Of Bears and Beaus

Bear for bunches of decades: We wrote in this space recently that Don Taylor was ailing. Seems that Don (Mr. Taylor still to many of his former students) had suffered a stroke and was as laid up as an egg from an upside down chicken. I posted the dilemma of Professor Don and was deluged with requests to send best wishes his way. Although I felt like a voyeur peeping at some of the messages that were being forwarded to our "Teacher of the Half-Century" (my designation) I was overwhelmed at the love, good wishes, caring and impact this slight man had on so many of his students. They spoke to him with a reverence usually reserved for those who have taught us, shaped us, and encouraged us like no other.


Don wrote back that he is now out of jail (hospital). Being the humble man he has always been he deflects the praise and thanks ME and feared efforts on his behalf might actually have been a burden! Well, it was a pleasure and I would like to.... well, let me pass on his own words:


"Dear Andy,

I am overwhelmed by the emails I have received [over 50 and still coming plus hordes of get well cards].  This response is largely due to your blog and for that I am VERY grateful!!  I hope forwarding those well wishes has not been a burden to  you.  I truth, I have been permitted to "smell the roses."  Bob White was even prepared to fly to see me on the day I was discharged from the hospital.  What friends I have!  I hope I am deserving of such affection!

Over the years I have taken pride in my correspondence -- quick replies, etc.  The last letter was always from myself.  Now, I cannot keep up and so I have another favor to ask of you.  Can you put my general reply to these friends on your blog?   That would entail and cover a good many of my dear friends!

Dear Friends,

I want to thank all of you for your support and prayers -- they are sustaining me!  I am truly blessed to have so many devoted friends for so many years.  Your affection brings me to tears.

I hope I am worthy of such devotion and loyalty!  The feeling is mutual believe me!

Fondly, Don Taylor"

What a guy!

Younger Bears again making a splash: Remember that school that CHS spawned 50 or so years ago? The new school on Old Clairton Road? CHS was bursting at the seams so a passel of students was sent up the river -er, road, to the spanking then-new school named Thomas Jefferson. Many who left for the new school were from bigger homes and had bigger incomes than their cousins in the City of Prayer, and the new school immediately began to thrive academically and athletically. Some looked down their noses at their background and for many years would not schedule their progeny in any sport. But over the past few years the worm has begun to turn.

Last year CHS lost to then defeated TJ in the local 7 on 7 and were therefore invited to participate in the prestigious Red Bull Classic 7 on 7 in Dallas. Our rag-tag kids might have been snickered at at the tourney. Here they were, a single A school competing against  5, 6, and 7 A-level schools from football powerhouses of Louisiana, Texas, and Florida among others. Every player on the plane that carried CHS team members to Dallas experienced their first ever plane ride. What could this bunch of rubes do against powerhouse schools with enrollment staffs, athletic staffs and budgets up to 10 times the size of CHS? Well, in a word, they could win. And win they did. Again and again and again, serving as giant slayers until the finals when a powerful Texas school finally tripped up our guys, who came home with their heads held high after taking the silver against such odds.

Well, they're at it again. On the strength of their performance last year.... oh yes, and trouncing TJ again this year - twice, they were once again invited to competition in Texas. Once again CHS alum Bill Bennett of Phoenix, AZ, has undertaken the Herculean task of putting together travel arrangements for the team. Last year the mission was underwritten by generous donations to the Clairton Athletic Club as well as by several angels including Geno Tolari, Robert White, and Jim Siefert who donated funds for the cause. Bill and Dallas resident CHS alum Bob Yaksick assisted the coaches to see that once the Bears arrived they were fed, housed, and otherwise looked after. 

Of course there is no way of telling how the Bears will do against this year's competition. Will our little school that graduated 50 students be able to once again compete against schools who graduate over 1,000 students per year? Stay tuned. We will bring the results on our next blog.

A little blogging music Maestro: “When the Saints go Marching In” by Benny Benack.

Dr. Forgot http://drforgot.com

email: drforgot@cox.net

Mr. Taylor and Clairton kids

A legend in his own time: Nearly every CHS alum of the 1950s or 1960s. 1970s, 0r even the 1980s had Mr. Don Taylor as a teacher, professor, friend, or has heard tales of the legendary teacher. Don lives in Elizabeth these days but still bleeds orange and black. He attends every event at his high school games, celebrations, reunions… he does it all! – Remember, he is not only a former faculty member, but also a CHS alum who played in the band. Recalling his band days, Don says, "In 1946, the band was all set to parade up Miller Avenue but the person to carry the American flag was sick. Since I was undoubtedly the worst trombone player to ever play in the band, I volunteered to carry the flag. Sixty years later, CHS celebrated its 100th anniversary with a gigantic parade over a mile long walk from the school to the stadium. Among the participants were people from the past. Leading the parade and carrying the flag was the oldest participant -- yours truly and wearing the shako, plume and pants from 1946! Who would have thought when I was 16 that 60 years later I would have that same honor!"

More on the consummate educator: Mr. Taylor taught at CHS then he and a dozen or so others started the then fledgling Community College of Allegheny County, where he taught for more than 40 years. The education icon of Clairton has been going so strong for so long that something was bound to give way sooner or later. It happened on Father’s Day when he suffered a stroke that left his left hand and left side of his mouth paralyzed. He has been in the hospital since. He has improved some. His face is still numb and his left hand is weak. It can find his nose but cannot help tie his shoes or open paper packets. He is told that given his age he is a candidate for another stroke .

Two days before Don had the stroke he was in one of his favorite spots – at a softball game; but not as a spectator, rather as a player. After hitting two long home runs he sat out, telling his teammates he was having heart problems.

The doctor told him his playing days are behind him but that was the most bitter pill the doctor gave Don to swallow. Still, he is who he is and has a very positive outlook. Wife Betts and his children are most supportive and loving during this spell. Per his request, please send any good wishes to me at drforgot@cox.net and I will forward them to our dear friend.

Others are helping the kids too: A few groups of current and former Clairtonians, nearly all CHS alumni are working to help our kids.  The Clairton Chamber of Commerce, the Reaching the Reachable outreach program, and members of the Clairton History Facebook friends have been working furiously over the past year to provide mentoring for current CHS students, offering real life examples of CHS alumni who have become successful in various fields of endeavor, demonstrating job application and interviewing skills, teaching the ins and outs of obtaining financial aid for post-secondary education, and many other avenues to help current CHS students and grads reverse the cycle of poverty that has gripped many in our hometown. Ted Kay, Terrence Fort, Dr. Pauline Long, Joannie, Jordan, Terry Lancaster, Kathy Grisnik Tachoir, and Dr. Elisabeth Erlich are among the many who have taken the baton to help the youth of our community break the bonds of poverty.

First things first: Now that  the school year is over and graduation rate high, athletic successes noted, a summer of uncertainty has begun. With few recreational outlets many of our children will spend the summer hanging out and doing little that is constructive simply due to lack of opportunities. Minutes of a recent meeting of the group included the following: “After a review of the process and template we would use, we identified, discussed and selected the initiatives to implement for Clairton's youth for the summer. Volunteer "Champions" were named to develop action plans/timing, identify local contacts or groups and implement each initiative. Five immediate and three long term initiatives were adopted.

Immediate needs: 1. Field Trips,  2. Swimming Pool Passes, 3. Playground Activities,  4. Movie Nights,  5. Community Day.

Long Term initiatives: 6. S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Coalition),  7. Computer Training, and  8. Vacation Bible School Schedules.”

Help is needed: None of the above can occur without help and support from CHS Alumni. Our fantastic alumni has stepped forward in the past to help with scholarship and athletic projects for our children. We ask you to do so again. The City of Clairton has committed several hundred dollars as a first step in helping the summer projects and we are asking you to supplement their commitment with your alumni gift. Every person listed above, as well as many other fellow alums are providing their time, money and effort on a volunteer basis helping with field trips and movie nights. Donations are now needed to purchase pool passes for the 2012 summer season.

The Clairton pool policy is to admit free any child under 3 feet tall when accompanied by an adult. Your donations will help purchase pool passes for children whose stature exceeds 36”

 A few donations have already been committed. Send your donation to: Joanie Jordan, 13 Wellington Woods Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15229.

 A little blogging music Maestro: “Be True to Your School” by The Beachboys.

Dr. Forgot http://drforgot.com

email: drforgot@cox.net

School's Almost Out!

Hot town, summer in the city: I am certain the readers of this blog reflect on their summers as special times during high school. As a child I was fortunate to live at the end of St. Clair Ave. Thus I got to see and hear the band practice up and down Waddell as they marched Waddell from the school to Tenth Street. On days I could not afford or did not choose to pay bus fare to Noble J. Dick bus lines I recall thumbing (otherwise called “bumming” or “hitch-hiking would) a ride to the Park to enjoy a day at the pool. I remember walking to the Stadium to watch the football players working out for the season after they’d returned from camp, and seeing the Honeybears practicing their routines. Some days I would walk up to the Fifth Street School playground or thumb a ride to the Terrace to check out the playground activities. Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer were fun-filled activities that are no longer available.

Times change; kids don’t: Today the young people of Clairton have the same 10 weeks or so off in the summer. But times have changed, opportunities have diminished and the number of wholesome and constructive activities available has been reduced by a large margin. Gone are the wpaying summer jobs in the mill or on the City Parks and Recreation staff have disappeared. Summer jobs to bolster the college fund simply no longer exist. The City does not fund supervision at the playgrounds and the number of playgrounds has been reduced. The pool still offers recreation, and with the building of the Ravensburg Bridge, kids from “the hill” can easily walk to Clairton Park and the pool.

It boils down to economics: In our day nobody seemed to be extremely wealthy nad few were dirt poor. Every family seemed to be middle class with two parents and three and one-half kids. The lawns were green, dads worked and moms for the most part stayed at home. Today, the number of single-parent families has skyrocketed and opportunities for employment are sparse. Those who do not earn a scholarship or receive financial aid will likely not pursue any post-secondary education Summers have become a time to simply “hang out” between the end of one school year and the beginning of another.

A few groups of current and former Clairtonians, nearly all CHS alumni are working to change that. The Clairton Chamber of Commerce, the Reaching the Reachable outreach program, and members of the Clairton History Facebook friends have been working furiously over the past year to provide mentoring for current CHS students, offering real life examples of CHS alumni who have become successful in various fields of endeavor, demonstrating job application and interviewing skills, teaching the ins and outs of obtaining financial aid for post-secondary education, and many other avenues to help current CHS students and grads reverse the cycle of poverty that has gripped many in our hometown. Ted Kay, Terrence Fort, Dr. Pauline Long, Joannie, Jordan, Terry Lancaster, Kathy Grisnik Tachoir, and Dr. Elisabeth Erlich are among the many who have taken the baton to help the youth of our community break the bonds of poverty.

First things first: With the school year about to end and graduation rate high, athletic successes noted, a summer of uncertainty is about to begin. With few recreational outlets many of our children will spend the summer hanging out and doing little that is constructive simply due to lack of opportunities. Minutes of a recent meeting of the group included the following: “After a review of the process and template we would use, we identified, discussed and selected the initiatives to implement for Clairton's youth for the summer. Volunteer "Champions" were named to develop action plans/timing, identify local contacts or groups and implement each initiative. Five immediate and three long term initiatives were adopted.

Immediate needs: 1. Field Trips,  2. Swimming Pool Passes, 3. Playground Activities,  4. Movie Nights,  5. Community Day.

Long Term initiatives: 6. S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Coalition),  7. Computer Training, and  8. Vacation Bible School Schedules.”

Help is needed: None of the above can occur without help and support from CHS Alumni. Our fantastic alumni has stepped forward in the past to help with scholarship and athletic projects for our children. We ask you to do so again. The City of Clairton has committed several hundred dollars as a first step in helping the summer projects and we are asking you to supplement their commitment with your alumni gift. Every person listed above, as well as many other fellow alums are providing their time, money and effort on a volunteer basis helping with field trips and movie nights. Donations are now needed to purchase pool passes for the 2012 summer season.

The Clairton pool policy is to admit free any child under 3 feet tall when accompanied by an adult. Your donations will help purchase pool passes for children whose stature exceeds 36”

 A few donations have already been committed. Send your donation to: Joanie Jordan, 13 Wellington Woods Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15229.

 A little blogging music Maestro: “Be True to Your School” by The Beachboys.

Dr. Forgot http://drforgot.com

email: drforgot@cox.net

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CLAIRTON

From Clairton to College: Back in the late 1800s when I attended Clairton High School – or so my grandkids think that is when I attended – it was actually the late 1950s – Clairton was a booming mill town. African Americans, first generation European Americans, Anglo-Americans whose families had been here for generations, all worked side-by-side in the area’s mills and all studied side-by-side in the classrooms of Clairton High School and the many elementary schools in the community. Sub-communities were somewhat segregated with Slavs, Italians, and African Americans dominating parts of town but it was not uncommon for most of the neighborhoods to be integrated. The closest thing to a wealthy section of town was the mansion at the end of Mitchell Avenue. Work was plentiful, the economy boomed, and for the most part life was good.

People are people: The community was not without its blemishes. There were occasional skirmishes at the school and in the mill, accusations of political chicanery, a scandal when one of the teachers was accused of photographing nude underage girls, and there were even illicit drugs for sale on our little version of Mayberry. But overall, most residents had a goal for their family and that goal included having their children get a good education, graduate from high school then join the service, get a job, or pursue a college education. The Marines seemed to be the service branch of choice for many of those who opted for the military and jobs were plentiful in the mill as well as in supporting businesses for those who chose option two. Many scholarships were available to those who opted for college, from scholarships offered by affinity groups to the PICCO scholarship offered by the booming chemical plant at the bottom of the hill. The population was bursting at its seams with a high of about 28,000 residents including many returning young WW-II veterans who moved into cheap and available temporary housing to begin their families.

Our choices were sometimes overruled: I was never crazy about the academic side of school. From junior high school onward I did not do particularly well in my classes. Oh I learned most of what was taught, but for some reason did not earn stellar grades. I did not see scholarly pursuits in my future. My vision was to go to the Marine Corps and do whatever it was they did at Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, then return to Clairton in my snazzy Marine dress uniform to wow the girls who did not give me a second look while in high school.  At least that was my fantasy.

BZZZZZZT!!!! Wake up call! My father had other plans for me and since I was the only son in an ethnic family those plans included post-secondary education. We argued. Service. College. Service. College. Service. College. And so the arguments went until a classmate told me she was going to a college 2,000 miles away that was sponsored by a religion that I’d barely heard of.

That was my answer! I would tell my father I’d go to college only if I got to choose the school. He’s balk at my choice and I’d be free to go to the Marine Corps! Wrong. He did not balk and at the tender age of 17 I ended up a stranger in a strange land, attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Times change: The only places where things stay forever grand and happy are in fairy tales and reminiscent blogs. I went on to college and to my surprise, actually graduated with a degree in Psychology and eventually earned Masters and Doctoral degrees. But the winds of change blew almost from the very day I left Clairton. First there was the assassination of a young popular president, then the war in far off Viet Nam, Woodstock, Watergate, gasoline shortages, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and so many other changes worldwide and in the U.S. And of course, our little cornet of Camelot did not go unscathed. The booming steel industry was dismantled as Detroit manufacturers lost market share to foreign competitors whose cars were smaller, sleeker, more efficient and more dependable. Clairton became one more component of the rust belt when the mills closed up and down the river.  The city’s population base began to tumble to the low 20,000 mark then into the teens, and by the turn of the 21^st century, to below 10,000 and by 2010 to around 6,500 souls lived in the once-thriving community. Those who had gone off to college and the military for the most part did not return and their parents who had worked their careers in the mills stayed in their paid off homes until they died out.

The worst was yet to come: As mentioned above, my first university degree was in Psychology; the study of human behavior. Two characteristics of human behavior have emerged in our town. First, it is human nature to not want to be at the bottom level of society. People at the bottom scratch and fight to get off the floor and that often means doing it at the expense of knocking somebody else to the bottom. Clairton appears to have been the "Somebody Else." We see this in the constant negative media coverage of our town regarding drugs, shootings, and any other negative sensational headline or gossip that attempts to put Clairton below surrounding communities. This phenomenon is exacerbated by those who still live there or who have moved away but join in on the bashing, making the community appear worse off than it actually is.

Are there real problems in Clairton that include drugs, violence, and a struggling school system? Of course. But those conditions are no worse nor better than many sister cities up and down the Monongahela Valley who have suffered similar downturns.

Turn the tide: Instead of dwelling on the negative, as is human nature, some current and former residents have begun to take an active role in erasing stereotypes by accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative. Terrence Fort and a host of others have recently begun the CHS Mentorship program. Their goal is to get every CHS grad into some sort of post-secondary education program. Thus far they’ve brought in successful CHS alumni to speak to current CHS students, brought in a financial aid specialist to discuss the ins and outs of financial aid for post-secondary education, mentored students on a 1:1 basis, conducted mock interviews with students, and many other activities.

I’ve also gotten wind that another group is in the process of forming a not-for-profit corporation that will allow them to seek grants to raze and refurbish Clairton properties that have been abandoned. We’ve heard about the school’s successes on the football field and it is gratifying to see successes in other areas. I have every confidence that the tide will indeed turn in Clairton and the community will once again be a model for health and happiness. It might have to start small, but every acorn that grows to be a mighty oak started as a seed.

A little blogging music Maestro: “I Will Survive” by Cake.

Clairton Stuff

MISCELLANEOUS CLAIRTON Seems like a while: It has been quite a while since I’ve last written anything Clairton. Been busy on Facebook between Reaching the Reachable, Clairton History, and Clairton Activists. But most time has been spent in my newest venue, being an usher at the newly opened Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Have had the good fortune to work and see the musical Color Purple as well as the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Pink Floyd, Clint Holms, Celtic Women, Golda’s Balcony, Yo Yo Ma, Al Gereau, and many others. Today’s blog will be rambling about Clairton as well as some notes from one of your former teachers – although I did not have the pleasure of taking his class.

    Bears will be Bears: We have noted, as have many media outlets, the successes over the past four years of the Clairton Bears football team and their 47-game win streak as well as their three consecutive state championships. But as Albert E. Einstein once said, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Such can be illustrated by the Bears baseball team that lost as many consecutive games as the football team has won. In fact, the baseball team has not won three consecutive games in the past seven years, until three games ago. Not only did the Baseball Bears break their Bad News Bears moniker, they knocked off an undefeated rival and now stand a chance – albeit a long shot, of making the playoffs. And this turnaround was done under the guidance of a first year coach! Go Bears and thanks to Bill “Woodland Terrace Forever” Bennett for the tip.

  When is a number more than a number?: One of Clairton’s all time favorite teachers mentioned in earlier blogs is alumnus Don Taylor. As noted above, I did not have the pleasure of his teaching but in a recent spate of emails many of his former students praised him and referred to 917. My first thought was that it was an area code, but that led to Brooklyn, NY. I couldn’t figure it out so I went to the source and asked Don about the history of the mystery. Here is his response:

 “So, here is the story: One day during class [my history class, juniors, Class of 1962] a student complained that history was difficult for him since he had a hard time remembering events, dates, etc. I then explained that history was not merely an exercise in remembering and dates but involved understanding, analyzing, etc. Furthermore, I replied that there were cognitive studies which indicated that what we have experienced and learned is stored in our memory and that given the proper stimulus it would be restored to our recollection. I went on to say that it is therefore difficult to forget! At that point I chose the number 917 as an example [no connection, birthday, significance, nothing, just "out-- of-- the-- air" number]. I then had them repeat it several times, write it several times, etc. After a few minutes I asked if any had forgotten the number.

 NO one had! Every time you consciously attempt to forget it the memory of the number is reinforced by the stimulus.

 I then did the same experiment in each class and over the years. Following this I reinforced their memory by having it appear again and again [e.g. John Doe lived at 917 Fifth Avenue], in one of my skits in a pep assembly, a mad man appeared in a strait jacket wildly proclaiming that Duquesne would defeat the Bears that evening. Upon being pursued by attendants from the asylum, he fled and on his back was his inmate number -- 917.

 Once when my championship high school quiz team led by Nancy Bekavac was on the radio, they always selected 9 for the first question set, then 1, then 7 [those from Clairton listening chuckled but our opponents sensed we were on to something when they scouted us] and so on during the remaining years I enjoyed at CHS [last class I taught was 1968].

 It eventually took on a life of its own. When I meet students from that period now a half century later, they often greet me with the number 917. It is in my email, played on the lottery, the combination of locks, and who knows what else! Perhaps now you will be stuck with it after this message!

 Finally, and for me most important, I believe it has become a sign of affection between an old school teacher and his beloved students who respected and loved one another. A love which remains UNFORGOTTEN!”

 Fondly, "Mr. Taylor"

  Times change but great teachers don’t: With a little prodding, Don Mr. Taylor gave me another example of his creative teaching delivery style: “All sorts of memories are coming in regarding Clairton. Lynne Carroll Novak [CHS in the mid 60's -- very pretty Honeybear] wrote that Thomas Jefferson had red hair. Others remember that Columbus had red hair from my teaching. Interesting how my use of gimmicks has been remembered. 

Early in my teaching at Clairton, I had a young man last name Lawson. In teaching about Columbus, I mentioned that before he became prematurely grey, he had red hair. I always attempted to make the people in history real flesh and blood persons. I then stressed the problem of stereotyping people [northern Italy not all darker complexion -- the Natali family in Clairton -- Marie, red hair --middle row first seat in room 104].

 Also in order to encourage more complete answers on my essay tests and to have students not give up but to try and figure out the answer, I announced that I would give a point for at least trying even if it were wrong. Comes the test and Lawson did not know an answer but wrote, "Columbus had red hair." O.K. he got one point. The next test and again he didn't know an answer and wrote that Columbus had red hair. Come on Richard! You wrote that on the last test! But true to my promise -- one point. To give him and any others a different answer for one point I began to mention others with red hair, George Rogers Clark, Thomas Jefferson, Generals Wolfe [British victor at Quebec] and Sherman [Civil War], "Jeb" Stuart with a red beard, etc., etc. Thus began the only history of red haired people being taught in America!

 Another example of having some fun in the midst of serious lectures. That and my extra curricular efforts, Pep Club, chaperoning, skits, being there after school for discussions, encouragement, counseling, etc., etc. What bonding and enjoyment and enduring friendships we had in addition to the college prep type teaching that I attempted to provide.”

 A little blogging music Maestro: “Be True to Your School” by The Beachboys. Dr. Forgot http://drforgot.com email: drforgot@cox.net

In with the new...

As I’ve previously written, my life has taken a dramatic turn that has included spending much more time at the Las Vegas Smith Center for the Performing Arts and less time at the helm of my computer. Thus my blogs have become posted with less frequency, fewer photos, and fewer facts, as my time for research has also diminished. I considered bringing Dr. Forgot to a sleeping standstill but every time a gap occurs between posts I begin to ger emails asking where I’ve been. So I will try a different tact. I invite readers to submit blogs to me and I in turn will publish them with full credit given to the writer. I’ve done this in the past (turned the blog over to a guest blogger) on occasion but my intention is to do it on a more regular basis. The first guest blog, offered below, is written by CHS Alum Joanie Jordan. Her brother, Nick and I attended college together and were roommates for a year. Nick married CHS Alum Jean Gazda, they settled in Atlanta, and Nick, a picture of health and fitness, passed away way too early.

Before turning the blog over to Joanie, I will cite some recent news of our home town. The first is sent to us by Bob White by way of CHS Athletic Director (who recently announced his retirement) Jim Wessell:
2011 Clairton Bears

*Finished in 2nd place at the National 7 on 7 Red Bull Gamebreakers Tournament in Texas, losing to only one team and beating many 4a, 5a, and 6a schools

*Enacted the mercy rule in 10 of 16 games in 2011

*Recorded 35 Shutouts in 4 years

*33 consecutive conference wins, last loss came in October of 2005

*62 wins in the last 4 seasons, the most in Pennsylvania

*597 All time wins ranks 27th all time in Pennsylvania high school football history, 9th in WPIAL history and 1st all time in Allegheny County

*705 points scored is the most in the state in 2011

*78 points allowed is the fewest in the state in 2011over 16 games

*Became the first school in Pennsylvania history to record 600 or more points in 4 consecutive seasons
2,697 points scored is the most ever over a 4 year span in Pennsylvania

*Only WPIAL School to win 4 consecutive Class A titles

*Brought home the 9th WPIAL Championship in Clairton’s 17th Championship game appearance

*47 game winning streak is currently the longest winning streak in the country and is the longest in WPIAL history

*1st WPIAL School and 4th school in Pennsylvania to win 3 consecutive PIAA State Championships

*Tyler Boyd was named Mr. Pennsylvania Football for the A/AA classes in 2011

*Carvan Thompson set a WPIAL, State and what is believed to be a National record by starting 64 consecutive games at the high school level

*This 2011 Senior Class holds the best 4 year record in the state (and best 4 year record in WPIAL history) at 62-2, holds the best WPIAL record (against WPIAL teams) at 51-1, won 4 WPIAL titles, went to 4 straight PIAA Championship games, and won 3 straight PIAA Class A State Championships

Wow!

Next, sent to us by a reader who chooses anonymity, comes a series of Clairton news:

* Andrew E. Jerome of Mt. Lebanon, a World War II veteran who worked as a pipefitter at U.S. Steel Clairton Works, died Wednesday, March 21, 2012, from natural causes. He was 91.
Mr. Jerome died 60 days after his wife of 63 years, Agnes.

* Pittsburgh's rivers have become such popular spots for recreation that it's been easy to assume that toxin-laden waters were a relic of the region's past. Sadly, says a study released Thursday by the PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center, not nearly enough has changed in the 40 years since the federal Clean Water Act was adopted to make America's rivers, streams, lakes and estuaries safe for fishing and swimming by 1983.

*There is a price to be paid for neglecting the nation's aging system of locks and dams, an economic engine in desperate need of a tune-up. On the Monongahela River, the price tag could be as high as $1 billion annually if the breakdown of a lock or dam puts the river off limits to barges delivering coal to power plants, according to a study performed last year for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

* Rudolph J. "Rudy" Ricci of Clairton, a writer and filmmaker who was part of the idea mill behind the horror classic, died March 8 following a fall likely exacerbated by health problems. He was 72.

*Thelma Albert was the favorite aunt who took her nieces and nephews shopping Downtown, stopping for lunch at Stouffer's tearoom. Clearly she knew a thing or two about shopping and was always fashionably dressed, thanks to those trips Downtown and to the stores that dotted McKeesport, including Rubinstein's, Jaison's and Cox's. Last Thursday, Thelma Albert turned 100. She was born March 15, 1912, in Clairton, the second of Elizabeth and Phil "Shorty" Bateman's six children. Called "Teb" by her family -- for her initials -- she graduated from Clairton High School and earned a Pennsylvania teaching certificate from California State Teacher's College. After graduation, she taught at Miller Avenue School in Clairton.

Dr. Forgot. drforgot@cox.net

And now, our superb guest post:

As long as I can recall, I have been attracted to, and mystified by, old things. By “old” I mean things that are older than me. Way older.

Growing up, I never much appreciated my home town; in fact, I rarely thought about it. If it weren’t for our playing football teams in otherwise unheard of, faraway places (such as “Brownsville”), I never would have thought outside of our little Clairtonian box. But eventually I grew up and subsequently learned that going “downtown” no longer meant “McKeesport” but a place across a river (that I had only heard about and never seen) called “Pittsburgh”.

And now that I am older, and Clairton is even older still, I realize that we have lost most of another generation, the World War II
generation. A generation of great story-tellers and great stories. This sense of loss makes me rather sad. I don’t know if you have had this experience or not, but upon visiting homes that I lived in as a child, and finding that they have been torn down, I felt a keen sense of there being no evidence that I had ever been there. The evidence is gone; the history is lost. All we have are photographs. But where are they?

When I purchased my first computer, I began “searching” for all kinds of things! Serendipitously, I found the written history of our childhood home, told along with that of West Jefferson Hills and Homestead and Mifflin Townships

(http://www.15122.com/3Rivers/). I was thrilled! But there are no pictures; no artists’ renderings. No visuals at all!
Then, sometime later, I discovered a series of books published in sepia tone by Arcadia publications. I purchased the “Ross Township” book because Ross is my home now. And I learned that my church history is inextricably linked to the history of Ross. And I began to think about Clairton. And then I thought it would be good if Clairton had a book, too. But Arcadia wants pictures – 168 to be exact – with brief narratives (less than 50 words to each photo).

To that end, I established a Facebook group called “Clairton History”. (When you look for it, you may notice that I chose a football for an identifying icon. As far as I know, Clairton has always had an outstanding football team.) The purpose of the “Clairton History” Facebook group is to designate a place for all of us to post our “old” photographs and accompanying narratives. It is my hope that someday soon, Clairton will have its own Arcadia book, dedicated to our hard working ancestors who helped ensure that our lives were built on strong foundations. Please join me in gathering and sharing the history of our schools, our churches, our neighborhoods – our town.

Joanie Jordan
CHS Class of ‘68
Joaniejordan1024@gmail.com

Mostly personal

I write a total of five blogs. On one of my other blogs I posted the following a couple of weeks ago:

"I was first introduced to her when I was barely a teen. I fell hard. She did things to me and made me do things I had never done before.

We rode our intense passion throughout high school but then the time came when I was forced to leave her and home behind and move on to the world of college, adulthood, marriage, career, and fulfilling expectations set by society. But I never forgot her and would occasionally sneak back to enjoy the pleasures only she could offer me.

Even throughout marriage and adulthood I would sometimes seek out the comfort, pleasure, and passion only she was able to offer me. My wife said she understood and tolerated my dalliances but I knew it was something she was unable to understand.

There were times in my life when I sought her out to calm my nerves and help me deal with the challenges of career and adulthood. She was always there for me, calming my anxieties and feeding my need for passion.

Life goes on and as I now approach the autumn of my own I find that with my career behind me, my wife a seasoned veteran of marriage, the kids grown and gone, and grandkids involved in technology I'll never understand, I find myself wondering about her. I have not seen her for many years. Is she still energetic? Beautiful? Passionate? Could she still make my heart flutter and ny head tingle? I decided to find out. To seek her out and see if she is real or just a fantasy that I'd created and imagined in my mind. Was she real or the false equivalent of a blow-up doll?

So I went to her. There she stood. Her beauty radiating with the same splendor she held for me in my youth. My passion, my love.... The theater.

Now that I have the time, and with my wife's full blessings, I have returned to the theater. She holds the same level of passion and love for me that she held when I did Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians;" I was barely a teen. But these days I embrace her not as an actor but as an usher, for though she still reeks of passion and intensity, mine has faded through the years. I am, as I always have been, devoted to the theater. I'll remain her loyal patron."

The particular theater with which I've become associated is The Smith Center for the performing arts. You can see the web page at www.thesmithcenter.com.

Las Vegas has changed in many ways in the 40+ years I've lived here. I've watched the community grow and mature from the mob era to the Howard Hughes era to the Steve Wynn era to the unbridled growth era to the most recent economic hard times era.

During those times we've offered the best entertainment in the world but have always been considered a bit short on cultural venues. Our local university, UNLV, filled in some of the cracks but Las Vegas was not known for cultural events, but rather "What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas..."

That all began to change 18 years ago when several events served as a confluence of change not on the Strip, but in the old railroad yard behind the blue collar downtown hotels. Our then mayor, Oscar Goodman was as avid a creative thinker as mayor as he had been during his days when he was referred to as "lawyer to the mob." The Union Plaza is built at the head of Fremont street downtown, the location of the former Union Train Station. Behind the Plaza was the train switching yard that had endured there for nearly 200 years. But as the community grew Mayor Goodman played an active role in having the area moved and what remained was given an 18 million dollar sanitizing of the contaminated earth. Soon the World Market, County government building and a mall went up in the area followed by the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health - Keep Memory Alive. Still, nothing of a cultural nature.

That began to change when Elaine Wynn offered a $50 million grant and the Don Reynolds Corporation foundation added $ 100 million to the pot and it was "game on!" Eighteen years in the making the $ 480 million Smith Center for the Performing Arts opened with a list of more than 10,000 patron subscribers and NO DEBT! I am honored and fortunate to be associated with it in my own small way.

Last Friday was the gala grand opening - a black tie affair that saw performers including Willie Nelson, Carol King, Martina McBride, Jennifer Hudson, violin virtuoso, Joshua Bell, Train, Josh Fogerty, and many others on stage doing what they do best. The eclectic mix of performers were representative of the future players at the Center. The venue, which concluded with cake pops and most champagne ran until after midnight in the main venire, Reynolds Hall, which seats 2,050 and every seat was occupied.

Other venues in the Center for the Performing Arts include Boman Pavilion which includes the Troesh Studio Theater which will accommodate the Nevada Dance Theater performances as well as other performances, and the Cabaret room which will feature jazz bands.

So my focus has become the theater and it stems from my first performance in the CHS auditorium in "The People vs. Maxine Lowe," starring Bob White as a lawyer. Bob went on to become - a lawyer! That means I will be writing fewer blog posts about Clairton. I will still try to post monthly and encourage all who are interested in their hometown to follow the Facebook postings of those who are trying to constantly improve the city and CHS students to excel in their post-secondary pursuits.

Don't forget, the Awards Festivities will take place March 24 starting with a parade from the stadium to the high school for a pep rally and concluding with dinner and awards presentations to the Bears football team who won an unprecedented third state championship last season.

A little blogging music Maestro, "Back to Before" from the musical "Ragtime."

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
email: Drforgot@cox.net