I could write a list a foot long, as I had so much fun in HS. Here are just some of the highlights. You won't find any that had to do with academia, as it was purely social for me. I look forward to reading each of yours:
1. The great friendships forged with both the guys, gals, and some teachers.
2. The Homecomings and Proms I got to attend, even most of the dresses I wore, but most importantly, who I got to go with.
3. Cheerleading, especially our senior year when the whole squad was seniors. Remember our road trip to Yuma? We went early and Mrs. DeVinny took us to Mexico to shop before the game. Do you remember that, Kate? You were always so much fun.
4. Blowing out my left knee in cheer practice our junior year, and having surgery. Loved all the attention I got walking around on crutches.
5. Being in Harry Mitchell's class and his passion in teaching government. My Mom remembers me telling her he was going to be President someday.
6. Being a brat to my brother and sisters. Guess that should go under regrets. Fortunately they've since forgiven me.
7. Greg Fulgum and Mike Mills taking me to Papago Park one night. The anticipation was great, but nothing happened. Just a good memory with stud football players.
8. Tom Watley saving my skin by helping me with Algebra in Mr. Wearn's class.
9. Eddie Grant dumping me for Paulette just before graduation. No worries, though, as I 'spent the night' with Eddie Combs at the all-night party at Legend City.
10. Ditching one day our senior year and going to Saguaro Lake with the girls. I think I remember, Gail, Genie and Vicki. When we got there, they were draining the lake and not a soul was there besides us, so we decided to skinny dip! Thought we were going to have a big day of meeting some guys, but there were none to be found. They missed out, right girls?
Good one, Diane!
- The various hearbreaking basketball losses when THS got oh-so-close to winning state championships & the holiday tournament (elsewhere detailed)
- Sadie Hawkins dance when my date Shelley Wheeler won the costume contest
- Loss of Principal Bruce Harper to cancer at age 39 in 1968
- Graduation
- Being in 'Finain's Rainbow' (Tommy Wiliams as Senator Rawkins - did a better acting job than the senator himself...)
- Seeing 'Annie Get Your Gun' THS musical as a freshman
- 'The Coachmen' band
- Sam Duane as my Drivers Ed teacher looking at me (at the wheel) incredulously saying 'You mean you've never driven before?'
- Mr. Dee throwing money at students who unexpectedly gave good answers
- Basketball 'happy time' and defensive slides....
1. Katherine Baker
2. JV band with Mr. Miller
3. Roxanne Green
4.Watching Joe Campbell draw his creations on the blackboard
5. Valerie Rice
6. Our first pep rally as freshmen. When the class pres asked us what we were going to do that night, we all yelled, 'Win!' Everyone booed us because we were supposed to yell, 'Beat ________!' (whoever it was we were playing).
7. Leslie Wainwright
8. Watching Charlie Henry do a burnout in the parking lot with his 427 Camaro
9. Genie Davis, Daphne Livingston, Kathy Berger, Rita Somebody, Susie Pottenger, Becky Stoddard, Pam Urschel . . . . . . . . . .
10. Taking typing with my older brother in summer school then giving Ken Gray and Jo Ellen Hunke a ride home afterward while listening to 'Summer in the City'.
Teen Canteen is one of my favorite of all high school memories. Seeing everyone show up just to talk and have fun -- no school work going on. Looking at and talking about girls (some of us didn't have the nerve to talk TO girls), listening to great music and a live local band on Friday nights, hearing about someone's recent car acquisition. Lots of laughing.
3. Tying Diane for Best Looking, (I think) when seniors voted who's who.
4. Cheering in the coliseum, State Basketball Championship game. Too bad we came in second.
5. Traveling to Yuma with Mrs. DeVinney and the other cheerleaders.
6. All the antics Linda MacDonald and I got up to. She had an amazing way of making me laugh!
7. Having Tom Rutz greet me in the hall by saying 'Hello gorgeous' right after some of the boys in our class had given me this Ugly Award certificate :( Freshman year.
8. Winning 'Honorable Mention' in a Miss Photogenic contest.
9. Hanging our with Eddie Combs and Hutch as my pals senior year because LInda and so many of the other girls had steady boyfriends and couldn't play any more.
10. Planning the big assembly before the state basketball game at the coliseum.
1. The day of orientation in the auditorium our freshman year.
2. Getting to be a cheer leader, my freshman year.
3. Yelling 'WIN' at the pep ralley when we were supposed to answer, 'Beat...'
4. Making the Pom Pon squad my freshman and sophomore years. Dancing at all the football and basketball games our sophomore and junior years.
5. Performing on the Pom Pon line with the Marching band at football games.
6. Being elected FFA Sweetheart our junior year and attending that dance with Steve Todd.
7. Having a crush on Kent Davis, Buddy Davis, and Joe Garner (I practically failed typing class because I was always staring at him.
8. My dear friends, especially Vicki Smith, Genie Davis, Diane Hull, Denise Petty, Judy Miller, Marsha Sowell....so many others. Kidding around with Sandy Pizzo in math class and having so much fun with guy friends like Greg Tate, Peter Shelton, and Steve Jones.
9. Teen Canteen
10. Graduation and the all night party at Legend City. Back then I could stay drunk all night on 2 cans of beer.
1. Being the hall monitor when some guy drove his motorcycle down the hall and being asked by some moronic administrator why I didn't stop him?
2. Leaving 3rd hour and going to drink at the Library Bar and coming back after a few drafts and sleeping in art class.
3. Selling the Mormon kids booze.
4. Getting suspended for three days for not having my shirttail tucked in.
5. Having had the privilege of knowing Oscar Aguayo before got killed in Vietnam. Oscar was a class act!
6. Getting otr early to join the Marines. I'd do that again. Tempe High was not a fun experience. I wouldn't want to do it again.
6 out of 10 is as good as its gets.
1. Making Marching Band my Freshman year.
2. Traveling to San Diego with the Band my freshman yearto perform at a Chargers Game.
3. Hiking Havasupai on Easter break our Senior year with Peterson, Maish and Ken Runkel ('70).
4. My 62 Impala 327 with t3/4 race cam, bored and stroked. It was fast!! (when it ran)
5. Taking Diane Ehrhardt ('70) to Homecoming my Senior year.
6. Being Drum Major my Senior year. I got to hang with the pommies!
7. Getting arrested at Disneyland on a Band trip my Senior year for shoplifting a Donald Duck hat that I was going to give Linda 'Duck' McDonald who sat next to me in Mr. Dee's class. (I was innocent!!)
8. My '54 Chevy PU --my 1st vehicle-- I had a lot of fun fixing it up and learned a few things, too. Taking friends to and from school riding in the back. Using it to work summers for my Dad's const. company. I even delivered papers in it
9. Hanging around and riding with the guys that had motorcycles the summer between our sophmore and junior year: Peterson, Delamater, Langhi, Hart. Maish.
10. Ditching Senior Ditch Day with Delamater. We drove my VW up to a vacant lot next door to the resort and cut out early (1 hr.) They called roll and Goullaud tried to cover by answering. Got called into Honaker's office the next day -- Bill Gowan's had $20 taken from his wallet, so we were the prime suspect's. (Innocent again.) Honaker told me I only needed one more minor infraction and I wouldn't graduate. He told me to shave my mustache or else.
(I didn't--Guilty this time)
11. So I'm pushing it. This is the most important -- All the friends I made then and still have today!!
Here's my second 10, as your memories have spurred more in me:
-Visiting Bruce Harper at home when he was dying of cancer. Didn't realize how young he was
-All the school plays, with Charlie Brownd, and Rick Mercer in staring roles
-Coach Duane and the respect he commanded (& still does) and Driver's Ed with him too.
-Being one of the few girls who could drive a stick shift, because my Dad taught me
-Not being afraid of the Burger Boys, but scared to death of Rudy Tafoya, because of his reputation
-The great energy the marching band brought to all our football and basketball games
-Teen Canteen in the summer with Jim Goullaud and Peter Shelton having the best dance moves
-Glad you didn't stop the motorcycle guy from riding in the hall, Bill. Sad you took some 'heat' for that. What did they expect you to do?
-Paulette coming to me for emotional support after she and Eddie broke up. BTW, he was a better kisser after his time with you, Paulette, so a belated 'thanks'
-Being impressed at the time that Gary Patton could grow a mustache in HS
This thread is great. It helps jog the memory. So here are my fond memories...
1. Hitting the UDI for a cherry lime ricky and college boys with Mary Bentley
2. Making pom my freshman year and dancing the next four.
3. Floating down the Verde instead of being in class.
4. The carnival on the tennis courts our freshman year.
5. Dancing at the Chargers game in San Diego our junior year.
6. Senior slave day
7. Those great rolls at the bakery across the street we would get for lunch.
8. Being voted most likely to be the town drunk...I'm proud to say I failed to achieve that honor.
9. Actually graduating...the temptations of the lakes, river, and Marsha's house across the street were great and powerful!
10. and most important....what would high school have been without the boys!
Belle
1. Freshman French – My French name in class was ‘Paulette’.. Sort of funny as Paulette had to go by another name that period..
2. Eating off campus every day.. I remember that little bakery in the shopping center as well,, They’d slice a fresh baked roll and put ham in it for you.. YUMMMM
3. A&W Root Beer Drive-In on Slave Day.. Cruisin’ through with our slave in a convertible throwing water balloons at everyone..
4. PE just before lunch – After class we’d trade dresses with each other.. It was always more fun to wear someone else’s clothes..
5. Freshman Tennis with Jill Boyd.. Learning how to play from Coach Smith.. She was the greatest and introduced me to a game that I was able to pass onto my daughter and still play to this day..
6. More Tennis.. Played all four years.. Practiced two hours everyday after school.. I’d definitely consider the tennis courts my ‘happy place’ from 65’ to 69’..
7. My first crush – Kent Davis… I remember buying him a pair of cuff links for Christmas my Freshman year.. He didn’t laugh at all when I presented them to him.. Whenever possible, would be close to his locker between classes… I think they call it ‘STALKING’ now…
8. Phyllis Cochran letting me spend the night so I could hang out with Kent one evening. We had a wonderful time just walking and talking..
9. Loved Math classes – Any of them… Remember running home to immediately work on math homework… What a GEEK…
10. Teen Canteen… I remember Mike DeVirgilio and Vicki Smith teaching us the ‘Surfer Stomp’.. The style that summer was Surfer Shirts [stripped t-shirts] and hip hugger pants… We were all VERY cool..
OK Diane. Good that you and Ed ended up together. My idea of a great Sunday has nothing to do with getting up at 4 am. to watch the British open, or going to church. As far as making Ed a better kisser, well one does what one can to improve humanity. No thanks required :)
Okay, finally decided to make my list. These are not necessarily in order...
1. Watching the Basketball team, especially the state championship games. I know we were 0 for 2 though. Story of my life. I’m a Buffalo Bills fan now and we lost 4 Super Bowls in a row. Also, crushing McClintock at the ASU gym.
2. Having Mrs. DeVinny for Freshman English.
3. All the beautiful girls at THS, especially the Cheerleaders and Pom Pom girls.
4. Finally getting to spell S-E-N-I-O-R-S at the first pep rally Senior year.
5. Getting booed by the whole school when we stood up to spell
F-R-E-S-H-M-E-N.
6. Seeing “Annie Get Your Gun”.
7. Going to the Football games. Usually not as good as the Basketball team, but there were still the Cheerleaders and Pom Pom girls. And Larry, you are right on about Katherine Baker. ;o)
Diane Grant, Remember senior English with Miss Norkatis. We had to do term papers. You did yours on Nursing and she gave you an F because she thought you faked it. Of course you didn't. However, I did mine on wine making in California. I faked the whole thing. I got an A and A+. Isn't life fair. The only wine i've ever drank is Ripple,Bali Hai,Night Train and Silver Satin. I lied., also Boones Farm Strawberry Hill. Bye
Greg,
Yes, I do remember Sr. English with Miss Norkatis, a cute blonde. However, I don't remember getting an F on my paper, but I trust your memory, as I often did do papers on Nursing. Thank goodness my 'academia' did kick in at ASU. I am not at all surprised at your 'charming' her into an A. And the topic, 'Wine Tasting'? She was probably intrigued by your 'worldly' subject matter as well as your good looks.
Diane
I've put a lot thought into this one, so here we go!
1: The cheer leaders, especially Diane, as a teen age boy with hormones racing that was easy! Plus: They were all Beautiful & talented!
2: Katherine Baker's kiss! Eat your hearts out Larry and Gary. She lost a contact
lens on the dance floor. I found it, and got an unexpected reward!
3:Of course- The basketball team, we came so close, Great memory
4: The all night party at Legend City, what a blast! I was in student council and
helped that go through, more help came from Grady's influence.
5:Track, Loved coaches Zucco & Winn, when they were not smoking behind the bleachers, and I Tied the the school record in the pole vault at the time
6: Gammage, our # one and president lurking under the bridge at Encanto park
tipping over canoes at the NHS picnic, he didn't get me, hit him with my paddle!
7: Helping Sally Johnston in biology, I was her Lab partner, sometimes I lost my focus of what we were supposed to be doing
8: Sally's little sister Linda, what a gem. I'm so sorry about what happened to her.
9:Mr De's English class, what a scholar, and jackass!
10: Scott Donaldson getting beat up by Steve Blum from McClintock, sorry El
Scotto, had to put you in here somewhere, what were you thinking?
* In no order *
1. The THS Small Motorcycle Club. Also people like Steve Dennis, Whatley, Hicks, Peterson, Patton, Delamater, Maish, Chuck Brownd, Steve Frizzell, Kelly McKee, and a long long list of best friends.
2. Legend City with Charley Defer, and seeing the pictures of Legend City Wallace & Ladmo skits.
3. Building a Big Cedar Chest in Wood Shop and I still have it.
4. Working on Mike Delamater's Renault.
5. The Concert Choir Trip to Berkely and San Francisco, and meeting Tommy Whatley, I mean Summers, ah I mean Smothers.
6. Being in all the Musicals, small parts. Ann Hughs kissing me the Night of the Finale of Annie Get Your Gun in the Hall by the Music Room.
7. Mr. Walkers Music Theory Class. I arranged The Valley of The Dolls-Theme Song for I can not remember how many instruments. This class stayed with me.
8. ''ALL RIGHT!!!'' Mr. Grahams Stage Craft was the greatest fun. Building Props and singing in the Musicals.
9. Me and Steven Scow getting in car chases around Tempe after practice for the Musicals. We almost died. Just kidding.
10. Being picked to be in the 'Mens Ensemble'. For 2 years.
After reading the previous “top 10 best memories”, I have concluded that Bill Richardson and I attended a completely different THS than the previous people. However, if you analyze the number of posters/participants in the topic compared to the total possible number, I must conclude that Bill’s and Elson’s experience was the majority experience.
I know that I will take some heat for my top 10 memories (if I can get to 10) but I am sure that I hold the record for the most disciplinary action without being tossed out of school from grades K-12. So, what the heck. I am submitting my “top 10 “list in support of the masses which had a less than memorable experience at THS.
#1 Seeing THS in my rear view mirror.
I first submitted this comment to the 20 year reunion committee and the committee ceased all communication with me. When I contacted Larry Cannon via email about a possible memorial for Peter Staddon, his first response was to bring up the statement. He had been brooding on it for 20 years.
#2 Being accused of cheating on the second semester Chemistry final by Mr. Wells.
If you remember, it was a standardized test. After loafing the entire year with Cs, Mr. Wells claimed that I scored the highest in the school on the test and I must have cheated to achieve the score. I took the test in about 20 min. I laughed at him and walked out.
#3 Miss Boyer predicting that with “my attitude”, I would be in prison before I was 25.
Well, my Cornell Dean would agree that I still have an attitude but no prison yet.
#4 Not having a clue who the young lady was, walking next to me in the Graduation procession. She was a complete stranger. Anybody want to admit that they walked next to me in the Graduation procession?
#5 Giving the crowd below (with 3 others) the golden farewell shower from the cable car at Legend City all night party.
The other three will remain nameless unless they want to confess. We heard later that other groups followed our farewell lead.
#6 Gary Fish and I beating out over 50 other teams in the Plymouth Troubleshooting contest.
We came in second overall and missed the trip to the National competition by a whisker. Uncle Ben Elkins from Ben’s THS speed shop was so excited he talked about it for 2 days. Ann Elkins actually spoke to me, commenting on how excited her dad was. They misspelled my name (Elson Fields) on the trophy given to THS and it remained that way. Such is life.
#7 Tossing coins from the upper levels of the Gym when the dancing clowns and clownettes performed during the mandatory pep rallies.
This was in protest to the mandatory attendance to an event which was viewed as a waste of time. There were numerous participants in this exercise (anybody else want to confess?). With the teachers patrolling, you had to be quick, sneaky and accurate to escape detection.
#8-#10 My wife deleted the rest of my top 10 memories.
Ok Elson I do not remember who you walked with, but I do not think your wife is looking over your shoulder either. Come on Elson lets see 8 through 10. This is a great website.
Wow, Elson, I had no idea you suffered so much. I think many of us did, and Terry Price once told me he thought we were all little walking islands of hurt during our high school years. I suspect he got it right.
I wasn't picked on like you were, but I had most of my social life with people other than my classmates. Different ages and stages... nobody's right or wrong.
Here's My Top 10 List, in no particular order. And if I make it to 10, that will be something.
1. Miss Ormsby - what a treasure she was for Junior Acc. English. I got to know her and she gave me advice, mostly that I'd be happier once I got to college!
2. Mr. Dee - of course he makes the list. He treated all of us with a faint contempt and it worked wonders for our young hearts to see that we weren't the center of anybody's idea of gifted or creative. What it did was make us try harder.
3. Band - if you weren't in band, you cannot understand, but the drilling, marching and downright military-like aspect of band catered to nobody. You were a peon during the marching season, so shape up and run through that maneuver again! Kids from all 4 years of high school were there, too. I am surprised at how many of the class of 66 I remember from the band - they were special, or at least this is how I saw them.
4. Marching for the San Diego Chargers our freshman and junior years.
5. Being friends with Jill Boyd. She's still my best pal. When you have history with somebody, you don't need to explain anything because they were there and they know how everything, good and bad, went down in your life.
6. Sam Ekiss - 1st boyfriend - very sad what happened to him. He dumped me for Peggy Wendt, a freshman! I was crushed beyond belief for about 3 months. He and I became friends later.
7. Playing in the orchestra for the musicals - had to be at every rehersal. We had some very good singers at THS! I played for Finian's Rainbow and another one I cannot recall now.
8. Being in the class plays - I also did makeup back stage and this was fun for me. Got to see all the backstage aspects of a performance and enjoyed it very much.
9. Mrs. Lamberts and the Latin Club - she was a great lady and we were lucky to have her. She encouraged many people to excellence in their lives.
10. Mr. Harper - I felt as though we were getting to know him when he passed. Such a loss for us.
Now that Phyllis mentioned her, I'll add a #7 to my list, Miss Ormsby was hot. I remember her. Does anyone know whatever happened to her? I didn't get the impression that teaching was her passion or that she even liked it all that much.
I remember Miss Ormsby left Tempe High after 1 year because she was going to get married. His name was Tommy Wells, he lived in San Francisco, and she told me she had 'waited' for the right one - at 16 I wasn't sure what she meant. Now I understand. Yes, she was special. All the guys thought she was hot, but if you were a teenage girl with dreams bigger than your life, she treated you like a big sister would treat you. She offered guidance, wit and a shoulder to lean on. I hope she's had a happy life.
I stayed in touch with Miss Ormsby for awhile after high school. She became a flight attendant after leaving Tempe High and I believe that's where she met her husband, but I won't swear to it. I was her teacher's assistant, and you're right Phyllis, she was like a big sister. I've thought of her often, like you, I hope she has been happy.
I'll take a turn to reminisce a little. So many great memories.
1. A country bumpkin from Kyrene Elementary goes to town to high school, only knowing a handful of kids, and gets elected Freshman Class VP. Richard Carbajal started calling me hillbilly when we met and called me that through senior year.
2. I too remember the Carnival our Freshman year. Got married at the Marriage Booth then celebrated at a few secluded spots around campus. Can't remember anything else about the Carnival though.
3. Made Marching Band Freshman year but had to drop because of class schedule conflicts, not a favorite memory.
4. Next three years of Marching Band were great. Early morning practice in the 'grubby', stinky clothes. Ogling the Pommies and Cheer ladies. Bus trips to the games,(Salvation Army.....). Charger game in CA. Superior ratings at Band Day competitions. Concerts at Grady Gammage . Jazz Band. Sleeping with Caroline Shackleford..............
on my shoulder on the bus ride home from Disneyland. :) (She probably doesn't even remember, but some of us girl crazed guys remember those things)
5. FFA.. Bottled Barqs sodas at the meetings. Mechanics and livestock judging events around the state. Tractor rodeos. State Conventions every Aug in Tucson. Trip to Kansas City MO for the national convention.
6. Beating out my best friend (of 12 years at that point) and arch rival Jerry Kerr for FFA Chapter President our Sr year. One of the very few things I ever bested him at.
7. Kissing Jill Qwilliam right on the mouth (as I crowned her Chapter Sweetheart) and not getting pounded by Tony Powers. :)
8. My first solo date in a car. Got my license that same day. Borrowed Kim Standages Corvair. He thought it would be funny to leave me only one 8 track tape. California Strings Play The Beatles! (Maybe he thought I might need a little help!)
9. All of us making Jack Ross go home and bring Aquanetta back to our awards rally.
10. All the great after game dances, too shy to ask for a dance, too many crushes and too shy to ask for a date.
So many friends made in those four years. Like all of you and others. Thanks for the chance to remember and share.
1. Katherine Baker
2. JV band with Mr. Miller
3. Roxanne Green
4.Watching Joe Campbell draw his creations on the blackboard
5. Valerie Rice
6. Our first pep rally as freshmen. When the class pres asked us what we were going to do that night, we all yelled, 'Win!' Everyone booed us because we were supposed to yell, 'Beat ________!' (whoever it was we were playing).
7. Leslie Wainwright
8. Watching Charlie Henry do a burnout in the parking lot with his 427 Camaro
9. Genie Davis, Daphne Livingston, Kathy Berger, Rita Somebody, Susie Pottenger, Becky Stoddard, Pam Urschel . . . . . . . . . .
10. Taking typing with my older brother in summer school then giving Ken Gray and Jo Ellen Hunke a ride home afterward while listening to 'Summer in the City'.
Teen Canteen is one of my favorite of all high school memories. Seeing everyone show up just to talk and have fun -- no school work going on. Looking at and talking about girls (some of us didn't have the nerve to talk TO girls), listening to great music and a live local band on Friday nights, hearing about someone's recent car acquisition. Lots of laughing.<
I remember our senior year that there was a visiting exchange student from Sweden who came to Mr. Dee's Acc. English class.
We engaged him in a Q&A session. I asked about sexual liberation in Sweden, and the shocked looks and sneers from literally EVERYBODY in the class took me aback. I thought it was a fair question, but I was treated like a hussy for asking!
So excuse me for thinking nobody in high school was a horn dog!
Glad to hear some of you were. As Jerry would say, 'hee hee'
