THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2004-12 OF DECEMBER 1, 2004

Hello Hornets!

Here are some items that might be of interest:

1.  2005 DIRECTORY TAKING SHAPE.  Please don't forget to send to Leslie St. Clair (70), lesliestclair@yahoo.com, any information you want included in the 2005 version of the All Classes/Faculty/Staff Directory to be sold at the June 2005 events.  (The format for submission to Leslie is below.)

Don't forget the 2005 Directory is all new, so no information will be carried over from the 2000 edition.  So, please re-submit your info if you'd like to be included in this very popular Directory.  (It sold-out in 2000). 

Graduation Year (or years on faculty/staff):

Full Name at Surratts:

Full Name Now:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

Email Address:

Update (30 words or less):

Some important reminders: 1. Submit your info only in the format above.  2.  Please do not send your info as an attachment because this requires Leslie to run a virus check, etc. before opening the attachment. (Simply paste the format above into the body of an email.)  3.  Please put something in the subject line (such as "Alumni Directory Info") so Leslie knows what the email is about.

2.  CALLING ALL FACULTY AND STAFF.  One of the things that made the Y2K events so special for so many of us was the great level of participation by former and current faculty and staff.  We'd really like to extend our outreach to faculty and staff for the June 2005 events.  If you have any information however vague that might lead us to a former faculty and staff, please send it to me at hsmith@smithdowney.com so we can follow-up.

3.  UPDATE ON 2004 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN.  Many thanks to those of you who have generously contributed to jump-start the Foundation's 2004 annual campaign.  Your tax-deductible contributions will be used to replenish the General Scholarship Fund, the Waddell Scholarship Fund and the Principals/Faculty/Staff Memory Fund.  A donor form is reprinted below and can be found on the web site at www.surrattsville.org.

4.  UPDATE ON JUNE 2005 EVENTS.  Ticket sales for all three June 2005 All Classes/Faculty/Staff events are going strong.  A ticket order form is reprinted below and can be found on the web site at www.surrattsville.org.  Also, more and more Classes are planning Class-specific events to coincide with the All Classes weekend, so please check in with your Class Official Reunion Contact (contact info on the web site) so you won't miss out on a Class-specific event.

5.  SEEKING LOST HORNET.  Gary Smith (68), garykid@comcast.net, is attempting to locate Laura Hunter (70).  Can anyone provide Gary with any info on Laura or any members of her  family?

6.  MEMORIES OF CHELTENHAM.  I received this great email from Jeanine Carroll Maclary (73) that might be of interest to those of you with Cheltenham NCS connections: "Dear Henry:  How wonderful to see item 7 of the November 1 e‑Notice!  When I saw the words Cheltenham Naval Communication Station, my heart did a leap!  My father was stationed at Cheltenham in the late '60's‑early '70's.  Back then (and maybe it still is) the base was very small.  Our family lived right outside the base and close enough to ride our bikes back and forth (that is, until we all learned to drive!).  The article brought back such wonderful memories!  My two sisters, my brother and I basically grew up on the base. We lived at the swimming pool in the summers.  My brother, Jimmy, and one sister, Maureen, worked in the mess hall after school, and my mother worked in the one‑person post office for many years.  I babysat many of the children on base, and had my first date (with Bruce Bolt, Class of 71) at the movie theater on the base.  I believe the theater had about five rows!!  What a fantastic way to grow up!  It was like living in a very small, close‑knit town.  Thanks for the memories!  Jeanine"

What a great summary, in one short email, of what life was like for so many of us who grew up in those halcyon days!

7.  FIRES AT COUNTY COURTHOUSE.  On November 3, 2005 a four-alarm fire destroyed the interior of the 123 year old Prince George's County Courthouse in Upper Marlboro.  The courthouse had just undergone a $25 million dollar renovation.  Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the blaze, but three firefighters were treated for minor injuries.  It's a terrible shame that the lovely and historic courthouse building was gutted in this fire.  Apparently a second, smaller fire, set-off by smouldering ruins of the first, occurred on November 20.

8.  TWO GREAT FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS TEAM-UP.  I was just informed by Leslie St. Clair (70), lesliestclair@yahoo.com, that The Fabulous Hubcaps featuring Dale Rocky Simon (69) and Jimi Simon (71) will be playing their regular Martin's Crosswinds Holiday Dance on  Friday January 7, 2005.  (Leslie has ticket info if you need it.)  This is always a great way to have a fantastic time while supporting The Hubcaps and Martin's, both of whom have been great supporters of Foundation events.

9.  74 GRAD PHOTOS FEATURED.  Two superb Rolling Stones concert photos taken by Harold Colson (74) have been published in "Between Rock and a Home Place" (Mercer University Press), the memoirs of long‑time Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell.  Linkable color versions of the shots can be found at http://weber.ucsd.edu/~hcolson/book1.jpg, http://weber.ucsd.edu/~hcolson/book2.jpg.

Congratulations to Harold on the international publication of these great photos.

10.  THINKING OF OUR TROOPS.  I just learned that Ann Weaver Pelle's (71) son Sean just shipped out to fly his Marine Corps Prowler in Iraq, joining Ann's daughter's husband John who is already flying Air Force B-1s in Iraq.  Ann sent a great photo of Sean shipping out that we've posted on the web site, as well as a photo of Ann working with the Operation Shoebox campaign to send needed supplies to our troops.  During this holiday season, I know we're all thinking about Sean, John and all of the other troops serving in harm's way, and wishing them a safe and speedy return home.

Here are some observations from Ann, that I imagine are shared by many a military mom and dad among our e-Notice readers: "Sean's leaving was very sad and awesome at the same time. The jets took off one by one. You could see your son as he flew just feet overhead, with the engines screaming. (They made us wear earplugs.) Then as we thought the last of 8 Prowlers had left, a few minutes had passed ‑ we thought they were gone. But they came back so say "goodbye" in a really awesome formation fly by. You could see each one in his seat, waving goodbye to us. I have to tell you I get teary‑eyed just bringing that memory back into my mind. It still runs through my mind watching him "walk the line". That is when they‑‑all dressed up in their entire fight gear, helmet in one hand and flight bag in the other walk down the line and peel off at their respective jets. The jets also pull out one by one just following feet away from each other, come to a stop, sort of bounce the jet, and then just start rolling. One by one very fast one after the other. A really spectacular sight, but would be a lot more exciting under better circumstances.  Ann"

11.  PTSA NEWS.  PTSA President Patricia Smith-Brim reports that, on December 16, Surrattsville's award winning music department will hold its winter concert, and that on January 18, the PTSA will be hosting its Second Annual Family Night complete with spaghetti dinner.  The PTSA doesn't charge for this event, but donations are always accepted.  Also on the night of January 18th, the school board is having a budget hearing at Surratts, and the PTSA is planning to piggy‑back this with the PTSA.  Patricia notes that the PTSA hopes that Surratts alumni will be able to participate in these events.  Please feel free to contact Patricia at smittyb003@yahoo.com for more information.

12.  REFRESH/RELOAD YOUR BROWSER.  Several of our readers have reported getting funny screens when accessing the Foundation's web site at www.surrattsville.org.  Apparently, these problems are fixed by hitting the "refresh" or "reload" button on your browser.  This refresh function also will ensure that you can access some new photos that might be of interest.

13.  SURRATTSTOCK PERFORMERS' WEB SITE.  We've just learned that Surrattsville is prominently featured on the web site of great Surrattstock performers Straight Flush.  The web site for this 30-some year old Surratts band can be accessed at www.straightflushband.com.  I'm sure many of you music fans will enjoy visiting this site.

14.  CLASS OF 81 SEEKS ORC.  Greg Laxton, who has been serving as an Official Reunion Contact for the Class of 81, has moved to Florida, and is seeking a classmate to help out with the ORC duties.  If you're able to assist, please send Greg an email at laxtons@bellsouth.net. 

15.  CLASS OF 70, 71 AND SURROUNDING REUNION.  Leslie St. Clair (70), lesliestclair@yahoo.com, reminds members of the Classes of 70, 71 and surrounding years to order their Friday night, June 24, 2005 Class(es)-specific reunion event tickets soon.  Space is limited at the event.  Please contact Leslie if you need additional information.

16.  A REPORT FROM THE CLASS OF 65.  I received the following great report on the recent Class of 65 Annual Reunion from Carol Fite Mothershead (65): "Days of Destin with Surrattsville High School's Class of 1965":  Surrattsvilles great Class of 1965 always looks forward so much to what has become its yearly, unofficial reunions that even hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne couldnt keep about 45 members from their planned rendezvous in Destin, Florida, in early October.  Patsy Blue Williams volunteered for the onerous job of organizing the weeklong event, with lots of help from her wonderful husband Ross (whos been adopted by the class along with a number of other spouses).  With Ivan approaching the Florida panhandle just days before we were to arrive, emails and phone calls started flying between classmates and Patsy, who said it was her worst nightmare coming truea full fledged hurricane bearing down on what was to be our Shangri-La for a week.  After so much planning, renting cottages, and arranging for activities, she feared no one would make the trip.  But the Class of 65 is not easily dauntedespecially those hardy members who live in eastern Florida and had already been hit by Charley and/or Frances.  As Marge Alvaro Richardson said, If I have to pitch a tent on the beach, Ill be there.  And that was the consensus of everyone, because no one backed out. 

Each time this group gets together, it is happily seduced by the local culture, food and activities.  So it was not surprising that this time we ate lots of seafood, wore lots of bright Florida colors and wore, um  flamingo headbands!  Yes, you read that right.  And it wasnt just the women who wore them.  The guys wore them, too.  You see, Patsy is a flamingo nut.  She has flamingos all over her house.  She has flamingo pillows and stuffed flamingos and mechanical flamingos whose heads go up and down.  She even has a flamingo that starts playing a little ditty every time you walk past it.  And Patsy wanted to share her flamingo love, so she organized Flamingo Night and gave everyone a flamingo headband to wearwith two bobbing flamingoes on each headband.  Even Norm Carmichaels 90+ year-old dad, who came to the reunion with Norm, was a great sport despite the fact that his flamingo headband kept slipping off his hairless head. 

Looking around the room that night, all one could see was a massive flock of bobbing flamingos punctuating animated discussions.  And to top it off, there were reporters from the local newspaper at the party to write a story and take pictures.  If youd like to see the article and other pictures from the weeklong event, go to http://www.surrattsville65.org/ablummenu.html.

But the Class of 65 wasnt finished with its reveling and on the last night enjoyed a luau hosted by the lovely Princess ComeonIwannaLeiyou.  The princess (aka a Dave Crawley, the classes very brave President for Life, greeted everyone at the door dressed as the princess.  His loveliness can best be explained by picturing the movie South Pacific and the scene in which the sailors were performing a Christmas show and one of the guys dressed up as a hula girl wearing a grass skirt and a coconut brassier.  Now put Daves lovely face on the body, and you got the picture as he. er, she greeted her guests with a lei, a hug, a kiss and a photo (proof positive that Dave will do almost anything for his class).  After feasting on pork and other delicious food, we danced for hours to a fabulous band that was so good were thinking of adopting it as the SHS Class of 65s official band.

We feel very blessed that we have formed such deep and lasting bonds with each othera verifiable mutual admiration society.  Our high school experiences forged a connection that helps us enjoy each other as adults; and every time we meet, we make new friendships with classmates we didnt know well in high school.  As always, departing after a week of fun and camaraderie was sweet sorrow with hugs and kisses all around, promises to email and call, and excitement about seeing each other again next year at the Class of 65s official 40^th reunion and the all-class 2005 reunion at the high school.  The enthusiastic Class of 65 will definitely be there.  Youll know us by our embroidered t-shirts and embroidered hats.  And well be traveling in a pack.  You cant miss us!"

Proving once again that the Class of 65 is truly in a Class by itself, and an inspiration to us all!

I hope this finds you well, and enjoying a great start to the holiday season!

All the best, Henry Smith (71), hsmith@smithdowney.com

 

2004 FOUNDATION ANNUAL CAMPAIGN DONORS

Debbie Cox Marr (72)
Bob Marr (71)
Bill Harris (71), in Memory of Debbie Harris (71)
Jeanine Carroll Maclary (73), In Memory of James R. Carroll, Jr. (74)
Vicky Simontacchi Young (57), In Memory of William J. (Bill) Burke (57)
Ed Jaffe (65)
Paul Monaghan (59)
Melissa Gilcrest (69), In Memory of Allen M. Gilcrest (64)
Steve Profilet (71)
Anonymous
The Class of 1956
Henry Smith (71)
Donna Rae Sturtevant Smith (70)           
Richard Neilan (82), In Memory of Charlie Waddell
Carolyn Sepesy Trickett (77), In Memory of Charlie Waddell
Ellen Talbert Miller (61; Faculty/Administrator 66-98)
Dan Bayne (71), In Memory of Charlie Waddell
Patrick McMenamin (70)
Anon, In Memory of Col. F. R. O'Clair
Carrie Jessee Loftus (69), In Memory of Robert "Bobby" Jessee (71)
Richard Scott McWhirt (71)
Mike Gifford (84)
Denise Hope (72)
Christine Spell Buckingham (70), In Memory of Bill Dare, fellow Surratts Singer