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Frederick Freeman

Our home number was 1269. The number at our family business in Lake Forest was, simply, 519. When the Cedar 4 exchange arrived with the dials, three digit numbers added a zero, so the store became CE4-0519.
 

Frederick Freeman

And Laurie, musicians such as yourself and Linda and George and James, etc., will appreciate this latest validation to my random thought number 31, “If you want to have a good time, play our music.” A young bride-to-be just hired me to provide a string quartet for her October wedding. Besides the traditional "Jesu, Joy," "Bridal Chorus," "Canon in D," and the "Wedding March," she asked me to write quartet arrangements for "Can't Help Falling in Love," "All You Need Is Love," "You Send Me." and "Cupid." I rest my case.

Tom Jewell

I moved to Lake Bluff from Detroit in 1953 and I thought it was wonderful that when I picked up the phone a woman asked what number I wanted. In Detroit, I'd used dial phones. I thought telling somebody who I wanted to call was much better. What did I know? I was 7. In 8th grade, I worked as the switchboard operator during lunch at LBJH. I liked that little job.

Thomas Boese

Bob,  We LBJH Class of 1960 types were just the instigators of this little project.  Lake Foresters have made a big contribution to the committee as well.  We are a pretty good group though, and you were very clever to have married one of our number.  Tom

James Fullmer

All these lake Bluff Junior High  1960 recollections  caused my aged brain to  come up with memories of the Friday night "Teen Town" dances in the basement of the Junior High. We danced to Dion and the Belmonts, Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Crickets, etc. and thought we were equally as cool as the high school kids on American Bandstand. In addition we thoroughly enjoyed  getting close in slow dances  to those members of the opposite sex who just a few years before repelled us in 6th grade square dancing!

Robert Haslach

As a Deerpath School - LFHS lad I was aways curious about the rumored and distant folk way up in LB . My world was limited to the Chicago Cardinals summer practices at (nearly adjacent) LF College field - South Park - and my paper route that included the Cedarquists, among others... and Scouts, of course ... and band .... and caddying at Onwentsia ... and Church of the Holy Spirit where my older brother and I were acolytes. Pretty standard pre-Beatles life, as I look back on it

I can vaguely recall our number in the Clearbrook 9 exchange in Drexel Hill PA and the end of the operator and intro to the Cedar 4 exchange in LF - we had gas lamps in our section of town - and so our parents had one installed on our property to fit in with the mood.

When I was a cab driver for LF Yellow in the summer between Junior and Senior years at college I enjoyed (courting Linda Allison as a debonair cabbie) and watching Solomon A and Solomon B Smith arrive at the station for the 7:15 in their chauffeured Rambler Americans. That is still the epitome of self-confidence for me

See y'all in August Bob H

Beth Shoulberg (Johnson)

Speaking of Lake Bluff memories... Does anyone remember soaping the junior high school windows?  The police came and I ran right into the arms of an officer.  Naturally, I squealed on all of my friends who had run into the woods.  (I tell my children that I had a police record by the age of 13.)  The result was that we all got to stay after school for the next week to wash the school windows.  It turned into a fun time for all... and those not getting to wash windows were very jealous!

Tim Feemster

Bob mentioned the Chicago Cardnial football team training at LF College.  Mike Lemm and I worked for them durnig summer practice when his dad was the head coach.   What a great experience staying on the campus, eating with the team, and being the shuttle driver to and from the airport.  The trips to camp were great, the trips back to the airport after being cut were very very quiet.  I saw two pre-season games that year on the sideline, the Bears in Soldier Field and the Cleveland Browns in St. Louis.  Hall of Famer Jackie Smith was a rookie the year we worked for them.  Other members of the team were Bobby Joe Conrad, John David Crow, Jim Bakken (taught me how to place kick which I did in college football}.  So many fond memories of that summer.

James Codlin

I also remember being involved in the Halloween Window Soaping bust at the Junior High but  I was among the perps who ran for the woods and escaped justice, never having had to do hard time in detention.  I've been on the lam ever since and I fully expect there is still a warrant for my arrest and a wanted poster at the Lake Bluff police station.  Beth, I supposet since you ratted on the rest of us you were in the witness protection program for most of your life.

I also remember serving on the LBJH switchboard during lunch.  The responsibility made me nervous and during one session I got the incoming and outgoing calls completely screwed up:  multiple lights were flashing, those buzzing sounds for each circuit were sounding.  I was ready to make a break for the playground when Mr. Doescher (spelling?) came out of his office, without a word pulled all the plugs out and said "Now, start over,"  and calmly went back to his office.

Another memory tickler:  who remembers at LB Elementary the combination 3rd and 4th grade class we had in one room with Mrs. Helsley (again, spelling?)

Thomas Boese

Verna Heltsley, my favorite grade school teacher, even though she gave me an "Unsatisfactory" in Self Control because "Tommy talks too much to his neighbors".

Peter (Daniel) Bradshaw

In The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan's polo ponies are said to have been bred in Lake Forest. Furthermore, the character of Daisy Buchanan was based on Fitzgerald's ex-girlfriend Lake Forest resident Ginevra King, whose family brought polo ponies to Lake Forest.  In a 1940 letter to his daughter written six months before his death, F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Once I thought that Lake Forest was the most glamorous place in the world. Maybe it was.”  http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2012/12/25/where-daisy-buchanan-lived/

Thomas Boese

Solomon A and B, there's some Chicago and Lake Forest history.  My mother's first job when she graduated from college in 1942 was at Northern Trust, as a teller.  I remember when Lake Bluff's own Charlie Wesselhoeft gave me a tour of the bank duirng my college years that one of the Smiths passed us in a back stairwell.  I thought that was pretty cool.  They must have had a stake in American Motors.

Thomas Boese

I called Bill Braman and invited him and his wife to our dinner on Saturday night. They live in Libertyville.  He may not be able to come as he has a tentative business trip set up for that weekend, but he said he'd let me know  Apparently his son has invented a leash which attaches to your bicycle so that your dog can run along side while you ride.  Bill is helping his son with the business and they travel to pet shows to market their product.  See www.doggerjogger.com.   There is a video of Bill talkng about the Dogger Jogger.  He looks great.  I think he is 79.  Woody, I mentioned your name, and he said something like, "Ah, that crafty old lefty."Bill just recently retired from the College of Lake County where, after his LFHS years, he taught and coached the women's basketball team for 18 years.

I hear that Jim Benton and his wife are attending our Saturday dinner.  Maybe Don Spooner as well.

Thomas Boese

Small world story.  Last evening at a graduation party here in the Twin Cities I was talking with one of my wife's many first cousins, Rose Williams.  I was telling her about the reunion.  I told her I was from Lake Bluff and she said. "Oh, my son Dan is the athletic director and teaches physical education at Lake Bluff Junior High School.  I told her to tell him that he was the John O. Stevens of his generation.

Thomas Boese

I have always remembered reading The Great Gatsby in high school and that Nick Carraway said of Tom Buchanan (I paraphrase), "He'd even brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest, and it was hard to realize that a man in my own generation was wealthy enough to do that."

Carey Smith

I got in trouble over the school soaping caper and I wasn't even there. Knowing me very well. my parents made me stay home that night to avoid the inevitable trouble I was likely to promote.  The next morning I heard about the soaping and the clean up to follow, I admitted that I was one of the culprits, so I could join in the festivities.  My folks were too happy to get a call from the school about my perceived misdeeds.

Joanne Zimmer (McCamman)

I remember the the JH window soaping caper very well. When the police pulled in, lights flasing, I ran through the back field. I made it without being caught, but found a fence separating the field and the yard of the house behind the school. Someone else arrived at the fence at about the same time - I think it was Betsy Wentworth. We started laughing when we saw the fence and literally fell over the top landing in a garden, still laughing hysterically ( we already knew we'd be ok because we knew where the police were). We sneeked out to the street and soon found a few other escapees. We joined together and brainstormed an idea to make it appear that we were not involved. Our plan was to Trick or Treat at Superintendent Whishinski's (sp) house. We were invited in fed, and chatted for about 15 minutes. We thought we had it made ( Beth), but parents were quickly notified. I am not sure that the "punishment" served its purpose. Having fun while being punished is a gift. I am glad I did not miss it.

Carole Koopmann (Delany)

Wow! You LB people sure got into a lot of mischief! All of us from Deerpath were angels, focused on our education! Yeah, right! I'm sure there was michief but I was shy and too much of a coward to participate. 

My best friends from Deerpath went to private high schools so I was a little lost the summer going into freshman year but all those thoughtful students from St.Marys were kind enough to offer their friendship and then of course I was introduced to those wild LB people. I am forever thankful that all were so open to offer their friendship. The only ones I new from LB were Dee Monroe and Jackie Harlan. Even was able to make some friends with others from Deerpath. Like I said I was shy! I know, I know. Some of you would never believe that!

I think we need to hear from others from Deerpath and certainly St. Marys. Right now the only story I can remember from St. Marys was about Mike (?) Simonec who had part of his finger blowen off from a cherry bomb. Scary!

Frederick Freeman

Most will remember there was a publishing company at Tangley Oaks in Lake Bluff. It was moved to there from Chicago's Michigan Avenue in 1953. Remember, we attended first grade in 1952-53. All through school teachers enjoyed telling us about Tangley Oaks. You may have some vintage encyclopedias from there. This link takes you to a 1995 Tribune article that tells the history of the TO mansion. Read the article as you enjoy an Armour hot dog. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-03-05/features/9503050123_1_armours-lake-forest-lake-michigan

Judy Vignocchi (Harles)

Actually, on the subject of getting into mischief - we kids from St Marys never got into trouble because being Catholic we felt guilty about everything!!  Most of us waited for High School go grow out of that situation - i.e. elephants in trees, spoons in the Court Yard, and TP everywhere!!

James Kahle

Just posted some old photos. I'll try to add names to each later. To those of you who did not know Joey Duff you really missed out on something special. He was an excellent student, great athlete and wonderful friend. Unfortunately he moved to Los Angeles right after 8th grade. He would have been a fantastic addition to our high school class.

James Kahle

By the way you have to click on the old photos gallery to get to the pictures I just posted.

Frederick Freeman

I texted my sister, Jo-Anne (LFHS '60, LFC '64), to tell her about our reunion Web messaging. She and her husband travel to Chicago, LF, LB, and Waukegan, etc. every summer. She knows it has been at least 15 years since I last visited our childhood haunts, so she texted this: "Mention that Lake Forest and Lake Bluff always look beautiful and that LB still has the annual July 4 parade." I immediately traveled back in my mind to rides on the fire truck, children's bicycle parades, and the fire-hose water fights. Of course, those of you who still reside up there or visit regularly have, no doubt, experienced these events 68 times over and with children and grandchildren. How enriching for you and for them!

Beth Shoulberg (Johnson)

Joey Duff was my first boyfriend.  (1st grade)  

Carmel (Duffy) Onofrio (Boyd)

Judy: Not only did I have a very parochial freshman year at St. Mary's Academy, St Mary's County MD (the site of the first English Catholic mass in the Colonies), but this was also followed by my sophmore year at THE Ferry Hall School for Girls.........need I say more: I was ready for High School as a junior...........in addition to our other exploits, remember when we went out collecting those US trail signs????? It must have been those Lake Bluff miscreants who led us astray..........Duffy