Big Events, Little Incidents, Memories Persist
1967 — For some, it was the best of times. For others, not so much. We celebrated the Summer of Love on the beaches of Southeast Jersey, while war reached new intensity in Southeast Asia. A few of our young men shipped out to a jungle thousands of miles away to kill or be killed. The rest of us worked at our summer resort jobs and on our sunburns, eagerly anticipating less daunting adventures in college or “the real world.” Meanwhile, the city of Newark burned a hundred miles away. The Doors, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie released their debut albums, while Sgt. Pepper’s Band, the Young Rascals’ “Groovin'” and the Association’s “Windy” ruled the charts.
What memories of the years that led up to our graduation day have stayed with us 50 years on?
Marie (Schmidt) Brooks:
The basketball team winning the state championship. We rode chartered buses to the game and when they brought us home to the school everyone was cheering and pushing everyone in the pool.
Jim Hogan:
Bus trips to away swim meets. At that time, few local schools other than ACHS had swim teams, so we had to travel to Wilmington, Philadelphia or Northern Jersey to find competition. We used standard school buses that we swore had square wheels after 2-3 hours of traveling at a max speed of 55mph. On the return trips, we ate sandwiches made by Mrs. Carey, our coach’s wife, for dinner.
The Guidance Office posting various college acceptance letters of seniors on a bulletin board in the hall outside the office. I am sure this is no longer done today as it would violate some “privacy right”.
Frank Migliaccio:
Swimming at the Tuckahoe Railroad Bridge, Farmer Parties at the Pits, The Palermo Speed Shop (The Shack off Rt. 9), Playing pool at the Tuckahoe Pool Hall and in the basement at Ed Reese’s house, being the Captain of the O.C.H.S Red Raiders Football team and being a Life Guard on the 24th Street Beach in Ocean City. Last but not least, Hunting with my Father.
Rob Taylor:
First and foremost that we had the classic high school building when we attended.
The smallest competitive swimming pool perhaps in the USA Fenton Carey and Dixie Howell
I was in 9th grade Algebra when Kennedy was assassinated
I attended 10th grade in Hollywood Florida at South Broward High School with Chris Mather (Pfaeffli)
Watching people smoke cigarettes on the corner across the street and wondering why?
Great summer network in the Southend – great surfing
Trying to get home to 49th and Central after school activities
Colleen (Costello) Forte-Loadenthal:
Mr. Moore’s Daily “Pearls of Wisdom.”
Marie (DeFranco) Taylor:
Dancing at the Youth Center, eating lunch at the Boxwood, stuffing endless napkins into chicken wire to decorate floats, the Junior Fair.
Mr. Johnson accidentally creating a vacuum in a flask, throwing it out the window to break it so it wouldn’t explode, and the look on his face when a student carried it back up to return it to him- did that really happen? or was it a strange vivid dream?
Wendy (Climie) Housand:
Spending Friday & Saturday nights at the Youth Center. “Bushwacking” at High Banks Park in Somers Point.
Chris Danser:
I have plenty of memories from those days, but the best is remembering swimming on the relay team and winning gold medals at the state championship.
Joe DeAugustine:
Day we flipped Mr. Klepack’s V.W. while he was in school.
Ms. Kassab’s class when she passed a spider in a jar she got mush back and never did that again.
Jeannie (Lewis) Sheninger:
I remember our “senior” football game by the parkway in Marmora where I tackled a boy & ended up with two black eyes! Game over!
Audrey Farrell:
The day JFK was assassinated, I was in Freshman English when Mr. Holden came into class to tell us the terrible news. Our class was held in the cafeteria with windows looking out to the park across the street. During that time I remember the American flag being lowered to half-staff. That weekend my Father & I traveled to D.C. to line the street to view JFK’s funeral procession.
Some of my best times were being a member of the OCHS Choir.
Cathy (Johnson) Auten:
Double-dating with Janet Kruk. We’re still doing it!
Janet (Kruk) Milligan:
I was an average student in high school, and most of my friends were very smart. I became an overachiever later in life. Success comes with hard work & passion. Wonderful memories of cheerleading, student council, proms, eating lunches out, the chatterbox, friends for life, the teachers, sand in your shoes, the boardwalk, cruising around town, a very special school that gave you a solid foundation in life. This is where I developed my personality, and love for people. Yes, the best years of my life Thank you OCHS!
Frannie (Simms) Kelly:
Basketball and football games. Building the floats. I called Janet & Ginny a lot. I just had fun!
Mary Beth (Eisenlohr) Spiegel:
Going out for lunch!! That was the best. Carrying lots of heavy books around. One time I literally ran into somebody I liked and the books went spilling all over! So embarrassed!
Ann Marie (Warren) Smith:
Don’t really remember that much about High School. Running to refreshment stand at football games, and helping to decorate the Junior Class float for Halloween parade.
Pam Weaver:
I can’t think of any one vivid memory during high school, but my greatest memories come from my four years (I also need to include the 7th & 8th grades) of participating in the various music programs from performing at football games during halftime, marching in parades, concert stage performances, participation in choral programs, the musical comedy Flower Drum Song (pit orchestra). These experiences were instrumental in my wanting to continue to play the French horn and my 32 year membership in the Greater Miami Symphonic Band. Music has always been a major part of my life thanks to the inspiration of our great band director we had at OCHS.
Susan (Sommer) Golleher:
Junior prom. Playing tennis and field hockey in PE.
Jane Field:
Working on holiday (Halloween) floats for the parade.
Linda Raiser:
Dancing, dancing at the center. Also remember as if yesterday, classes with Mr. Moore, and Mr. (Dr.) Lauer. Mr Lauer as our class advisor, and he always wore red socks on pop test days. Building/decorating the floats for the Halloween parade. The junior fair in the gym. The Friday night basketball games, and the Saturday afternoon football games. Such fun.
George J. Morgan:
Friday Night at the Youth Center. Riding to school in George McGinley’s pale blue Ford. Working at the A&P on 15th.
Jerri (Eggly) Simon:
The Best year of my life, in its entirety, was my junior year at OCHS. I have had higher highs (and unfortunately lower lows) but that year was the one I would relive over and over again if I could. It was the year that I fell in love for the first time with an intensity that I will never forget. I succeeded in most everything I attempted, from making cheerleader to getting my driver’s license on the first try. I took on positions of leadership as the co-president of the Youth Center (okay, that wasn’t too hard but it was fun), being a member of Student Council and even participating in Spanish Club (I think that was to look good on my college applications). It was a year of freedom from my family where I had been bound much too tightly, for all the wrong reasons. It was my greatest year ever!
Pat (Lytle) Rickly:
When we moved to Ocean City in the Spring of 1964, the English teacher to whom I was assigned accused me of plagiarizing the first composition I submitted: “Where did you copy this from?” I had written it myself, it was certainly childish and trivial, but somehow I knew from then on that writing was probably “my thing.” Putting “The Billows” to bed (readying for publication in the Ocean City Sentinel Ledger) on Friday nights at the round table my dad had made and annual Billows trips to New York form some of my best memories from those years. Our advisor, Mr. Bonner, frequently counseled that I should go on to write for any publication but Cosmopolitan magazine (too racy? or just too many italics?) Oh, and Mr. Williams’ Senior English class, where we had to decipher The Atlantic and Harper’s. I never did figure out which had which political bent.
David Ganary:
Being State Champions in Basketball and how the entire City reacted including painting the road at the High School. I was in Knoxville, TN in November of 1967 when U of Tennessee beat Alabama at football at home and the city came unglued with 100,000 people marching in the streets. It reminded of how we all felt when our school was state champions, a feeling that I still have today.
Coming in first place for the OCBP try outs when I was 15. I was a life guard for 7 summers, all the way through High School and College. Swimming remained a major part of my life. I swam in High school and college. I coached a college team and a high school team. Swimming afforded me the opportunity to contribute positively to others.
Marjory (Witmer) Garcia:
Was Miss Kassab actually a passenger on the Titanic?
Jim Becotte:
Dating Jan Springer — now Jan Springer Becotte. She has stayed with me for some reason (which was part of your question).
Dennis Carey:
Swim meets and being part of a group of surfing friends…
Carol (Bringhurst) Oaks:
Mr. Moore, Mr. Klepac, Mr. Holden, Mr. Baker…..their kindness, generosity of spirit, and sense of humor.
Freshman year….first term paper in Mr. Klepac’s history class. “Hey, Bring…. the next time you write about ” The Age of The Pyramids”, tell us what happened during that period of time, not about how the pyramids were constructed!” His delivery was comical, but…. lesson learned! I have never forgotten that moment! Love him!!
Wayne Dubiel:
Mr. Lauer was best teacher. Gravel pit parties, driving around in my 58 chevy convertible with top down…always
Janet (Stoltzfus) Brownback:
friends, first and foremost, teachers (the good ones inspired me to become one myself), dating memories, proms, the Youth Center, float building
and cheerleading. I remember how devastated I was when I did not make the varsity squad and maybe was the only senior ever to be on JV.
Suzanne (Sheldon) Yopp:
basketball games, going to Princeton University for artistic events and writing and editing the weekly newspaper with Pat Rickly and Mike Dimon
Jacquie (Bolling) Hasko:
Coming from offshore to “the City” for school. Off campus lunches. Hanging with Janet, Cathy and Eydie. Band and Choir activities.
Margaret (Peggy) (Sharp) Pittenger:
My parents went to Ocean City High & it was a tradition for us, as a family, to go to the Thanksgiving football game every year. Will never forget Mr. Lauer’s classes. After school Tennis, Roller Skating & Bowling. Swimming & being late for art classes because it took so long to get my hair to dry. Drivers Ed was a hoot!! The year JFK was assassinated and our teacher walking back into class in tears. So may memories from OC High.
Wayne Adamson:
Teachers, classmates, Youth Center, Red Raiders.
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