Happy New Year

The 1960 Argus Little Oscar awards for the Happiest Seniors was awarded to Robert Menne and Joyce Leamy. We present them here to wish you a Happy New Year.

Your own happy face will be welcome at our 50th Class Reunion. Please make a resolution to visit our blog often and leave a comment and connect with other classmates.

Blair Lariviere

Blair J. Lariviere, 66, died on Thursday December 18 in St. Vincent hospital, Worcester, MA. A resident of Templeton, Blair was an art teacher in Gardner for 34 years, retiring in 2002. He completed undergraduate studies at Clark University and received a Masters degree in Art from Assumption College. You can read his full obituary at www.boucherfuneral.com
For a complete list of deceased GHS Class of 1960 classmates, click on the following link: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzep7fvn/memoriam.htm

Girls' Field Hockey Team

The 1960 GHS Girl's Field Hockey team played ten games. Seniors on the team included Rachel Hebert, Marcia Shepard, Mary Phelan, and Donna Blake. Priscilla Power was the coach.

Upstairs, Downstairs

Upstairs

Our 1960 Argus featured two photos of groups of students moving in the stairways between classes. In the upstairs photo, the faces of Russell Hoag, Geoffrey Wood, Robert Coffin, and Harold Fiske can be seen.

Downstairs

In the downstairs photo, Marilyn L'Ecuyer, Larry Lundwall, and Pamela Prime are in front. You may recognize other familiar faces in the background.

John Tinker

Some will remember Mr. John Tinker as a teacher, others as a class advisor, and a very special group could call him "Coach." John Tinker came to Gardner High School in 1937. He coached the boy's high school sqwimming team in 1939 and started the Massachusetts High School Swimming Championships in Gardner in 1947. The boy's swim team won the championship for the next 13 years. Mt. Tinker retired in 1975, after teaching for 38 years. In this photograph, Coach Tinker is shown with seniors Gerald Richardson (deceased) and Dennis Erickson.

Here's Looking At You

Robert Marien and Carolyn MacIntosh were voted as having the "nicest eyes" in our Little Oscars awards in the 1960 Argus.

Girls Basketball Team 1960

The Gardner High School Girls Basketball Team in 1960 was coached by Priscilla Power and included seniors Lucille Minns, Gladys Narkevicius, and Jadwiga Narkevicius. The "Lady Wildcats" won six games and lost only one.

Liitle Oscars: Most Musical

Most Musical

Our 1960 Argus Little Oscars Committee selected Harold Fiske and Carolyn Cunningham as the Most Musical members of our graduating class. Today, Carolyn Cunninham lives in New York state. Harold Fiske and his wife, Anne Fleming (also GHS Class of 1960) live in Canada. Harold was never one to toot his own horn, but here is a bit more about him from a professional organization:

Dr. Harold Fiske holds B.M. and M.M degrees from Boston University and a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. He is the author of three books on music cognition and over fifty published papers, book chapters, and reviews. He has served as Chair of the ISME Research Commission, and has presented over 75 papers at research conferences. He joined the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario in 1974 where he continues to teach courses in music psychology and philosophy and advise graduate student research.

Is there someone you are trying to locate? Send a message to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com.

Best Dancers

In 1960, classmates Judy Goodwin and Ron Gerard received the Little Oscars award for "best dancers" in our graduating class. The Little Oscars selection committee included Diane Brazawskis, Rachel Hebert, Helen Legere, Theresa Bridge, Georgette LeBlanc, Shirley Long, Mary Erickson, Gloria LeBlanc, and Elaine Stanley.

Today, Judy lives in Princeville, Hawaii. Ron Gerard is deceased (2003).

If there is a topic you would like us to explore on our GHS web log, please send your request to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com

Mr. Robert Littlefield, Vice Principal

Our high school vice-principal in 1960 was Mr. Robert L. Littlefield, who also taught Geometry. Mr. Littlefield was first elected as a teacher of mathematics and science at Gardner High School in 1926. In 1939 he was named vice principal, a position he held until his retirement. Prior to coming to Gardner, Mr. Littlefield served one year as a teacher in Worcester and two years as a teacher at Colebrook High School in New Hampshire. Mr. Littlefield was a graduate of Wells High School and the University of Maine. He received his Masters in Education at the University of New Hampshire and completed post-graduate work at Boston University, Harvard University, and Fitchburg State College. Mr. Littlefield retired in 1966, concluding 43 years as an educator, with forty of those years spent in Gardner. Mr. Littlefield died in Gardner on May 27, 1983. He was 82 years old.

If you have a comment you would like to add about Mr. Littlefield, please click on the comment icon below to add your thoughts.

Do you have a special request or an idea for a post on our GHS Web Log? Please send us an email you address to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .

In Memoriam

The GHS 50th Class Reunion Committee honors the lives of classmates and friends of the class who are now deceased. We cherish their memory and the valuable contributions they made to their families and community. We have lost these three classmates in 2008:

* Kathryn Schreiner (2008). Kathryn (Schreiner) McCarthy died on May 8, 2008 in Ayer, MA.

* LeClair, Gerald L. (2008) Gerald L. “Jerry” LeClair died on August 23 2008 in Fitchburg, MA.

* Keresey, Janice (2008) Janice (Keresey) Caron died on September 23, 2008 in Nantucket, MA
You can read an obituary for Janice Keresey Caron at http://www.ack.net/092308Caron.html

For a complete listing of all GHS Class of 1960 classmates and friends who have deceased, click on the following link:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzep7fvn/memoriam.htm

We will keep this link updated and welcome your notifying us of omissions, errors, and specific details. Please send your messages to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com

Glory to Gardner

Here's another gift to the Class of 1960 from Judy (Heino) Collette. Judy took this picture not far from where the old Carvel Ice Cream stand used to be on Route 2A. We both thought that everyone would enjoy this reminder about the grand procession of colors as the fall season matures in New England. First, the reds and pale orange colors of the Swamp Maples in the low spots, followed by a yellowing of Hickory and Birch, and then a marooning-up of the Ash trees, with additional splashes of hurt-your-eyes orange served up by the Sugar Maples, and yellow harmony vocals provided by the Norway Maples along city streets. Those leathery brown Red Oak leaves are among the last to change and fall each year. Peak foliage season in the Gardner area is usually around Columbus day. This year, it just getting good right now.

But hey - this isn't a biology lesson. It is a invitation to you to join in our celebration of all things Gardner. We'd like to hear from you and welcome some stories or pictures that you send us. You can leave a comment (anonymously, if you prefer) or send us a story or digital image in a message you address to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com

Pleading the Fifth

This photo appeared in the Gardner News during August of 1965. The Class of 1960 held its 5th Class Reunion in Eagles Hall with a social hour, dinner, and dancing. About 110 members and guests were in attendance. In the photo, some classmates are shown holding up a banner. Does anyone remember who prepared this banner?

Are you having trouble putting names on any faces? For help, just send an e-mail to

ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .

Report on Class of 1958 50th Reunion

Rachel (Hebert) Reilly and her husband, Mike Reilly, attended the Gardner High School Class of 1958 50th Reunion held recently on September 26, 27, and 28. Below is her report on the event.

* * * * *

"The Class of 1958 reunion was very enjoyable. We had a wonderful time and would redo it again in a heartbeat. Mike (and I) got to see people who we had not seen in 50 years! I believe that "most" people went to all three events. It was worth the time and effort for the three events as it gave everyone enough time to be able to speak to fellow classmates over the time. I believe there were about 65??? classmates plus spouses. It was amazing how many people looked so much like they did and there was no problem knowing who they were. The classmates looked VERY GOOD!!!

The Friday night "Social Hour" was held at the Gardner Museum) was very good. We arrived about 6:10 and the place was packed already.

The Saturday night Reunion Dinner was held at the Old Mill in Westminster. The photographer took a wonderful picture - WE GOT IT THAT SAME NIGHT ($10.00). I have his name and telephone number.

The Sunday morning "Brunch" (held at the new Gardner Public library) was probably the best location out of the three. I think we should keep that one for ours. Catered breakfast (very good), tour of the library, elevator available for second floor. There is a historical room which we all concurred would be a good place to spend a whole day in. Very, very interesting. Especially for those out-of-towners who had never been there - which seemed to be quite a few of the class/spouses. Mike and I plan on spending some time there next year (when there for the 59 reunion) because now we know about it.

Considerations for the GHS Class of 1960 50th reunion:

Friday Night Social Hour - The social hour provided more face-to-face time for visiting.
Saturday Night Reunion Dinner - I would suggest the Wachusett Village Inn, if the space is large enough, and is available. For out-of-towners, it is also nice to stay right in the hotel where function is being held. Our class and class of '59 have had previous reunions there and it has always worked well.
Sunday Brunch - A tour of the new library provides a new resource for classmates.

Summing Up: The 50th Class Reunion is a significant milestone. People might be at their LAST class reunion, some may not have come in years, if at all, and fly-in out-of towners spent anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 (couples) for the total weekend, if coming from far away. I know that some people were not staying for the Sunday morning brunch and others did not arrive until Saturday morning and missed the Friday evening event. Still, I do believe that most people attended all three and we should consider this format for our own planning."

* * * * *

Now it is your turn. As a member of the Gardner High School Class of 1960, what do you think of the three-event format? Would this add value to your participation in a reunion? What questions would you like to ask Rachel? What additional ideas would you like the planning committee to consider? Click on the comments icon to submit your reunion ideas as a follow-up to this post.

Locating Classmates

Did you ever wonder "What happened to...?" or "Where is he/she now?" Our GHS Reunion Database can help save you time . Send your request for information to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com . All inquiries will be confidential. Some restrictions apply.

Faded Photographs

This picture was sent to us by Elizabeth O'Regan Adkins. Elizabeth was our exchange student from Ireland. The photo was taken in the summer of 1960. To protect the privacy of classmates in this photo we are not identifying individuals in this post. To request a list of classmates in this photograph, please send an e-mail to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .

Do you have photographs from your GHS days that you can share with us? Group photos are especially welcome.

Help Wanted

Please help make this blog active and interesting to classmates and friends. Here are some ways you can make a contribution to our GHS web log.

1. Reply to a post by entering a comment or sending an e-mail to the web log moderator.
2. Draft a message you would like posted (a story, greeting or memory) and e-mail it to the web log moderator.
3. Have experience creating web pages? Send us a link to your personal site or send us a web page template we can use on our GHS web site.
4. Know how to create photo album pages? That would let us post images from our 50th reunion online.
5. Got photo or newspaper clippings from our high school years? We’d like to feature some group photos on our web log.

Please send a message to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com if you think you can help.

Reuniting with Eugene Andes

There are 247 classmates pictured in the 1960 Argus. Some of the people we may remember best are not in it. They transferred to different schools, or their families moved to other communities, or a medical condition prevented them from graduating with us. For those of you who attended the School Street Elementary School, Waterford Street Junior High School, as well as Gardner High School, here is the story of Eugene Andes, who left our class and the end of our Sophomore year, in 1958.

Click on the link http://mysite.verizon.net/vzep7fvn/reunited.htm to read about Gene and his family.

If this feature is interesting to you, or you would like to suggest the name of another person to feature in our "reunited" posts, please send an e-mail message to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .

Gardner, Then and Now: Part Three

Judy (Heino) Collette lists familiar places to visit in the Gardner area, with some notations:

Dunn State Park (State run) - Much improved since our high school days, with visitor's building, swimming, and walking/hiking paths
Gardner Public Library on corner of Pine and Lynde St. (Beautiful new building. This is a must-see.)
Gardner Museum, Pearl St. (a Gardner library in our high school days)

Furniture Outlets: Rome's, Main St., once Hartshorn's Furniture LaChance, Kraft St. and LaChance, West Broadway

Henry Heywood Hospital (worth a look) currently under new expansion

M.W.C.C. - Mount Wachusett Community College (lovely grounds)
Gardner Municipal Golf Course (well kept grounds)
Greenwood Memorial Swimming Pool (changed, but still here). The outside pool has been reduced to a fenced-in, grass-around cement pool. No more large slide and diving area. The inside pool is pretty much the same, looking a bit old and worn, but happy to announce the greatest swim team in the state and producing Olympic swimmers.

Social/Fraternal Clubs still active in Gardner: Knights of Columbus, Eagle's, Acadien Club, Gardner Fish & Gun Club, Elks Club, Gardner Rabbit Club, American Legion, Napoleon Club, West End Beagle Club, Deer Club, Polish American Country Club. (new lovely location at the beach) and a great location for weddings, parties, and class reunions, etc.

Gardner, Then and Now: Part Two

Thanks to classmate Judy (Heino) Collette, who has listed stores and manufacturing organizations that are still doing business in the Chair City today.

Gardner and local area businesses or stores still here:

Candlepin Bowling Alley (currently owned by Judy's nephew, Brian Favreau)
Valley Florist, Parker St. ..................................Weelen Supply, Main St.
Blue Moon Diner, Main St. ..............................Paramount Cafe, Main St.
John's Sport Shop, Main St. ............................Lynde Hardware, now on Main St.
Bonk's Market, Pine St. ...................................Gardner News, Central St.
Gardner Travel Agency, Central St. ...............Chair City Paint & Wallpaper
Priscilla's Candy, new location corner Main and Lynde St.
Chairtown Lumber ...........................................Gardner Screw Corp.,Union St.
Dow's Shoe Store, West St.
GFA Credit Union (I believe we called it Gardner Franco-American in the old days) with 2 branches in Gardner, 1 each in Hubbardston, Rutland, Fitchburg, Winchendon, Rindge, NH, and soon, Ashburnham.
Chairtown Lumber.......................................... Royal Steam Heater
Gardner Cinema (once the Orpheum) now located at Timpany Plaza with 8 theaters
Heywood Wakefield buildings - no longer a furniture business but most of the buildings have been converted into multi-room apartments.

Gardner Then and Now, Part One

We thought you might like to join us in reflecting on some of the changes to Gardner, Massachusetts over the years.

Do you have a then and now question or another contribution to make to the list? We hope you will join in the conversation about our hometown. Post your own comment (sign-in required) or send an e-mail to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .

The following list was compiled by classmate Judy (Heino) Collette. Judy looked at the sponsoring ads in our 1960 Argus to determine who is still there and who is not.

Gardner and local area businesses or stores no longer here:
Student Bros. ............ Family Shoe Store ..................... Rousseau's
Cohen's ..................... J.A. LeBlanc ........................... Leslie's Music
Garbose Bros. .......... Savard & Noyes ........... Goodnow Pearsons
Weeds ....................... Sandrof's ................................ Teresa Roark
Rose's (Now Temptation's Boutique) ................... Eino's Pharmacy
McKeogh's Pharmacy ...... City Market ............................. Foodliner
Atter's SuperMarket ...... Hager & Houghton Meat & Grocery Store
Trifilo's (now a Hannaford Supermarket) ................. Woodland Spa
Betty's Flower Shop ........... Westminster Dairy Bar

Only a memory:
Heywood Wakefield (now apartments) ......................... Conant Ball
Denny Mfg. ......................... Lilly Varnish Co. ...... Kuniholm Mfg. Co.
O.W. Siebert Co. .............. S. Bent Bros. ........................Thayer Mfg.
C.H. Hartsorn ............. Gardner Mfg. Co., Inc. ....Gem Crib & Cradle
Collier Keyworth .............. Kelly Bros. .................... O'Hearn Mfg. Co.
Nichols & Stone (currently selling inventory)

Glory to Gardner: 100 Years of Football

Glory To Gardner: 100 Years of Football in The Chair City - by Mike Richard –Written in 1993, this book chronicles the history of football in Gardner dating back to the first team at the high school in 1893. A year-by-year breakdown of the sport includes game scores and scoring plays from every game, the names of every player who ever played and the 336 page book is illustrated with more than 200 photographs. Special sections include biographies on every Gardner High football coach, detailed histories of the two Gardner semi-pro football teams - the Gardner Merchants and Hillside Gymnasts and other tidbits and trivia that you will pick up and read again and again. Whether you strapped on the helmet and pads for the orange and black, or cheered for the Wildcats from the stands at Stone Field, this book is a must for anyone who can still, in their minds, hear the cleats climbing the ramp to the hallowed gridiron.The book is available at $25 & $3 mailing costs by contacting Mike Richard at 101 Temple St. Gardner, MA 01440. Discounts are available if 3 or more copies are purchased. Do you have a question to ask Mike? Send a message to Rich0725@aol.com .

About the Author – Mike Richard has been writing for The Gardner News for the past 30 years. He has written the weekly sports column "The Sporting Goods" since 1985 and has written "The Gardner Scene" for the past five years. Referred to as the "unofficial historian of Gardner," he has researched and produced detailed histories of the Greater Gardner area as well as being the top local authority on Gardner sports. In 1993 he wrote "Glory To Gardner: 100 Years of Football in The Chair City" to coincide with the centennial of football at GHS.
Mike has also been in the education field for the past 30 years, teaching English at Gardner High since 1989 and then five years ago became a guidance counselor at the high school. He is also the founder and chairperson of the Gardner High School Athletic Hall of Fame, of which he is also an inductee. He is also vice president of the Gardner Museum and a member of the Gardner Historical Commission. He and his wife Peggy are the parents of two grown children - Casey and Lindsey.

About the 50th Class Reunion Blog

Dear Classmate,

We have started this blog to invite your suggestions for the 50th class reunion in 2010. Here are some of the things we hope to share with you via our blog.

All Things Gardner – links to places and institutions in the greater Gardner area

Class Database – encourage readers to update their contact information

Down Memory Lane – pictures from our high school days - scanned from original candid snapshots or newspaper- sent in by classmates

Finding Missing Classmates and Friends of the Class of 1960 – list of classmates for whom we cannot locate current addresses; readers send in some tips on finding them.

In Memoriam – an up-to-date list of deceased classmates and a tribute to their memory

Postcards – any classmate may post a reply offering a greeting, recollection, or reflection in acknowledgment of our 50th Class Reunion. Categories include: a special teacher, a close friend, a lasting lesson learned, an amusing incident, or reunion toast.

Reunion Anxiety – tips for having a great time at a reunion.

Reunion Booklet – classmates who will attend the reunion send in any updated contact information, adding a line or two about their retirement goals or activities.

Reunion Committee – contact information for members of the 50th Class Reunion Committee, listing a schedule of our tentative planning meetings, and inviting classmate responses to suggestions for a reunion format and location.

Reunion Mailings – electronic versions of forms, surveys, etc. that will go out prior to the reunion; we will encourage classmates to print and share information with others who may not have immediate access

Reunion Program – describes the overall plan for the 50th Reunion, including specific dates, times, and locations. We will also invite visitors to volunteer to take special roles at the reunion or to lead related activities that might occur before or after the reunion itself.

Reunion Prizes and Awards – an entry that summarizes any prizes, awards, or momentos that we distribute at the reunion.

Reunion Update – posted summaries of progress.

Then and Now – noting some of the changes that have occurred in your hometown.

While You are in the Area – no matter where we hold our reunion, we will include current info about where to go and what to do, or where to stay.

Your ideas for this blog are welcome. If you would like to suggest an additional feature for the blog or for our 50th reunion, we hope you will join our blog and post a comment. Joining is a simple process. Please add http://ghsclassof1960.blogspot.com to your internet favorites list, too. Visit the site often and watch for more information and reunion updates. If you prefer, you can e-mail your ideas or digital images to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com .