Ann Shepard (Rueve)

I went to two elementary schools, 1-3 at Columbian, with Phil Penn and Harry Martin, and 4-6 at Evanston, with D. Roger Dixon (and Shelby Sanders, Joann Swan and Martin Presley, whose Effie pictures are in the Remembancer, but not later). 
Phil and I were just talking the other day, that we shared the same experience at Columbian. We didn't finish kindergarten. He can tell his story himself. My experience was a brief two days, when I refused to drink WHITE milk (I only drank chocolate) and, I refused to lie on a scratchy wool blanket on the floor to take a nap! I was only four at the time and wouldn't be five until late November. The principal thought it best for me not to return. Fortunately the following year, I was permitted to go directly into first grade without having to repeat kindergarten. I loved my time at Columbian and hated to leave after we moved. Like Dale, we had a school song:
C-O-L-U-M-B-I-A-N.. Columbian we sing, Columbian again, sing praises to the school we love so well. Sing praises to the school we love. All for one and one for all, we stand on honor's call.  Hail! Hail! Columbian we sing thy praises  Hail! Hail! Hail! 

Unlike Columbian, Evanston School only had a lunch room but no cafeteria with prepared lunch, so either you brought lunch with you, went home for lunch, or bought lunch at the White Castle across the street. I may have mentioned that there was a diner across the street from the school, but black kids weren't allowed in until my sixth grade year. 

Our education, back in our day, was excellent. The times were so different. Teachers were teachers and our parents supported their efforts.  Our parents also supplemented our classroom education at home. I have great memories. I was even chosen to be in the May Festival Children's Chorus and participated in the All City Children's Choir that sang at a musical event at the Cincinnati Garden. My brother was in the All City orchestra at that same event.

Paul Simons

Just a note of thanks to Ann, Gail and anyone else who worked on graphics of the elementary school origins of the WHHS64 species. Truly fine work!

Stephen Collett

Wow, so many elementary schools. I had no idea. 

I went to Hyde Park, in a very segregated mileu. My first meeting with our Black and Jewish classmates was 7th grade. Wow, what an opening. I wish I had done more to work for us crossing these lines in the social sphere in our years together. But hey, my Jewish friends renamed me (Stephen Swartz) and took me along to their youth club. 

Stephen

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

Just remember Steve, your sister Jane was my big sister. She took me to your house. My house in Evanston wasn't a long way from yours, but Hyde Park, in 1957 really was MILES away.

Florence (Now Jean) Ager

KINDERGARTEN

    Like Ann Rueve, I dropped out of kindergarten. I was allergic to milk and refused naps.

MISS DOHERTY’S
       I began Miss Doherty’s in 1st grade. I learned more within this cozy, structured, old -fashioned setting than any other place. Early introduction to French, ancient history, reading the Iliad and classical drawing instruction suited my imagination. Intermingling with the upper school girls provided  perspective on growing up. The faculty probably lacked formal teacher training and thus emphasized content over approach. Their idiosyncrasies added to the atmosphere. For example, our French teacher required students to leave the room to sneeze! I think we were expected to rise when she entered the room .

      Miss Doherty's  allowed me to claim a certain individualism. When my affluent classmates wrote of their exotic trips, I wrote tongue-in-cheek about my highlight of the summer. It was a tour through the maze of rodent crossed paths in the city dump which culminated in a view of 3 magnificant totem poles. I won prizes for poems and stories about life in the country inspired by family weekend trips. The passion fo depict a unique point of view has remained throughout my life and is now expressed in painting. 

       Manners were paramount at Doherty’s. In 2nd grade I once went to the school office to buy 2 pencils. Considering this a business transaction, I asked the headmistress, “May I have 2 pencils.? “ Miss Jones responded , “Please.” I assumed that this elderly lady had a hearing problem. Thus, I repeated the same request louder. I was punished by expulsion for the rest of the day. At that time and place respect for authority was most important and my parents never intervened. I processed this and other misunderstandings with a sort of valor.

       In 5th grade another possibly traumatic event occurred. A classmate, upset that she was not included on a play date,  pushed me against a locker, hands clasped around my neck. Worse yet, my best friend sided with the “bully” -- possibly for self-protection!  That same year some 8th graders set up wrestling dyads during recess as other students stood around in a circle to watch and cheer. Were such episodes related to single gender education? 

KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
     After 5th grade my family moved to Pleasant Ridge as my father (a public school teacher) insisted for his reputation and  for my normalization that I attend public school. Sixth grade did not seem school at all. We listened to chapters of a science fiction book in home room, met in groups to design space ships, were able to attend a religion class at the local Presbyterian Church. My parents thought the latter inappropriate, and would not support my attendance. Most classmates did go and got early access to the penney candy store across the street. It was a year of fun and I only feared gym when the leather horses and climbing ropes appeared.

SHRODER JR. HIGH:
    At Shroder Jr. High, elementary friendships shattered as cliques formed. In seventh grade a boy routinely sought me out in lunch line and  got inappropriately close.  My mother told the counselor but nothing changed. We hid under our desks during air raid drills,  but I don't think  the students took these seriously. In fact, we were beginning to question adult judgement in general, this leading to bursts of peer revolt and "smart aleck" remarks. When the counselor gathered us to discusss a rule infraction, and said  that Hell was filled with good intentions, there was a murmor of "She should know," from the back of the room. I don’t recall any teachers or academic details of those 2 years. The academic aspects seemed lost in the cloud of popularity and being a "brain" was a deterrant. 

WALNUT HILLS;
    My parents insisted that I transfer to Walnut Hills in 9th grade. Again, it was possible to identify as a student. Miss Keegan’s English class was the most memorable. I was shy about breaking into the new student milieu so sometimes skipped lunch and sat in that classroom, writing my "novel." It was slso a treat to be excused from study hall to explore the library. I recall sitting on a sunlit bench and reading  “Silent Spring" and "Atlas Shrugged."  Lacking the prospect of going away to college, I was annoyed by what seemed constant emphasis upon college selection. My protective parents worried about my walking alone to the bus stop. Thus, I could not take part in any  after school -activity.  Seeking independence, an after-class life, and escaping the college competition,  I scooped up the invitation to attend Western College a year early.

Nelson Abanto

I am very impressed with the photos of all the "feeder schools" particularly my alma mater, Whittier.  Whittier burned to the ground the day I graduated and so I can't imagine how anyone came up with that picture.

Philip Spiess

Nelson:  I firmly believe that there is no such thing as "coincidence."  Knowing your propensity for operatic and therefore dramatic endings, is there any connection between your last day of school and the last day of Whittier Elementary?

[Note:  You can find photographs (sometimes postcard views) of most Cincinnati public schools, including ones long gone, on the Internet fairly easily.  Just put in the full name of the school, followed by "Cincinnati," and voila!]

Jeff Daum

Ah Philip, you said it better than I was thinking (sorry Nelson ),

Laura Reid (Pease)

Jean Ager, I loved reading about your education....fascinating.  How did you like Western?

Laura Reid (Pease)

By now, you have hopefully received the "Save the Date" postcard about our long awaited reunion in June.  I have talked to several classmates who have already made their airline/hotel reservations.  If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or Sandy either on this forum or by email.  Our addresses are on the postcard.  If you did not receive a card, please let me know.

We are so excited to finally be convening again in Cincinnati and can't wait to see you ALL!!!

Becky Payne (Shockley)

About Kindergarten: I had to repeat it!

First, I did drop out of Mrs Benton's nursery school at Immanual church, after she occused me of using a bad word and sent me upstairs to take a solitary nap. (At 3, I didn't know any bad words!) My parents trired to take me back, but I refused, so they gave in. (I later learned that my older brother had an even worse experience there: Mrs. B caught him tinkering with the thermostat, so she bandaged his hands!! Somehow he toughted it out after that...!

Then at 4, I attended kindergarten at Lotspeich. Since my mom was teaching piano there, my tuition was free - and I liked the class a lot. But the next year she stopped teaching there, so I transferred to Clifton. Since I didn't turn 5 till December, They put me in Kindergarten with Mrs Spiller, and I liked that a lot, too. (Fortunately that was the only grade I had to repeat!)

Steven Levinson

Becky, when you were apparently entering kindergarten at Lotspeich, I was in Kindergarten at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Mass.  When you were swiitched to Clifton, I was entering the second semester of first grade at Lotspeich.  Louise Korn was the music/piano teacher.  I liked her very much.  Was she your moher's successor?

Philip Spiess

Becky:  Having grown up in Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Clifton, at an early age I attended Sunday School under Mrs. Benton (though not the weekday program).  She was assisted by Mrs. Runk (Susan Runk's mother), who also served as cook during the week.  Mrs. Benton's program was conducted in the old Victorian house just south of Immanuel Church on Clifton Avenue, the Kreimer house, which the church owned (I have some ornate door hinges and some etched glass lamp globes from a chandelier in the dining room), on the site since occupied by the modern extension to the church.  There was a grape arbor leading from the back kitchen door of the house to a barn, stable, or wooden garage at the back edge of the property (I was never in it).

The present website of Immanuel Presbyterian Church states that it has a large "Child Development Center," which was founded by "Mrs. Margaret Benton" in 1929, and that she ran it for forty years.  (From what you say, today her style of punishment would not be tolerated.  I simply remember her as a rather crusty woman who brooked no nonsense.)  Her son "Tiffy" Benton (full name:  Roland Tiffany Benton) was one of my earliest "best" friends; I remember attending his birthday party at a very early age.  He lived, at least then, in a large apartment building on the north side of Howell Avenue (his father was a train executive at Union Terminal), and he was in many of our classes at Clifton School.  I had lost touch with Tiffy for years until a few years ago when he contacted me through e-mail.  He's a retired fire fighter (including responding to bomb situations) living in Nevada, and he sent my son some firefighting items when my son was still a firefighter (he's the one who also sent me the pieces of the Kreimer house).

I was in Kindergarten with you at Clifton School.  Mrs. Spiller only became "Mrs. Spiller" in the middle of the year when she got married.  We bought our Cocker Spaniel puppy from her.  And most of the Clifton School rooms had pianos in them -- I remember Mrs. Spiller playing.  (I don't think my 1st grade teacher, Miss Scarborough, had one or played.)  I don't remember our 2nd grade teacher in "the Colonies," Miss Lane, playing the piano either, but she had one in her room I know, because you played it in 2nd grade.

Stephen (Steve) Dixon

Please let me add my kudos to Ann and Gail for all their work on compiling the feeder school information. Also to all of those who have had any part in keeping this forum going, and those planning the reunion.

As of today, I intend to make it to the June gathering. I hope to be there for both functions on Saturday.

I came to Walnut, as the poster shows, from Mt. Washington Elementary, along with a sterling group of folks. I think that maybe Jill Bertsche also came with us, but she moved out of Cincinnati after a couple of years so that may be why she didn't get on the list. I had done 1st and 2nd Grade at Maple Avenue Elementary in Danville KY, moving to Cincy in February of 1954 and being plunked down in Mrs. Merton's 2nd Grade class across the table from Pam Hall. That made the transition a little more pleasant.

Alas, the powers at AT&T transferred my dad again, in August of 1963. This time we went to Atlanta, so I did not get to enjoy my senior year with the rest of you. Dale Siemer's parents offered to let me live with them for that school year so that I could finish at Walnut Hills. But my mother was having none of that., having dealt with the blowback from many of the antics that Dale and I had concocted going way back to our days at Mt. Washington. And she only knew about 15% of the whole story.

I will try adding a couple of other photos of Mt. Washington. One only shows part of the building but is, IMO, a better representation than the B&W image on the poster. If I can run it down, the other photo will show a group of us on a visit back to our old elementary school when we were about 60.




Front Row:  Carolyn Ahlert, Jill Bertsche, Nancy Kemp
Back Row:  Jerry Blake, Pam Hall, Ray Heithaus, Me

I apologize to all of you ladies for constantly using maiden names. To the extent that I can remember names at all, that is how you are imprinted on my brain, just as you were when you dazzled me throughout the halls and classrooms of old Walnut Hills.

Sandy Steele (Bauman)

Steve,  what a fun picture. I will see Pam Hall Steves next week for lunch in Sarasota, along with Steve Sanger and hopefully Gene Stern. Looking forward to seeing everyone in June!

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

Jean, very interesting story. I have a dear friend and colleague, Marjorie Davis, who attended Mrs. Doherty's. I wonder if you remember her. 

Florence (Now Jean) Ager

Becky Payne (Shockley)

Steve: Thanks for the info about Lotspeich. I do remember a lady in the Keyboard Club named  Louise Corn(n) - but I don't think I ever knew about Mother's successor at Lotspeich. Anyway, it was a great school.

Becky Payne (Shockley)

Phil: Thanks for your memories of Immanuel Church nursey school. (I don't remember that Victorian house but I must have been in it) I do remember Tiffy Benton, who seemed like a nice kid (even though I thought his mother was a witch!) Fun that you remember me playing piano in Miss Lane's 2nd grade class. I adored Miss Lane and thought she was beautiful! I also remember getting some puppets for Christmas and writing a puppet show to present in class. I guess it was okay but it was censored: I had one character telling another to "Shut Up!" and she made me change it to "Hush up" - but I was okay with that. 

Philip Spiess

Well, Becky!  You've just admitted to your "bad word" that Mrs. Benton censured you for!  [P.S.:  The Kreimer house must have been torn down ca. 1959-1960.]  Also, I think that the piano piece you played in 2nd grade was something called "Playera," but perhaps it was "The Spinning Song" (though I think you were way beyond that by that time).  Note:  The piano was located in the southwest corner of the room, blocking the window behind it that looked out on "The Pit."

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

Steve and Dale, the pictures I posted above of the "feeder school" were screenshots of pdf files I had saved when I made the posters for our last reunion. Those files can't be edited. However, several days ago, I found an old thumb drive on which I saved the feeder school files in both Word and pdf. I can now edit the posters. I have already updated the Westwood School picture with one of the pictures on Dale's profile page. Steve, I'll replace Mt. Washington with the picture you posted above. I also corrected Fred Hoeweler to College Hill. If anyone has any other updates or corrections, let me know. I plan to go to the printer by the end of April (I have a 20% off coupon). 

Stephen (Steve) Dixon

Sandy, please say 'Hi,' to Pam for me. And Gene, et al. I hope you have a fun lunch.

Ann, thanks for the extra work sprucing up the image of good old Mt. Washington Elementary. I always thought it was a pretty majestic edifice. And we had some great teachers there. Never had a bad one.

Although, Miss Ernst, my teacher in 3rd Grade, pretty much never called me anything but 'Little Fella.' Not what a guy likes to hear.

Jon Singer

North Avondale Elem. had a morning and an afternoon K class. Although I'm sure they engaged us in somethings educational, I only remember playground activities and naps.  Our teacher chose one child to come forward and "lead" nap time.  I suspect they were honored for some aspect of good behavior or cheerful embrace of life. My parents advised that I was wrestling with too many complexities of youth and exhibited far too much temperamental incontinence. No foundation for leadership.  Despite my desire to perch on the cherished mat before my peers, I was never chosen from among my full-flowered do-gooders. In contrast to stories above, I don't think drinking of milk was part of the equasion of my failure.

I am encouraged to make entries in the check book but denied the opportunity to alter the math.  I have made far too many subtraction errors.  This deficit is the direct result of Ms. Downing. She was a physically imposing woman who had (in my estimate) an aggressive demeanor. I was more frightened of her than a rabid mastiff.  She taught us "new math" and I could not capture many of the concepts.  To this day, I can not see how a large number can take away from a smaller number. Who tells you that you can borrow from the adjacent column?  I will not cast a repressive net around this woman.  She probably was revelatory.  It was me, not her.

Mr. Bagnoli was our collective all-time champion, not because of his teaching efforts, but his broader narration of life.  His second job was building and co-ownership of Spring Grove Bowl.  He encouraged us to visit as often as possible expending a dollar for 3 games.  This was comparable pricing to hand-set pins at Felson's (a bus ride to Reading Rd in South Avondale) but Bagnoli had installed automatic pin devices and air purification.  If you didn't mind the potential loss of your lunch money (26 cents), you could place a quarter bet with Mr. Bagnoli on any sporting event.  At least once a week, he would gather winners and losers in his automobile and drive us to St. Bernard UDF where either he bought your malt or you bought his shake. By all metrics, this clashed with common sense, but think of the purity of the 50's.

Philip Spiess

Apparently I'm not the only one who has thought about on-line purchasing and the boxes lining up at the front door [see Spiess, Post # 6210 (12-24-22) and Ager Post # 6214 (12-25-22)].  The current issue of Blue Ridge Country magazine (XXXVI, nos. 3/4), March/April, 2023, has an article, "Confession:  What Would the Grandmas Say?  And Do?" by Molly Dugger Brennan (pp. 8-9), about being addicted -- particularly during COVID -- to browsing on line, then finding things you don't really need on line, and purchasing them on line -- only to have them be delivered by Amazon and stack up at your door in cardboard boxes (and she piles them onto her historic, massive dining room table, inherited from Grandma -- which promptly breaks under the weight).  What would Grandma say?  (I know what mine would have said -- "What is Amazon?")  

Stephen Collett

So are we planning a dance? I havent got the program yet. I hope so.