THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2011-10 OF OCTOBER 1, 2011
 
Hello Hornets:
 
Here are some items that might be of interest:
 
1.  FOUNDATION FUNDS NEW "LEGACY HALL" AT THE SCHOOL.  Some of our less junior readers might recall the days when the main hallway at the "New School" was called "Alumni Hall" and featured class group photos and other Surrattsville memorabilia.  We're delighted to report that the School recently asked the Foundation to help create a new "Legacy Hall" in the main hallway.  For this effort, the Foundation provided professional signage and framed 8 x 10 photos of the Foundation's Achievement Award recipients to date and Scholarship recipients to date.  (Digital versions of the photos of these outstanding members of the Surrattsville community, and their bios, can be viewed on the Foundation's web site at surrattsville.org.)
 
The Foundation plans to continue to work with the School to further enhance this visual expression of this our impressive Surrattsville legacy!
 
If you find yourself in the neighborhood of the School, please consider dropping by to view the exciting new Legacy Hall.
 
(And we've already started to receive some early nominations for the 2012 Achievement Awards.  Please send me a email at hsmith@smithdowney.com if you would like to submit a nomination.)
 
2.  BAND REUNION ON OCTOBER 15!  Band Director Valerie Dent is putting together an alumni band to perform at Homecoming on October 15.  Interested former band members are encouraged to get additional information on the "Surrattsville High School (SHS) Marching Hornets" Facebook Group page, or at https://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/surrattsvillebands/home.
 
Here's hoping many band alumni will be able to help fill-out the musical ranks for this great event!
 
(Related notes:  Surrattsville's Band Boosters meet the second Tuesday of every month.  All are welcome.  And future band performances are posted at http://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org.surrattsvillebands/.)
 
3.  ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT FEATURED ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL.  We received this email from Sheila Carlson (71):  "We were watching a 9/11 show on the National Geographic channel last night.  Bob Marr (71) was interviewed on the show.  He looks just like he did in high school.  He was talking about his role on 9/11 and the fighter jets.  I was extremely impressed and proud of him for his role on that horrific day.   Sheila"
 
[Ed note:  Bob received the Foundation's Achievement Award in 2003 for his extraordinary achievements during his career at an Air Force F-15 Master Pilot/Command Pilot, including his role as Commander of the Northeast Air Defense Sector on 9/11/01.]
 
4.  2011 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN CONTINUES ON RECORD PACE!    Perhaps thanks to the ease of contributing on-line at www.surrattsville.org, our 2011 Annual Campaign is on a record-shattering pace!
 
If you'd like to make an on-line donation, just look for the "Donate" button at the bottom right of the home page of the web site.  (And of course contributions are welcome by mail, and a donor form is pasted below.)
 
Remember:  the Foundation has no overhead, so every contribution dollar goes directly to supporting the great kids at Surratts.  And no contribution is too small (or too large) to make a difference!  (The simple, $5, on-line donations being made by a number of donors are really adding up to a nice total for this year's campaign.)
 
Many thanks to the remarkably long list of generous early donors listed below, and thanks to all of our readers for considering participating in this year's very special annual campaign!
 
(Wouldn't it be an extraordinary boost to the Foundation if every reader who enjoys these e-Notices would contribute $5 on-line?)
 
5.  ALMA MATER LYRICS UNCOVERED!  Thanks to a number of our readers, we have uncovered the lyrics to the School's alma mater.  Here they are, if you'd like to hum along:
 
"Here's to Surrattsville, our Alma Mater,
Here's to the school we all so well love,
Here's to the school that leads us and guides us,
Worthy of thee, may we all prove.
Here our blessings will unfold,
Always hereafter, treasured and told,
Surrattsville, we pledge our service to thee,
Happy, faithful, true to thee.
Here's to Surrattsville, our Alma Mater,
Here's to the school we all love."
 
Although we have not been able to find a copy of the music behind those lyrics, thanks to the combined singing, humming and transcription efforts of  Joan Penn Revis (61), Homer Revis (56), Norm Carmichael (65) and Kenneth Martin (65), we are re-creating for the School the sheet music for this lost treasure.
 
And here are some interesting emails we received on the topic of our School song:
 
"Here is what I know.  The creator (words and music as far as I know) is Rosie Ferris. She was about class of 48 or 49 and I do not know her status. Surratts at one time or another had two music and/or band teachers, Ronald Mortimer and his younger brother Richard. Both of them were also graduates of Surratts, Richard about 57 and Ronald was a contemporary of Rosie Ferris, perhaps a year or two younger.  Besides the obvious likelihoods, there is the coincidence that the Mortimer and the Ferris families were neighbors. I cannot recall ever seeing a musical score on paper and I am not sure I ever saw the words on paper.  I have no idea how many verses, stanzas, choruses, or whatever, there may have been.  The first four lines as I recall them are as follows: "Here's to Surrattsville our alma mater, Here's to the school we all so well love, Here's to the school that leads us and guides us, Worthy of thee may we all prove."  While I remember the tune I cannot in any way convey it to you. In the 7th grade a music teacher, Mrs. Johnson, threatened me with terrible consequences because I refused to stand and sing something or other. Should it become necessary I will find you someone willing to perform the vocals for you.  [Ed note:  A follow-up email now begins …)   I found the complete lyrics on page 5 of the 1951 Boomerang.  I am relieved that you got good response and I hope that maybe you got further confirmation on Rosie Ferris as the creator! While I am sure in my own mind beyond a doubt, it would be nice from your point of view to have further confirmation. We are nearly 60 years back into my memory but I'll tell you why I have great confidence nonetheless. When I found those printed lyrics to the alma mater and found that the first four lines were exactly as I had remembered them I was only slightly surprised.  At 75 years old I cannot remember who the last person kicked out of Big Brother a week ago was.  But the 50 and 60 year old memories seem to be locked in tight somehow. If I can help, let me know.  Duke Coleman (53)"
 
"I've pasted the words to the Alma Mater below.  I can sing the music (well, if you call it singing), but cannot write it down.  Hope this helps.  Norman Carmichael (65)"

"After reading the e-Notice yesterday about the Alma Mater, I looked through my Boomerang--sure that it was in there (was not).  Then through Homer's (he just knew that it was there--was not).  We each sat down and wrote out what we remembered, then compared.  I think we pretty well got it!  It is attached. Have you gotten the music for it?  I am not musical, but I wrote it out, made musical lines above it and put basic notes on the lines as I "heard" it in my head--whether they went up or down, and tried to divide the words into what would have been sung for each note.  I'll mail that to you.  Homer thinks it would not be too hard for someone musical to figure it out on a piano.  (Do schools still have alma maters?)  You will definitely see that I am not musical when you get the "music" in the mail.  Homer is away or I would try to have him help me more.  If he comes up with something, I'll send it to you.  I realized that some of the notes are slower than others, so I wrote in "SLOWER" over those words or syllables, not knowing how else to designate.  Anyone who knows me will get a real kick out of me trying to write down "music".  Oh well--maybe it will help somehow.  My daughter did not know what an alma mater was, but my 12 year old granddaughter did!  I love it that they want to bring it back to Surrattsville.  A friend suggested that I Google the Alma Mater.  I put in "Music Surrattsville High School Alma Mater."  I got to a Prince George's County Public Schools site that showed
"Surrattsville High School".  In the information that said it was from the "SHS Foundation" it said that the Alma Mater was written by Rosa Ferris in 1951.  Homer thought it was written in the 50s by the music teacher Jean Moorehead.  Just thought I would pass this along.   Joan Penn Revis (61)"

"The words to the Alma Mater I've pasted below are printed on the second page of the 62 Boomerang, but I don't have a copy of the music, or know the composer.  I was surprised to learn that my daughter (SHS 89) had never heard of the song.  Jeanette Johnson (62)"
 
"Attached is a scan of a page from the 1965 commencement program with the words to the Alma Mater.  I guess it’s not a part of the graduating program anymore?  Sad if it isn’t.    Carmen Gines Frotton (65)"
 
"The words to the Alma Mater are in the front of my yearbook (62).  If you need me to send them to you just let me know.  As to the tune, I can hum it for you.  Carol McNamara Bingham (62)"
 
"My husband and I graduated from Surrattsville in 1952.  We remember that a member of the class of 1951, Rosie Ferris, wrote the lyrics to the song, and it became our alma mater.  Whether she wrote the music or not, we can't be sure.  Ann Theunissen"
 
"Whatever happened to the music room after Charles Wadelll passed?  He was an educator who remembered what it was like to be young.  That's really all kids need.  Then the rest comes easy. There was a comfort level; all were welcome.  He laughed at our stupid jokes.  He never did anything to squash the creativity.  Even when we did something wrong, say come to class late, you got the look in a private way, so you know he was disappointed.  Wow; that really was it.  You didn't come late again.  All you wanted to do was to show him that you got it.  That was all he wanted.  He took some serious pride in seeing the light bulb come on over our heads.  And when it all came together, wow, that was it for him.  Shoot -- even my mom had a crush on him. He was just that special.  Everyone loved "Charlie."  I have worked 22 years in early childhood development.  I took his lessons with me.  His approach works!  One of my first tasks as his teacher's aide was to organize the vocal music the School had collected over the years and there was some old stuff there.  Even old albums recorded by the choruses of years' way before me (78).  If no Alma Mater sheet music can be found, the song should be recorded on one of those albums.  Surely teachers since saved it or possibly have it stored elsewhere in the School. Even in 78 we used darn little of what had been saved.  Not to mention how much that music is worth today if sold to the right collector.  It could earn the music department some funds to do more today.  I would buy a copy of Handel's Messiah.  Keep us posted on the outcome to the hunt.  (Speaking of reunions – it would be cool to have a 75 to 79 reunion of the chorus.  We had some real talented people, two of which were Achievement Award recipients Gordon Hawkins (76) and Marcia Gay Harden (76) (as you know), among others.  We even had a prayer after each show.  The author was unknown.  It started like this:  "Grant us a common faith that man will know the gift of being one.  The death of prejudice and the new birth of love."  Wow; does anyone remember the rest?  Thanks,  Patti De Lauder Dean (78)"
 
[Ed note:  Each May, the Foundation awards its Charles Waddell Memorial Scholarship to a graduating senior planning to pursue studies in drama, music or the arts.]

6.  INQUIRY ABOUT ALMA MATER SPURS MEMORIES OF FIGHT SONG.  Our inquiry about the no longer lost Alma Mater spurred several readers' memories of the Surrattsville fight song.  It seems to be much more easily brought to mind than the Alma Mater, perhaps because of its regular use at athletic events and its general snappiness!  Many of our readers may remember these inspiring words:
 
"You take an H that stands for Honor
You take an O that stands for One for All
You take an R that stands for Really Fight
You take an N that stands for Never Gonna Lose
You take an E that stands for Ever Win
You take a T that stands for Turn 'em In
You take an S that's Surrattsville, we're gonna win, we really will
Surrattsville High!"
 
(Sung to the melody of The Washington & Lee Swing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MunRLFZIr2Y&feature=related.)
 
The Foundation has provided the School with the lyrics above, and with the the sheet music to the backing tune, so perhaps that great tune will soon become a part of athletic and other events at the School!
 
7.  … AND SPEAKING OF MUSIC.   Our readers who spent the 1960s listening to rock radio might enjoy this internet tip we received from Fred Altiere (71):  "There's more fun "Big Bang" entertainment out there, other than the current popular television series celebrating geeks!
Every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (CT), St. Louis Community Radio, KDHX 88.1FM, streams worldwide via internet (www.kdhx.org) a 1960s-era broadcast style radio show called the "Big Bang Show" hosted by "Dr. Jeff" -- an actual physician.  Catch the feed sometime if you're on line -- You'll feel like you're cruising again with the old car radio blasting, "back in the day!"  Pax/Love, Fred "
 
8.  PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY HANG-OUTS.  We received this email from Susan Melton Loweth (63):  "May I suggest this Youtube video that features lots of local hangouts:  PG County Md Version 2.  Susan"
 
We're guessing that some of the "historic" sites on the video will bring back lots of memories for some of our readers.
 
9.  … AND SPEAKING OF PRINCE'S GEORGES COUNTY.  We received this email from Jackie Kaiser-MacBryde (71):  "I received this on my Facebook account this morning -- rather interesting from the folks who run the Hillcrest Heights-Marlow Heights web site.  "2011 Back to School Dance.  When: October 29, 2011 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.  Invited Classes: 68-80 from Potomac, Suitland, Crossland, Oxon Hill, Friendly, Surrattsville, Central, Douglass, Sasser, Gwynn Park, Lorraine and McNamara.  The American Legion, 3330 Chesapeake Beach Road, Chesapeake Beach, MD. Call Adele, 301-367-7114, for tickets.  Or go to: marlowheights60sand70s to order secure on line. Call Chuck Fraley at 301-825-8824 for details.   $25 price includes your choice of a Mighty Mo or Barn Buster, onion rings or French fries and more, a DJ for music, and door prizes."
 
10.  MORE SURRATT HISTORY-RELATED.  We received this historical tip from Judy Miller (70):  "For the alumni renewing their interest in the Lincoln assassination and Booth's flight through Clinton, I strongly recommend that they start with reading American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies by Michael W. Kauffman.  This book is on Amazon now for $4.  This is the book that everyone else (all the new assassination "experts") takes from.  It is also a very good read.  Everything is well documented rather than just being an author's opinion.  Judy"
 
And some of our readers may have seen the review of "The Conspirator" that appeared in Rolling Stone magazine.  The three-star review noted that "[Director Robert Redford] eases with hypnotic skill into this largely untold tale of American justice [and] deftly weaves a tapestry of the forces at play in a torn country."  The review notes that the movie "provides no definitive answer [to the question of Mary's guilt or innocence]; neither did Mary, who went to the gallows pleading her innocence."


Finally, the entire back cover of this month's AARP magazine is an ad for the just-released "The Conspirator" DVD box set, which contains "five hours of bonus features that will take you inside the story."  It will be interesting to see how Surrattsville figures in the bonus features accompanying the DVD of the movie.  (And the Mary Surratt story would seem to prove this statement from the ad:  "The American Film Company – Founded on the belief that real life is often more compelling than fiction.")
 
11.  CORRECTION TO REFERENCE ON "OLD SCHOOL" AND "NEW SCHOOL" BUILDINGS.   We received these helpful corrections to an observation made in the last e-Notice:  "I just read the September Surratts News and as usual it was very informative.  I do have a comment about item 11.  I graduated in 1961, and our Class moved to the present school building during our junior year.  That would make the class of 1960 the first graduating class at the New School.  Thanks for sending the Surratts News each month; I look forward to reading about where I spent some of the best years of my life.  Betty Jane Hill Osler (61)"
 
"Senator Mike Miller and the rest of the Class of 60 did graduate from the new Surrattsville High School.  We began our senior year in the Old School but transferred to the New School upon its completion from whence we graduated. Rebecca Moyle Hintze (60)"
 
12.  FOUNDATION FACEBOOK PRESENCE CONTINUES TO GROW.  The Foundation's Facebook Group – called "Surrattsville Alumni" – continues to grow, and is now approaching 1300 members.  This is a great, and free, way for folks to stay in touch.  Similarly, the Class-specific Facebook Groups – that have names like "Surrattsville 1969," "Surrattsville 1971,"  "Surrattsville 1973" and the like continue to grow.  Please consider joining the Surrattsville Alumni Group, and your own Class-specific Group, to get the latest news on alumni events.
 
13.  BOOMERANGS AVAILABLE.  The Foundation has a limited supply of yearbooks from 1991, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006.  If you'd like one of these yearbooks (which are available for $15 including shipping and handling), please send me an email to hsmith@smithdowney.com.
 
14.  ALL CLASSES/FACULTY/STAFF DIRECTORIES AVAILABLE.  Thanks to the herculean work of Pat Becker Oles (71), the Foundation's 2000 Alumni/Faculty/Staff Directory has been updated for 2010, and now includes fascinating "what I'm up to" paragraphs from those who submitted directory information.  If you would like a copy of the Directory, send a $20 check payable to the Foundation to:  Henry Smith, One W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 950, Towson, MD 21204.
 
15.  "SURRATTSVILLE ALUMNI" WINDOW STICKERS AVAILABLE.  Pat Becker Oles (71) also kindly handles the Foundation's "Surrattsville Alumni" window stickers project.  Pat notes that the stickers are not the "static cling type," that stick to the inside of a window.  Instead, they are the "stick to the outside type," that can stick on a window or bumper, and use "repositional adhesive" (meaning no sticky residue).  Information about purchasing the stickers can be found on the web site at surrattsville.org.
 
16.  CLASS OF 97 PLANS REUNION.  The Class of 97 is busy planning its 15 year reunion for mid-summer 2012.    The Class has a web page at http://shs1997reunion.blogspot.com/2011/05/shs-class-of-1997-2012-15yr-reunion.html.  Please contact Monica Crown at monicacrown@gmail.com if you would like information on the event or if you have any contact info for members of the Class of 97 or their families.
 
 
 
Here's hoping your Fall season is off to a fantastic start!  Henry Smith (71)
 
 
 
MANY THANKS TO THESE DONORS TO THE 2011 CAMPAIGN!
 
Patricia Becker Oles (71)
Steve Profilet (71)
Bob Marr (71)
Debbie Cox Marr (72)
Thomas V. Mike Miller (60)
Vicky Simontacchi Young (57)
Valerie Parker Allard (73)
Bob Freitas (70)
Linda Dorsey Blum (66)
Coach Lew Jenkins
Helen Bovbjerg Niedung (54)
Melissa Gilcrest (69)
Henry Smith (71)
Donna Rae Sturtevant Smith (70)
Susan Loweth Melton (63)
Judy Gordon Mentlik (65), In memory of Gloria Grady (65), Linda Soper (65) and my 65 "brother," Richard Gordon (65)
Patti Williams Makielski (74), In memory of Kathy Williams Sheppard (76)
Judy Crawley Gibson (71), In memory of Debbie Bastek (71), "a tough cookie who is gone too soon"
Duke Coleman (53)
Carmen Gines Frotton (65), In memory of Richard Gordon (65)
Paul Rickett (69)
Gloria Blandford Rickett (71)
Tom and Sally Travis (72)
Lawrence Romjue (57), In memory of Lois Marie Osgood (57), "26 miles – Santa Catalina"
Richard Grace (81), In memory of Rhonda Nairn (81)
Mike Blair (71)
Suzan Martz Holmquist (62)
Patrick McMenamin (71)
Vicky Simontacchi Young (57)
Lee Hessberg (68)
Lois Barrett Hessberg (70)
Carol Fite Mothershead (65)
Larry Mothershead (65)
Mike Boyle (69)
Jim Casswell
Bonnie Harris
Scott Sonntag (71)
John Shultz (80)
Kelly Shultz (83)
Paul Monaghan (59)
Vicki Forsht Williams (65, and former faculty), In memory of Eugene Colgan and Marie Grouby 
Marie O'Clair, In memory of Marie Grouby
Jean White Monroe (71)
Vera Twigg
Anne Noyes (former faculty)
Pamela Buckingham (70)
Leslie St. Clair (70)
Judy Miller (70)
Donna Mitroff (57), In memory of  Nancy Drevenak Dickinson (60)
David Kraus (65)
Debra Villari
Lee Pascasio
Nancy Lapin LoBianco (65), In memory of Sarah (Sally Lang) Knight (66)
Richard Duke (47), In memory of James Paul Duke, Jr. (40)