John Hein

I've inadvertantly been informed that Mike Smith has undergone bypass surgery. I have no contact info for him, so if anybody does, pleez wish him a speedy recovery. Watch this space........

Robert W Talbot

Great writing John! You missed your calling. Whilst youve been traveling Patti and I have been painting the old abode and I do mean old 1913. They put more little corners & hidy holes on these old houses than you can shake a stick at as my Dad used to say. Sorry to miss the garage blast this year but maybe next year. We're enjoying all the memories on this site and will stay tuned for more.

Sandra Smith (Hanson)

John, I've been in touch with Margo via FB and I believe he is (or was) at St. Joseph's in Tacoma.  He came through the surgery well.  I, too, am enjoying all of the posts.

John Hein

Is it me or did it get real quiet in here??? Sooo.....for all you valley girls and boys, we gave the Columbia some air time, so here's a picture of the American Theatre in Hillman City, on Rainier 'twixt Orcas & Findley. Dante's Inferno was Rita Hayworth's first flic, and the right rear quarter panel at the bottom right of the pic all say 1930's. From what I was able to reconnoiter, the American opened in 1921. You know, the roaring twenties, the Charleston, prohibition (which increased the amount consumed and the number of people imbibing), the Dow-Jones soaring ever onwards & upwards. Then the 30's roared into the depression; 1-in-3 of the labor force out of work. How did our parents survive ??? When the 30's came to an end, WWII loomed large. I'm thinkin' we were lucky to be born after all of the above. What say ye???

Glenn James Schoenmakers

It's not your imagination John.We have gone silent (at least for me) because I like to reminince of friends today and yesterday, and thinking about 19 cent burgers, 28 cent gas and the schooldays when we had nothing really serious pressing on us, I miss. We went from "happy days", sex, drugs & rock & roll to political lies (Vietnam for one), social deceit ("Reefer Madness") and the inequalities of real world situations. It depresses me to remember Walt Henry and his friendship only to have his and many other lives wasted for the priviledged. It angers me how banks became more manipulative. I mean in Wa. St. any interest above 12% was considered usury or loansharking. Now its legal to charge as much as 30 or more percent. Drugs that were evil or led to crime etc. are now veiwed as OK because it is a market (moneymaker) that can be tapped without it going through the black market. And all of this remains in our society. Look at Iraq & Afganistan. Our political leaders openly admitted they lied to the American people. Cheney's business investiments prosper above the law. And it was all done openly. We became identified as the 99%, the silent majority, the ones who pay the price for the rich to become richer (look who our soldiers are and where they are recruited). If you think I am wrong, just read recent history on banks, they have committed greater crimes and more of them than any organized criminal entity. They have paid fines for crimes you and I would be in prison for. Think about it. Our generation was going to change the world, make it a better place to raise a family, express our constitutional rights without repression. I'm sorry for the rant but I thought that is why I have been quiet. I like the reminicing but I also face some difficult situations that should not exist. These are also my own opinions and I do not expect anyone to agree with them. But I do expect that if we can't stand as a majority against these wrongs, we stand as an individual and speak up. Say something when an off colored joke, a preudice takes place(any and all), abuse of a human being, or an act that we know is wrong but stay silent takes place. Speak out for yourself if for no one else. OK John, I hope to write about something good that has taken place or remember simpler times next time.

Glenn

Glenn James Schoenmakers

Sorry John. The silence is deafening. For the previous message, let's face it, we didn't stand a chance then or now. Mr. Hayes, our history teacher, taught that there was never a war that was not fought for money or power. I hoped he was wrong, but later learned he was right. He bet me a dime that I would go to Vietnam. I later went back to Franklin to collect that dime. I was drafted and even had to go to the station where they would ship us off to Fort Lewis, then Vietnam. I refused to participate and decided to see if our constitution meant anything. I was drafted under Hershey memorandom, which stated you protest you go. I threw my draft card at the draft board. I also said some explicatives I won't repeat. Drafted special delivery. They said if I didn't go, 5 yrs at Mcneil Fed Pen. The Justice Dept. ruled that it was a violation of my free speech and I was never prosecuted. You don't have to be silent when you see a wrong being committed. We will always be the 99%, but we don't have to be the silent majority. We have many issues behind us. We have even more ahead.         Quick history lesson. Did you know that the Federal Reserve is a private consortium which prints and lends to our govt.? When the Fed interest rate is 1%, that's what our govt. pays, we obviously pay more.

  OK, I promise no more - Mr. Hayes went on to become an author.                   Now, about those 19 cent hamburgers.............                                Peace - Glenn

Peggy Johnson

Glenn - you are Exactly right!  It's just that people have become complacent and don't want to see it or if they see it, don't know what to do about it, but it's pretty disgusting.  You are right on every point!

Thanks for posting.  By the way do you ever watch Max Keiser on RT News?  Really good and eye opening.

Or have you read the Creature of Jekyll Island about how the Fed was formed or the Economic Hit Man - more eye openers with what is going on with our society.  I'm sure that there are other great books about this too.

It's kind of scarey what is happening and the only thing I've seen people stand up for his climate control - the huge march in New York. 

Peace

Peggy

Glenn James Schoenmakers

Peggy,, thanks for responding. I have not read the book you mention, although creation of the FED and the large impact it has, is not an institution that is very transparent. I think the reminicing helps us remember "good ol days" and helps us forget for a brief time the world we live in. I'm guessing but I think about 200 - 400 individuals have a direct impact on how the rest of the world's population lives. I also remember Mr. Ralph Hayes bringing politics to a real plane. He once said "Son, if a politician is not a liar, cheat or a thief, he would not be in office", later in life, from my experience I found that to be true. I always remind myself that they are people, no better nor worse than anyone else. But all of our memories should be close experiences, as Rainier Valley was known as garlic gulch. Garlic gulch covered a large & diverse area. Another happier thought John, back before TVs, families seemed to be much larger than today. Wonder why, hmmm. My grandfather ran 17 stills on Beacon Hill to help support his 7 boys and 7 girls. The boys went to war, some didn't return. I asked my father why he fought WWII, his answer "So you wouldn't have a war to fight". He disagreed with my position on war but supported it 100%. You know that across the street from Franklin, was Dag's. But there was another small burger joint behind dag's call Screams. There was also an alley just off the east side of school where us smokers and weed smokers gathered before going to class. Maybe that is why some of this forum does not recognize me. No worry, age has slowed us all down a bit. I'm glad I was born after all those things you mentioned, John. I'm also glad that I will not live that far into the future. After all burgers won't be 99 cents, gas 3 to 4 $, levi's which used to be 5$ are god knows what. And who knows what burgers will be made of by then? I guess we can't just reminice about the good without mentioning the bad. The getting alcohol, the fights, the car wrecks, the car breakdowns, and of course, some of those awful test scores, and skipping classes. I truly believe we lived in the "Golden Years" and had the best of times. As we used to say

"Love, Peace & Happiness" or was it "Groovy"

Glenn

Glenn James Schoenmakers

My apologies to all, I'll quietly stop my ranting. See what you get John when you say "What say ye". I guess I couldn't stand the quiet.

Peace,

Glenn

Glenn James Schoenmakers

Remember when we walked to school? You ever trace what your walk was? Some were quite the hikes, & in all sorts of weather. I mean, I have traced mine and can't believe how far it was.

G

Erik Kimple

I remember the walks to school, usually in the misty rain of the Northwest, when I look back on it, it was a great time to think. I remember when MLK was killed in April of 68, I had no idea of the justified rage that the many of the black students had, I remember some kids getting beat up. And I think I remember our principal being held captive for awhile in his office but can't remember for sure. Anyway good to read all the posts. Thanks to all. 

Sara Thompson (Thompson)

I was not very far from Franklin so can't claim miles of walking, but I remember having this aura of excitement as I walked home in the dark and it was only 4:30 or so - it meant Christmas was coming!

The Franklin "riot" in '68 was a bit of a turning point. In 2012 I wrote (for the Alumni Association, self-published but available on Amazon) a book on Franklin's first 100 years. This is the part about the sit-in from the section on Franklin in the 60s:

The late sixties brought some tumult—in March 1968 a sit-in led by three young activists (Larry Gossett, FHS 1963, Aaron Dixon, and Carl Miller) took place. Two black students were suspended as they neared graduation. One, concerned about the future of his education, contacted Carl Miller, the former head of the University of Washington’s chapter of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Miller, along with Dixon and Gossett and on behalf of the Black Student Union (BSU), attempted to meet with Loren Ralph, the principal of Franklin High, to persuade him to reinstate the students. They were unsuccessful. Franklin students, angered by the outcome of the negotiations, began threatening to “burn the school down.” Worried about the potential of a riot, the University of Washington BSU members decided to organize a response. As a few upset students threw eggs in the hallways, the BSU members ushered students to an eatery across the street around noon. At 1 pm, one hundred students, sixty of them Franklin students, marched on the principal’s office, chanting “Ungawa, Black Power!” At the office, they held a sit-in, where they demanded the two students be reinstated, and, in addition, that “1) that a black administrator be hired at the high school level in the Seattle Public School system; 2) that an African American history class be taught at Franklin; and 3) that images of black heroes grace the school walls along with the other American historical figures already featured.” For the first twenty minutes, they blockaded Principal Ralph within his office, but they allowed him to leave after the police intervened. This being the first time a sit-in had been held in a high school in Seattle, school district officials feared the potential of violent altercations and summoned a great deal of law enforcement, who began to seal off the school. Two hours after the sit-in began, a group of community members coaxed the demonstrators to move to a more spacious auditorium. Principal Ralph agreed to all the demands of the protestors, and the confrontation ended. The demonstrators and school administrators scheduled a meeting to continue the dialogue about racial dynamics in the high school. By the end of the school year a new Franklin administration was in place. One teacher, Roberto Maestas, saw this as a formative experience, and went on to get a master’s degree in Latin American studies at the University of Washington and founded El Centro de la Raza, which served the city's growing Latino population.

I am enjoying the recollections.

Sylvia Lovegren (Petras)

Thanks for that, Sara, very interesting.  Even though I was there, my memories are very hazy and very personal.  I used to eat across the street at the Beanery and felt like the atmosphere at Franklin was one of racial inclusion and harmony (I'm still a rainbow sunglasses kind of girl).  When MLK was killed, I remember some black students blocked the Beanery and didn't allow a group of us non-black kids to go there for lunch.  Some of the black kids were looking at us -- and at ME -- like we were the enemy, their eyes full of hate.   I was so shocked by that -- what?!  How could this be?!  You won't let ME go to my favorite place for lunch because I'm white?!  You hate ME because I'm one of the bad guys?!? It was an eye opener.  

The stuff that was happening in the school itself and with the administration I was only vaguely cognizant of.  

We did live in interesting times. 

Erik Kimple

Thank you Sara, I do remember one teacher Mr. Povanik,(funny how we still put Mr or Mrs in front of our old teachers, even today) anyway he as much as told us what a racist the principal was, he was also the teacher that brought Bruce Lee to one of his classes and organized a demonstration of Kung Fu at an assembly by a few of the Chinese students. There was also a bit of an elite part of our school, I remember how's shocked I was to find out there was a rowing crew associated with Franklin High, I guess it was reserved for a select few, but I'm not sure if that was really true or not. Maybe someone knows more about that. 

Jim Eastwood

Hello all,

The postings about Mr. Bowen reminded me of the first day in class.  He brought in his brief case, opened it up and pulled out his bullwip.  He then took off his shirt, flexed his muscles, turned to us and asked "any questions?"   I'm sure we had no discipline problems.  Could any of you envision the weanies we have at any level of education deal with that today?

The talk of cars really cracked me up.  Ric probably had the nicest 57 chev ever.  Us poor folks drove the beater old Chevs and held them together with duck tape. I remember Bob Talbot and I were convinced that if we changed our oil fill cap, we could get another RPM out of our hot 6 engines.  At least my car held together for Jim Bales and me to drive to Mexico when we were about 17. We didn't even get arrested.

I was at a car show the other day and a guy and I were lamenting why it took us this long in life to be able to drive the car's we really wanted in high school.  My project is a little 1960 Mercedes.  I bought it in Portland 30 years ago, stored it in my warehouse and am finally ready to restore it.  I bought for my wife , stored it about 10 years ago, then started to hide it behind my inventory.  I had to buy her a new car.

One more memory, then I'll go have a beer.  Al Olvada had the nicest 57 Chev.  I remember a bunch of us going places in his car and he would hit us all up for a quarter for gas.  I think we usually could get a half tank  because gas was only $.25/gallon.

Jim Eastwood

P.S  I won't even bring up the parties thrown in the back seat of Kurt G.'s 58 Chev!

John Hein

Jim: I think you're right; it's a tie 'twixt Ric's blazin' blue '57 and Al's racer red '57. Ric's had dual-quads and the Mickey Thompson mags. Al's was so red inside & out it always had me grabbin' a fire extinguisher. Then again, your '55 was no rust bucket, and I remember the oil cap debate all too well. I remember when you came over with your brother John, ask my Dad to take a ride, and we all listened as the rear-end howled. Dad gave you some 90 weight gear oil so you could top it off as a stop-gap measure.

Dad would amaze me sometimes: He'd adjust the fuel mix on the carburetor (hey, remember carburetors?), and he could hear the changes in the rpm. Then he'd put the mercury gage on to verify, and 9 outta 10 times he was spot on. I had to go right to the mercury gage. He would do a similar ritual to adjust the timing, then go to the timing light. I was lucky to have him teach me so many things......jeez, I really miss him......

As to "parties thrown in the back seat of Kurt G.'s 58 Chev"....now that's a head scratcher. Kurt Gores didn't have a '58 Chev. So, did you mean Keith Gorzeeee ? He had a '58 for awhile, then later upgraded to an ice blue '57 210.

Every Christmas I listen to a song called Rusty Chevrolet by Da Yoopers, and it describes all of us way back when: "Rust and smoke, the heater's broke, the door just flew away, oh what fun it is to drive my rusty Chevrolet". Check 'em out on YouTube.

Al Ovadia

Yep, I loved that car. So many memories. I think Ric's was cooler. Mine had blue seats in the front and red seats in the back. A trend that sadly never caught on. But the extrior was in great shape. Some jerk came down my driveway in Seward Park and stole my Sun tach. Never figured it out but have my suspicions. Sold it for $600 in 1969.

Do you guys remember the little fish and chips place (had about ten stools) next to Bob's Landing? The owner used to keep a cigar box behind the counter with running tabs from us. Loved that place.

Sylvia Lovegren (Petras)

Mr. Povanik?   I remember the black history teacher -- whose name totally escapes me -- bringing Bruce Lee to class, but maybe that's another fake memory.    How you guys can remember all these details amazes me.  Guess I was too busy, um, expanding my consciousness to notice.  

Robert W Talbot

Al Ovadia man I haven't heard that name forever. I remember the burger joint;it was Kobe's. We used to get the cheeseburger with the works. Gosh used to get the fish and chips and put "sea water"on. Vinegar with lots of garlic. Man that was great! He and his wife lived in an area behind the restaurant; I still remember when the door was open you could see into their home. What a great view and a great memory! Thanks for that!

John Hein

Yeah, was his name Al Kobe? I remember the fish & chips and heavy on the seasoning. That was just good eatin'........mmmmmm........

I didn't steal your Sunn tach Al, so I not only deny the allegation, I deny the alligator. I'm sure my ram chips are iffy, but I honestly don't remember blue front seats. Too bad nobody had a white '57; we woulda had red, white and blue 57s, and ain't that America?, as John Cougar MelonHead would say, in song.......

I also don't remember any parties in the back seat of anybody's '58. So if I was there, I musta had the best time ever.............I think it's time we heard from Pat McGrady as he was a Ford guy. Ya know, equal time and it's only fair............. and who would represent MoPar? Somebody musta had a Dodge Dart as there were a gazillion of 'em on the road. Jerry Israel had a Charger, so there's our MoPar rep.

I also had Pavonik in our junior year. I thot he was a great guy on accounta he didn't give us a boat load of homework. I remember one day, just before class, I heard several people say that Bruce Leaf was gonna be in our class. I thot hmmm, I wonder if Bruce got kicked outta Mr. King's class......Once class commenced, I realized it wasn't Bruce Leaf I was hearing, it was Bruce LEE. In my defence, you can understand the miscommunique, right? Anyway, Bruce Lee dazzled us by doing a pushup not just one-armed, but his thumb and pointer were the only digits supporting his weight. I was sure I'd injure myself so nobody had to say "do not try this at home"..........I had trouble doing push ups using both hands. My exercise motto is "No pain, NO PAIN". That's my story and I'm stuck with it. And my posthumous apologies to Bruce Leaf for casting unwarrented asparagus.

Ric Rivera

Sara T – Thank you, your position, input and work efforts are immensely appreciated. You and others mentioned Columbia City neighborhood changed. Literally, this one change is above all so while in the area I snapped some pictures. For those no longer anchored in the hood, this is of PCC market mixed housing unit going up in the old Tradewell spot. One pic looking south from the Post Office and the other from Edmonds and 39th. 

Not gone quiet- not a silent majority…… “Bloom where you are planted”, FHS alumus Larry Gossett ’63 has gone metro from ’68 protest to gang of 4 aka “4 Amigos” and beyond. 

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattle-history/slideshow/Franklin-High-School-through-the-years-75092/photo-902936.php

http://northseattleherald-outlook.com/main.asp?SectionID=22&SubSectionID=167&ArticleID=88700

The protest…..Charles Oliver ‘68
http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/seattles-franklin-high-school-students-sit-reinstatement-and-civil-rights-1968

Roberto Maestas

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2012965397_maestasobit23m.html

And the city’s dedication - naming a street ….. Great write up Page 18 from Donna Amira ’68. Thank you.

http://www.franklinalumni.net/documents/files/quaker_times_fall_2011.pdf
 

Not forgotten
Frank Ahern

http://seattletimes.com/html/highschoolsports/2021935096_ahernobit01xml.html

TIDBIT:
In the early ‘80’s I joined several Gold Clubs Boeing Prospector and Northwest Gold Prospectors Thomas Tanaka Math teacher, then a club treasurer and avid gold prospector. I remember him describing the pulley wheel sizes for building a gold separator. There were some fun Washington outings between them for years. There is gold in thar rivers like the Sultan and near Blewett pass.

Ric Rivera

Rainier Valley Garlic Gulch 

 There is reference to Camano Island a connection where 10 families built summer cabins there.

Check out Garlic Gulch, cabins and other essays from Buzz see bottom link.

http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/ContextColumbiaCity04.pdf
 

http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=3092

Buzz Anderson '45
http://www.rainiervalleyhistory.org/

http://www.rainiervalleyhistory.org/stories/articles/streetcar-wreck-at-willow-street

Ric Rivera

’68 was a game changing year … we left the halls and marched into the progressive world to make history…here is our year in the world capsulized.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17764984

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rfk/sfeature/sf_1968_text.html

Keith Gorze’s sister Pauline G ’69 said our class was the coolest and exciting, it got quiet after we left.

Ric Rivera

Glenn S, Peggy J, Erik J, Sylvia L, JHR – Here’s some history made. I could have sworn that what #794 brother Ralph Hayes of Social Studies said. “Son, if a politician is not a liar…” is what Robert Pevonak of History and Banking Advisor said in so many words. Huh? Collusion of sorts you think? That on a dare he would teach the rest the month or year from a chair a top his desk…
Okay! Now, if that isn’t two fishes going in the same direction opposed to norm. I don’t know if that’s true but, think Robert Pevonak like to shock people into thinking differently pushing the bounds of conformity to individualism. Hmmm! Wonder what they thought of Seattle’s own Jimi Hendrix?

They never mentioned what the “Bilderberg Group” think tank is… conspiracy theorist have a field day here.

On John Perkins’s “Economic Hit Man”, there is also “Hoodwinked” and “Shape Shifting”. Three great books to read. Corporations and Banking is big money until we have a wakeup call. Out from being “Hoodwinked” the host wants control. Can you blame them? The ’73 oil embargo - gasoline station lines around the block comes to mind.

 
On #791 “Reefer Madness”, “Banks”, “Wall St.” and others they may all have some commonality and conspiracy. Through what I have come to know Wall St. as Legalized Betting row some of my fund holdings cashed out through NY Mellon Bank Corp. That name sounds familiar, the Mellon legacy. 

Back in history, the irony is that Secretary of Treasury Andrew Mellon industrialist and private banker also known for Carnegie Mellon. Fearing the Hemp trade of making unregulated monies, a threat to financial backing DuPont’s oil business in Plastics.  He hired HJ Anslinger future nephew-in-law to head Federal Bureau of Narcotics thus prohibition of MJ, the propaganda film “Reefer Madness” is born.

 
Fellow camaraderie JP Morgan’s quip in short. “…. the private banker is a national asset not a national danger… as becoming too powerful…he pins…. that power comes the confidence of the people in his character and credit, which comes from the respect and esteem of the community.” 
Parts of that sound all too familiar? Big Banks too powerful too big to fail (TBTF)?

Read Dr. Darrell Duffie’s “How Big Banks Fail” the bubbles through history, the toxic assets, leveraging buyouts and private equity The Carlyle Group.

Read any Michael Lewis’s books “The Big Short”, “Liar’s Poker” on Wall St.

 
Pink Floyd in ’73 came a song “Money” lyrics… so they say is root of all evil today. But if you ask for a raise it’s no surprise that they’re giving none away…….. 

Ric Rivera

Al O, Jim E, Bob T, JHR - Had a Sun Tach in the ole ’57 too… your 57 was the nicest of the two. The ’55’s were cool too. Wow! If we kept them they’d be worth the sky. I recall the oil cap debate sooozz…….. what happened next?  Memory is hazy. Were you guys squared off as to more rpm varoooom or you just jammed pedal to the metal?  LOL…

Bruce was lassoed to FHS by Pevonik to do pushups? You mean Leaf got out of order and then was on the floor for the count.  LOL.. seems hazy since Garfield is where he met Linda. Whatever, I have to agree with Sylvia L 

Hey, wasn’t that Keith Gorze’s ’57 210 that he said to the police officer that the speedometer fluctuated and got ticketed anyway? Doh! Keith where R U?

Yes! 25 cent gas and should of brought Sylvia L down to Dag’s for 19 cent hamburger. John Schwartz was working the grill. Yes, Al Kobe's grill garlic munchies.....kiss babe.