WOODWARD H.S. Cincinnati, Ohio
woodward_recollections

WOODWARD CLASS OF 1960 RECOLLECTIONS


50th REUNION RECAP:
 

Hey Classmates,

I did it. I said I was going to do it and I did - and I didn't get slapped even once! I hugged and kissed so many girls - including cheerleaders and Kappas - I lost count. I waited 50 years to do this . . . and it was worth every minute!! Speaking of Kappas, they, of course, had their own table - with armed guards. I mean guys like me back then - they were out of my league. Today, we're truly all the same - Judeo-Christian background, blessed to have lived the era and are all really just plain friends. Oh yeah, I lied about the armed guards - they weren't armed . . . alright already there weren't any guards at all!
We had 173 classmates and seven teachers in attendance. What a treat to see so many after so many years. Face book, web sites and e-mail, are fine, but nothing compares to looking a compatriot of 50 plus years in the eye, shaking hands and hugging. Personal contact triggers past recollections and stirs feelings no other media can possibly emulate.

The FRIDAY NIGHT mixer w as just like the front hall before first bell - noisy, jostling, comradely - fun. The best part, for me, was seeing someone for the first time in a whole lot of years. Bill Blum finally made it to a reunion - also, instantly recognizable, was Carol Benson, Ronny Vogt, Johnny Jacobs and Mike Straus none of whom had been back in ?? a long time. There were others, but I'm having a senior moment . . . .

SATURDAY NIGHT:
President, Joe Buchanan - all on his own - put together a most unique and entertaining slide show of lost images and forgotten fun stuff. This masterpiece of our era is a great contribution and tribute to Woodward High School and the class of 1960. Thank you isn't enough, but I don't know what else to say. God Bless you Joe. All those attending got a DVD of this production to enjoy at home.

While Joe was experiencing a glitch in the projector, Clarinetist Dick Stoltzman and pianist Jerry Samuels worked their World Class magic and gave us all an impromptu treat. Thanks, guys!

Roger Effron, as he did at our 50th Birthday Party in 1992, entertained us with his banter, jokes and memories only a Woodwardite can relate to. I wish I could tell you more, but it was one of those things where you had to be there.

Many classmates have distinguished themselves in their lives - but one received (deserved) a special recognition and standing ovation: Bruce Fister, retired Air Force Lt. General. Thanks, Bruce, for keeping us safe and thanks for being such a regular guy.

I'm going to end this with a reiteration of an experience from the Class of 61s 45th. Science teacher, Lois Keefe, took my hand as I thanked her for making a difference in our lives and said, "Those years at Woodward in the 1950s were some of the best years of my life." I think I speak for every member of our class . . . Ours too, Mrs. Keefe, ours too.

Your classmate and friend of 50+ years, Chuck Klein

P.S. I hope everyone makes an effort to keep in touch. If you guys and gals send me your e-mail address changes, I'll work to maintain the site's list.

P.P.S. If you learn of a classmates death, please let me know the where and when so I can pass it on and honor them on our memorial page.

LIST OF ATTENDEES:


    Ronald Alcoke
    Carol Alter Fletcher
    Vera Bagdal Fagot
    Patricia Baker Bertram
    Sandra Lee Baker Norkaitis
    Yvonne Balay Toombs
    Phyllis Barnard Huie
    Leatrice Barr
    Ted Behr
    Carol Benson Thompson
    David Bentley
    Judith Ann Bischoff
    Janet Blersch Hill
    Louis William Blum
    Walter Bohl
    Sue Bollinger Christiansen
    Gail Bookman Berwald
    Steve Brenner
    Lynn Brill George
    Ronald Brown
    Nancy Bryant Webster
    Joseph D Buchanan
    Susan Buchtman Mullen
    Gerald Ray Burress
    Charles Terry Burress
    Richard C Calvin
    Sandy Clayland Hamilton
    Ben Cohen
    Jim Cohen
    Marsha Cohn Simon
    Steve Cohn
    Judith Cramer Crawford
    Sherry Crouch Geghan
    Mary Curtis Ashong
    Judy Dean Jacobs
    Dennis Denny
    Jeffrey Deutsch
    Sallie Ann Dewey Sumerel
    Janice Dine Levin
    Ruth Ann Duffe Oehler
    Tom Dusterberg
    Roger Effron
    Jack Ewing
    Peggy Fahy Stewart
    Ed Ferguson
    Bruce Fister
    Victoria Franklin Finn
    Sue Frey Gayet
    Alan (A.J.) Friedman
    Michael Fulton
    Betsy Gershkovitz Ackerman
    Kathy Goertemiller Barber
    Carol Goldberg Haberman
    Janet Gordon Arend
    Ken Goret
    Richard Gose
    Deneal Gottesman
    Gail Greenberg Schaumberg
    Ed Grosswiler
    Shirley Gumenick Newmark
    Harold Guttman
    Carol Hall Latorre
    Lynn Hammond Reiber
    Kathryn Hayslip Mozingo
    James Heidenreich
    Barbara “Bobbi” Hochman
    Stuart Hodesh
    Michael Hoffman
    Martha Hoffman Segel
    Pamela Horton Dodd
    John Jacobs
    Fred Jones
    Weldon Julien
    Herman Kabakoff
    Ken Kingsbury
    Bill Kissinger
    Charles (Chuck) Klein Jr
    Nancy Kleine Blanford
    Stanley Kravitz
    John Anthony (Tony) Krueger
    Ada Christine Kruse Boyer
    Joy Kuessner Hill
    William Clifford Kuhnell
    Joel Lauman
    Steve Levinson
    Sidney Lieberman
    William Lipsky
    George Louiso
    Jean Owen McWhorter
    Carolyn Manas Bertram
    Jack Manischewitz
    Paul McDorman
    John H. McGehee
    Sandra McKenney
    Carol McKibben
    Kathleen (Toni) Meyer Roe
    Glenn Michaelson
    William (Bill) Miller
    Gilbert Minson
    Judy Mitchell Davis
    Diane Mitman Bongard
    William Moorman
    Vivian Kay Morgan
    Robert Morrison
    Cherie Moskowitz Rosenstein
    Amy Nathan Finn
    Paula Nebolsky Hertel
    Robert Nebolsky
    Jackie Neuman Waites
    Donald Newman
    Ned Nixon
    Arthur Owen
    Jean Owen McWhorter
    Douglas Parker
    Barbara Pesout McKenzie
    Frederick (Rick) Pressler
    Barbara Ringhand White
    Debbie Rittenhouse Michels
    David Ritter
    Stuart Rosenstein
    Barry Ross
    Linda Ray Rubel
    Elaine Ruskin
    Jerry Samuels
    Gerald Sapadin
    Douglas Sawyer
    Bonnie Schafer Eggena
    Charles Schmitt
    Susan Schott Singleton
    Howard Schrager
    Janet Seaman Fromhold
    Barbara Shuller Hahn
    Bobbi Siebler Merrell
    Nancy Siemering Kuhnell
    Fred Silverstein
    David Simmons
    Carole Skurow Yellin
    Frank Slesnick
    Sandra Sloan Russell
    Judy Smith Miller
    Mark G Sollek
    Maynard Spiegel
    ‘Chickie’ Stein Loewenstein
    Harry Sterling
    Richard Leslie Stoltzman
    Michael Straus
    Robert Stumpf
    Barbara Swillinger Wittenbaum
    Suzan Tash
    David Tessel
    Richard Tessendorf
    Susan Thomas Hartong
    Gail Thornton Thomas
    Stuart Tobin
    Donna Vandenberg Meister
    Ronald Vogt
    Bonnie Wacksman Wachler
    Joan Wainer Barthel
    Harry Webster
    Alfred Weisbrod Jr
    Jim Wells
    Barbara Wettig Fischer
    Judith Williams Murray
    Judy Williams Tiano
    Marilyn Williams Poppe
    Sheila Willis Wikas
    Lawrence Yates
    Walter Yonka
    Stanley Zappin
    Susan Zemboch Finkelman
    Fred Zigler
    Roz Zimov Richards
    Paulette Zoller Tessendorf

 
 


OBSERVATIONS OF THE 45th Reunion, 2005


PREFACE:
During the reunion, Sid Lieberman, observed: "We all have such good fun together because, I really believe we all genuinely like one another." That says a lot. We were all brought up with the same Judeo/Christian values, shared the same background (mostly German, but all European) with parents who survived the Great Depression and a world war. We lived in a unique and worry-free time where war was something we only read about in history books. To compensate for this lack of unity we created the rebel generation. Without fear of war and with good job and education prospects, we rebelled through "our" music and modifying our parent's generation cars. These rebellions were just for the sake of creating our own identity.

MYSTERY SOLVED: Two retired cops (Tessendorf and Julian) and a retired P.I. (Klein) got together to solve one of the perplexing issues of this and past reunions: How could Chickie Stein and Chas Schmidt always look 20 years younger than the rest of us? To the "girl" sporting the Chickie Stein name tag: "At the next reunion, tell your mother we want to see her, not you." and To that "kid" wearing Chas Schmidt's name tag, ditto. "Tell your dad, he's the one we want to see in 2010!"

ENTERTAINMENT:Our own Tony Krueger and Jerry Samuels sat in with the band for some very memorable moments (Jerry has just released a couple of new CDs - contact him through the ADDRESSES page).

Welcome back, Larry Yates. This was his first reunion, having spent many years living in Germany. Other news (that is being posted 25 Aug 05): We have couple of FIRSTS: Jim Wells has Great Grandchildren!! At the 25th he had the most grandchildren, so this no suprise - man we're all really getting old! Kenny Goret and Roz Zimov Richards are in-laws and grandparents together. Their children married and just had a baby. Congrats to all!!

LOST: A BRACELET was found on the dance floor and was turned over to the club. If you're the loser...no wait, if you lost it, contact the club at: 513/242-9200

FINALLY: Start thinking about the 50th - it's only 5 years away, and as you well know, time, as we get older, seems to slip by faster. Anyone with ideas or suggestions about what you'd like to see, do or hear for this, our last big affair, please reply - and above all - keep us posted when you change addresses.
1961 45th Reunion

One distinct advantage of being married to a fellow Woodwardite (Annette Margolis, '61) is being able to go to her reunions. Though their 45th was almost as good as ours, they did manage to get a couple of teachers to attend whom I hadn't seen in a long time. Ed Montgomery was not only a great teacher, but a mean poker player as well. He played with our Friday night game for many years during the 70s. Other players included: Stan Zappin, Alex Wilson ('59), Steve Schwartz ('61), Stu Hodesh, Ed Goldman (WHHS '60).

In addition to seeing many old friends from '61, I got a chance to thank a teacher: Mrs. Keefe. I found it very emotional to hold her hand and tell her I knew that she was not only an excellent teacher, but had had a positive impact on my life. I know she remembered me, because she commented on the columns I used to write for The Enquirer. Lois Keefe and other teachers said or wrote notes to the Class of 1961, all saying to the effect that teaching at Woodward, during our era, were some of the best years of their lives. Ours too!

Other 1960 grads in attendance included: Lou Wolpa (he didn't make our 45th due to illness, but now looked like he could still woop the whole gang). Bruce Fister (married 43 years to Melissa McGregor, '61) also looked fit and trim. He's living and working in the ministry for the Air Force in Colorado.

Check out the Class of 1961's web site in the box below. Oh yeah, one more thing: They didn't have any music Saturday night which facilitated conversation and thus they stayed later than we did at ours.
Chuck Klein


At our post 45th reunion committee meeting, we voted to send a $200 donation to the Red Cross for the Gulf Coast Hurricane Relief in the name of The Cincinnati Woodward High School Class of 1960. This amount of money is approximately what our "profit" was on the 45th and leaves us with a balance in our bank account of about $2000. After the 50th (2010) we will consider donating any remaining funds to: The school; The school's museum; The Alumni Association or ???? Suggestions appreciated.

The reunion committee intends to hold the first 50th reunion committee meeting in October or November of 2008. Anyone wishing to join the committee is encouraged to attend the meeting and/or contact a committee member. Time, place, and date will be posted on the web site when the information becomes available.

After the 45th, a number of the committee members received messages from attendees - even a few that didn't attend but wished they had - commenting on the great time they had. We shared your thoughts at the post reunion party - thanks, it really made our day.

Finally, rumor has it that WHS class of '61 is planning their 45th reunion for next year and will welcome members of our class. Details to follow.

Hope to see some of you in '08 and ALL of you in 2010!

Your reunion committee,

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My belly hurts from trying to hold it in for two nights running, ditto my face from all that smiling and laughing. If it hadn't been for sleeping pills, I would have never gotten to sleep Friday night 'cuz I couldn't stop thinking of all you guys and gals and the stirred memories. Wow...what a great weekend!

Those in attendence included:


ALTER, Carol Fletcher
BLERSCH, Jan Hill
BLUMENTHAL, Laura
BOHL, Walter
BOOKMAN, Gail Berwald
BORK, Frank
BUCHANAN, Joe
CALDER, Helen Palmer
CALVIN, Richard C
CLAYLAND, Sandy Hamilton
COHEN, Ben
COHEN, Jim
DEUTSCH, Jeff
EWING, Jack
FRIEDMAN, AJ
GERSHKOVITZ, Betsy
GOERTEMILLER, Kathy Barber
GORET, Ken
GOSE, Richard
GUMENICK, Shirley Newmark
HOCHMAN, Bobbi Sugerman
HODESH, Stuart
HOFFMAN, Martha Segel
HOFFMAN, Michael
JULIEN, Weldon
KINGSBURGY, Ken
KISSINGER, Bill
KLEIN, Chuck
KRUEGER, John (Tony)
LEEDS, Pete
LIEBERMAN, Sid
LOUISO, George
MANAS, Carolyn Bertram
MICHAELSON, Glenn
MILLER, William
MITMAN, Diane Bongard
MOORMAN, Bill
MORGAN, Vivian
MORRISON, Robert
PRESSLER, Rick
RINGHAND, Barb White ROSS, Barry
RUBEL, Linda Ray
SACHS, Jim
SAMUELS, Jerry
SCHMITT, Charles
SCHNABEL, Roger
SCHRAGER, Howard
SIEBLER, Bobbi Merrell
SIMMONS, David
SKUROW, Carol Yellin
SLOAN, Sandy Russel
SMITH, Judy Miller
STEIN, Chickie Loewenstein
STERLING, Harry
TASH, Susan
TESSENDORF, Rich
TOBIN, Stuart
VANDENBERG, Donna Mesiter
WELLS, James
WILLIS, Sheila Wikas
YATES, Larry
ZOLLER, Capi Tessendorf
ZAPPIN, Stan
ZIGLER, Fred

WHS Teachers: Bill Strunk, Bob McSpadden, Paul Haverkos.

Expected, but unable to attend due to illness: Gerry Sapadin and Lou Wolpa - we wish them a most speedy recovery!

In addition, there were a few from other classes/schools: Larry Brown (WHS 58), Ed Goldman (WHHS 60), John McIntyre (WHHS 60), Stephen Gaible (WHS 61), Tom Gildenblatt (WHS 61) and Phyliss Gottlieb Gildenblatt (WHS 62).

If I've left anyone off, please advise - the memory ain't what it used to be.



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RECOLLECTIONS OF THE 40th

It seems every reunion has its crowning moment - that slice of time - that fleeting instant when memoried faces coerce tear-laden eyelashes - that time when you know you have come home again.

For the 25th, it was the finale - Dick Stoltzman blowing the haunting Amazing Grace that compelled us to contemplate our own mortality while wondering who among us that night would be just a memory at the next reunion. For the 50th Birthday Party it was Roger Effron's side-splitting commentary about our days of youth. The 40th's pinnacle, for me anyway, was the performance by the Tri-Etts. "Mr. Sandman" by these still fresh-scrubbed, bright-eyed, ever-youthful "girls," harmonizing the sounds of our time, brought me home again.

Every reunion also included a few who were making it their first. It's always a treat, especially for the reunion committee who work with the names and memories trying to locate and elicit classmates to return to the fold. My personal special delight was seeing first-timers Joanne Luehrman, who helped me sort out girl problems during study hall, and my first friend that first day in Miss Nathan's homeroom, Tom Crowthers.

Though we're all aging - on some of us it is hardly noticeable, to wit: Bonnie Wacksman, Chickie Stein, Chas Schmidt, Ken Goret, Bill Lipsky, Linda Rubel, Jay Wasserman, Mickey Hoffman, Jim Sachs, Dick Stoltzman, Nancy Siemering....The memory ain't what it used to be, but I know there were others.

As in past reunions, I always try to shake hands with every classmate. I never seem to satiate this need to connect with everyone - even those I don't remember. As to Spike Spiegel, Lorna Kay Peller, Joel Lauman, Janet Bertram, Sue Thomas - sorry I missed you and the too many others - see ya in ought-ten!

I love you all, Chuck.



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RINGING THE BELL

At the Founder's Day ceremony in March of 2001, they opened the program by asking the oldest graduate to ring the bell. My father (class of '26) shuffled to the front, took the microphone and said, "I just want to say, this marks my 75th anniversary of my graduation from Woodward." The room got quiet...he rang the bell. As he started back through the crowd the applause began. By the time he reached his chair it had become a standing ovation. Incase I don't make it to being a second generation bell ringer - somebody please ring it for me.

CK



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