Hawthorne Feedback

Name: Jan Peterson ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Apr 29, 2008, 1:38 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Freeman
City & State: Carmichael, CA
E-mail

Message: WOW, do I have a story. I work P/T for Edward Jones, in the Sacramento area. They send me to different offices when they need coverage. Well, I am working in an office about 2 miles from home and this is my 2nd day here. About 30 minutes ago a man walked in and started to say something and stopped mid sentence and asked me "are you Janis Freeman?". Well that took me back and the smile on his face told me that he was not bringing bad news. It was Danny Litton. He was making sales calls for a friend of his and thought that this office might be interested. He has been here for a few days from Georgia. So we spent some time talking about our younger days, mutual friends, etc. What a trip and what a memory he has to remember me. We grew up together in the same neighborhood. He is full of life and it was a joy talking to him. These by chance meetings really make you feel young. I read about these sitings on CT, but it has never happened to me until now, and it is awesome. So Danny, when you read this, thank you for stopping here, remembering me, and making my day. Incredible!! I hope this finds everyone doing well. I have not chimed in for awhile, but I log in all of the time. Big Hugs to all! Jan

Name: Sharon Branigan ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Apr 29, 2008, 1:21 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1976
City & State: Thousand Oaks, CA
E-mail
Message: I make a pretty good chili myself so I am definitely in for the chili cook-off. I think we'd better allow people to cook at home and bring crock pots etc for heating because I don't know how many of us are equipped with traveling stovetops. Or do we have to do it the old fashioned way over the campfire? As for salsa I leave that to the pro's but I do love a good salsa!

Name: Richard ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Apr 29, 2008, 12:56 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1969
City & State: of LongBeach
No E-mail
Message: I'm with Susan, the Great Cougartown Chili/Salsa Cookoff! Rule One; Chili/Salsa must be fully prepared at the Picnic. Rule Two; Ingredients must be individually added - not premixes like Picantes', nor flavorings from packets. Rule Three; Ingredients must contain only legal substances. Rule Four; Contestant must sample not only their own Chili/Salsa, but those of all other entries. Rule Five; Decision of the judges is absolutely final. Rule Six; Cougartown to publish the winner's recipe. So do we have a Great Cougartown Chili/Salsa Cookoff?

Name: Richard ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Apr 29, 2008, 12:45 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1969
City & State: of LongBeach
No E-mail
Message: Nothing like rolling your own burrito, with the only stuffing being Salsa; clears out the sinus for at least a week. One grandmother made her own Chili from scratch didn?t use beans, but instead her secret ingredient; a half can of Hamm?s. To say the least, her Chili was ?refreshing?, pun intended. Happy belated 66 Jim Fox; you were a great influence to a freshman, which I hopefully presented my senior year as Drum Major.

Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Apr 29, 2008, 8:28 am - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita, CA
E-mail
Message: If anyone is looking for a Hawthorne Cookbook circa 1977, there is one here. Thanks to Petey Smith for the heads up.

Name: elizabeth bullard ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Apr 29, 2008, 2:58 am - HHS Time

Maiden: Perez
Class: 1971
City & State: Trabuco Canyon, CA
E-mail
Message: This has nothing to do with the chile. I was shocked to see Cindy Ward's name on the deceased list for the class of 71. If anyone knows anything about it please get in touch. We were friends since grammar school at St. Joseph's. I talked her into going to our 10 year reunion. I have not talked to her in a few years. James Bosch,(71) if your out there give me a call.

Name: Keith D. Jones ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 11:09 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1976
City & State: Las Vegas
E-mail
Message: I see Mr Macha has posted. I am sure Mr. Macha wouldn't remember me cause I didn't stick out in his class but I think he might remember my brother Les Jones who built a few of the models he had hanging in his classroom. Mr. Macha's class was easily the funnest class at HHS. Him and Mr. Chichester would always try to get me to fly with them. I am really sorry I never took them up on it. Glad he is doing so well.

Name: Susan King ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 10:02 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1974
City & State: Thousand Oaks, CA
E-mail
Message: I do believe a gauntlet has been thrown and I'd like to propose a Salsa/Chili competition at the Cougartown Picnic in September. Come all braggarts and we'll have a real live taste test. Sounds like fun - anybody interested? The Picnic committee will work up the details and we'll even bring the chips......!!

Name: Armand Vaquer ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 7:13 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: Tarzana, CA
E-mail
Message: If I brought chili to a cruise night, I think Foster's would have to replace their wooden benches. Then again, we can have a cruise night at Tommy's.

Name: Jim Barnett ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 5:50 pm - HHS Time
City & State: Bakersfield, Ca
E-mail
Message: Hey everyone, I just wanted to personally thank John for responding to my email and also for adding below. Also thank you for those who have responded already. As John said, if any of you have any stories, pictures, or anything related to my Uncle Jim Joseph or the Joseph family I'd love to hear them! Thanks again! Jim Barnett

Name: Howard "Paco" Duran ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 5:36 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1961
City & State: Lake Forest
E-mail
Message: When It comes to chili and salsa, I'm second to none! No brag just fact!!

Name: Jessie ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 5:21 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Corral
Class: 1974
City & State: Los Angeles, CA
E-mail
Message: Hey there...At first I thought everyone was talking about salsa as in the dance! In my family we never called it salsa...we call it "chili". My dad's chili was so hot if it didn't put hair on your chest it would burn it off ha!Also...did the Joseph family have a Christmas tree lot between Boy's Market and Clark's drug store in the vacant lot there? We bought our trees there every year, and I think my brother even worked there one season. I have very fond memories of that lot.

Name: Neil Larson ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 5:02 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1971
City & State: Crestview, FL
E-mail
Message: Mary - I got the 71 El Molino in the mail today THANK YOU-very well received on this end- and a lot of fun to browse through after a long time - Pat Macha -you have mail-

Name: Penny ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 10:35 am - HHS Time

Maiden: Prouty
Class: 1962
City & State: Torrance, CA
E-mail

Message: Stephanie beat me to it on Cougartown!.........but it was a genuine "cougar siting"! There we were, Stephanie and I...standing side by side, looking out over the ocean, watching for whales at Pt. Vicente, and we were even talking (thinking we were strangers).....but all at once it clicked and I realized I was talking to a friend from way, way back! Stephanie (Hall) Brito! She looks great and is the same wonderful Stephanie I remember ... was like we were still in school together....thanks, John....like Stephanie, I'm grateful for your gathering us all together like this!

Name: Pat Macha ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 9:28 am - HHS Time

City & State: Mission Viejo, CA
E-mail
Message: John, Thanks to Dennis Campbell (Class of '61) I've been able to enjoy your fine website. I appreciate your posting info regarding my thirty-five years at HHS, and I'd be happy to respond via e-mail to any comments or questions from former students or Aerospace Club members. I am trying to locate Rick Lesh, Tom Valentine, and Ray Nelson all early 70's grads who flew their way into the Cougar annals of aviation history. I'm still in touch with master pilot and former colleague Dave Chichester and a number of other "old timers" from our fine staff. Thanks again for making this fine and unique website available to all of us. I can be reached via e-mail at gpmacha@cox.net Pat Macha

Name: Keith D Jones ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 8:58 am - HHS Time

Class: 1976
City & State: Las Vegas
E-mail
Message: All this talk about salsa. Salsa is the #2 most popular condiment after ketchup. My friend here is from New Mexico and is a gourmet cook. He makes the best ever salsa. it is unreal. I am the expert bar-b-que sauce maker though.

Name: George Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 8:40 am - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Spinnaker Coves, Ca
E-mail
Message: Jim Barnett; I knew your uncle well and yes, he had one of the fast 409's that hung out at the back side of Foster's. However, he cheated just a little, as all of us did. Racing was kind of like Golf, IF YOU AINT CHEATIN, YOU AINT TRYIN, LOL. I drove (raced) your uncle Jim's car on Douglas Street in El Segundo one night and it was very quick. He hung out with myself and a guy named Terry Fox, who lived down the street from his home and Curtis Alureid also seemed to always be around him. His 409 was I think red (lot's of brain cells missing since 1962) and had a massive tuned boxed header system that flared out just behind the front wheel wells. He had to have the headers fixed on several occasions when he tore them out going up steep driveways and such. I recall many nights cruising Hawthorne Blvd. from Foster's to A&W to the Wich Stand and many other long forgotten places where racers hung out looking for a street race. LOL, kind of like cowboy's looking for a gun fight, except we were just looking for a good challenge race. If we were not racing, we were looking for a party. It seems that there was always a party going on somewhere at any given time after the sun went down. There was no gang problems back in the old days or if there was one Hawthorne didn't have it, just a bunch of kids with fast cars and not so fast cars looking to have a good time. Anyhow, I am sorry to hear of your uncle Jim's passing, he was a easy going good guy and always had an impish grin on his face full of freckles.

Name: George Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 7:15 am - HHS Time

Class: 1962
City & State: Spinnaker Cove, Ca
E-mail
Message: Hey, John boy; I just got back from a week in Cabo San Lucas and saw all the chatter about Salsa. The trick to making good Salsa is you have to take the time to roast the chili's and tomatoes before you grind all the ingredients together and don't forget the cilantro & garlic salt. Howard (Paco?) Duran, take your fishing pole with you next week when you go down, they are catching 100+ pound yellow fin tuna about 50 miles out from Los Barillas, just around the corner from San Jose towards La Paz. Good Salsa makes almost anything taste good, they should pack it in MRE's LOL.

Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Apr 28, 2008, 7:07 am - HHS Time

Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita, CA
E-mail
Message: I'm sure lots of you 50s and 60s Cougars remember Harry Joseph and his Christmas tree lots in Hawthorne. I received the folowing email from Jim Barnett, Harry Joseph's grandson:
Hi John,
My name is Jim Barnett. I'm 32 years old and currently living in Bakersfield, Ca. I came across your Hawthorne High Cougars website while trying to search old 50's pictures of Hawthorne and thought I'd email you.
I guess I will start by giving you a little background on myself and my family. I'm the grandson of Annazell and Harry Joseph of Hawthorne whom you every well might have heard of. My grandfather Harry had Christmas tree lots around Hawthorne back in the day (H C. Joseph Christmas trees) and him as well as my grandmother Annazell were always active in the community so you might remember them or at least have heard of them. My mother is Deann Joseph. She went to Leuzinger. Her sister (my Aunt) is Susie Joseph and my Uncle is Jim Joseph who you give mention to in the "Hang out" section of your website. My Dad name is Frank Barnett and he was from Manhattan Beach and went to Aviation High so you may or may not have heard of him.
I thought that was really cool that my Uncle Jim got mention for hanging out at Frosties with his 62' 409 Chevy. Unfortunely he passed away years ago as did my Aunt Susie. My grandfather passed away in 84'.
I've been into old cars (Chevys) since I was in my teens and my first car was a 56' 4 door wagon.....unfortunely I never got it running! LOL I then bought a 57' 4 door 210 wagon when I was 18 and have had a few more since then. Being into classic cars and also any and everything having to do with the 50's, I always asked my Uncle about his cars, especially the 62', and the Hawthorne scene back in the day. My Uncle was a quiet guy and never talked much about it so most of what I heard about him and the 62' 409 came from my mom. Apparently it was pretty fast and according to my mom was one of the faster cars around. He also had a black 57' chevy which I think he sold before he got the 62'??
Along with my mom's stories about my Uncle, I got to here about the the happenings in and around Hawthorne which, of course, really interested me......she talked about the Wich Stand, A&W and the whole nine yards! She even met my Dad in the Hawthorne islands while cruising around. I guess Hawthorne was a happening spot back them..........even my wife's parents, who grew up in Westchester talk about it and my Dad and his buddies from Manhattan hung out in Hawthorne as well! I love hearing those stories......sometime I think I was born in the wrong era! I feel like I missed out on something great although at the time I'm sure you guys didn't think of it that way.
Anyway, if you have any stories about my Uncle Jim and his 62' I'd really like to know or anything else for that matter please share! Thanks! Keep up the good work with your website!

If you remember the Joseph Family, please feel free to comment. I know Jim would appreciate any stories about his Hawthorne family roots.