Name: Neil Andersen ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 19, 2008, 1:29 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Dallas, OR
E-mail
Message: What ever happened to the pony guy who came around and you got to sit on the pony with a cowboy hat on and have your picture taken? I think the pony's name was pedophile.

Name: Jessie ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 19, 2008, 11:25 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Corral
Class: 1974
City & State: Los Angeles, CA
E-mail
Message: Hey Diana, I was one of those kids that got their picture taken by the Foremost truck more then once. I am even a "calender girl" about age 5 ha! And I have with with a rose...but no "got milk" shots ha!

Name: Kathy (Tift) Mandel-Reese ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 19, 2008, 8:41 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Tift
Class: 1962
City & State: Tustin Ranch, CA
E-mail
Message: Several graduates of the HHS class of 1962 are planning a reunion for ladies ONLY for this summer. We hope to make it an annual event. More information on the date/location, etc. will be announced soon. Feel free to let me know if you are interested - even if you don't live in the Orange County, CA area. All ladies of our class are welcome. It should be fun. We will focus on rememberances from our high school years. Looking forward to hearing from everyone who reads this and is interested. Any ideas/suggestions are welcome. Sincerely, Kathy (Tift) Mandel-Reese

Name: Keith D. Jones ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 4:11 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1976
City & State: Ls Vegas, NV
E-mail
Message: We used called the Helms guy Joe Joe the Baker Man. He and my dad got along really well. He would come in our garage where my dad had some hidden liquor. Him and Joe would have a little "snoot" my dad called it. On Saturday we would go out and see Joe and pick out our danish to have with our Sunday morning breakfast. I loved it. I can still remember than awesome smell. Remember going to Helms bakery for a field trip in school. They would give us these mini loaves of bread.

Name: Beverly Smith ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 3:47 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Manning
Class: 1968
City & State: Lomita, CA
E-mail
Message: Thanks to all who have sent notes of remembrance of my brother Brian. Brian was born on September 6, 1955 and passed away on May 12, 2008 in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. He woke up Monday morning with chest pains and had a heart attack. His unexpected passing at 52 years old was shocking for his family, life partner, friends and co-workers. We celebrated his life on Friday, May 16, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Brian worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Previous to being a Physical Therapist Assistant he was a Professional Dancer. Our only true gift on this earth is having shared our life with another. During this time when we can only look at our loss in terms of what we have lost, the real gift comes in knowing that Brian chose us to spend his time with, and the reward is the time we had. If we look at the loss as a tragedy, we will never understand what a gift we received. Brian was so much more than the physical presence he took up on the earth. To curse his passing is to not understand that our Brian as a complete and total being, was on a separate journey from our own, no matter how many times the roads intertwined, and no matter when they separated. We have to look at each other as souls on a course and not physical bodies that are faulted and frail, our souls are invincible and they go on. Our gift is having spent any time at all with the Brian that we love. Something given to us even for a second gives us a lifetime of memories, and although I dislike clichés, it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved. To never have been touched by Brian on this earth would have been an empty experience, and that is real death. Our potential to love, to hurt, to recover, and to eventually learn shields us from true death. At a time when we feel so much has been taken from us, it is the one true gift that Brian gave us ? a gift of peace. We think of Brian today. We thought of him yesterday. We will think of Brian tomorrow and the next day. God has him in his keeping, we have Brian in our hearts, today and forever.

Name: Marilyn Ross ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 2:36 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Wisham
Class: 1956
City & State: Garden Grove, CA
No E-mail
Message: It was easy to find out why Helms went out of business, with the help of google. The Union was one of the problems and supermarkets and women joining the work force. It was stay at home moms that were the major buyers of Helms. Just the changing times. Pretty much the same reason the milk man disappeared and of course the ice-man was done when everyone got an electric (or gas) refrigerator. Yes, there did used to be gas refrigerators. When you talk about Helms on this site I can smell the wonderful aroma all over again. Those truck interiors were also very well made with beautiful wooden drawers. Very classy looking.

Name: Diana Hunt ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 1:52 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Escovedo
Class: 1971
City & State: Lomita, California
E-mail
Message: Yup, Karen....My Mother also comfirmed "Joe" the breadman's other activities and you know he was the nicest man. We never had to pay for one single treat from his truck. I kid my Mom that "Joe" had the hots for her and that is why we were able to get things free of charge. I know for a fact that if he stayed too long at someones home making those so called bookie calls, some of the kids in the neighborhood would just help themselves to what ever they wanted. How many of you got your picture taken from the Foremost Milk Company? or about got killed running across the street to the Good Humor Ice Cream Truck? (I can still hum the tune from the truck in my head). How about getting thrown off the park (Hollyglen Park), for life just because you climbed a tree which only lasted one day because they felt sorry for your sad little face looking over the brick wall. Playing capture the flag in the Tot Lot, getting your first kiss in either the funny cheese houses or the turtle, Ahh the turtle, what stories he could tell, (not on me of course). These are all great memories and reading the feedback is just joy....

Name: Cindy Wernicke ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 11:54 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Maxson
Class: 1963
City & State: Stagecoach, NV
E-mail
Message: That is a shame about Sally, she is the one we met when we bought our property up here in Northern Nevada, we went into Shadow Mountain Real Estate and after talking for a while, we realized that we both went to HHS. I had noticed that the Realty office was closed but wondered what had happened, now I know. Sally was very nice to us and I know that she will be missed. I didn't know Sally in school but I knew who she was. Cindy

Name: Petey Smith ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 11:52 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Smith
Class: 1972
City & State: Oregon
E-mail
Message: QUOTE: He was also known as "The Cookie Bookie"...and my mom would know. She also sent us down to Stellinos to help support our Italian market, and all the time I thought she loved donuts and Manicotti.

Name: George Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 9:06 am - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Spinnaker Coves, Ca
E-mail
Message: John Boy: Remember back when there was no ratings i.e. 1 thru 10, or if there were we didn't know about them. Well Sally Fraser and Sherry Farlow, who were tied at the hip back in the old days were as close to 10's as you could get if I remember correctly. I think every boy that knew them had a secret crush on both of them. RIP Sally.

Name: Karen ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 8:19 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Masters
Class: 1972
City & State: Hollyglen, CA
E-mail
Message: On the subject of the Helm's Bakery driver that used to service Hollyglen...according to my mom..."Joe" used to service the area with more than donuts and bread. He apparently ran a "bookie" business from his truck...using the neighbors phones to call in bets.

Name: Mary Ann Martin ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-May 18, 2008, 6:19 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Walton
Class: 1961
City & State: Nashville AR
E-mail
Message: The Fraser family lived on the hill of 130th Street. Dr. Fraser was our dentist until his death. Sally and I played together for many years, especially with our Terry Lee dolls. She also had a doll collection from all over the world and got a pink T-bird for her 16th birthday. She really had the neighborhood on their toes whenever she walked her pet (deodorized) skunk on a leash! Nina eventually sold the house to the Greasby family ... and there went the neighborhood. Just kidding, guys! My condolences to Sally's family and friends.

Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 9:35 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita, CA
E-mail
Message: Just got word from friend and HHS62er, Gordon Bell, that Sally Fraser HHS62 passed away about a week ago. I don't have any details. Sally, you will be missed.

Name: Karen ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 8:03 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Harrison
Class: 1971
City & State: Manhattan Beach,CA
E-mail
Message: Thanks so much to Mr. Plotkin for the update on my favorite Dana teachers...sorry to hear that Pat Alt had died. Next time you speak to Chloella, Mrs. Carr's daughter, please ask her to let her mom know she is in my thoughts and prayers. Once many years ago when the family was visiting from Texas, Mrs. Carr called me at home and asked me to come to her home and babysit for her grandchildren, I was honored, that was the first of quite a few visits I had at her home. She and her husband came to my first wedding in 1974. I remember the Helms man, the guy that delivered in Holly Glen was Joe...I too remember the joy of being able to go out and pick out a goodie and have him add it to my mom's bill. Bet if they existed today with all the health codes now, it would not be the same or as fun.

Name: Armand Vaquer ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 7:20 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1972
City & State: Tarzana, CA
E-mail
Message: I've heard two different stories on why Helms went out of business: 1.) Too many robberies of their trucks; 2.) Their workers voted to unionize and the company said, "Congratulations on your union, now were going out of business."

Name: Debbie ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 6:28 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Kilroy
Class: 1971
City & State: The O.C.
E-mail
Message: Hey, John! Boy did Neil and Jerry jog my memory regarding the Helms truck and "that really long drawer in the back"! My mom often had to budget her food money, so treats were few and far between but when we were able to, we got to pick something out of that wonderful drawer. It was usually some type of gooey donut but it would be the highlight of my day. The driver for our street (118th/Aviation) was a very kind man, his name escapes me but several times he gave my mom credit. Does anyone know why they stopped home delivery?

Name: Armand Vaquer ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 5:10 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1972
City & State: Tarzana, CA
E-mail
Message: The nicest part of Hawthorne was the fact that we had air conditioning and it was FREE! Other people call it "the sea breeze."

Name: Mom Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 12:13 pm - HHS Time
City & State: Seal Beach, Ca.
No E-mail
Message: While we are remembering. I was thinking this AM 'what kind of cooling system did we have in the 20s'? and I thought of none except the hand-held home made pleated ones the ladies used in church to keep their face cool. Now that's a fact. And I lived in Mo. where the temp got to l20 deg. many times. Is anyone in this gang old enough to remember the first semblance of an electric one. Imagine how far we have come with air conditioners. What's next?

Name: Jerry Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 8:31 am - HHS Time
Class: 1966
City & State: Fair Oaks, CA
E-mail
Message: Neil Larson, I loved your recollections and remember some them too. But as you may know, renowned historians use Cougartown as a primary reference when writing about ancient (1950?s, 60?s) South Bay history. So I would like to make one small correction. The Helm?s Bakery truck did not have a brass bell but it did have a whistle which would be tooted twice to let you know he was getting near. Do you remember that really long drawer in the back just packed full of tasty treats?

Name: Neil Larson ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-May 17, 2008, 7:49 am - HHS Time
Class: 1971
City & State: Crestview, Florida
E-mail
Message: I have lived in Florida for half my life; still some folks label me as an old hippie from Cali. Looking back I would not change a thing about those early years. We forget about the little things that were part of our lifes, things that have gone the way of the horse & buggy. Mr. Whipple worked for the Roger Jessup Dairy delivering milk in a step delivery truck to our back door every week. The milk was kept cold via block ice under burlap; he would set the glass quart bottles in a wire rack at the back steps & take the empties. "Fresh milk" that would separate as the cream always came to the top, the bottle caps were simple paper plugs. In the summer time we would wait for Mr. Whipple so we could beg him to chip off chunks of ice off the block so we could suck on the delightful frozen treat. Some folks had conveniently built milk delivery boxes right into the walls of the back porch, to allow the bottle racks to be deposited for mothers to retrieve from a pantry door inside the kitchen. At our front door there was also a similar built-in metal mail ?hatch? in the wall on the front porch for direct deposit of our letters, but it has been a quarter century since mail has been hand delivered to my house. Galvanized metal access hatches no longer exist in contractor?s design plans today. I had to explain a Helms Truck to a young woman yesterday; her face gleamed with pleasure to imagine having fresh bread delivered to her house and hear the real brass bell on the vendor's funny van. For all the social techno-improvements of the past half century, I choose to count myself among the very blessed.