03

If this letter makes any sense whatsoever, it is purely coincidental. I just ripped out a large chunk of it to save for later
in the day - when I'm not running! Look for Part II - sometime before midnight...

GIGGLES! That's funny, Helen! I personally still can't figure out how a FAX works. It's totally incomprehensible to me -
and I plan to keep it that way, because I'd rather believe in magic!

And yes, would you believe that from time to time people actually send me money to do that which I so love to do?!?
They are the greatest!

A Look Back at Easter of 1949 - Courtesy of Jimmy Parker ('62) of VA - 07/18/04:

Thanks again, Jimmy-Jimmy! You and Forrest (Powell - '63 - of VA) and Kathleen (Powell - '60) are all just sooo precious!

Eggsactly! I think you've heard a story similar to this from me before, and I want you to know, Suzanne, that I wore my white
3-1/2" heels to church this morning. The Burden of Civilization is upon us! GIGGLES!!!

Thanks, Mary Ellen! We wish you well with your efforts. Hopefully you'll hear from some of our subscribers.

Thanx, Carol. That's terrific. I have already emailed (Raoul Weinstein - '57 - of FL). He'll be so
surprised. When your fingers get tired of typing and you get weary responding to all these emails,
just think of the joy and smiles and warmth you bring to us all as you help us rekindle, reconnect and
rejoice in remembering and touching our past again. Especially those who moved away and have been
gone for so many years. Who could really thank you enough?

I'm so excited that you were able to contact Raoul, Helen. The fact that he mentioned you in his Music Trivia Quiz for the
Class of 1957, and you joined our midst practically at the same moment could not have been coincidental!

Thank you for your kind words. It's very difficult for me to explain to others how deeply I cherish the privilege of doing
what I do. What an honor it is for me!

Hi Carol,

A couple of days ago you mentioned in your newsletter that you didn't remember the Newport News Fire Department's
practice tower behind the football field. Perhaps it would jog your memory to look through the window in the picture of the
NNHS Band practicing in 1956

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/band/band-56.jpg

It seems you would remember all that black smoke pouring out of it when they did have practice there.

I have been browsing your newsletter pages regularly since I have gotten on your mailing list a couple of years ago. I enjoy
it more than I thought I would. I try to resist the urge to send in remembrances, though.

Keep it up!

Doug Nelson, '64

Doug, bless your sweet heart! I hate to admit the extent to which that has been annoying me! I mean, seriously, how
could I forget something that big?!? And it was long-past making me feel stupid (and I do so dislike feeling stupid!), and it
was waking me up in the middle of the night, and it was wasting my time as I looked in vain to find a shot of it somewhere.
With great effort, I caught a brief vision of it in some corner of my mind of the blond brick, but it didn't last long enough for me
to really "see".

And there it is - right out the band room window! And how often did I used to look out those windows?!?

But I do have one question. Why on earth would you try to resist the urge to send in remembrances?!? That's why we're here!!!

Hello, Carol...

What? You went to Walter Reed too? I didn't know that. I think I was responsible for having a book removed from the
library there because I did a report on it for class...I didn't have to get much older to realize that it really shouldn't have
been in an elementary/intermediate school library...Of Mice and Men for 6th graders?

And, yes, Ronnie (Phillips - '65 - of VA) and Mickey (Spivey - '65 - of FL) were two of the most fun people to be
around. Ronnie, Willie, Bobby (my brother), Brooks (Bloxom - '64 - of VA), I and others by the way, were 'the boys
in the balcony' at Tabernacle Baptist Church to whom Rev. Tesh would give the admonition 'We'll be through
in a few minutes, boys', or something like that, to help us pay attention near the end of the Sunday morning worship service.
He really wanted us to know and do good things. We were just being...boys...and he knew that.

Okay, so there's no Tabernacle Baptist Church page here, either! Who's the slacker running this site anyway?!? Oh, yeah,
that would be me. Never mind.

Re: Brooks Bloxom ('64 - of VA), my Dad was friends with Brooks Bloxom, Bobby's dad. I don't know Bobby's/Brooks'
given names, but it would make sense from that point. I think Bobby/Brooks is the last person I saw as we drove away
from my Dad's funeral, during my senior year in college. Thanks, Brooks...I always appreciated your being there, if that
was you-35 years does dim some memories.

According to my trusty 1964 Anchor, his real name is "Earl Brooks Bloxom, Jr." One would assume he began using his
actual given name when he "grew up". I have it on good authority that there are people who actually grow up - although I always
thought that was rather pointless, personally. Brooks is not on our mailing list, and although we do have many who read the
Newsletters without reporting in, as it were (What is it you call them, Chip - "lurkers"??), I do not believe Bobby is one of them -
which may be just as well for me! WILD GIGGLES!!! (Keep reading....)

And, to Mrs. Patterson, the Sanitary Restaurant is where my folks would take us for lunch whenever we were in town
that time of day. It was a great place, and we always enjoyed eating there! WOW! On school days, we would go to the Palace
Restaurant, or Mike's Hot Dog Stand, or to the boarding house over on West Avenue. Grayson Blount ('62) lived
in Seven Oaks, and he let me tag along a few times to the boarding house, where we ate dinner-not lunch!-with the shipyard
workers who were there. As I recall, we had to run the whole way there and back, in order to eat and be back in class on time!

Okay, we're going to have to make a Sanitary Restaurant page any second now, aren't we?

Speaking of getting 3's in citizenship...Dear, sweet Mrs. (Barbara) Diamonstein was my first year Spanish teacher, and I
managed to do academically and socially very well in her class, earning an A for the class, with a 1 in Citizenship because she
liked everyone I think, and everyone really liked her. I do not remember being timid in her class, and we all had a great time.
Well, Mrs. Diamonstein did not return the next year, as she was busy having a baby, and in walked Miss Joan McKenna, fresh
out of college and speaking Spanish-solely-from the gitgo! Well, I still managed an A in the class, but my 1 in citizenship became
a 4, and I was just simply trying to be my usual engaging self! I think I improved, but don't recall how much. Between the two
of them as my teachers, I was able to clep a year and a half of Spanish in college, even though I worked the first year after high
school. So...Thanks, ladies! The only person I remember being in those classes is Carol Ann Firestone ('66). Carol Ann, I
wonder what your recollection is?

To Dave (Spriggs - '64 - of VA), I sometimes minimize the screen and let the newsletter music run while I do something else,
which I am doing right now. And, yes, the programming of what music goes with what section is wonderful! I have always thought
that, and apologize for not mentioning it before. Remembering the first section I looked at some time ago and hearing the Saint-
Saens, I thought to myself 'this is really appropriate' and was as impressed as I am now. Thanks for a great job to both of you
on this one!

That would be this page:

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

This is also known as the page I haven't been able to bring myself to update since 08/01/04. I'm almost numb enough now that I'll
be able to do that any day now. I remember the night (07/01/03) when David found that perfect selection of Saint-Saen's Organ
Symphonyvery well. It was absolutely astonishing to me, but the man is a genius. The thanks are all his, Jimmy. I just hit a few
buttons, and voila!

Thanks again, Dave.

By the way, I ran into Bill Gruver ('62 - of Northern VA) a few years ago at Oakton HS one weekend at a marching band
contest held there. He was a band parent, and had built the 'tower' that the band director ran rehearsals from. He didn't recognize
me either of course. I had been a lowly underclassman when he was a senior at that time, I think! But we had a nice talk.

I hope you and yours have a nice weekend. Please take care of yourself. Thanks, Jimmy

Cute? CUTE?!? Cookie Honey, that man is, was, and forever shall be, incredibly gorgeous! I remember one day in the
Magruder School playground when I was but a shy little girl (that's right, Adonis, I was painfully shy - c'est vrai!). I don't know
if it was during recess or after school or in the summertime. And no, Jimmy-Jimmy, I don't even remember what I was wearing.
All I remember is sitting in adjoining swings with Bobby and swinging oh, so slowly, and he was talking to me - to ME! Talk
about being bedazzled! I could barely breathe, looking into his gorgeous big brown eyes! I don't know how I even managed
to walk home after that!

WOWZERS! Thanks, Babe! I know you had fun! That is a mighty pretty Vette you have there - and FUN, too!

Please let Ronnie Miller ('59 - of NC) know that I loved the memory about the poster he made when I ran
for secretary. I had forgotten all about the misspelling of the word secretary! I ran for secretary of the student
body when we were in the tenth grade. My good friend, Peggy Dail White ('59), won the election. Now that
Ron has brought me such delight with that memory, I decree that his arm stop hurting from the twist!!!!
Thanks, Ron. I enjoyed the remembrance!

I just want to tell you (and I am sure I speak for many others), that I truly appreciate all that you do to keep
NNHS alive. Your dedication to this website, as well as your creativity never cease to amaze me. I am just
thankful that you are so talented and able to do all that you do. THANK YOU,
Diane

Well - I seem rather giggly today - even for me! Could it have anything to do with the sugar from the Easter candy?!?
NAAAHH!!!

Y'all take care of each other, and I'll be back with Part II before midnight!! TYPHOONS FOREVER!

Easter Parade

Irving Berlin,1933

In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over
I'll be the proudest fellow in that Easter Parade

On the avenue, I'm talkin' 'bout 5th Avenue
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure

Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
And of the girl I'm taking to that Easter Parade

(In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it
I'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade
Oh, I'll be all in clover and when they look you over
You'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade)

On the avenue, I'm talkin' 'bout 5th Avenue
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure

Oh, I could write a sonnet about that Easter bonnet
And of the girl I'm taking to that Easter Parade

(In the Easter Parade)


1960 Anchor, p.22 Eighth Grade	1964 Anchor, p. 136 Twelfth Grade


Saturday, March 26, 2005