FEEDBACK
Name: Leo Ainsworth ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Dec 10, 2014, 1:37 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1964
City & State: Saint Helena

Message: Yes, to raise funds what about an online auction where you could reach a wider audience. Our classmates could donate items of value and you could auction them off online. Old bottles of wine, famous sport items, jewelry, old books, old cars, etc. The classmate donating the item would ship the item to the winning bidder. On the land values, i was talking percentages, not dollars. The percentages would be the same in most of California if you did not sell in the last 30 years.
Not a bad idea. Just wondering about taxes... ay need a 401(C3) to do that. I will check that out. Thanks Leo
Name: Marilyn Ross ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Dec 10, 2014, 11:34 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Wisham
Class: 1956
No E-mail
Message: Maybe the band could put on a marching concert for the whole community and ask for a donation to attend. Putting the money towards new uniforms. Maybe get volunteers to sell snacks for profit.
Good one Marilyn, thank you.
Name: Leo Ainsworth ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Dec 9, 2014, 9:40 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1964
City & State: Saint Helena

Message: Please understand that I was not trying to make a political statement, just as a former educator, a factual statement on what local parents and community members had to face with the passage of Prob 13 in regard to public education. As parents 25 years ago and part of the local PTA, as an example, we had to raise and fund music and PE teachers for the grade school. I live in a rich district, so now the parent groups can raise $250,000 in a single fundraiser. We have the best football fields money can buy. That is all private money. Hawthorne High parents can not do that. My house values over 30 years has gone up 900%, but my property taxes only 60%, I just think there is room to improve the educational experience for all districts. Just tweak Prob 13 a little. Just a FYI - School Bonds are for construction only and are an add on to your property tax bill.
May sound a little condescending to Hawthorne people, Leo Now that we know how your property values have climbed and your district can raise a quarter of a million over night and what school bonds are used for, do you have any ideas on how we can raise money for uniforms for the indigent Hawthorne High band members?
Name: Clark Millman ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Dec 9, 2014, 2:16 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1976
City & State: Manhattan Beach, CA

Message: One program at HHS that seems to have gone the way of the Dodo is the cheerleaders. Not due to lack of uniforms. I think it is lack of competent leadership. I have been to a number of HHS games in recent year and thanks to movies like " Bring "It On", the cheerrleaders seem to think they are in a "sport" thats sole purpose is cheer competitions. At HHS I have yet to see the cheerleaders try to get the stands involved. The administrators wonder why the student body avoids attending football games. It's just not much fun! The competitiveness of the football team has improved in recent years but the students who attend don't feel involved thanks to the cheerleaders who no longer"lead cheers". The footbball players would surely appreciate a little verbal support from the stands. I know I did. It would make the evening a better event for the student body too. I remember as a freshman and sophomore looking forward to the games as a social event to hang out with friends, pick up on girls and yell down the snotty kids from Costa or Beverly or Rolling Hills swith " We got spirit yes we do!" I aknowledge times have changed but when the current cheerleaders come out , put on some hideous rap music and do a poor performance it is depressing!
Name: Bob Jensen ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Dec 9, 2014, 1:47 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1971
City & State: Los Angeles
No E-mail
Message: There are a few of my friends from HHS who will remember that HHS did not have funds for band uniforms in 1968-69 and were using tattered and torn uniforms purchased many years before. I recall several events that the band stepped out in Levi's and white shirts with a red bandana tied around their neck. Was it a lack of funds? Perhaps the changing of the gaurd (Fred left that year and Alex came to power)??? Fred tired of fighting and Alex was fresh and new? It was the following year that the uniforms went from Scarlet to Black.... Just saying!
Name: Mary Ann Walton-Martin ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Dec 8, 2014, 7:18 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Walton
Class: 1961
City & State: Nashville AR

Message: Even with the present economics, fund raising's necessary and fun. There are boat loads of grant money available for most anything. Go on line for that process. Raise money in community events - food/beverage and game booths. Sponsor and promote activities such as 5k-10 walk/runs, halftime basketball three point shot contests - you pay to play, operate a snack stand for all athletic events - love those outdoor grilled burgers, fashion shows, ETC. Booster clubs for sports and band. "Gently" approach Hawthorne clubs who operate under a Presidents Council - there's probably over 100. If anyone wants more information on booster clubs - email me. I live in a small town that raises thousands and thousands of dollars for our junior and senior high students athletes, including girls.
Hi Mary Ann, The uniforms are a short 400 a piece and I think we need about 90. It would be nice if we could break it up into about 4 separate groups (booster type or maybe local civic groups). Also the band members themselves. I've never fund raised but am sure there are people doing this all the time. If anyone has, and knows how, please let us know the particulars.
Name: Kevin Young ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Dec 8, 2014, 6:24 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1973
City & State: Newbury Park, CA

Message: I'm not sure that finding funding for HHS Band Uniforms is my problem to solve. The registered voters in the district elected the school board and then the board felt that an outrageous salary to the Superintendent and rebuilding the school were the best ways to spend their limited funds. So I guess the kids get a new school and a fat cat superintendent instead of decent funding for extracurricular activities. The parents can either fund raise to make up the difference or the kids can do without. As Mick would say "you can't always get what you want". Ok, now the rest of you can call me heartless.......
Hi Kevin, No it's not your problem...it's mine.
Name: Armand Vaquer ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Dec 8, 2014, 4:41 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1972
City & State: Tarzana, Karloffornia

Message: The Serrano I (1971) and Serrano II (1976) California Supreme Court rulings had a lot more to do with local school funding than did Prop. 13.
Ok leaving POLITICS and Supreme Court rulings aside, if the initial question was "How do we get funding for "Band Uniforms", what would be your answer?
Name: Ron Treat ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Dec 8, 2014, 4:02 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1968
City & State: Chula Vista,CA

Message: Go to Transparent California to check salaries and pensions to see where some of your tax dollars are going. Thanks to Unions that donate heavily to our elected officials campaigns, they get pretty much what they want while the kids get what's left. In some States your property taxes go to zero or are greatly reduced at age 65..........because you have done enough.
Name: Sharon Stein ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Dec 8, 2014, 11:38 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Friddle
Class: 1968
City & State: Wiseburn

Message: I know Cougartown is not intended to be a forum for political issues, but I feel I must defend Prop 13. Limiting the amount the State can raise your property taxes each year has kept the majority of homeowners in California in their homes. Many districts have passed school bonds to increase school budgets. But, beyond the inflated Superintendent's salary, other things that did not need big budgeting 'back-in-the-day' such as big lawyer fees, security costs, more special needs students being more mainstreamed than in our day along with a host of other issues, also take away from the extra activities many of us remember. Sooo, I guess I'm saying, keep any eye on your local school's finances or you could end up like Centinela Valley.
Sharon, I think the point was that school funding was cut back about the time Prop 13 came in. No defending necessary
Name: Tom Shelley ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Dec 7, 2014, 12:39 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Beaumont, CA

Message: Hey Jan, Happy Birthday my friend. I hope your lovely wife fixed you a nice breakfast this morning. Have a terrific day.
Happy Birthday Janny WCF!!
Name: Susan King ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Dec 7, 2014, 10:26 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1974
City & State: Thousand Oaks

Message: Janny Wanny Chicken Fanny!! Happy birthday to one of the really good guys!! Miss Judy must be falling all over herself to spoil you rotten! Like she says, love the snot outta ya! This year of your life is likely to be one of your best ever. XOXO
Happy Birthday Janny!!!
Name: Bob And Karen Fraser ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Dec 7, 2014, 9:58 am - HHS Time
Class: 1960
City & State: Hawthorne,Ca
No E-mail
Message: Happy birthday to Jan Blomsterberg. Hope you have a great day!
Happy Birthday Jan!!
Name: Alan Nelson ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Dec 7, 2014, 9:52 am - HHS Time
Class: 1973
City & State: Parker, Az

Message: Somewhere in my travels over the years I lost my HHS class ring. Every now and then I hit the internet and try to search to see if it turns up. One site I check is Jostens Lost and Found. While I haven't yet found mine, I noticed a few "Found" rings from HHS. If anyone knows these folks, please tell them that Jostens has their ring, and they can claim it if they want: 2002 Joseph Legghio, 2000 Shawn Lewis, 2000 Sarah J. Smith. While they may be from a different HHS or Hawthorne High, it's possible they are one of our Cougars.
Thanks Alan, I didn't know there was a lost and found for school rings.
Name: Armand Vaquer ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-Dec 6, 2014, 2:17 am - HHS Time
Class: 1972
City & State: Tarzana, Karloffornia

Message: Blaming Prop. 13 for the state's financial woes is completely off the mark. The state was taxing homeowners out of their homes before its passage. The real problem rests with the priorities the politicians have set. Besides things like the superintendent's $700,000 salary (as John mentioned), the bullet train to nowhere and others, the trouble began when public sector unions bled the state coffers dry with the extravagant pensions and other perks they obtained from their patrons in the legislature. Beside those, we have so many unfunded liabilities and bond measures that stupid people voted for. Take a good look at Detroit and other such places and you can see where we're headed.
There are 10,737 public and private high schools in the state. Say an average of 70 people in a high school band would be about 750,000 band uniforms needed for every high school. For the price of Alex Rodriguez's last contract every high school in CA could have new uniforms. The state will spend 40 times that amount on a "train to nowhere".
Name: Leo Ainsworth ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Dec 5, 2014, 9:12 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1964
City & State: Saint Helena, California

Message: Just a follow up note on the state of public education in California; the death came in 1978 with the passage of Prop 13, that forced school districts to cut back on non-class room expenses such as sports and the arts. As a former school board member I felt supplying funds for the arts and sports was especially important for those kids who would not be going on to college or a trade school.. Over time our society realized that teachers needed to be paid more for their services and usually Administrators were also tied to union increases, so the sports, arts, and transportation budgets were hit hard. I would agree that the big salaries for adminstrators seem too high. To me salary differences between districts should be based on the number of students and the apparent safety of the students. I can not relate (both as a former student and as a parent) to having to pass through a metal detector to gain entry to my school. But terrible things can happen anywhere.
There are plenty of schools playing sports with fine equipment and fine looking halftime bands. Take a look at Samohi or Long Beach Poly. It seems CA can spend billions on a bullet train from Bakersfield to Fresno but don't have funding for a band uniform.
Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Fri-Dec 5, 2014, 9:00 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita

Message: For all you early 60s Hawthorne High sports fans out there, the video of the 2009 HHS Sports Reunion held in Redondo Beach has just been added. Enjoy.
Name: Patricia Bagby ~~~~~~~~~~ Thu-Dec 4, 2014, 2:38 am - HHS Time
Maiden: Kavanaugh
Class: 1964
City & State: NY, NY

Message: John, thanks again regarding your efforts to make our 1964 50th reunion such fun. I heard there, while at the picnic, a rumor that next year there might be a multi-year reunion from the early 60's (maybe a cruise). Any truth to the rumor? That would be so fabulous.
Hi Pat, No I haven't heard anything regarding an early 60s multi-year. Sounds like a fun idea and if any rumblings are heard, they'll certainly be posted right here. Thanks for the heads up and I'll be listening.
Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Dec 3, 2014, 4:12 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita

Message: The Class of 64 - 50 year reunion videos are on the website. Thanks again to all who participated.
Name: Tom Shelley ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Dec 3, 2014, 10:13 am - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Beaumont, CA

Message: Happy Birthday to Denny Unfried and Avery Knapp. I hope you both have a fun day.
Happy Birthday Denny and Avery!!
Name: Mike Mecey ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Dec 3, 2014, 7:19 am - HHS Time
Class: 1961
City & State: Roseville, CA

Message: Trolling for Cougars... Ginny & I recently went on a Panama Canal cruise... with ports in Ft. Lauderdale, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico before ending up in San Diego... I wore my new Cougar shirt often just to see if I could attract a HHS Cougar or two along that route somewhere... No HHS contact anywhere along the route... Guess they were all waiting for the more experienced Cougar finders...
Hey Mike, No Cougars south of the border. Now if you'd had your Pumatown shirt on....
Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Dec 2, 2014, 11:30 am - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita

Message: Tentative plans for the 1965 and 1975 reunions have been made and are on the Reunions page. If you are in one of these classes, please take a look. As plans are revised they will be added to that page so stay tuned. Please make sure your address info is correct on the Cougartown Info System as these classes will want to make contact with classmates. If you are not on the Alumni List you can't be contacted so please go here to add yourself to the Alumni List.
If any other classes are having reunions in 2015, please email me with your information and I will add it to the Reunions page. Thanks Cougs
Name: Jerry Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Dec 2, 2014, 9:54 am - HHS Time
Class: 1966
City & State: Fair Oaks CA
No E-mail
Message: This is a disgrace, Debbie. I immediately called Mister Google and gave him a piece of my mind. Actually there is a place to report such errors right on the map and I did just that. As they have the address right and have just misplaced the marker I would hope they will get it corrected quickly.
Not a big piece I hope His first name is Barney and he has Googley eyes.
Name: Gary Bickers ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Dec 2, 2014, 9:47 am - HHS Time
Class: 1963
City & State: pve cal

Message: Yes Marilyn you got all your facts correct. John and I were invited to attend a reunion of those teams a few years back. Just like Clark, these guys remembered every detail of their games that year. Good times.

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