Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

Hey yall I'm just catching up. 

Roger, we didn't move to MM until I was in the 6th grade. Yes, the bus stop was in front of our house. Mom would even let yall wait inside the front door when the weather was bad. One of us would have to watch out the front bay window or the bus would drive on by.

Girls, remember that we weren't allowed to wear pants to school? They relented during the winter, I think after some parents complained. We were allowed to wear pants under our dresses at the bus stop but we had to take them off when we entered the school. 

The bus was better than what you describe, Roger, but I didn't like riding it. At Stevens I walked with Jeannie Freeman and others. I didn't remember that the school is on the same street we lived on - Chantilly - until I went back during our reunion last year and drove around the old neighborhood.

I guess by the time I moved to MM things had changed because I don't remember all the horsey stuff yall have talked about. I loved horses and surely would have been in the middle of it had I known. Or maybe my horse bug didn't bite until 7th grade when I worked in the library at Black and discovered The Black Stalion series. In high school Carol Chappel (sp?) and I spent hours at Memorial Stables riding and helping take care of the horses for a free hour every now and then. Anyone know what happened to Carol?

Roger Felton

I can relate, Sandy.  We moved to MM when I was in the 4th grade.  My previous school was much newer, too, so Cooley was quite a culture shock.  After my first glimpse of the building, I was thankful that it didn't have a dirt floor and the roof didn't leak.  Having electricity, indoor plumbing and no razor wire around the perimeter were surprises I was always thankful for.

Wish Id'a known you loved horses.  I would have put you on the back of that go cart and zip over to that little ranch/zoo and introduced you to Cornell.  You'd have your pick of any of the three they had and ride every day if you wanted.  You'd have to saddle 'em yourself though and then put the saddle back in the barn.  I don't think you'd have minded the grunt work.  You just couldn't ride the Brahma bulls unless you wore a helmet and tied a pillow to your butt.

I'm sure glad they let the guys wear pants to school.  Standing in front of your house in my BVD's waiting for that tin can of a school bus in the winter would have been a bit nippy.  Maybe I coulda wore a cute little black dress if I promised to take it off when I got to Cooley.

Speaking of that bus, I think it was determined that the one I had remembered was a "back-up" bus.  I think that meant that it ran best when it was backing up.  Riding that death trap was a thrill we enjoyed only when the regular bus was "in the shop" (wink wink).  My theory is HISD would occasionally miss a payment or two and have to get the good bus out of hock when it got repo'd.  They were on a pretty tight budget in them days, ya know. Since you didn't move to the hood until the 6th grade, you probably missed all the excitement.

What they should have done is drill a bunch of 6" holes in the bus's floor so the kids could stick their little legs through like Fred Flintstone.  That way, we could literally "take the bus to school".  With the pitty patter of little feet we'd be rolling down Mangum Rd. shouting "Yabba Dabba Doo!".  

Joyce Barta (Bayersdorfer)

Sandy, so that's how I got that scar on my arm! I remember breaking the window but not the details.  Had to have a few stitches, still evident--they weren't so careful about stitching cuts back then.  It was probably Sharon's fault (ha!).  Guess I'll hear from hear about that.

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

Yeah, Joyce, I didn't see/hear or just don't remember the whole thing but Sharon was the dipper and you were the dippee.  Glass broke. Lots of laughter until someone realized you were bleeding. Oopsey. It doesn't hurt until you see the blood - right? I hadn't had as much fun at Stevens in several years as I had at Cooley in 6th grade.  At least that's what I remember now. :-) 

Roger Felton

I remember that, in the 6th grade, they moved me over to a new school called Sinclair?  I was in the first graduating class and felt like a big shot.  Anybody else go there?

Stephen Ray Puckett

I went to Sinclair also and was part of the same 1st graduation class.  You can see our class photo in 'The Wonder Years' section.  As I recall, the names listed under the image needs revising somewhat.  Anyway, here are some images from the graduation booklet:

Sharon Froehner (Mueller)

Sandy, I'm so impressed with your memory!!!  I have absolutely no memory of any of this but I'm sure you and Joyce are right and I have just chosen to forget that I was ever a trouble instigator or problem child.  I have always remembered all of us being perfect little angels!!  It does make me happy to think that you enjoyed being with us at Cooley.  I have always had very fond memories of those years.  

Stephen, I'm absolutey astounded by all the memorabilia that you have in your possession.  I'm not even sure where my college annuals are stored and you are able to post pictures from elementary school on a moments notice!!  Very impressive!!

Anita Marbury (Marbury)

Steven

I think I see Bill Kessler and Walter Etie in some of the Tradewind photos. I loved to skate and the lights were

always amazing to me. It was the hot spot for all of us.  The kids from my side of town almost lived at the skate rink. I have terrific memories of flirtations, friendships, and fun at the Tradewinds. When I'm in town I always drive by to catch a glimpse of our youth.

I went to Waltrip to donate newspapers from the Kennedy assassination to the library in April. I made a good choice for the papers. The librarian was very  gracious.

Thank you Steven Puckett for all the photos. I love the walk down memory lane. Yes, we were lucky to live and grow up in those Wonder Years!  I look forward to the remodel completion of Waltrip. The reunion was so very special  for the out of town kids.

Thank you Suzie and Linda for all the legs in preparation for the reunion.

Happy Trails,

Sweetie

Stephen Ray Puckett

Speaking of Cooley, a nearby store was "Andy's" on 16th & Rutland.   Here's the distinctive building today:

You could buy Chum Gum from Helen, the counter lady

Roger Felton

Thanks Sweetie.  Bill Kessler was a really nice guy as I remember.  Reaching back into my foggy memory I think I remember his dad was a city councilman or something back then.  I think his dad got in some kind of trouble for doing something but I was too young to understand or remember what it was...or if I'm even right about that.  Some kid said something aloud on the bus about his dad and I could see Bill was hurt.  As his friend I never asked what that was about.  Maybe just some kid being mean I suppose.

James King

Roger, According to adult conversation I heard when I was in sixth or seventh grade, Bill Kessler's dad, George, was a city councilman who allegedly was involved in a scandal.  The Kessler family moved from thier house on Mangum around '62.  Bill joined the Harris County Sheriff's Department and had a distinquished career.

Roger Felton

Thanks James.  I just Googled George Kesseler and he seemed to be a fine man.  That's what several people who knew him said.  I never knew Bill went into law enforcement but I bet his service was outstanding.

Stephen Ray Puckett

1957 - fire insurance map of the Oak Forest Shopping Center, 43rd & Ella.  This place was just a bike ride away for me. 

I don't remember a bowling alley but folks assure me that one was there for a while.

Tom Britton

Yes...there was a bowling alley just down from Talley Record Shop. My parents took us kids there every Friday night. We played pinball while they bowled on the league.

Larry MacTavish

KESSLER MOVED TO CLEAR LAKE WHERE HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL. HIS OLDER SISTER WAS MARRIED TO COACH MAX WILSON. HE WAS A GOOD GUY. DON't KNOW WHERE HE IS NOW.

William Jewel Howard, Jr.

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Carolyn Johnson (Blake)

Hi William, I remember the bowling alley well, as the forbidden zone!  To say my beloved mother was old fashioned and straight laced would be putting it mildly. I, as a girl, was never allowed to go into the bowling alley. One time I slipped in with some friends for just a moment, to see what it was all about, and I remember how much fun it looked. But sigh....I couldn't partake. Does anyone remember the really great hamburger place right next to it? I can still taste those burgers. And what was the name of that dime store in the same strip mall? I used to spend an hour at least in there every Saturday spending my 50 cent allowance.

Carolyn

Tom Britton

The burger place next to the bowling alley was Millers.

Steven Jay Stoneburner

Millers then moved to 43rd I think off TC Jester wher Just A Burger is now

Larry MacTavish

The name of the drug store was Mading's. I don't remember Wilson's middle name.

Larry MacTavish

WILSON BECAME HEAD COACH AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH. He DIED 10 OR SO YEARS AGO. I KNOW HE GRADUATED FROM REAGAN and believe he played baseball at U OF H.

Roger Felton

The only bowling alley I can remember in my area was DelMar Lanes.  Learned to bowl there and had some great times.  Dad was the guy that organized and ran Reagan's bowling team.  My job was to calculate all of the team members recap sheets for individual averages.  Did it all on a Royal typewriter and one of those stinky alcohol based mimeograph machines.  One of the letters I earned was in bowling. 

Carolyn, don't despair.  Ya can't blame mom for not wanting their kid to go into a joint with "alley" in it's name.  Had it been called a Bowling Therapy Center it might have been different for you.  Marketed as a place where kids learned balance, focus and honed their mathmatical skills (keeping score manually back then), perhaps your mom would have begged you to go.  Ya never know.

But isn't it funny how much difference a name makes.  One of the most effective and efficient technologies in the oil industry in the past century was fracking.  But what boneheaded idiot decided to market the technique and call it "fracking"?  Just saying the word makes you want to go brush your teeth with Lava soap.  Had it been called "Environmental Petroleum Extraction"  or something all cute and fluffy sounding, people would love it.  But frigging fracking just sounds nasty and gets a bad rap.

So much of the misunderstanding in the world happens when we don't exercise good judgement when we name or word something.  Remember that good old country love song favorite, "I Kissed Her Gently On the Cheek and Left Her Behind For You"?  Mom saw that song title one time and I couldn't listen to Porter, Dolly or Utah Carl till I was darn near out of college.

Carolyn Johnson (Blake)

Thanks Roger for Millers. My mother and I picked up take out from there often. She certainly was a perfectionist with language, so perhaps you are right about "alley" not helping the situation.  Any idea what the five and dime store was called? As I remember, it was, if facing Millers, a storefront or two to the right. I seem to recall creaking wood floors, unless that was the Village Toy Shop. Oh how I wish I still had all the little treasures I got from that five and dime. I remember they had everything! Baby chicks at Easter, occasionally turtles, fish and birds. Toys, candy, underwear, towels, soap, perfume, tools, sewing and fabrics, patterns, kitchenware. The dollar stores of today are in my opinion, quite crass compared to the treasure trove that the five and dime was.

Carolyn

Hilda Carol Smith (Godell)