Notes from the 1991 Reunion, recorded by Margaret (Vermilyea) Pine
The Fleischmanns school reunion was held June 15, 1991, at the school grounds. approximately 160 people attended.
The evening started at 5:30 with a Chicken Bar-B-Q provided by Miller's. After dinner the program was moved inside to the gym.
Don Maxim, class of '41,, from Angier, N.C. was the MC. Don entertained us with a list of words--what they mean today and what they meant when he was in school. He also read a letter from the wife of Don Coombs stating that he died on June 2. Also note was made that Florence Shultz was in the hospital.
Special guests who said a few words were:
William Miller: He was the principal and a History teacher from 1962-1966. He emphasized that a small school can do a lot. There was a much closer personal relationship between teachers and students than in a larger school system.
Shirley (Ginsberg) Wadler: She started at Fleischmanns in 1953, English Teacher. From her experience she learned as well as taught.
Al Nelson: Was the coach from 1963-1968. He thought that the cooperation between everyone was excellent.
Some other teachers present were:
Norma (Terwilliger) Martens - Home Economics Teacher
Ann Greene - Grade school
Carlo Picciotti - Business Teacher
Mae Morse VanValkenburg - who was also the oldest graduate - 1919, and also was a 3rd and 4th grade teacher
June Valk - Secretary
Flora (Kelly) Graves traveled the greatest distance, From Canada.
Below is a list on how many attended from each year and a list of graduates who attended.
1934-1, 35-1, 37-3, 38-5, 39-2, 40-8, 41-6, 42-3, 43-3, 44-4, 45-3, 46- 2, 47-3, 48-1, 49-4, 50-9, 51-2, 53-3, 54-2, 55-2, 56-1, 57-3, 59-1, 53-2, 64-2, 65-1, 66-3, 67-4, 68-1.
Tom Ballard, Edward Alton, Pete Ballard, John Barber, Charles Barrett, Vincent Bellows, Clifford Benjamin, Richard Bertrand, Eleanor (Moseman) Blish, Herbert Bush, Frederick Bouton, Margaret (Green) Bouton, Julia (Herdman) Brower, Geraldine (Mayes) Cantwell, Elizabeth (Bouton) Cole, Missy (Haynes) Coriea, Bob & Shirley Elliott, Harper Fairbairn, Georginna (Squires) Fairlie, Malcolm Fairlie, Robert Ford, Dorothea (Herdrnan) Gasperini, Margaret (Moseman) Goodwin, Flora (Kelly) Graves, Kay Greene, Jackie (Slover) Grocholl, Marie (Barber) Haynes, Paul Herdman, Edward Herman, Jean (Brannen) Herron, Ruth (Maben) Hoose Virginia (Reynolds) Huggins, Neil Jocelyn, Seth Jocelyn, Earl Johnson, Anna (Mech) Kelly, Arthur Kelly, Courtney Kelly, Dorothy (Kelly) Todd, Elmer Kelly, Herb Finch, Jeff Kelly, Norma (Todd) Kelly, Stanley Kelly, Eleanor (Gosso) La Beau, Mary (Hoeko) Lafrese, Chris Martens, Norma (Terwilliger) Martens, Donald Maxim, Helen (Shurika) Maxim, Murry Mayes, Jean (Ballard) McCann, Mary (Vermilyea) McGlone, Jane Bouton, Odell Reynolds , Milt & June Valk, Bob Monore, Mae (Morse) VanValkenburg, James Moseman, Helen (Moran) Myers, Ralph Myers, George Ocker, Margaret (Vermilyea) Pine, Charles Pultz, Terry Pultz, Eva (Sweet) Quick, Ward Reynolds, Gerald J Rider, Jackie (Rosa) Robinson, Fred Rosa, Carol (Beland) Sanford, Dorothy (Cure) Schoonmaker, Leighton Scudder, Gale Seaman, Donald Searle, Warren Slavin, Charles Smith, James & Shirley (Merwin) Smith, Jack Sommerviile, John Todd, Sandra (Vermilyea) Todd, Lois (Maben) Umhey, Fuller VanValkenburg, James VanValkenburgh, Lynn Vermilyea, Nancy (Rosa) Vermiiyea, Herman Wadler, Shirley (Ginsberg) Wadler, Kathryn (Kurtz) Wygant, Susan (Todd) Youngman.
A specia1 thank you to the committee for all their-planning and to Pete and Nancy Ballard for allowing the event to be held at the school grounds.
The evening closed with entertainment by "Pure Country".
MC Donald Maxim Notes
50 Years ago I graduated from FHS. I have always felt proud and privileged to have attended Fleischsmanns High School.
All of the teachers that I ever associated with were very devoted and dedicated to their profession.
When I look at other schools in many parts of the country and see classed of 100 - 200 - 300 students graduating I often wonder if they received the education that we were fortunate enough to get here at FHS. When we think about it, we received education that is close to private tutoring considering the sizes of our classes and the excellent teachers we had.
I had some classed that helped me thru. I can remember some like I always received a B- in, eraser cleaning and A+ in eraser throwing, Gym was in the B range and recess always pulled me down a little because the recess was never long enough for me to really get into it. Study Hall was also one of my good subjects. But to get serious:
We are the survivors!!!!!
Consider the changes we have witnessed we were born before TV, before penicillin, before polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, plastic, contact lenses, frisbees, and the pill.
We were born before credit cards, split atoms, lazer beams, and ball point pens, before pantyhose, dishwashers, clothes dryers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip dry clothes and before man walked on the moon.
We got married first and then lived together. "How quaint can you be?" In our time, closets were for clothes, not for "Coming out of", Bunnies were small rabbits and rabbits were not Volkswagens. Designer jeans were scheming girls named Jean of Jeannie, and having a meaningful relationship meant getting along well with our cousins.
We thought fast food was what you ate during Lent, and outer space was the back of Whipples theater.
We were born before house husbands, gay rights, dual careers and computer marriages. We were born before day care centers and nursing homes.
We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, electric typewriters, artificial hearts, word processors, yogurt, and guys wearing earrings.
For us timesharing meant togetherness, not computers or condominiums. A "Chip" meant apiece of wood, hardware meant hardware, and software wasn't even a word.
In 1940 "Made in Japan" meant junk and the term "Making out" referred to how you did on your exam. Pizza, McDonald and instant coffee were unheard-of.
We hit the scene when there were 5 & 10 cent stores where you bought things for 5 or 10 cents. Mullers, Milt Hirsch & Ted Sealman sold ice cream cones for 5 and 10 cents. For one nickel you could ride a street car, make a phone call, buy a soda pop or enough stamps to mail one letter and two postcards. You could buy a new Chevy coupe for $600.00, but who could afford one, a pity too because gas was 11 cents a gallon.
Today, learn 4,5 or 6 words, repeat over and over you have music.
We had songs that had meaning to them like, Mares eat oats and Does eat oats, Fwee little fishes, Boom Boom Dittum Dattam Watem Chew, Beat me daddy eight to the bar, Real heart breakers.
In our day cigarette smoking was fashionable, grass was mowed, coke was a cold drink and pot was something you cooked in. Rock music was a grandma's lullaby and aids were helpers in the principals office. We were not before the difference between the sexes was discovered, but we were surely before the sex change. We made due with what we had, and we were the last generation that was so dumb to think you needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder we are so confused and there is such a generation gap today. But we survived, what better reason to celebrate.
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