2009:JUST A REMINDER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

If you are going to the Kuser School Centennial dinner dance on Thursday, June 4, 2009, and haven't yet reserved a place or places, call the number above and reserve a place. This affair promises to be a memorable event. I hope to see you there!

1989: HHS CLASS OF 1954 CELEBRATE THEIR 35TH

1954: It was a very good year. some 55 years later, Judy Britton and Tom Glover celebrated 55 years of wedded bliss, along with those infrequent incidents that added wrinkle after wrinkle to our once young countenance. Here's an article I wrote for the Hornets from the class of '54. Unless my math is faulty, they will be headed for their 55th this year of 2009.

1989: HHS JUNIOR CLASS FASHION SHOW

These Hornets would go on to become the class of 1990.

1949: THE OPERETTA HOLLYWOOD EXTRA

I miss those annual high school operettas. It would really be nice to see the high schools do what is being done on Broadway with musical revivals. Wouldn't it be nice to see "The Red Mill," or one of Gilbert and Sullivans masterpieces? As I was reading over the program which I have digitally re-mastered, I was transported back to the year 1949 where a lovely Bettee Beiger Farmer loaned her beautiful voice to still another HHS annual operetta. There were a few of my teen age crushes in that cast.

1974: Steve Allen-HHS '74- A New Hornet Website

The following is from Steve Allen, HHS '74:

Hi Tom,

My name is Steve Allen (Class of ’74). Recently we started working on our plans for our F35^th reunion to be held on Friday, November 27^th, 2009. Specific details regarding place, costs, time, etc have yet to be established. However, as a result of the planning, and since I have my own web/graphic design company, I am responsible for all internet communications. Again, since my company designs websites, we created a site for the class of 74 (www.hhswclassof74.com). It just went “live” this weekend and still have some pages to complete. The reason for my e-mail is to see if you would be willing to mention us in your blog. In return, I have created a link on our site for “Links” which I will be placing Classmates.com, the Official HHSW website and Alumni site and would be more than happy to add your hhs51 blog if you would like.

This June 10^th we will be having our first fundraiser at Applebees on Rt. 33, from 11am till 10pm with 10% of each bill going towards our fundraising efforts. Within the next day or two I will have the flyer online that everyone needs to take into the restaurant in order to get the donations. Of course we would appreciate any publicity your blog could offer as I am sure you have numerous fellow hornets that are avid readers of your blog and would be willing to help out by dining out on that day.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me…

Thanks,

Steve Allen

1949-1950 (Circa) HHS Soccer Team

There's Tommy Corelli on the far right, Jack Pierson on the far left. I also see classmates Donnie Frounfelker, Ronnie Lynch, Kieth Kauffman, Paul Henon.....Memories of our youth!

A FANTASTIC HIGH SCHOOL REUNION POEM

This gem comes from Carl Hoagland via Jack Lacy, both Hornets from the HHS class of '56. It is priceless, and quite typical of human nature.

Many thanks, Carl and Jack!
================
Every class has one or two classmates who refuse to give in to the ravages of father time and admit that they have aged dramatically from their school years.
If I should be blessed with another reunion for my HHS '51 class,
I herewith forewarn all of my classmates:
As you squint to read my name tag, know that I have earned each and every wrinkle in my 75 year old countenance. Trusting you will forgive my one 50 year old exercise in vanity, when I opted for a man-made hair do, I want you to know that at the golden age of 75, I have no problem reminding myself almost daily that I am no longer a young stud. Don't look for me to do a teenager-type jitterbug, Cha Cha, or polka.....maybe a very slow two step. All the while, remember those eternal words of wisdom from Robert Browning:

"Grow old with me....the best is yet to be.."

============
THE CLASS REUNION

Every ten years, as summertime nears,

An announcement arrives in the mail,
A reunion is planned; it'll be really grand;
Make plans to attend without fail.

I'll never forget the first time we met;
We tried so hard to impress.
We drove fancy cars, smoked big cigars,
And wore our most elegant dress.

It was quite an affair; the whole class was there.
It was held at a fancy hotel.
We wined, and we dined, and we acted refined,
And everyone thought it was swell.

The men all conversed about who had been first
To achieve great fortune and fame.
Meanwhile, their spouses described their fine houses
And how beautiful their children became.

The homecoming queen, who once had been lean,
Now weighed in at one-ninety-six.
The jocks who were there had all lost their hair,
And the cheerleaders could no longer do kicks.

No one had heard about the class nerd
Who'd guided a spacecraft to the moon;
Or poor little Jane, who's always been plain;
She married a shipping tycoon.

The boy we'd decreed 'most apt to succeed'
Was serving ten years in the pen,
While the one voted 'least' now was a priest;
Just shows you can be wrong now and then.

They awarded a prize to one of the guys
Who seemed to have aged the least.
Another was given to the grad who had driven
The farthest to attend the feast.

They took a class picture, a curious mixture
Of beehives, crew cuts and wide ties.
Tall, short, or skinny, the style was the mini;
You never saw so many thighs..

At our next get-together, no one cared whether
They impressed their classmates or not.
The mood was informal, a whole lot more normal;
By this time we'd all gone to pot.

It was held out-of-doors, at the lake shores;
We ate hamburgers, coleslaw, and beans..
Then most of us lay around in the shade,
In our comfortable T-shirts and jeans.

By the fiftieth year, it was abundantly clear,
We were definitely over the hill.
Those who weren't dead had to crawl out of bed,
And be home in time for their pill.

And now I can't wait; they've set the date;
Our 55th is coming, I'm told.
It should be a ball, they've rented a hall
At the Shady Rest Home for the old.

Repairs have been made on my hearing aid;
My pacemaker's been turned up on high.
My wheelchair is oiled, and my teeth have been boiled;
And I've bought a new wig and glass eye.

I'm feeling quite hearty, and I'm ready to party
I'm gonna dance 'til dawn's early light.
It'll be lots of fun; But I just hope that there's one
Other person who can make it that night.

Author Unknown

1954: Dorothy Boulden Ridolfi Obit

Many thanks to Marion for sending this heads up regarding the passing of Dorothy Boulden Ridolfi:

Hello Tom,

Hope all is well with you and yours!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Dottie Boulden-Ridolfi passed away, I think from cancer. She was a very nice and very sweet person and a classmate of mine at HHS, as was Ed Ridolfi (Class of 1955). I have attached the link to her obituary:

http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/trenton/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=123372941

Thanks,
Marion

2009: COME SING WITH ME!

A case of bad planning, along with a lack of publicity will probably result in a dismal turnout for my Wednesday night May 13th musical program at the Kuser Mansion. Unfortunately, the dates available did not coincide with the appearance of my "Sentimental Journey" column in the Times of Trenton. However, the program will go on, and perhaps a visitor or visitors to this website will be interested in participating in our journey back to the years of good music.

Here's the advertising poster for another of my very popular Kuser Mansion music programs. If you have two hours available next Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30, come on over to Kuser Mansion on Newkirk Avenue and Cedar Lane and join those of us who love the music we grew up with. We'll be remembering all those great 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's vocalists that sang the music we loved. Remember Tony Orlando and Dawn?....Barry Manilow?.....Englebert Humperdinck? Perry Como? Bobby Goldsboro? There's music with a melody and understandable lyrics....music for all ages from World War II right up to the recent past, when the music died, vocals turned to spoken words or screams, and instrumentals that puncture the ear drums.