Jim Walther Checks In

Dennis: Great to hear from you!

I have had a very busy life since I left Clearfield--but I still remember how great it was to grow up in Clearfield. Recently I was talking with a member of our United Way Steering committee about the opportunity to explore the mountains and streams around Clearfield.

Since I departed Clearfield I have completed a 21 year career in the US Army and a 25year career with the University of Texas at Arlington. I am married, have four daughters and 11 grandkids--that all live outside of Texas.

I wanted something to keep me off the streets when I retired from the University, so I started a foundation that is the propenent for Americas Promise in Arlington Texas. I am still working 60 hour weeks --but no paycheck. I could use some guidance.

How are you doing? I know you have been active in keeping our CHS class informed and saw your name come up a couple of times. BTW: Jerriann Jury Nielson, my cousin, just found me on Facebook. ...Also Amos Hixon who lives in Keller --about 20 miles from here--came on my Facebook.

Look forward to your reply, Jim.

Editor's Note - Jim sure is looking great, isn't he? Wonderful to hear from him after all these years.

A Magical Christmas Moment

This picture was taken when Christmas was 'magical' to me and Mom and Dad were like 'movie stars' in my eyes.

My mother's name was Dorothy and my dad's George. (He went by Geo.) They were going to the Dimeling Hotel for a Christmas Ball. Maybe the Charity Ball or the Junior Board of Trade. It must have been around 1950 but there is no date on the picture.

The newspapers on the foot stool were The Progress and The Harrisburg Evening News. We received both newspapers each day.

I just love to look at old photos and enjoy the wonderful memories of Christmas as a child.

Merry Christmas and May God bless each and every one of you and your families.

- Linda Smith Dale

Snoopy's Christmas Watch

My memory is a like a brick wall. Battered a bit now and then but strong and mostly intact. The mortar is in great shape. Still holding the pieces together. But some of the bricks are missing. Just gone. And no warning. Random open areas where the bricks used to be. No pattern at all. The memories that remain are clear and accurate. The ones missing are not going to return. Not ever. Frustrating.

I was eleven. I suppose most eleven year olds nowadays want a cell phone for Christmas. That is, if they don’t already have one. A great feature is a clock that is accurate and illuminates. Very handy indeed.

We didn’t have cell phones when I was eleven. Most of us were still astonished by this miracle called “TV.” Some of us were lucky enough to have one, complete with the ever-present red, blue, green and brown film over the screen that made ours a deluxe model.

My wish list that year was short. Very short. In fact, I wanted just one item. A watch! I knew that the chances were slim. My usual gifts were a doll from Santa, flannel pj’s from my grandparents, and a stocking…small by todays standards…filled with tangerines and nuts. And I knew that watches were more expensive than tangerines and nuts.

I don’t recall how the tree got to our house. Did Daddy tie it to the top of the Willys? That brick is gone. Completely. However, my memory is clear as a bell about the placement of the tree in our family room. Always in a corner because it wouldn’t “stand up.” Leaned it against the wall in a corner between two windows. Wire was wrapped around the trunk and anchored on each side to eye screws placed in the frames of the windows.

The tree trimming, complete with “modern” bubble lights, was a family event. Well, mostly. My mother provided the finishing touch with careful placement of about a million icicles. After that, we could just look, not touch.

Back to the watch. For the first time ever, and with courage that was not at all characteristic of me, I snooped. I just had to know if I was getting the watch I so very much wanted. And I found it! Tucked under a stack of lesser gifts in my parents closet. On the right side. On the floor. Clear memory.

That Christmas is one I’ll never forget. I’m sure of it. And it was the worst ever. I don’t think my parents knew that I snooped. But I can still feel the false surprise I showed when I opened that long golden box. I’m not sure of the lesson learned that Christmas. I’ll leave that to folks who like to analyze that kind of stuff. But I still have that watch. Like me, it’s not quite as shiny or stylish as it once was. And, although it still functions, it sometimes has trouble keeping up……..just like me.

Another memory that has had a life-long impression on me occurred some years later when I was a student nurse at St Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Tucson, AZ. The hospital was founded in 1880. Although the front of the building was renovated, the back was in such poor repair that it was off-limits to patients and visitors. Student nurses were required to use the entrance as well as the ancient elevator at the back of the building. It was so scary and unreliable that even the nuns were afraid to ride in it! I am so grateful that a memory from that creaky cage all those years ago has stayed with me. It was the beginning of the holiday season. A flyer taped to the elevator announced a Xmas Arts and Crafts Fair. Someone had drawn an arrow to the word Xmas and wrote “Who took Christ out of Christmas?”

I wish each of you a joyful holiday season and a new year richly blessed with love, good health, and a full load of bricks.

- Sandi Howland Archer

Giving Thanks…..

By Sandi Howland Archer

I do most of my thinking in the middle of the night. Too often I find myself wide awake at about 2 a.m. and that’s when the random thoughts bounce around. I know, I know…there are pills for that. But I rather like having that peaceful time to process what might be otherwise lost in the hustle and bustle of a busy day. And so it was again last night. Wide awake and thinking about all that I have to be genuinely thankful for. No surprise that my thoughts quickly brought me back to my childhood in Clearfield.

Brutally cold mornings in an old house with no insulation. Heated with coal that was delivered by Ryan Bros Coal Company thru a shoot directly into the coal bin. The flue ran through the bathroom (not 1¾ baths!) that was most definitely the coziest spot in the house. Always thankful for my turn.

For the most part, we were respectful to our teachers. Didn’t really have much choice if we had any smarts at all. Disregard for authority would result in a well placed paddle at school followed by a whooping at home. I’m thankful for an early lesson that has made it easy for me to show respect for others. Always. Even when it’s not the easy route.

We didn’t have a list of rules taped to the fridge at home. Ours were implied and we took them seriously. After our homework and chores were finished, we were allowed to play outside. Had to be home for dinner or by dark, whichever came first. Played in the woods behind the playground. Skated in the middle of Daisy Street. Swam in the “six-footer.” I’m thankful for a time long gone when children felt safe.

We weren’t the first folks in town to get a TV. In about 1950 or 52 my family had our house shingled. Supposed to look like red brick. Failed miserably. I don’t recall the name of the hardware store where the shingles were purchased but I do recall that we were given one raffle ticket for each dollar spent. The grand prize was a television.

I recall vividly sitting at the kitchen table with the rest of the family filling out the stubs of all those tickets. I also recall that when the big day came for the drawing, we went to the hardware store and I pulled the winning ticket from a bathtub filled nearly to the top. My sister, Carole, has an equally vivid memory of her pulling the winner. Life changed after that small, snowy TV came into our home. Am I thankful that we finally got a television? Not a chance! I’m most thankful for the wonderful conversations, the fun of playing pick-up-sticks, and the joy of solving a Nancy Drew mystery that were never the same after the monster came into our home.

Goldie. She…or he?...was my first pet. I learned to feed her just the right amount of flaked food. Quickly learned, with some help from my mother, that it’s not OK to clean the fish bowl with the same sponge used for cleaning pots and pans. Thankful that I learned how to love a pet until the very end. Buried her in a pink and white plastic box that once contained a Christmas gift (wallet) for my mother. Buried her under the bush with the huge white flowers. Used popsicle sticks for a cross. 1311 Daisy Street.

Our society has become a transient one. “The grass is greener…” has most definitely hooked us as we move about looking for the perfect house, perfect job, perfect mate, etc. Certainly makes it challenging to maintain friendships as some of us chase that elusive pasture. I’m so very, very thankful for the childhood friends who never gave up on me. I love the flood of warm memories each time I open an email from Bea, Merlyn, Mary, Anna Marie, Rosalie, etc., etc., etc.

This year has been filled with numerous reminders of how very blessed I am. Being able to attend the 50th class reunion is high on my list. That wouldn’t have been possible without the exceptional skills of the emergency responders when I had a stroke. I’m thankful for their immediate response and treatment. I’m thankful for my loving family who will gather for a feast next week followed by board games and hanging Christmas lights (the guys don’t know about hanging the lights). I’m thankful for the continued opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the seriously mentally ill. I’m most thankful for finding Lexxi when I lost her in the Denver airport…. but that’s another story!

An abundance of love and blessings to you and yours,

Sandi

Chairman Herb Maney reports on Oct. 31 Class of '59 reunion committee meeting

- Photos by Karl Nagle

From left, Bonnie Powell, Herb Maney, Joanne Magnuson

In attendance:

Chairman Herb Maney

Joyce Moody Fletcher
Joyce Amon Michaels
Bonnie Henchbarger Powell and Ed Powell

Sue and Karl Nagle
Wil and Karen Shirey
Peggy Jo Knepp Thompson
Joanne Shimel Magnuson
Linda Smith Dale
Judi Rolley White
Tom O’Day
Sam Lansberry
Chuck Nelson

The meeting was opened by the Chair with the first order of business being an open forum on the "Fabulous Fifty Reunion " and comments were passed about by everyone in attendance relating to the good comments all persons had received from other classmates, their partners, and even people not associated with the class who had heard of the reunion and its success.

The consensus was that this was the "Reunion of Reunions."

The Chair formally thanked all members for their splendid efforts and cooperation in making this the great "Reunion of Reunions" and conceded that this was the best committee, in terms of cooperation and work completed to the end, that he had ever worked with throughout his career.

The treasurer, Joyce Moody Fletcher, supplied a copy of her final cost analysis report showing a cost for the reunion of $5,136.25, not including the many supplies and functions supplied by classmates and committee members out of their own pockets and concerned generosity. The treasury balance is now $3,617.21 and is in the checking account at Northwest Bank in Curwensville, PA.

(Note from Suzy Nagle: "I have a note on my own copy of the report that $3000.00 - $3500.00 was/were received as "donations", without which we would now have a very small balance - probably not enough even to pay postage for future mailings.")

A discussion was made of the funds and what to do with the balance. It was unanimously decided to let the funds in the checking account at the bank for further use by the committee with Joyce Fletcher agreeing to remain on as treasurer and statistician, a fact agreed to by all. Joyce will order additional checks from a discount supplier as the bank wanted $25.00 for 200 checks and the supplier will be much cheaper. There are only 5 checks left from the ones supplied by the bank when the account was opened.

A 70th birthday party plan was discussed with the result that future discussion and meetings will further pursue that endeavor and if that takes place, a discussion and plans for a 55th reunion will follow. Judi Rolley White will chair the event. Suzy Nagle volunteered to help with composition/make-up of future newsletters, mailings, etc., for the 70th birthday party/parties - basically to try to emulate the super job that Wil Shirey did for the 65th Birthday Bash and the "reunion of reunions."

Tom O'Day then introduced a plan, including spreadsheets, he has developed for regionalization of the nation into segments with the classmates residing in each region listed within that region and a coordinator person chosen to act as a liaison between the main body of classmates, the Clearfield region, and all other regions, thus making contact and communication much easier and faster.

This might also continue to perpetuate the "friendly bond" created by the Fabulous 50 Reunion by giving persons, who live near each other, a reason to communicate and possibly meet to continue the bond. An example of which would be a 70th birthday party centrally located in each region which would eliminate costly travel for classmates to come to Clearfield for the party. They can have a party in their own region and communicate with the Clearfield region for continuation of the bond. The spreadsheet needs correction on addresses, etc. so Judi White and Peggy Jo Knepp Thompson will work with Tom to make those corrections and revisions.

Joyce advised that Linda Dale Smith will enter all names into the "Golden Bison" registry and we will become members of that group receiving our first invitation some time next spring.

Discussion for a 55th reunion included the possibility that our class participate in the "Golden Bison" main event dinner so to preclude all the planning and work necessary to have our own dinner meeting. We would then be free to plan Friday and Saturday/Sunday fun events for the benefit of all without being tied to finding a suitable hall, caterer, etc. etc. for a main event dinner.

Karl and Sue Nagle informed the group that the price for the three high quality photos Karl made would be $15.00 for the set. Sales were lively!!

Karl also took photos of the meeting, in his usual professional and inclusive style, and will supply them to Denny for the blog.

The time really flew by and it was 4:00 P.M., time for dismissal until next time. No date was set for a next meeting because of the winter weather and change of chair.

All in all, it was another great meeting with Chuck Nelson stating he is really sorry he didn't get involved earlier because he now sees what he missed by not being in attendance at all the meetings. A climactic comment for our reunion committee!

- Merlyn (Herb) Maney

Suzy's notes on the meeting

Suzy Nagle and Chuck Nelson

It's my understanding that Judi and Iwere volunteering only for the 70th Birthday Bash, which was a definite "GO"; and that we'd be meeting again in the spring to decide on holding further all-inclusive five-year reunions, having regional get-togethers (as Tom O'Day has proposed) or merging with the Golden Bisons. Or all of the above. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Chuck Nelson handed out some copies of the book 1959: The Year Everything Changed by Fred Kaplan, which was published by Chuck's son's company. Those of us who got a copy are to share with someone who didn't, or wasn't at the meeting - I'm to give mine to Joyce Undercofler.

Judi also wants us to let other classes and/or "fifties" groups know that she/we have "props" and decorations that can be borrowed/lent (for a fee???).

- Suzy Nagle

Sam Lansberry...What a guy!

Wil Shirey and Sam Lansberry

The only thing I recall that is missing from both Suzy's and Herbie's notes is that, on his way out the door, Sam offered a repeat performance with an ice breaker the next time the class meets. He's doing it because the bank has grown to love his wife and he has beer and wine left over from this year. What a guy!!! I checked with Karen and she agrees he did say words to that effect. And if he didn't, let's all say he did! We can remind him at the Christmas Party at the Nagles in North Myrtle Beach.

Ho! Ho! Ho! See ya'll at the Nagles!!!!

- Wil and Karen Shirey

Suzy recalls Sam's offer

I, too, remember Sam's offer, as well as his "threat". Believe me, I check the "Personals" in the Indiana Gazette on a daily basis.

Actually, the Christmas Party sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, we won't be in North Myrtle Beach, but rather, in Surfside Beach, which once may very well have been called "South Myrtle Beach", for all we know. We don't usually get much company there in December - it's not until February, when everybody's sick of snow, that we run a "hot-sheet" establishment. So, y'all come! Ya heah? We can provide bed space and linens for eight. BYOB!

- Suzy Nagle

Sam agrees...

I did say that, except "I promise to furnish a fresh supply of beer and wine" as the old will be gone. Looking forward to it and I hope everybody, plus more, returns.

- Sam Lansberry

Additional note from Tom O'Day

We will decide after the last committee meeting for the 70th birthday bash if we will have a 55th-year class reunion or have a mini function before each Golden Bison reunion.

- Tom O'Day

You realize it's your 50th reunion when...

(Click to enlarge.)

...it's time to get up off the grass.

- Photo by Tyler Erickson

High-Quality Class Photos Will Be Available at Oct. 31 Meeting

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Hey, y'all!

Hope to see most or all of you (all of y'all???) next Saturday - barring any further snowstorms. The meeting will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Shaw Library in Clearfield.

Karl has made up 5 sets of his reunion photos-one 8x10 copy of the "blog pic", plus two 5x7 shots of the two halves of us while we were assembling (in which some, but not all, of the unseen classmates from the big pic are visible).

Sorry he couldn't "see" everyone - remember he was wearing flat shoes and standing on the ground! (Unlike the gorgeously attired, high-heeled "official" photographer with the difficult to operate new camera on the very high UL-approved aluminum ladder who could “see” everyone but for some reason could not deliver the photo.)

Karl's photos were printed with new ink cartridges on high-quality photo paper; so, they should last awhile - at least 'til our 55th. We'll have to decide at the meeting what the cost will be. Karl will make the photos available to all who request them.

Hope to see everyone at Saturday's meeting.

PAX,

- Suzy Nagle

Next Meeting October 31 at Shaw Library

Dear Classmates,

Our next class meeting will be held on Saturday,
October 31st, from 1-4 p.m. at the Shaw Public
Library in Clearfield.

Since the Penn State game is away that weekend,
traffic should not be a problem.

I'm letting you know waaaayyyy in advance; so,
please go check your planners and calendars
right away and reserve that date to attend.

If anyone has anything they want discussed,
please give Herb a "heads up" - his e-mail is:
pcmaker@gotmc.net

This will be the "last meeting" of our 50th committee
for this year only because of our anticipated
winter weather; however, we need to discuss any
future event(s), our checkbook balance and who is
willing to be our chairperson for the 55th reunion.

See you in October!

- Joyce Moody Fletcher

Sad News From Keith Knepp

Hi everybody,

Sorry, but this news is not good at all.

First of all, I've had an e-mail from Herb Maney saying
that he had contacted Keith Knepp and asked about
Keith's brother-in-law, Fred King. Keith's wife, Sue, and
Fred are/were sister and brother.

Unfortunately, Keith said that Fred had passed away
recently week in Florida. He had serious health concerns
and took ill in Florida while visiting his daughter.

If anybody wants to send a sympathy card, Fred's wife is

Barbara King
653 W. Kitchen Dr.
Port Neches, TX 77651


Also, on Weds., Sept. 23rd, "Chip" Lawhead lost his
mother, Dora.

Chip's address is:

Gary K. Lawhead
720 Elm Ave.
Clearfield, PA 16830

I'll be sending sympathy cards to both families
from our class.

Thanks,

- Joyce Moody Fletcher

Warm Response to Sandi Archer's Posting

(Photo by Karl Nagle - Click on photo to enlarge.)

Mona Mollura Croyle - What a beautiful contribution by Sandi Howland Archer. She has a gift for sharing her innermost feelings (you feel they come from the heart). How wonderful that she was able to share her reunion experience with her daughter and granddaughter.

Reading her piece compelled me to go back and re-read her memories of East End (CAHS Class of 1959 blog 8-29-08). Very poignant

Judi Rolley White - Thank you for sharing that with us. What a touching, fun piece. This feeling just keeps going and going, doesn't it?

Betsy Kephart Kruckenberg - That is a lovely letter. It's great that Karl got a good group picture. It was really disappointing that the photographer didn't do her job. I did get my refund check from Joyce though.

It's been nice keeping in touch and you did such a great job with the video and keeping us updated on the blog. The committee did a super job on the reunion. Maybe in the future the group will decide to get together again even though we have "graduated" to the Golden Bison organization. Doesn't seem possible does it, I don't feel "old" at all LOL.

Editor's Note - I remember Sandi Howland as a lovely, sensitive classmate and fellow East Ender. My second memory is her beautiful engagement picture that was sent to The Progress. First I knew she was in Tucson, AZ. Now we all know our classmate can write. Really write.

The Reunion………………

- Photo by Tyler Erickson

It was truly one of the best times of my life. The pic Karl posted on the blog is great. Hope eventually someone can provide names to match the faces.

I wrote a letter about my experience as well as my expression of gratitude to the planning committee. I initially intended to email it to the folks on the committee but I'll attach it for your consideration for posting on the CHS blog.


By Sandi Howland Archer

Nearly talked myself out of making the trip. Too tired. Not enough energy. The newly acquired limp and stutter are embarrassing. Wouldn’t remember anyone. No one would remember me. Why bother?

It was my daughter Michelle who encouraged me to “bother” to come home for what would surely be my last trip “back East.” She kept gnawing at me like a dog with a bone. She’d make all the travel plans, get me quickly and safely moved from one airline gate to the next, do all the local driving, ensure that I’d get adequate rest, and….drum roll, please….she’d abandon her usual impatience so that I could see and do everything that was important to me. After all, it was her daughter Lexxi’s eighth birthday and this would certainly make it a memorable one. And so we made the trip.

Our arrival was late and our scheduled departure much too soon so we had to forego some of the planned activities. We started off with the tour led by Penny. What fun! Initially disoriented, I quickly recalled the familiar landmarks of “home.” My daughter and granddaughter, both born and raised in Arizona, were most amazed at the river winding its way through town. Our Tucson river, the Santa Cruz, is actually dry with only seasonal rain that’s barely adequate for the river to “run.” I was absolutely delighted that my childhood home, elementary school, high school, and the hospital where I began my nursing career still stand and are mostly unchanged.

Getting reacquainted with some high school chums was the frosting on my cake. Merlyn, never “Herbie” to me. My mouth says Bea but my head still thinks Biaggina. Don’t remember the J in front of Paul’s name. Was it really always there? And sweet Patsy who ran to the parking lot to tell me that Amos was there. Bil (where’d the other L go?) was Guillermo Jefe. Dennis, kind and gracious. Still is. Mary Newman….so many memories. I could go on and on and on. Oh, wait a minute….I really can’t end without a comment about Tom’s good looks. OMG!

There’s not a word or phrase in my language that can adequately describe my appreciation for all the hard work done by the planning committee. My goodness! Clearly every aspect of this important gathering was oh so carefully thought out. HUGE kudos to all of you who worked so hard to make the event spectacular.

I’d like to come home again. But perhaps this really was my last trip. And that’s OK. It really is.

By the way, the trip was memorable for Lexxi. While at the banquet, she leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Nanny, I never saw so many old people in one spot!”

Photo by Karl Nagle

It's Here! - CAHS 50th-Year Reunion

Clearfield Area High School

Class of 1959

50th-Year Class Reunion Activities

Clearfield Area High School

St. Francis High School

Friday - July 31 - 5:30 p.m.

Gathering at Sam and Sandy Lansberry's Home

958 Egypt Road, Woodland, PA

Saturday - Aug. 1 - 1:00 p.m.

Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and Munchies

Provided by Herb and JoAnn Maney

St. Mary's Church Picnic Grounds, Frenchville, PA

Reunion Gathering and Dinner - 4:30 p.m.

St. Mary's Church Social Hall

Frenchville, PA

Sunday - 8 to 10 a.m.

Breakfast at Elk's Club in Clearfield

Sponsored by Wil and Karen Shirey

For a full schedule of activities click here:

http://www.clearfieldreunions.com/1959-A.html

For information and reservations contact:

Joyce Moody Fletcher

P.O. Box 366

Hyde, PA 16843

814-765-0142

Reservations as of July 29:

101 classmates - CAHS
8 classmates - ST. FRANCIS
81 spouses and/or guests
Total: 190 reservations

What a swell party it will be!

Some Photo Gems from Judi Rolley

Mr. Bloom with Eighth Graders - Click on this May 1955 photo and see how many classmates you can identify. Believe I see, among others, Jerry Koval, Glenn Myers, Bill Lee, Lew Marrara, Bill Fuhrer, Art Weiss, Wes Shimmel, Geraldine Mellott, Bette Lou Welsh, Barbara Fullerton, Margaret Long, Sarah Lyons, Martin Elbell


Bette Lou Welsh, Mary Kay Garman, Wilbur Shirey, Chuck Nelson and Joanne Shimel at Black Moshannon State Park

Judi Rolley, Bette Lou Welsh and Joanne Shimel - at the same time at Black Mo

Judi at Grandma's house in Olanta in 1959

Mary Kay Garman

Sonia Borst - December 1956

.

Thank you, Judi, for these wonderful photos and memories.

Flying Through Time with Bev Caldwell Law

Bev - Graduation

April 1947

It's Going To Be Great To See Barb Ondo Again!

One of the joys of our 50th Year Reunion will be visiting and reuniting with classmates whom many of us have not seen since graduation.

One such classmate is Barbara Ondo. Barb graduated from the Philipsburg State Hospital School of Nursing and served as a nurse at Philipsburg Hospital and other medical facilities in the area.

She and her husband, Ed Skripek, have lived and raised their family in Moshannon all these years.

Hello, Barb. It's going to be great to see you again.

Line of the Day...Errr, O'Day

Was discussing plans for our 50th-Year Reunion with Pauline Maloni the other day when the conversation turned to Tom O'Day, who has done yeoman's work for the event.

"Oh, Tom," said Pauline. "He was our Cary Grant."

Indeed.

- Dennis Mollura

A Story Worth Repeating

"Little Herbie" Maney with brother Homer's '39 Mercury convertible

How I got the name "Herb". When my brother Homer, Jr. returned from the service in 1946, he had not seen me since I was two years old. "Little Herbie" was a very popular comic strip at the time and was made available to the soldiers in their newspaper.

Little Herbie had a blond tuft of hair on the top of his head, not unlike the hair I was sporting at the time. When Homer Jr. first saw me, upon his return, he said, "there's Little Herbie"! Hence, I still retain that moniker to this day, and have even passed it on to our eldest son, as "Herbie".

- Herb Maney

More Photos From Planning Meeting

Chairman HerbManey sporting hand-stitched "Clearfield 59" cap sent in by Patsy McCoy Livelsberger

Tom O'Day and Rudy Schrot (St. Francis)

Proposed Chippendales entertainment sent in by Peggy Jo Knepp Thompson. See if you can spot two new members of the group.

Joyce Shugarts Undercofler, Tom O'Day, Orvis Kline, Judi Rolley White and Wilbur Shirey

Judi Rolley White and Sue Weisshaus Speicher

Joanne Shimel Magnuson and Penny Hile McCracken

- Photos by Karl Nagle

Final Planning Meeting A Great Success

PLANNING GROUP - Attending and contributing at the final planning meeting for our 50th-Year CAHS Class Reunion were: Front Row - Joyce Moody Fletcher, Joyce Amon Michaels, Chairman Herb Maney, Joyce Shugarts Undercofler and Suzanne Sherkel Nagle. Standing - Wilbur Shirey, Linda Smith Dale, Penny Hile McCracken, Joanne Shimel Magnuson, Dennis Mollura, Orvis Kline, Tom O'Day, Judi Rolley White and Rudy Schrot (St. Francis High Class of '59). Missing from photo is Susan Weisshaus Speicher, who had to leave early to catch a plane.

- Photo by Chief Photographer Karl Nagle

Highlights of the Meeting:

It's been a great several years of reuniting, planning and joviality, and now we enter the final weeks heading into our 50th-Year CAHS/St. Francis Class Reunion. The meeting on June 6 at the Shaw Library in Clearfield was well attended by 14 classmates and Rudy Schrot, representing the St. Francis High Class of 1959.

Reunion Attendance - As of the meeting date, we had 156 class members and guests signed up for the reunion, with a number of confirmed (but as yet unpaid) classmates known to be attending.

Sue Speicher's Class Booklet - One of the major highlights was a preview of our Class of '59 Information Booklet spearheaded and directed by Sue Weisshaus Speicher. It's a knockout! You won't believe how professional and creative it is. Sue flew in from Florida to attend the meeting and deliver the preview in person. We owe her a huge debt of gratitude for all her planning, designing and rounding up the photos and materials from a sometimes reluctant group of classmates.

Judi Rolley White gave a preview of the decorations to be placed around the St. Mary's Church Hall in Frenchville. Not content with mere rosebuds in a vase, Judy has rounded up a multitude of memorabilia from our high school years. Our thanks to Judi! She's a dynamo that won't stop until the last curtain falls on a great time for everyone.

Merlyn "Little Herbie" Maney guided the meeting with his usual balance of patience and no-nonsense precision. Our thanks to Herb for a fine job over these years of keeping the planning group focused on the tasks at hand. Herb somehow always manages to keep the meeting on course when everyone else seems intent on kibitzing.

Joyce Amon Michaels reviewed the food planning and also took on the task of honcho-ing the dessert contributions, which are to be donated by class members. Many thanks, Joyce! Lots of yummy treats on the way.

Karl Nagle, spouse of Suzi Sherkel Nagle, promised to deliver four wet-bottom shoo-fly pies. We are keeping score, Karl.

Wil and Karen Shirey presented a beautiful, wood-framed Memoriam to our "Class of '59 Deceased Class Members," which will be displayed at the reunion. Thanks, Wil and Karen. Great job, as always.

Patsy Livelsberger McCoy sent in a beautifully hand-stitched "Clearfield 59" baseball cap for Herb Maney in recognition of his fine job of leading the planning group. Photos of Herb in cap on the way.

Penny Hile McCracken reviewed plans for the bus tour of Clearfield. While the meeting was progressing, the ever-versatile Karl Nagle wrote a suggested tour guide script. Karl, as you may know, knows about buses and bus trips. All strictly professional, of course. Karl's spent some time with Fullington Auto Bus Company of Clearfield

Peggy Jo Knepp mailed in, via Joyce Moody Fletcher, a slightly altered photo of the Chippendales, who are lobbying hard to provide the entertainment at the reunion. Don't believe we'll take them up on this one. Watch for more on this one in future postings on this blog.

CAHS Class of '59 Blog - Tom O'Day suggested that the group consider providing printed copies of the blog as a memento and as information for classmates who don't have access to a computer. The blog came in for its share of kudos from those attending.

Joyce Moody Fletcher - Everyone agrees that the MVP of our entire effort is our own relentless, untiring, and unstoppable Joyce Moody Fletcher. While Herb keeps the meetings on course, Joyce keeps the entire effort on track. As we've said before, Joyce has worked tirelessly (and mostly alone) for many years to keep the knowledge, the records and the spirit of Clearfield Area High School alive - not only for the Class of 1959 but also the Golden Bison Alumni Association.

If you ever attended Clearfield Area High School, she has a record of it. If you've ever been "lost"or "gone missing," she'll track you down. And if you've ever died, well, she has a record of that, too. Thanks, Joyce, for all you do.

- Dennis Mollura

Reunion Planning Meeting 1 p.m. Today (June 6) at the Shaw Library in Clearfield

If you are anywhere in the neighborhood today, please plan to attend perhaps the final planning meeting for the 50th-Year Clearfield Area High School-St. Francis Class Reunion scheduled for Friday, July 31, through Sunday morning, August 2 .

Today’s planning meeting will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Shaw Library in Clearfield.

A strong gathering of classmates from CAHS and St. Francis will come together to put the final touches on the many activities scheduled for the fun-filled weekend.

Special note: A group of classmates is planning to get together for dinner this evening at the Moena Restaurant in the former McCrory’s building in downtown Clearfield. We’d love to have you join this mini-reunion of friends and classmates.

- The Reunion Planning Group

A Mother's Dream Realized

MANEY GRADUATES - Front row: Claire I. Potter (1957), Marjorie M. McCullough, (1954), G.Lamarr Roussey (1949). Back row: Merlyn L. Maney (1959), Richard L. Maney (1951), C. Dennis Maney (1945), and William Homer Maney, Jr. (1943).

The story behind the photo:

When I graduated from Clearfield Area High School in 1959, my Mother, Edith Imo (Mease) Maney expressed her joy and satisfaction in how extremely proud she, and my Father, William Homer Maney, Sr., were that all seven children had successfully completed their schooling by graduating from Clearfield High.

With seven children, and World War II in the midst of their schooling, this was apparently a rare event of that time. To commerate the occasion, she contacted CHS Principal Howard (Speedy) Mead and arranged for the loan of mortarboards and graduation gowns to permit all we children to be adorned in the ceremonial graduation dress for a group photo taken by Ward Smith at his studio in Clearfield.

Mother and Father were also included in another photo. William Homer, Jr., was fatally injured by a careless driver on Dec. 16, 1965. He was drafted in his senior year, three days after his March 26, 1945 birthday; therefore, he was in the Army at graduation time and received his diploma in absentia, never having the opportunity of the pomp and circumstance of graduation.

I believe this was a contributing factor in why Mother wanted the photo of us all in the graduation attire. C. Dennis passed away suddenly this year, on May 9, 2009.

An additional bit of info: How I got the name "Herb". When Homer, Jr. returned from the service in 1946, he had not seen me since I was two years old. "Little Herbie" was a very popular comic strip at the time and was made available to the soldiers in their newspaper.

Little Herbie had a blond tuft of hair on the top of his head, not unlike the hair I was sporting at the time. When Homer Jr. first saw me, upon his return, he said, "there's Little Herbie"! Hence, I still retain that moniker to this day, and have even passed it on to our eldest son, as "Herbie".

- Merlyn L. ("Little Herbie") Maney

Guy Graham Takes Us Through Time

Guy and Bud with Billy Shaw

Guy and Giles Lanager

Christmas 1958

Ash Woolridge, Guy and Kenny Rishel

Thanks, Guy, for sharing these terrific photos!

Through the Years with Rose McCracken Billotte

Rose McCracken Billotte sent these great through-the-years photos of her and her family. The 40th wedding anniversary cruise photo is one of several taken during fantastic family vacations on the water and on the beach. We look forward to seeing the Billottes at our 50th-Year Reunion July 31 - August 2.

Rose and husband Bill Billotte, military ball, Fort Stewart, GA - 1984

Rose and family, 40th wedding anniversary cruise

Rose in her kitchen - May 2009

Beautiful, Beautiful Biaggina

Biaggina- Age 10

Of all our classmates, I believe the one with the most beautiful name is beautiful Biaggina Accordino - now Biaggina Accordino Haas. Believe there's a song with that title but I can't seem to locate it at the moment.

Biaggina (I shall not stoop to calling her Bea) was canning strawberry preserves and drinking champagne with friends today when I called to persuade her to allow these photos to be posted on our website. It sounded like a swell party and a happy bunch of friends.

Biaggina was a key member of a very classy group of East End girls, whose charter members in our early school years were Sandi Howland, Sandra Unch, Mary Kay Garman, Rose Marie Centra, Nicoletta Mendolia, Judy Stevens, Sara Jane Brown, Jeani Lanich, Betty Jean Royer, and Barbara Marino. It was a great time to be a boy in East End but we didn't know it. We do now.



Biaggina - as a member of the CAHS Marching Band

- Posted by Dennis Mollura

Friends, and Still Together After 68 Years

Linda Smith Dale tells the story:

The friendship between Penny Hile McCracken and me goes back 68 years!!! Here is a picture taken of us with our moms on 8th Street in East End in front of Penny's aunt's home. From left are Dorothy Hastings Hile and Penny and Dorothy Spencer Smith and me. Penny and I are still the best of friends and we talk weekly.

Betsy Kephart Kruckenberg Captures Junior High Memories

Betsy Kephart Kruckenberg captured some memorable photos of faculty, students and and administration in Junior High School. Thanks to Betsy and her omnipresent camera, we now can enjoy some of those memories as we approach our 50th-year reunion. Great work, Betsy!

Mr. Elwood L. Rohrbaugh, Principal of the Junior High School, who later became Superintendent of Schools, in front of the "Old Junior High School." Great architecture, huh? Herb Maney and the blogmeister made a pact at the end of our Ninth Grade year to meet 25 years later on the steps of the school. The school didn't make it, and neither did we.

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- Dennis Mollura

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Miss Stephenson. I recall she was one of our class' all-time favorite Jr. High teachers. Perhaps someone has a story or two to share.

Miss McCune - girl's phys ed teacher shares the spotlight with a 1955 Ford Victoria and 1953 Chevy convertible. Those were the days.

Mr. Bednar - 9th grade teacher who helped inspire some of the better science projects. He could be tough on rowdy boys, too.