WOODWARD H.S. Cincinnati, Ohio
woodward_recollections

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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