Name: Sharon Branigan ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 4:46 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1976
City & State: Thousand Oaks, CA
E-mail
Message: Yes, I realize it's all very gray right now, but all schools have foundations that can ALWAYS use support. JROTC, academic, athletic, ASB, scholarships, etc. I am working on getting details from the Principal on which organizations are currently in place, to accept donations. Alumni supporting their school is nothing new, all schools need and, in fact, actively seek out alumni support. Unless we are talking thousands of dollars, we are not going to be in a place to start a fund named the Cougartown Scholarship Fund. On the other hand I would LOVE to see us hand over thousands of dollars in the name of the Cougartown Scholarship Fund! As soon as I get a list I will post it, and then anyone who wants to donate can memo on their check which organization they want to support. Let's get everyone excited about the idea of making a difference for our beloved HHS!

Name: Sharon Branigan ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 4:03 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Bierman
Class: 1976
City & State: Thousand Oaks, CA
E-mail
Message: Dale Hahlbeck, darlin, we are all WAITING for you to show up at a Cruise Night- PLEASE DO! Class of 76, 30th reunion was held at the Ayres Hotel in HAWTHORNE for a reason - to support the city! It was a wonderful venue and the staff were great. If you ever need a place to hold an event, meeting, whatever- consider the Ayres. It was SWELL! Yes, let's all start supporting HHS! I can't coach (they're already losing- they don't need me) but I can send funds. I challenge ALL COUGARTOWNERS here and now (gauntlet being thrown) to contribute at least $25 to HHS. (Larger amounts definitely accepted!) That's WAY less than you'll spend on a movie for 2 and it will go MUCH further! I will gladly serve as a collection point (checks payable to Hawthorne High School) and we can deliver the funds to the principal in early January. If you want to send funds via paypal send an extra 5% to cover the fees. Or you can send it directly to the principal with a note. It would be nice to have a list of who donates, and a donation total. I will do that, too. E-me for info on mailing donations. Keith, you quack me up, so just in case, ALOHA, baby! Too bad you missed out on the reunion, coulda been your last hurrah.

Name: Carl Rilling ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 1:56 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1959
City & State: Oregon City
E-mail
Message: What a great email from Dale. Be true to your school for a lifetime. And if your not living in or near Hawthorne visit your local school. They need mentors in all parts of school life. We have so much to offer young people today with our lifes experiences. Get to know the teachers by sitting in on their classes. (office permission first) You will find a class that you can volunteer and help in. Most sports have non paid volunteer coaches that help with the students, making sure school work is done and handed in on time, getting to class, checking on home life or just being there when a student needs someone to talk too. There is not a high school in this country that doesn't need a volunteer to assist students with reading and to work in an after school study hall. It is not just football players we lost at HHS this year but students that were not making the grades. I look at the alumni lists see so much leadership and brain power and students that were in education. Maybe they have some ideas of how we can help HHS. RAH RAH RAH RAH sis boom ba, doesn't get any better than that song.

Name: Cindy Wernicke ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 1:17 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Maxson
Class: 1963
City & State: Seal Beach, CA
E-mail
Message: I have to agree with Dale, just because there is a fence around HHS doesn't mean there is something bad or changed there, it is just a fence, Hawthorne doesn't seem to have changed that much in the past 43 years since I left, in fact I think it is still very quaint. I am proud to be from Hawthorne! If you don't like what is happening, do something to improve it. Thanks John for all you do. And yes the beer tastes better with a SC sweat shirt on. Cindy

Name: Gary Bickers ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 11:40 am - HHS Time
Class: 1963
City & State: pve cal
E-mail
Message: I read Dale's note and love his passion. I too thought the answer was resourced based. If we gave money the problem would go away. Then I read Coach's email and did some work. Other coaches, teachers and administrators in the South Bay told me to check to see if the already funded programs to assist kids and teachers were being used. The thought was how could 27 kids being ineligible come as a surprise and why were these kids not motivated enough to take advantage of existing programs. I say support the kids that finished the year and the plot thickens.

Name: Keith D. Jones ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 1:34 am - HHS Time
Class: 1976
City & State: Kona, HI
E-mail
Message: Well here in Hawaii someone today started a rumor saying there is going to be a huge earthquake today before midnight. SO it caused near riots at some of the markets for people wanting to get water and supplies. They said they worked at the volcanoes and that the needles have been going crazy and that they expected an earthquake of between 8.5 and 10.0. Even though the news people have been telling everybody it is just a hoax. But, I have had about 50 phone calls from all kinds of friends asking about it. So just in case. Love Cougartown and HHS. Aloha

Name: Dale Hahlbeck Jr. ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 1:00 am - HHS Time
Class: 1975
City & State: Corona CA
E-mail
Message: Please forgive me, but I need to chime in on a few things about HHS Sports, OUR SCHOOL, and OUR City. Its so easy to label and pass judgement on reasons why HHS is NOT LIKE how we remember it...but WE have the power to help Hawthorne, our school and HOMETOWN from these notions that its gone 180 degrees in the wrong direction..US Cougars need to suck it up and go to Homecoming, and have the after party IN HAWTHORNE not El Segundo. The city and school need our $$ and help to turn the "perceived corner", so lets help by attending events and having events in OUR TOWN. I too think this years football team had a rough time this season, but If Ol' Coach had the same crew of players I will bet my last dollar that team would not lose games by 50 points EVER!! It's not just motivation, its pride, discipline, loyalty, knowledge, and learning the skills needed to be competitive....I will contact the Football Coach at OUR school and will offer my services to coach the lineman on ways to improve their skills by practice and watching film on themselves nad their opponents. Its easy to fingerpoint and say that things have gone downhill, it takes a hand to offer help to OUR city and school to to weather the bad times, but to continue to seek the rainbow and the pot of scarlet and "gold".I applaud all the teachers that stayed or have stayed at Hawthorne the last two decades to teach/coach our youth and give them the tools to become productive citizens. It would have been so easy for some of them to transfer out to Torrance or El Segundo, and maybe some did, but I still recognize some names that have refused to give up on OUR High School, and they deserve our gratitude..not our "opinions", or walks down memory lane believing that OUR town will never be the same.It hurts me to see some of us Cougars GIVE UP on Hawthorne..its still a small town only minutes away from the beach..full of friendly people who now claim it as their Hometowne need to support Hawthorne...not condemn it and toss it aside like a bad memory....ITS HAWTHORNE!!Maybe some of us Cougars could contact City Hall and set up some type of fund to benefit the city, schools. parks, and businesses to help them improve these areas and start them back on the path to prosperity..I think its time to give back to the City that has allowed us to have this forum to not only state the problems...but find solutions...Please note this is my opinion...and I too have been guilty of avoiding OUR city because of my pre-conceived notions about OUR city...but its the holiday season, 2007 is around the corner, so this is my New Years resolution..I will visit my Hometown more often, see sporting events, attend more Foster Freeze Cruise Nights, spend my hard earned money in the city, volunteer my time at the high school, and not pass judgement on anyone or anything since this just delays positive growth and positive change... and if I'm the only one next year so be it but maybe two Cougars will make the same resolution in 2008, then 4 in 2009 and soon the majority of US will be a force to bring back the pride and glory to OUR TOWN..HAWTHORNE California The City of GOOD NEIGHBORS remember? If you think I'm off my rocker, that's your opinion, and I respect that..If I hit a nerve and have inspired you to help OUR city, then I have used this website like I perceive that it was created..to help Cougars help Cougars, and help Hawthorne. If I offended anyone, Please forgive me becasue that was never my intention...I just wanted to voice my concerns about the negative vibe I have gotten the last few years about OUR community..this website has been a blessing and God Bless John for putting his idea into motion so we have one of the largest alumni websites in existence...and if you have not sent your annual dues in yet to help support this site...this holiday season is a great excuse to give John the money to keep this site alive...just like we ALL should do to keep Hawthorne alive and well for the future, and OUR Future as proud Cougars and Cougarettes..sorry for the length of this message..Please forgive me...Feel free to contact me at kewldaad47@aol.com if you would like to share your opinion with me..I do not want this website used to respond directly to me lets keep the feedback open for Cougars who have their own message or concerns...meanwhile Merry Christmas and I hope to see you all next year. Rock Steady ya'll H1 OUT!

Name: Alan Hauge ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Nov 27, 2006, 12:56 am - HHS Time
Class: 1961
City & State: Playa del Rey, CA
E-mail
Message: Okay John-So after all of the discussion down through the years about our better than average education at HHS in the 50's and 60's and the sports programs and great coaches equates to the fact we were blessed and didn't know it. Then anyway. Which leads me to a few key questions 45 years after leaving old Cougartown: First, "As we near the end of our journey did life turn out like we expected?" Did financial success deliver lasting satisfaction? Was the love of our life based on sex before marriage then followed by a painful divorce for several of us? Is real meaning and purpose today based on a beer in one hand and the remote in the other as sold by the media? And does wearing a USC or UCLA sweat shirt make the beer taste better? So, why weren't we taught about the IRS, or how to fill out a job application or how to balance a check book, or how to negotiate a good home loan? And I think we were lied to when we were told we would all live "happily ever after" by Prince Charming in the Disney classic? I remember the Vice Principal during graduation claiming some weird percentages in our life before us in 1961 which included a small percentage of our class would commit suicide the first year after graduation. I actually thought he was nuts until I heard about a close friend in my art class named Allen blew his brains out over a broken relationship with his steady girlfriend. The point being, most everyone I have spoken to in years past are now asking themselves, "what the hell happened?" "It didn't turn out like I expected!" And many of them keep pouring down the beer to escape. And like someone once said, "it won't work because nobody gets out alive". Hopefully the new grads will hold someone's feet to the fire at HHS and demand some real direction and answers for what's ahead or they will end up on the same road we took only their's will be loaded with more land mines. Like having a class called "life 1-4". A required class that deals with the truth about life before the kids go out and make the same mistakes we did. Just some food for thought for anyone reading. And if you are wondering if I made it to a point in my life with real and lasting contentment, ....I did. But not by my own choosing. Have a great holiday season. Alan Hauge '61

Name: John Baker ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Nov 26, 2006, 10:12 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1962
City & State: Lomita,CA
E-mail
Message: Hey Ctowners, It's that time of year again and Paco is looking for your Holiday pictures. If you have a picture of yourself, family, dog, etc, in a Christmas setting, please send it to him at doo4usc@cox.net It will be added to the Pacos Pics Christmas additon. Thanks to all for your participation.

Name: Laura Anderson ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Nov 26, 2006, 7:42 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Twitchell
Class: 1979
City & State: Hemet, CA
E-mail
Message: I'm thankful to have so many great memories of my time in Hawthorne. As a current teacher I want to thank Richard and others for their support. In elementary school we are seeing a definite shift in attitude but it begins with the parents. It used to be that we would got double punishment if our parents got a call from the school but now parents and teachers are adversaries. Not in every case but it's been increasing over the years. I am blessed to work at a school where 90% of the teachers really care about kids...we get paid by the job, not the hour. The parking lot is full well after the bell rings and none of us went into this for the money. BUT...It's the best gig in the world as far as I'm concerned. Regarding the movie "Bobby"....it brought back memories of the Class of '79 Prom in the Coconut Ballroom of the Ambassador Hotel. We were supposed to have it at Busch Gardens but with just weeks before the event, Busch closed them down and we sent out our committee scrambling for another venue...Boy did they get a good one! At the time the history of the hotel didn't hit home but wisdom comes with age...Wish I had more pictures of that night...sigh

Name: ~~~~~~~~~~ Sun-Nov 26, 2006, 5:15 am - HHS Time
No E-mail
Message: This site has really got me to think back at all the good times I had in school. Went to the Teachers site and was sad not to see Mrs. Karna Gottdener or Mr. Chuck Knight in the list of favorites. They both played a large roll in getting me through High School. Anybody know where they might be?

Name: Ricki Farrell ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-Nov 25, 2006, 5:59 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Valencia
Class: 1961
City & State: Tucson, AZ
E-mail
Message: Senior sweater colors were voted on by the upcoming senior class. Class of '61 had beige and dark brown. Coach Chauncey is still teaching us. Can't get that kind of spirit out of the system. Hope everyone had a meaningful Thanksgiving.

Name: John Crotty ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-Nov 25, 2006, 5:14 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1969
City & State: Hermosa Beach
E-mail
Message: Oh, I remember that jacket style....I had one too, but it had navy blue neck and wrists, and the body was dark gray. Guess I know why you decided against yours...weren't around when we were seniors (I don't think!!!).

Name: John Crotty ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-Nov 25, 2006, 4:03 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1969
City & State: Hermosa Beach
E-mail
Message: OK JB, I'll ask. What did the senior jackets look like, I mean were they sports coats or more like a letterman jacket...or.??????PS. GO IRISH!!!!!!!!

Name: Susan Booth ~~~~~~~~~~ Sat-Nov 25, 2006, 2:23 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Rickson
Class: 1973
City & State: Lomita, CA
E-mail
Message: Hi John, Thanks to my brother(who graduated in 1967), I've finally gotten on board with cougartown.com. A very nice site indeed. I have sent my first dues payment, which you should receive very soon. I assume that you do not have a year book for 1973, correct? In which case my picture probably will not appear in the alumni list. Oh, that's ok. Let's face it. That picture was taken MANY moons ago.Anyway, thanks for this site. It brings back a lot of great memories. By the way, my nickname in band was igor.