there was an interim principal - prior to Mr. Healy's appointment - her name: Mrs. Graw. What was the name of the "adjustment " teacher - Mrs. Schnell (she administered the state mandated tests). And someone was searching for the name of the piano teacher - the one who would slap your knuckles with a big yellow pencil - Mrs. DeStefanno. And has anyone mentioned Miss Jackson's tom-tom? I attended her wake, at the old Liddy funeral home on Irving Park Road - she'd been employed as a receptionist at an eye doctor's office on Milwaukee avenue, near Elston. Submitted by Roger Wendt class of 64

Beaubien News and Views - Remember what you said?

2006-07-19T16:24:00.000-05:00

School Newspaper - - Remember what you said? Is any of it still true?

Nicholet Castrovillari wants to be a politician
Barry Bach’s hobby is fishin’
A plant engineer is Charles Casalinos’ dream
The Beatles are Diane Holm’s favorite singing team
Nick Zavakos’s eyes are as blue as can be
A model is what Vicky Zavakos wants to be
Don S. Johnson wants to go to the Winter Olympics
Tim Rehbein wants to work with mechanics
Collecting records is Josephine Kocemba’s Hobby (now I’m an antique dealer - collecting everything)
Dennis Hardt’s favorite TV program is Destry
A forester is what Glenn Larson wants to be
Mary Treletsky is going to be a secretary
A scientist is Jerry Miceli’s ambition
A person who hates the Beatles is Cathy Anderson
Barbara Sopocy likes the way the Dave Clark Five Sing
Elise Evans’ hobby is record collecting
To be a fireman is the amibition of Bill Cover
Larry Endicott gives school the cold shoulder
Ronny Hobbs wants to be a scientist one day
Charles Seibel has eyes so gray
WLS is Bill Forkell’s favorite radio station
Joann Krask likes the Beatles and has followed their travels all over the nation
Sarkis Karmanian wants to be a mechanic
Karen Lucia thinks boys are a panic
Ken Rylko’s pet peeve is dancing in school
George Chalanyz likes making things with tools
Dennis Eng wants to be a craftsman
While John Haller’s ambition is to be a policeman
Ken Mueller wants to be a research chemist one day
Donald Kaihatsu reads as a hobby when he may
Teddy Kuczak likes to play football
Jan Larson’s hobby of horses is a ball
Pam Lindenberg likes horses, swimming and TV
A Secretary is what Suzanne Groth wants to be
Melody Machiels hates Beatles, showoff, relatives and school
Steve Haertel thinks girls are cool
Kathy Dunham hates kids who are a pest
Elizabeth Martorano likes housework and Outer Limits the best
Dan Bowman likes cars, fish and girls very much
Julie Tobias hates gangs, stuck-ups and such
Charles Andrazyk likes architecture, stamps and hates Citizenship charts
Marphia Pierman makes being a beautician her art
Kathy Netzer thinks the Beatles are really smart
An auto mechanic is the ambition of Pat Rice
Kathy Gorr thinks being an airline stewardess would be nice
An Electronics engineer is what Paul Birr wants to be
But drawing is Vera Hantel’s hobby
Television is Ken Katahira’s main attraction
While Sue Lester would be the Beatles in action
Brad Richardson says sisters are a pain
but Lee Evans claims he likes John Wayne
A teacher is what Norman Jannusch is going to be
And Rogert Wendt’s pet peeve is commercials on TV
Kim Dusza says she likes Paul, the Beatle boy
But reading about Alaska is James Schranz’s joy
Dislike the Beatles??? that what Don G. Johnson claims
While Cindy Adams wishes she owned a horse she could tame
And Joe Ferina claims he likes any sport you can name
Jim Holzwarth likes baseball, railroads and all sorts of bikes
Boating and singing are what Charles Bezold likes
Charles Jalovec likes TV, people and lots of fun
Bruce Schubert likes chop suey, Outer Limits and Science Fiction
Carmen Lewis likes movies, records and pretty things
Bonnie Parisi likes pizza, parties and the way the Dave Clark Five Sing
Chuck Olson has brown hair and eyes of blue
Howard Moy likes cars, sports and pizzas too
Dorothy Johnson hates Diet-Rite Cola and not enough Money
Gail Herman likes Dogs, George Harrison, and anything that’s funny
Janice Fillicaro likes flowers, Beatles, reading and sports
Jan Nelson likes art, Patty Duke and boys of all sorts

written by:
Carmen Lewis,
Jan Nelson
Kathy Netzer
Julie Tobias taken from Beaubien News and Views 1964

Memories - by DON KAIHATSU

2006-07-11T13:18:00.000-05:00

These aren’t memories that necessarily have to do with Beaubien School, but I thought that I’d pass them along in no particular order:

Snaps (at 2¢ a box!).
Buying baseball cards, Mars Attacks! Cards and Civil War cards from Josie’s dad (along with that awful stick bubble gum!) And yes, my mom threw out my Roger Maris rookie card.
Wax lips, wax teeth and wax finger tips. And wax tongues. Who thinks of this stuff anyway?
Getting someone to take their hand, grab their tongue and recite “I was born on a pirate ship”.
Candy dots on adding machine paper.
School yard pick up softball, hard ball and basketball games. (I was always picked last, of course).
Watching the Catholic kids leave early on a Wednesday (I think) for something. Does anybody know where they went?
The first boy or girl you liked? For the life of me I remember liking somebody but I can’t come up with her name.
Being scared to death of Mrs. Moore. She always said that we needed to use our brain cell.
I have a vague recollection of being in a class with two grades in it. The right two columns of desks were one grade and the rest of the desks were another. Does anybody else remember this?
One time, for some reason the teachers had us sand our desks so that they (the desks) could be varnished. I remember Sarks as being the only one of us to get down to the bare wood. What was that all about?
Hanging up my jacket in the Cloak Room and never even realizing that I didn’t know what a cloak was. Nor did I care.
Air raid drills. Having us kids taking cover either under our kindling wood desks or in an open basement in the event of nuclear attack. Waiting for the fireball. Ah, ignorance was bliss.
Mysterious colored liquids that came in wax tubes.
For those of you that took piano lessons at Beaubien, the teacher was some horrible woman whose name escapes me. Although I remember not being too bothered by it more that one kid cried during those group lessons.
Making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in shop class. Was it called Home Mechanics?
Buying a small carton of milk for 2¢ each. Also while drinking that milk, making someone laugh so hard that milk came out of their nostrils.
Does anybody remember the name of the game we played at recess which involved us running from one fence across the school yard to another fence and trying to avoid being tagged by someone that stood between the two fences? If you were tagged you had to join that person tagging other kids who in turn would join in the tagging with each successive running between the fences.
Book Fairs and Science Fairs. Does anybody know if Beaubien still has them?.
Putting thumb tacks on kid’s seats.
Gluing pennies to the sidewalk and watching people struggle to pick them up.
Mrs. “dead eye” Detterman. I’ve been told that she knew that was her nickname.
Don Johnson (the tall skinny one) got in trouble with Mr. Panczyk. When Mr. Panczyk threatened to tell Don’s father, Don freaked out and begged Mr. Panczyk not to tell. Don even got on his knees and tried to kiss Mr. Panczyk’s feet.

"Looking for my life saver!"

2006-07-04T13:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm looking for my life saver - have been trying to remember who it was for the last 43 years - but the old brain ain't remembering. Oh, this is Josie, btw...

It was in June, 1963 - at the end of the school year. . you know the day before the last day (teacher's marking day) where we got off for the day?

We all decided to go to Whalen Pool. I wasn't great in the water - I could float but not swim - and as long as my feet touched the bottom - hey all was cool. But all the guys were jumping off the short boards and telling me - hey, go ahead and jump, you can float to the side - honest. . . Did I say I was gullible??? Anyway, after much convincing (Sarkis was one of them I know for sure - once a salesman, always a salesman) I bravely climbed up and jumped - - I don't remember hitting the water, just desparately trying to find the surface. .

Once, twice, three times, yelling for help - seeing the lifeguard checking out some babe in a bikini - - I was destined to drown - and this being the first time my parents let me go to Whalen without one of my sisters! I suddenly felt a hand on my arm that proceeded to pull me to shallower waters. . where my feet could touch the bottom. I don't remember who that hand belonged to - one of my classmates, someone in the class ahead of us . . . but if you're out there - fess up. . I would like to thank you first for saving my life (thank you) , then slap you for telling me to jump in the first place.

Josie Kocemba
(please click Comment below and tell me who saved me)

Class of '64 Blog

2006-06-21T15:16:00.000-05:00

To: Mr. Panczyk
It’s about time I confess that the large homework assignment I turned in just before graduation was the result of theft and forgery. If you click the "Panczyk Button" indicated by the lone "P" on the home page I will make amends. After you click, just hit the Refresh button 100 times and we are even.

All right, all right, it was Sarkis that broke into your desk and "retrieved" other folks homework to add to my assignment pile. Steve Haertel helped (probably). Other yet to be named students stood by the classroom doors looking out for your return. In this case anyway, I can honestly say, I did nothing.

In spite of this lapse in ethics I did manage to earn a couple of degrees in biochemistry thanks to your encouragement. But it was really the chemistry set Tim won on the 6th Bozo bucket that got my career started.

Looking forward to seeing you again, Ken Mueller