John S Bennett

Remember young Tap at Byron; bookshelf...

James R Krause

I went to Wabi Kon in Timagami with John Bennet but my oldest brother went to Adenac on Manitoulan Island. both had kerosene lamps in the cabins everything worthwhile we learned at camp. Losing a camp friend is tough. 

Craig Miller

I can't verify those particular stories, Neil, but I certainly got an ear full of spooky stories told by counselors during my time at ADANAC on Manitoulin Island. Both Young Tap and Old Tap were there. On Saturday nights, we'd all pile into a truck to the town of Kagawong and watch movies on a bed sheet attached to a wall in the town hall. Great fishing, sailing, canoeing.....great memories. All part of the mystic of being in the Great Canadian Wilderness, courtesy of the Tapendens.

Gary D Hermann

We sent both of our sons to ADANAC for years (until hockey camps became a priority for them).  They said it was a great camp and the Tappendens were the key.  Actually, the Tappendens started to offer a one week camp for adults/parents of former campers, but they stopped offering it before I could go.  

Joseph G Blake

Dear Classmates,

First let me wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanukah. 

Some of you may enjoy this bit of holiday film trivia. 

My sister Betty loved the movie Miracle on 34th Street. She always liked  John Payne and liked the house at the end that Natalie Wood requested from Kris Kringle.

It is in fact a house in Port Washington NY which is next to Manhasset where my brother and his family has lived for the last 50 years. In the movie it is suggested that the house is in Mahasset. It was an actual house built in 1943.

 

I also learned that Edmund Gwinn was the Santa in the Macy's Parade in 1946. So the film clips of the Macy's parade are actual for the year.

 

You may know this but its that time of the year when trivia like this is fun.

 

See the link for the house details.

 

https://housecra zysarah.life/the-real-life-miracle-on-34th-street-movie-house/

 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. Everyone has a favorite holiday film. Mine is the Bishop's Wife where Cary Grant plays an angel. I guess Paul Newman did not make one.

 

Joe

Joseph G Blake

Two items which may be of interest.

In the recent issue of Shaker Life there is a great story about the current restoration of the Peckham residence at 15700 South Park Blvd. 

After you read the article you can see pictures of the house in 1992 in Distinguished Homes of Shaker Heights. The architect was Harry Shupe. The 1992 photos include the furniture made for the house in 1922 by Rorimer Brooks. Miss Peckham sold the house in 1984 including the furniture to Joe Gorman, then the CEO of TRW.

https://shaker.life/great-shaker-homes/architect-harry-shupe/

On another note, I have always  had a keen interest in the Titanic and the great ocean liners of the period like the Lusitania, the Mauretania and Queen Mary. The interest grew from the first time the book A Night to Remember was broadcast on TV on the Kraft Theater on March 28, 1956. I was allowed to stay up late to watch it. 

Not long ago I discoverd a You Tube link that provides a number of stories about great ships of the same period and related stories. Between 1880 ands 1939 the length and size of great liners increased significantly as did their speed and elegance. 

If you are interested the link is

 https://www.youtube.com/c/TheGreatBigMove  

Enjoy the break from the workaday world. 

Betsy Dennis (Frank)

Thanks Joe. You always post interesting things. Betsy

Paul Lavik

Thanks for the interesting info and links Joe. We all know that house and at least I have often wondered about it. Some of us have other memories connected to it. Once in a while in high school, maybe after a basketball game, a couple of us would find ourselves "accidentally" playing car tag. OK, so it wasn't exactly "tag" but more like "hide & seek." There was a  fair amount chasing around town...always within the speed limit, of course, because we were "Shaker boys" and never did anything naughty.  One favorite "ditch your buddy ploy" was to come around the corner on South Park, turn off the lights, and slip up the driveway of the Peckham house. If you continued up the driveway around the back, you could slip into the covered carport where, if you dared, you could pause until your pursuer had passed on up South Park. Then, you could continue around and pop out on the other side of South Park to take up the pursuit. If a light came on iunder the port while you were pausing there, hopefully you didn't have car trouble because it a good time to make a hasty retreat. The Shaker cops were great but...not that great.

James R Krause

Jon Mielziner passed away last week after a short illness.  

Patricia Ann Richards (Armstrong)

OH NO!  What sad news.  His smile was unforgettable.

Judi Bachman (Holtze)

Very sad news

Lesley Dormen

Such a darling guy. I'm so sad to hear this.

Joseph G Blake

Sorry to hear that Jon M has passed a way. Yes indeed he did have a great smile and friendly way. That is how I will remember him. I am sure he would have had a great circle of friends all his days.

Paul, I love your story about sneaking up the Peckham driveway. I presume you had your lights off. That would be near the kitchen and the staff had a sitting room off the kitchen where they watched TV. 

People driving up to the front door to take a peak was common at the Van Sweringwen house at 17400 South Park. The owners in the 70s changed the driveway and created a snall cirlce at the front door. People could drive up and circle in front of the house and take a quick look and leave. Annoying to the owners for sure. 

Big houses in Shaker are very visible  and the lots not that large compared to today's gated communities where there are guards or pass codes etc to "protect" the great and the good and not so good. Package deloveries can be complicated. 

But I only know about these conditions from my more affluent friends. Just as well.

Thanks

John A Hrones, Jr.

I actually delivered the Cleveland News to the  houses on South Park... A lot of work for 2 cents per  house.. I actually delivered the issue that announced the "day that rock n roll died".

Joseph G Blake

My older brother did as well circa 1945. we are 14 years apart in age. He was expecting larger tips at Christmas but that did not happen. The butler answered the front door. No tips. Haha

Evie Fertman (Braman)

Hi!  It's getting close to planning time for our 60th Reunion which will take place on the weekend of August 2 & 3, 2024.  I'll be getting our Reunion Committee together later this Spring to start making plans.  I'm concerned about keeping the costs reseasonable since everything costs so much more for event venues, catering costs and venue service help and so I'm proposing that we have two casual evenings instead including a more formal and costly event.  There are lots of options that look really good so I'm looking forward to another GREAT time for our class to get together!!

If you're interested in being on our committee please let me know, 216-288-4506, your opinions are valuable no matter where you live so being in Cleveland is not a necessity!!

Evie

Betsy Dennis (Frank)

Hi Evie, I was just saying to a friend that our 60th reunion was next year. Yes more informal would be better, but as we age-a place we can hear-LOL. See you all next year. Betsy

Ruth Ann Shehan (Rinto Gilliss)

Hi Evie  We would be happy to help you plan. Please add David and me to the committee. We have been married for 1518 days (we celebrate every day). We would have never been together if you hadn't planned a 50th class reunion!

Joseph G Blake

Dear Evie,

I do not live in Cleveland but if I can help with input please add me to the committee. I have added the dates to my calendar.

Joe Blake

484 437 8703

jblake9147@aol.com.

Sandra (Sandi) Saltzman (White)

Dana Shepard (Treister)

Evie~

THANKS for taking the lead, once again - -so grateful for your continuing leadership.

I'd be glad to serve on the planning committee.

... and preliminarily I second Betsy's suggestion the "Conversation-Friendly" is essential, so we can fully enjoy one another's company!

Onward to our 60th~

Dana Shepard (Treister)

Haha -- I just went to enter the SHHS 64 x 60 dates on my calendar, and the dates were already saved from a previous communique from you~

;    )

Judi Bachman (Holtze)

 Just  throwing this out  food for,thought......

Several people mentioned at the last gathering that spring might be a better time.   Everything in bloom and not super hot

For people with grandchildren still in school and visiting this is the second lasf weekend before school starts

Flights are very expensive (domestic and international) and many of us fly in for this. And packed.. not only is,this just before school starts it is still high tourist season

hotels also,more expensive

Joseph G Blake

There is a new book about Shaker Heights coming out this summer. The author Laura Meckler is a Shaker HHS grad in the 1980s. She is a writer for the Washington Post. She has previously written about the Shaker schools and related issues. I helped her do some research about the Vans and some later personalities that I knew.

Here is how she has described the book on Facebook. You can do an advance purchase on Amazon and a few other sources. The book will be out in August.

"I'm so excited to share the cover of my forthcoming book. Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity is set to be published this August by Holt!

Just in time for the reunion.

Joseph G Blake

This may have already been posted but I saw this on the FB site "Growing Up in Shaker Heights."