Sorry Bill, It was your oldest brother I was referring to. You know, "Troublemaker".

Name: Mike Backus () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 17:18:27
E-Mail: michael@backusstudio.com
Class: '74
City and State: Eugene, OR
Message: DAMMIT WALT!!! DON'T LEAVE!! It's impossible to say "Hi" without pissing off SOMEbody. Everyone is still crabby post-X. Don't give up on us man! As far as the NW earthquake, it was a non event in Eugene, OR. I didn't even feel it. After riding out the Sylmar and Whittier shakers in SoCal I gotta wonder what all the fuss is about! Glad some of you are enjoying my recollections of 'the old days'. Michelle and Jack, I REALLY enjoyed your bike stories! All the encouragement I need to write is seeing spin offs like that. COUGARS RULE!!!
So Mike, didn't your pictures get twisted on the wall? OK all you thin skinned Cougs, No need to reply to that....JUST KIDDING!!!!

Name: Maria () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 17:02:01
E-Mail: cocoakit@yahoo.com
Maiden: Juaneza
Class: 80
City and State: Torrance, CA
Message: Does anybody remember the extreme heat of the summer of 1974? Well, I remember one particular day, the temperature soared up to 104 F, my friends and I were just sitting eating rocket popsicles when we heard on the radio that it was sooo hot, you can even cook eggs on the side walk. Being young and experimental in nature, my friends and I decided to try it. I got out one egg and we proceded to crack it and plop it in the middle of the side walk. We watched with great anticipation. I guess we imagined that the egg would sizzle on the side walk as it does on the frying pan. Well it didn't, so we decided to try another egg, and another and another. A dozen eggs later, we didn't care anymore about seeing the eggs cook, so my smart brother (also a Coug) thought it would be fun to ride our bikes over the top of the eggs. What a bright idea that turned out to be. So, like kids on a special mission, we all got out our bikes and we started to ride fast and furious over the top of the eggs. Two things we didn't count on, 1. the eggs were very slick and 2. when our tires hit the eggs, the tires had the tendency to fling the eggs up and back toward, you guessed it, our backs. So, there we were slipping and sliding on the sidewalk with eggs all over our backs, laughing and carrying on. All this activity just made us feel even hotter, so we turned on the sprinklers and we sat, ran and played on the grass and let the sprinkler cool us off. I still remember the songs that were playing on the radio when we were doing all this. Rock-On, by David Essex, Locomotion, and I think Midnight at the Oasis. What great memories. Thanks Mike for bringing all the memories back.
So Maria, you lived in the Redneck part of Hawthorne then???

Name: DALE C () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 17:01:27
Class: 76
City and State: FOSTER FREEZE CA
Message: JOHN: Twenty nine days and counting til the big night see ya later as C.W McCall would say in the song CONVOY see ya on the flip flop 10-4 good buddy Dale of the spirit of 76
March 30th??!! Are you getting married or something?

Name: Robin () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 16:56:04
E-Mail: Iwouldstayanonymoustoo.com
Maiden: Not Smith or XXXXX
Class: 60
City and State: 90277,CA
Message: Hawthorne hi?...... John oyu are?....... rickter scale?....... You are to be commented??? ....I just can't imagine why the "Concerned Cougar" has never posted in CT before..:o) ...Ive seen a sack of broken pretzels spell better.....Mike Backus...A year or so old story in CT ,but in the summer of 55'(Ok,Ok Im old!:o) between 7th and 8th grade, 4 of us with our 7th grade H.I. teacher Jimmy Page, rode our 3 speed "racers" as they were known then to POP, Knotts Berry Farm and a two day trip to Knotts ,and the recently opened Disneyland. Armed with only a sleeping bag and a toothbrush we took Hawthorne Blvd to Artesia which was like a long Rosecrans then and the only other street I remember was Katella many miles later. Slept in an orange grove and all..Some great adventures that summer for this kid ,who can still get lost in a multi-stall bathroom. It was definitely a different time and I am thankful I was there to experience it...Betty your AARP card is in the mail, congrats! :o) Tilly Noodleman: How do I get that sen sen taste out of my mouth?..Yuck..Its worse than the soap I had to eat for cussing. Hey it was great hearing from John Nix from Nascarland..Later Cougs..:o)
Robin, Jimmy Page was your Intermediate Teacher??!! I guess that was before rock and roll huh?? How about the Alligator Farm next to Knotts. Anyone remember that place?

Name: Cindy () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 16:15:18
Class: 70's
Message: To the Concerned Cougar: I agree. Hey, where are the McQuitty boys?

Name: Camille () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 16:04:52
E-Mail: chawkes@dwandp.com
Maiden: Hill
Class: '59
City and State: Manhattan Beach, Ca
Message: Just wanted to say I hope Walter H. stays incommunicado w/the feedback...his stories & input are great!
There you go Walter.......Thanks Camille

Name: YAMMA LAMMA () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 15:14:40
Maiden: DING DONG
Message: To my fellow CONCERNED COUGAR, and NOW! ANOTHER CONCERNED COUGAR!! So be concerned. Maybe I don't like your posts either, but I don't say so. I read them all -- but YOU don't have to! Ya know, if ya don't like what me and my sister write, just pass it by. And carin' what happens to fellow Cougars is one of the beauties of bein' a Coug -- if you don't like that, pass by those posts, too. Now you two COMPLAINERS got one really great dude signin' offa COUGARTOWN till the parties take place. Now that's really Coug-like isn't it. Quitcher bellyachin' and just read the posts that suit you -- otherwise button it up! And about thet there fish bowl that spilled in the quake -- I wanna know if the fish are all right too! Walter Honey, your stories and enthusiasm is worth a lot more than these gripers; dontcha be a listenin to em! PROM NITE 2001! YES! dancininthedark
You can't run wild Hippos out of the river if they don't wanna leave.

Name: Betty East () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 14:54:17
E-Mail: bettye@amgen.com
Maiden: Wright
Class: 74
City and State: Thousand Oaks, CA
Message: Concerned Cougar and anyone else, I've learned throughout the years that you can't please all the people all the time. If you don't like a post, scroll on past. Quit yur bitchen! I too had a green metal flake Schwinn stingray with a sissy bar. What a great bike. Here's a story I'll never forget...I was 11 or 12, riding on Glasgow toward my house on 137th Place. You know how you like to see how really fast you can go, well, my left foot slipped off the pedal, and my calf got caught under the pedal and was dragged on the ground until the bike stopped. Because the bike only had coaster breaks, I had no way to stop the bike. My left was mangled. I had deep abrasions on all my toes, the top of my foot, up my shin to my knee. Instead of going home (I knew my mom would be mad), I went to a Tracy Rice's house. Her mom was really great and doctored me up. Then I went home. I almost missed 6th grade camp because of it. I had to convince the nurse I was ok. Anyway that's my story. Don't change feedback...I like it just the way it is.
My left foot slipped off the pedal once too, but it wasn't my toes that were the pain problem.

Name: Paco Duran () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 14:27:33
E-Mail: doo4usc@aol.com
Maiden: Howard
Class: 61
City and State: Lake Forest
Message: I remember as a 10 year old, Terry Benjamin and I would go exploring, looking for snakes and whatever in the beanfields, one day we stumbled onto a make-shift "lovers lane", where I found a purse with $13.00 in it, wow, all the money in the world! My father made me look in the paper for someone who lost it, but nobody claimed the booty so it was mine! I loved to go to the beach and I loved to swim, so I alternated between the Inglewood plunge and the Hermosa Biltmore, since I had all this money I could ride the bus all day long from one to another. One late afternoon after swimming all day at the Biltmore I boarded the Sunset Stages and headed for Ocean Gate where I fell asleep and woke up about 7PM in Inglewood, I was also on the last bus...Mom, guess what I did...
Now THAT'S a story. Thanks Paco.....

Name: Sharon () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 14:12:54
E-Mail: hawthornehigh66@aol.com
Maiden: Moore
Class: 66
City and State: Long Beach
Message: Dear Concerned: If you are so interested in reading and hearing about the past, why don't you write about some of your own experiences, instead of criticizing others. I think we all love this site and we write about anything and everything that interests us, past, present, and future. I don't like everything that's on here either, but I'm just happy to be a part of the open forum. I have writen about my HHS experiences, my current experiences and I know not everyone is interested in what I have to say, but at least I have a place to say it. Thanks for this opportunity John. To Backus and the rest, loved the bike stories. My sister and I used to ride out bikes to Alondra Park and stay there all day. We'd get home about 6:00 p.m. and our parents never worried about us. Those were great days.

Name: Georgia Fiorante () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 14:06:50
E-Mail: GFiorante@aol.com
Maiden: Cook
Class: '68
City and State: Buena Park, CA
Message: Betty-Welcome to the club. It is, indeed, a very special club. Can't wait for the rest of you guys to join (Goddess, Donna W., Donna G.) Have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Georgia

Name: Betty Rodriguez () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 14:03:26
E-Mail: tombetty@kelp.net
Maiden: Kean
Class: 69
City and State: Lake Elsinore, CA
Message: Thank you for the Birthday Wishes, everyone. The champagne is chilling as I speak! Betty
Good, we'll all be there about 6pm.

Name: DALE CRAIG () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 13:55:46
Class: 76
City and State: Sunny Southern California
Message: Marilyn Jo Murray Pearson Where are you? I have not seen you since got married in 1977 I've been worried about you and your sister where is she living? I still remember when you would drive us to school in the morning rain or shine The only way I can tough bases with you is through the feedback pages I don't have commter at home and I don't have an e mail address at work call me at 310-679-7093 or work 1-800-213-7700 between 6:00am pst & 4:00pm pst You take of yourself Thanks another concered cougar Dale

Name: Bill Cusac () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 12:31:55
E-Mail: BillCusac@aol.com
Class: 1965
City and State: South Lake Tahoe, Ca.
Message: To Betty, You have one great "50th" Birthday. See you this summer. We love you Bill & Ester

Name: ANOTHER REALLY CONCERNED COUGAR () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 12:26:34
E-Mail: justpostitillreadit.com
Maiden: tooafraidtosaymyname(please dont guess either)
Class: lots
City and State: Somewhere
Message: Well did any cougars get injured or hurt in the great quake of ought one? And as to the Jones person, I think we were too rude to him. We lowered ourselves to his level by even responding, do we need to justify who we are? I don't think so. We are the Cougars mighty mighty Cougars everywhere we go people want to know..... And finally ramma lamma and yamma lamma and bing bang bo...once a month would be fine. Just once a month that's all we ask. Not twice just once a month. ANOTHER REALLY CONCERNED COUGAR
Sloey, is that you??

Name: Anita Young () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 12:25:11
E-Mail: youngun39@yahoo.com
Maiden: Aceves
Class: 1978
City and State: Newberg, OR
Message: This is the last breath I am going to utter to "concerned Cougar" since, for one, if you are so darned concerned, you'd have the guts to use your name....you admitted when you first posted that you are an LBDP ( look but don't post) person. If you have something better to say, then, for God's sake, say something, otherwise, all I've seen you come in here and do is complain....what kind of contribution do you really make here? Not much, from what I can see.... Mike and Michelle: yeah, those great old days when we all used to either ride the bus or ride our bikes to the beach....whether it be 2-6 or Manhattan Beach Pier or wherever....those summer days seemed like they would never end, didn't they? Me and my buddies used to go at about 9:30-10:00 in the morning and not get back until about 8:00 that night! Those definitely were the days when you could be out that long and that far from home and your mom and dad not coming to look for you, wondering if some weirdo had come and hauled you off somewhere. The freedom was so great! And Michelle, you hit it right on the head, too about the booze and grass....jeez, these kids now days, at least the one's up in the Pacific NW at the high schools here, are into stuff like Ecstasy and Crystal Meth! Man, and Cassie is only 3 now...I wonder what kinds of stuff they are going to have when she's a teenager. I feel for you, hon, now with teenagers, but as I said, I wonder if it's going to be better or worse when my Cassie is their age! Something to ponder, I guess.
Long live the old South Bay beach days! Those, indeed, were the days!

Name: Patti Smith () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 12:24:39
E-Mail: GrnidL80@mediaone.net
Class: 68
City and State: Cypress, CA
Message: Walter, "Baby don't go; baby, please don't go". We know your banter with Ramma and Lamma were all in good fun; it's attacks under the guise of anonymity that some of us have a problem with. And I personally didn't take offense at your posts to the "outlander" from BHHS, but at his escalating volley of digs at all Cougars. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone; but if anyone has something to say, other than in jest, it shows much more Cougar spirit to identify yourself.

Name: DALE CRAIG () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 12:23:44
Class: 76
City and State: HAWTHORNE CA
Message: To all concern about people with the earthqukes in the Seattle Portland area who suffered the big one I sympathize with people I went through three jolts myself 1971 Sylmar 1988 Whitter and the real earth shaker 1994 Northridge where I was thrown out off bed. My brother lives about thirty miles north of Seattle he felt a little shaken up he's doing fine He was in the class of 79 I will try to get his address in Marysville Washington God bless you people that suffered the earthquke in the GREAT NORTHWEST MR.BACKAS MR.SMITH MRS.YOUNG AND ALL OTHER COUGARS THERE SIGNED DALE CLASS OF 76

Name: Donna Wright () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 11:44:52
E-Mail: DonnaDGW4@aol.com
Maiden: Cook
Class: '69
City and State: La Palma, CA
Message: Happy Birthday, Betty Kean Rodriguez! You're older than me now. You're 50 and I'm not. Have a great day!
Love, Donna

Name: Walter Holt () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 11:27:30
Class: 66
City and State: Mission Viejo, CA
Message: Fellow Cougars..... It appears my posts have offended some of you. For that I apologize. I have bantered with whomever Yamma/Ramma in an attempt to help promote our upcoming Prom Night & spark a few memories, in my own way, by means of: lyrics of songs, dancing and styles we wore back when I was growing up in Hawthorne. I bantered with the person from BHHS to mess with him because I do not like anyone attacking my family, friends or where I grew up because I am proud of where I come from. I have not intentionally meant to offend anyone. On a couple of occasions when someone has directly taken a pot shot at me and I have given it back at them with a smile on my face. John you truly have done a great job with this site. Cougartown it has been fun & I bid you adieu as this will be my last post see you all at Cruise Night & The Prom. Concerned Cougar...a person with confidence & pride isn’t afraid to let people who they are when they have something to say.
Walter, I don't think you said anything wrong here. Don't let someones opinion, and we all have them, run you out of Feedback. Let's face it, all feedback isn't interesting to EVERYONE. Someone is just speaking out about how THEY feel. Actually I'm the only one who has to read them all.
Cougs, I personally think the Feedback page goes in cycles. It gets good (for me) then not so good, then it's good again, but I'm sure lots of people enjoy the parts that I don't particularly care for and vice versa.
So Walter, do not quit what you're doing here. Some like it, some don't. That's why Bill Gates invented the scroll bar. Be a Coug boy........

Name: Jack Risner () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 10:21:47
E-Mail: rencaj@netscape.net
Class: 74
City and State: Hailey, Id.
Message: Boy-did Mike Backus' recollections of how we went everywhere on bikes hit home. The ride to the beach was a favorite. And then you had to cruise the Strand all day once you were there. My friends and I even used to ride all the way to Sears on Manchester! We had cruisers as our first bikes and then the clouds parted, God smiled on the Earth, and Lo! there were Schwinn Stingrays! I had a green metal flake one with a 6 foot sissy bar! One day a friend (Randy Schlepper) and I were on my bike, with Randy in control. We were hauling a$$ from the school next to Del Aire park towards the park. Randy went screaming over the asphalt volleyball court in front of the office- we had entirely disregarded the potential for a 6 ft. sissy bar and a volleyball net meeting at 15 mph or so. Under the net we went and virtually instantaneously we were right back- That collision acted just like a catapult and flipped us up and off the bike and into the air to land on top of the net! We slipped off and looked at each other like what in the heck just happened. By that time all our friends were standing around. The sissy bar had snapped at the screws on the seat but the bike was okay. Then, just like the line from "The boys are back in town" we just fell about the place! Of course we all picked up right were we left off and proceeded to race around the concrete sidewalk around the sand like we were racing the chicanes at La Mons. Lots and lots of good memories of Del Aire Park!

Name: Patti Smith () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 10:19:16
E-Mail: GrnidL80@mediaone.net
Class: 68
City and State: Cypress, CA
Message: Anita, what can I say but "You go, Girl!" We Cougars have spread out across the continent, and I know many are up in the Seattle/Portland area. We care about each other because we all have a common bond -- having grown up in Hawthorne. Feedback is not only for memories, for there can only be so many, but for many other things, including keeping each other posted on the goings on in our daily lives and forging new friendships. And Keith, with a last name like Smith (which, by the way is the name I was born with and I'm damned proud of it!), how could I ever slam anyone with a name like Jones? I took offense from "Concerned Cougar's" attack on our concern for those of us in the quake area, and his/her lack of gumption and class to identify him/herself.

Name: Concerned cougar () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 10:09:21
Class: 70 somethin
Message: To Anita: I am not saying I'm not concerned, but to report that your brothers fish tank broke and there was water all over the place is not news to cougars throughout the internet community. Reporting that one of our school friends or their husbands or wives or kids is in the hospital with a problem IS news and I Do care about that. A earthquake broke a fish tank is not news in my opinion.
I want to hear about hawthorne times and memories from then. Thats what this page is about isnt it? and to Patty Smith: you say (we discuss the quake in Washington because there are many Cougars living in the area, and we are all concerned about them) if there is something to report about a cougar then report, but there wasn't anything to report about cougars. I want to go back to talking about our memories. does anybody see my point?

Name: Michelle Drapeau () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 10:04:54
E-Mail: havnfun@qnet.com
Maiden: Whittaker
Class: 78
City and State: Palmdale, CA
Message: To Mike Backus: I have to tell you, everything you wrote about riding our bikes was sooooo true!!! I swear we were in the best shape ever without even knowing it! I miss jumping on my bike and riding anywhere I wanted. That's when riding our bikes was actual doing something not just a way to get from point A to point B. And we didn't care what our bike looked like or what brand it was. The nerve of me to suggest to my 11 year old daughter to "walk" over to her friends house is absurd! Heck, even the buses have a bike rack now so all you've got to do is ride your bike to the bus stop! I know what goes through every parents mind now is "ohmigod, someone is going to abduct my kid!". That would explain why they all have pagers and cell phones! It's such a shame we're not able to give our kids the same freedom that we had because with that comes all these great memories. I have some friends that can't even fathom the idea of dropping their kids off at the mall for a few hours. Things have gotten a bit outta hand if you ask me! Not that I don't panic everytime the kids leave the house, but what am I gonna do when they turn 16 (notice I said 16) and are attending those parties, which by the way are starting around the age 13. I remember all the parties I went to when I was 14 and WOW what a hypocrit I've turned out to be! Yeah, you can all relate! Of course they will never know the "old" me. That is if their favorite Aunt Cindy doesn't try any of that sisterly blackmail. I know all you '60ers had your share of the ale; we '70ers had the ale, and the grass; and NOW they have the ale, grass, and oh so much more! See...this is where "your" story brings back my memories! Good story Mike!
Points to ponder Michelle. I know I had all kinds of freedom growing up. We would take off on our bikes and be gone all day, never knowing where we were going to end up. Todays parents would have a cow........or maybe a purple dinosaur.

Name: Mary () on Thursday, March 1, 2001 at 09:16:48
E-Mail: Doyle
Maiden: Kean
Class: 66
City and State: Hawthorne, CA
Message: Please join me in wishing my sister Betty Kean Rodriguez a very happy 50th birthday!
***Happy Birthday Betty***
Now Life starts getting fun!!!