Welcome February...

Valentine’s day is around the corner...are you ready?

Remember during our elementary days when you had to give valentine cards to the girls in your class? Most of us guys either hated it, or pretended to hate it. Still, it was the perfect opportunity to tell that certain girl in your class how much you liked her. How? Easy. You saved the absolute best valentine in the package just for her. The best one was the one that had the most glitter, color, and hopefully, the least mushy saying on the front. Sayings like "Be My Valentine" was safe; however, anything pertaining to the word "heart" was a bit of a romantic mine field. You had to step carefully when speaking about matters of the heart to a girl in your class.

Next came the problem of your guy friends. Yeah, that's right, you had to give one to them too. It was that whole blasted "sharing concept" that we were being taught. Guys in the class got the dumbest cards.

We received a baker’s dozen correct guesses when identifying Shelley Robinson McKerren as our “Can You Guess Who I Am” classmate from last month. This time around, take a shot at guessing our new face. Hint: She’s shy and very introverted, attended our most recent reunion and for those in attendance would describe her as a wall flower....enough help, you’re on your own. Good luck!

Much of our February update centers around relationships, some as you will read, led to a walk down the aisle for many. We revisit our twentieth reunion held in 1990, reflect on those that have passed before us, reminisce time spent at the former retail mecca located off of Florida Grove Road, a cap and gown moment, a fish tale of two angler buddies void of embellishment and finally some new Motown.

Enjoy!

WHS ='s Match.com...

Here's a picnic basket full of familiar names: Larry Cenegy & Stephanie Chulock, Pat Dillon & Charlie Zullo, Gloria Hollenback & Bob Moscarelli, Mark Smith & Denise O'Donahue, Georgeann Warrick & Bob Wardlow and Pat Navalany & Chuck Launhardt.

Were these WHS graduates a team that produced the El Dorado, no...finished in the top fifteen of our graduating class, no...they are in fact, in this month of cupid, our WHS classmates that discovered a love that eventually led to successful and happy marriages.

Proof that not all of us had our minds focused 24/7 on class instruction.

Where's the "A&P" couple?...

Remember those yearbook booster listings? A yearbook message containing fifty characters or less displayed at the back of our yearbooks. Cost a dollar and we were asked to sell a multitude of each to help defray the yearbook costs. Most messages recorded in this time capsule were of a family congratulatory nature, sports bragging, pleas of peace in the world and a chance to remind the world of a couple's never ending love for each other.

Of the thousands listed though, one stands out to us as the quirkiest... "We Met at the A&P"...ooooooookay. anyone willing to lay claim to this one? We, along with TMZ, would love to know how that relationship has blossomed over the years.

One thing is for certain, we're betting that there is Eight O'Clock joe brewing each morning. :)

Can you find yourself?...

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A thought...

We ran around this town of ours like two partners-in-crime. Senior hooky day, hitting the Staten Island bars (always with the assurance that Steve would cover my butt when my wise ass demeanor would invite trouble), attending many Rangers/Flyers hockey games and last but not least, countless late nights at the Reo Diner counter discussing all the attributes of the good looking WHS babes...my buddy being the late Steve Kondrk from Hopelawn. Without a doubt, one of the best friends I could ever ask for.

When I look back on my time spent at WHS my close friends come to mind first. Sadly Steve is one now listed in our "In Memoriam" below. However, I count my blessings for those years of his friendship afforded me. Steve's friendship is no exception though. I am certain that my story is not much different than many of you that have lost at least one of your WHS friends.

So with that said, I will simply suggest that this new site of ours be dedicated in spirit not only to Steve but to all of our WHS friends that have gone before us. They were an integral part of our school experience back then and today they still have a presence. They serve as a reminder to us all to appreciate the time we are afforded, especially the opportunity to continue our many other WHS friendships once established oh so many years ago.

With respect to all,

Rich

Hard to believe...

Cost of Living 1970

Yearly Inflation Rate USA 5.84%

Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 838

Average Cost of New House $23,450

Average Income Per Year $9,400

Average Monthly Rent $140

Cost of a Gallon of Gas 36 cents

Shaefer Pen $9.95

United States Postage Stamp 6 cents

Sports Illustrated 15 cents

Man's Westclox Watch $18

AMC Gremlin $1,879

20th Reunion...

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Remember these?...

Classmate spotlight...

The friendship began over a half century ago. To this day, it is as strong and valued as much as it was back in first grade for these two fellow WHS classmates; Mike Ladjack and Mark Panzera. True friendship is in many ways a definition of a success story. We chose to highlight two buddies this month that built a simple success story anchored all these years by their friendship and mutual passion for fishing.

At the age of six Mike and Mark first became friends when their footprints were still fresh in the hallways of St. James. They began fishing together at what most of us considered the forbidden swimming hole, Rafty’s on upper Main Street. Throughout the years, despite several family moves and career changes, stints in the armed services, the friendship always remained strong. What started at Rafty’s led them to Roosevelt Park, Rahway Park and eventually to numerous states around the country and even Canada to fish.

With Mark and his family now living in Connecticut, Mike in Jersey, they look forward each summer to their annual getaway reunion. A week of fishing with families sharing a good time on a lake together. During the day, it’s all about being on the water with the pure joy of fishing surrounded by the silence of nature. Catch and release are the rules of the game, along with no live bait. In between the annual family reunion the guys get together year round and wet the lines in numerous lakes throughout the northeast. The results are amazing. Although it’s fun to be able to land impressive catches, if asked, both would honestly say that the real payoff is the time shared with each other, time that each has wisely invested in over the years.

When we fish, sure we catch stuff and learn much, but ultimately we are making memories, and the most important people in our lives are the ones with which we share these memories. When I was younger I used to fish with both Mark and Mike and the days kind of run together in my mind. However, the jokes, excitements and moments shared with them stand apart - as some of the most treasured moments in my life.

Mark and Mike...you two learned the secret of success...in a friendship of over fifty years and you’re wise enough to have held on to it while realizing the joy of time well spent.

A Step Back in Time...

The pot of gold at the end of our Florida Grove Road rainbow.Two Guys discount store chain was founded in Harrison, New Jersey by a pair of brothers, Herbert and Sidney Hubschman, with a single 600 square foot store in 1946. The brothers soon established a reputation for selling radios, televisions and household appliances at razor-thin margins, much to the consternation of their competitors, one of whom dubbed them “Those two b@5#@rds from Harrison”.

Choosing to wear the putdown as a badge of honor, the Hubschmans adopted a sanitized version of it as their company name. The company was legally known, in fact, as “Two Guys From Harrison, Inc.” until 1959 when they acquired O.A. Sutton Corporation, a manufacturer of electric fans, air conditioners and heaters, who would become a major supplier to Two Guys and eventually to other chains as well. Sutton’s fan product line had the flashy-sounding name of “Vornado”, which became the name of the combined entity. The store moniker had been shortened by this time to “Two Guys”.
Through the 1950’s into the early sixties, the company built ever larger stores, averaging between 135,000 and 190,000 square feet by 1964. The stores initially had leased soft goods departments in addition to the core appliance and electronics offerings, along with a large supermarket area. By the mid-60’s, Vornado had taken over most of the leased departments and ran them as in-house operations. The company was early to join the trend towards building near controlled-access highways, standard practice for those that followed, right up to today’s Wal-Mart Super Centers.
In 1964, Vornado told a New York Times reporter that they would no longer include supermarket departments in new Two Guys stores (though in actuality they did on several more), citing poor profitability in food operations. Two Guys’ arch-competitor E.J.Korvette was plagued with a similar problem, and would ultimately decide to dump food stores altogether. Ironically, Vornado would purchase a supermarket chain on the West Coast, Food Giant, in 1967.

Sadly, by the end of 1964, both Hubschman brothers were no longer part of the “Two Guys” organization. Sidney resigned from the company in November, 1963, and Herbert, company chairman at the time, passed away in September of the following year.
Little did we realize back then when we were buying new school clothes, groceries, school supplies or hanging out in the sporting goods department that we were witnessing the precursor to "Walmartland".

Classmates blackboard...

You have some old exercise equipment, perhaps a used microwave only strong enough to make popcorn you want to post for sale...no.

However, if you wish to share a message or thought within your WHS community you can! We have set up a "Message Center" that will appear on the right side of our page that will contain messages or requests that you wish to share with your WHS compadres.

Want to ask if there are any fellow classmates that live nearby, announce some exciting family/work related news or even ask an old WHS flame to marry you...here's the place! Simply drop an email to one of us under the "Contact Us" box with your words and we will be happy post your comments or message. Realizing that not everyone is a member of Facebook and that informational sharing entity this is one way to be sure to communicate within your exclusive WHS world if you wish. Each entry will be posted upon receipt and remain visible for a minimal of sixty days thereafter.

Remember, please, no microwaves! :)

Enjoy!