Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

To Robert C. Asbille (UHS 1966)

Thank you for your response.  Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, I am only able to see & read the opening line of your comment which says:

"My recollection is that Brown had a metal plate in his skull from a wound he received"

When I click on ". . . More" and "Proceed to Log In", I see the prior responses from other Alumni but not yours Rober C. Asbille.

I am very interested in seeing the rest of your response.  Please help.  Thank you.

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

I can now see & read the comment posted by Robert C. Asbille (1966) which reads:

"My recollection is that Brown had a metal plate in his skull from a wound he received at the Ballte of the Bulge.  He had trouble controlling his classes, and this was the explanation given by another teacher (in a moment of anger)."

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

Thank you Charles P. Woods (1971) for identifying Urbandale Junior High School (Earth Science) teacher Mr. Brown as "Joseph Henry Brown" buriied in McDivitt Grove Cemetery in Urbandale.

Find A Grave Memorial ID 45468340 says:

Born:  9 Jan. 1912

Jasper Township, Adams County, Iowa

Death: 19 October 1999 (aged 87)

Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota

Burial:  McDivitt Grove Cemetery, Urbandale, Polk County, Iowa

His headstone includes this engravied information:  "U.S. Army WWII". 

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

Phyllis Brunia (Stackhouse) (1971)

Great picture of the UHS/UJHS building.

Phyllis Brunia (Stackhouse) (1971)

Phyllis Brunia Stackhouse

Thank you all for this interesting and informative thread. It’s brought back so many good memories. The new information regarding our “Veteran” teachers has reminded me our teachers lead lives outside the walls of UJHS/UHS that not many of us were aware of. I also had all of these teachers as well.  In regards to Mr Brown and not being able to control his class, it was rumored that some students found out that Mr. Brown reacted to loud noises (I’m guessing it was PTSD) and students would drop heavy text books on the old wooden floors to see his reaction. So sad that “kids will be kids” not fully understanding the impact that would have had on a combat veteran.

J. Phillip Brewer (1958)

Thank you for the photo of the "old" school at 70th and Douglas.  I was in the class of '58 and remember that SW corner with nostagic and fond memories.  After I was aware of the demolition of the school I was saddened.  The one big architectural memory I have is the gymnasium arched ceiling supported by wood beams arranged in a diamond pattern.  As a teenager, I was intrigued by that design.  Anyone with photos of that???  In two years, the class of '58 members who are still with us should attempt to get back to Urbandale for a reunion of the 70th year.  I have not kept accurate track, but there must be several of the 37 graduates who are still with us.  I know Karen, Lloyd, Max and I are still here in Colorado.    

James M. (Jim) Grover (1968)

I hope these come through.  Interesting reading for all of these.  Thanks for opportunity to explore. Couldn't find any other reference to Dr. Cox.

Jim

From DM Register, Thur, 1 Oct 1999

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From DM Register, 14 Aug 1990

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From DM Register, Fri, 29 Nov 1991

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James M. (Jim) Grover (1968)

Sad none of these copies of obits came through on Message Forum  I had Mr. Brown, Mr. Denman, and Dr. Cox articles.  Let me know if anyone is interested in their obits (in the cases of Brown and Denman), and resignation article forDr. Cox. I'll send it all along if I have an email address.

Jim

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

The cool kids hung out at the junior high parking lot.

We played basketball there until the Winter of '66/'67, when games were at the Ice Arena.  We still practiced at the Cracker Box.  In warmups one game in 1966-ish, Dick Jensen from Madrid dunked a ball with each hand, and we started the game shooting a free throw because that was a technical foul back then.  Connelly dunked a ball in warmups at a game at SE Polk, 1967-ish, and they started the game shooting a free throw.

The locker room was used for football, too, with the practice field being at 71st and Airline.  It was hard as a rock and pitted with cleat marks from rainy days.

The Class of '67 never had a gym at the High School.  It was completed to begin use for the Class of '68.  The Student Council had a contest for the center jump ball circle, and that was the end of the Bluejays and the beginning of a Fighting Jay/Jayhawk.  The prize was $25, and I can't remember who did the artwork. It was not like KU's.

I have never been in the gym.

The baseball field was between the high school at the football field, with home plate being at the east side.

"Phys Ed", be it what it was, was in the commons/assembly hall/cafeteria at the north end of the West Wing.

But we did have the "new" football stadium, a couple years prior to Coach Frerichs. His first head coaching job was the baseball team in the Summer of '67.  We were undefeated until Saydel beat us in Districts. First team All Conference was Oppedal, Hintz, Beasley, Christensen, Connelly, and Simmons.  Second Team was Hansen.  Honorable Mention was Halverson and Lyons.  (In the order it was printed in the Big Peach).

Michael Connelly (1968)

We used to play "nudie" basketball in the old gym at night.  We'd go in through a window and play in the dark with just our socks and tennis shoes on.  I know, weird.  Jim, I don't think dunking was prohibited, until after I graduated.  Used to dunk all the time in warmups and dunked on a fast break at SE Polk.  Didn't dunk more because thought it was showing off.  We played with some humility back then!

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

To:  Phyis Brunia Stackhouse (UHS 1971)

Dear Phyllis,

Thank you for your kind and heartfelt words about our Urbandale teachers. 

Thank you also for sharing your memories about our UJHS 9th grade Earth Science teacher and wounded WWII Army Veteran, Mr. Joseph Henry Brown.

I would still like to know Mr. Brown's highest military reank/grade and the operational unit(s) he served with in the ETO during WWII.

Sincerely,

Tony

Anthony N. Woloch, UHS 1972

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

To Jim Grover (UHS 1968):

I am very interested in reading the articles you found about Mr. Brown, Mr. Dennman, and Dr. Cox.

Thank you for finding and sharing them!

Sincerely,

Tony

Anthony N. Woloch, UHS 1972

e:  intellaw@comcast.net 

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

Correction:  Mr. Denman

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

To Mike Connaly, UHS 1968:

;)

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Oh, here's an explanation:

Michael Connelly (1968)

Remember that dunking was banned my Senior year, '67-'68, I dunked all the time in warmups before that.  The dunk at SE Polk must have been my Junior year as I vividly remember it.  Went up again a few plays later on another fast break and let it roll off my fingers and it rolled of the rim.  Roger Acedo, who reffed many of our games and who I really liked told me, "just dunk it again, next time.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Mike:

I agree.

I grew up with Roger Acedo in Beaverdale.  He and Frank Harty, my Meredith Jr High gym teacher, reffed games at the Jewish Community Center.  Then, they often paired together for football games.

Roger was the line judge on my end one game in Urbandale in '66, and flagged my for lining up off the ball, after giving me the OK sign.  He did that just to get my goat.  He was funny that way.

He moved to Urbandale.

Nice guys.

When we first went to a beachfront resort in Englewood, FL around 20 years ago, a bunch of older guys on the chickee hut were talking Iowa High School sports.  They were all refs, and knew Frank and Roger.  That's our resort now, waiting to get rebuilt after Helene/Milton.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Mike:  Remember the 4th down/punting play where you or I would tug on our facemask and Hansen would pass to us?  When you did it, you would run full speed down field until you ran into a defender.  Thunk!  I would run slow (which was full speed), weaving my way until I had no place left to go!   We never failed to get a first down.

Michael Connelly (1968)

I do remember that Jim.  I did it against Ankeny, was wide open....caught the ball for a first down then tripped over my own feet!!!

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Mike: 

The first time I did it was against Ankeny, too. ("It" being the face mask tug pass, not dunking the ball!)

I did it against SE Polk, too, the fist time they were ever beaten.  It was not a fourth down.  We were inside their 10, and no one covered me.  I tugged my face mask, Hansen tapped Custer's butt, I caught the pass, closed my eyes, and wound up in the end zone.

After that game their center, a kid named Dunegan, congratulated me.  That had to be hard for him, and I did not appreciate things like that at the time.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Des Moines junior high schools did not have atheletic competition, so places like the Jewish Community Center were where the high school coaches went to evaluate the talent.  Guys on my team wound up starting for North and Roosevelt.

Roosevelt basketball coach Al Comito and my 7th Grade homeroom teacher, Ron Adcock, who followed Comito at Roosevelt, had a team from Meredith and Merrill Junior Highs play each other in the Roosevelt gym one Satruday morning.  That would have been August, '64, and that Winter Roosevelt was the State Champs, with the Tom Tom boys.

Wow!  That was as good as it got!

The week before I was moving to Urbandale I ran into Coach Comito in Beaverdale, and he was encouraging, wished me the best, a gracious man.

Unrelated, Mrs. Meredith was very nice to me, too.  I was one of her "baseball boys".  She would have her driver stop her big black Cadillac when she saw me, and give me a candy bar.  

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

I don't know why Lila Mart's comment was not posted here, but here is my response to it.  (&, I was not one of the Cool Kids who hung out at the Junior High parking lot.  My parents had rules, and I had to be at home when I was not at school, or practice, or my job at Shakeys.)

Here's what I said to Lila: 

I have a hard time following this poorly organized forum format, and don't know why a gym discussion is here (in Profiles), rather than where it was being discussed.  But, since it is here, here's some thoughts.  First, I find it very strange that a new high school was built without a gym, such that the junior high school had a gym but the high school did not.  Coach Page was there during my tenure, and, regarding full participation in sports, the pressure was the same for boys.  If you wanted to play football, you had better go out for wrestling, and you certainly had better not play golf in the Spring, rather than track.  I didn't wrestle and I played golf.  I got 9 letters, went to District and State in Golf, and was Conference Medalist my Senior year.  Nowadays I can't run, can't wrestle, but play golf often.  So, who knew best?  BTW, I knew Mary well, and the girls she ran with, and I was in awe!!!! 

- - - - - - -

I should add that Burgett sorta had to make an exception to doing basketball instead of his wrestling when we had athletes like Connelly and Hansen and Blockus and Hintz and Naeve and Stnfill, and my memory fades about there.

Also Custer started at Center for the football team for three years, and golfed all three years.  Junior year he was the #2 golfer, behind Springer, and Senior year he was #1.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

I don't know why Lila Mart's comment was not posted here, but here is my response to it.  (&, I was not one of the Cool Kids who hung out at the Junior High parking lot.  My parents had rules, and I had to be at home when I was not at school, or practice, or my job at Shakeys.)

Here's what I said to Lila: 

I have a hard time following this poorly organized forum format, and don't know why a gym discussion is here (in Profiles), rather than where it was being discussed.  But, since it is here, here's some thoughts.  First, I find it very strange that a new high school was built without a gym, such that the junior high school had a gym but the high school did not.  Coach Page was there during my tenure, and, regarding full participation in sports, the pressure was the same for boys.  If you wanted to play football, you had better go out for wrestling, and you certainly had better not play golf in the Spring, rather than track.  I didn't wrestle and I played golf.  I got 9 letters, went to District and State in Golf, and was Conference Medalist my Senior year.  Nowadays I can't run, can't wrestle, but play golf often.  So, who knew best?  BTW, I knew Mary well, and the girls she ran with, and I was in awe!!!! 

- - - - - - -

I should add that Burgett sorta had to make an exception to doing basketball instead of his wrestling when we had athletes like Connelly and Hansen and Blockus and Hintz and Naeve and Stnfill, and my memory fades about there.

Also Custer started at Center for the football team for three years, and golfed all three years.  Junior year he was the #2 golfer, behind Springer, and Senior year he was #1.