Thanks for the Memories!! Let's do it again!

This whole elementary blog idea started in 2000 when a few RHS classmates' emails spread like wildfire. This blog consists mostly of conversations regarding our 40th reunion and, of course, memories from our elementary days. As we approach our 45th reunion, please share your comments, memories and wishes on our RHS Class of '70 Facebook page. Let's start with...
Are you interested in reuniting with your elementary classmates again in 2015?



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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Say Hi to John Millar

14 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 02, 2010

    Memories.

    Willard School’s old address was 153 California St. Now it is 601 Morningside.

    Bob: playing with you after school. Your sister Bitsy, Brother Jimmy & sister Lizzie & Princeton University?

    Skating at Coles Pond.

    Irene: Something about a Hawaiian Lei.

    Judy: A kiss in kindergarten.

    Rick: Catching butterflies on the Convent grounds in Mawah with your sister and your Dad. Everything about Troop Seven.

    Your Mom watching over us for Physical checks before we went to George Washington, Junior High.

    Walking to school.

    Mrs. Curly & Ms. Getches.

    Mrs. Hay

    Miss Berhens

    Miss. Robinson

    Mrs. Getman

    Mr. Filaci

    Miss Eliasson

    Mr. Daily.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 03, 2010

    John Millar, 40 years later, I have to ask, do you have a Dachshund? Do you wander around your house chomping on an unlit cigar like your dad? Do you remember Taydie Poor? My wife had lunch with her two weeks ago in Denver and mentioned the Willard blog and she remembered you as the 'only real gentleman' in our roving pack of pre-adolescent miscreants. I will forward her email address to you. Stan Brown

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  3. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    John Millar states: To paraphrase Mark Twain, “ Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated!”

    Thanks to Bob Elgin for making the effort to write me and flood my mind with memories of all of you.

    I wanted to surface and say hi to all of you before I rsvp to your website Rick.

    I’ve been gifted with a good memory. The only problem with that is that I also remember all the stupid things I have ever done.

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  4. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Bob Elgin reponds: Hey John, this is great!

    Looks like my investment in a stamp paid off. I’ve sent out a fair amount of those letters and so far I’d say that for more than half of them, I never hear anything back. So its great when somebody responds. And we don’t send those letters out to just anyone/everyone. The way it works is that we tend to get into email conversations, reminiscing, and somebody will say whatever happened to xxx? And then if there’s sufficient interest/agreement, Irene will go do her detective work and will dig up what she thinks is the person’s current address. And then I send out the letter. My point is that you should feel honored for being so chosen.

    So how are you man? I have many good memories around you during elementary school and through GW. Of course we were in HS together also, but by that time you seemed to be more interested in Karen Mell, which was totally understandable. But yeah, you were a great guy – a great entertainer too – somebody who could always come up with good stories.

    So how’d you end up in Omaha? You know, if I had known you were there we could have done lunch as I was recently working in Des Moines for about 4 years. Well OK, it would have been a long lunch, but we did have people at work who were taking classes at U of Nebraska part time. And I did actually drive there once with my son in hopes of finding cheap fireworks – no luck.

    So what’s your situation? married? with kids? grown kids? grandkids?

    OK, so maybe I’m peppering you with too many questions. Feel free to pick and choose as you please.

    At any rate, its just great to be back in touch with you again. Unless you object, we’ll go ahead and add you to the Willard distribution list so that you can observe and partake of our collective inanities. As for doing foolish things, well yeah, we’ve all been there, done that. You are not alone, my son.

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  5. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Rick Bowe adds: John,

    Welcome. Butterflies at the convent in Mahwah. I’ll bet I know which kinds. My father is still alive (87) and living in the same house in Ridgewood where we moved in 8th grade (after we moved from Hillcrest). Until a couple of years ago he was still travelling to the far corners collecting butterflies. But eventually gave it up, and donated his collection of 75 years (and 10,000 specimens) to the Univ of Florida.

    Troop seven indeed. We just re-connected with Dave Chandler, who reminded me of being in the headhunter patrol (I remember making the patrol patches for the sleeves of our scout shirts). And our motto “getting a head in scouting”. Dave lives in Woodstock, NY (he actually attended back in the day) and will be at the reunion.

    One of my recollections of scouting (of course I have a million) was always playing the “victim” during first aid enactments where you had to transport the victim. I weighed half as much as you, Dave Smith (with whom we also recently re-connected (and is cc’d), and Stan Brown (ditto).

    I live in Boston, three daughters (23, 21, 20), one wife. I don’t know if you do facebook, but there is a network for RHS70. Lots of people with lots of pictures.

    While some of our classmates may think that Omaha is in another world, I know otherwise. Each year I fly to Omaha with my 21 yr old daughter for the start of RAGBRAI, the 10,000 person bike ride across Iowa. Very cool. I have met up with Bob Elgin there a couple of times, who was at the time working in Des Moines. We plan to go again this year. What are you doing Fri night, July 23???

    Lots of other stuff. Glad to have you back in the electronic fold.

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  6. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Rick,

    So good to hear from you. Especially happy to learn that your Dad still living over on Highland Ave and that he donated his collection of butterflies to the University of Florida. Is he still painting? Somewhere I saw that your dad had dabbled in art in my past travels to and from Ridgewood.

    Was pleased to learn that you connected with David Chandler, David Smith and Stan Brown.

    I also attended the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in White Lake, New York. In fact I paid for tickets…$15.00 a piece.

    I’ll spare you the stories and tell them to you when I see you next.

    So you live in bean town! Good for you. Our niece, just completed her pulmonary fellowship over at Beth Deaconess hospital. Small world.

    You are a lucky man to have a family of three young women and your lovely wife. I haven’t shared the joy of Facebook yet but give me some time and I’ll find a reason to start digging my own legend.

    I know quite a few people who have made the entire trip on RAGBRAI from the Missouri River all the way across Iowa to the Mississippi River. So if you are headed this way let me know and we will do dinner somewhere in Omaha or in our backyard.

    I replied to Bob’s note and copied you so you could catch-up even more.

    It is good to reconnect.

    Keep the faith and best regards to all.

    John

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  7. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Bob Elgin: So I must say it sounds like you’ve done pretty well for yourself. I did look briefly at your website and it does seem very interesting. And to think you’ve had a major part in it is very impressive. So you see, it wasn’t just your mother telling you that you were a bright boy. You actually did have the right stuff after all!

    Anyway, its great to be back in touch. Thanks again for answering the letter, and welcome to the club.

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  8. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Friends,

    Since I am new to this wonderful group of, “ageless cyber kids,” because that is how I remember all of you, I will defer any decisions about topics of discussion to the founders, unless otherwise advised.

    I apologize for any embarrassing memories I brought up. Irene…forget it. That was a 9th grade memory so it does not qualify for posting.

    Judy you are absolutely right. Must have been a figment of my imagination. But I do want to talk to you in October.

    As for topics:

    Please not spin the bottle. Never did…Never will.

    Favorite teacher. Yes.

    Most effective teacher. Yes.

    Memories from classes?? Field trips??
    First Reports?

    Comments about how lucky we were to have gone all the way through the Ridgewood Public School System?

    Who said this? “Class!! Give (student’s name,) a clap.”

    Where did we learn what the Red light meant? Where did we learn what the Green light meant??

    What did all of us practically sing when Principal Dan Daily would say to all of us at assembly, “ Good morning boys and girls.”

    Okay I’ve got to get ready for work tomorrow.

    Best to all.

    John

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  9. Judy Schoneman BeirneMarch 10, 2010

    John - I think you should stick to your whimsical memories as the rest of us have. Let Irene worry about the Hawaian lei and me fantasize about the kindergarten kiss. The Spin the Bottle topic came up because I remember having to kiss Bobby Elgin at Carol Scholl's boy/girl party (a whole other story!) - but Bob doesn't recall that either (sigh!). I like the way Rick put it when referring to our comments, "few accurately recalled or characterized. But very revealing and lots of fun!"

    You really never played Spin the Bottle????

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  10. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Stan Brown asks: Did I miss something? I don't remember anyone having the 'clap' in sixth grade? I'm not sure I even knew what that was. Was that what the 'special assembly' for the fifth grade girls was all about? You can tell us now, we can handle it...

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  11. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Stan Brown states: The answer to John's last question was a collective ululation of 'Good Morning Mr. Daley.' If Dave Scherer ever shows up, I want to know what 'Bom queevee queevee' really means. It was one of those great lyrical mysteries like the words to 'Louie, Louie.' Enough for now...

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  12. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    John Millar resonds: To answer your question Stan... No I no longer have a dachsund. Heidie as our family dog that you remember.
    And no I don't chew on cigars like my dad did...(Civil War family thing.) But I do have two cigars a year.
    One on New Year's day and one on the Fourth of July so I can light the fireworks. Some habits never die.
    And yes please send me Taydie's e-mail. If anyone helped talk me into becoming anything close to a gentleman it was her. She still has my lasting respect and admiration.
    And say hi to Yogi!

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  13. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010

    Rick Bowe states: OK, I think I have the “clap” answer: Miss Eliason. Never knew where she came from. I remember a southern accent (or was that southern Jersey?). It was a proud moment, to be sure, when you were on the receiving end of a “clap”. I think maybe I had 2 in my year with her. Is that correct, John, or am fabricating the whole deal?

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  14. AnonymousApril 15, 2010

    Bob Marlow says: (Sound of game show bell) Miss Eliason is correct, for "Give (name of student) a clap." I remember vividly the first time she said it to my class, and we all just sat there, having no idea what she meant. Subsequently, whenever she said it, we applauded on cue.

    ReplyDelete

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