John Hein

Ah yes, the cognitive domain, aka whatcha got 'twixt the ears....I remember Mz K taught us multiplication tables using Yankee Doodle as a mnemonic device. Using that melody, she'd sing: "Five times five is twenty five and five times six is thirty".........all the way to "and five times ten is fifty". I remember it still, so I guess it worked. Of course, that was before calculators..... Hard to believe that was (yikes!!!) 55 years ago. Hawaii and Alaska were new states and the 707 was globally a big deal. 

I found this online: Elsie I Karvonen: Seattle, King Co., WA Sept. 22, 1912-March 12, 1999

May she rest in peace.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

I remember that my mother insisted that I not have Miss Karvonen.  Maybe she heard all of the stories and thought I would have my psyche permanently warped.  Of course that happened anyway.

Robert W Talbot

Hey John, is that Steve Mansel in front of you? Man, that was a long time ago. I went to Whitworth for first grade only but still remember the stories of Ms Karvonen and her. notorious purse! Never got to experience the Karvonen bottom bump though.

John MacLeod

Ms Karvonen................I still have nightmares.  I went to Whitworth for kindegarten and 1st grade.  Managed to make two or three trips to the principals office, got my polio shots and sat on the bench in the nurses office while my pants were dried on the steam radiator.  There were usually 4 or 5 of us who managed to arrive at school with pants wet from the rain.

Anyway.............There I am having lunch and cutting up with Tom Ballestrari.  Miss Karvonan starts up with her "Pick Up Scrappy Doodle" routine.  I hadn't dropped anything on the floor, so why should I have to pick up anything that wasn't there.  I told Tom as much.  The next thing I know is that Karvonen has me slung over her shoulder and carting me across the lunchroom.  Made me sit with her until lunch was over.  What a crock of baloney.  Never did pick up any scrappy doodle, just ducked my head down on the table and refused to do anything.  Seems I have had a problem with authority figures ever since.  As to nightmares.............maybe not.

John MacLeod

J R Hein.............Seems to me that was that famous rock group known as "Hale's Raiders".

Philip Anderson

Hi John:

Its been fun following all the posting and thanks for the picture. While I was in a different class I do see Jeff Yoshinaka in the picture. My best to all of you.  Phil Anderson

John Hein

Bob T: That is Steve-uh-reeno !!!

Sheriff McCloud: Close, but no cigar......Hale's Angels............Get it???

Phil: You are correct sir !!!

I'd heard stories that Karvonen had thrown a perceived miscreant over the piano in her classroom. Don't know if it's true, but remember hearin' it. I do remember she dragged Mike Mickleson in front of the class, announced that he'd been acting like a baby at recess, and promptly put a baby bonnet on him. In retrospect, I honestly believe Karvonen coulda shoulda woulda been world champ had she entered the wonderful world of professional wrestling. Haystack Calhoun, Hulk Hooligan, Andre The Giant? Bring 'em on..................And she woulda made alot mo $$$, fer sure.      

John MacLeod

Angels???  Surely you jest...........

John MacLeod

Dick Wasson................Appears that he owns Methow Valley Cider House in Winthrop.  Or at least it looks like him and has the same name, however he goes by Richard now.  Those of you who knew him better can check it out at methowvalleyciderhouse.com.  Don't think he especially cared for me.   Huh??  Go figure.  Perhaps Mr. Hein can look into this possibility.

Susan Marino (Simpson)

Your posts gave me good chuckle today. I was in Mrs. Hubbard's class next door to Mrs. K. Mrs. K scared me. I certainly remember " pick up scrappy doodles" and was horrified when, one lunch, she picked up Michael Holman by his belt (at the back) and marched him up to the front of the room. I have shared that story many times over the years. I am loving the class pics, too. 

Al Ovadia

John, love the Whitworth 3rd Grade shot. Went there for kindergarten and first then transferred to Graham Hill and joined up with John Mac, Walter Rice, Fred Westergard, Wayne Henry, Dick Wassen, Jim Gritzen (whose forehead I whacked open playing baseball at recess), Dempsey Henley, Stephen Appleyard (our safety patrol poster boy), Dale Cohen, Barbara Shapiro and the list goes on.

Al 

Barry Meyers

What a hoot listening about Whentworth! We sure had a staid bunch at John Muir compared to you folks.

Barry Meyers

Oops Whitworth. Perhaps the Benecke brothers might have other recollections. What about it Jerry and Mark?

John MacLeod

Small world syndrome...............Went to look at a small job last week.  Turns out the woman I met with had grown up in Renton.  Blah, blah blah and few minutes later I have my connection.  Her father taught industrial arts at Rainier Beach and her uncle taught at Sharples.  Her Uncle is Mr. Hubbard who taught mechanical drawing.  Her Mom wanted to know about me and how she knew me.  She tells her Mom "Oh, he's one of Uncle Sparky's students"  That was good enough for Mom and I got the job.

John MacLeod

John Muir..............Not sure if this typical or not, but I knew a guy who spent over fourty years trying to get out.His name was John Abernathy and he did graduate from John Muir.  Eventually enlisted in the navy and was injured at the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  When he returned after the war he got a job with the Seattle School District.  He spent most of his career at John Muir as the custodian.  He used to joke about being a slow learner and taking a long time trying to get out of John Muir.

John MacLeod

Mark and Jerry..................I always figured they were pretty lucky.  They could almost fall down their front stairs and be at school.  Didn't Bob and Mike McCormick live close by also???

Jerry Benecke

Barry - thanks for calling me out?! - Great to see the responses to John's original photo posting - I recognized Steve, Yosh, John Mac,  Joan & many others.  However, I would not agree with your assessment that we were a "staid bunch" as we centainly had our share of delinquents at J Muir. I survived being sent to the principal for carving my intials in a new desk in 4th grade (the first of many things I regret in my life).  I was slapped across the face by Mrs Kjerland in 5th grade and told to "wipe that smirk off your face" for laughing when Pat McGrady got in trouble.  I remember Susi Thomas' twist party & Halloween costume party, playing Little League baseball for the Italian Club - Mark & I, Roland, and the Maltsbergers may have been the only non-Italians on the team. I remember a great teacher, Mrs Branham who would have her 6th grade class meditate.  Most of all, I remember growing up in a diverse neighborhood that helped shape the person I am today and produced lifelong friendships that I cherish. It was a special time and place with a lot of special kids that came together to form a great class at FHS -  Jerry

Susan Niven

Great stories - keep them coming!  I spent 4 memorable years at John Muir.  Lived within walking distance in a wonderful neighbourhood.  Wonderful memories of riding our bikes, roller skating, walking down to the lake for a swim in the summer.  Wasn't life great back then!

Ric Rivera

Wow! Greetings all! I, like many others have been enjoying the conversations here on the message forum!

Teacher K sounds like a bad nightmare. I did not go to Whitworth though lived just over the imaginary border.

•    To Julia L & Nancy R: Since we did not have an official grand mid-term reunion this forum is serving as a relative, on the go online reunion.

Many kudos to Nancy R for overlord of the class site and John M for whom it seems taken, the reins as overlord or Howdy! "Sheriff" as John H puts it so well on this here, lively message board. Bravo! That'll be no quinine tonic for the leg cramps here but rounds on the house. 

•    To Sheriff McCloud & John H:  Great find Sheriff John!  You’re right! Confirmed! That is Richard Wasson! He is doing well and still plays music. Dick as we've known him has been given a link to his class profile to join in on the conversations.

Let’s see. We have John Muir and Whitworth elementary pics. One of these times Hawthorne will grace these pages but, I can’t seem to find these long ago pics but maybe Brenda R, Margaret K, Marcia R, Donna A, Jan L, Cheryl C, Heather T, Colleen T, Janis S, Zaharoula D, Gloria H, Christine P, Marsha G, Sylvia L, Mark H, David A [short timer], Keith G, and Arne V, Paul N, Larry E, Lee B to name few. Someone in time will post one.

Jim Eastwood

Hello all.

JR Hein's picture brought back some of the best times of my life.  It was a period when we all lived, grewup and hungout within our own real neighborhoods.  I can't remember a time when a bunch of us were not running after school to play basketball, football or baseball.  I  think Miss Karvonen scared many because she was so tall and we were not.  I would come home for dinner many times and she would be at our table.

This lady truly loved all of us.  If you had to go to the back of the room and "chose your poisen boy!" from the handpainted ping pong paddles you probably deserved it.  I still remember her bringing breakfast for a certain student who had no food in her house.  How many teachers do you all actually remember?  I only wish the education system today was as good as it was then.  At least we wouldn't be raising a bunch of kids hiding in their parents basement in their skivvies.

Best to all,

Jim  Eastwood
 

John Hein

OK Jim, you asked for it, you got it:

K: Mrs. Yook (a kinder, gentler teacher) 
1st: Miss Pefly (as scary as Karvonen, but shorter, with more than a hint of sadism often revealed)
2nd: Mrs. Wiper, then Miss Malren (Mrs Wiper was "in a family way") Portable on the playfield.
3rd: Karvonen (nuff said)
4th: Mr Duane (tried to backhand me for one of my smart ass retorts, but he telegraphed the move so I ducked, he slammed his hand against the aluminum chalk tray on the blackboard, I laffed, then ran like Carl Lewis. For some reason I didn't get expelled. A cover up? A bribe? A conspiracy? And check out the grassy knoll !!!).
5th: Mrs Bray (my favorite, conducted a Kennedy vs Nixon vote, right there in the classroom !!!)
6th: Ben Wah.....I mean uh......Ben Nakagawa ( a rookie, and it showed, glaringly )

I guess my RAM chips are OK for now...............

Nancy: My mother would've heard the stories about Karvonen and insisted I was put in her class. Jim Eastwood was spot on: Karvonen would be jailed for her antics nowadays, and backpacks entering her classroom would be searched. Maybe a metal detector?

Jerry: Sheriff McCloud is not in that picture. He would've been truant from Graham Hill by 3rd grade. Maybe you need some new glasses? I know I sure do..........
 

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Great new picture Connie Messmer Hennessy.

Barry Meyers

John R,

Memories of the past flood in when you mentioned Ben Nakagawa. I'm reasonable certain he is the gentleman I worked with in Saipan, CM (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands) from 1980-1982. My wife, Linda from my first marriage (2nd wife of 25 years is Linda, and the woman I was going out with before meeting her was named Linda. Sure made it easier), was a Prime Contract teacher for the CNMI, while I served a few varied roles. Ben Nakagawa, and I think his wife, were advisors to the Supertintendent of Education. Ben was from Seattle, had taught elementary school in the RB and Beacon Hill areas, was in administration, and in about his early to mid-50's. Dime on a dollar they're one in the same. What about this - I've still got the memory!

As know by the Mt. Baker Neighborhood gang (especially the Beneckes, McGradys, McCormicks, etc...),

Barrel (aka. Barry)

John MacLeod

Y'all........

Glad to hear from everyone and their stories.  Turns out some of us have been banging heads and knuckles with each other for 57-58 years.  Ouch.

Jim E........Did Mrs K live near you?  At East Brighton/Graham Hill we had a Mrs. VonNorman.  Not as scary as Karvonen but she kept you honest.  Delivered papers to her house.  First time I went to collect I was a bit apprehensive.  Turns out she was okay.

JR........I wasn't going to say anything about anyone elses eyesight.  However if you were to put Jim E's 3rd grade photo next to mine, there is a close resemblence.  My apologies to the Eastwoods.

Ric.....Glad you checked up on Mr Wasson.  Mr Hein did also.  So does this mean the band is getting back together?  I think Carl Kushner lives in the Auburn/Kent area.  Don't know about Marc Hale.

I can see the headlines now............."Appearing nightly at the City Dump.....Hale's Archangels"  Brought to you by JP Patches Entertainment Assocs.

That begs the question.  How many appeared on JP's show or were given birthday greetings via the I-C-U-Too TV?  I missed on both counts which probably led to my delicate psyche.

John Hein

Barry Barrel: Sounds like the same dude. He was intelligent and I learned alot from him, but he was lacking in the soft skills that are prerequisite to being a good teacher. He was a strict disciplinarian and got frustrated easily, and in the final analysis, he was trying to herd cats. Hopefully those skills developed with experience. Last I heard, circa late 70's, he had climbed the ladder into some kinda admin position with the school district, but I hadn't much interest at that point. 

Sue M: Holman vs Karvonen.....that's what we called a Tuesday. Ironically, the ostensibly most undisciplined Mikey H. spent twenty something years in the Air Force. Uncle Sam didn't want me (wise uncle, say I), but I'd guess Mike learned discipline real good, albeit later on. Those lunchroom scenarios were somewhere between chaos and anarchy at best. Another case of herding cats....... Why am I thinking about John Belushi in Animal House all of a sudden?..........FOOD FIGHT !!!

Sue M, Debbie K, Marsha G : Shortly after our 40th reunion, Brian Lewis emailed me a copy of the 3 sixth-grade classes standing on the stairs outside the gym at Whitworth. I sent it to all of you, and probably others I'm forgetting. I was gonna post it here but what with all the formatting & backing-up of the 1's and 0's, the file has become corrupt and won't open. Do any of you have that picture? I'm doing this from memory (iffy), but iirc it was a pdf file. Pleeez, check your archives? I've PM'ed Brian but haven't heard back. At the time, Brian was working at the kitefactory (Boeing, for you civilians). If anybody on the inside can look him up, that'd be helpful too. In the interim, I'll activate some probe droids and see if I can get word to Brian on the inside, assuming he's still on the inside.

As others are, I'm enjoying the confab, ciao for now.