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Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson

Guess I'll kick this off. It's an open forum--say whatever comes to mind.

I suppose books have been written about the subject, but i'm still amazed at how different it is to talk to classmates now compared to back in 1963. There was so much about "popularity". I was shy & introverted  & self conscious anyway. 

Now that we've been out in the world, all classmates seem like friends--like people I have a lot in common with. Last reunion I spent time with people I would never expect to. Looking forward to the next one.

One last thought. We're still alive! A lot of our classmates are not. Gives life a diffferent perspective. Maybe the rest are sitting on a cloud with their iPads reading this...

Paul Gerber

Ted, it appears everyone is bashful. that includes me. however, i am working up the nerve and will be back soon!   

Ted Johnson

Good start, Paul. : )

Barbara Brown (Cobb)

Ted, dear friend ...funny, I sure don't remember you as shy and introverted !  :-)    I basically loved high school ... and I know that us being "a couple" sure helped and gave us a security blanket, per se, to be our own individuals.  I remember Mrs. Hayes teaching speech and debate with the most appreciation.  She truly believed in "us" and taught us confidence and a desire to achieve ...although the debate guys from St. Thomas (in their uniforms !) could literally make me tremble with insecurity ... Roger Kirst and Larry Marofsky saved my cute little debate butt a number of times!   And of course, Miss Denzel in choir ...who could ever forget her ...in retrospect, what an amazing lady ...we really put on some great 'Glee' like productions ... never did beat out Cloyce Morrow for any solo ...course she could hit the high note on 'Oh Holy Night' (try out song) and I could but raise my arm to the heavens prayng for a sound when none would come ...ah well.

I don't think it's so much different today.  I see our grandchildren deal with the same human emotions and insecurites that we did (and some that I still DO :-)      The major difference, of course, is technology ...if I have a computer problem or a cell phone problem, I call my 12 year old granddaughter.    My grandkid's world centers around technical things ... there is very little "go out and play."  At our lake cabin one summer, I suggested the kids go out and build a fort within a downed tree and got the response, "What's a fort?"    The other thing I noticed with todays kids, is that they don't seem to have the same respectful FEAR for authority (i.e. teachers, parents) that we did ... I was teaching a church confirmation class (about 10 years ago) and writing something on the chalk board when a 5th grade boy says, "You've got a cute toush for a old lady"  ...OMG, stuttering even beyond the St. Thomas debate debacles!   Where was the "fear"?   ...none ... ah to the good old days!

Okay, that was fun ...I think I'll shut up now though :-) ....Barb

Paul Gerber

here's a thought. what if we could be back in our high school days knowing what we know now. that could be dangerous to say the least!

Ellen Vasiliou (Mamandras)

Hi Ted, Paul, Barb,

“Bravo!“ to you … for getting it started!

And to others, can't wait to read your messages!

 When you haven’t seen or talked to folks for FIFTY years … yeah, well it can be daunting. That is true in my case … fifty years. To pick up on Paul’s comment (about how we might have acted, behaved, performed at CHS if we knew then what we know now): well, it is all purely speculative … but that is fun at times. I know that I was rather hesitant … trying to discover who I was or even who I wanted to be. That’s the funny thing about life … we live it forward with little understanding of how our decisions will turn out … even now when we have fewer years ahead of us than those behind us. Yes, like a lot of you, I did and said things later in university and abroad that I only might have dreamed of doing or saying while at CHS … yes, and some things I wouldn’t have even dreamed of. Still, when you consider we were at Central for four years (some from Highland for three years) at one of the most formative periods of life, we were offered numerous and varied opportunities to try on and play out different roles.

The plays, speeches, pep fests, research papers (having to prepare and organize my index cards on the Gold Rush in the 1840’s Grade 11 English), getting elected as state treasurer of Minnesota Future Teachers of America, gym classes, having to be tutored in geometry (which remains a mystery to me), heart to heart talks over all sorts of subjects at slumber parties, dissecting frogs, dances, Y-Teen fundraisers, representing Central at Girls’ State (summer between grades 11 and 12), editing the index for the yearbook, etc. etc. etc. … our lists will vary. All those activities were opportunities for us to grow and discover. I look back now and it all looks good. I know that I was stressed and nervous at times in those years … life could be serious … rarely boring.   Life for me at CHS was full, busy, fun, and it went by fast.

Barbara Brown (Cobb)

Ellen ....since everyone else seems hesitant ti respond, I will again.  I SO remember you !... as a super intelligent and super compassionate "little person" ...me being 5' 10" THEN (have lost a few inches since :-)    It sounds like you've had an amazing "life".       I know we didn't "run" in the same circles, but you were always so kind to everyone, it didn't make any difference.      I certainly appreciated ALL that made you, you!  

...and Paul, I think knowing  then what we know now, wouldn't work to alleviate high school problems .... because I would still come with many of the same  hang ups ... I suppose narrowing it all to wanting to be "liked"  ...although that is almost beyond my care at age 67 :- )    AGE has its benefits!

Getting older is a jolt, don't you think ...I can't recognize the person in the mirror ...all those wrinkles .. wish it wasn't me.!

Ah well ...I'm not ready for the alternative either.   Anyway, thanks Ellen an Paul ...see you in Aug....Barb

Sue Kemp (Kumpula)

More class mates should be taking advantage of this amazing site.  This is has been so nice to go thourgh this whole site.  I think as the reunion gets closer we will hear from more classmates.  I am amazed how many we have lost over the years.  I feel so bad that  they have passed, life is short. Who will we be here for a a 60th reunion?  Lets do a better job of staying in touch,even if it only be email.  How is everybody hanging in there?  Who has had knees replaced?  Open heart , Any cancer survivors out there.  We have made it this far. We must be doing somthing right.  I would love to hear from you.Sue

Ellen Vasiliou (Mamandras)

Hi Barb, Paul, Ted, Susan and whoever else is out there reading this stuff …

   Isn’t technology marvellous at times like this? … Imagine how cumbersome and slow this process would be without the internet. Thank you, Barb, for your kind words … I have positive impressions of you, as well, and even if I had not been one of the “little people” … I would still have looked up to you. And I SO agree with you about the advantages of getting a few years on us … getting to the point where we are truly comfortable in our own skins … we know who we are and what we will and will not take. By the way, thank you, Paul for sending me warm wishes on my birthday five days ago. Antonios and I were in Philadelphia (first time for me) this past week, and we had my birthday dinner at the old City Tavern where G. Washington, B. Franklin, and T. Jefferson hung out back in the days when they were formulating how to break with Great Britain. They would toss back a few after hours of debating and negotiating the wording of the Constitution.

I am so looking forward to seeing you all. Years have passed and we have all gone our separate ways living our own lives … some in distant places. Yet we share this intangible bond … we were in the same place at the same time in the years between ‘59 and ‘63 at St. Paul Central High School.

See you in August!

Ellen

Ted Johnson

So good to hear from you, Ellen. It's a strange journey. Should be a great reunion--the "survivors". ; ). 

Thanks for sharing.

Ted

Michael Blehert

Hi to all in the this string of messages about life and times at Central and the last 50 years.   Paul's comment about returning to the past with our present experience may sound good, but would take much of the fun and adventure out of those wonderful high school years.  So many examples, but the first that comes to mind is related to relations with girls.  I didn't know how to approach girls, much less how to kiss after a date.    Shy?   I don't think so.  Just part of the process of growing up.   A process and results that have served us well in the last 50 years.

Looking forward to seeing all of you in a few months.

Paul, thanks for the birthday note.  

Mike Blehert

Scott Taylor

Hi, This is the first message for the class of 1963 forum. The only friendship I have been keeping up with is with Richard Hillard, since I moved to the Pacific NW in 1970. It will be wonderful to talk to people that I haven't talked to for 50 years, although I was at the 5 year reunion. I remember when we were Boy Scouts in troop 47, Ted Johnson, Dan Dahlin, Doug Green and others. I did see Gordon Meeker 2 years ago at my father's funeral, but didn't get to talk. Hope to see many of you at the reunion, can't make it to the dinner though (a bit pricey at $70.00/ person). Scott Taylor

Wendy Willson (Ferraro)

Today we visited with Billy Murphy and his beautiful wife Grace in Dallas as we were driving through on our way to Houston.  What a special day it was!  We are all so fortunate to have such marvelous friends and to have kept in touch over all of the years.  Thank you to all of my friends, both old and new.  I love each and every one of you!

Wendy Willson Ferraro

Carol Steffen (Bisek)

Nice to hear from you, Wendy and to hear you visited with Bill. I have been reading his fabulous blog. He is a very gifted writer and an inspiration.

Suzanne Gray (Johnson)

As I read the responses from fellow students I can hear your voices and treasure so many memories I had with the class of 1963. I am so looking forward to spending time with you folks that attend our reunion! So as we would say back in high school...what's everone going to wear? :)  Suzi Gray Johnson 

Warren Grodin

I cannot address from a female prospective the question, "What is everyone going to wear?" but for boys (men) I would say no neckties except lawyers. Looking forward seeing all of you, Warren Grodin

Marion Thurnauer

and MDs

Jennifer Cutts (Zvi)

Warren,

You still employ the same humor.  Love it.  Looking forward to seeing you at the reunion.

Jennifer Cutts Zvi

Ted Johnson

Seriously, tho, I'm glad you brought it up, Warren. I'm hoping to feel appropriate in my retirement casuals--Jimmy Buffett shirt, shorts, and sandals. Given the occasion, I might dig out the long pants & sandals with the slippery soles for dancing. I can't remember what I wore--or anyone else wore--at the last one.

.

Richard Hillard

The thing that impresses me most is the time we live in. I remember when I was young, the ice trucks would come down the street delivering ice to iceboxes. I lived on Stanford near Nativity and the alleys were dirt roads. The neighbor was beheading chickens to the delight of all the children who found it funny to watch them running around with their heads cut off. When we were born TV was just coming into existence and the computers that existed were the size of houses. And now look. We have cell phones, and pads, and the offspring - social media that makes us live in an instantaneous culture and we are finding that Andy Warhol was right, where everyone gets their 15 minutes. I thought. Dick Tracy was crazy with wrist radios. So progress and new developments keep expanding at a geometric rate. Pretty wild.

So, high school. Not my favorite place The school was okay, the people to a lesser degree. Either that I don't remember much of it. As Jennifer Cutts said at the last reunion, "You must not have liked high school because I don't remember you" True I did not stand out. Cheer Leading was not my forte. The highlight for me was THE REIGN OF TERROR, that occurred when the guys from the "shop" were beating up the Yeoman over some social dispute. The St. Paul paper called it the Reign of Terror. So, taking that journalisitc lead, my co-AV staff printed up a parody about the reign of terror and passed it around to a few students. An enterprisining underclassman printed off about 50 and had a much broader distribution that found it's way to outlying schools. We were cllaed into the office and suspended by vice principal Peterson because Ingelbrecht (?) got his copy from the principal at Harding. So, we walked out of Vice principal Peterson's office and into vice principal Sargeants office and got reinstated after pleading our case. A great system that I support to this day..

Warren Grodin. We lived 4 houses apart and talked twice. You and you brother were funny guys, in a humorous way.

No I haven't stayed in contact with Centralites except for a few I accidentally cross paths with. I will say that I totally enjoyed the event at the Lexington a few years back and talked to a lot of people from Groveland and those I remembered from outside the core. Among the people I enjoyed talking to was lLura Singher which is a loss that others have expressed better.

You know what is funny about this, I couldn't pick most of you out of a lineup. Even those I was close to because in my mind you haven't changed since back them. I guess 50 years changes people and I think I'll leave the memory as it was. I'm also totally stressed about the whole photographer issue. It's surprising that any progress at all came out of us graduates.

Well, with that, I will get back to beer making because I live north of you all in a cottage on a lake and brewing beer is about all I have. Well, I have three cats to talk to. Oh, I should not forget my wife Brenda. She would take issue with that. I hope you all enjoy yourselves at the reunion and I'm sure I will relive it on some social media.

Richard Hillard

Ted. That is exactly what you wore to the last one minus the beard. You might remember the ride down to the cities and because of your height, you kept on getting hit in the forehead with bugs because we had the top down on the Vette.