Welcome to the MHS '60 Website!

March 18, 2025

WELCOME SPRING!

Front Yard Daffodils, LLA

NEW!

Craig Magher has a new address: 1947 Rim Rock Canyon Drive, Laguna Beach, CA  92651

Frank Castronovo has new contact information:

Main email:  cheech80@icloud.com

Alternate email: facastronovo8@gmail.com

Cell phone: 330-770-7173

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3  NEW MESSAGES - Here's a summary.  You can read each message in full below.

Ed Hanke responds to Brooke Hench Geida's recent story about fighting off a bully with a bullying story of his own. (You can read Brooke's story farther down on this page after the two color photos of Nan Peppard Krauss.)

Paul Stephanus announces his latest article in the March 2025 issue of Railfan and Railroad magazine. Paul recalls his experience, both exciting and harrowing, while "railfanning through Vietnam as a freelance photographer during a time of escalating conflict" in the years around 1967.

Nancy Pierson Tolley describes activities with fellow seniors and young students that keep her happily engaged in her English community.

If you'd like to respond  to any of these classmates through this website, go to the classmate's profile page.  (Click on "Classmate Profiles" near the top of the left-hand blue margin on this page.)  Click on the envelope icon directly under the photo box where it says "Send [classmate's name] a private message."  When you get to the message screen, type in your subject and message in the boxes. Click the blue "Send private message" box.  That's all you have to do!  It's easy!

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From ED HANKE:

"Names pop up in the strangest places and elicit many memories of people, places, and things from long, long ago. When we first moved to Montclair, the Hanke family lived at 464 Upper Mountain Avenue, and I went to Bradford Elementary School. Then when we moved to 9 Bradford Avenue (which is nowhere near Bradford School) I went to Mt. Hebron.  

The first year of attendance I took the 60 Decamp to school and after we moved, I could either walk or ride my bike. Seems like back then, everyone rode their bikes everywhere but mostly just short trips. It wasn't until many years later I found out the true meaning of century rides. As Brooke Hench Gieda related, the use of Breamore Road (big and little) was the pathway to Upper Montclair center and the commute to school from the neighborhood. Breamore was steep but you could usually get almost to Upper Mountain before the legs gave out and the old one-speed came to a grinding out of breath halt. 

On one of those fateful days of returning from school, I too came a cropper of the local bully Danny Evans. It was wonderful to hear, even at this late date, that he had met the fate of being pummeled by a bunch of my classmates, and girls no less. For it seems that on that day when I first saw him, in my naïveté, I had fallen for his guile as a potential new friend. When I, astride my trusty one-speed, went over to him in answer to his summon, he punched me right in the snot locker and gave me a bloody nose. I couldn't even defend myself with both hands on the handlebars of my bike. 

It wasn't a terrible wound but mostly to my pride, a surprise and embarrassment because I had anticipated making a friend in the new neighborhood. He disappeared between the houses on lower Breamore while I mopped my schnoz and retreated for home. Thereafter, I was always on the lookout for the offender whenever I traveled lower Breamore, but I never saw him again in all the years I lived there.  I figured that he must have moved, as did so many of our schoolmates."

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PAUL STEPHANUS announces a new magazine article about trains, railroads, and Vietnam.

"Howdy,

My article, Railfanning in a War Zone, Vietnam, was recently published in the March 2025 issue of Railfan & Railroad magazine.  It is a reprint of a chapter from my book Chasing Fire in Steel, but with a more dramatic opening, some railroad history, and more personal writing." [You can read more about Chasing Fire in Steel, farther down on this web page, immediately after John Wells' obituary.] 

Unfortunately, Paul's new magazine article is too long to post on this website (12 pages and 22 photographs), but you can read it in its entirety and enjoy Paul's photographs simply by emailing Paul.  He writes, "Anyone can email me and I will send an email with an attachment to the final draft of the article, still with a few typos." [Email Paul at pstephanus@aol.com]

As you would expect, Paul's article has plenty of information about trains and railroads, but it is also full of observations about the Vietnam War era that all of us remember all too well. You'll learn that Paul worked as a photographer for United Press International, Associated Press, and Empire News/Photography in Vietnam. He tells us that he lived with a Vietnamese family, and that he traveled around the country in Air Force planes, military helicopters, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, and trains to cover Army, Air Force, and Marine operations.

Given a special pass to photograph along the rail lines, Paul never knew when the trains would be atttacked or derailed, bridges would be blown up, or shots would be fired. Grateful to make it home alive, Paul nevertheless missed the warm connections he made with the Vietnamese people and the excitement of knowing that he was creating lasting images that helped to tell the war's story.

Paul's photographs appeared in Life, Look, Parade, New York Times, Time, Newsweek, and other publications.

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From NANCY PIERSON Tolley:

Nancy Pierson Tolley has lived in England for many years. Here she describes her "latest passion" as a reading assistant in a local primary school as well as her participation in u3a, a UK-wide movement of locally-run interest groups that bring people together. Members of any age who are no longer employed teach and learn from each other in activities ranging from badminton and Chinese brush painting to current affairs and dog walking, to name just a few. You can learn how the organization works and see the entire list of 47 activities online at https://verwoodu3a.org.uk and https://verwoodu3a.org.uk/activities.

Nancy writes, "I've continued to be active in our local u3a group. John and I chair the fortnightly Current Affairs group. We choose about 10 items making the headlines, email the notice to group members and hope we get a good discussion, much of it political (local, national, and international). As much of it is a bit of a downer, we try to end on a positive note. For example, last week we finished with 'If you are fed up with the rain and cold, where would you choose to emigrate?' 

My other u3a groups are chair yoga (I'm no longer flexible enough to do regular yoga as I did for many years), women's discussion group (on a different topic each meeting), organising a bi-monthly quiz (5 of us devise 12 questions each on a subject of our choice), attend craft group (last month we made dreamcatchers) and host a bi-monthly Meet and Greet social get together.

However, my main passion is being a 'reading assistant' at the primary school a few hundred yards up the road. The commuting is easy! On two mornings a week I listen to about 8 children, ages 8-9. In September, they'll be going on to Middle School and by then they really need to know how to read. I've had to learn new teaching skills as now children are taught phonics and split diagraphs, which I'd never heard of. As I recall, we learned with flash cards. Some children do not read at home, although they are encouraged to bring a reading book home every day. Last week was half-term break and I'll bet none of them read during their week off.

The school loves having volunteers to give individual attention to children who need a bit of help. Classroom teachers don't have much time to listen to the class on a one-to-one basis. Each child has a reading record for parents and volunteers to note that they've read with an adult. I have a separate notebook for the teacher, where I can make more direct comments about progress or not. Teachers are happy to have students taken out of lessons to read, as they will be unable to do maths, history, or any other subject unless they are proficient. I find it very rewarding, especially when a child starts to 'get it' and reads with a bit of confidence.

To keep fit, especially in view of my osteoarthritis, I go to a 45-minute exercise class at the nearby leisure centre, in addition to the chair yoga. John and I go for walks, usually a mile to a mile and a half in the neighborhood or in the woods across the road. We can walk to the leisure centre for the u3a classes."

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IN MEMORY

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Warren Ross attended Dennis McHugh's funeral in Georgia on November 16.   He offered this eulogy in memory of his old friend.

DENNIS MCHUGH EULOGY – NOVEMBER 16, 2024

Offered by Warren Ross

Where do I start in telling you about my 70-year-long friendship with my buddy Dennis McHugh?

Let’s start at the beginning: We met in 1954 when I joined the Mtc YMCA swim team. My family had just moved to Montclair. Dennis had lived there a long time and knew everyone at the “Y.”  In fact, Dennis used his young charm & salesmanship to somehow get a key to the Y.  So when we became friends, we would swim before school, then walk a mile to Montclair High and then back again after classes to work out with the swim team. During the cold New Jersey winters, our hair would frequently freeze as we walked to school and then melt & drip all over our shoulders while we sat in class.

Dennis was a great athlete – I have to say that since he beat me in most swim races. Besides swimming, he was excellent on the trampoline. I remember holding the cords to his harness as he practiced on Sunday mornings when the Young Mens Christian Association was officially closed – ahh…using that key again!! He was so good on the trampoline that he was asked to perform on television – I saw him do that & I think it was American Bandstand!

From the start, I was impressed by Dennis’s enthusiasm for life, his contagious smile, his reserved laugh & his love for people. My current golfing buddies who had met him thru the years, all remembered him well and truly enjoyed being with him. Speaking of golf: Dennis was unlucky at golf. When I told my good friends about his passing, they all said “Oh, Dennis, the guy who got hit by an errant golf ball in Scotland – He did anything for attention.

We grew up without cell phones, computers, color TV, YouTube, etc.  Dennis & my teenage entertainment was going to his apartment after swim team and secretly reading his sister Betsy’s mushy love letters from her boyfriend who was away in the Navy. We giggled hysterically at what today would be rated “G”. Speaking of movies, there was once a movie that we badly wanted to see but the Catholic Church had it on their forbidden list.  So Dennis went to early Mass that Saturday ..confessed…………. then we went to see it.

We lost touch during our college years. He was distracted by his Pittsburgh University roommate Mike Ditka!!  Dennis later shared many hilarious stories about him. He left college and enlisted in the Navy to avoid being drafted and possibly going to Vietnam.

After the Navy, he met &  fell deeply in love with Norma Jean. We just had to celebrate that… so we held a grooms day at the Jersey shore. Sadly it rained all day. So we went to the Osprey Bar in Manasquan, NJ, billed as the world's longest bar. It was around noon and there were 8 of us. When the bartender asked what we wanted to drink, the first groomsman said Bloody Mary. After making that drink, the second groomsman said he’d also like a Bloody Mary ... then the third and so on. But by the time the 8^th groomsman got his Bloody Mary, the first one had finished his and asked for a refill… and so on…I’m sure you get the picture.  The result was we were at the Osprey Bar for about 5 hours and that good-natured bartender made Bloody Marys nonstop!!!  We had about 80 toasts to Norma Jean & Dennis’s marriage and that is why it lasted all these years!!

I was in their wedding party and we spent such a special marriage weekend!!  I remember it very well... the backyard Friday dinner, the fun wedding itself and then swimming at a nearby lake on Sunday while the bride and groom left for their honeymoon.

When they returned & feeling confident in his sales abilities (remember that Y key) Dennis sold Amway products. I remember specifically when he called me a month later. I thought he wanted to tell me about his honeymoon or just to catch up…but no, he wanted to sell me Amway products…  at least I was in his thoughts.

We stayed in as close touch as you can over the years. I lived in New Jersey while Dennis & Norma Jean moved to Kalamazoo and then to Smyrna. I visited then several times in Smyrna. Dennis & I went twice to the Masters Golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He came frequently to NJ since Norma Jean still had family there. We always got together during those times. He stayed at our home when we had our high school reunions. I felt very proud of our lasting friendship. 

Whenever we met or talked by phone, Dennis would proudly update me first about what was going on in Norma Jean's life, then Kirin & then Patrick & Katie. Soon he added MacKenzie and then Caymen. He so deeply loved his family. So much so that his talking about his Bonzai trees, 15^th Street Pizza & Pub, St. George Island, and his MG came afterwards. Speaking of 15^th Street Pizza,  I always pictured Dennis like Norm in the tv show Cheers ... sitting at the end of the bar chatting up all the patrons ...  Patrick, am I right?

As I just said, Dennis loved people & people loved him. His charming smile and positive outlook. I’ll miss our visits and phone calls … I truly believe that Dennis lived his ideal life – with a loving family, close friends, success in his business adventures, enjoyable hobbies – all topped off with a little green MG sports car.

God Bless You Dennis McHugh!!  We all miss you but are thankful to have had you in our lives.

Warren Ross

wk.rossjr@gmail.com

Obituary for Dennis James Michael McHugh

February 17, 1942 - August 22, 2024

Mr. Dennis James Michael McHugh, age 82 of Smyrna, Georgia passed away on Thursday, August 22, 2024.  A celebration of his life will take place on Saturday, November 16th at 10:30 a.m. with a reception to follow. 

Mr. McHugh served in the US Navy and was later employed by IBM in sales.  After retirement, he co-founded 15th Street Pizza with his son and daughter-in-law in 2004.  15th Street Pizza is continuing on to this day.  He is survived by his wife of over 56 years, Norma Jean McHugh, daughter Kirin McHugh, son and daughter-in law Patrick and Katie McHugh, sister Betsy Johnston, granddaughters Mackenzie and Caymen McHugh. 

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make contributions to JDRF at breakthroughT1D.org

Bobbye Stoeber Greene pays a visit to Dennis at 15th Street Pizza last year.

If you would like to post your own tribute or memory of Dennis on this website, click on In Memory (5th item from the top in the blue sidebar of this home page.)  Then click on Dennis's name, scroll to the very bottom of his In Memory page, and click "Post Comment." Write your message in the empty box. Click "Submit" at the bottom. If you have trouble posting a comment, remember that you must be logged into the website. 

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John Wells  

September 19, 1942 - September 19, 2024

I am very sorry to report that our classmate John Wells passed away recently on his 82^nd birthday.

Jonathan, as he preferred to be called later in life, was well-known as a research biologist, author, teacher, and especially as a challenger of the theory of biological evolution known as Darwinism.  He was also an avid advocate of a system of thought about the origins of life called “intelligent design.” 

You can read about John’s career on his website http://jonathanwells.org  and see him in a casual YouTube interview at https://evolutionnews.org/2024/09/from-puzzles-to-prison-jonathan-wells-in-his-own-words/.  You can also read several online tributes to his life and work (see links below).

Here is a summary of Jonathan’s life and work, taken and adapted from a number of lengthy online tributes:

John was born in New York City in 1942 and grew up in New Jersey. He graduated form Montclair High School in 1960, serving as president of the National Honor Society and parliamentarian for the school's Student Faculty.  He studied geology at Princeton University on a full scholarship, but dropped out in his junior year. Following a brief stint as a taxi driver, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent two years on active duty in Germany.

After his discharge in 1966, he resumed his studies as a transfer student at the University of California at Berkeley where the movement against the Vietnam War was in full swing. By this time, John's views about the war had changed significantly, and when he was called back to military service by the Army, he refused to report for duty as he felt he could no longer in good conscience serve the country nor wear its uniform. 

As a result, he was arrested and sent to the Presidio Stockade in San Francisco where he remained in solitary confinement for four months. He was then jailed at the federal military penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Upon his release from prison 18 months later, John returned to Berkeley where he completed his undergraduate studies with a major in geology and physics and a minor in biology.

In 1974, Wells joined the Unification Church of the United States, founded in 1954 by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. While earning a master’s degree in religious education at the church’s Unification Theological Seminary in 1978, John became convinced that he should devote his life to “destroying Darwin’s theories of evolution.” With the financial support of the Unification Church, he entered the graduate program at Yale University, focusing his work on the “root of the conflict between Darwinian evolution and Christian doctrine.”  He earned a PhD in religious studies from Yale in 1986.

In 1994, Wells earned a second PhD, this time in molecular and cellular biology from the University of California, Berkeley. As an anti-evolution activist and biology teacher, he continued to write articles critical of Darwinism and its "survival of the fittest" philosophy.   

In 2000, Wells published his book Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth, in which he maintained that “much of what we teach about evolution is wrong.” His goal was to “expose serious inaccuracies in how evolution has been taught in contemporary science textbooks” and show that “many of the most commonly accepted arguments supporting evolution are invalid.” The book offered 10 examples of illustrations in biology textbooks that were “grossly exaggerated, distorted, or patently false,” forcing  textbook publishers to correct their work.

Wells had to contend with much criticism for his writings, and his views on evolution were widely rejected by the scientific community. Nevertheless, he persisted in disseminating evidence that supported his thinking. Over the years he authored more books including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design, The Myth of Junk DNA, and Zombie Science: More Icons of Evolution.

More recently, Wells became recognized as one of the nation’s leading proponents of the theory of “intelligent design.”  He served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Science and Culture of the Discovery Institute, a think tank that advocates for the concept of Intelligent Design and aims to permit the teaching of anti-evolution, intelligent-design concepts in public high school science courses.

Although Jonathan endured much criticism for his scholarly work, his colleagues praised him for his meticulous research and the clarity of his writing, his adherence to truth, his unflappable temperament, his humility, his dogged persistence in advancing his research, and his “immense intellect.” 

For an engaging interview with John, see “From Puzzles to Prison: Jonathan Wells in His Own Words” Scroll down to enjoy a You Tube video “Jonathan Wells: Biologist, author of Zombie Science, and Ex-Con?” https://evolutionnews.org/2024/09/from-puzzles-to-prison-jonathan-wells-in-his-own-words/

Here are additional articles from Evolution News and Wikipedia about the career of Jonathan Wells:

Farewell to Jonathan Wells, Iconoclastic Scientist by David Klinghoffer, Sept 24, 2024. https://evolutionnews.org/2024/09/farewell-to-jonathan-wells-iconoclastic-scientist/

Remembering Jonathan Wells, a Key Figure in the Intelligent Design Movement, September 27, 2024 

https://evolutionnews.org/2024/09/remembering-jonathan-wells-a-key-figure-in-the-intelligent-design-movement/

Jonathan Wells (intelligent design advocate) 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Wells_(intelligent_design_advocate)

More about Jonathan’s books, articles, and videos are available at:

http://jonathanwells.org         

https://www.discovery.org/p/wells/

If you would like to post your own tribute or memory of John (Jonathan) Wells on this website, click on In Memory (5th item from the top in the blue sidebar of this home page.)  Then click on Jonathan Wells' name, scroll to the very bottom of his In Memory page, and click "Post Comment." Write your message in the empty box. Click "Submit" at the bottom. If you have trouble posting a comment, remember that you must be logged into the website. 

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Paul Stephanus announces his new book, published last October.  

Howdy,

People can easily find my book "Chasing Fire in Steel" on ebay.com and see sample pictures, more information and reviews.

"Chasing Fire in Steel" by Paul Stephanus, P.O.Box 985, Cortaro, AZ 85652. pstephaus@aol.com. Hard cover, 254 pages, 330+ color & B&W photos, $49.95 & $8.00 mail in USA only. Available worldwide on ebay, with sample pictures and more info.

Regards,

Paul                                                

"For the benefits of efficiency and lower cost, the world’s railroads replaced the steam locomotives with diesel and electric locomotives. If you were a person who was fortunate to see steam locomotives in action in your community, perhaps you will remember how these fascinating machines seemed to be alive. They seemed to be the closest we could come to having a breathing machine appear to have a life of its own when it was working. However, if you want to see a working steam locomotive today, you have to go to a museum or tourist railroad or sometimes see a main line railroad excursion.

Author Paul Stephanus, growing up in New Jersey up to the early 1960’s, missed out on seeing the last Big Time Steam locomotive operations in the USA except for a few locations. Paul defines “Big Time Steam” as seeing three or more steam locomotives working in one location. After high school, Paul joined the US Army as a photographer in 1961 and was assigned to Europe. Based in Germany, Paul spent all his free time and Army assignment time traveling all over Europe photographing the remaining thousands of steam locomotives still operating. For Paul in 1961 to 1964, that was “Really Big Time Steam!”

In late 1966, after doing photography work in New York City, Paul left United Press International to travel to Viet Nam on his own. He photographed the war in Viet Nam and its effect on the people from 1967 to 1969. He was published in many major publications around the world, including Trains Magazine on the Viet Nam Railroad. To return home, he went by way of Hong Kong, Thailand, India (did Trains Magazine article on its steam locomotives), Israel, and through Europe again for a trip around the world.

 In 1972, Paul still wanted to photograph more steam locomotives in the world before they would be replaced by diesel and electric locomotives. So the obvious thing he thought he should do was to take another trip around the world. Going west on a one-way trip, Paul flew to Japan, Hong Kong, Viet Nam again, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand again, Burma (Myanmar), Bangladesh, India again, then overland through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, to Lebanon. He then flew to Egypt, then down through Sudan, Kenya, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Next he flew over to Brazil, then overland through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and finally flew home after one year of traveling.

Chasing Fire in Steel chronicles Paul’s journeys with over 330 photos made in 22 countries on three continents. To his and our amazement, many of the steam locomotives look and perform like the locomotives that used to swarm all over his homeland prior to his youth. This is because many of these locomotives were built in North America. Also, many of the foreign-built steam locomotives were very similar creatures.

For your enjoyment and reflection, this world traveler has captured and compiled the excitement and splendor of steam locomotives alive and in action. Paul encountered many dangers and went into many exotic locations where many railroad enthusiasts would never have ventured.  Also, Paul wrote about being a railfan while living and working in Viet Nam during the war.  If you, the reader, had missed out on these experiences of seeing Big TIme Steam in other countries, in the pages of Chasing Fire In Steel you can pretend you are traveling with Paul."

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****** NAVIGATING THE WEBSITE *****

PLEASE READ before going any farther.

Our home page was getting way too long.  In order to make space for future contributions, I have consolidated and rearranged some existing articles and information.  Here's a summary of the changes to the items on the blue sidebar on the left side of the home page.  If you notice navigtion errors,  please let me know so that can fix them.

NEW CONTACT INFORMATION - 4th item from the top of the blue sidebar.

This page includes new addresses, phone numbers, or emails for any classmate who requests that I make their contact information public. I will not post any contact information in this space unless you ask me to. (But please keep me informed about changes to your contact information so that I can keep our database up to date.)

IN MEMORY - 5th item  from the top.  

Recent notices about the passing of these classmates have been moved to the "In Memory" section of this website:  Rick Boschen, Ralph Davidson, Andy Widmark, Dickie Ross, Rita Levedag, John Wharton, Chris Philips, Joan Bookhart Malloy, Shelley (Rochelle) Caggiano Schait, Jenny Kelsey, Stephen Holzel, Patricia Payne Wallace, Ron Philpott, Frank Rubino, and Sandy Toth Guido.  Click on "In Memory," then click on the classmate's name.

To add your own tribute, anecdote, or memory, scroll to the very bottom of the classmate's In Memory page, then click "Post Comment." Write your message in the empty box. Click "Submit" at the bottom. If you have trouble posting a comment, remember that you must be logged into the website.  Go to the gray box in the upper right corner of the home page.  Click on "Sign in."  You should get to a "Log In" page where you provide your email address and password. Then click the blue "Log In" box.  You can also check the "Keep Me Logged in" box so you don't have to go through this again.  (If you don't know your password, back up and click "Forgot Password?"). If you have trouble, just let me know.  Linda.andre@verizon.net

STORIES FROM DAVID APPLETON - 9th item from  the top. On Bikes and Jim at Le Mans is a memoir of David's older brother Jim and a favorite French touring bicycle. Navy Racks tells of David's athletic feats as a young Navy sailor aboard the USS Courtney back in 1964. In Dry Ice Bomb, we join David Appleton and his band of co-conspirators in a Montclair sewer. In My Insurance Imbroglio, David tells how a deer strike alerted him to deficiencies in his insurance coverage.  In Aunt Elsie Reed and Miss Ardella Watts Bondurant, we meet two important women from David's youth. In Edmund Fitzgerald's Grave David Explores the site of a shipwreck immortalized in a ballad by Gordon Lightfoot.  In Spit Valve Humiliation, we see David auditioning to play the trumpet in the Watchung Elementary School Band. In Patsy's and the Allure of New York: Bringing in the '60s, we join David and his buddies on a drinking expedition to New York City. In Good Humor Man Career we drive with David on his ice cream truck.

GOOD WORKS - 11th item from the top

Read about Carol Gaylor Patterson's involvement with water management in south central Texas, Dick Loomis's anti-malaria Mosquito Abatement project in Mali, and Rick Boschen's fund-raising for Habitat for Humanity through organizing golf tournaments.  Learn also about Ben Ritter's service to people with disabiltites in Tampa, and his wife, Alder Allensworth's children's video about Alzheimers disease. 

ARTS and ARTISTS - 12th item from the top

Articles about Charlotte Gerber Turner's photo website, a mysterious photograph by Michael Brodie, paintings by Janet Kipp Tribus, and more paintings by 18th-century landscape painter George Inness at the Montclair Art Museum.  

To see galleries of photographs by classmates, see:

10th item from the top: Michael Brodie's Gallery of Photos

11th item from the top: Sanford Sherman's Gallery of Photos

REMEMBERING MONTCLAIR - 10th item from the top

You'll find Roxine Clark Garriss' fond memoir of Montclair, especially her neighborhood around Glenfield School. There's also a photo of Richard Yaeger, Jerry Brown, Otto Mills, and Pete Snyder talking after school, and another photo of the entire 9th grade class at Mt. Hebron Jr. High School.  You'll also find information about the current feeder system of the Montclair Public School system, and an article about Martin Luther King's visit to MHS band room.

CLASS PHOTOS: PHOTO GALLERY -6th item from the top.

When you click on "Class Photos: Photo Gallery" in the blue sidebar, you'll come to a list of  28 "galleries."  Scroll all the way down until you see a lot of square pictures with paperclips in the corner.  Each photo gallery has up to 12 photos per page, and there may be multiple pages in a gallery, so be sure to check for additional pages. If you need help telling who's who, just hold your mouse over the photo and a caption may appear. Click on the photo if you want to enlarge it.

The Gallery topics start with "Ourselves" followed by "Family Photos," "80th Birthday Photos," "Our Houses," and "Vacation/Travel." Then there are quite of few galleries of Reunion photos from 2016, 2010, 2002, and 1995.   Finally, there are  galleries entitled School Class Photos, Teachers,  School Sports and Teams, Concerts and Candids, Old Albums: Growing Up in Montclair,  Local Views and Montclair Landmarks, and Favorite Photos by Classmates. 

Do you have photos to share?  If you want to post your own photos, click on the place at the bottom of any gallery page where is says, "Create Your Own Photo Gallery here." You should see instructions that tell you how to upload your own photos.  

If you'd like me to upload your photos for you, that is fine. Just send them to me and I will be happy to post them on the website for you. (Linda.andre@verizon.net) 

Don't like your picture?  If you would like me to remove a photo of you from our website, just let me know which one, and I'll be happy to get rid of it. (Linda.andre@verizon.net)

CLASS PHOTOS: 60s IN COVID MASKS - 7th item from the top.

Photos of classmates wearing masks at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

CLASS PHOTOS: SENIOR YEARBOOK -8th item from the top

Our senior yearbook photos from  page 22 to page 72 (Bruce Adams through Corinne Zungoli)

GENEALOGY - 15th item from the top

Larry Robinson, Jack Brigham and Ralph Davidson report on their research into their family histories.  If you do your own genealogical research, you are invited to share it here.

FAMILY and FRIENDS MEMOIRS - 16th item from the top

Brad Stark offers a memoir of his father. Please feel free to write about someone important to you in this space.

DAVID and JACK'S FAVORITE SONGS - 17th item from the top

Revisit  favorite songs from the past with this list from David Appleton (128 songs) and Jack Brigham (20 songs).

GENE MAZZOLA'S RESEARCH - 18th item from the top

Gene discusses double vision, right-handedness, left-handedness, and hair whorls.

CONTACT - 19th item from the top

Send a Message to Linda Linnard Andre, Site Administrator:

ZOOM REUNION SURVEY - 20th item from the top

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PAUSING ZOOM IDEA

In the Announcement Section at the very top of this page, I explained that at present, there doesn't seem to be enough interest in organizing class Zoom sessions to justify moving forward with that project.  However, some classmates who completed the Zoom survey suggested topics that they would enjoy discussing with classmates (see below).  There's nothing to keep us from discussing those ideas right here on this website.   If you would like to share your ideas on any of the following topics, just send you thoughts to me and I will be glad to post them here. linda.andre@verizon.net 

Topics Suggested by Classmates

Yourself: How are you holding up?  How do you spend your time? Do you have hobbies? Volunteer activities? What are your day-to-day challenges? What kind of work do/did you do?  Do you enjoy retirement?  What are you proud of (or not proud of)?  What helps you to thrive at 81?  Have you experienced ageism (discrimination because of your age)?

Friends and Family: What do you learn from your kids or grandkids?   Have you grieved the loss of a loved one? 

Travel:  Do you have advice about where to go and how to get there? 

High School memories: Would you like to be a high school kid today?

Challenging topics: What do you think of the state of the world, free speech, religion, death, elder care, retirement comunities, developments in science and technology? 

Special Interest groups: Would you like to share ideas with classmates about photography, writing memoirs, music, art, or other areas of interest?  

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Thanks to Michael Pecherer for sending this photo from his Watchung School class. 

Michael writes,  "Look what I found. ... I got a kick out of the faces and the way we dressed."

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83rd Birthdays

Do you have an 83rd birthday photo to share?  Or do you have advice on how to thrive at  83?  Just send your picture and/or thoughts to me at Linda.andre@verizon.net and I'll be delighted to post it on this website.