YMCA The Y
211 - 32nd Street
Downtown Newport News, VA 23607
YMCA
WAY BACK THEN:
"Y.M.C.A., Newport News, VA" "32nd Street, showing First Presbyterian Church and Y.M.C.A., Newport News, VA" "Y.M.C.A. and First Presbyterian Church, Newport News, VA" "Y.M.C.A. Building, NEWPORT NEWS, VA"
Pre-1907 1909 1914 Before 1915
06/15/04 Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 10/19/03
Thanks, Dave!
Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 01/26/04
Thanks, Dave!
Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 12/26/03
WOW!!!  Thanks, Dave!
 THEN:

"Golly, that spaghetti looks good!  These students seem to be enjoying their lunch at the 'Y'."

Nan Barfield ('55), Thomas Lindsay ('56), Kenny Schonfeld ('59), and Barbara Fowler ('55).

Our thanks to Thelma Spade Roberts ('57) of VA for helping to identify her schoolmates!

Phil Clark ('55), Wayne Sharpe ('55), Kiddy Dickens ('55), Mary Doris Lanier ('55), and Gale Hitchens ('55).

Our thanks to Thelma Spade Roberts ('57) of VA for helping to identify her schoolmates!

"The 'Y' --- A place of relaxation and fun."

Front: Betsy Roberts ('56), Phil Collins ('57), Evelyn Thomas ('58), Barbara Johnson ('57), Evelyn Casey ('57) and Evelyn Fryer ('58), with Ann Bradshaw ('56) and Nancy Bigger ('56) at front right corner. 

Back row: Kenny Roberts ('58), Glenda Howard ('59), Shelva Daniels ('59?), Jim Hunsucker ('56) and Thelma Roberts ('57).

Our thanks to Thelma Spade Roberts ('57) of VA for identifying her schoolmates!

First table: Harold Harpine ('56), Mary Ann Madagan ('56), and Wirtley Raine ('56),

Second  table: Judy Leggette ('56), P.A. Breeden ('56), Betsy Roberts ('56), Gaye Hogge ('56),
and Annette Will ('56).

Third table: Slade Dunn ('56) and
Carolyn Simpson ('56).

Back row: Jimmy Morgan ('56), Nancy Hawley ('56),  Teddy Farrar ('56), Judy Slavin ('56), Stuart Greenspon ('56), Adrienne Nettles ('56), Howard Todd ('56), Dennis Ilish ('56),  Celia Siegel ('56), and Bucky Lenhart ('56).

Our thanks to Joe Madagan ('57) of FL and Thelma Spade Roberts ('57) of VA for helping to identify their schoolmates!

1955 Anchor, p. 59 1955 Anchor, p. 147 1956 Anchor, p. 55 1956 Anchor, pp. 2-3
06/04/04 06/02/04, 06/03/04 06/02/04, 06/03/04, 06/04/04 06/02/04, 06/03/04
THEN:

Harry Covert ('57), Joan Burcher ('57), Larry Rhuland ('57), Millard Thomas ('57), David Jones ('57), Beverly Powell ('57),  Elaine Ferrell ('57), and David Wittan ('57).

Our thanks to Joe Madagan ('57) of FL and Thelma Spade Roberts ('57) of VA for identifying their classmates!

"Gail Gaskins ('58), Andra Bost ('58), Virgil Meares ('58), and Dan Outland ('58) stop to talk on the steps of the Y.M.C.A." "Enjoying their favorite pastime, these Seniors carry on the latest bull-session at the Y after school.  Ten to one they're talking about graduation."

? ('59), Joanne Welstead? ('59), Jerry Morewitz ('59), Robert Bracey ('59), Jimmy Spivey ('59), and Bonnie Proctor ('59).

Our thanks to Eleanor Buckley Nowitzky ('59) of NC for helping to identify her classmates!

For my first "formal" dance, practically ALL
of my clothes were borrowed!  My 18-year-old sister, Eleanor ('59), let me wear her ice pink Dacron dress, her gorgeous white embroidered horsehair petticoat (WOW!), her silver sandals, and her fancy rhinestone necklace.
(At twelve, I was considered too young for the matching earrings.)  Mama let me carry the little white and silver beaded bag from the thirties (which I still have) belonging to her little sister, Frances, and then completely surprised me by lending me her own beautiful cranberry cashmere coat!
1957 Anchor, p. 53 1958 Anchor, p. 52 1959 Anchor, p. 121 En route to the Seventh Grade Valentine's Dance
at the "Y", February 1960
06/02/04, 06/03/04 06/02/04 06/02/04, 06/08/04 - Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC - 06/04/04
 THEN: NOW:

FRONT TABLE:
?, Patty Sykes ('62), Jimmy Moody ('61), Lanny Midkiff ('61), Connie McKinsey ('62), Phillip Hammond ('65) and Jane Monfalcone ('61)

BACK LEFT TABLE:
Wanda Thornhill ('62), Betsy Barnhouse ('62),
Mary Jo Cain ('62), three girls I cannot see
well enough to identify...

BACK RIGHT TABLE:
Robert Fitzgerald ('63)

1961 Anchor, p. 15 Newport News: A Centennial History, John V. Quarstein and Parke Rouse, Jr.,
City of Newport News, 1996
Membership Card Saturday, October 18, 2003

The building has sadly
long since been razed.

What a great tragedy!
06/11/03 Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 01/17/05
 Thanks, Dave!
Courtesy of Terry Haney ('66) of VA - 01/27/10
 Thanks, Terry!
Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 10/19/03
 Thanks, Dave!
 
Whenever I think of the "Y", two more stories come immediately to my mind, the first quite a thrill, and the second, bittersweet.

The first would have had to have been following one of the first football games of the '62 to '63 school year,
when I was a sophomore.  I was wearing my Band letter sweater (which I still own, and which joyously after lo,
these many
blubber-coated years actually fits again!) and the matching deep navy blue wool  A-line skirt
which my dear
mama made me.  (Yes, Jimmy - I nearly ALWAYS remember what I was wearing on State Occasions!)
I'll hoard the details unto myself; suffice to say it was one of the best dances I ever attended in my life,
and I emerged with a new-found sense of self-esteem!

The other incident probably only remains in my mind because of the tragic outcome which was so shortly to follow it.
One typical day after school during my senior year, several of us including
Larry Harding ('65), were in the "Y" after school.
We were huddled over the juke box, trying in vain to make out the lyrics to "Louie, Louie"
(I started to link the lyrics here, but then I Googled them,
and nearly keeled over at what I found, so you're on your own!),
and giggling like the naughty children we were - and we never could determine those words, due (no doubt) in large part to the fact that we couldn't stop laughing long enough!  We finally gave up and went back to our table
to finish our food, when Larry suddenly banged his fists on the table and shouted, "All Hands on Deck!"  Having been thus commanded,
we all dutifully obeyed.  Then Larry turned to the pretty girl to his right and innocently asked, "Is your name Deck?"  He was SOOOO funny!!!

A mere three days after graduation, Larry drowned.  That was 39 years ago this week.
 I shall never forget him, or his wonderful, wacky sense of humor, and his gift for making people laugh.

- Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC - 06/04/04

 

Y.M.C.A.

(Village People)
 

Young man, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy.

Young man, there's a place you can go.
I said, young man, when you're short on your dough.
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal,
You can do what about you feel ...

Young man, are you listening to me?
I said, young man, what do you want to be?
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.
But you got to know this one thing!

No man does it all by himself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,
And just go there, to the y.m.c.a.
I'm sure they can help you today.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal,
You can do what about you feel ...

Young man, I was once in your shoes.
I said, I was down and out with the blues.
I felt no man cared if I were alive.
I felt the whole world was so tight ...

That's when someone came up to me,
And said, young man, take a walk up the street.
There's a place there called the y.m.c.a.
They can start you back on your way.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y-m-c-a ... just go to the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, are you listening to me?
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?


"YMCA" midi courtesy of http://addagirl.com/,
at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 06/27/03
Thanks, Dave!

"YMCA" lyrics courtesy of http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Y-M-C-A-lyrics-Village-People/33E3D31BDDCE747748256DF20009B2A5 - 06/02/04

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