an indication of our age or just that we were more interested in catching up with old friends? Some may be a little puzzled by the

configuration of classmates in the class picture. The photographer had us pose in the area leading down to the indoor swimming

pool, providing an interesting way to insure that all

classmates were visible for the picture.

We think it turned out

well.

55th Reunion Postscript If you did not attend the 55th Class Reunion in September, you might be interested in a few more details. The choice of the Portsmouth River Inn for the banquet contrasted with the SOMC’s Friend’s Center for our 50th.   This year’s locale was much more intimate and provided, perhaps, a better opportunity for c o n v e r s a t i o n a n d reminiscing.   There was no dancing a f t e r t h e banquet-is this

The 1955 trojan student PRINTSAlumniAugust 2005 • Send news articles and/or photos to Frank Hunter, 3379 Hidden Haven Ct., Tampa, FL 33607 • Email fhunter@sptimes.com • Issue 30

But where isthe majesty?

Oh Yeah?... (ed. note)As an artist I must comment: It is a shame that

the new high school building cannot match themajestic look of the old Portsmouth high school.Perhaps it is best that way. The new buildingappears to be just a utilitarian and hopefully func-tional structure to house students and faculty. Ifeel that the columns in front are a feeble attemptto emulate the old building. Where will studentclasses line up to have their picture taken? Ohwell, that’s just my opinion.

The Current State ofPortsmouth Schoolsfrom an update by Ken Marotte, Scioto Voice

Numerous schools are currently in the buildingprocess in Portsmouth. An elementary school inSciotoville will open during December 2005 orJanuary 2006. The elementary, junior, and seniorhigh school in Portsmouth will open for theschool year commencing in the fall of 2006.

Junior (grades 7-8) and senior (grades 9-12)high students will spend their days in the samebuilding, but each will occupy separate wings.“They will share some common spaces, like thecafetorium,” (what? no separate cafeteria or audi-torium) said superintendent Jan Broughton, “butother than that, they will have their own areas.”

With a school building built in 1912, manyPortsmouth students have learned to go withoutthose features that many others take for granted.Unlike the old edifices, the new buildings will haveaccommodations for air conditioning and state-of-the-art technology. Broughton voiced herexcitement: “We are really excited to have a build-ing that accommodates our needs and the currenttimes.”

Current Portsmouth schools allow room for2,079 to engage in the learning process; the newschools will dramatically increase this number.When finished and functional, Portsmouth CitySchools will accommodate a total of 2,843 stu-dents-1,147 at the junior/senior high school,1,341 at the elementary school, and 355 at theSciotoville school. “Potential for growth was very important to us,” commented Broughton.

Future students will not be able to evade thelegacy of Portsmouth City Schools, as the newschools will contain morsels of nostalgia and localhistory. Columns and urns from Grant MiddleSchool, for example, have been removed, and willbe installed into one of the new schools.

The building of the new school has helped theeconomy by providing work to a number of locals.“The majority of our workers are originally fromthe area, and many are even graduates ofPortsmouth,” the superintendent excitedly said,“The pride is definitely visible.”

Demolition of the old schools will occur shortlyafter they are vacated. The State of Ohio will fund80% of the demolition effort.

December 2010 • Send news articles and/or photos to Frank Hunter, 450 Bonifay Ave., Orlando FL 32825 • Email samgabe@earthlink.net • Issue 62

PHS TROJAN PRINTS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY THE CLASS OF 1955 WITH NEWS & VIEWS OF OTHER PORTSMOUTH OHIO CLASSES OF THE LATE 40’s, 50’s & EARLY 1960’s

remember those  Pathé  newsreels opening on the screen with a crowing rooster atop a weather vane?  The newsreel would have footage of President Truman signing some new law or visiting a dam, followed by Sam Sneed putting to victory at a major golf tournament, then we would see the latest Paris fashions, and end up with some movie star and his wife visiting Japan. Then you got to see a Technicolor cartoon.   They were always great stuff.  Warner Bros. “Loonie Tunes and Merrie Melodies” featured Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny with the voice of Mel Blanc. Woody Woodpecker was another favorite. I think I liked the Tom and Jerry cartoons the best. Usually, the next thing that played was the next chapter from a continuing cliffhanger serial.  These “chapters” or “episodes”   of the serial were what got you hooked and demanded that you come back week after week--until the hero had, once and for all, conquered the evil villain.   In those days serials provided a basic moral truth: “good always triumphs over evil.” There was never any delicate shading of purpose or “political correctness” in the serials. The villains were all bad and deserved the violent fates decreed to them, and the heroes were all good and deserved the right to mete out justice. Unfortunately, the younger generation (our children and grandchildren) is unable to

Saturday Matinees Did you go to the Saturday matinee movies when you were a kid growing up in Portsmouth in the 1940s?   I’m trying to remember as much as I can about those wonderful Saturday mornings for a child. As I recall, my gang (“gang”, of course, was the group of boys--I guess girls ran in “gangs” too--that accompanied each other, stood in line together, and discussed the day’s adventures--often acting out the “swashbuckling” parts) went mostly to the Columbia (832 Gallia Street) and the Lyric (820 Gallia Street) Theaters.  Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t remember going much to the “fancy” LaRoy Theater for matinees.  I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I never went to the Garden Theater on Chillicothe Street.   My mother, who was a nurse, wouldn’t let me.  She believed that you could get head lice from the backs of the seats! Anyway, to my way of thinking, there was no better experience in the late 1940s than the Saturday matinee. I don’t think we paid more than a quarter to go to the movies in that era, and, if I remember correctly, the admission cost at the Lyric was only fifteen cents. And, a candy bar was a nickel and a box of popcorn was a dime. We got a pretty good deal for our 15 or 25 cent ticket. First, was the newsreel.  Before the advent of television, people got their news from movie theaters as much as they did from newspapers and radio. Do you

see and enjoy these wonderful products of a vanished era. Fortunately, our generation was able to enjoy our precious thrill and adventure serials in those bygone days of youthful escapism. Finally, before the main attraction or “feature presentation” were the coming attractions. Movie people call them “trailers” today,   because originally they trailed the feature presentation. As I remember, we just called them “previews.” I often thought that  the previews were of more interest than the actual movie.  Believe it or not, most of us thought that we had gotten our money’s worth by the time the low-budget “B” movie started.  Often times the main features  were Westerns with stars like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers (Leonard Slye from Duck Run), William Boyd, Johnny Mack Brown, Rex Allen, Lash LaRue, or Tom Mix. Like the serials, you could always count on the fact that the good guys (in the white hats) would prevail in the end, and the bad guys would get caught or killed. More often than not, the hero had to save a girl, order sarsaparilla or milk in a saloon, and needed a funny sidekick like Smiley Burnett or Gabby Hayes. Again, unfortunately, like Thomas Wolfe, I am not able to go home again to Portsmouth to see a Saturday matinee movie. But, I can still remember them in my mind’s eye. Can you?

Blaine Bierley

Jim Bodmer, Marilyn Mucha Albrecht, Homer Liston, Nick Huston, Bob Cook, Carole Merb Conley, Sharon Queen Blayney, Eva Strauss Izenson, Betty Bierley Holling, Karen Williams Fox, Curt Gentry, Mary Ellen Vournazos Kennedy, Virginia Smith Wolfe, Bill Clifford, Allan Oxley, Jackie Buffington Carpenter, Jim Edmiston, Ann Connor, Billy Rose Irvin Kirby, Tom Dupuy

Phyllis Knowles Foster, Sharon Gallagher Carpenter, Mary Ann Carter Stone, Sue Adkins McFarland, Anita Apel Biggs, Blaine Bierley, John Wood, Charles McKelvey, Fred Ramsey, Don Payton, Dick Hansgen, Shirley McCullogh Bodley Kennedy, Martha Fitch Cook, Susan Shump Howard, Jane Poole Rider, Jane Dever Ramsey

Donna McCally Boren, Patti Conklin Newsom, Donna McFarland Harris, Frieda “Peach” Thompson, Lynne Browne Carr, Nancy Bower Sommers, Bridget Goetz Bonzo, Phyllis Scaff Purtee, Norma Lyon Lowe, Gwen Mowery Johnson, Betty Fyffe Hubbard, Mary Thomas Hamilton

PHS Class of 1955

Portsmouth New Car Dealers 1949-1952Cadillac Motor Sales 717 5th St.Gil Galyean Chrysler-PlymouthGlockner Chevrolet. 2nd & ChillicotheHuston Pontiac. 1544 GalliaMarvin Jones Lincoln-Mercury. Gallia & Offnere McNeer Motors Patterson Motors Kaiser-FrazerPeerless City Motors DeDoto-Plymouth 1518 GalliaPollock and Sons Studebaker-Packard Portsmouth Motors Ford. 1112 Gallia Portsmouth Willys. 1618 GalliaWasserman Motors PackardWatkins Buick 1202 OffnereZuhars Motors

Grocery Stores In The Lower Part of City“Confectionery Stores--Retail”:Frank Audon--601 Second St.Blue Ribbon Ice Cream Parlor-- 822 Chillicothe St.Raymond Gifford--805 BroadwayAbe Halleak--620 Second St.Morton’s--717 Chillicothe St.Orange Car--1660 Gallia St.George Wear’s--1412 Gallia St.“Grocers--Retail”:A & P Store--1508 Gallia St.Adkin’s Market--2202 Sixth St.Aeh’s Food Market--347 Second St.Asche’s Market--732 Chillicothe St.Brady Bros’ Market--2002 Robinson Ave.C & W Grocery--2212 Robinson Ave.Campbell’s West End Market-- 130 Second St.

Canter’s Market--5626 Gallia St.Caudill’s Market--510 Campbell Ave.Chabot’s Grocery--1008 Gallia St.Cobb’s Market--902 Eleventh St.Covert’s Market--1235 Lincoln St.Curnutte’s Grocery--1663 Jackson Ave.Daulton Brothers’ Market--402 Second St.Field’s Grocery--2336 Eighth St.L. W. Knost & Sons--1602 Gallia St.Literal’s Market--605 BroadwayMassie’s Food Market--1801 Eighth St.McCally Grocery--102 Glover St.Ripto’s Grocery--1822 Jackson Ave.Schoonover’s Market--1202 Ninth St.Smith’s Grocery--1806 Eighth St.Stone’s Food Market--121 Market St.Vaughn’s Grocery--2102 Sixth St.Watkins’ Grocery--1502 Fourth St.Westland Grocery--607 Second St.Williams’ Market--625 Ninth St.Workman’s Grocery--2939 Gallia St.

1956Fred Brown Oldsmovile-Cadillac. 717 5th St.Scioto Motors 2770 GalliaScott Motors Chrysler-Plymouth. 1202 OffnereWilliams Lincoln-Mercury. Gallia and OffnereHenry Oberling Dodge Plymouth,

How Much Some New Cars Cost Cadillac Convertible 1959 The ultimate car with tailfins, chrome and a 325 Horsepower engine and power anything and everything. Priced From $5,4001958 Nash Metropolitan The Metropolitan foreign small car with sports car flavor. Priced From $1,626 Chrysler New Yorker $4347, Chevrolet Corvette $3631 1958

A good photo of the Kobacker department store from an angle most do not remember looking Northwest from the Southeast corner of Fourth and Chillicothe. The Hotel LaSalle occupied the top two floors of the building.

The City of Portsmouth Ohio5th and Chillicothe Streets 1950

Margaret “Peggy” Wheeler (phs54)Margaret Suszanne "Peggy" Wheeler, 74, of Portsmouth, died Nov. 19. She was the daughter of Victor E. and Harriett Lela Rodgers Robeson Sr. Surviving are two sons, Timothy "Tim" Wheeler and J. David Wheeler; a daughter, Susan E. Wheeler; a brother, Vic Robeson Jr.; two sisters, Pat Downs of Scotia, NY, and Jo Russell; and 2 granddaughters

Jane Cook (phs54)Jane Summers Hendricks Cook, 71, died Nov. 7. She was the daughter of Millard Ernest and Pauline Burton Hendricks. Surviving are her husband John Joseph Cook; twin brothers, James E. Hendricks, and John Hendricks; 1 nephew; 3 great-nephews; and one great-niece.

Peggy Harvey (phs55)Mary Margaret “Peg” Harvey, 73, died Sept 18. She was the daughter of Stanford R. and Mary Catherine Hartman Harvey. Surviving are her children, Nancy, Jayne and Gary; 2 siblings, Stan and Janie;  7 grandchildren;   8   great-grandchildren; She was preceded in death by her sister, Suzanne Tarr.

Don Warner (phs55)Don P. Warner, 74, died Oct. 10. He was the son of Laura Fuhr Walker and Fred Warner and stepfather, Raymond L. Walker. Surviving are his wife Marilyn Miller Warner; 2 daughters, Stephanie M. Warner and Kaci Moore; adopted brother, David A. Walker . He has one grandson.

Class of 1960 Reunion Summary There were   many favorable comments  about how nice the reunion was and what a great job the committee did. Let me tell you, had you all not attended it would not have been worth the many hours we invested making plans to be together.   Many of our classmates, along with others who grew up in the West End of   Town gather annually for a reunion.  Bruce and I joined them for dinner   prior to going to   the PHS Homecoming Football game. That was an added treat.   Other classes were celebrating their reunions the same weekend as ours,  but our class journeyed to the 50   yard line where we were recognized as celebrating our 50th reunion. Our homecoming   queen of 1959, Class of 1960,  Georgeann Killen Wyrick was recognized and crowned again, by our Dave Colegrove, her escort and our senior class president.  At half time PHS had their homecoming queen announced and Georgeann crowned their queen. What fun! Most of us went to Damon's Grill (old Ramada Inn) after the game where we met more classmates.  Some visited for a few hours. Saturday morning approximately fifty members of our class toured the new PHS building.   Ralph Applegate (’64), business director of the Portsmouth City School District was our tour guide. Ralph is the brother of our classmate Gary Applegate . You feel Ralph’s love of our old buildings when explaining in detail what transpired.  Dave Huffman (’73), librarian   at the   elementary buildings, showed a power point of the d e m o l i s h i n g o f o u r o l d PHS.  Very touching.   That 5:30 that evening we began gathering for the dinner/dance at the American Legion, Post 23 with Jim Schmidt as our DJ. Sam McKibben (‘56) was the MC for the video.   How wonderful it was to see so many of our friends. I know many of us had tired feet and legs along with dry throats from standing, dancing and talking so much.  Our old school staff members that attended:  Ed  Zorectic and wife Linda; Jake Frowine and wife June, (Jake is currently 101). He left PHS the beginning of our senior year; Jack Gee (’43) and Lea Duschinski who was the secretary in the Principal's office and ran the building.  The food and music (we danced to music that was popular when we attended   school including the Ivy Leaguers)  were great.  We had a class picture taken along with a video by TR Productions.  They recorded three hours of film which will be reduced to two hours on a DVD.   For those of you who did not order one, it's not to late.    Sunday morning 59 classmates, spouses and guests had brunch at Damon's Grill.  Some of us visited until 2:15 and after. 

 Bonnie Shump Johnson

Sandy KeyesPortsmouth Times June 1, 1957 A 19-year-old 1956 Portsmouth High School graduate, Sandy Keyes, is to begin an 18-week tour of South America June 23 as a member of a troupe from the June Taylor School of Dance of New York City. She has been studying dancing in New York since last June. While in high school she won the title “Miss Majorette of Ohio” and competed in the Miss Majorette of America competition, winning a first place in the strutting division. The tour begins June 28 in Buenos Aires at the Opera House. Other stops include Rio De Janeiro, Caracas, Trinidad and Venezuela.

A Note From Jim Kegley On Friday, September 24, I was sitting at the bar at Damon’s Grill in the Ramada Inn when a lady sat down beside me. The lady and I got to talking, and I introduced myself, and she said, “Oh, I know all about you…I live in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and I read The Scioto Voice every week, and see your column.” Well, with an introduction like that, the lady won me over posthaste. Phyllis Scaff, (Mrs. Roger Purtee) a widow of a couple of years was of the class of 1955, and was still in Portsmouth, to settle some things for her mother, Estella, who is 93. Phyllis’ Dad, was Charles D. Scaff, a city firefighter and real estate broker, now deceased. I remembered Phyllis and her brother, Charlie, who still lives here, from our years hanging out at Mound Park and The Park Shoppe. We commiserated on the deaths of so many of our mutual friends through the years, and she regaled me with stories of her family and friends. Phyllis said that she, her husband, Roger, and their three children had lived in some exotic places during his career as an industrial plant manager. They were living in Iran from 1978 until the Iranians stormed the American embassy in Tehran, in 1979. They had a tough time with high anxiety before they were finally able to get out of the country two-weeks into the standoff. They had spent several years in Hot Springs, until Roger’s death. I asked about Annis (Miller) Reinkoester, who also lives in Hot Springs, and Phyllis said she and Annis talk frequently, and socialize on occasion. Annis is the sister of Henry Miller, and I keep in touch with Annis through Henry, and her fellow 1954 PHS grad, Phyllis “Pidge” Fuller.

Class of 1960 Reunion Attendees Bob Alexander and Eula; Judy Hartshorn Amos (phs’61); Walter "Buddy" Applegate and Rama Lavender; Carol Southworth Beach; Judy Bell; Rick Book and Marianne; Don Carr and Margaret; Randy Chapman; Dave Colegrove and Sharon; Judie Cohen Cook and sister Joyce Cohen Couper; Buck Copley and Cynthia; Gary "Joe"  Danzer and Debra; Anne Hatcher Devine, Craig and brother Neal (phs’61) and Vicky Hatcher; Howard Day & Susie and friends Dave (phs’58)  & Julie Lewis;  Mike Elliott; Rita Ruel Flanagan and Tom; Marylou Herrmann Foley; Richard "Dick" Fultz and Sandy; Julie Adams Geraghty and Kevin; Greg Gillen and Diane; Joan DuPuy Glass; Don Goodwin and Melody Pontious; Phyllis Cooper Gray; Ron Gregory;   Don Hammond; Kaye Harris Hammond; Florence Elam Hicks & Dan; Barbara Baker Holcomb and Doug; John Hurley (phs’59); Judy Yager Jenkins and Roger; Russell Jett and Bonnie Deaterla Jett; Bonnie Shump Johnson and Bruce; Carole Daehler Katz and Larry; Eva Harold Kessinger; Dave Killen and Carol Suter Killen; Barbara Kinney and Wayne Peach; Liz Long Lane & Hal Hedges; Carol Holcomb Lewis and Jerry Luaces; Eupha "Je-Ne" Perry Liaci; Carol Williams Lizon; David Longeway and Patricia; Tom Massie; Cynthia Matthews; Gene McSweeney and Nancy; Becky Peebles Merb; Stephanie Thompson Miller; Sandy Snyder Moody; Gary Mosley and Judy; Janie Williams Mosley and Don; Mike Mullins and Karen; Ken Nagle; Pam Schuler Nickell; Ken Nourse; Chuck Patterson and Becky; Dale Phillips and Rena; Hetty Fugitt Phillips; Larry Piatt; Marianne Robinson Pierce and John; Bonnie Hollis Piguet; Roger Poling and Rita; Harry Ruark and Sandy; Jane Hew Saddler and Jim; Vicky "Susie" Himes Sanders; Joe Shelpman; Don Singleton and

John Lorentz Name Added To Wall of Stars The Wall of Stars on the Portsmouth floodwall got a new signature on October  16. Chosen to sign was long-time professor, historian and documentarian, Dr. John Lorentz, who retired several years ago from Shawnee State University. Lorentz is a 1958 graduate of PHS and the son of former PHS coach, Charles (Chuck) Lorentz. He is best known for the documentary “River Voices,” about the 1937 flood.

Wilson School Group at Class of 1960 ReunionDean Wheeler, Kaye Harris Hammons, Judy Yager Jen Kine, Anita Maxie Williams, Flo Elam Hicks, Barbara Kinney, Phyllis Harris White (phs’56) Barbara Hanson Throckmorton, Thelma Maie Mott (phs’59), Larry Williams, Bennie Hiollis Piquet, Jim “Buck” Copley, Harry Ruark, Bruce Johnson (phs’56), Buddy Applegate, Don Hammond

Cindy; Anita Bricker Skaggs and daughter Jill Vaughn; Ruth Ann Adams Skillicorn and Doug; Linda Turner Spires and Keith; Terry Thompson; Barbara Henson Throckmorton; Susan Fleming Tuttle; Betsy Ruhoff Vanderburg and Vance; Katy Hall Veach and Jesse; Donna "Gale" Warman Wells; Micky Warsaw and Susan;   Patty Brown Wheeler;   Dean Wheeler: Marjorie Blood White; Anita Maxie Williams and Larry and sister Thelma Mott; Marilyn Lute Williams; and Georgeann Killen Wyrick.   Dinner: There were 120 classmates with their spouses or guests; our   six special invited guests were: Jake Frowine and June; Ed Zoretic and Linda; Jack Gee and Lea Duschinski and six others: Dave Huffman of the PHS Library staff;   Joe of Jon's Portraits; Jim Schmidt, our DJ; Sam McKibben, the MC of the video/DVD and Tom Riley  & his assistant Matt of TR Productions for a total of 132 dinner reservations. Twenty-nine of our classmates returned a form, email or telephone call notifying the committee they would not be able to attend. 

Washington Grade School ’48-’49 A TeamFront Row: Delmar Smith, Floyd Horton. Curt Gentry (’55}, Walter Collins (’54}. Back Row: Leo Brown (’54}, Eugene Collins (’54}, Leroy Carr (’54}, Preston Smith (’54}

Stanley Workman (phs54)Stanley Edward Workman Sr., 75, died Nov. 1. He was the son of Cowan Workman and Pauline Crabtree. Surviving are his wife, Doris Jean; 6 children, Karen Lee Grashel, Kimberly Sue, Stanley Edward Jr., Gordon Cowen, Bruce Maurice and Polly Jean Bowman; 8 grandchildren; 4 brothers and sisters, Thomas Workman, Jenny Klein, Jim Workman and Marta Hale.

James Fitch (phs48)James “Jim” Clinton Fitch, died Oct. 27. Surviving are his wife, Lois “Libby” Fitch; children, Karen Fitch Schiltz, Linda (Chris) Bendinelli, David Fitch, and Barb Fitch; 3 grandchildren; sister, Martha Cook.

Phyllis Graham Schweinsbergphs56) Phyllis Ann Graham, 72, died Nov. 2. She was the daughter of Ernie and Frances Detoski Schweinsberg. Surviving are her husband Billy Graham; daughters, Linda Slone, Betty (Graham-Smith and Susan Hamilton; 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

PHS Athletes To Be FetedPortsmouth Times April 2, 1956 Woody Hayes and four former PHS stars will be here for PHS’s All-Sports Banquet Wednesday night. The banquet, sponsored by the Trojan Boosters Club, will get under way at 6 o’clock in the Girls’ Gymnasium at PHS and one of the largest crowds in the event’s history is expected to attend. Hayes is expected to bring along Leo Brown (‘54), Tom Quinn (‘53), Dave Wagner (‘55) and Leroy Carr (‘54)--alll former PHS football stars. Brown, an all-state performer at PHS, earned a starting role at end for the Buckeyes this season, and he was an important cog in the machine that led Ohio State to the Big Ten championship. Quinn, who was turned into a lineman after starting in the PHS backfield, hasn’t seen too much action for the Bucks, while Wagner and Carr were outstanding members of the Ohio State Freshman squad last fall.

Dean Knittel (’54} with his son JD (’76} at the old Portsmouth Motor Speedway where Ravenrock Airport was.

Subscription Renewal Due As in past years, six issues of the newsletter will be published bimonthly 2011 (Feb, Apr, June, Aug, Oct and Dec). The calendar-year subscription remains at $7.00.   In order to avoid missing the February issue, please remit by January 31. 2011 to: PHS Class of 1955, c/o Robert Cook. 3341 Indian Drive, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662. Send articles for print to Frank Hunter (address on masthead).

PASSINGS

TROJAN FOOTBALL FACTOID On Friday evening, October 29, 2010, the PHS Trojans faced their long-standing traditional rivals from up the Ohio River--the Ironton Tigers--for the 111th time.  Unfortunately in this last game of the season for PHS, they lost 45 to 25.