60th Reunion
"Well we did it. We made it to our 60th class reunion. Who back in 1958 thought it was possible?" asked Tom O'Brien when we gathered for dinner Saturday night at the Palisades Conference Center.
For those in our class fortunate enough to be there, it was a weekend to remember: Fun and filled with laughter, somber at times and nostalgic, educational and thought provoking. Most of all it was just so good to see each other once again.
For those who could not be there, Barbara Parente spoke for us all when she commented (on our Facebook page), "Just so you know. Those who were unable to attend were TRULY missed." The recounting of the reunion here is meant especially for the classmates who couldn't be with us.
There is a lot to enjoy. Below you will find links to photos from Friday and Saturday.
The Trivia Competition at Saturday's dinner was incredibly fun as we stretched our memories. Scroll down this page and you'll find all the questions, and the answers, too. See how well you can do.
Tom's welcoming words on Saturday evening were often hilarious and always thoughtful, especially in thanking those who'd worked hard to make this all possible. You can read his remarks below, but the jokes come through much better on video. And the video also includes Dave Stolte's response to Tom.
At the very bottom of this page are the names of those who attended. Several members of the Classes of 1957 and 1954 joined us and their presence added much to the weekend.
Enjoy - and please send along any comments.
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Morning session with PRHS 8th grade students
Afternoon memorial moment
The Elks Lodge gathering
Saturday's Gallery - All Photos
Morning historical tour of downtown Pearl river
Afternoon walk around the Conference Center grounds
Evening Gala Dinner
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Sample student questions
from Friday morning
What clubs/sports were available after school? What were the most popular sports teams in school?
Wat time did the school day begin and end? How many periods were in a school day?
What kinds of sports were available to girls?
What did teenagers do on the weekends/free time? Was there a location where most kids hung out?
Could you buy lunch at school? Was the food good?
What were the teachers like? Did you ever get hit with a ruler for misbehaving? How much homework would students get?
What was the punishment for breaking school rules?
How did most kids get to school? Bus, Bike, Car? Did most seniors have their ow car?
How important was music and how did teenagers listen to their favorite music?
Read nice e-mail between Tom O'Brien and Superintendant Pochintesta, and teacher Jerry Houston
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Tom's Words of Welcome at the Dinner
Read them below and/or watch the video
Well we did it. We made it to our 60th class reunion. Who back in 1958 thought it was possible ? It’s so great and means so much to get together. I recently spoke before a gathering and said something that I feel represents the feelings of all here tonight: “ I’m a proud member of the PRHS class of 1958 and treasure the friendships of that group remarkably good people “
This reunion has something old and somethings new. We’re old but but among us are there are many new things. Knees, shoulders, hips, heart stents and hearing aides.
Except for a little rain this morning, things could not have gone better. Yesterday was a great day and tonight is going to be terrific thanks to efforts of our reunion committee
The committee devoted a great deal of time worked very hard to make this a success and I would like to acknowledge them:
Barbara Parente was the contact person for everyone - making and fielding calls to be sure everyone was contacted ,keeping ongoing communication as things progressed, answering questions and compiling the list of attendees
Bev Hodge, Our Chief Financial Officer. who manages our class account pays our bills and keeps use on budget.
Gail, who warrants special recognition for traveling a minimum of 1&1/12 hrs. each way just to get to our meetings and for the wonderful job she did organizing the very meaningful memorial gathering yesterday. Also a big thank you to Julie S. for her leadership and participation.
Dave Stolte A big thank you to you for getting Trudy involved and you both making yesterdays program at the school such a fun and remarkable success. Also for your making and providing the sweatshirts and prizes for tonight.
Gene for keeping us organized and following up our meetings with such wonderfully composed communications that he worked with Bob Stokstad to get out to all class mates. Gene took the suggestion of a trivia event and you’ll soon see how hard he worked on it and what a great job he did. I want to repeat something that I said about Gene at our class 75th birthday party, I said that Gene deserved our class PMS award - Person with the Most Spirit.
And our long-distance member Bob Stokstad. who keeps the class connected on an ongoing basis with informational emails to all classmates and the terrific class website that he developed and maintains. Bob, always willing to do what ever is necessary, made the beautiful candle and candle holder for yesterdays memorial gathering.
Several of you have traveled far to get here and that means a lot . But I want to tip my hat to Pat Cohen who drove by herself from South Carolina to get here. I think that’s remarkable !!!
Dave Stolte will now share some thoughts with us.
(Dave's remarks are on the video)
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Trivia Contest Questions
compiled by Gene Cooper
A. Pearl River
1. Who in our class never got a driver's license?
2. What branch of service was Mr. Braden in and where did he serve?
3. Who in our class had parents that were teachers in high school and what subjects did they teach?
4. When we traveled to Albany for our junior year field trip, who was the governor of New York State?
5. What was the theme of our senior prom?
6. Our senior class play was somewhat modeled on what TV comedy show?
7. What member of the wrestling team lit a cigarette in front of Coach Murphy and got kicked off the bus?
8. What was the school mix-up that contributed to Mr. Reiner taking over as principal from Mr. Cree?
9. What year did Ms. Peggy Warren join the high school faculty?
10. What was the name of the printing company the class visited on a class trip to West Nyack?
11. What was the name of the early TV sitcom show that filmed in Pearl River about a fictional bank
in Pearl River and who was the show's star?
12. Who was the Pearl River Schools superintendent in 1958?
13. The father of one of our classmates owned a diner in town. Who was the classmate
and what was the name of the diner?
14. What was the name of Gilbert Avenue before it was Gilbert Avenue?
15. What was the name of the pond near the intersection of Gilbert Ave. and Middletown Road
where Carol Moore organized some cool ice-skating parties?
16. Name three pharmacies in town?
17. Lederle Laboratories was a division of what company in 1958?
18. Anne Bohnel was our Miss G.O.Queen. Who were her attendants?
19. Name at least three popular ice cream parlors that we usually went to?
20. Leo Tobin and 3 of his friends were on their way to a Clarkstown basketball game one snowy,
icy night when Leo's car struck a tree. Name 2 of the 3 friends (or all three) and who was called
to help them. (hint: a classmate and his father)
21. What was not allowed in the balcony of the Central Theater? 1. Smoking 2. Drinking beer
3. Making fun of the movie in a loud voice 4. Making out
22. What was the name of the business located across from the Grand Union where
Lee Shaffer fixed up his '47 Studebaker?
23. What was the name of the strict 8th grade math teacher?
24. What was the price of a Cherry Phosphate at the Campus?
25. Pearce Parkway was the second name of this street in Pearl River. What was the first called?
(Hint: Think of the nearby elementary school)
26. Who got a ticket from Officer Roy Holmes for executing an illegal U-turn on Central Ave. at noon
in front of the high school with everybody watching? (Hint: The offender was driving a Model A Ford)
27. Leo Tobin would drive to school every morning. Who would he pickup on the way to the school?
28. Who were the classmates who were voted best dancers in the class?
29. Who was the manager of the Pirates Cove?
30. Which class member was inducted into the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame?
A. Pearl River Answers
1. John Stecz
2. Marines / Korea
3. Mr. Tinurelli / Art, Mr. Wood / Language, Mrs. deRoode/ Substitute
4. Governor Harriman
5. Twilight Time
6. The Steve Allen Show
7. Frank Stuart
8. Wrong regents exam distributed
9. 1956
10. Dexter Press
11. “Norby” / David Wayne
12. Dr. Samuel Hicks
13. Bev Raebuck Hodge, Al's Diner
14. Farmer to Market Road
15. Gardner's Pond
16. Couch's, State, Sanford's, Suntag's
17. American Cyanimide
18. Deedee deRoode / Joyce Conticelli / Wynne Zaumseil / Pat Clift
19. Umland's, The Campus, Stockdales, Huffs
20. Tony, Gene, Chuck Scarpulla / Bob Stokstad and his Father
21. Drinking beer
22. Shaffer's Welding Shop
23. Miss Iverson
24. A nickel
25. Evans Park
26. Bob Stokstad
27. Tony, Teddy Taylor and anyone else on the route walking to school
28. Barbara Hopko Parente and Manny (Figgy)
29. Ms. Eloise Coe
30. Tom O'Brien!
B. 50's Culture / Events / Radio-TV / Movies
1. What symbol did the NBC Network use when it introduced color TV?
2. Who was the Mad Magazine mascot?
3. What year did the Korean War begin?
4. What was the first Russian satellite named?
5. In 1955 what Montgomery, Alabama event was a catalyst for the beginning of the Civil Rights
movement in America?
6. Who was the Columbia University faculty member who participated in the TV quiz show “21”
cheating scam?
7. Whose theme song was “Happy Trails To You Until We Meet Again”?
8. Who was the TV spokeswoman for the Westinghouse Refrigerator?
9. What was the name of Milton Berle's early TV show?
10. In 1954 who was the first person to run a sub-4 minute mile?
11. What was the actor William Boyd's film name?
12. In 1952 who did the Democrats choose to run against Dwight Eisenhower?
13. In Archie Comics, who was Archie's best buddy and who were his girl friends?
14. What was the best feature of getting a surprise pop quiz in school when the mimeograph paper test
was distributed in class?
15. In the classic film “Streetcar Named Desire” what was Marlon Brando's final word plea?
16. In the hit TV show “I Love Lucy” who were Lucy and Ricky Ricardo's neighbors?
17. Whose U2 spy plane was shot down over Russia?
18. What did the author Grace Metalious famously write?
19. In addition to Sid Caeser who were the three other stars of the TV show “Your Show of Shows”?
20. In a US congressional hearing in 1954, where a Mr. Joseph Welsh was testifying, he was famously
known to have said ...”Have you no sense of decency, sir?” Who did he direct the comment to?
B. 50's Culture / Answers
1. The Peacock
2. Alfred E. Newman
3. 1950
4. Sputnik
5. Rosa Parks arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person
6. Charles Van Doren
7. Roy Rodgers
8. Betty Furness
9. Texaco Star Theater
10. Roger Bannister
11. Hopalong Cassidy
12. Adlai Stevenson
13. Jughead / Betty and Veronica
14. The fresh smell of the mimeograph ink
15. “STELLAAH ...”
16. Fred and Ethel Mertz
17. Francis Gary Powers
18. Peyton Place
19. Imogine Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris
20. Joseph McCarthy
C. 50's Music
1. In the Everly Brothers hit song “Wake Up Little Susie” what time did Susie wake up while at the movies?
2. What was Elvis Presley's first big hit to make it to #1 on the charts?
3. In a hit song by Marty Robbins, he was all dressed up for the dance. What was he wearing?
4. Who popularized the term “Rock 'n Roll”?
5. Who sang about the “sand dunes and salt sea air”?
6. What Christmas song was popularized by Gene Autry?
7. Bill Haley and his Comets got the 50's rock 'n roll era started with what song?
8. Where did Fats Domino find his thrill?
9. What was The Penguins number 1 hit song?
10. What question did Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers ask all of us in their hit song?
11. Carl Perkins sang about a special pair of shoes. What were they?
12. The name “Peggy Sue” was famously popularized by what prominent 50's singer?
13. What three big time 50's rock 'n roll singers died in a plane crash on tour and were memorialized
in the song “American Pie” by Don McLean?
14. In 1953 what was one of Tony Bennett's greatest hit songs title that refers to a person's
turnaround in economic status?
15. Nat King Cole sang about a travel route through America. What was that song?
16. What was the song (and dance) that organized people in two rows as couples danced
down through the rows?
17. Danny and The Juniors sang a song about a dance event that we as sophomores
participated in. What was that song?
18. The late Kate Smith was noted for singing a great American song that today is played at
New York Yankees games. What is that song?
19. The McGuire Sisters sang a one word title hit song that genuinely expressed a strong feeling about
loving another person. What was that song?
20. Chuck Berry wrote a rock 'n roll song in 1956 that made reference to two classical composers
from the 18th and 19th centuries. What was the name of that song.
50's Music Answers
1. 4 am
2. Heartbreak Hotel
3. A white sports coat and a pink carnation
4. Alan Freed
5. Patti Page
6. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. Rock Around The Clock
8. On Blueberry Hill
9. Earth Angel
10. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
11. Blue Suade Shoes
12. Buddy Holly
13. The Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Buddy Holly
14. Rags to Riches
15. Route 66
16. The Stroll
17. At The Hop
18. God Bless America
19. Sincerely
20. Roll Over Beethoven (and tell Tchaikovsky the news)
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Attendees
Carl Angioli and Blanche Toth
Sam (Muriel Marlow) Coatti
Pat (Clift) Cohen
Gene &Abbie Cooper
Sal & Doreen DeTurris
Hank & Jean Groth
Beverly (Raebuck) Hodge
Diane (Class of 1957) & Herb Meyer (Class of 1954)
Tom & Sandy O’Brien
Joe (Class of 1954) & Barbara (Hopko) Parente.
Fred & Nanci Prezioso
Gail (Katt) Scales
Carolyn (Jones) Schmidt
Anne (Bohnel) & Harry Silverman
Bob & Julie Stokstad
Dave & Trudy Stolte
Harry (Class of 1957) & Helen Tucker
Dave & Connie Williams
Elizabeth Nelson, Larry Dean, and Pete Amann at the last minute had complications and could not attend.
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Comments
Please email any comments to Bob Stokstad and they'll be posted here.
Julie Stokstad posted her thoughts on the reunion on her blog,The Holey Doughnut
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