Ron and his wife Jeanne were married two months after graduating from East and will be celebrating their 40th wedding reunion in August. Ron has continued with photography and after high school went to the Triangle Institute of Professional Photography, then the Winona School of

graphy,Photo and finally RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). Ron is the only certified master's degree photographer in Erie. He received his Master's Degree in 1994. He has owned his own photography business for the past 38 years.

"John Raica, Bill Howell, Jack Lynch, and Ralph Erickson and Jeanne were my best friends in high school. Howard Mischler was my favorite teacher. I enjoyed band more than almost anything in high school. After graduation, my greatest accomplishment was having two beautiful daughters and watching them mature and have two beautiful children.

(Editor: From the Class of '54, we are proud of your accomplishments.)

____________________________

CLASS OF '54,

(Part II. a continuation from the last

WARRIOR ‘54)

Nothing.

No Hollywood ending here which would have revealed the mysterious MEL as a white clad guru sitting amidst his zucchini or a drunken grizzled bum passed out in the corn. Instead FRANK retraces his steps to the front door and raps and calls again. He then decides to peer into the house through a clear spot in the plastic. We do not see what he sees, only his reaction as he walks away-- somber, uncertain, ghostly. Then he breaks into a broad grin as he spots his son in the waiting car.

The screen fades to black as MEL's name is called one more last time. The screen suddenly brightens with a wide shot of the class singing in tiers for the reunion pictures. As flashes periodically go off, the class breaks into their school song. "You may search through the whole wide country, every city, every state.. Rah, Rah, Rah, three cheers for the scarlet and gray."

This is normally where we see the screen credits, but miracle of miracles, there are none. Who made this masterpiece?? How puzzling. How paradoxical. How perfect.

Run, do not walk, to your nearest theater. This movie is a must.

 ____________________________

Christine Piechocki Colvin

Christine lives in Erie and has two children. She started working for Hammermill right after high school and has worked there for 40 years. She said that Mary Ann Rawa Driscoll was her best friend in high school. She said that Ester Bryan was her favorite teacher. She enjoyed being a cheerleader. Christine plans on doing some traveling once she retires from Hammermill.

Virginia Zawodnik

Virginia located Robert Hennick and Estelle Hatkevich. She explained, "In high school, my best friends were Barbara Kemp and Estelle Grandalski. My favorite teachers were George Grignol and Cecilia Rybinski. Fun for me was singing in Choir and athletics, especially swimming. My proudest moments after high school were my son Thomas who is a chef in Seattle, Washington. I was also a foster parent to baby raccoons. After retirement I plan to raise roses from seeds, design quilts and jewelry, and finish my book on raccoons that I have had."

Roberta Lipinski

Roberta and her husband William live in Erie. William has been retired from Penelec for the past three years. They have four sons and one daughter and one grandchild. Roberta is a retired homemaker but an active garage sale enthusiast. She also enjoys traveling and look for Indian artifacts. She explained, "In high school my favorite teachers were Miss King and Bob Arrowsmith. I really enjoyed Driver's Training, assemblies, and football games. My greatest joy has been my four children, now my granddaughter.

Carlucci

Rose Marie and her husband James Carlucci live in Liverpool, N.Y. James works for the New York State Banking Department and Rose Marie works part-time as an Edit Corrections List. Neither are yet retired, but hopeful. They have four children and eight grandchildren. She said, "At East my best friends were Shirley Filipowski and Carol Gustafson. Mrs. Barber was my favorite teacher. I remember most the dances then. They were so much fun. My pride and joy are my children and grandchildren. James and I plan to return back to Erie after we retire."

Noreen Wood

Powell

Noreen has five children and six grandchildren, with one on the way. Her husband Ray (Skip) Powell was a city police officer, then County Detective until his death. Noreen worked in the payroll department at Hammermill. She said, "Mr. Munz and Pop Warren were my favorite teachers at East. Mary Malinowski and Clem Danowski have continued to be my friends since high school. I take each day as sit comes and enjoy. If I decide to take off, I will."

Patricia Ingersoll

Foley

Mary Lou Ewiak

"I had too many friends in high school to name, and I enjoyed all of my teachers. I enjoyed going to athletic games, especially football games. I am proud about raising three beautiful children. Now that I am retired, I plan to continue living a good life. "

 Robert Laskowski

Robert explained that his wife's occupation is "Grandmother". Robert has five children and five grandchildren and he is now retired from the US Post Office as a letter carrier for 39 years. He and Jeannie were married in 1983 and Robert hopes to be a professional golfer after raising two families. About high school, he said, "Friday night dances at school were great. I remember all the fun we use to have at the dances. Bill Bannister was my favorite teacher. Earl Mitremeier and Clarence Darby were my best friends. "And about my greatest accomplishment AFTER highs school was--being a survivor."

Lorraine Boncella said, "I met Casimer on his graduation night from East High. I met him at Evelyn Balcerzac's graduation party. Although I did not go to East, Evelyn and Lorraine Rzepecki were two of my best friends." Casimer was in the Marshall Islands while in the US Army where he witnessed numerous atomic bomb tests. Casimer and Lorraine were married in 1959 and have three sons. They now have three grandsons. He has worked for the City of Erie as a police officer for 21 years and now works part time for PNC Bank for the past 11 years. He is semi-retired. He explained, "Hank Janiuk, Joe Sczeszny, and Eddie Buchanan and I were best friends at East. Now that I am getting ready to retire, I want to look for a condo in Florida and spend the winters there."

Johnson

"Shirley Bush, Pearl Zerbe, Bernadette Baginski, and Kaye Gross were my pals at East. I though Mr. Arrowsmith was a great teacher. One of the things I best remember about East was going to football games and the dances and the bon fire before the East-Academy games. One of the proudest moments of my life was watching my fourth grandchild being born. It beats it all!" Joan plans to take life easy and spend time with her family and friends and do lots of traveling now that she is retired.

DeSantis

Kathleen said, "Shirley Bush and Marlene Carlson were my best friends in high school. I enjoyed Mr. Crandall for Chorus and Choir. It was really great back then and I really enjoyed being with all my friends. My proudest moment was becoming a mother and grandmother. Although we are not retired yet, we plan to move to Florida to spend the winters and spend the summers at our camp."

Bill served in the US Army after high school. Bill attended Gannon University. He eventually opened up a small business and is presently self employed. He married and the Balos's had five children and three grandchildren. Bill said, "Everyone wants to know if it is true that CIA Agent Johnny Raica came to the 35th Reunion disguised as Wally (Buddy) O'Neal's date. I know for sure that the floozy that Wally was with in fact was no one else but John. Even in five inch heels, Johnny Raica has to have the knobbiest knees in the world... By the way, I know the where abouts of John Tighe, so I have included it."

Ron was stationed in Germany when he went into the US Army. He has been working at International Paper Company for the past 38 years. His photograph that he sent shows that some people seem to never age. Ron said, "I have been in race walk races in the last four years. Jerry Prylinski, Bob Domowics and I have been doing this. We try to out walk each other. Jerry is the fastest, but this year Jerry and Bob are having medical problems and are not able to participate at this time of year. I plan to keep my body in shape. I guess when I was in school I took up boxing and continued to keep in shape. I have a Pet Peeve. People can not spell my last name right--FROEHLICH. They can really screw it up... My life is dedicated to doing God's work and I pray that when I retire that I'll have more time to do things to help people and my church.

Luanne Bogue Lea, Betty Blossey Suchar, Pat Green Drake, Connie Agens Del-Maramo were my best friends in high school. When I think of East High I think about eating French fries from the Hess Avenue Bakery, Noon Day Dances, and talking with the girls. My proudest moments after high school were getting married, raising my five children, having my children teach me to be a maid, cook, nanny, nurse, chauffeur, and referee. After Robert and I retire we plan to enjoy our five grandchildren and have a long honeymoon and travel.

Joan Greaves

Prylinski

Joan and Tom live in Erie. Joan said, "Bev Rice Kimet was my best friend in school. Miss Parker was my favorite teacher. I enjoyed almost everything in high school. My proudest accomplishment after high school was marrying Tom and our two children Kathy and Tom Jr. We have three grandchildren, Patrick, Matthew, and Ashley. After Tom and I retire, we plan to travel and PARTY!

Gianiotes

Corrine is living in Florida and has been working forFenton Realty for the past three years. She has three children and four grandchildren.

She spends her free time at Manatee Community College where she has finally mastered Word Perfect.

She said, "Janine Dash, Judy Lutz, and Pauline Flengas were her best friends in high school. I really enjoyed being a majorette. Since high school my proudest accomplishment was being a mother and having three very loving children. About retirement? Well I want to stay and live in beautiful Florida and travel at my leissure with my sister Kay."

Corrine is now widowed.

 From

We enjoy life in Europe and traveling to as many countries as possble.

One son, Matthew, enters the Air Force pilot training in May. Anohter son, Kirk, is in the MBA program at SMU in Dallas, Texas. A third son, Steven, is in the US Army and studying for promotion to E-9 and lives in Nuernberg, Geramany.

Janet Scriber Medina,

Germany

From Frank Zamierowski....

Hi Dan

I received the video of the 40th and it proved very interesting. While going through some old photo albumns, I came across this clipping, maybe you could us it some time.

Thanks,

Palm Desert, CA.

Since the reunion, daughter Kelly had twins in November—a boy and a girl. Daughter Mary Beth had a boy in February. That makes twelve grandchildren. March will find us in Greenville, S.C. Our son Michael will be havihng a son—that’s thirteen.

Fred and I are really blessed. I can’t wait for another runion. Why can’t we have one in a couple of years?

Mary Borkowski Tighe

Erie, PA

I think it would be great to have a Class 1951-54 reunion, starting with our last walk through the halls of East.

We could have one more brunch in the school cafeteria then take off for a picnic for the rest of the day. What do you think?

Dan Conley

. . . . . . .

Dear Editor,

Somehow I missed getting a photo of our 45th reunion. How do I acquire one.

Don Wells

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Dear Don,

You can order one through

Ron Norman. You can contact him at the Ron Norman Studio, 216 West 7th street, Erie, PA.

16507 or call (814) 456-5881.

Dan C.

Dan, I thought you might want this newsclipping about East High. One of the arguments for a new school was the "unsafe combination gym and stage". How did we ever survive? I don’t recall you ever falling off!

Pat Green Drake

Erie, PA

Pat,

East was about 34 years old when we were in high school. I remember that it was in bad shape then.

About falling off the stage—As the class clown I did crazy things, but nothing like falling off the stage. My best practical joke was to get the guys to dangle Carl Fetzner out of Ma Bett’s third floor English class one balmy spring day. She had gone to the office for a moment. When she came into the room she saw only Carl’s nervous dangling feet. We shouted that Carl hated grammar and decided to commit suicide. Afterward everyone, but Carl, thought it was funny. It seemed that Dick Lewis’s grip slipped for just a second.

Dan

PS: Ma Betts retired that year and never came back. Neither did Carl Fetzner.

__________________________

Ms. Jackson, the Principal of East High School, agreed to let us tour the high school at the end of a spring school day last year. My grandson, Joshua, who is now a freshman at East, accompanied my daughter Abby Conley and I on a non-guided tour. We thanked Ms. Jackson and immediately walked across the hall to the auditorium.

I noticed that the Roman numerals stood out clearly on the balcony clock. It read 3:15, but it was obvious that the clock had stopped a long time ago. I wondered if it had stopped during the rumbling of a student pep rally as hundreds of students pounded their thunderous feet on the auditorium floor.

Maybe the clock stopped unceremoniously at exactly 3:15 a.m. in the silence of the night. Possibly clocks, just like human hearts age, tire and tick no more.

I wondered, "Why had it not been fixed or repaired?" They do heart transplants, don't they? It may be true that all things, large or small, one day ring silent--to stop, to end, as time moves on without them.

Now forty years later I look at the stage through the opened curtains to the gym. The familiar red stage curtains are now a deep rich red. The wooden gymnasium floor has been replaced with a hard wood floor. The high ceiling windows still have the original caged screens. The graffiti on the walls is the same, only the names are different.

A flash of the past strikes me. I see the faculty playing against the varsity basketball team. The faculty Howard Mischler, Bob Arrowsmith, Duke Detzel, Harry Massing, and Mr. Mac Donald, with his long skinny legs, looks out of place. He makes a basket, then two more.

A mosaic of images erupt in my mind as I stare at the empty stage. I see Mary Ann Osiecki, Ruth Cagara, and Patricia Orzechowski, singing to Artie Bierzonski, Sina Morris, Corky Pietrzak. They are singing "I want to be loved by you, by you, and nobody else will do." It is Sadie Hawkins day, 1951.

My thoughts are interrupted by a soft feminine voice. "It brings back pleasant memories, doesn't it Dad?" I nod at my daughter, Abby. How could words possibly express the multitude of memories we have of high school?

My grandson Joshua Daniel exclaims, "This sure is an old auditorium!" I was struck by the irony of the moment. The three of us standing in the auditorium--my grandson Joshua looking at his future, my daughter looking at the present, and I viewing the past.

The old wooden seats have been replaced by comfortable light yellowpadded seats. I recalled that as an underclassman we had to sit in the balcony. By the time we were seniors we sat in the first few rows. In reverie I hear Duke Detzel introducing the varsity football team. "At halfback this year we have team captain Tommy Domico. Jimmy Johnson ar right half. At quarterback Lee Cabelof. At center, Dick Lewis and at tackle Gene Rachoki." Each player seems ill at ease as he steps forward when his name is called.

After we left the auditorium we made our way to Pop Warren's Room 120. Suddenly, as though drawn by fate, a cleaning woman surfaced from no where and unlocked the room. New modern desks, overhead lightning, and green chalk boards add a brightness to the room. It was different, but somehow unchanged. I realized the desks were facing the same direction they were forty years before. I glanced at the front corner desk near the windows. I sat there for three years during home room. It is remarkable, but I went right down the row by the windows. Behind my desk was Gus Halupcinski, then Jim Nickelson, Lee Cabelof, John Szymczak. The next row was Kerm Hultberg, Shanks Harrington, Jim Keller, and Don Arnold.

As I stared at the empty desks of the now deceased classmates I felt a deep sorrow. Had their dreams and aspirations in life been fulfilled? The refrain of a song lingering,--"Only the good die young."

The hardwood floors of the hallway are now tiled. *** The French doors giving full visual access to classrooms have been replaced by solid doors with one narrow window.

Still filled with nostalgia, we thanked Ms. Johnson for allowing us an non-guided tour into yesteryear. She asked me if things had changed much since 1952. Just as I was about to answer I noticed the nearby drinking fountain. The ceramic tiled drinking fountains looked exactly the same--unchanged through time. Each student for the past 75 years has satisfied their thirst at these fountains.

I remembered that we often would take a straw from the cafeteria and siphon the water from the water well. Many unsuspecting classmates got a snout full of water as the water squirted their face. I explained the prank to my grandson. His eyes glistened with delight as though he stored the idea away for another day..

I turned the handle of the drinking fountain, and to everyone's surprise, the water squirted two feet into the air. Ms. Jackson smiled and explained that tradition follows tradition at East High.

The late afternoon sun was bright as we walked down the cement steps of East high. I began to sense a feeling of relief as we walked toward Atkins Street. I felt the release of a forty year tether that bound me to my unchanged memories of East High. The tour allowed me the chance to see how the school had changed. It was all too evident it had aged and weathered and like us all--aged much over the past forty years. It had remained unchanged in my mind. Now I could let it go and somehow put the school in proper prospective.

Thousands of students over the last seventy-five years have opened and slammed its doors. Each generation has strained the bosom of the magnificence structure which stands noble like a regal queen. Millions of noisy footsteps have echoed the heart of her now sagging hallways. Her bright, but weathered walls have inspired the inquisitive, satisfied the ambitious and encouraged the wanting student. She has for nearly seventy five years opened her accepting arms to embrace the exuberant energy of young and sometimes boisterous adolescents.

____________________________