David Dunn (1967)

Our first child, Tom, was born at the American Hospital in Paris on August 23, 1984. I was posted at the American Embassy at the time, as was Dave Hiley, class of '66.

Steve Arntz (1967)

Saw the post asking if anybody had been in the American Hospital in Paris. I had. Some may recall I ended up there as a result of a motorcycle accident. I was on my Honda driving home after school when a school bus driver in a long line of busses waved me on to pass his bus. As I passed it, a Russian, driving a German Volkswagen entered the road from a side street between the busses and hit me, an American, driving a Japanese motorcycle in Garches, France. (That's how the Accident de Circulation read in the newspaper.) That sent me and my motorcycle sliding on its side across the street and my passenger, Keven Carey, catapulting over my head onto the street. Adrenaline took over as I lifted up my motorcycle, put down the kick stand and went shouting after the VW driver. Some kids on the bus yelled out that blood was pouring from my ankle at which point I sat down on the street by the bus. Next thing I recall was Kevin and I ending up in the American Hospital of Paris. I was there just short of two weeks with my right foot elevated and in a cast. Kevin had to stay longer to get a skin graft on his knee. There we were, two 16 year-old boys talking about how cute our young, attending nurse from England was. When I was discharged, I reserved tuxedos for Kevin and me for the 1966 prom. On the day of the prom, I drove my repaired motorcycle back to the hospital with our tuxedos. Either I snuck Kevin out of the hospital or they agreed to release him. We took a taxi to the apartment across from the Eiffel Tower where my date, Fran Round, and her parents lived. Kevin's prom date was there as well. Fran's dad drove us across the bridge to the Eiffel Tower. Kevin had no problem mastering his crutches and all four of us had a great time taking taxis from one place to the next, including the Lido, after leaving the Eiffel Tower. The last taxi stop was back at the hospital to drop off Kevin and I drove home on my Honda motorcycle.

Michael Savuto (1968)

William Higgins posted about the bus ride from St Germain en Laye to PAHS. I looked forward to that ride every day. I remember there being some kind of "competition" related to the buses, at least among those of us who rode them. That ride became so indelibly written into my brain that it served as the road map for my getting back to our old apartment in St Germain when I returned some 20+ yrs later. So much about France that I miss. Good Times. Boy do I miss the baguettes, the croissants and pastries....., but the butter, oh, the butter....

Chuck Lorimer (1968)

Yes!  The Jambon,  A slab of ham,  lots of YELLOW butter on a Baguette. Excuie!

Gay Andrews (Ratley) (1969)

@ Steve Arntz, I was in that bus and saw your accident. I was on the right side of the bus and I saw the car pull out . I didn't know you but have always wondered how you both faired. After all these years it is still good to know everything turned out well for you. I also attended the prom on the Eiffel Torwer. I went with a Junior named George Smallfield. I was a freshman.and it really was a night to remember. that I tell my kids and now grandchildren, I have always been disappointed that there are no pictures in the 1966 yearbook just a page noting it. I would love it if someone could post some here. My family had just moved to Paris. We lived in a new apartment complex in Versailles with a few other American families. Dad was transferred to SHAPE Belguim where we lived until July 1969 when we returned stateside and he retired. You and others might be interested in knowing that the restraurant was disassembled in 1981 and shipped the the USA. It is now residing in New Orleans. But it looks like it's not in operation. Too bad, what a great reunion that would be.  https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-eiffel-tower-of-new-orleans-new-orleans-louisiana  

Steve Arntz (1967)

Gay, Thanks for your message and validating that my accident really did happen. Interestingly, I received  a check for 5,000 francs from the insurance company10 years later when I was in the Army at Ft. Riley, KS. It more than covered the cost to repair my motorcycle. I have no idea how they found me, but was certainly a pleasant surprise.  

I have returned several times to Paris. The last time was in Sep 2023. We considered eating at the Eiffel Tower, but our schedules were just too busy. There is restaurant on the first floor. I guess it replaced the one for our prom.

 Special time, indeed!

Michael Oberbeck (1967)

I'

I've had this ashtray since 1965. Don't smoke. Still, never got thrown away. Brings back memories for me.

Michael Coe (Coe) (1962)

I had an old PIMMS ashtray that I removed from a cafe on the Champs with John Goetz and threw it out when he died years ago.  God bless him.

Michael Coe (Coe) (1962)

I am going to Paris this summer and was checking for a few places of infamy to see if my memory had faded in 82 years:  "The Blue Note"  AI says: "The original venue closed decades ago. If you are looking for the space at 14 rue Muller (often associated with the "Blue Note" name in the Pigalle/Montmartre area), it has since transitioned into an event-focused bar known as ADN Montmartre"   It appears that my memory (for an unknown reason) had not faded at 82 years of age.  Perhaps it is the memory of me and John Goetz sneaking out the mens room window during a raid!  Got home and my Dad had my shoe that I had lost during that caper.....he was OSI and said that I had left some "evidence" and expected better of me...."don't leave evidence next time".  We all had a good laugh.  Goetz even made it to Confession the next morning...I skipped it for two reasons  1, I am not a Catholic and 2. I didn't want to leave any evidence.

Margo Kearns (Rockstad) (1963)

Peggy's aunt and uncle owned the Blue Note.  Lot's of good memories there.

Tom O'Keefe (1964)

Some of us went to L'abbaye in St. Germain des pres.  Two Americans owned it and played mostly folk.  Drinks were 10 NF and instead of clapping one snapped his fingers.  Impossible now to do noe with these old hands.

Lynnford (Lynn) Wilson (1962)

Does anyone remeber a Sallie Magruder (married Wood) from around 59 who could / should hav gradusted around'6?. A very close relative who was there with (state dept /diplomatic corps ) is trying to substantiate her history. I was there from 55-59  and did not graduate Pahs (l returned to USA grad '62), Lynn Wilson

Peter Sadow (1958)

Did you check the graduating class rosters?  She could be shown there even if she did not graduate.  I was at PAHS from early 55 to graduation in 58.  I no longer see posts from fellows students from those years.  Well, getting old ooes beat the alternative.

I did stop by the campus in the Summer of 2014.  It is now the American School in Paris, but the gates were locked for the Summer.  Also drove by Petit Beauregard, but gates were also closed.

My visit then reminded me of why I consider Paris my home town.  My then 17 yo daughter and I had a couple of memorable evenings at Place Pigalle and the Trocadero.

Kara Oshana (1965)

This being prom season I was reminiscing of our class of 65 prom.  In my recollection we had the ballroom at the George Cinq and afterword several of us went to the Lido where we were each treated with a fillette of champagne...  (and  Day-Glo ostrich feathers and accoutrements).   I remember paying only for the corsage and the rental on a well worn white wool dinner jacket.  I do not think our bake sales could have covered much of the expenses.  Did the DOD pick up the tab or did we have a benefactor(s)? 

Peter Sadow (1958)

Your post brings up memories of the prom we juniors put on for the class of 57.  We had it on a Bateau Mouche cruising the Seine.  Dinner first then dancing on the boat.  The teachers had a fit when the waiters offered to serve us wine.  We didn't get it but it was memorable.  Yours sounds fantastic as well.  I love Paris and took my second family there in 2014.

David Hohman (1957)

Peter -  this is David Hohman, class of 57. As already noted here, I am married to Judy Stuart, class of 58 (although she graduated in the States).  She wants to agree with you that the prom on the Bateau Mouche was the best ever. Betsy Skillin and Judith (as she goes by now) raised the money through bake sales. She remembers Mr. Harvey saying the money should be spent on planting trees 😊.  Judith and I will spend 10 days in Paris at the end of September (we have been back many times). 

William A. Bridenstine, Jr. (1965)

Wonderful memories of our 1965 senior class prom.  My father drove my date, April Needham '65, and me together with Kara Oshana and his date, Joanne Dukes '66, packed into our Peugeot 403 to the prom at the Pavillon Dauphine, a beautiful restaurant at the Porte Dauphine at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne.  Afterward we took the Métro to the Champs-Elysées to see the show at the Lido, including the champagne and accoutrements mentioned by Kara in the preceeding post.  The French stared at us, all gussied up, in the Métro!  By prearrangement Mike Boykin's father picked us all up after the show -- around 3 a.m., I think -- in a huge American car to drive everyone to their respective homes.  The Champs-Elysées was beautiful and crowded even at that hour, and the lights were fantastic going around the Arc de Triomphe and down the Avenue Foch.  The ladies, of course, all looked fabulous, and we, their escorts, cleaned up pretty well.  I'm not sure why we wore white dinner jackets, but, like Kara, I remember renting one -- maybe from the PX at Bel Manoir?  I don't remember financial details; perhaps we had fund-raisers.  Another fun outing was the class picnic in the Parc de St-Cloud -- no more exams to worry about! -- held a couple of days before graduation at the Cité Universitaire.

Kara Oshana (1965)

Okay Mike Kanze ...Bill thankfully resolved  our prom's venue...it was not George V as per our FB chats!  Bill- thanks for all the details on how we got to the prom and back.  Now that you mention it it is all coming back.  I remember Mom hemming Dad's tux pants at the waist... I felt like I was wearing a zoot suit and Mom trying to teach me the four-step dance. Dancing was never my forte.

William A. Bridenstine, Jr. (1965)

Kara -- The dancing would have been easier if the champagne had been served at the Pavillon Dauphine instead of later at the Lido!  I'm sure you acquitted yourself well, and we all had a good time in any case.  I have a vague memory of being at the George V -- it was considered the height of luxury and exclusivity in our minds.  Maybe the 1964 Prom was held there and we, as juniors, got to attend.  I think I remember hearing from Class of '66 members that their prom was at the restaurant on the Tour Eiffel -- that would have been spectacular.  I used to see several of them at D.C. functions in 1966-68 when I was home from college because my parents lived in Annandale, Virginia, a Washington suburb.

Kara Oshana (1965)

Bill-I did not go to the '64 prom and in all honesty I had no intention of going to our prom had it not been  thanks to Mr. Auburn (American History class) threatening to fail any male not attending the prom as the females outnumbered us.  To this day  I  regret not going to the '64 prom.  Today I realize I missed out on a lot of High school social experiences.  Back then I was only interested in math and sciences and... blowing stuff up.  Hence probably why I became an aero engineer.

Mike Kanze (1965)

Kara & Bill,

I stand marginally corrected. It was the Junior - Senior prom at the Georges V, which we hosted for the 1964 class. 

Jay Gamel (1962)

Other classes may have used these wonderful sites, but I know for certain, having attended both:

class of 61 -- pavillion dauphine

class of 62 -- george v

Theodore Sheppard (1967)

Bill. Yes class 67 Sue Tanner as co-prom chair approached Eiffel Tower's restaurant group for hosting class 66/67 prom.  Our junior class raised funds all year for our May 1966 fabulous dinner.  As Sue's co-prom partner we worked tirelessly  to successfully provide our Paris classmates a wonderful lifelong memory

Tom Trout (1966)

Franklin Wechsler (1964)

I escorted Kathy McGiffin to the 63 Prom at Bois du Bolonge (sorry about the speilling).  In 64 I took a junior who was new to the scene late  in 64 school year. Her name was Vickie, I believe but not sure of her last name.  It was only date we had as I worked at the Camp de Loge (again the spelling) that summer and then left France in August.  It was at the George V where I naturally spilled tomato soup all over my tux.  I smelled wierd the rest of the evening (new after shave but did not catch on).  

Both years we went to Lido for the late show.  I was a fairly heavy drinker in those days so I bottomed out my purse to make sure I was buzed by the end of the night but I am sure I had a good time, I don't remember much about those nights.