Bruce Wilson

Great historic homes post George.

Chris Cook (Hazel Goes' son) lived right across the street from me on Minot Avnue (subsequently Suzanne Phillips lived there). Chris had a very pretty wife that all the neighborhood boys loved and despite being significantly older he took me for a couple of adventurous rides through his mom's lemon orchards in an old truck at reckless speeds. Sadly, I learned not too long ago that Chris has passed. If you live in the area it's easy enough to see the Cook house by climbing the fence/gate, which is what Michele and I did. Friends of the family you  know!

My paper route encompassed the Country Club area and I always liked a number of the Spanish themed houses in that area. I almost bought the Cotton family home at 40 Palomar a couple of years back, but missed out by a few days. Another really nice one is 58 San Miquel Drive, but I've talked with the owners and they're pretty firmly entrenched. Very nice folks however.

So Karen do you live on Sierra Way? Michele ran into  David Grey a while back and we got the impression that he might be living in his parents' house, which at the time of my paper route job was on Sierra Way. Mr. Nolfi was indeed at HHS in 1961. I'm trying to track down my sister's 1960 yearbook because I associate his name with her, but it would have been 1960 not 1961. Unlike yours truly, all my sister's loved her being in their classes..

LaBerta King (Forys)

I have been watching the messages with interest as my memories of Chula Vista, Castle Park Elementary, Castle Park Jr H and Hilltop HS are all rather vague and dim. I left the area shortly after graduating  to go  to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and have only been back 2 or 3 times since.   I went to find my year book from 1964 and learned that I only have the 3 years from Jr High.  Somehow the Hilltop HS ones must not have made in move to Australia 18 years ago.  Is it possible for one of the clever IT geeks in our class to digitize the graduating year book or at least our class and activities.  I hope that this does not contravene some privacy issues.   I would really like to have those memories refreshed. 

I am traveling to the US in May and hope to spend a bit of time wandering around in Chula Vista seeing some of the places classmates have described in this forum.  Keep the postings coming, they are filling blank spaces for me in my memory bank.

I do remember Eisenhower landing in a heliocoper for the rotary event, as we lived within a block of the San Diego golf club at the time. Before my sister Kelly and I started HS, we moved to Myra Street, closer to HHS.

I also remember the pep ribbons that were mention earlier in Memories postings. I spent many after-school hours helping design and silk-screen them prior to each HHS sporting event.

Does anyone have any copies of the HHS school newspaper?  I was on the staff for all 3 years and would love to see at least one copy.

Not sure which forum this posting should be in, but oh well here it is... 

Cheers, from Downunder.  As you enjoy the joy of Spring arriving we prepare for Autumn (its not called Fall here).

Bruce Wilson

LaBerta:

You're in the right place my friend. There are some digitized versions available on-line for sale, which I think is absurd. It's quite a job to scan an entire book (which is why folks are trying to sell them), but I'm thinking about it.

I'll let you know what I come up with.

Bruce Wilson

More Camp Cuyamaca:

Susan Marshal (Crawford) cooking on hobo stove:

Dorm (Jean, Natalie & Sharon (apparently Crawford and Helix High school grads early 1960's))

Weather Station and buildings

Songs:

I doubt they'd be singing these today.

Bruce Wilson

JFK - San Diego Visit 1963:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJ6Q5avdRc

George Bracey Gillow

Hilltop High Yearbooks

Laberta, There are websites where you can view, purchase or download yearbooks.   Here is one that has the 1964 Hilltop YB:

http://www.e-yearbook.com/sp/eybb?school=30447&year=1964

This requires registration and I have never used the site.

George Bracey Gillow

JFK Visit

Notice in the second picture on Bruce's post on the JFK visit that you can see our Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin sitting in the limo just in front of the President.

Van Deerlin had just been elected in 1962 for the first time and was the only Democratic congressman from San Diego.  So he got to ride on Air Force One and in the limo.  Not something most newly elected congress representatives get to do.

Whenever I hear all these conspiracy theories of the assassination in Dallas, I think of Kennedy riding a long distance along El Cajon Blvd in an open limo, sometimes standing up.  It seems it would be easy for some nut on any of the rooftops to easily take a shot.   It was really unbelievable, in those days, that such a chance was taken with Presidents riding in open limos.

Barbara Sindelar (Seagren)

OMGoodness! As soon as the lyrics appeared, I could sing those Camp Cuyamaca songs! What a trip!!!!

Susan L. Frise

Yeah, I too remember JFK's visit.  My Aunt JoAnn (Frise) Peterson graduated from San Diego State that year and Kennedy gave the commencement address.  She went on that Fall to Monterey High to be School Nurse there and I ended up going up there to live with her.  We got off school to attend and I went with my sis, Margaret (Frise) Hargrove (Hilltop grad-'66), and we actually got to sit near the front with my Aunt--could see Kennedy very well.  Then we ran into some guys from HILLTOP (I can't remember who, now) and we left with them to go sneak into the SD Zoo, which wouldn't let us in because we were supposed to be in school.  We couldn't convince them we were off because of Kennedy's visit.  Another of my adventurous misadventures.  Sadly he died 6-months later, the day before my 17th birthday. 

I also remember Ike's visit.  We were on a hillock at the golf course and I could see him.  Does anyone remember NIxon's visit when he ran in 1960 against Kennedy?.  My Dad took me to hear him speak at the Chula Vista Bowl and I got to shake hands with who was to, sadly, become "Tricky Dick".

Hi to LaBerta!!  I so remember you from Castle Park, AND Hilltop. You were on my "What happened to..." list.  I have run into Kelly a couple of times over the last few years.  Glad to know you made it!!! 

Bruce Wilson

Well Susan, I'm surprised we didn't cross paths.

Was anybody a patrol boy? Remember Officer Bob? I had heard that he was living in Wisconsin and sure enough Terry Greenlee on the 1963 Forum actually tracked him down and spoke with him on the phone. Here's an old photo I found and the one from the 1963 page.

Interesting that a police favorite is the place Tom Waits worked.

Bruce Wilson

Here are some photos of the Hilltop Circle housing and some habitues (most likely 1948). As you can see, these were not luxury accomodations. However, there had just been a big war. I wonder if Frank and I broke any windows in the one I lived in. That was a mighty fine scooter. They don't make 'em like that anymore. I guess before becoming a patrol boy, I was a zoot-suiter.

"Out on the railroad track, they're cleanin' up number 9
They're scrubbin' the boiler down
Well, she really is lookin' fine
Ah, she's lookin' so good
They're gonna bring her back on line
Ordinary people
They're gonna bring the good things back
Nose-to-the stone people
Put the business back on track
Ordinary people
I got faith in the regular kind
Hard workin' people
Patch-of-ground people..."

Karen Etsuko Tachiki (Savel)

Great photos, and Officer Bob, I remember him. I think back in the olden days, girls were not allowed to be in the Safety Patrol, at least I think so. I do remember my brother being a safety patrol boy. And how do you find these photos Bruce? Are they all from personal collection, or somewhere on the internet?

I remember the Ike visit. Kay and Chris Zakarian lived in the big house on the South side of L Street, where Second Avenue ends and we were able to walk into the golf course from a gate near their house. As I recall, President Eisenhower was so far away, it was kind of hard to see him, but we were there and it was pretty exciting. And that house is another interesting old house in old Chula Vista, maybe is in the historical homes website that George shared on this forum. 

Madeline Bazzel (Hooper)

Hi Bruce

I remember your sister so well.  It was such a sad time when we lost her.

Gail Eileen Dillon (Boone)

Wow, Karen! another memory jolt!  I hadn't thought about the Zakarians in forever.  Tsiennia's family included me in a trip to Lake Shasta (Tsiennia and her dad taught me to water ski) right after graduation and we stopped in Modesto to see them.  Of all things, I remember that they cooked stuffed grape leaves for us for dinner.  I wonder where they are now -- Anybody know?

Bruce Wilson

Hi Madeline:

Thank you for your rememberance of my sister. I know she appreciates it. Me too.

Karen:

Most of the stuff is already on the internet, or soon will be if I have anything to do with it :-}. Some is recent, some is from an accumulation over the years of "I wonder what ever happened...".  I had forgotten about the Zakarians living on 'L' Street. In addition, a lot ofother people lived on that stree above Third Ave. John Skinner, Jimmy Walton, Mark and Ann Weiss, Billy Burger, Terry Fergusen, Joyce Doolittle, Susan Davis, Rudy Castro, Roger Schmidt (?), Brad Neal(?), Suart Grossman & Hank Sieradzski to name some. It was also the main point of entry for folks sneaking onto the golf course and joy-riding the golf carts around.

.

Terry Lee Maple

Yes, Brad lived on L Street. I believe Roger Williams did also. I remember Hank's house with his father's big Lincoln out front. He once took me for a joy ride in the car when Hank was about fourteen years old. Unfortunately, sone dude pulled out and hit him. This was not one of Hank's good days when he had to explain the dent to his stern father. I visited the Zakarian's in Modesto when I was considering UOP in nearby Stockton. I believe I went up there with Tim Heck. Speaking of big houses, Dean Butterfield had a big house where a lot of wild parties were held, not far from the L Street crowd.

Susan L. Frise

Yeah, Bruce, we lived in exactly the same housing only on Pt. Loma--we were right across from Sunset Cliffs. My cousins lived there too and actually surfed, on big boards back then, off the cliffs, way, way back in the late '50's.  They were a few years older then me. The housing was old WWII military housing and many returning military were given first option for it.  My Dad, who had been a marine in WWII, worked the night shift at the old Ryan Aeronautics while my Mom rode the bus to SD State College (as it was then called)--she graduated in 1954 and became an elementary teacher.  I have markedly similar photos to yours of our old duplex home.  Our complex was called Azure Vista.  Linnea Kirk (our drum majorrette at CPJH) was in my second grade class at Sunset View Elementary.  Azure Vista's elementary shut down and we all had to climb Hill Street in Pt. Loma to the new Sunset View.  They did tear down the whole complex and built magnificent, to us kids back then, "$100,000 dollar homes", which who knows, nowadays, what they sell for.  My Aunt and Uncle, who had once lived at Azure Vista bought one.  My brilliant folks ended up buying a $16,000 home in the Country Club Estates in Chula Vista.

George Bracey Gillow

There were a lot of civic leaders who lived there also.  Some are:

• The late Mayor Will Hyde at 803 Vista Way, at the end of K Street.
• Chet Devore lived a few doors down from Will Hyde on K street.  He was the first President of Southwestern College.
• Councilman and Mayor Frank Scott lived on San Miguel.
• Councilmen Lauren "Bud" Egdahl, I think on Sierra.  He was also Pastor of St Marks Lutheran church on Hilltop Drive.

Some famous people who lived in Chula Vista are:

• Lief Erickson:   Toyon Lane (either 12 or  21, possibly both)
• Rita Hayworth:  319 5th Ave.
• George Peppard:   395 1st Ave.  (He was married to Helen Davis, daughter of City atty.)
• Golfer Billy Casper lived in the Pepper Tree area.
• Johnny Sheffield, Tarzan's Boy, as per my message #23

Karen Etsuko Tachiki (Savel)

The Billy Casper family also lived in Bonita, in a big two story Spanish style house. The house was located on a private driveway at the end of Palm Dr. in Bonita. I had a job working for them, I took care of the children and did other tasks when I was in the home, kind of a part time nanny. I got the job through Paula Schrock Schnell. Paula's family attended the same church as the Caspers and that was how I learned about the job. It was one of the more interesting jobs I had during college.

I also wanted to add a few more names who kind of lived in the west of Hilltop Dr. area. Jeanne Booth lived on First Ave. and L St. at the NE corner and Marty Becceril I think lived a few houses north. JoKaren Bogart lived on Sierra Way, and Judy Schnorr and Nancy Kuebler lived on First between J and K. Walt Seymour lived on Kearny near St. John's Episcopal Church. I think Dean Butterfield has been mentioned, lived on First Ave. where Kearny ends. And Joy Miller lived on J Street between First Ave and Hilltop.

This exercise of trying to remember, is making me think I haven't forgotten everything after all.

Bruce Wilson

Hey Terry:

Brad has resolved our confusion regarding where he lived. After living on East L for some years, his parents built a house on Cresta Way over near Pepper Tree. Roger Williams lived on San Miquel and "took" the paper (paper boy jargon of the 1950's). Hank's family was a  taker also.  I went to a birthday party at Dean's house in elementary school. His older brother Dale played the trumpet I'm pretty sure (along with Harry Banner, whose family interestingly enough left Coronado to live on First Avenue (near Halsey). They have a family video on the iinternet. Wasn't there a Butterfield sister whose name also began with D.

A few more:

John Link lived on K, right below First Avenue and Nancy Nixon on Elm Ave, Jimmy and Carrie Fant on Fairway Court, Pietruszka's on Second and Sierra Way.  David, Diane & Mary Cotton and Pete Casey on Palomar Drive. There was a  baseball player who lived on L right across from the Country Club, gonna need some help on the name, could it have been Ray Boone?.

All-in-all a lot of folks lived on my paper route. I wonder why I never saw any ot thema 4:30AM.

Here are (the youthful) David Schuller,  Don Montell, Dean Butterfield and two I do not recognize (neither the fish nor the guys sitting) at Yellowstone. (borrowed from 1963 site).

First Chula Vista Yacht Club at end of pier. Muriel Rogers with cousin May Coy in foreground. This was at the foot of D Street 1910. It is rumoured that they were some of CV's first and rowdiest partiers.

Karen Etsuko Tachiki (Savel)

Dean's sister is Jewel. A very good friend of mine from my years of employment for San Diego County was briefly sister in law to Dean Butterfield probably back in the middle 1960's. My friends husband was class of 1964 at CVHS and his younger sister Patty was married to Dean. My friend's son married the daughter of Carol Anderson Jackson in our class. My friend grew up in East County, so the coincidence is remarkable and I told her we were practically related. We both attended Dean and Patty's wedding way back then but of course did not know each other. And actually we only discovered these connections in the past five years or so. All of this is like the reunion forum, incredible connections.

Barbara Sindelar (Seagren)

Since a major topic is WHERE I LIVED -- My house was on Vista Way, on the other side of the country club. I should have gone to the newly opened Castle Park High School for our senior year, but my Lancer blood was too strong. Am I the only grad who gave a phony address to NOT get caught and banished to CPHS? On the many days when Mom needed the car, it was a long walk home from HHS. Not to worry -- John Seagren walked with me as far as J street. We were such good friends, talking about everything under the moon. Guess that's why - 8 years later - we got married!

Susan, thanks for mentioning long boards. It's been way too many years since I got my first board. My brother's friend made it out of wide wood stringers and slivers of foam; brother Bob added a (large, single) skeg fashioned of monkey pod and Honduras mahogany. I helped coat it with fiber glass which ended up pitted in places... a true DIY project. A pro painted it navy blue with an octopus on the nose, wearing a fedora & "shades" and playing 4 sets of bongos. Though it wasn't very long, it was heavy. No, I wasn't picking up guys at the beach -- I really couldn't carry it myself. A couple years later Keith Skaug (class of '63) made a new one for me. That purple board was much lighter and more stable, but (as with your first love) I sure miss my octopus buddy!

Another wonderful memory is sharing duties inside Lot-a-Lance with Cherie Couch. We donned that black horse costume and galloped around football fields while the Mighty Lancers vanquished lesser teams. Years later the costumer at PowPAC, Poway's Community Theatre, used photos of Lot-a-Lance to create Elvira, the dancing horse. With her blue eyes and long eyelashes, Elvira is pretty cute. Hmmm... what would happen if Lot-a-Lance and Elvira met?

Thanks to everyone for sharing their memories and photos. We really were a great class, weren't we?

Bruce Wilson

My thought is that the forum should be about whatever pops into someone's head. For example:

I'm thinking that the Gordon & Smith I learned on was about 10' 4"

Doesn't Jewel start with a "D" any longer?

The walk from CPJHS to Minot Ave (between J and I) was to my mind a very long walk back then (you did not want to miss that "late" bus, but ...). So  one day, not too long ago, I did a little Tour de Chula Vista run past all the schools I attended and finished up with a loop of my old paper route. Castle Park and those half days at CVJHS made it more than a cakewalk.

Left out of (or previously mentioned) the Country Club gang - Judy Peters (Country Club Drive), Bob Wilson, Woodrow Wilson (my dad, lot next to Booth's house).

Remember "The College Bowl"?  SDSU was in it either late sixties or early seventies. Well, a team from this group could have made a proud appearance IMO.

 .

Terry Lee Maple

I have to ask Barbara and John to tell me what happened to one of the greatest pitchers in Hilltop High history, Tom Seagren. In 1964 when we lost in the quarterfinals of the CIF we had a senior-laden team with great junioir pitchers. We were good enough to win the game against San Diego, but didn't quite get it done. I seem to recall that I also played with Tom on a Colt League team in the summer. Bruce reminds us that we all had powerful cognitive maps of Chula Vista, some honed by paper routes. My favorite paper boy was Bob Beckwith who delivered the Independent. Occasionally I would sub his route when he was on vacation. Bob ended up in Idaho and realized his boyhood dream of becoming a biology teacher. In fact, some years ago he was named the outstanding teacher in Idaho. Our senior year, Bob was honored as the most inspirational player on the varsity football team. It was access to bicyles that gave us such mobility. My brother rode a Scwhinn Black Phantom heavyweight bike. Due to an especially good Christmas, I eventually received my dream bike, a Schwinn Corvette middleweight.

Bruce Wilson

Great call Terry.

The Independent had fallen off my radar though not Bob. He lived at First and "I" as I recall. Many of us called him "Ape" (with absolutely no disrespect). He was a strong and strong-looking kid. Thanks for the update on his life.

Bicycle-wise your memory certainly trumps mine. I know I had a Schwinn which had what we called a tandem over the rear fender so that we didn't have to sling the paper bags over our shoulders. I still haven't recalled the name of the shop across from La Bella either.

I observed earlier that jobs wre not plentiful in CV and I certainly appreciated having the money I earned, but paperboys were shamelessly exploited. In addition to being paid substantially less than $1.00/hour, if somone skipped town without paying the bill, the "boy", not the San Diego Union Tribune, nor the District Manager bore the cost. Fair?

This is for you (sorry I couldn't find one with Tom Hall in it), for being a friend back then and now.

1954 Introduction of "middleweight" Corvette.

"Schwinn always built them by hand to exacting tolerances, and used only very skilled and experienced brazers.."