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	09/08/09 - NNHS Newsletter - Right Here Waiting “How much of human life is lost in waiting.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson (25 May 1803 - 27 Apr 1882)

Dear Friends and Schoolmates,

   I've been "right here waiting" for seven weeks for all of y'all to be able to return from the Cyber Isolation to which Google had consigned you. 

   Welcome Home!

BONUS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i4fK4Fc7Ms - Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx, 1989

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Marx:

"Marx placed himself in the record books by being the first solo artist to have his first seven singles hit the Top 5 on the US charts. ^[2]"

40 YEARS AGO TODAY:

Monday, September 08, 1969 - Once again nothing noteworthy happened on this day during the momentous summer (yes, it's still officially summer, Labor Day notwithstanding) of 1969.

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS:

   Happy Birthday today to Carroll Elliott ('57) AND   Gary Fitzgerald ('61) of VA AND   Patti Johnson Stowe ('62) of FL AND   Cheryl Pless Ramsey ('64) of VA!

   Happy Birthday tomorrow to   Wayne DeBerry ('65) of VA!

   Happy Birthday this week to:

10 -    The late Mr. Pete Robinson (deceased - 12/23/03);

11 -        The late Bobby Hedrick ('58) (deceased 08/31/09) AND     My Grandson, Jimmy Harty of TX;

14 - Billy Brewer ('57) AND   Jeanette Parrish Houston ('64) of VA!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/Happy-Birthday.html

   Many Happy Returns, One and All!

   Y'all be sure to take a look at that page.  How are we going to wish you a happy birthday if we don't know when it is?!?  Thanks!

    From Joe Madagan (57) of FL - 09/05/09 - "Our Old Stomping Grounds; World War II Memorial Municipal Swimming Pool":

Hi, Carol:

After reading the contribution by     Norm Covert ('61) of MD regarding the "Municipal Pool" it seemed a good time to visit the website and take a look at that section again. Reading about the underground Pump Room caused me to remember an incident that I hope is noteworthy. When chlorine was delivered to the pool by the supplying vendor, it was the job of the Life Guards to move the large tanks that contained the chlorine from the curbside where they were unloaded from the truck to the pump room below ground level. We had devised a wooden sled with a long rope tied to one end, that was used to place the large chlorine tanks to safely lower them below without the danger of dropping one for they were under a lot of pressure. At times, two Life Guards would man handle a large tank while others were using the sled. Back then, the City of Newport News maintained two municipal swimming pools and the Life Guards from the Dorie Miller Pool would come over and assist us, and in turn we would assist their Life Guard crew with the task. All this to set the scene of what took place one day during the chlorine receiving process... Earl Faison ('57-Huntington High School) who was a massive Life Guard single handedly grabbed a tank and carried it below. He was so strong that he did not need any assistance in carrying the load, and made it down the steps and placed it on the pump room floor. This amazing feat and show of strength caught everyone by surprise!!!

Coach J.C. "Cowboy" Range who was the manager of both pools back then, and supervising the task congratulated Earl for the demonstration of strength, then gently reminded him of the extreme danger should he have happened to trip on a step and fall dropping the tank. Our youthful impatience over-rode any concern for safety, but our leader was aware of the danger and also knew how to let a person down without crushing their spirit. Coach Range was a giant of a man, but his heart was even bigger.

		As an aside, some may remember that Earl Faison went on to play football in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers. TYPHOON Regards, Joe Madagan ('57) of FL P.S. After writing about the wonderful leadership skills of Coach J.C. "Cowboy" Range and mentioning Earl Faison it seemed only fair to send you a photo of Earl in football uniform as an All-American at Indiana University. He had an outstanding career in the National Football League.

   WOWZERS!!! What a great story - thanks, Joe!   I did some checking and found these items:

      From Gloria Woolard Price (Hampton HS - '65) of FL to         Sydney Dearing ('56) of TN - 09/06/09 - "  Armstrong Elementary":

At last, a fellow Armstrong student......altho Sydney was quite a few years ahead of me.  I attended Copeland Park Elementary in the first and second grades.  We moved to Henry Street in Southampton in Jun 56 (after Sydney graduated!).  I had the choice to attend either Willis Syms Eaton or Armstrong.  Since my closest neighbors went to Armstrong, so did I.  I had Miss Naff in the third grade (maybe his Miss Nash ?).  I don't remember a Mrs. Wells or Mrs. Green; they may have already gone by then.  But I also had Mrs. Hubbard and Mrs. Blake.  That leaves one that I cannot remember.  And yes, Sydney, Armstrong is still there and thriving.  I met the principal a few years ago and expressed my desire to visit, but I have not done so yet.  Thanks for the great picture!

   Thanks, Gloria! Back in the earlier days of our website, I thought setting limits somewhere was a necessary course; for one thing, we didn't have the space at that time.  In 2003 we began posting elementary school memories and created the "Our Schools When We Were Younger" page, and even then, listing only those schools which fed their students into Newport News High School seemed to be a good idea.  We've long since outgrown those arbitrary boundaries, so I've expanded the concept, and will be creating new pages as quickly as I'm able:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/SITE-MAP.html 

     http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/our-schools.html

          http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/armstrong-elementary.html - brand new page!

   Remember, Sweetie-Pies, I know and remember even less about Hampton schools than I do of Newport News schools!

    From Norm Covert ('61) of MD - 09/07/09 - "George Washington Elementary":

Webdoll,

Indulge me again, please. I’ve gotten the straight skinny on George Washington Elementary School. While talking today with my    Aunt Tena (Goodson) Hensel (’39) VA, I asked her to verify that she went to G.W. Elementary.

Here is what she said: She attended old Thomas Jefferson Elementary School her first three grades, then matriculated in 1932 to George Washington Elementary “on 28th Street.” It spanned south to 27th and was the same structure as T.J. Elementary.  She said there were only three grades taught at G.W.: fourth grade (Mrs. Burke); fifth grade (Mrs. Ham “a tall distinguished looking woman”); and sixth grade (Mrs. Souder, who also was principal).

Tena remembers three other teachers, who would come one or more days a week: Mrs. Berry (“I believe she taught English. She also drove a really old car that we always made fun of it.”); Mrs. Cox, who taught hand writing; and Mrs. Hays, who taught music.  Tena then went to seventh grade at Walter Reed Elementary School followed by high school at NNHS.

Tena reminded me that there were only four years of high school, described then as one, two, three, and four, the latter being the senior year. This represented 11 years of school, so Tena graduated when she was 16 years old. Of course she turned 17 on Sept. 16, 1939, which makes her celebration next week the 87th birthday. She still looks terrific and lives a full life.

Norm Covert (’61) MD

   SUPER-DE-DUPER!!! Thanks, Norm - and Tena!   I've started a new page, but it's not even complete enough with what I already have; I'll need to go back and pull some of the earlier comments, but here's the start:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/SITE-MAP.html 

     http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/our-schools.html

          http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/George-Washington-School.html - brand new page!

Traffic Court

A New York man was forced to take a day off from work to appear for a minor traffic summons. He grew increasingly restless as he waited hour after endless hour for his case to be heard.

When his name was called late in the afternoon, he stood before the judge, only to hear that court would be adjourned for the next day and he would have to return the next day.

"What for?" he snapped at the judge.

His honor, equally irked by a tedious day and sharp query roared, "Twenty dollars contempt of court. That's why!"

Then, noticing the man checking his wallet, the judge relented. "That's all right. You don't have to pay now."

The young man replied, "I'm just seeing if I have enough for two more words."

Hampton High School's Crab clip art courtesy of http://www.geocities.com/agent99bm/ - 10/02/05
Replaced courtesy of http://www.hamptonhigh1964.com - 02/17/09

Back to NNHS Newsletters - 2009