2007: JESSE ANDERSON 1933-2007

I JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM JESS ANDERSON'S' WIFE GAIL . JESS PASSED AWAY THIS AFTERNOON. I COUNTED JESS AMONG MY BEST FRIENDS. WE WENT FROM MISS MARY KELLY'S RECEPTION GRADE BACK IN 1939 RIGHT THROUGH KUSER GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND HAMILTON HIGH CLASS OF 1951. JESS HAD A VERY DISTINGUISHED CAREER. HE WAS THE TOWN'S CHIEF OF POLICE, AND LATER BECAME THE MAYOR OF SEASIDE PARK. YOU WILL BE MISSED, JESS, AND YOU WILL BE IN MY PRAYERS. MAY THE LORD WELCOME YOU INTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM.

WE'LL MEET AGAIN.

1992: A VALIANT HHSW ALUMNI EFFORT CRASHED

WE PLANNED A PICNIC ---

BUT NOBODY CAME!

BACK IN 1992, I JOINED CAROL BENCIVENGO, LORRAINE MAY, MANNY BUTERA, AND A NUMBER OF HAMILTON ALUMNI IN A VALIANT EFFORT TO ORGANIZE A HAMILTON WEST ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
DO YOU SEE THOSE ORANGE MEMBERSHIP CARDS IN THE GRAPHIC? THERE ARE TWO BOXES OF 500 EACH WHICH WERE NEVER TOUCHED! WE EVEN INSTITUTED A NEWSLETTER, "ALUMNI CRITERION." THE RESPONSE WAS UNDERWHELMING! LAST WEEK, LORRAINE FEEHAN MAY DROPPED OFF TWO HUGE BOXES OF THE MEMBERSHIP CARDS WE WERE SURE WOULD BE EAGERLY CLAIMED BY HAMILTON HORNETS. TO ADD TO THE HURT, MUCH TIME WAS SPENT AT OUR MEETINGS ESTABLISHING BYLAWS. ALL THAT MATERIAL IS BEING STORED IN MY OFFICE SHOULD THERE BE ANY ALUMNUS OR ALUMNI THAT WOULD LIKE TO RESUME THE QUEST. I WAS COMPLETELY BAFFLED BY THE LACK OF INTEREST IN THIS WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR.