Alumni Sandstorm ~ 01/26/15
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15 Bombers sent stuff: 
Dick WIGHT ('52), Floyd MELTON ('57)
Jack GARDINER ('61), David DOUGLAS ('62)
Helen CROSS ('62), Jim ARMSTRONG ('63)
Jim HAMILTON ('63), Linda BELLISTON ('63)
Dennis HAMMER ('64), David RIVERS ('65)
Pat DORISS ('65), Betti AVANT ('69)
Lori SIMPSON ('70), Peter TURPING ('70)
Steve HUNTINGTON ('73)
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BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Doris VAN REENEN ('61)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ron HOGLEN ('62)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Kerry FORSYTHE ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Twins: Greg and Sharon MARKEL ('65)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ben JACOBS ('69) 
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Robert MILLER ('96)

BOMBER CALENDAR: Richland Bombers Calendar
    Click the event you want to know more about.
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>>From: Dick WIGHT ('52)

Whilst still tripping down memory lane... I wasn't in Richland
for the "Flood of '48", though my folks were. I was attending Hill
Military Academy in Portland, OR at the time. As I recall, though,
part of the flooding and damage resulted from ice jams on the
Yakima River and subsequent damage as the ice broke up and headed
downstream. I was a CAP Cadet the following winter, and I remember
the Yakima had a lot of ice again that winter, though not as heavy.
We CAP kids (and some of the adult supervisors) were involved as
"ice jam watch" patrols on the river, keeping an eye out for ice
jams. None occurred, but is was COLD work!!! We watched the river
at several points, West Richland and downstream, and had portable
radio equipment to report if we saw anything ominous.

In '49 or so, the Richland school district (if such a thing
existed!... musta' been G.E. management) established an agriculture
program at Columbia High, first classes '50-'51 school year, if I
remember right. It was partially funded by an "escrow account" of
money that existed from when the government "bought out" the
original Richland School in 1942. In order to make the use of this
money "legit", the Richland Kiwanis Club conducted an open "Town
Meeting" to consider the issue. It was a one-item agenda - use the
money ($80,000 I think) to start up the Ag program. There was a
vote - no dissenting votes were cast. I was at the meeting with my
father, who was a Kiwanis Club officer. I was one of the "charter
members" of the agriculture class, along with Geo. BRUNSTEAD ('52)
and Richard GIBSON ('51). Can't remember who else was in it, but
somewhere I have a photo of the class, all boys of course, and all
of us members of the Col-Hi chapter of the FFA. Our teacher's name
was Evans, a fine fellow and WSU grad as I remember. The government
turned over a fairly good sized piece of acreage to school use...
perhaps 120-160 acres, located east of GWWay between Richland and
North Richland. There was an irrigation system in existence, still
mostly functioning. The school district built a shop building/
classroom facility on the farm, and us ag program kids took our
classes there in the afternoons, 2-hr sessions. There was an
existing old farm house there, and a caretaker/assistant to Evans
lived there. We eventually had a herd of sheep, hogs etc. -raised
alfalfa etc. Those of us who wanted to were assigned our own plots.
I had either 5 or 10 acres, raised oats as a cover crop for my
alfalfa the 1st year. Later, "Uncle Sam" let us "manage" a few
existing cherry orchards. I had one just south of the farm itself.
Queen Annes, I think. I got Dick MEYER ('51) to help me with the
orchard. We mowed down the weeds, got irrigation water going. When
the cherries ripened we ran an ad in the paper - U-Pick for a few
cents a pound, or sell the cherries to me for somewhat more. We
didn't get rich - but DID make some money, selling the cherries to
a co-op in Kennewick, if memory serves. I also raised two Hereford
steers during the program - sold them at auction at the Benton
County Fair. Made good bucks. I remember selling one of them at
37.5 cents per pound, live weight, and he weighed in at just under
1000 lbs. Now I can't locate where the school farm was... perhaps
about where Hanford High is now??? Anyone know?

Oh, yeah... we students bought shares in the farm - $35/share. I
owned two of them until the program folded, and then donated them
to a scholarship program for Col-Hi student(s) who wanted to got to
WSU ag program. I found out later the shares were worth quite a
bit! Ha!

-Dick WIGHT ('52) ~ in foggy Richland where the only dirt I see is 
      under my fingernails...
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>>From: Floyd MELTON ('57)

Re: Jobs

Nothing exciting in this post but what the heck. I first started
delivering papers for the Columbia Basin News on Douglass and
Duane avenues when I was in the 6th grade. Won a trip to a dude
ranch in OR and one to San Francisco, very long bus ride. I quit
that paper as the supervisor was cheating me out of money. I then
started delivering for the Spokesman Review and had Douglass and
Duane again plus the Men's Dorms on Jadwin. I had one customer in
the dorms that I could never catch and get paid so one Saturday
morning I beat on his door until I had most of the men on the
floor up and in the hall plus him. They all got on his case and
payment was always on his door at the end of the month from then
on.

One of the first money making experiences I had was selling worms,
I would wait outside the Big "Y" tavern and sell them to the men
leaving the tavern while my dad was there controlling his thirst,
HA. 

One of the hardest jobs I ever had was setting pins at the bowling
alley when it was on GWWay. As I remember I was paid like $.12 a
line plus we would get tips when we set for the men's leagues. It
was the summer between the 7th and 8th grades and I would walk
home dragging my behinder about midnight, then get up and deliver
papers; my dad made me quit when school started. 

Fun times, NOT, but I did have a sizable bank account.

-Floyd MELTON ('57)
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>>From: Jack GARDINER ('61)

Re: Memories..

When I was a sophomore ('58-'59) I went with my mother to see the
Richland Players perform "Arsenic And Old Lace", at the Village
Theater [on GWWay]. I remember this well because Sharon TATE ('61wb-RIP)
was there with some senior hunk. I was talking to Bill CRADDOC ('61)
other the day. When we were in the 9th grade we would walk to
Korten's on Saturdays and listen to 45s I also remember Densow's
had a Hot Nut display, and I would buy a 1/4 pound of Spanish
peanuts for 10 cents.

-Jack GARDINER ('61)
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>>From: David DOUGLAS ('62)

One other noteworthy thing about the Village Theater [on GWWay]:
I took safe driving first semester my sophomore year. My 16th
birthday was December 5. I went to the State Patrol office in
Kennewick on Saturday shortly afterwards to take my driving test. I
wasn't familiar with Kennewick, there was snow on the ground, and
everyone was doing their Christmas shopping. During the driving
portion of the test the patrolman said to parallel park. I hadn't
had that yet in safe driving, but I had read about how to do it. I
tried, but I was so nervous I couldn't do it. Having never tried it
before probably had something to do with that. The patrolman said I
had three tries, but I was already blocking traffic, so I gave up.
He passed me anyway. He knew I was from Richland, and I'm sure he
also knew that Richland had only three parallel parking spaces in
the whole city ? in front of the Village Theater.

One memory about safe driving: I had safe driving first period.
While learning to drive on a highway we went to Kennewick one day.
In Kennewick we had a flat tire. "Well, you need to learn how to
change one," the teacher said. We all got out and he opened the
trunk to get the spare. No spare. "Never leave home without a
spare," he said. He walked to a business and called the school. The
other driving instructor would bring us a tire second period. When
he arrived he laughed at our teacher for the predicament. Then he
opened his trunk and took out his spare. It was flat. He went back
to school, and the custodian drove the pickup to bring us another
spare. We finally got back to school after third period was over.
We learned a lot about spare tires that day.

In the "You never know" category: My senior year I was president 
of the Quill and Scroll Society, which published the Sandscript,
compiled from student writings, at the end of the year. It had
always been printed on the school's mimeograph machine, but I
wanted it commercially printed. I went around to several printers
and found one who would do it fairly reasonably, provided we typed
the lithograph masters ourselves. I'd had typing in summer school,
so I did the typing. He loaned me an Executive electric typewriter
and taught me how to justify the right margin. Having it
commercially printed also allowed us to include drawings as well as
text. The printer hired me that summer to do typing for him. In the
fall I entered Whitman College in Walla Walla. I needed to work to
pay part of the expense. The school gave me a work grant, serving
sodas in the student center at 60 cents/hour. I decided to look for
a job off-campus, and someone sent me to a printing company. The
first question the owner asked was, "Do you know how to justify the
right margin with an Executive typewriter?" "Of course. Doesn't
everyone?" I worked there all four years, starting at minimum wage,
$1.25/hour, plus I got to work sitting down in an air conditioned
office.

-David DOUGLAS ('62) ~ Mesa, AZ
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>>From: Helen CROSS Kirk ('62)

To: Earl BENNETT ('63)

Will someone from Central U.P. Church help me out? I know
Koinonions came from a catholic word, but I'm just not sure how to
spell the name of our group for young adults, which was taken from
that word.

My first part-time job, really short full-time job was taking care
of Howard and Helen Chitty's 3 kids while they taught swimming in
their back yard.

I also took care of their house and did some meal preparation, and
shopping at Uptown, as I didn't have my driver's license yet, so
that meant walking with Brad (age 2) in the stroller, and the 2
daughters, Cindy and Bonnie, 6 and 7 I believe. I'm sure that
experience convinced me I didn't want to get married and have kids
for awhile.

Then when I was 16 I got my real part time job working 40 hours
every 2 weeks at Densow's Drugstore, which meant all of every
weekend. that was in 1960 and I made $1.00 an hour.

When I came back from having been an exchange student in 1963, I
got the same job back making $1.00 an hour, still working part
time at the candy magazine counter where we also sold cigarettes.

As this was also a union job, one day Carole SLEDGE ('63) who
was also worker there by then, started talking about raises she
was getting following the union rates for so many hours having
worked. She couldn't believe I was still making $1.00 an hour, as
she knew I'd worked quite a bit before I went to be an exchange
student, and she talked me into complaining to the union (Larry 
HARROLD's ('56) mom - who I knew since Larry had been on my dad's
American Legion baseball team when I was in lower elementary
school. Anyway, as I'd kept all my pay stubs I'd ever received
from Densow's (one good thing to say for not getting rid of
things, I didn't do income tax returns, if I earned enough, my dad
must have done them, but I don't think so, as he never asked me to
sign anything). So I figured out how much my back pay might be,
and even was eligible journeyman's wages for a few weeks before I
left for WSU.

I did get all my back pay and raises, and had enough money to get
to WSU that fall of l964 where I immediately applied for another
part time job and I think my wages were, you guessed it, $1.00 an
hour.

I also enjoy reading about Richland in the days of yesterday!!

-Helen CROSS Kirk ('62)
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>>From: Jim ARMSTRONG ('63)

To: Bob Carlson, aka Mike CLOWES ('54)

"Hondo", starring John Wayne came out in 3-D. I saw it  at the
Richland [on Biddle].

      P.S. Does anyone remember The Mixer? Ate my first
      cheeseburger there and the rest is history. The Mixer
      later became The Tahitian Room.

      Trivia, Korten's also had a store in Longview.

To: Carol CONVERSE Maurer ('64)

Wasn't that Radio station KCKW with dj Lynn Bryson? "With round
sounds to pound the ground by on The Wax Watchers.

Winners Circle with Lynner The Spinner!!".

This goes out to you from Pitts!

Regards,
-Jim "Pitts" ARMSTRONG ('63)
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>>From: Jim HAMILTON ('63)

Re: Dedications

On Saturdays Dick PLOWS ('63-RIP), Pook ('63-RIP) and I would walk
to the Uptown to check out the Ragazzi (some of the Rosetta Stone
is sticking) from Indian Country. 

We would beat feet to Herman's, later Robinson's, and pick up a
bunch of song dedication slips. We'd then walk, counter clockwise,
to the drug store by the Uptown Theater, order cokes, a bunch of
fries and commence to filling out the song requests in someone
else's name. We regaled ourselves with our creativity and
couldn't wait until Monday night when "Lynner the Spinner" on
Herman's Hot Hit Hotline, would create or uncreate a dozen or more
romances. I'm certain the WHitehall exchanges were on fire with
"Did you hear about Hugo and Kim", nope that was from "Bye, Bye
Birdie" but you get the drift.

Sorry folks, but it was their idea.
					-jimbeaux

-Jim HAMILTON ('63)
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>>From: Linda BELLISTON Boehning ('63)

Here of a few of my memories...

Did anyone else get nervous when a lady came to the grade school
classroom and started calling out names to line up to go the
nurse's office to get shots. I also remember the Quarantine signs
put on the windows of our homes whenever anyone in the house had
Chicken Pox or the Measles... Can't remember, but it seems like a
Public Health Nurse would come to the house to check on us.

At Chief Jo we always had to carry a ping pong paddle when leaving
the classroom to go to the bathroom. The real paddle used for
spanking in Jr. High used to have names on it of those who got
spankings... Once on the Sandstorm I remember someone saying they
had that paddle in possession, but can't remember who had it..

I also have fond memories of taking the Ferry across the river in
the North part of Richland... The Ferry Road sign is still there!
Think it cost 10 cents to go across.   

-Linda BELLISTON Boehning ('63)
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>>From: Dennis HAMMER ('64)

To: Bob Carlson, aka Mike CLOWES ('54)
To: Pete BEAULIEU ('62)

Re: 3-D Western Movie

I think the western movie mentioned by Pete BEAULIEU ('62) was
probably "Hondo," not "Shane." Both movies were released about the
same time. I first saw "Shane" when I was about the age of the kid
in the movie and it is one of my favorite movies so naturally I
own the DVD. I have listened to the commentary and all the extras
and there is no mention of being filmed in 3-D. I watched the DVD
"Hondo" three or four years ago and the extras and learned it was
filmed in 3-D, but by the time it was released 3-D was dying and
it was not shown very much in theaters as 3-D. In "Hondo" they
showed the two scenes (not in 3-D of course) where they went out
into the audience. One was in the knife fight where John Wayne's
hand with the knife came out into the crowd. The other was
something I had not noticed before, I guess it has no impact if
not in 3-D. I think it was during the titles where John Wayne rode
his horse at a high rate of speed straight out of the screen. I am
thinking the horse must have ran into the theater and broke his
leg on the seats and had to be shot; which is why the movie opens
with John Wayne walking out of the desert with his dog and
carrying his saddle and Winchester.

I think the problem with 3-D in those days is the theater had to
use two projectors at the same time and they had to be exactly in
sync. If a theater had only two or three projectors, then the
movie would have to be stopped every 20 minutes while they were
set up again. Don't know about that because I never saw 3-D when
it was a big fad. Maybe someone out there can let us know if that
was true. 

-Dennis HAMMER ('64)
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>>From: David RIVERS ('65)

Re: Long distance kisses

Well I contacted good ol' Uncle Burt ('59), knowing that he would
know if anyone would know and he knew so I let Maren ('63/64) know
that he knew and she was way glad he knew and so was I so maybe...
just maybe we will see a map of the uptown... unfortunately,
according to the man in the know... the maps were prepared in 1948
before The Uptown was completed... and maybe people were too busy
building the dike to worry about completing the Uptown, not knowing
that some day 100s and 100s of little delinquent boys would spend
their hard earned gas money tooling The Uptown in one direction
while an equivalent number of Bomber-babes would be walking the
Uptown in the opposite direction... I mean who knew? Did anyone
expect an anonymous driver to crash his crown Vickie into Arlene's?
I mean it just goes ta show ya never know... ya know? But I know
this Bomber-babe from the Netherlands (no not Benton city... the
real country) is having her special day and she has slipped me the
skinny that she will be in Richland for our 50 year reunion... so
Ha ha ha I am in the know... she's been my sweetie for quite a
while now and so long as her other half doesn't get wind of it we
are safe so mum's the word... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Sharon MARKEL ('65)
on your special day, January 26, 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-David RIVERS ('65)
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>>From: Pat DORISS Trimble ('65)

Re: Question re Web Site in Duane LEE ('63) Entry - 01/25/15
  http://AlumniSandstorm.com/Xtra/Lee/150125-R-Cloud.3gp

The web site noted in Duane's entry [Proud of the Cloud has
finally been erected] would not open!

I copied it into my browser and got nothing. Got the same result
when I typed it in! One message that popped up on my screen stated
"navigation to the web site was canceled"!!

That's weird!!... Anyone write back with the same result??
 
      [See entry from Betti AVANT ('69)... What's supposed to
      happen is that Windows Media Player will open up and
      automatically start playing the little "movie"... Betti
      figured out that Windows Player needed to be the
      "default media player" before it would work... I don't
      know how you do that... Weaselsoft ain't my favorite...
      -Maren]

-Pat DORISS Trimble ('65)
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>>From:  Betti AVANT ('69)

Re: Duane LEE's ('63) link
  http://AlumniSandstorm.com/Xtra/Lee/150125-R-Cloud.3gp

I can't get the link for R-cloud to work. It leads me to some sort
of media player and that's it. Am I doing something wrong?

-Betti AVANT ('69) ~ from foggy Richland   
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>>From: Lori SIMPSON Hogan ('70)

To: Carol CONVERSE Maurer ('64)

Re: Your post on 1/25/15

Carol, I think my sister, Cherie SIMPSON ('64), was friends with
you gals, too... :-)

-Lori SIMPSON Hogan ('70)
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>>From: Peter TURPING ('70)

Re:  Mike FRANCO ('70) Entry on 1/24/15

Oh the joys of spending a nickel on penny candy at the fountain 
at Johnson's Drug Store. Who knew it could take a half hour.

If northenders (Dan CARTMELL, Chuck SALINA and Bill NICKOLSON, all
class of '70) were walking home from Christ the King it would
require a stop at the Spudnut Shop. Always looking for a free or
day-old Spuddy to make the second half of the trip. 

Hard to believe that growing up on the north end of Davison
(FRANCO, MEEKER and TURPING houses next to each other) that we
were almost at the end of town as Newcomer was right at the end 
of our street and it was nothing but sagebrush at that point.

My only recollection of Korten's was going there to pick up a
replacement reed for my clarinet. I was forced to take clarinet
lessons one summer at Chief Jo. It was a long summer for everyone.

And I have to agree with FRANCO ('70) that there maybe someone
else with the name Mike HOGAN ('66) but there really is only one 
Mike HOGAN ('70)

-Peter TURPING ('70)
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>>From: Steve HUNTINGTON ('73)

To: Mike FRANCO ('70)

Thanks for reminding me what Barlow Ghirardo's father's name was. I
remember his picture in the back room where we mixed up the dough,
but not his name. I used to have one of those hideous Oregonian
paper routes that extended from Catskill street on the North end
and down past Jimbo Simpson's near the Bali Hi in the south and
from GWWay to the river. Rallens had a Tri-City Herald route was
like two blocks total. The Oregonian Sunday papers weighed about 40
pounds each. But during the week and Saturday I would stop at the
Spudnut Shop each morning after pedaling my red two speed kick back
Schwinn bike around what felt like a 40 mile paper route and get 
a chocolate Spuddie. On cold days when I felt rich I would add a 
hot chocolate. Barlow was running the joint then so I paid every
morning - no day old freebies - but it was worth it. The hot fresh
Spuddies were usually on the tray by 0530 at the latest and he was
already working on the glazed and the cinnamon rolls when I rolled
in.

Years later Barlow hired me from a Decca referral to stand in the
window, cut 'em, drop 'em, and flip 'em in the grease, and ladle
the glaze or drop the cinnamon rolls and maple bars in the icing
pan. I don't think I was ever as stylish as the JACOBs brothers
were at that job, but I liked it. Val was usually around to remind
me what I was not doing just right.

I remember the day I applied for the job, Barlow said I could have
it but I had to get a hair cut. When I came back in the shop from
my visit to Adrian's next door Barlow looked at me and he said
"What kid, you deaf? I said a hair cut". So I ended up back at
Adrian's for a high and tight version but landed the job.

We grew up in a great town with some great people.

-Steve HUNTINGTON ('73)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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