Thomas Lounds Jr.

Thank you Phillip and Richard for taking me off the hook for my not having been the only "dumb ass" who had gotten so much into taking the buses to school that I forgot--until I got home--that I had driven my own car to school that day.  Not until my Mom said , " Where's your car? "  After another bus trip back to school did I discover it ( a '46 Dodge 4-door that I bought with my own money earned by taking care of several yards in Mariemont) sitting forelornly in the front drive.  Also, thank you for identifying DeSales Corner as the place where I would transfer to the bus that went down to Blair Ave. Two thoughts that were triggered by your comments :  First, am I correct in remembering that DeSales corner was the coldest and windiest place on the face of the earth at 7:15 AM on a typical January school day in Cincy?  Second, did you get that first car while you were at Walnut and what was it?  

Philip Spiess

St. Francis de Sales!  I'm doing this from memory, because my references are buried in our library "stacks" (as I've mentioned before, an archaeological dig), but the tower of St. Francis de Sales Church contains the largest free-swinging bell in the United States (the largest bell in the world is the Tsar Kolokol in the Kremlin, but it has a large piece broken out of it, so it won't ring).  Cast by the Van Duzen Co. of Cincinnati, it weighs 35,000 pounds and was installed in the steeple in 1895; it is known as "Big Joseph."  It was rung by swinging only once -- and was heard for over a mile and a half, cracked windows throughout the neighborhood, and caused cement to drop from the steeple.  Hence it was determined to stabilize the bell, and since then it has only been rung by hitting the bell with a hammer.  The church is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

[P.S.:  My first car, Mr. Lounds, was a Nash Rambler, which I only received when I went away to graduate school in the Fall of 1968.]

Sharon Baum (Covitz)

Susan Patterson (Schramm)

I started out riding the Kissel bus that first picked up the gang from College Hill.  By the time it came down Hamilton Ave. to ( horrors!) Northside, it was totally full and we stood in the door well.  College Hill and Northside had their own rivalry, NS coming out on the bottom.  Eventually, I gave up the private bus for public buses, the 17 to Knowltons Corner, then something, I think a 61, to Hughes Corner, a 31 to Pebbles Corner then something (53 ?) to Blair ave then the 2 block walk to the back of school.  Loved that direct bus from the circle to Knowltons Corner after school, just ride the 17 up the hill!  And we did it all carrying ALL those books in our arms......never would have used a book bag or backpack....way too cool for that! 

Sherri Baum ...what store did your dad have on Hamilton Ave?

Ira Goldberg

Senior Year, i was fortunate to drive my grandfather's '56 Buick. We lived in Bond Hill on Carolina Ave, thus i must have zipped past Steve Royal's house on Joseph St. to Reading Rd., down to Victory Pkwy. at Avon Fields Golf Course, to eventually park at the temporary classrooms. Prior to that, my Uncle, Joe Simons, taught at WHHS and took me and his kids forth and back, but I'm unsure about the streets. I, too, Shari, had to walk in the deep snow on bitter days, usually all the way to their house - 200 feet! Or, did he drive past? The routes are relegated to memory history, but must have included Paddock Rd. to Reading, Dana, etc. There were days of bussing it home from Montgomery Rd. through Norwood, and so on, but few.

Jean Snapp (Miller)

Mr. Lounds, I walked about 1/2 mile from my house in Pleasant Ridge to Montgomery Rd. to catch the #4, then walk down Blair Ave. to school.  About 30-45 minutes altogether depending on the Montgomery Rd. traffic. Sometimes, Dr. Jolly across the street would drive my sister and I to school. I remember many eventful rides home in Michelle Bierne's VW Beetle.  At least 6 of us. 

Gene Stern

I lived in College Hill from my freshman year on and was able to drive my '56 Ford station Wagon to WHHS with three paying passengers: Churchill McKinney, Judy Bosken and Judi Ward. I charged them $1/ week!  Of course, gas was only 25 cents per gallon!  Prior to being able to drive it was a real pain to get home. Either I had to take a bus downtoen and then transfer to a bus that stopped a mile from my home or I hitch hiked. Once when no one picked me up I actually walked all the way home.

Driving in the snow was always an adventure since there are so few flat streets. One day I broke the linkage on my manual transmission and drove all the way to WHHS from College Hill in first gear, but I got all of us safely to school and on time.

Laura Reid (Pease)

Gene, after my family moved from Mt. Lookout to College Hill, I got a ride with you also, but sometimes with Rick McAllister and Sharon.  I think you charged me $5 for joining late.....

Barbara Kahn (Tepper)

When I went to Bond Hill Elementary we walked down Anita Place and cut through the Catholic Church property to get to school.  One of the high spots was Brightholly's candy store after school and whenever our mom would let us go.  I moved in the middle of the fourth grade to Amberly and Losantiville Elementary.  We walked to school there too.  

To get to Walnut Hills our parents got together and paid for a bus from Amberly for a while. I also remember riding with Stephy Riger so maybe we had a carpool there too.  

I was 15 when we moved again, a few streets away.  I think we might have gone to carpool as some of us started driving.  My sister and I rode with the Kaplan sisters (Renee and Paula)  but not sure who else.  

To get home we took the city bus to Golf Manor and walked the rest or took a bus to Section and Reading and walked.  Both distances were rather long but I don't think I ever measured it.  

On my day to drive I sometimes had to go to Madisonville to pick up my mom where she taught art in an elementary school.  My dad dropped her in the mornings so I could have the car.  She didn't start working at Walnut Hills until after I graduated.  My mother, Irene Kahn, was the person who began the alumni association in the very infancy of its creation.  

Mr. Lounds - a question for you....Did you ever work at Shillito's?  I'm not sure if this was the store but I have a  hazy memory of seeing you at a department store and going over to say hello - excited to see you outside of school.  

8/5/15  

I found some pictures from our Peanuts class play and want to post them but not sure where.  I will try to do it here and I'm sure someone will let me know where it is supposed to be. 

Gene Stern

Hi Laura:  I do remember you in the car with us, but are you sure about the $5?

Larry Klein

Gene, I think YOU should have paid LAURA $5 to ride in your carpool.  Even THAT might not have covered the entertainment value.

Gene Stern

Yes Larry, I had an interesting ride with four beautiful women...regardless of what the charge was!

Bruce Fette

Beautiful Intelligent, Charming, as many of the wonderful girls in our class. But 5:1 is unfair odds!

Ira Goldberg

I don't know about odds, but ... as far as compound interest goes, when Gene returns that $5, Laura is going to be a very happy camper! In any case, this has been great entertainment for the past several days.

Larry Klein

Gene, if only I had known - I'd have been extremely jealous.

Ira, yes.  Very entertaining and informative.  And we have none other than the infamous Mr. Lounds to thank for starting the thread.  Let's hear a class Hoorah for Mr. Lounds!!!

Laura Reid (Pease)

Loved reading about the inequity in travel charges by Gene; actually I got exactly the reaction I was hoping for.....to be very honest, I have no idea what Gene charged me; I was very grateful for the ride and would have paid whatever amount.  I also rode with Dick Goettle some; he was a year ahead of us I believe. All I remember is how ticked off I would be if I missed my ride because it was a long ride home on the city bus......

Laura Reid (Pease)

Philip Spiess

That doesn't look like a long ride home by bus  -- that looks like fun!  (Or maybe a classic ride at old Coney?)

David Buchholz

Now that Dr. Palmer has contacted authorities about his killing of the beloved lion, Cecil, I have felt it incumbent upon me to do the same.  (The heat is on).  I shot a lion, too. I didn't have to pay $55,000 to do it. I didn't need a permit or guides; I didn't have to track him for forty hours. One clean shot. I didn't decapitate him, and the only trophy I took home from the shoot is this. I still have this, and as far as I know he still has his life. 

Thomas Lounds Jr.

Please, please, please call me Tom, not Mr. Lounds.  You've earned that right certainly by being the Class of 1964.  Besides, here in the South, that's what people do any way .  I' ve. even had to fight that battle with official correspondence.  More than a few people immediately resort to Tom when the more formal Thomas or Mr. Lounds  would be more appropriate.  Speaking of the South, an awful lot of us are overjoyed that that flag is down .  As our Governor said " No one should pass the State House and feel pain". 

You certainly dug in on my interest in how you got to school.  What a class!   May I change the subject a bit?  Recently a number of colleges have announced they will no longer require SAT scores as part of the admission protocol.  Good idea or bad?  What will this mean for WHHS ?

I don't remember the specifics but yes, I may have worked at Shillitos during a summer because Teachers--Walnut Hills or not--did not make a lot.  Most summers I was a surgical technician at Jewish Hospital where I "passed instruments" in surgery or assisted in using surgical techniques to bring needed materials to the actual surgery.  Great experience in practical physiology..   

Back to the school experience.  Did you have any printable nicknames for any of your teachers or fellow students.  Linda, ask your brother, David, about the teacher we called "Boom-boom"  or. the one we called  "Horribly Handsome". Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Philip Spiess

Of course, we called that perennial substitute teacher, Miss Kincaid, "Old Ski Jumps," for the all-too-obvious reasons.  Miss Schweikert was "Mighty Mabel the Midget," and she knew it, something we found out one day at lunch when a group of us were waiting outside the classroom next to hers.  I had just asked Jeff Rosen (or was it Dale Gieringer?) if he wanted to come over after school, and he responded, "I might, maybe," just as Miss Schweikert went by.  She thought he had said, "Hi, Mighty Mabel!" and she whacked him with her cane, then whirled him into her classroom so fast he didn't know what hit him.  We didn't see him for the rest of the day.  And Miss Kitzmann (German) was usually known as "Die Frau."  (Oh, and Mr. Arcelisi, I believe -- I never had him -- was known as "the Silver Fox.")

Jerry Ochs

Wasn't there a teacher nicknamed El Zorro?  

Ann Shepard (Rueve)

(Lord forgive me...) Some called the art teacher, Mr. Sowell, who went to CPS as art administrator, "Sister Mole". 

Ira Goldberg

Phil, Mr. Arcilisi eventually became a Priest in Western Kentucky. Recalling a late PM class when he pulled down a shade to find a drawing of himself with the words "...the fox," I suppose we drove him to a kinder place.

Philip Spiess

So the fox took cover.