Alumni Sandstorm ~ 01/26/15 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 15 Bombers sent stuff: Dick WIGHT ('52), Floyd MELTON ('57) Jack GARDINER ('61), David DOUGLAS ('62) Helen CROSS ('62), Jim ARMSTRONG ('63) Jim HAMILTON ('63), Linda BELLISTON ('63) Dennis HAMMER ('64), David RIVERS ('65) Pat DORISS ('65), Betti AVANT ('69) Lori SIMPSON ('70), Peter TURPING ('70) Steve HUNTINGTON ('73) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Doris VAN REENEN ('61) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ron HOGLEN ('62) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Kerry FORSYTHE ('64) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Twins: Greg and Sharon MARKEL ('65) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ben JACOBS ('69) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Robert MILLER ('96) BOMBER CALENDAR: Richland Bombers Calendar Click the event you want to know more about. **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Dick WIGHT ('52) Whilst still tripping down memory lane... I wasn't in Richland for the "Flood of '48", though my folks were. I was attending Hill Military Academy in Portland, OR at the time. As I recall, though, part of the flooding and damage resulted from ice jams on the Yakima River and subsequent damage as the ice broke up and headed downstream. I was a CAP Cadet the following winter, and I remember the Yakima had a lot of ice again that winter, though not as heavy. We CAP kids (and some of the adult supervisors) were involved as "ice jam watch" patrols on the river, keeping an eye out for ice jams. None occurred, but is was COLD work!!! We watched the river at several points, West Richland and downstream, and had portable radio equipment to report if we saw anything ominous. In '49 or so, the Richland school district (if such a thing existed!... musta' been G.E. management) established an agriculture program at Columbia High, first classes '50-'51 school year, if I remember right. It was partially funded by an "escrow account" of money that existed from when the government "bought out" the original Richland School in 1942. In order to make the use of this money "legit", the Richland Kiwanis Club conducted an open "Town Meeting" to consider the issue. It was a one-item agenda - use the money ($80,000 I think) to start up the Ag program. There was a vote - no dissenting votes were cast. I was at the meeting with my father, who was a Kiwanis Club officer. I was one of the "charter members" of the agriculture class, along with Geo. BRUNSTEAD ('52) and Richard GIBSON ('51). Can't remember who else was in it, but somewhere I have a photo of the class, all boys of course, and all of us members of the Col-Hi chapter of the FFA. Our teacher's name was Evans, a fine fellow and WSU grad as I remember. The government turned over a fairly good sized piece of acreage to school use... perhaps 120-160 acres, located east of GWWay between Richland and North Richland. There was an irrigation system in existence, still mostly functioning. The school district built a shop building/ classroom facility on the farm, and us ag program kids took our classes there in the afternoons, 2-hr sessions. There was an existing old farm house there, and a caretaker/assistant to Evans lived there. We eventually had a herd of sheep, hogs etc. -raised alfalfa etc. Those of us who wanted to were assigned our own plots. I had either 5 or 10 acres, raised oats as a cover crop for my alfalfa the 1st year. Later, "Uncle Sam" let us "manage" a few existing cherry orchards. I had one just south of the farm itself. Queen Annes, I think. I got Dick MEYER ('51) to help me with the orchard. We mowed down the weeds, got irrigation water going. When the cherries ripened we ran an ad in the paper - U-Pick for a few cents a pound, or sell the cherries to me for somewhat more. We didn't get rich - but DID make some money, selling the cherries to a co-op in Kennewick, if memory serves. I also raised two Hereford steers during the program - sold them at auction at the Benton County Fair. Made good bucks. I remember selling one of them at 37.5 cents per pound, live weight, and he weighed in at just under 1000 lbs. Now I can't locate where the school farm was... perhaps about where Hanford High is now??? Anyone know? Oh, yeah... we students bought shares in the farm - $35/share. I owned two of them until the program folded, and then donated them to a scholarship program for Col-Hi student(s) who wanted to got to WSU ag program. I found out later the shares were worth quite a bit! Ha! -Dick WIGHT ('52) ~ in foggy Richland where the only dirt I see is under my fingernails... **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Floyd MELTON ('57) Re: Jobs Nothing exciting in this post but what the heck. I first started delivering papers for the Columbia Basin News on Douglass and Duane avenues when I was in the 6th grade. Won a trip to a dude ranch in OR and one to San Francisco, very long bus ride. I quit that paper as the supervisor was cheating me out of money. I then started delivering for the Spokesman Review and had Douglass and Duane again plus the Men's Dorms on Jadwin. I had one customer in the dorms that I could never catch and get paid so one Saturday morning I beat on his door until I had most of the men on the floor up and in the hall plus him. They all got on his case and payment was always on his door at the end of the month from then on. One of the first money making experiences I had was selling worms, I would wait outside the Big "Y" tavern and sell them to the men leaving the tavern while my dad was there controlling his thirst, HA. One of the hardest jobs I ever had was setting pins at the bowling alley when it was on GWWay. As I remember I was paid like $.12 a line plus we would get tips when we set for the men's leagues. It was the summer between the 7th and 8th grades and I would walk home dragging my behinder about midnight, then get up and deliver papers; my dad made me quit when school started. Fun times, NOT, but I did have a sizable bank account. -Floyd MELTON ('57) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Jack GARDINER ('61) Re: Memories.. When I was a sophomore ('58-'59) I went with my mother to see the Richland Players perform "Arsenic And Old Lace", at the Village Theater [on GWWay]. I remember this well because Sharon TATE ('61wb-RIP) was there with some senior hunk. I was talking to Bill CRADDOC ('61) other the day. When we were in the 9th grade we would walk to Korten's on Saturdays and listen to 45s I also remember Densow's had a Hot Nut display, and I would buy a 1/4 pound of Spanish peanuts for 10 cents. -Jack GARDINER ('61) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: David DOUGLAS ('62) One other noteworthy thing about the Village Theater [on GWWay]: I took safe driving first semester my sophomore year. My 16th birthday was December 5. I went to the State Patrol office in Kennewick on Saturday shortly afterwards to take my driving test. I wasn't familiar with Kennewick, there was snow on the ground, and everyone was doing their Christmas shopping. During the driving portion of the test the patrolman said to parallel park. I hadn't had that yet in safe driving, but I had read about how to do it. I tried, but I was so nervous I couldn't do it. Having never tried it before probably had something to do with that. The patrolman said I had three tries, but I was already blocking traffic, so I gave up. He passed me anyway. He knew I was from Richland, and I'm sure he also knew that Richland had only three parallel parking spaces in the whole city ? in front of the Village Theater. One memory about safe driving: I had safe driving first period. While learning to drive on a highway we went to Kennewick one day. In Kennewick we had a flat tire. "Well, you need to learn how to change one," the teacher said. We all got out and he opened the trunk to get the spare. No spare. "Never leave home without a spare," he said. He walked to a business and called the school. The other driving instructor would bring us a tire second period. When he arrived he laughed at our teacher for the predicament. Then he opened his trunk and took out his spare. It was flat. He went back to school, and the custodian drove the pickup to bring us another spare. We finally got back to school after third period was over. We learned a lot about spare tires that day. In the "You never know" category: My senior year I was president of the Quill and Scroll Society, which published the Sandscript, compiled from student writings, at the end of the year. It had always been printed on the school's mimeograph machine, but I wanted it commercially printed. I went around to several printers and found one who would do it fairly reasonably, provided we typed the lithograph masters ourselves. I'd had typing in summer school, so I did the typing. He loaned me an Executive electric typewriter and taught me how to justify the right margin. Having it commercially printed also allowed us to include drawings as well as text. The printer hired me that summer to do typing for him. In the fall I entered Whitman College in Walla Walla. I needed to work to pay part of the expense. The school gave me a work grant, serving sodas in the student center at 60 cents/hour. I decided to look for a job off-campus, and someone sent me to a printing company. The first question the owner asked was, "Do you know how to justify the right margin with an Executive typewriter?" "Of course. Doesn't everyone?" I worked there all four years, starting at minimum wage, $1.25/hour, plus I got to work sitting down in an air conditioned office. -David DOUGLAS ('62) ~ Mesa, AZ **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Helen CROSS Kirk ('62) To: Earl BENNETT ('63) Will someone from Central U.P. Church help me out? I know Koinonions came from a catholic word, but I'm just not sure how to spell the name of our group for young adults, which was taken from that word. My first part-time job, really short full-time job was taking care of Howard and Helen Chitty's 3 kids while they taught swimming in their back yard. I also took care of their house and did some meal preparation, and shopping at Uptown, as I didn't have my driver's license yet, so that meant walking with Brad (age 2) in the stroller, and the 2 daughters, Cindy and Bonnie, 6 and 7 I believe. I'm sure that experience convinced me I didn't want to get married and have kids for awhile. Then when I was 16 I got my real part time job working 40 hours every 2 weeks at Densow's Drugstore, which meant all of every weekend. that was in 1960 and I made $1.00 an hour. When I came back from having been an exchange student in 1963, I got the same job back making $1.00 an hour, still working part time at the candy magazine counter where we also sold cigarettes. As this was also a union job, one day Carole SLEDGE ('63) who was also worker there by then, started talking about raises she was getting following the union rates for so many hours having worked. She couldn't believe I was still making $1.00 an hour, as she knew I'd worked quite a bit before I went to be an exchange student, and she talked me into complaining to the union (Larry HARROLD's ('56) mom - who I knew since Larry had been on my dad's American Legion baseball team when I was in lower elementary school. Anyway, as I'd kept all my pay stubs I'd ever received from Densow's (one good thing to say for not getting rid of things, I didn't do income tax returns, if I earned enough, my dad must have done them, but I don't think so, as he never asked me to sign anything). So I figured out how much my back pay might be, and even was eligible journeyman's wages for a few weeks before I left for WSU. I did get all my back pay and raises, and had enough money to get to WSU that fall of l964 where I immediately applied for another part time job and I think my wages were, you guessed it, $1.00 an hour. I also enjoy reading about Richland in the days of yesterday!! -Helen CROSS Kirk ('62) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Jim ARMSTRONG ('63) To: Bob Carlson, aka Mike CLOWES ('54) "Hondo", starring John Wayne came out in 3-D. I saw it at the Richland [on Biddle]. P.S. Does anyone remember The Mixer? Ate my first cheeseburger there and the rest is history. The Mixer later became The Tahitian Room. Trivia, Korten's also had a store in Longview. To: Carol CONVERSE Maurer ('64) Wasn't that Radio station KCKW with dj Lynn Bryson? "With round sounds to pound the ground by on The Wax Watchers. Winners Circle with Lynner The Spinner!!". This goes out to you from Pitts! Regards, -Jim "Pitts" ARMSTRONG ('63) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Jim HAMILTON ('63) Re: Dedications On Saturdays Dick PLOWS ('63-RIP), Pook ('63-RIP) and I would walk to the Uptown to check out the Ragazzi (some of the Rosetta Stone is sticking) from Indian Country. We would beat feet to Herman's, later Robinson's, and pick up a bunch of song dedication slips. We'd then walk, counter clockwise, to the drug store by the Uptown Theater, order cokes, a bunch of fries and commence to filling out the song requests in someone else's name. We regaled ourselves with our creativity and couldn't wait until Monday night when "Lynner the Spinner" on Herman's Hot Hit Hotline, would create or uncreate a dozen or more romances. I'm certain the WHitehall exchanges were on fire with "Did you hear about Hugo and Kim", nope that was from "Bye, Bye Birdie" but you get the drift. Sorry folks, but it was their idea. -jimbeaux -Jim HAMILTON ('63) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Linda BELLISTON Boehning ('63) Here of a few of my memories... Did anyone else get nervous when a lady came to the grade school classroom and started calling out names to line up to go the nurse's office to get shots. I also remember the Quarantine signs put on the windows of our homes whenever anyone in the house had Chicken Pox or the Measles... Can't remember, but it seems like a Public Health Nurse would come to the house to check on us. At Chief Jo we always had to carry a ping pong paddle when leaving the classroom to go to the bathroom. The real paddle used for spanking in Jr. High used to have names on it of those who got spankings... Once on the Sandstorm I remember someone saying they had that paddle in possession, but can't remember who had it.. I also have fond memories of taking the Ferry across the river in the North part of Richland... The Ferry Road sign is still there! Think it cost 10 cents to go across. -Linda BELLISTON Boehning ('63) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Dennis HAMMER ('64) To: Bob Carlson, aka Mike CLOWES ('54) To: Pete BEAULIEU ('62) Re: 3-D Western Movie I think the western movie mentioned by Pete BEAULIEU ('62) was probably "Hondo," not "Shane." Both movies were released about the same time. I first saw "Shane" when I was about the age of the kid in the movie and it is one of my favorite movies so naturally I own the DVD. I have listened to the commentary and all the extras and there is no mention of being filmed in 3-D. I watched the DVD "Hondo" three or four years ago and the extras and learned it was filmed in 3-D, but by the time it was released 3-D was dying and it was not shown very much in theaters as 3-D. In "Hondo" they showed the two scenes (not in 3-D of course) where they went out into the audience. One was in the knife fight where John Wayne's hand with the knife came out into the crowd. The other was something I had not noticed before, I guess it has no impact if not in 3-D. I think it was during the titles where John Wayne rode his horse at a high rate of speed straight out of the screen. I am thinking the horse must have ran into the theater and broke his leg on the seats and had to be shot; which is why the movie opens with John Wayne walking out of the desert with his dog and carrying his saddle and Winchester. I think the problem with 3-D in those days is the theater had to use two projectors at the same time and they had to be exactly in sync. If a theater had only two or three projectors, then the movie would have to be stopped every 20 minutes while they were set up again. Don't know about that because I never saw 3-D when it was a big fad. Maybe someone out there can let us know if that was true. -Dennis HAMMER ('64) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: David RIVERS ('65) Re: Long distance kisses Well I contacted good ol' Uncle Burt ('59), knowing that he would know if anyone would know and he knew so I let Maren ('63/64) know that he knew and she was way glad he knew and so was I so maybe... just maybe we will see a map of the uptown... unfortunately, according to the man in the know... the maps were prepared in 1948 before The Uptown was completed... and maybe people were too busy building the dike to worry about completing the Uptown, not knowing that some day 100s and 100s of little delinquent boys would spend their hard earned gas money tooling The Uptown in one direction while an equivalent number of Bomber-babes would be walking the Uptown in the opposite direction... I mean who knew? Did anyone expect an anonymous driver to crash his crown Vickie into Arlene's? I mean it just goes ta show ya never know... ya know? But I know this Bomber-babe from the Netherlands (no not Benton city... the real country) is having her special day and she has slipped me the skinny that she will be in Richland for our 50 year reunion... so Ha ha ha I am in the know... she's been my sweetie for quite a while now and so long as her other half doesn't get wind of it we are safe so mum's the word... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Sharon MARKEL ('65) on your special day, January 26, 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -David RIVERS ('65) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Pat DORISS Trimble ('65) Re: Question re Web Site in Duane LEE ('63) Entry - 01/25/15 http://AlumniSandstorm.com/Xtra/Lee/150125-R-Cloud.3gp The web site noted in Duane's entry [Proud of the Cloud has finally been erected] would not open! I copied it into my browser and got nothing. Got the same result when I typed it in! One message that popped up on my screen stated "navigation to the web site was canceled"!! That's weird!!... Anyone write back with the same result?? [See entry from Betti AVANT ('69)... What's supposed to happen is that Windows Media Player will open up and automatically start playing the little "movie"... Betti figured out that Windows Player needed to be the "default media player" before it would work... I don't know how you do that... Weaselsoft ain't my favorite... -Maren] -Pat DORISS Trimble ('65) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Betti AVANT ('69) Re: Duane LEE's ('63) link http://AlumniSandstorm.com/Xtra/Lee/150125-R-Cloud.3gp I can't get the link for R-cloud to work. It leads me to some sort of media player and that's it. Am I doing something wrong? -Betti AVANT ('69) ~ from foggy Richland **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Lori SIMPSON Hogan ('70) To: Carol CONVERSE Maurer ('64) Re: Your post on 1/25/15 Carol, I think my sister, Cherie SIMPSON ('64), was friends with you gals, too... :-) -Lori SIMPSON Hogan ('70) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Peter TURPING ('70) Re: Mike FRANCO ('70) Entry on 1/24/15 Oh the joys of spending a nickel on penny candy at the fountain at Johnson's Drug Store. Who knew it could take a half hour. If northenders (Dan CARTMELL, Chuck SALINA and Bill NICKOLSON, all class of '70) were walking home from Christ the King it would require a stop at the Spudnut Shop. Always looking for a free or day-old Spuddy to make the second half of the trip. Hard to believe that growing up on the north end of Davison (FRANCO, MEEKER and TURPING houses next to each other) that we were almost at the end of town as Newcomer was right at the end of our street and it was nothing but sagebrush at that point. My only recollection of Korten's was going there to pick up a replacement reed for my clarinet. I was forced to take clarinet lessons one summer at Chief Jo. It was a long summer for everyone. And I have to agree with FRANCO ('70) that there maybe someone else with the name Mike HOGAN ('66) but there really is only one Mike HOGAN ('70) -Peter TURPING ('70) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** >>From: Steve HUNTINGTON ('73) To: Mike FRANCO ('70) Thanks for reminding me what Barlow Ghirardo's father's name was. I remember his picture in the back room where we mixed up the dough, but not his name. I used to have one of those hideous Oregonian paper routes that extended from Catskill street on the North end and down past Jimbo Simpson's near the Bali Hi in the south and from GWWay to the river. Rallens had a Tri-City Herald route was like two blocks total. The Oregonian Sunday papers weighed about 40 pounds each. But during the week and Saturday I would stop at the Spudnut Shop each morning after pedaling my red two speed kick back Schwinn bike around what felt like a 40 mile paper route and get a chocolate Spuddie. On cold days when I felt rich I would add a hot chocolate. Barlow was running the joint then so I paid every morning - no day old freebies - but it was worth it. The hot fresh Spuddies were usually on the tray by 0530 at the latest and he was already working on the glazed and the cinnamon rolls when I rolled in. Years later Barlow hired me from a Decca referral to stand in the window, cut 'em, drop 'em, and flip 'em in the grease, and ladle the glaze or drop the cinnamon rolls and maple bars in the icing pan. I don't think I was ever as stylish as the JACOBs brothers were at that job, but I liked it. Val was usually around to remind me what I was not doing just right. I remember the day I applied for the job, Barlow said I could have it but I had to get a hair cut. When I came back in the shop from my visit to Adrian's next door Barlow looked at me and he said "What kid, you deaf? I said a hair cut". So I ended up back at Adrian's for a high and tight version but landed the job. We grew up in a great town with some great people. -Steve HUNTINGTON ('73) **************************************************************** **************************************************************** That's it for today. Please send more. ****************************************************************