0003/25/05 - NNHS Newsletter - Angel Baby

Dear Friends and Schoolmates,   

   If you think you've seen these cute little baby angels before, you're right.  They starred in this January 3rd Newsletter:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/01-03-05-NNHS-Forgotten-Dreams.html

   But, c'mon, "ANGEL BABY"?!?  What else could I choose?    Besides, there's that cute little bunny!  I love bunnies!

NEWBIES:

1.  Nancy Mitchell Wynne ('64) of MD via Jeanette Parrish Houston ('64) of VA - 03/24/05:

From Ron Miller ('59) of NC - 03/24/05:

   What a great story!  Thanks, Ronnie - and keep reading!  GIGGLES!

From Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 03/24/05:

   Thanks, Adonis!  I knew you'd know the details of that story!

   I remember those bathing beauty contests........

From Tom Oxner ('65) of AR - 03/24/05:

Also from Fred Eubank ('64) of TX - 03/24/05:

Carol,

I read the Joe Madagan ('57 - of FL) piece on What-A-Burger and offer the following observations.  I too remember
that Jefferson Avenue What-a-Burger (WAB) restaurant, and ate many a great hamburger there in the late 1960s.  Naturally
when I moved to San Antonio in 2003, and saw the many orange and white chalet roof-style WABs that populate the Alamo City,
I had to stop by for a burger.  After concluding that the San Antonio WABs reminded me a lot of the Newport News WABs I had
enjoyed almost 40 years earlier, as well as the striped, orange and white chalet-style roof, I began to wonder if they were one
and the same company.  I discovered that the San Antonio WABs belong to a company created by Harman Dobson in 1950.  He
apparently opened the first WAB in Corpus Christie, TX, in August of that year.  I went to the WAB web site and read the
company history (http://www.whataburger.com/wbstory.cfm  and http://www.whataburger.com/timeline50.cfm?timeline=50). 
I may have missed it, but I could nothing to indicate that the Dobson WAB chain ever had a restaurant in Newport News, or
in Virginia for that matter.  It appears they are located only in AZ, NM, TX, OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA and FL.  I guess Joe has
seen plenty of WABs in FL, they have 25 or 30 there.  I was certainly disappointed that I could find no confirmation the old NN
WAB was part of the original Harman Dobson chain.  However, I do remember they had great hamburgers, and my mind may be
playing tricks on me (I’m nearly 60 years old, you know), but I swear that old Jefferson Avenue What-a-Burger looked a lot like
the one in Joe Madagan’s 03/24/05 Newsletter article. 

Fred Eubank
San Antonio, TX 

   Thanks, Fred!  And ya know what, Gentlemen?  I knew that, too!  Or at least, I knew it last year when I did the initial research
for the page.  But that was then, and this is now....  Sigh...... 

   So I just redesigned the page to look like this:

ttp://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/old-stomping.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/OOSG-S-Z.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/what-a-burger.html

   Now if my mind slips again, we'll still have all that data!  Thanks again, Fellas!

From Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 03/24/05:

   WOW.  Thanks for sharing that with us, Joe.  Sometimes those simple memories are the warmest. 

From Jo Ann Stewart ('64) of TX - 03/24/05:

   GIGGLES!!!  Thanks, Jo Ann!  I don't know the when or the why, but I do know two or three things.  There are quite a few
among us who no longer use the same name we did in high school.  When we were listing those who were planning to attend
the Glorious Reunion, I wrote "Bobby", and Dave Spriggs ('64 - of VA) corrected me, and said he now preferred to be called
"Brooks", so I changed it.

   But on Friday night, just as we were leaving, I realized that I had neither spoken to him, nor given him my card, and I came up
from behind him, and instinctively said, "Bobby", having known him since way back at Magruder School.  He turned and
answered me, but then looked at me with that, "Do I know you?" look (which I did not acknowledge).  Sigh.  It seems I am highly
forgettable, but I'll get over it.

   No, I won't.  WILD GIGGLES!!!

From Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 03/24/05:

   Joe Madagan, do you mean to tell me that after all that long discussion and input from so many people that I never corrected
that error?!?  Oh, no - I can't look.  It's just too embarrassing.  Oh, all right, I'll look.

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/BASKET-B-55.html

   EEEK!!!  

   Oh, this is just too much.  I'm so sorry.  I fixed it now:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/BASKETBALL.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/BASKET-B-55.html

   Thanks, Adonis!

From My Niece, Shari, in VA - 03/24/05:

   A BUNNY!  I just LOVE bunnies!  Thanks, Shari!

From Joe Madagan ('57) of FL to Bobby Turpin ('58) of VA - 03/24/05:

   It would, indeed, Adonis!

   Well, looky here!  GIGGLES!!!

From Bobby Turpin ('58) of VA  to Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 03/24/05 and Evelyn Fryer Keller Fish ('58) of TX:

   Okay, Gentlemen, I've added your memories to the page.  Thanks so much for sharing them!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/BASKETBALL.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/BASKET-B-57.html

From Aretie Gallins Patterson ('59) of Northern VA - 03/24/05, 8:57 PM:

Dear Carol,

I don’t know how you do it, but the newsletters are absolutely awesome. John and I have just gotten back
from Newport News where we’ve been since Friday night (March 18) looking after my father, who is now 90
years old. Since we were away I had gotten behind on reading the newsletters. The first one I opened tonight
was the March 24, Out of Nowhere and that’s as far as I got. Actually I didn’t even get all the way through
before I stopped to write this to you. I was reading Jimmy Hines’s ('64 - of Northern VA) letter and got
to where he mentioned Lefty Driesell. I clicked on the link. Then a little further there was a link to NNHS.
Well, that one did it, Carol. That’s where I stopped. Having attended many high school graduations as an
assistant principal, I recognized the introduction to Pomp and Circumstance right away. I sat and listened
while I looked at the images of our old high school. As the introduction gave way to the familiar strains
at which the graduates begin their procession, I was awash in memories. I went back years in my mind and
saw the Class of  ‘59 lined up in the hall outside the auditorium. And there was Dorothy Crane, the drama
teacher, making sure that we were all in step. She stood in the hall by the entrance to the auditorium,
sweeping her hand in a huge arc to keep us in step as she called out, left, right, left, right her voice
emphasizing the word left, to make sure we all stepped forward at the same time on the correct foot. The effect
was that as the line moved up the ramp into the auditorium and down the incline to our seats, every single
tassel swayed in the same direction at the same time. We all swayed gently to the left, then gently to the right.
Not being especially graceful nor having a good sense of rhythm, I had to watch the student in front of me. I
kept my eyes on that foot in front of me to make sure I was putting the same one forward at the same time!
When I got to my seat on the stage, I could finally relax. From the vantage point of the stage, I could see the
rest of my classmates marching in. What an awesome sight to behold, the line moving in perfect step and I can
tell you that it was never as magnificent, as awesome a sight at any other high school graduation that I attended,
and I attended a lot of them.  Miss Crane also made sure that we had our graduation caps on our heads exactly
right. The front down over the forehead just so with the mortar board perfectly parallel to the ground. And the
music, the NNHS band, with Mr. Wilson’s baton, playing that magnificent Pomp and Circumstance. The music
on the NNHS link brought it all back to me, as if it were yesterday. Thanks for the memories!  

I have seen Ron Miller’s ('59 of NC) name on the site. I remember him from grammar school.  Does he
remember being in classes together at John W. Daniel? I’m pretty sure we were together in fourth grade. That
would have been Miss Holt’s class. I was also in school with Mr. Conn’s son, Harry ('59 of VA), for 12 years.
Harry and I were in each other’s class all the way through John Daniel. Then in high school Harry and I always
had at least one class together. His mother, Mrs. Garland Conn, was my eighth grade science teacher. Your sister,
Eleanor (Buckley Nowitzky - '59 - of NC), was in that class, and sat next to me.

I enjoyed the picture of Mr. Wilson from the 2004 reunion. What a wonderful site! What wonderful newsletters!
Thank you for all your work with the newsletters. .

I also have a Lefty Driesell story to tell. Lefty was my driver’s education teacher. Do I have a story!  

Take care and God bless. I’ll be in touch again soon.

Aretie Gallins Patterson

NNHS ‘59

   Okay, Lady, you just about blew me off my chair with your letter!  Thanks so much for your kind and very moving words!

   I'm glad you're enjoying the links.  I'll admit to being link-happy, but I believe following the little blue words makes for a more
complete story.  But you really hit upon what creates the emotional power of the pages.  It's the marvelous, absolutely perfect
music chosen by Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA.

   When I first began the site back in July of 2000, and it only consisted of about ten pages, I attached music which all predated
1965, so it would have a period flavor.  And then came the expansions.  My two youngest sons (who were my principle advisors)
had all but convinced me to forego the music.  They personally do not like the sound of MIDI files, and had me convinced that they
were "unprofessional" - primarily because of their own preference.

   When David joined us in January of 2003, he began making brilliant suggestions for songs - and finding me the perfect versions
of each song - and he paid no attention to my goofy "pre-1965" rule (and I wisely never told him any such nonsense).  Dave's
contributions have been absolutely immeasurable, not only with the music and the memories, but the hundreds of images, both old
and new he has supplied.  His camera work is breathtaking, and if there's a soul out there who does not enjoy his "THEN and NOW"
shots, they've wisely chosen not to tell me!

   And in all that time, I think you're the first one to mention the absolute power of the combined effect of that music with those images. 
It's positively transporting, and I can never thank him enough for his continued help.  The site you enjoy today is what it is largely
through David's vision and tireless guidance and support.

   Your perfect description of the majesty of our graduation exercises, so meticulously orchestrated by Miss Crane, quite nearly
overcame me.  I was saved by two near-ludicrous memories of my own graduation.

   First, as we were so carefully arranged by Miss Crane according to our height, I marched in and sat between Ronnie "Peanut"
Phillips and Mickey Spivey, two of the funniest guys I ever met.  I think they had known each other from before birth.  I first met them
when we were all together at Walter Reed for seventh grade.  Bless their hearts, they kept up a delightful, naughty, irreverent,
hysterical, whispered dialogue all through graduation exercises, while I tried desperately to somehow keep from laughing during the
solemn proceedings.  It is one of my very favorite high school memories.  If I never thanked you before, gentlemen, I'll do so now!

   Of course, there was that other major distraction....... 

   Our graduation took place on a dreadfully sticky night.  Someone decided the girls would all be more comfortable if we removed
our dresses before donning our gowns.  Sounds good and reasonable, doesn't it?  It would have been, had the gowns only been
fastened together in front lower than three inches or so above the knee.......

   Last fall we had a great running conversation about pantyhose.  Well, these were the days before the invention of pantyhose.  We
were all wearing stockings and garter belts.  I personally was wearing a boned waist cinch which I always wore except while bathing
and sleeping, which meant (in the manner of Chinese foot binding) that my waist had never grown beyond 21".  Ah, the good old days! 
And of course, we were all wearing white slips.

   But as the girls began to walk across the stage, one thing quickly became painfully obvious (or delightfully obvious, I suppose,
depending on your point of view!):and that was, "the view" itself.  With each step, the girls' gowns opened, revealing a goodly shot
of slip, leg, hose, garters - whatever!

   I was mortified!  My turn was coming soon - what was I to do?!?  A pin!  That's it - a pin could solve the problem!  But of course,
there was no pin to be had.  I had to think of something else.  Short steps - that would do it - short, slow steps!  I was saved!  And so
as I walked across the stage - ever so slowly - I revealed nothing.  But the entire complement onstage thought I was in imminent
danger of passing out!  As I passed each one in succession, they said behind frozen smiles, "Are you okay?!?"  and I kept my own
frozen smile, imperceptibly nodded my head, and made it off that stage to safety!

   I may have looked like a dweeb, but I was a COVERED dweeb!  WILD GIGGLES!!!

   Thanks so much!  I double-posted your memories:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/faculty.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/teachers.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/teach-Crane.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/old-stomping.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/OOSG-N-R.html

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/nnhs.html

From Sarah Puckett Kressaty ('65) of VA - 03/24/05:

Carol:  I just love the music you have added to each of the newsletters!  Keep up the good work - you're terrific!!! 
Sarah Sugah 

   Thanks, Miss Sarah!  Obviously, they take much longer to prepare, but as they're already part of the site rather than simply
emails, there was no reason not to make them more decorative.  There's that music factor again - and they're so much more
fun this way! 

Also from Aretie Gallins Patterson ('59) of Northern VA - 03/24/05, 10:37 PM:

Dear Carol,

I have now worked my way through the rest of the newsletters that I was behind on. I have so much enjoyed
the pictures of the Class of ’64 reunion. It was great to recognize names that I knew. Suddenly I realized I was
recognizing names because I was at NNHS in 1964! I guess I have mostly thought of myself as NNHS ’59
because that’s when I graduated, but in ’64 I was living my dream of returning as a teacher. As you know, I
returned in  the school year 1962-63 as a teacher. I enjoyed the pictures of Mr. Loving, Mr. Wilson,
Mr. Etheridge, Miss Kanter, and Mr. Reed. I remember when Mr. Reed joined the faculty. We were in the same department. Is the Ray Staton in the pictures of the reunion the same Ray Staton that lived downtown
near 32^nd Street? I think he had a sister named Nancy Staton? And Rocky Gary - Was I one of his government
teachers? Didn’t he play basketball?  And I thought my father had memory problems! Look at me here!
 

   Yes, ma'am!  Ray Staton ('64) is the brother of Nancy Staton ('61) and Mary Lou Staton ('65), who married Garland Hudson
('65), who played basketball with Rocky Gary ('64), who more than likely studied government with you!
 

What kind words Jim Hines ('64 - of Northern VA) said about me. Jim did not realize that I was a NNHS grad,
but until I read his letter in the 3/21/05 newsletter, I did not realize Jim was a student at NNHS when I was
teaching there in 1963-64! I have known Jim as a fellow teacher for years. We were in the same northern Virginia
school system for a while. Prior to that I knew him when I worked in the York County School System. It seems we
both  traveled to the Peninsula this past weekend, too. My, it was good to hear from Jim!

Dear Jim, thank you so much for such a nice tribute. But you know, whatever good I may have done as a teacher
or assistant principal over the years, I owe to Ethel Gildersleeve and the NNHS teachers who taught me. I wanted
nothing more than to walk in their shoes, to follow in their footsteps and to repay them for all they did for me,
for all that they meant to me by giving to other students the love, patience, understanding, confidence and
knowledge they gave to me. 

Thanks for sharing the heartwarming story about your father, and thanks for posting the picture of him
on Omaha Beach.

I agree with what Jim Hines said referring to how Henry Hoyle ('65 - of Northern VA) put it, I am also bedazzled
getting in touch with memories and reading about people I have not seen in years.

I remember Henry Hoyle. His mother, Phoebe Hoyle, was my French teacher in 1957-58 up on the third floor
front in room 312. I sat in the back of the room and spent a lot of time talking when I wasn’t supposed to.

Because of my affinity for talking during class, I managed to garner a couple of 3’s in citizenship during my career.

Remember the citizenship comments on the report cards? They went like this: (I still have my old report cards!)

1.      His cooperative attitude and fine citizenship contribute much to the good order and progress of the class
2.      He cooperates, respects authority, and maintains self-control
3.      He respects authority, but is not always cooperative
4.      He frequently lacks courtesy and self-control and interferes with the progress of others.

Prior to the 1958-59 school year there were these additional numbers:

5.      He seriously interrupts the progress of other pupils and demoralizes the general morale of the class. His
conduct must improve in order for him to continue in class.

6.      His conduct required a suspension
7.      He was truant

Of course this was in the days before gender neutrality! I could not fathom 5. In my adolescent mind,  5 seemed
akin to criminal behavior!

Keep up the good work, Carol. You are a blessing to all of us.

   OOOH - those are scary!!!!  GIGGLES!!!

   Thanks so much!  You've no idea what an honor it is for me to do this - really!

Also from Aretie Gallins Patterson ('59) of Northern VA  - 03/24/05, 11:04 PM:

Dear Carol,
 
The photo of the Palace Theatre likely taken from the top of Leggett’s Department Store in the 1957 Anchor
brought back another memory. The Florida Orange Store can be seen in the lower left side of the photo. We
bought most of our groceries there though sometimes my mother shopped at the A&P on the corner of 35th
and Washington Avenue. Later when A&P went out of business, a drugstore moved to that location from its
former location further up Washington Avenue. I think it was Standard that moved there. Standard Drug was
originally located  between 32nd and 31st Streets, next to the Mecca Restaurant. The Colonial Store was
on Huntington Avenue, a couple of blocks from NNHS. That’s where we went in small groups from Miss Sue
Kelly’s eighth grade home economics class to buy goods for our cooking class. It seemed like such an adventure
and so grown-up to be allowed to walk to the Colonial Store!
 
Mr. Ferguson was the butcher at the Florida Orange Store. His daughter Betty Kaye went to John Daniel School
and was one of my best friends in grammar school. Mr. Blount was the produce manager. I can’t remember the
name of the owner of the store but he was local. Was it Mr. Jones, maybe? I’m not sure.
 
My father, Jimmy Gallins, operated a restaurant, the Sanitary Lunch, on the corner of  31st street and
Washington Avenue across the side street from the James Theater. He sold that restaurant while I was in high
school - maybe 1954? and opened another one in North End.
 
Aretie Gallins Patterson

   Oh, WOW!  It's amazing how one memory triggers another, isn't it?  Thanks again - so much!

  Y'all have a great holiday weekend - and take care of each other!  TYPHOONS FOREVER!

                          Love to all, Carol

==============================================

NNHS CLASS OF '65 WEB SITE: http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com
PERSONAL WEB SITE: http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/cluckmeat

==============================================

Angel Baby

(Rosie & the Originals)


It's just like heaven being here with you
You're like an angel too good to be true
But after all, I love you, I do
Angel Baby, my Angel Baby

When you are near me my heart skips a beat
I can hardly stand on my own two feet
Because I love you, I love you, I do
Angel Baby, my Angel Baby

Oooh, I love you, ooooh I do
No one could love you like I do

oooooooooh oooooooooh oooooooh ooooooh ooooh ooooh oooooooh ooooh oooh

Please never leave me blue and alone
If you ever go I'm sure you'll come back home
Because I love you, I love you, I do
Angel Baby, my Angel Baby


It's just like heaven being with you dear
I could never stay away without you near
because I love you, I love you
I do, Angel Baby, my Angel Baby

Oooooh, I love you, oooh I do. No one could love you like I do.

"Angel Baby" midi courtesy of http://members.aol.com/sombra30/baby/boomers.htm
 at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 03/08/05
Thanks, Dave!

"Angel Baby" lyrics - transcribed by Bernadette (Lilcocopuf13@aol.com) -
courtesy of http://www.lyricsxp.com/lyrics/a/angel_baby_rosie.html
also at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 03/08/05
Thanks again, Dave!

Fly Baby and Bunny clip art courtesy of http://www.geocities.com/pegasus2u_99/Gallery3.htm - 12/31/04

Mauve Flower Line clip art courtesy of http://members.tripod.com/~emelinda/index-12.html - 10/04/04

Pinky Rose Squiggle Hearts divider clip art courtesy of http://www.wtv-zone.com/nevr2l82/bars5.html - 03/24/05

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