Keith Walkley

From: Bob Sutter '64
Subject: Touching the past

There's a lot of residual pain coming out of some of these posts...there are many of you who can't release old hurts and move on. Yes, a lot of us--too many, in fact--are now among the Absent Comrades. But pain erodes with time, and memory glistens like a geode in a plain rock. Perhaps it's because I'm a product of the great golden afternoon before the Rust Belt became a reality. Back when we all lived under the everpresent shadow of the mushroom cloud but didn't let it interfere with our nightly pursuit of a handful of warm breast. Monday was avoiding the gaze of Herr Kurth & Frau Stitt because the umlauts still weren't memorized, or the history report ready. Tuesday Ernie Mielkie made us huff and puff around the track a dozen times to his stopwatch (how come the fastest times were done by the pack-a-day guys?). Wednesday was the lecture from Duckworth (again) in Boys Home Room about not putting things into the hands of the "good grooming" mannequins in the back of the room (a Monopoly $20 in the guy's hand, an empty rubber wrapper is hers). Thursday was Grenauer trying to pound geometry into heads harder than Columbia-Southern limestone, or Mary K demonstrating the tubercular gargle. And Friday? Friday was not only the Big Game Day, it was the prospect of cruising the Varsity, or DaVerns, waiting for another glimpse of that cool girl in the back of the '58 Chevy. It was waiting for the next fight with Kenmore hoods over at the skating rink on Waterloo Road. It was a midnight roast of corn swiped from a farm down on the back side of 619, washed down with Rolling Rock or POC. Saturday was debate tournaments at other schools, with their watery cafeteria spaghetti, and opposing speakers who were adept at flirting their skirts up an inch at a time with an innocent smile while you were trying to concentrate on your rebuttal---and not hers. Sunday was hide out in the Public Library, at least that's the parents were told, so we could grab some knowledge (and a quick kiss & grope) in the back corner by the record turntables. Our dads worked at the Chemical, or B&W, or Seiberling, or Sun Rubber: our moms worked at the Hospital, or down at Yoder Brothers, or in one of the downtown stores. Food wasn't cheap, but we all ate well. Everybody went to the Park, Lake, or West at least once a week. Every so often the Cold War would heat up, and somebody's brother's outfit or ship went into the danger zone, and we'd all wonder if the bomb was gonna drop tonite. Not now, Lord, I haven't had my first legal beer/car/girl/ yet!

From: Sherry (Hathaway) Lewis '68
Subject: The Varsity

Remember all the fun we used to have after the football games when we would go to "The Varsity" and have gravy french fries and cherry cokes. The late night drag races on the freeway, the warm days when Barber Rd would flood and Ted would get his rowboat and off we would go thru the wash of Barber Rd. Driving my dad's really cool 67 chevy thru The Varsity. Those were the best memories...Remember the "crowd"

From: Bobby Joyner '66
Subject: Mr. Titley

I was on the debate team in '65, I think, and Mr. Titley used to help Mary Kay Baker by driving us to different debate matches on the week-ends. I forgot my notes one Saturday morning and Mr. Titley had to run us all back to the high school just so I could pick them up. He went to make a left turn behind the school and turned right in front of another car and we were broadsided. Paul Kamenar got a hell of a bump on his head, I got my notes and found another ride and Mr. Titley got cited. All in all that was quite a morning.

From: Albert Kauslick '49
Subject: Polkas & Waltzes vs. Rock & Roll

I have read with great interest the younger folks talking about rock & roll etc. on this site. During the 1940s and 50s our big thing was polkas & waltzes. The big dances were at the Slovene Center, C & M Church and Holy Trinity Church halls. Also, at TAC after the games a lot of polkas and waltzes would be played and we would really whirl around the dance floor. It was really great holding the girl of your dreams (for that week, or even that day) and whirling her around the floor. Some of the great bands that would come to Barberton were Frankie Yankovich, Ernie Benedict and the Polkateers, Johnny Pecon and Lou Trebar, Joe Kusar from Cleveland, and our own Taffy Dudka and Frankie Madjerac, and Frank Spetich. How can anyone compare rock & roll with the couples standing apart and gyrating as compared to holding your best girl close and whirling around the floor. Some of the songs we really liked were BLUE SKIRT WALTZE, JUST BECAUSE, JULIDA, SILK UMBRELLA, etc. You young folks don't know what you missed. regards from Al Kauslick, Sun City, AZ

From: Byron Hummel '53
Subject: Rock "N" Roll

I sure remember the "real birth" of R&R in our area especially "Request Review". Some Fri.&/ or Sat. nites in the early 50's we would be in Akron at a teen center or hanging out at Kippy's we would stop at the Mayflower Hotel to see Alan Freed in the recording booth. Sometimes he would mention on the air we were there, ask us to request a song, and once even let us say hello on the air.My name was mentioned in the 1953 "Cigam" as aspiring to be a "Moondog".I don't recall that happening but life has been and still is fun and especially fun is this site; to revisit old friends, old times and old haunts. Have a great life!

From: Kathy (Simmons) Malicoat '76
Subject: West Side Memories

Wow...everybody's bringing back alot of memories. I worked at the West Side McDonald's in the mid to late 70's. That was before the drive thru was invented and when you could get 2 cheeseburgers, a small fry and a drink for under $1.00. I went to a taping of Professor Jack's show. Anyone remember him with the great big glasses? The lady from Pooch Parade (from Capt. Penny's show) was there and that was where we got our first puppy. Anyone remember when the Chemical used to blow their stacks around 3 pm??? All that fly ash came down everywhere. Must not have had the EPA back then. Anyone remember Slaybaugh's at Johnson's Corners? That where I grew up. West side. We still go to Durbin's and get our free ice cream cone. Remember going to Tonio's Pizza. (Spelling?) Vinyl seats and table side Juke Boxes. Remember when the band was all brass??? I was in the last class of being all brass! It was a mistake to change it. Oh well...those are my memories of the day. Look forward to reading more

From: Albert Kauslick '49
Subject: Pin Boys

During the mid 1940's I was a pin boy at the Chemical Clubhouse bowling alley. This was located on the end of 10th St. Like many other boys in their early teens I would make spare money by setting pins after school and on weekends. I believe that we made something like 4 cents a line. We would set for league bowling about every night until 10 pm, and was pretty hard work and got us into real good shape. I would pick up 5 or 6 pins at one time. The racks were manually operated and would would pull them down and hold them in place when setting up a new frame. There were a lot of us young boys who set up pins at the Lake, Slovene, C&M, and Chemical Lanes. My cousin Joe set pins at the Slovene. Our jobs have been completely automated. I suspect that child labor laws today would not allow young boys to set up pins. Al Kauslick Sun Cith AZ

From: Jayne (Powers) Storad '75
Subject: Company Picnics and Parties

My dad worked at the B&W, as most dads worked in factories when I was in school. The B&W had their annual Christmas party in a building on Robinson Ave. There were tables set up according to ages, and all the kids had to do was take their card up and choose their present. I imagine a man chose the gifts to buy, since the boys always had neat things and the girls had things like stuffed animals or comb and brush sets. In the summer, we went to the B&W picnic, held at Chippewa Lake. My friend Robin and I always took each other to their dads' picnics. Her dad worked at "The Chemical" (PPG), and that picnic was at Meyer's Lake.

From: Keith Walkley '71
Subject: Fishing Hudson Run Creek

I didn't know it had an official name, if Hudson Run Creek is the official name, but as I read back through the memories, not only do I recollect the ice skating on the creek, where we used to also play hockey, but my brothers and I fished that creek from across from Franks Body Shop (it was already there in the 60's when we fished there) to the Chemical Dam. We used doughball and worms to catch catfish and carp, and we too, would take them home where they were used as fertilizer under shrubbery. My youngest brother, Dave even boated across the Chemical Dam lake in my dad's cement mixing tub. We used to make our own doughball, but when we had enough money, we would go buy some at the bait store that used to be behind Durbin's Magic Freeze at the corner of Wooster Rd and Hudson Run. Do you remember when Durbins would open each year and the long line of kids and adults that would line up to get a free nickle cone?

From: Albert Kauslick '49
Subject: Pastime Theatre

One of the great pleasures of my boyhood in the late 1930's early 1040's was going to the Pastime theatre. There would be a matinee every Saturday starting at 12 noon until 4 pm. The Barberton Herald would have a coupon in the back section and would allow a minor admission for 6 cents and the coupon for the Saturday matinee. On Saturday my mother would fix me a big breakfast, give me 2 nickels and 5 pennies and the coupon. About 10:30 am I would start out on foot from Johnson's Corners and meet up with my pals heading in the same direction. They would be Elmore Yoak, Tom Madjerac, Junior Crater, Gene Echols, and Kike Dayton. We would arrive, get in the show, buy popcorn, and the hard jawbreakers and watch the show. Some of the films I remember were "DAWN PATROL","BEAU GEST', CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS, and always a cliff hanger serial. DON WINDSLOW OF THE NAVY, DICK TRACY, FLASH GORDON, and many others. Also, there would be a cowboy movie. What value for 6 cents and a coupon!!! If any of you have seen the relatively current film AVALON, which is on video tape, there is a segment where the grandsons go to the Saturday matinee and watch the cliffhangers.. Does anyone else remember some of the serials and films we saw then? regads, Al Kauslick Sun City, AZ

From: Cindy (Simmons) Bisheimer '74
Subject: Westside memories

Just a message for those from the west side, but you have to go back a few years...remember the old original McDonalds on Wooster rd, before they had seating inside? Remember the train trestle that went over 31st St. by Co-op? Remember swimming in the pool at Edgewood Park in the summer and skating on the ice by the cannon at the other end? Remember the building that sold candy in the summer at Edgewood Park? Remember swimming at Lake Anna before it was cleaned out and being able to stand on the tree stumps? For those of you who have bad memories of Barberton, well, just look back even farther into your past and you'll find a lot to smile about. I wasn't treated very well during school either, but I survived and actually thrived because of it. Also, visit www.planetalumni.com and log in under Barberton High School. I think we can let more people know about it and they'll find their way back here too. I am proud to say I went to Barberton.

From: Linda (Wallet) Harris '69
Subject: Fairview Crossing

Just now having time to read through the Remember postings. Pete Lloyd mentioned the National Guard tank that was hit by the train. The young man who was killed was my cousin, Ronnie Peterman. The accident must have happened in 1951. His mother Flo Peterman ran the snack bar at Barberton Citizen's Hospital for years and was the best joke teller I ever heard. She could remember thousands of them. I still remember some that I am sure she heard from some of the doctors and other hospital staff. Ronnie's sister, Carol Peterman-Kapish worked for years as waitress at the Brown Derby. I remember that it was a real special date if you got taken out to the Brown Derby. Ronnie's other brother was Gary Peterman who was an artist and did some commercials. Gary died several years ago of massive MI when he was only 42 (a Wallet curse). Reading the posts about Crisman Park brought back a lot of memories. Does anyone remember the pet shows and costume contests they had there? I don't think I ever won anything but i do remember the year my brother Rick won 1st place with his white rabbit. He was so proud, brought it home, and ran back to the park to play. The rabbit died not long after he left and I remember my mother having to tell him when he came home. I think she cried as much as he did. And speaking of old grocery stores, remember the MAX-REX store across the street from Portage Jr. High? It was owned by the Brodokins, a wonderful Jewish family. I remember when my dad was laid off, they would let us charge our groceries. I also remember a year when the whole family was deathly sick with the flu and no one could walk any further than to the bathroom. Mom or dad called an order in and they delivered them to our door. They knocked on the door and then left in a hurry. Said they sure did not want to catch what we had but hoped we got to feeling better. Can't get service like that now-a-days. One more memory to share. Do you remember those wonderful iced chocolate brownies they sold in the new high school cafeteria? They were my favorite and made by my "Aunt Izzy" Isabel Wallet when she was cook there. Aunt Izzy passed away last month. She was such a wonderful cook. Never could get the recipe from her because she could not break it down to less than 500! The last memory I have is courtesy of my cousin Bill Wallet when he was at BHS and the story I heard was that one day everyone brought in alarm clocks and set them all for a time in the middle of a class period and put them in their lockers. Can you imagine the sound of a thousand alarm clocks going off at once in those echo-y hallways?