FLASHLIGHT

      WELHISCO ALUMNI NEWSLETTER 

                                 June, 2007

 


WELHISCO
Trojan Head designed by   Kermit Ruyle '47


 

May we always be the person our dog thinks we are.

The idea of Fathers Day was created in Spokane, WA 90 yrs ago. To learn more: Click HERE:

 


 Rollie Fanning '54 and wife Jane celebrated their 50th Anniversary on May 25th with family and friends at Yacovelli's Restaurant in Florissant. 

 

GRADUATION MONTH

AS WE PASSED

THROUGH THOSE DOORS .........

Remembering the days we passed through those marvelously large, heavy doors of our beloved Welhisco graduation day, we had no clue as to what our future held for us. Some were lucky to be able to continue their education, some started careers, while others joined the service or married. After all, we were adults! We had to get off mom & dad's payroll. It was time we supported ourselves.

Wellston produced so many successful people from policemen, firemen, judges. lawyers, doctors, salesmen, accountants,  small business owners, teachers, truck drivers, trades and, craftsmen, plus so many other professions. Wouldn't our teachers be proud if they could see us now. 

'49 E. Glover & R. Brown 

We lived through 3 wars safely.  WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam without the loss of many alumni. Some of us were born during these wars, some served, we all survived. 

We all worked hard while raising our families. Those of us who never had the opportunity to further our education learned how hard it was to make a decent living. That drove us to make sure our children would have the chance we never had.

Each month we feature someone's 'story' in the Flashlight. You may not know this person, but you may know a sibling or cousin or they might have been a neighbor. One thing we all have in common is our deep love for our Dear Ol' Wellston.
                                                                                '59 Barb Hill               
'49 Graduation Class E.Glover, P.Murphy, and M.Boxdorfer

To view a larger picture, plus other pictures, please click HERE:

To view your WHS class History  Click VIEW  Click the magnifying glass at top to enlarge print

Rob Powers, who is an architect, historian, and conservationist has built a website dedicated to the historic architecture of St. Louis -- mourning the losses, celebrating the survivors of neighborhoods which we grew up with.  For a peek of the way it used to be and the way it is today. Click NEXT 

     NORM SIEBERN, '51  By Bill Voos:   
Star athlete, excellent scholar, a real gentleman and true friend, Norman Siebern, class of 1951, is an all around outstanding person and a credit to Wellston High School.  Always displaying the kind of character parents wanted their sons to exhibit, Norm was as much at home in a classroom with friends as he was on the athletic field or in a gym.

 As a student, he was a member of the National Honor Society and the journalism honorary, Quill and Scroll, Click for the rest of the story
     Click to view career statistics

 


 

FLASHLIGHT

     Page 2

                                  June, 2007
Bright Lights

Calling - its
Party Time
at


Gaslight Square

 

QUESTIONNAIRE
Remember to return your questionnaire concerning future reunions. Sharing your thoughts and opinions will help the Trustees' in planning the best possible reunion. Your input is VERY important.
 
If you attended Reunion 2006 or were a guarantor and did NOT receive a copy,  send us an email so we can let the Trustees know. They can send you another form. Your opinion counts. EMAIL US

 


 


Do you have an interesting or fun hobby? Send it to us! We'd love to share it with all the others.
Olive And Boyle, 1959...Before The Winds Of Change
Gaslight Square, the Forgotten Landmark"

 

All dressed up and somewhere to go….... Gaslight Square was THE destination for St. Louisans and visitors in the late 1950s and “60s. In the early and mid 1950s, the intersection of Olive and Boyle had been a quiet neighborhood of art studios, charming antique, music, and coffee shops. This “Greenwich Village” locale, offered a lively night scene at places like the Crystal Palace, the Opera House and Smokey Joe’s. Gaslight's heyday happened in the 1950s and early 1960s offering something for everyone. In 1959, a tornado struck the neighborhood seriously damaged it. Instead of the storm's wiping out existing saloons and other businesses, publicity plus insurance money helped to stabilize and to popularize the district. Unfortunately, after several memorable years, waiting to move in was an ill wind called ‘urban blight’, with a force more powerful than the tornado that had struck earlier. The gas lights were turned off by Laclede Gas in 1968--Gaslight Square was pronounced 'officially  dead' (by the Post Dispatch) in 1972.

Yes, the mystique of Gaslight Square, one of the most exciting places ever, is gone never to return to that particular place but check out the WOW District--west on Washington for action now. What is at the corner of Olive & Boyle is not a heap of rubble and Gaslight Sq. surely isn’t forgotten! There are monuments telling of it in this neighborhood. “Like a phoenix rising from the ashes", Gaslight Square in 2007 is a neighborhood of expensive homes, winning prizes for design and reclamation of “brownfields” land.
 Post Dispatch Story Click Here: Gaslight video #1: Click Here: Gaslight video #2:Click Here  Re-Birth of Gas Light Sq: Click Here  Development in Gas Light Sq: Click Here

                _________________________________

 

 Have you lost your yearbooks during a move or did the dog eat them? You can order replacement copies on CD/ DVD for only $18.00, including postage.

Years available - 1939 to 1968.

All proceeds go to WHS-Reunion Fund for future Reunions

 For more information Click HERE
A Man With His Ducks All In A Row:

Ducks were flying over Gary Huffstutter's ('62), home when, about five years ago, he started feeding them cracked corn. The word 'FOOD' must've spread among the ducks because by the end of the year there was a whole yard full of them, including lots of babies. Now, Gary can actually get a few of the ducks to eat out of his hand! His reputation of feeding the ducks has grown so that his family, friends, and neighbors have given him the nickname of Daddy Duck! His wife, Donna Hagan '68, isn't too thrilled with all the 'droppings the babies leave behind!! She does say 'they're really cute though'.  

 

FLASHLIGHT

     Page 3

                                 June, 2007
Where in the World is Jim Harrison? (Class of '66)
Check out the link taking you to the missing alumni list in your class. They may not even know they are missing!!  If there’s someone on the list whom you might know the whereabouts of (dead or alive) please email us the information or have them contact us. As you will see there’s only a few classes who have a lot missing. Most classes had someone who took the initiative to keep their class list current. This is not an easy task to undertake but does make it easier for the reunion committee.   Check all the classes. There might be someone’s brother, sister, aunt, uncle, parents or even neighbors on the list. The list spans 30 years. MISSING ALUMNI 		 

Classmates Remembered


 Lawrence McCullough, '45
Passed 5/03/07


Gerry Miles, '51
Passed 5/4/07


Harry Lalk, '43
Passed 5/18/07
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
 
You are doing a wonderful job with all of your up-dates about our alumni from dear old Wellston...some sad....some glad. I really appreciate your time and effort.  Thank you so-o-o much!!  June Smith, Class 1947
 
I was surprised and delighted seeing the picture of June Oswald's home when she was standing next to Corbett. From the angle of the picture it has to be the same home I lived in!!  If my memory servers me correctly, the address was 1534 Wellston Ave.  Seeing the firehouse across the street brought back such fond memories my family and I living there. We had lots of happy times in Wellston before moving.  Gary Pollard, Class 1961

Editorial Note from Sandy Gibbons, '57:
I, too, loved and deeply admired Esther Niles. She was the most sophisticated woman I had ever known and she made me realize that a woman could be something other than ordinary. In the mid-60's she lived around the circle from me in a condo with her good friend of many years, Molly Rickey, a longtime Hazelwood city councilman. When I knew that I lived in the same place as Miss Niles and she told me to call her by her first name, I felt that I had "arrived" as a human being. When I asked her, she told me that the fragrance she used was "London Fog" by Herb Farm. I'm sure that company is long gone because I have looked for that scent for many years. I wonder if the teachers of today realize what a lifelong effect they will have on some students. I always regretted that I was afraid to take the Latin class of Miss Carrie McCann--does anyone have memories of her? She retired in 1954, I believe. Sandy Gibbons, Class 1957
NOTE FROM THE EDITORS: Be sure to keep us updated if your email address changes when switching providers or moving. There's been a lot of emails returned marked as 'user unknown'.

 

FLASHLIGHT

     Page 4

                                 June, 2007

Al Taylor '56


Al Taylor Now
  

Special Sunday
June 17th!


Interesting Info.
Click Image
 

WHAT AM I DOING NOW?
  We welcome contributions each month; send in your story, or perhaps a story about a favorite teacher or classmate that made a difference in your life that is no longer with us.  We will try to honor one selected short story of general interest each month:  This month's feature story is:

Al Taylor, Class of '56 says: After graduation, I worked as a draftsman in the aircraft components industry for a few years until I worked my way up to the position of Mechanical Project Manager. My work took me from the St. Louis area to other parts of the country including Denver, Colorado; Fairbanks, Alaska; and New Orleans, Louisiana. I was transferred to the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area in 1971 where I worked for about 35 years. I am now retired, in excellent health, living in north-eastern Arkansas near the Missouri State line with my lovely wife, Elaine.  Check out my memories of WELHISCO and the 50's: Click HERE 
 

Class '52's 8th grade graduation

 

Double click the picture to make it larger.
 To look at the known names Click HERE 


1948 Senior Picnic at  Spring Forest

Front Row L to R: Shirley Williams, Lorraine Purves and Cornelia Thompson. Back row L to R: Betty Hausam, Virginia Liebsch, Thelma McQuay, Bonnie Adams, Pat Codemo, LaVern Roberts, Marian Eggert, Shirley Cointin - Photo taken by Camille Mohow

 

 

 

FLASHLIGHT

     Page 5

                                 June, 2007

Editors
Sandy Gibbons(’57)
Bill Voos (’48)
JoAnn Williams (’60)

Circulation Editor & Web Master
Bob Haefner ('49)

Trustees
Larry Brown (’63)
Wanda Cornman (’60)
JoAnn Williams (’60)

WELLSTON HIGH SCHOOL
WHS Reunion
P.O. Box 81
Washington, MO 63090

Phone  636-978-5771
Fax 636-696-4693
E-mail

NEW
whs_flashlight@charter.net

 

LET'S GO TROJANS!
 

BuzzBooks  available!

Click on Book
 to order

BIG 8x11
 41 pages

Contact living WHS Grads, a list of those deceased & a list of the Alumni who attended Reunion 2006, plus a lot more!
 $7.00 Supplies VERY low

All proceeds go to
the WHS-Reunion Fund

   INTERNET GEMS:   

 WELHISCO GRANDMOTHER TAKES THE WITNESS STAND

Lawyers should never ask a Southern grandma a question if they aren't prepared for the answer.

In a trial, a southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grand-motherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Sanders, do you know me?"

She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Desmond. I've known you since you were a young boy and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit, paper pusher. Yes, I know you."

The lawyer was stunned! Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Sanders, do you know the defense attorney?" She again replied, "Why, yes, I do. I've known Mr. Cristofaro, since he was a youngster, too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can't build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women.   One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."

The defense attorney almost died.

The judge asked both counselors to approach the bench and in a very quiet voice said, "If either of you idiots asks her if she knows me, I'll send you to the electric chair."
 

GAMES WHEN WE ARE OLDER

1. Sag, you're it.
2. Hide and go pee
3. 20 questions shouted in your good ear.
4. Red Rover, Red Rover, the nurse says bend over.
5. Kick the bucket.
6. Musical Recliners.
7. Simon says something incoherent.

 

Remember: Senior Citizens Are VERY Valuable

We're more valuable than ANY of the younger generations:
We have SILVER in our hair,
We have GOLD in our teeth,
We have STONES in our kidneys.
We have LEAD in our feet and,
We are loaded with NATURAL GAS!

Send in Your Story! Let us know where you’ve been and what you’ve done with your life.  Everyone loves a good story – what better reading then about someone you know!!  Need some Hints?    Click here for sample story ideas ca 1940s - then send in yours!