Hawthorne Feedback

Name: Richard Of ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 9:01 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1969
City & State: LongBeach
No E-mail
Message: Grad Night Story: My best friend said he had asked a mutual friend’s girlfriend to Grad Night, and I said no way. Then I bet that if he was, I would ask her best girlfriend. I lost and asked her. The four of us get off the bus and enter Disneyland, and the gals excused themselves to use the restroom, and ditched us. I think we probably had a much better time (is this is what now is known as ‘male bonding’?)! Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

Name: Bonnie Lou Cozby ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 7:29 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Simmons
Class: 1971
City & State: Ocean Park, WA

Message: My sad Prom story...never went to one...was never asked to "go to Prom". That memory stinks enough by itself, but I have the added slight to my ego that my husband, Charlie, did not ask me to his Prom in 1969...you all know about that one, the Beach Boys played. He insists it is because we had not met yet, but I think otherwise, and after 38 years he is still in trouble for it :)

Name: George Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 3:34 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Spinnaker Cove, Ca

Message: Hey, LOL, Bach Boy;To bad you didn't know my cousins LOL.Jorge

Name: Larry Bach ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 2:55 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: Torrance, CA

Message: Since I was too ideologically pure to attend the senior Prom I asked a cheerleader from Lennox High, recently broken up with her boyfriend, to go out on a date instead. After washing and waxing my dad's car that afternoon, I had a phone call, from this girl's boyfriend (Huh?). He said they were now "back together" and that she wasn't going anywhere with me. What the @#%*? Nice "Pom-Poms" didn't even have the courtesy to tell me herself and now I had my smiling father's car detailed for naught. What a juvenile world! Worse was to follow. In 1992, way after I'd put away my correct politics I thought it would be fun to attend my 20th HHS reunion. So I asked a date a week before (not a cheerleader this time), bought two tickets ($60 each), but couldn't reach my date by phone or pager the afternoon of the reunion. So I went alone to the reunion perplexed but had a good time anyway. When I returned home about 2 A.M. there was a message on my answering machine left after I had gone to the reunion, from my "date" about her getting "back together" with her "boyfriend", sorry for not telling me before, hope I understood, blah, double blah. Yeah, I understood. I understood that I was stood up at age thirty-eight by another chicken "chick" and was out $60 to boot. She didn't even offer to reimburse me! With the slightest courtesy and a day's notice I could have asked someone else, or even given the reunion ticket away. After twenty years some things hadn't changed. These ironic twists of fate are funny now when long woven into life's tapestry but certainly didn't seem so at the time.

Name: George Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 2:29 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1962
City & State: Spinnaker Cove, Ca

Message: Hey, John Boy; Ya know, I been reading some of these Prom posts. I guess I was really lucky to have a bunch of older cousins who gave me some valuable guidance when I was growing up. The guy cousins taught me to always have a back up plan:1. Always have more than one girl in mind when trying to get a date, just in case you get turned down by your first choice.2. Don't be to picky, go for the easiest & prettiest ones first. The girl cousins told me:1. Don't be afraid to ask the pretty girls out, because most boys are afraid to ask them fearing rejection & the pretty one are dying to be asked. 2. Don't be a cheapskate, but don't go overboard either. 3. Always be a gentleman and open the car door for your date. I followed most of those rules except the 3rd one my girl cousins gave me. I found in time, that most girls/women kinda like a guy that a little rough around the edges, as long as he's nice and has a job LOL. God bless my cousins Jorge

Name: Jill Jaynes ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 1:01 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: McFarlane
Class: 1977
City & State: Mission Viejo, CA

Message: Ah, Prom. I was always the Plan B girl. Meaning if my male friends didn't have anyone to go to their prom, I would be the arm candy! Ha. I think I went to three proms and since I was just a friend of my date, it was never magical nor romantic. Even worse, I don't remember where any of them were. I'm sure I had a good time though.

Name: Jerry Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 12:02 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1966
City & State: Fair Oaks, CA

Message: OK, a little addendum to my previous post. First off I was accompanied to my Senior Prom by the lovely Kathy McDowell. Also JB, I know for a fact Dombrowskis only charged $2.50. You must have splurged and upgraded. And as far as dinner goes, I don’t remember where I ate after my own Senior Prom but several years later I escorted my then future and now ex-wife to the Inglewood Prom. I even have my picture in their yearbook to prove it as I am in the Inglewood 1969 yearbook more than my own senior El Molino. I believe Tiny Tim was also there that night and he was truly weird. As I had shortly before started pursuing a new career with Pacific Telephone and was receiving just $99.50 a week my funds were limited. So after the Prom, in formal and tux, we dined at the Pizza Show. Maybe that’s why she divorced me…ha ha

Name: Rick Weaver ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-May 11, 2010, 10:06 am - HHS Time

Class: 1973
City & State: Bedford, NH

Message: Ahhh Prom. That difficult night for the average (male) kid who may already have low self-esteem due to whatever reason they could imagine. Me? Tall and (really) skinny. Not the best hair (yes I had hair back then) or complexion. Perhaps low on the popularity totem pole. The list could go on an on… I remember the stress associated with trying to decide who would either let me down gracefully, or be a generous soul and go out with me. Thankfully, my junior year I went to the prom previously mentioned at the PV Country Club. Also thankfully, I was able to attend the prom with my friend, the beautiful and sweet Diane Gonzales (inside and out) who was a score keeper on the track team. Her equally beautiful and sweet sister Norma was a score keeper as well. It was a fun night that pretty much went off as expected considering we went as friends. When I brought her home she opened the door of their house, her older brother was asleep on the living room floor to make sure that she got home in one piece, which she did. Quiz: Does anybody remember the name of the band at this particular prom? I do… Senior prom was another story. I double dated with my good friend Steve Hollywood and his date Nancy Glen. At that time, I was working at the Leeds shoe store at the South Bay Center (now the Galleria) selling women’s shoes - possibly the worst job of my life. I met a girl there who went to Aviation and she ended up asking ME to our prom (name withheld to protect the guilty). I was shocked but agreed to go. So we went to the also previously mentioned Bush Gardens. After the prom we went to dinner (I “think” it was the Warehouse in MDR) and then went to the “Haunted Church” in PV. The night was not particularly memorable but I thought I might finally have a girl friend in high school. A day or so after the prom I asked her out again, and she informed me that the only reason she asked me to the prom was due to the fact that her boyfriend (who already graduated from Hawthorne – his name will go unmentioned) had joined the military and could not go with her. Nor was she interested in seeing me again. I’ve reminisced about this a few times over the years and eventually came to the conclusion that I did nothing wrong except agree to go with her. Live and learn. These things are what make us who we are. I don’t think I ever told anybody about this. Go figure I finally decide to bare it all on Cougartown… Anyone else have a humiliating story they are willing to share?

Name: Chris Prewitt ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 11:26 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1967
City & State: Fullerton, CA

Message: Prom 1966 I had the experence that no guy wants. I purchased the tickets for the prom then just before I was able to ask my girl... She broke up with me. I was in a panic so my sister Patt got on the phone and after a short time she got me a date; a girl from Garden Grove. Patt had a dress that was nice but for my date it needed some tailoring. Patt got out needle and thread and had the dress ready in very little time. So within what seemed like a couple of days my sister got me a date, fitted her with a dress and off we went to the prom.

Name: Anita Bell ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 7:02 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Harmon
Class: 1969
City & State: Fair Oaks, Ca

Message: Ahh...Prom Night 1969. That undoubtedly has to be the BEST prom HHS ever held. Yeah, Jerry - what was your dates name? And I'm not buyin' "my memory fails me" routine! Al Rocca (c/o 70) invited me to my prom. I wore a long buttercup yellow formal with a white lace bodice. Al wore black pants with a white tux jacket with black trim. He brought me a beautiful white orchid corsage that I believe my mom pinned on and I had a yellow carnation for him (well, it had to match my dress ya know). I don't remember what was served for dinner as it was a dinner/dance...chicken I think. We never danced...did anybody? We had the Beach Boys performing live. Doesn't get much better than that. But JB and Matt - you guys brought up a good point about that 'fear of rejection' in asking a girl to prom. FYI...for everyone of you guys too afraid to ask, was a girl out there fervently hoping you would. Proms are an iconic, integral part of the high school experience. But 40-41 years ago we did not have the stretch limos, prom kings and queens, or dresses worthy of movie stars. Picking up the tab for a prom today, dinner and limo, a poor guy can expect to drop $400-$450. And his date will spend about the same for her dress, hair and makeup. Talk about a "grand" night! Don't you think that $1000 in 2010 was probably worth about $175-$225 in 1969? There were no country clubs or fancy hotels that I can remember in Hawthorne back then. Is that why we ended up at the Beverly Hilton? About the only time we saw a limo was when somebody died. Didn't most of us use our parents car that evening? (Sorry, Al I don't remember the car) I have very fond memories of that night but I'd be willing to bet there wasn't one couple at that prom that together dropped $175 for the night. What did the bid for the prom cost? What did gas and a corsage cost back then? Today, prom continues to be an elaborately important event in the social climate of high schools. But it has become more liberal about its requirements for participants and activities. It is no longer quite as important to have a date or to be asked by the perfect guy. More and more girls are choosing their own dates for the prom and more and more guys are going "stag" or with a group of friends. Prom is often still the main social event of the high school season, but it is also a time for fun and the creation of memories for everyone to enjoy...thank you Al.

Name: Esther M Ostermann ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 6:39 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: quintanilla
Class: 1970
City & State: Escondido, Ca.

Message: It sure is interesting to read what the guys felt like and what all they had to do taking a girl to the prom.... Wow! Thank you all for the effort and for asking us girls to the prom. I always felt it was an easy thing for guys to ask and take a girl to a prom, guess not. I enjoyed every single one I attended in High School....Thank you as well, and you know who you are for taking me to all them proms! :)

Name: John Crotty ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 4:52 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1969
City & State: hermosa beach

Message: Gee, I don't know if I should admit this, but I went to six proms. Three of Hawthornes' and one for Aviation, one for Torrance and one for Leuzinger. And like Jorge, had to pay for them all myself. Working at Sir George's Smorgasbord, Kinney Shoes and Everest and Jennings Wheelchair factory. I took Chris Talalay to my first prom my junior year, my girlfriend from gardena high my senior year and Lili Dana to her senior prom. The other three were girlfriends I had from 19 to 20. The dinners afterward were the most expensive part of the whole deal!!!! Not the tux rental or the corsage...the damn meal!!!!

Name: Jerry Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 4:41 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1966
City & State: Fair Oaks, CA

Message: I don’t remember my prom as much as the story of getting there. I had already made my trip to Alan’s Men and Tux Shop by the Imperial Theater twice, once for a fitting and once to pick up the finished product. They gave me the special Cougar Prom Night rate of $7.50. I had already swung by Del Aire Florist and picked up a beautiful wrist corsage (I was too chicken to try and pin one on until after I was married). I started to get ready for the big evening and as I pulled on my rented pants found the zipper to be busted. A quick call to Alan’s verified they had another pair that were almost the right size so I hastily drove east on Imperial to retrieve them. After reaching the shop I quickly tried on the new pair (and carefully checked the zipper). They fit and as time was running out I hurriedly jumped back in my car and headed to my dates house. I knocked on her front door and it was opened by her parents. There I stood, my shirt on but unbuttoned, my jacket and cummerbund over one arm, and my shoes and corsage in the other. After seeing her parents’ faces all I could think to say was, “Kinda hot tonight.” Well, they did let me in and after a more thorough explanation we all had a good laugh and had a wonderful Prom Night.

Name: Larry Bach ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 2:13 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1972
City & State: Torrance, CA

Message: That's a good one Matt!

Name: Matt Peterson ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 12:56 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1974
City & State: EDH, CA

Message: I was too shy to attend a prom in high school. I do remember my college prom. I wore a light blue tux. My girlfriend wore a nice blue dress and her hair all fixed up. During the prom we decided to leave and stroll through the beautiful garden. We got to the middle of the garden. We embraced and were about to kiss when the sprinklers went on. We got soaking wet. Luckily she had a sense of humor.

Name: Larry Bach ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 11:37 am - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: Torrance, CA

Message: Bob's Big Boy! Now we're talking. My Aunt Bette worked as a waitress at Bob's on the corner of Hawthorne and Century. I found out that waitresses HATE making brownie, fudge topped, ice cream Sundaes. She still made them for me anyway. Yes, good memories. Right on John. Power to the people... until I learned to drive and greatly desired the use of my dad's '65 Mustang on a particular Saturday night. Being one of those rare educatable moments, dad lectured me: if all those evil defense contractors and aerospace corporations I sneered at didn't exist, then there wouldn't be '65 Mustang, or a nice house to live in, and that few of those other "no-good-nik" kids squealing tires around town would have any wheels or houses either, and that Hawthorne would still be full of bean fields. Since nothing was free, the conditions of using HIS car bought with HIS money earned by making a profit for Mr. Northrop were vacuuming, washing, and waxing the Mustang and returning it with the fuel tank topped-off. I started to modify my purist political position after this and other hands-on lessons about opportunities versus entitlements and earnings versus handouts. So, I now had a car for Saturday nights, but I still wouldn't go to the Prom. Oh well, one lesson at a time.

Name: George Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-May 10, 2010, 10:38 am - HHS Time

Class: 1962
City & State: Spinnaker Cove, Ca

Message: Hey, Bach Boy; Your views are spoken like a true Obama, Communist follower, the President and Carl Marx would be proud of you. I/we did not have much money either growing up, that's why I worked and supported my own activities, i.e. car, car insurance, prom, football games & beer riddin Friday night parties that we all looked forward to back then. My parents didn't have much money either and like most in let's say, (back in the old days), were struggling to make ends meet themselves and in some cases living from paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. But ya know what it made me want to work harder and gain as much success as I could. Looking back, yeah, I'd do some things different, however, I was probably lucky, maybe I was in the right place at the right time scenario and pulled from my upbringing and life experiences to gain what little success I have achieved. As bad as we sometimes think we had it, growing up in Hawthorne when we did, was being in the right place at the right time. Just an old guys response. Jorge