Name: Sharon Leach ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Nov 18, 2011, 1:19 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Moore
Class: 1966
City & State: Long Beach, CA

Message: EllaV, that is a great memory. We traveled route 66 from California to Boston and back in 1956 in my our brand new Ford station wagon. In the very back they made a bed for me to sleep and play while we were on the road. My sister got the back seat and if she was feeling generous would let me sit there too. There were no seatbelts then and the slippery nylon seats could send you flying if dad made a quick stop. I remember reading the signs and looking for the next one. It was really fun. It was the middle of July and no A/C traveling from one end of the US to the other. We had a truck full of stuff that my bed was made upon. Thinking of it now we were lotto balls waiting to be tossed around in that steel can.

Name: Janet Burkett ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Nov 18, 2011, 12:28 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Humphreys
Class: 1962
City & State: Ca
No E-mail
Message: Yes Mom B, I have been on old Rte 66. 1957, Pennsylvania to California most of the way via Rte 66. My Mom, Dad, brother and everything we owned piled in and on a Nash Rambler. Now that was a trip!

Name: Richard Of ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Nov 18, 2011, 7:47 am - HHS Time
Class: 1969
City & State: LongBeach
No E-mail
Message: Another sight during cross country travels was of oil can figures, where service stations (what an old term; they gave you ‘service’) took metal oil cans of various sizes, and welded them into recognizable shapes. There were dinosaurs, and robots, and lumber jacks, oh my. Memories; now to find my original 1971 Greenpeace button.

Name: Sharon Macdonald ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Nov 18, 2011, 6:24 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Badger
Class: 1963
City & State: Bruceville, TX

Message: In the summner of 1970 we drove from San Diego to Milwaukee, Wisc. in a 1966 Mustang that looked like Eleanor with 2 adults and 2 kids under the age of three and all the paraphernalia needed to spend a summer in the country (well, actually a small town with a population of 350). Now if you can imagine a Mustang stuffed to the gills with a U-Haul car top carrier try getting a mental picture of a Mustang with a porta-crib, stroller, boxes and suitcases covered with a tarp lashed to the roof because U-Haul failed to provide the car top carrier reserved for the return trip. Part of the trip was on Route 66 and some on new roads. The old Route 66 sections were great because they went through small towns where you could stop and find great places to eat and quaint motels to stay at. I especially remember the stretch of new highway in Oklahoma where there was very little to see except red dirt. Coming back to California we had to stop for the "fruit" inspection and they wanted to open the trunk to see if we had any illegal fruit, vegetables, or plants. We walked to the back of the car and the inspector looked at the crazy criss-crossed ropes helping hold the load on top of the car. We told him it might take a few minutes to get the ropes off to open the trunk and he just looked at us and shook his head. He asked if we knowingly had anything not allowed. We said we had some dirty baby diapers because our baby was allergic to the talc in the new fangaled disposable diapers and powdered milk and formula. He kept shaking his head and told us to go, please, go.

Name: Bob Faulkner ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Nov 18, 2011, 6:01 am - HHS Time
Class: 1963
City & State: PARKER, ARIZONA

Message: HELLO TO ALL. JB I THINK I FOUND THE ORIGINAL "COUGAR" SIGHTING. WHILE TRAVELING BACK HOME FROM LONG BEACH TO PARKER ARIZONA, I STOPPED BY OUTDOOR RESORTS IN CATHEDRAL CITY, AND WHO DO I RUN ACROSS BUT NONE OTHER THAN "OLE" COACH HAL AND CATHY CHAUNCEY. WE TALKED FOR SOME TIME AND THEY SEEM TO BE DOING QUITE WELL. DOES THIS FALL UNDER THE STALKING RULE, OR DO I GET FULL CREDIT??? WELL I UNDERSTAND WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW FOOTBALL COACH. THE COUGS WENT 5 AND 5 THIS YEAR AND DID NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. I HOPE YOU ALL GOT YOUR MONEY'S WORTH FOR THOSE HARD EARNED DONATIONS. THIS MAKES ME SAD.

Name: Betty Rodriguez ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 9:46 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Kean
Class: 1969
City & State: Kingman, AZ

Message: Mr. Brassfield - a wonderful story! Please visit C-Town often. Mrs. Baker & Mr. Miles - I travel Route 66 daily here in Kingman, AZ. About 15 miles east of town, some of those Burma Shave signs are still visible. I just love Cougartown. Betty

Name: Gerry Brassfield ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 7:51 pm - HHS Time
City & State: San Bernardino, CA

Message: As a former resident of Hawthorne for only 5 years from 1950 to 1955, I always considered this my hometown, even if I had to leave for health reasons when I was eight years old. We came to Hawthorne (parents and myself) in 1950, as we were being forced to move from Gardena when a elementary school decided to expand and take our house. My dad decided he would build a house somewhere closer to work, at that time, North American Aviation. He proceeded to do so, mostly by himself, but with help later from a brother and others. In late 1950 we moved into this partially finished house on Oxford Avenue, known by the address as 225. (I guess later the numbers changed it to something else, but I never knew what those numbers were) It was this time when I was in that house that I became familiar with house plans and later it became a passion, but only as a hobby, to draw a architectural drawing of houses, particularly the house I grew up in for only 5 years. (I can still draw a plan of that house, to this day, 50 plus years later) If I remember correctly, we were just south of the train tracks that paralleled the main street going east and west that had a circle around a park located in the middle of it, near Hawthorne Blvd. If I remember correctly, there were two streets that had round circles, the other one having a walk in theater in the middle of it. Anyway, I went to a school called Hawthorne Christian School up until third grade, when we had to move. And the main reason we had to move this time was I was continually having Bronchitis and Pneumonia attacks and was becoming quite sick all the time. The Doctor my parents took me to told them that the only way I would get better was to get me OUT of the L A Basin where the smog was and up to a higher climate. We tried this for a weekend at a time and even a few weeks at a time, until my parents realized that the Doc was right! So someone bought our house and we moved from Hawthorne. I had some good neighbors named Donna and Linda Webber, who were my age, and I knew I would miss them. While my dad continued to work at NAA, he did not live in San Bernardino, where we moved to, but continued to live in small apartments, and even in old trailers, which he later bought one to have for his own, where we could come and visit him during the summers. Sure, he came home on weekends, but we were kind of a split family. In early '60, we proceeded to live together during the summer as a family, on the weekday, and go back to our house on the weekends. During that time, when I was in high school, we spent summers in Lawndale, because by this time I had developed an immunity to whatever was making me sick (smog?), and I no longer had these attacks. Several times I rode a bike to my former residence to see my former neighbors, Donna and Linda. I felt that if I had spent my time in Hawthorne as I should have, I would somehow have associated myself with the kids known as The Beach Boys, who went to Hawthorne High (as I have heard) as I would have, but never got the chance to. So, here it is, many years later, in the early 80's. I have grown up, have a career, and got married and I decide to take my wife back to the old Ponderosa to see what has changed and show her the house I only grew up for 5 years in. We got to the street and when I went to find the house, lo and behold, it was gone!! In its' place was a apartment building. The newest house on the block and in only about 25 years or so, it was gone!! The ratty old house next to it was still there and all of the other houses were still there, including a real old, small wood frame house that I remember some Japanese kids used to live in, next to the tracks. I was so disappointed to see this! All the people that I new were either dead or moved from the neighborhood, including my former friends, Donna and Linda. How sad. I remember the Wonder Market, an old open-aire market owned by Japanese people, maybe. It was on the corner of Hawthorne Blvd and that main east west drag that I spoke of earlier but cannot remember the name. I remember the drug store across the street from it, but forget the name. Down the street from where I lived, was family that had a big old iron boat in their front yard that sat there for many years. They lived on the corner of Oxford and whatever, just half a block south and east of us. I remember riding the trolly cars that ran down the middle of HAWTHORNE Blvd. Sorry I do not remember these names and I suppose I could use Google earth or Vzilla to look them up, but this is my mind trying to work, and this is a spur of the moment time when I stumbled across this site. I have lived in San Bernardino since leaving Hawthorne. I grew up in the house that we moved to after Hawthorne, and to this day, I live in that same house, with my wife. I wonder if I would have done so had I lived in the Hawthorne house? I wonder if I would have known the Beach Boys had I gone to HHS? I have heard that Hawthorne has become somewhat "ghetto-ish", but I suppose that happens everywhere. Perhaps if anyone reads this and has come from the same area/era that I have and perhaps has had a similar life that I have lived can contact me at my email address. Donna? Linda? Have you read this? Maybe their younger brother Dale will see this. Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble on. Ger Brassfield

Name: Judy Blomsterberg ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 5:07 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: DeGrazia
Class: 1964
No E-mail
Message: Loved the saying Ma Baker.. words of wisdom on the road as they drove. As for Blue Chip Stamps..they were so popular that I can remember asking for them for my birthday in the 70's.. and I got a lot of things for my first apt with them. The thing that I thought was great marketing was the towels in the powdered soap boxes.. is it me, or did those towels take up most of the room in the box. Jelly jars became juice glasses. And 76 gas stations gave you scratchers with every fill up. I got a boyfriend that way..he was a gas jockey and I wanted to win. He never made me fill up to get a scratcher...and I do hear a wise crack coming from Sidney Bakerman on that one.

Name: Bob Jensen ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 2:56 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1971
City & State: Los Angeles
No E-mail
Message: "Green" that's an easy one to answer: Green - Greening (to restore the vitality).

Name: Jerry Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 2:42 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1966
City & State: Fair Oaks, CA
No E-mail
Message: I for one did get to follow Route 66 before Ike retired it with his interstate highway project to help protect us from the Godless Commies. Yes, that is true and it was even mandated that every few miles there must be a straightaway to accommodate emergency aircraft landings. And I even remember a few Burma Shave signs while traveling about. That was the days when your long trips consisted of packing the old Studebaker backseat up to the windows with luggage and the kids would ride on top with a blanket. Seatbelts? We didn’t need no stinking seatbelts. In fact more often than not, on long trips, I would ride on the little shelve by the back window. I remember too some of the amazing architecture along Route 66 and other byways in the mid-century. The T-Pee Motels and the unique hamburger joints, Burma Shave signs, all the strange and wonderful sights along the road. It was a far cry from today’s sterile freeways. For those that would like a little reminder of how it used to be I did make a CT Video honoring Route 66

Name: Jim Schroeder ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 2:18 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1966
City & State: Central Point, OR

Message: One of my favorite jokes from "the day" was; "Hey Billy, I see your Dad has a new Iron Lung" (also a thing of the past -- I think). "Yeah, he got it with Raleigh Coupons." We lived on the sick side of the tracks. Another ??? from "the day." Remember those long poles that teachers used to open those high windows. It was long with a brass thing on the end. I wonder if they still use those? I'd like to have one in my classroom to get the attention of some of the students who are working on least likely to succeed status -- like me.

Name: EllaV Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 1:42 pm - HHS Time
No E-mail
Message: At my age I have to ask what is "green". I have always thought it was a color or an adjective describing a rookie. Your generation comes up with so many of these new words and new meanings for the old ones you don't give us oldies a chance. Our brains are chock full of the nonsense. But maybe that is what keeps us alive. Now for something I bet not many of you have seen with your fast living and fast cars - the old Burma Shave signs along Route 66 and a few other two-lane hiways. Not many because there weren't many. And by the way how many of you ever traveled Route 66? Now we thought these signs were hilariously funny. What do you think?
We know how much you love that gal, but use both hands for driving, pal.
A guy who drives a car wide open, is not thinkin' he's just hopin'.
When junior takes your ties and car, it's time to buy another jar.
The midnight ride of Paul for beer, led to a warmer Hemisphere.
No lady likes to dine, accompanied by a porcupine.
She eyed his beard and said no dice, the wedding's off I'll cook my rice.
These signs we gladly dedicate, to men who've had no date of late.
Drinking drivers enhance their chance, to highball home in an ambulance.

Name: Denny Unfried ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 11:29 am - HHS Time
Class: 1955
City & State: Del Aire

Message: In the 50's there was a gasoline company that only sold gas and nothing else. It was called The Gasbah and they gave their own coupons. Each station also had their own redemption center with toasters, lamps and all that. Their gas was always a little cheaper than anyone else and at one time the attendants were girls on roller skates. At the time I worked at a lumber company and it was my job to keep the local trucks gassed up and a couple of them held 80 gallons so of course that is where I headed for gas. Got a zillion coupons and in 1955 did all of my Christmas shopping at The Gasbah. I miss them and of course the girls on skates but I still have a wall clock from the redemption center.

Name: Sharon Leach ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 8:54 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Moore
Class: 1966
City & State: Long Beach, CA

Message: Bob, I miss those blue-chip, green stamps, and blue and gold stamps. I go a lot of cool stuff that way. I think I furnished my first apartment with them. I know for sure I got my hand-mixer I still have today. I got a new fancy one, but that's still my back-up.

Name: Bob Jensen ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 8:22 am - HHS Time
Class: 1971
City & State: Los Angeles
No E-mail
Message: Here is a term that is very old and all generations still use but I doubt that anyone in Southern California uses it as it was intended. And if you look into John’s you will find a fist full of Blue Chip Stamps. Glove Compartment.

Name: Sharon Leach ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Nov 17, 2011, 7:39 am - HHS Time
Class: 1966
City & State: Long beach ca

Message: John, l never yank a chain attached to a rottweiler or a teddy bear.

Name: Gloria Achrem ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Nov 16, 2011, 8:06 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Valencia
Class: 1976
City & State: Las Vegas, NV

Message: Hi all! I haven't logged on in quite awhile. It's sad to see so many cougars leaving us; but it's great to see some old familiar names who are still active on CT. I like the topic of "Green". Wish I could think of something funny to share, but I have writer's block. Cheers to all of you! And especially you, JB. XXOOG

Name: Sharon Leach ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Nov 16, 2011, 5:30 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Moore
Class: 1966
City & State: Long Beach, CA

Message: Great topic. When I was a little girl my mother would tell me not to forget to pull the chain after I used the bathroom. The reason for this is and was until just a few years ago is that in their house in Boston the commode had an old fashioned water closet above the toilet and there was a chain you had to pull to flush to toilet. So to this day I still say don't forget to pull the chain. My cousins remodeled the house a few years ago and changed to new toilets. I was very sad when I saw that. It was like, yes the old generation is gone and the youngsters are moving on. Fun things we say without thinking of why.

Name: Betty Rodriguez ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Nov 16, 2011, 1:49 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Kean
Class: 1969
City & State: Kingman, AZ

Message: My father was a recycler - his neighbors and trashman would freak out because he'd never put the trash can out to the curb. They thought he was waist-high in garbage. He just burned most everything, threw food scraps out in the ivy, and took aluminum cans to - where was that place? I learned in high school that you can NOT burn hair spray cans in the fireplace. I'm a recycle nerd here in Kingman. I miss those days when we were free of litter.