THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2007-12 OF DECEMBER 1, 2007

Hello Hornets:

Here are some items that may be of interest:

1.  ANNUAL CAMPAIGN IN FULL SWING.  Thanks to the generosity of the donors listed below, the Foundation's 2007 Annual Campaign looks like it could be a record-setter!  Remember: the Foundation has no overhead, so every dollar contributed goes directly toward the support of a Foundation activity.  And no contribution is too small (or too large) to make a positive difference.  Please consider showing your support for the Foundation by participating in this year's campaign.  (A donor form is reprinted below, and is available on the Foundation's web site at www.surrattsville.org.)

2.  FOUNDATION BOARD STILL SEEKING "LOCAL" VOLUNTEERS.  The Board of the Foundation is still in need of volunteers from the D.C. area to provide the out-of-town Board members with a "local presence" in the School community.  If you're still in the D.C. area, and you would be willing to volunteers a few hours in the coming year to the noble cause of the Foundation, please let me know by email at hsmith@smithdowney.com.

3.  LOTS OF INTERESTING HORNET SPORTS HISTORY.  We received the following interesting emails in response to the item in the last e-Notice about the extraordinary 2007 Hornet football team:

"I am excited about the way the Hornets have played and represented Surrattsville. I must remind folks that the 1976 team only lost one game and that was to Largo (also one loss) who went on to play for the State Championship!  That team was coached by Coach Zier. Several players went on to have successful college careers.  That year, there was also talk of playoffs, but we did not make it due to the Maryland Point system.  Yes, I played for that team and I'm very proud of what we accomplished!  Furman "Butch" Robinson (77)"

"I know the SHS Football team for the 1962-63 year was undefeated. They were the only undefeated team in the DC area and all of the team went to the Washington Post Annual Football banquet. (They only wanted one or two players to attend, but the team decided all or nothing.)  Another record note -- I believe it was in 1960 the basketball Hornets were State champs in Class B. In 1962 they were State champs in Class A, and in 1964 they were State champs in class AA. Coach Vaughn was the basketball coach and later was the coach at High Point College in North Carolina.   Dave Patterson ('63)"

"Remember: for many years, there were no State football playoffs in Maryland. Steve Profilet (71)"

"It was the 1962 team that went undefeated in football (the 1962-63 year).  I played on it.  1960 was not a good year.  RC Green (63 and former faculty)"

"I'm not sure where Fox news acquired their dates, but I played on Surrattsville's first football team in 1958 and according to my Surrattsville math, that's (only) 49 years ago. Before 1958 the school played soccer.  Don Byroads (61)"

"There was no team with an oval ball in 56 and my prior years at Surratts. It was basically a basketball school with baseball thrown in. I wondered over the years why Surratts didn't have a football team as the University of Maryland was good at football.  If you find out where they came up with the idea that Surratts had a football team 57 years ago I would sure like to know.  Thanks, Dick Disana (56)"

"Theyre not off by much, but Surrattsville football began in the 1957-1958 school year for only 49 years of doormat.  Prior to that, the School had a good class B soccer record. As I recall, football was mandated that year in all high schools. I was on that first team in my junior year as a 155 pound heavy weight, at least until the Asian flu took me and others out.  One quick story: one team on the first year schedule was the States prior year champion, Harve de Grace.  We were bused there for the slaughter.  A concern among some on our team was the meal the school picked up on the trip.  The concern: would meal acceptance hamper our amateur status?  Humor was our strong suit.  Paul Monaghan (58)"

"My husband, Pete Williams, played on the 1963 football team that went undefeated at 10-0.  To my knowledge no other team has done that since (maybe even before). So it was quite an accomplishment.  There were no playoffs; they were just the county champs for the Class A division.  We went AA when that great Class of '65 came in!  There were state playoffs for basketball in the 60s.  Of course, that great Class of '65 took the AA State Championship.  Always have to give my guys a plug.  Vicki Forsht Williams (65, and former faculty)

4.  UPDATE ON FANTASTIC 2007 GRIDIRON TEAM.  Here's an article on the great current Hornet gridiron squad that ran in the Gazette on Thursday, November 22, 2007:

Surrattsville, Dunbar to Clash, by Adam Rubenstein (Staff Writer)

Weve scouted them at least five times this season, said Dunbar coach Lawrence Smith, who took over the team following the death of coach Ben Eaton in August. It will be a great game. They have a great team, they have a great running back and a great quarterback.

On the flip side, Surrattsville coach Tom Green said his staff has scouted Dunbar seven times this season, including its opener against Gwynn Park, which the Poets won, 27-6. Dunbars only other game this season against a Prince Georges County opponent was Saturday against Forestville in the first round of the Class 1A South playoffs, a 66-28 win.

Our goal is to win the state championship, said Green. Even though we havent been to the playoffs before and the school doesnt have a history of winning state championships, with the talent that we have and the way were playing right now, anything short of that, Im not going to be happy.

Surrattsvilles first playoff game in school history was a 44-0 victory against Digital Harbor on Saturday. Dunbar (11-0) competes in the Baltimore City League Division I, and is the defending Class 1A state champ. The Poets also won the state title in 1994, 1995 and 2004 and have been to the state tournament the past four seasons.

Saturdays regional final matches two of the states top offenses and defenses. Surrattsville averages a county-best 40 points per game and allows just 9.1 per game. Dunbars offense averages 42.5 points and gives up 10 per outing. The Poets defense has four shutouts this season and has allowed six points or less eight times, which included a 30-6 victory against Digital Harbor.

Surrattsvilles Davin Meggett has rushed for 1,689 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, with quarterback Andre Johnson tacking on 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Dunbar junior back Tavon Austin has 2,098 rushing yards this season, including 26 touchdowns, four of which came against Forestville last week.

The Austin vs. Meggett matchup is intriguing.

Tavon Austin, I dont think you can stop him, but I think you can slow him down, said Green. It will be a test for our defense.

Of course, they have a great player [Austin], said Meggett. And we have a great team. I think thats the misconception. I think they have a great team as well, but people focus on their one player. In retrospect, they dont just focus on me. We have great receivers, a great quarterback, a great running game and a powerful defense.

Meggett added that Digital Harbor focused too much on stopping him, leaving the door open for Johnson to rush for a game-high 182 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

I think its a big deal Austin vs. Meggett playing against one another, said Green. But with Andre Johnson and some of these other kids we have playing for us, I think we have an edge.

Top quarterback: Surrattsville Andre Johnson (41 for 84, 1,217 yards, 16 TD, 4 INT); Dunbar Johnathan Perry (85 for 144, 1,628 yards, 16 TD, 7 INT).

Top rushers: Surrattsville Davin Meggett (152 carries for 1,689 yards, 25 TD), Andre Johnson (112 carries for 1,279 yards, 13 TD);Dunbar Tavon Austin (2,089 yards, 26 TD).

Top receivers: Surrattsville Meggett (9 catches for 408 yards, 6 TD), Thomas Vanburen (9 catches for 263 yards, 2 TD), Garfield Lampkin(9 catches for 204 yards,4 TD); Dunbar Sean Farr (37 catches for 1,018 yards, 13 TD).

5.  YET ANOTHER RING SURFACES.  We received the following email from Jackie Kaiser-MacBryde about yet another Surratts ring that has been discovered:  "Hi Henry:  Last year you listed a person who lost a ring years ago.  I think she indicated that it was lost in the hospital on Andrews AFB.  Although I have never been in the hospital on Andrews, I have her ring.  It was given to me by someone that knew I went to Surrattsville and could possibly find the owner.  I tried to contact her but her email address  was not a good one.  So, if you can  dig through your files and find that person, I would love to get this ring to her.  The initials
inscribed are RAS and it is a 1972 class ring.  Thanks, Jackie"

If the owner of this ring will send me an email at hsmith@smithdowney.com, I'll put you in touch with Jackie so you can be reunited with that treasure.

6. ... AND A LOST RING SOUGHT.  We received this email from Janelle DiGiovine Turek, janelle.turek@verizon.net:  "Hi Henry:  Maybe you can post this: I lost my 1984 class ring with the August stone.  I was living in Arlington, VA and someone broke into my house and took my entire jewelry box.  Inside the ring I think said my entire name: "Janelle DiGiovine".  I remember that I could not believe they could fit my last name.  I would love to get it back! Janelle"

7. ... AND SPEAKING OF LOST RINGS GENERALLY.  We received this tip from Connie Spell (73): "Hi Henry:  You may or may not be aware of the website: http://www.abbycon.com/LostandFound/MainDirectory.htm.  Lost and found high school rings can be posted and claimed.  Good luck!  Connie Spell"

8.  AN UPDATE FROM AFGHANISTAN.  We received this response from Rix Mills (62), rixmills5@aol.com, regarding an email we ran in the last e-Notice about Rix's efforts to help school children in Afghanistan: "Henry:  Thanks so much for the article and I hope that we get some response.  Suzan Martz Holmquist (62) and Rebecca Myers Dobry (62) have sent me many packages of paper, pencils, rulers, and much more which is being distributed each day now as we go out to the field to talk to the people in the villages.  I am attaching a picture of some of the packages being opened by my Afghan team here in the office compound and they were thrilled to get the things which gives us an entre to the kids and the adults alike to talk about the evils of growing opium poppy and the consequences of not obeying the law.  Thanks for you support as always!  Rix"

(Those great photos Rix sent are on the Foundation's web site at www.surrattsville.org.)

9.  HORNET FEATURED IN FLORIDA MAGAZINE.  The November edition of About Me, "a magazine for Space Coast women", had a nice "Women in Business" article about a new business, www.hothatsinc.com, started by Elizabeth Lee Gleisberg May (78).  The article noted that Elizabeth is a retired Air Force major, a private pilot and a world recordholding skydiver.  Congrats to Elizabeth on this nice press!

10.  DON'T FORGET TO GENERATE DONATIONS TO THE FOUNDATION WHILE SEARCHING THE WEB.  Please don't forget to set your web browser home page to the Yahoo-powered search engine, goodsearch.com, that generates donations to charitable organizations designated by its users.  You'll need to indicate "The Surrattsville High School Foundation, Inc." as your designated charity.  You'll recall that this is a painless way for each of us to increase the Foundation's fund raising efforts by simply making a small change to the way we do something many of us do each day web searching.

Here are the details.  Go to http://www.goodsearch.com.  In the indicated box, designate The Surrattsville High School Foundation, Inc. as the charity to receive donations from goodsearch's advertisers each time you search the web.  Then use goodsearch.com to do your web searching.  (You designate goodsearch.com as your homepage on your computer by going to http://www.goodsearch.com/MakeHomepage.aspx.)

Thanks for considering changing the way you search the web to generate donations to the Foundation.  (Goodsearch.com reports that if 1,000 Foundation supporters search the web twice a day, $7300 in donations will be generated for the Foundation each year!).


I hope you're all enjoying a great start to your holiday season!

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


MANY THANKS TO THESE DONORS TO THE FOUNDATION'S 2007 CAMPAIGN!

Pat Becker Oles (71)
Steve Profilet (71)
Michelle Shelley Wilson Block (68)
Sally Saker Weingarten (77)
Janet Goddard Sullivan (54), In memory of her brother, Jesse "Skip" Goddard, Jr. (56)
Roy Nestor (72), In Memory of Jana Sims Nestor
Kurt Aktug (88)
June Jacobs Brown (44)
Thomas V. Mike Miller (60)
Linda Dorsey Blum (66)
Vicki Forsht Williams (65), In joyful celebration of the marriage of Nancy Oursler Maynard (65) and Larry Schillings (65)
Vicki Forsht Williams (65, and former faculty), In memory of Eugene Colgan, former (and greatest!) Principal
Ellen Talbert-Miller (61, and former faculty/administration), In memory of Eugene Colgan, Principal and mentor
Bob Marr (71)
Deborah Cox Marr (72)
Vicky Simontacchi Young (57), To Honor the Class of 1957
Henry Smith (71)
Donna Rae Sturtevant Smith (70)
Melissa Gilcrest (69)
David Kraus (65), In memory of Ed Andrauskas, Faculty
Jeanine Carroll Maclary (73), In memory of James R. (Jimmy) Carroll
Dan Bayne (71), For the Charles Waddell Scholarship Fund
Anne Noyes (former faculty)
Nancy Miller (67)
Judy Gordon Mentlik (65)
Mike Blair (71)
Lark Bergwin-Anderson (71)
Tom Travis (76)
Sally LePla Travis (76)
Helen Bovbjerg Niedung (54)
Joan Penn Revis (61)
Homer Revis (56)
Teri Pepper Dimsey (77), In memory of good times with Chris Smith
Lora Baker Couchman (77), In memory of good times with Chris Smith
Paul Monaghan (58)
Laura Anatale Nowak (74), In memory of Patsy Torrecarian Stein