Bruce Wilson

Did I bring up Tom Swifties here (he said inquiringly)? There was a time when Jeanie Booth and I used to trade them back and forth, probably in junior high school. So, for example.

"I have no flowers," Tom said lackadaisically.

An extension is to personalize them.

I wonder what ever happened to Evelyn Saks, Bruce said thoughtfully.

Frank's nickname came from a board game, Terry said knowingly.

You get the drift, Bruce said aimlessly.

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Speaking of Frank and football, when HHS played CPHS I don't know who missed the blocking assignment, but I can still remember our mutual friend Jim Stuckey repeatedly knocking Frank to the deck and just as repeatedly picking him back up again. Could it have been that it wasn't a missed assignment as much as Jim being very hard to block?  As long as we're on this topic, I wonder whatever became of the "jump" pass that Frank was throwing. Was it Coach Sisk's idea? It did not seem to take off (pun).

Bruce Wilson

I'm still searching for the Hilltop Drive Elementary School Class Photos. I know I have them because I gave Corinne copies. In the meantime, here is a significant portion of my creative output during my year at the Hilltop Drive Elementary Kindergarten. Commissioner of Art Jeanie Booth reviewed these way back when and I'm sure would approve them appearing here now were she still with us. This work was not awarded an E, S or N as was the custom, but rather an HM (honorable mention).

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Terry Lee Maple

I would take the blame for Stuckey's hit on Frank but on most passing plays in that game (we won 20-0) I was diving into the line on a fake. My old friend Biff McLure was a 300 pound middle guard whose belly I plunged into play after play. Like Stuckey he was very kind to pick me up off the turf (maybe that's why we beat them). Stuckey was tough to block but he would have been lined up against Lindsay or Palmer so I don't think he got to Frank too many times. We had an outstanding offensive line; LIndsay, Harse, Katella, Bandelin, Palmer, tackle to tackle. Vredenburgh and Crittendon alternated at guard. There was no diminution of performance from large to small guards. One interesting fact about Frank's career. He started at quarterback as a sophomore. That didn't happen very often in those days as sophonores gnerally deferred to juniors and seniors on the varsity. As the starting quarterback Frank enjoyed many perks such as lunch on the senior lawn. He spent a lot of time with Tank Reynolds, senior center and middle guard on defense. Occasionally, Frank would ask me to join him on the lawn. I never felt comfortable there but Frank was in hog heaven (so to speak). He also lettered in baseball as a sophomore. The only other peer who enjoyed such early fame that I recall is Don Parish (Class of 1963) who won nine letters in football, basketball, and baseball. He too was immediately comfortable competing with older players and enjoyed immediate athletic success in high school. As a psychologist I have always been fascinated with the mental side of athletic performance. On the athetic field, Frank was cool as a cucumber.

Gail Eileen Dillon (Boone)

To John, Michele, Patty, and anyone else who might have had Mrs. Eklund at Rosebank for fifth grade. . . I remember her as a good teacher in general and for two things in particular.  I remember her demonstrating how to hit a softball ("Hold the bat like this and step forward with your left foot") dressed in her very conservative teacher clothes, and I remember her reading to us every day after lunch a book by Sperry called Call it Courage.  (Wonder if she was the one who taught me to underline book titles)  It was such an exciting story, probably terribly non-PC these days, but to a fifth grader it was just such fun.  I remember all of us moaning when she quit and begging her to read just a few more pages.  Anybody else remember?

Patricia Lee Leckman (Banner)

Gail, I do remember Call It Courage and recommended it often to my students and grandchildren.  It seems to mean a lot to many generations.  With my faulty memory, I did not give Miss Eklund the credit she was due, however.  About the baseball tips, I was so afraid of being hit by the ball, it would have been good to follow her lead!  Kickball was more to my liking. 

Thank you all for the recollections. Keep them coming!  Personally, I think this forum is fabulous for helping us connect and recall.  It will make the reunion even better with such a short time to actually be together, we will have already progressed to a higher phase of connection.

Terry brings up an interesting point about the athletic mind-set.  Tell us more, Terry.  I always attributed it to a competitive spirit and "proving oneself", is that too simple?  Let's hear more.

Bruce Wilson

First Internet appearance: Frank & Janice circa 1966 (courtesy Wilson Archives).

Skeezix-wise, what I'm struggling with right now is that it was on the order of 45 years since I had seen him last when I tracked him down and except for someone's off-hand comment at the 45 year get together I might never have seen him again. Very strange how the world turns.

Which brings me to "Brujo", but that will have to wait.  Gramma Chele is calling.

Bruce Wilson

I checked the credits and unfortunately this is not the long sought after Evelyn Saks.  On the upside we have 7,999,999 more stories to search though.

Beverly Burton (Ryan)

"Does anyone from Hazel Goes Cook School remember going on the Kersarge Aircraft Carrier in the 6th grade?  Mr. Gonzales was the teacher and I remember him as a pretty good guy and fun in the classroom.   Does anyone recognize Carolyn Coates, Roger Schmidt, John Link, Laurie Webster, Diane Leoni, Robert Perdue.   Jane Ladley's father was the Captain of this ship if I remember correctly.   We need the names of some of the boys in this photo."

Beverly Burton (Ryan)

Rainbow Girls 1960

Beverly Burton (Ryan)

Do any of you remember what the "Teen Forum" was all about?

Rosalee May (Rosie) O'Day (Mason)

This is the Jarrettes club in our senior year.  Our membership drew from both Hilltop and CVHS.  We sponsored many of the dances at the gym and participated in several service oriented activities.  In fact, one of my most memorable moments in high school was when the Jarrettes went to the Starlight Center (a center for adults with disabilities) and put on a Christmas party for them.  The joy we brought those folks, and their humble appreciation, taught me an invaluable lesson on serving others.

Jerry Pedrotti

Beverly   This photo of Mr. Gonzales's class visiting the Kersarge does bring back some memories.  I am in the second row seven from the right, wearing a jacket and standing in front Mr. Gonzales.  He was a fun teacher for sure.  Another teacher from Hazel Goes Cook I remember was Miss Miche or Micky.  Her class was bussed to another nearby elementary school for some reason.  She was a good teacher but a real character.  One memory I have is her sharing photos of her fiance with us in the classroom.  Such personal stuff would be verboten in today's school classrooms.

Susan L. Frise

Yeah Bev, I remember that visit to the USS KEARSARGE of Mr Gonzales 6th grade class at Cook Elementary. The Kearsarge was named after a Civil War era ship (I looked that up in Wikipedia), and I can go right across the front row of boys and name quite a few of them starting from the right side, skipping the first two are:  Robert Perdue, Marcello Medina, John LInk, (skip the next one), my neighbor Larry Biggers, Mary Salamone, then Laurie, Bev, Carolyn Coates, then I think is Jane Landry (Captains dght.) next to her best friend, Clara Jane Lackey (Navy also), next three can't quite recall but at the end is another one from my block whose first name was Mary (end of row 1--keep wanting to say Mary Medina but I think I'm getting the last name wrong there).  I'm 6th from the left in the taller back row, right behind Spanish speaking Blanca (our newest classmate) for whom Mr. G had us all learn a little Spanish, then Lorraine is in that row next to Blanca, in front of me.  In the back row I can't recall all of them but 5th from the right is Richard Chapman, and then 7th from the right is Jerry P., after Robert Taylor (6th).  I can't quite recall the rest but knew them enough that I should have.  I think that may be Mary Brown at the very beginning (left side) of the back row next to Claudia?

Hope that helps.

Susan L. Frise

Oh, Bev, sorry that I misnamed one person:  the Mary at the left end of the front row is Mary Miguel.  I'm absolute on that.  She did live at the end of my street, Barret Ave., where it dead-ended.

Beverly Burton (Ryan)

Susan, you have hit the names correctly.  It is Mary Miguel and Rosie and I think the girl 3rd from left on front row is Diane Leoni and Roger Schmidt is next to you by Mr. G.   Do you remember how popular Clara Jane was, little tiny skinny girl?   I am not sure what happened to her, but Jane and I corresponded until she married after hight school.  I still have some old photos of her and she became a very beautiful girl.  I can't seem to find a class photo for that year to perhaps see the names of some of the group.

Wonder what happened to Blanca????

Gail Eileen Dillon (Boone)

Rosie, Thanks for posting the Jarrettes picture.  Amazing how many names I still remember.  It's especially nice to see Tsienna in another picture.

Gail Eileen Dillon (Boone)

Another thought...I was talking to a friend this past week-end and mentioned our upcoming reunion.  She said she was sorry she had gone to her 40th and would not attend another one because she just didn't remember anyone.  I truly mean it when I say that in many ways HHS seems like yesterday, partly because I do remember so many of you so well and it will be so much fun to see you all.  I often think how lucky we were  to have (for the most part) such excellent teachers who really taught us what we needed to know, and to have made so many long-lasting friendships.  I spent twelve years with some of you, starting at Rosebank, and  six with many of you because of CVJH/HJH before Hilltop.  Seems like we were blessed with a lot of stability. . .

George Bracey Gillow

CHULA VISTA 3RD AVENUE MOVIE, 1928-1929

Below is a short movie (10 minutes) that I put on YouTube on an early history of 3rd Ave.

Thanks to Peter Watry for tracking it down.  It is a 16mm silent movie taken by Dr. Robert Muller-- in about 1928-1928-- of Chula Vista 3rd Avenue and nearby businesses.  Here is some of what is in the movie:

• Walker Barber Shop--317 3rd
• Skinner Hardware--316 3rd
• Smith Drug Store --307 3rd
• C.V. Brown--285 3rd
• Peters' Feed Store--332 3rd (Where Fuddruckers is today.  Mr. Peters lived in an upstairs apartment in a building next door.)
• Morris Grocer -- 343 3rd  (Near where Money Real Estate is today.)
• Kinmore Electric--321 3rd
• Helm Bros. Garage -- on F Street just east of 3rd
• Helm Chevrolet -- 273 3rd
• Proctor Radio -- 347 3rd
• Hersum Lumber -- 160 National (Broadway)
• San Diego Consolidated Gas & Electric Co. -- 337 3rd
• Bryant Auto Electric -- 333 F street.

Does anyone know who these people are in the movie?

George Bracey Gillow

CHULA VISTA TELEPHONE DIRECTORY 1932

Below are portions of the Chula Vista section of the San Diego County phone directory of 1932.  Note that some numbers have a letter after them and some a letter followed by a single digit number.   I am not sure why this was, maybe these were party lines?

Peters' Feed Store was located at 332 3rd until the early 1980s.  I remember it being a nursery and a toy store when we first moved to ChulaVista in 1958.  They were forced to move by eminent domain when 3rd Avenue was redeveloped--along with all businesses in the southwest corner of 3rd and Fst.  They moved to the very north part of 3rd--near the DMV.   They did well there for a while but could not compete with larger nurseries and Home Depot type stores and went out of business many years ago.

Note that in 1932 the avenues were numbered in reverse of what they are today.  Hilltop was 6th Avenue, 1st was 5th, 2nd was 4th, etc.   In the early 1940s 6th avenue became Hilltop, 5th became 1st, 4th became 2nd, 3rd the same, 2nd to to 4th and 1st to 5th etc. So why did they do that?  Well they wanted the street numbers to have some relation to the house numbers.  So with the switch the 100 block, of say “J”, was between 1st and 2nd, 200 numbers between 2nd and 3rd etc.

Notice the stores around the Seville Theater.  The Butcher of Seville arrived to CV about a decade later.

Bruce Wilson

Excellent find George.

Good grief! Lucky Strike ads,  "Neolite" signs, corn flakes with Kellogg's Pep..

Field trips that I sort of recall - to a dairy, to the Presidio Museum and park.

With the patrol boys: Fox Theatre downtown movies, aircraft carrier (The Hornet?), Knott's Berry Farm

George Bracey Gillow

OTHER CHULA VISTA HISTORIC MOVIES

"Vintage San Diego" has a bunch of videos of the San Diego area on YouTube including some of Chula Vista.  One was taken back in 1965.

You can see their list at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-A_u7eUCSaMvWL0zhXaurg

John Moore

I guess I came from the wrong side of town.  My folks lived on 2nd Ave.and the corner of Chula Vista St.  I went to "F" Street Elementary (now the library) when we moved here from the South Pacific in 1956.  I had Mrs. Wagner for the 5th grade and Mr. Gaske in the 6th grade.  The kids from my neighborhood were Lyle, Jimmy Hitchcock, Malcom and Nickie Nicholson, Robbie Bartlett, Kim Newell, David Hobel,etc.  We all went to Hilltop High. I knew Rosi O'day and her brother Mike, because her father was my Boy Scout Master.   Are there any other Lancers that went to "F" street out there?   Anyone remember a girl named, Donna Fender, 1965?  I have enjoyed all the old trivia from Chula Vista.  I have not thought about most of it since I left in 1965.  Good times in high school...  Thanks....John Moore

Bruce Wilson

George: First vid I clicked into was the "salt works". As I recall someone died there when we were growing up from a "salt slide". Be that as it may, in light of my paperboy background this has to be my favorite. The Star News appears to  be the company to have worked for. The SD U-T didn't pay well enough to buy a bike, let alone a live donkey (horses asses?).

Yes John, but don't forget Mike "Howdy Doody" Clark and John "JD" Dixon and the Phi Pinchi Nugi members. A lot of sad stories floating around down there in the vicinity of Vista Hill.

John Tschogl was a friend of mine.

Sorry, no photos, but there may be a t-shirt or two still floating around.

As far as "F" Street School goes. Kenny Hardesty and Alan Parsons come to mind, not always a pretty picture though.

Don't get me started on Kenny and Toni Watts.

Madeline Bazzel (Hooper)

 Hey George, nice little video.  I'm guessing someones grandfather or great grandfather is in it.  It was already different when we were groing up and look at it now.  It sure isn't the main hub anymore, sad.

Does anyone remember the dairy that used to be beween Chula and National City?  We would drive thru to get milk.  Hard to believe we were tht young.

George Bracey Gillow

GOOGLE STREET VIEW OF 3RD AVENUE

If you no longer live in the CV area, then a good way to see 3rd Avenue is with the Google Map/Earth street view.

Did you ever wonder what the Google vehicle that takes these views looks like?  Here is a picture:

 Well, OK, so that is really the Automobile Club of Southern California's vehicle that they used in the late 1930s and early 1940s to take street view pictures in Los Angeles. They took over 20,000 photos.