Ground Rules

(By posting in this forum, you acknowledge that you have read and will abide by these rules.)

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful.  But be respectful.  The administrators reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.  Access and participation on this forum is not a right, it is a privilege and abuse may result in suspension or revocation of WHS60s site access at any time.  

 Posting involving politics or religion are prohibited as they typically and quickly become offensive/demeaning.    

We don't actively monitor the forum, but respond to complaints and take action as deemed appropriate.

V/R, Co-site Administrators Joan Lucchesi ('60) and Gary Wegener ('66)

Click the "Post Message" button to add your entry to the forum

(you always have the option to edit or delete your post). 

Theresa Eve (1964)

Dan Ree:  Your pictures are so good!!  You have never changed.  I am looking forward to seeing the school picture with Miss Conger!  She was quite a character for sure.  Thank you for posting.   

Dan Ree (Ree) (1964)

Theresa....I will get that photo going of Miss Conger...I remember her all so well...her Asper Gum....the coat closet when someone in class would act up...the yard stick went into action.....you would not want to chew gum in class....5th grade was a memory with Miss Conger...twice..yes I was held back ....due to had an old eye injury earlier in life.and when I came back the second time with glasses....i got A's....I remember also that back to school night and she broke the news to me and my parents....she ...i remember to this date her saying...Danny....you will be ok..we will get through this just fine...she was that type of person...she wanted the best for her student......teacher then were the real thing.......only if we would have seen it at that time...but we were young want to play only individuals...the teacher like Miss Conger did their job well......I kept all my school photos from Dingle to Lee.....On Beamer...Miss Henderson...Miss Morrison ( who husband owned 'Sanitary Dairy' on lincoln Ave.....remember the bottle milk and the pull tab on the milk bottles and we as guys ....would collect those tabs and had a game where we use to win more by hitting them on the ground)....I will each week add these photos......REMEMBER WHEN......

Dan Ree (Ree) (1964)

OK....BOYS AND GIRLS....HERE YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR THE DAY......CAN YOU NAME THESE KIDS...5TH GRADE...MISS CONGER'S CLASS...BEAMER ELEMENTARY........

Dan Ree (Ree) (1964)

LET ME TAKE A STAB AT IT:...FIRST ROW:    ROY WEATHERS......DAN REE.....JOHN REICH.....WESLEY THOMAS......MANUEL RUBIO.......NICK MARES........JOHN MARSH.........JESS ZARAGOSA.....FELIX GONZALEZ....SECOND ROW.........JUNE MACARI......JACKIE HAWKINS.....BETTY BACA.....ANN DOUGLAS.......SHELLY BURNS.......PAULETTE CORREIA..........JEANIE KRUG  .....SHARON REDMOND .....THIRD ROW.......MISS CARRIE CONGER.....SUSAN YERMAN.....ANNETTE OCEGUEDA........PAM SINGER.........BARBARA CAMACHO........CAROLYN LITTLE.....BARBARA JOHNSON......EVITA MUNOZ.......MARILYN NICKS......FOURTH ROW.....DAVID HOOKER........TERRY RUMMEL........LARRY JUSTICE......DAN WIRTH........CHRIS KAUFFMAN.......MIKE JONES......JOHN HOLLAND.......AUSTIN KRAMMER.......DON URAIN.....AND LUCKY PAULSEN

Duane Jackson (1965)

1.  I was in the 5th grade at Beamer when I moved from Sacramento to Woodland in 59, can't recall the teachers name this many years later......

2.   Sad news for fellow Wolves...In today Modesto Bee was a OBit for a "Donald L Scott" Class of 1962...He passed on 7/29/17 here in Modesto....

Dan Ree (Ree) (1964)

Duane..there was Miss Henderson...Mr. Davis and Mrs. Morrison

Anne Douglass (Loud) (1964)

Dan:  the third grade teacher at Beamer School was Mrs. Sue Dea Morris.  I lived next door to her on Sunset Avenue across from Beamer School, and she was my third grade teacher.

Anne Douglass (Loud) (1964)

Dan:  here are the names for Miss Conger's fifth grade class in 1956-57 (WHS class of 1964):

First row: Roy Weathers, Danny Ree, John Reich, Wesley Thomas, Manuel Rubio, Nickie Mares, John Marsh, Jesse Zaragoza, Felix Gonzales

Second row:  June Macari, Jackie Hawkins, Betty Baca, Ann Douglass, Shelly Burns, Paulette Correia, Jeanie Krug, Sharon Redmond

Third row:  Miss Carrie Conger, Susan Yerman, Antoinette Ocegueda, Pam Singer, Barbara Camacho, Carolyn Little, Barbara Johnson, Evita Munoz, Marilyn Nicks

Fourth row: David Hooker, Terry Rummel, Larry Justis, Danny Wirth, Chris Kauffman, Mike Jones, John Holland, Austin Kramer, Donald Urain, Lucky Paulson

Dan Ree (Ree) (1964)

Ann...thank you for the update...I will fill in the gaps.....

Dan Ree (Ree) (1964)

Tuesday Throw Back Here...Back in Time and the Best of Times...Only One I recognize is ME...The teacher is  Miss Parson...First Grade...Dingle Elementary.....June 1952.....ENJOY...PS....NOTICE THE GRAND LOOK OF THIS ENTRANCE....OH HOW THE BUILDERS BACK THEN WERE TRUE ARTIST IN BUILDING A GREAT SCHOOL..............

Theresa Eve (1964)

Dear Anne and Dan:  Thank you for the pictures and names with Miss Conger, a great teacher and very much the character.  She gave to all her children so very much!!  Need more teachers like her in our schools today.  She went by the rules for sure.  Yes, the old buildings had so much design and artistic qualities.  Nice to see those pictures again.  You know, most of these children look just the same as adults!!!  Interesting to see the roads they all took and have stories to tell.  I am saving those pictures with the names.  

Paul F. Aoki (1967)

To the Class of 1967 (And to any others who would like to join in)

Our 50  year reunion is coming up.

During the last 50 years, what was the best life advice that you got, and

how do you use that advice?

George Manthey (1967)

Hey, Paul.  Thanks for starting this thread.  Hope there are lots of responses.

I don't remember getting a lot of advice.  Maybe I was just not listening. One important piece of advice I do remember though was from my father.  He was generally a quiet man at home. He would tell stories, but didn't really share much of anything personal. The two of us drove in August 1967  to Oregon where I was headed to college. Just before driving away he told me that he had one piece of advice, "Do everything in moderation," he said, "even studying." Then he was off. What really surprised me at the time was that he didn't expect me to be always studying.

But that advice has served me well. Most of my adult life I have been an educator--either as a teacher or admistrator--and I think a key part of any success I have had was that I was a consensus seeker. In fact, if anyone asked me if I leaned to the left or right politically I would answer that I was a radical--radical about moderation. I'm not saying that there aren't times where you need to take a firm moral stand, but in most situations I've found that including a wide variety of viewpoints when decisions get made works out much better than when that isn't done.

Didn't mean to get so serious, but you got me thinking!

Paul F. Aoki (1967)

Thanks, George. I hope others add their experiences too.  I've been an accounting and financial person through my career.  But, at my first job out of college, one of my managers said to think of yourself as a product and always keep improving yourself. He gave Campbell Soup as an example.  Campbell Soup would not be around without improving and adapting the product to the changing market.  I took that advice and ran with it  I went to school at night to get another degree in accounting and an MBA in Finance  when computers came out, I became the office expert in software. My boss recognized my effort and promoted me  He suggested I get a CPA and I did. After I retired, I got a Group Fitness/ Personal trainer Certification.  I've never regretted living by the "continuous improvement" life.

Linda Lopez (1967)

Hi Paul and George truly looking forward to re-meeting you at the BBQ and Hotel reunion. Each of you get a hole in one. ENJOY.

My Grandma Curry visited us each year and she told me to treat others the way you would like them to treat you. My whole life has been using that as a mom, teacher, care giver and now daughter taking care of her parents. 

Can't go wrong with respect for life for whoever.

Paul F. Aoki (1967)

Unlike you George and Linda, I was not a group concenus or "do unto others" guy until recently when I had hormone injections for prostate treatment. My doctor told me that I would experience "male menopause" like women with hot flashes and emotional highs and lows. I got the hot flashes and I adopted a stray cat who visits me every day for food and comfort.  Now, I can read the emotion in people's voices rather than than just listening to their words. I am also sympathetic to what women go through. Now, I am off hormone shots regaining strength, but still playing with pink Callaway Supersoft golf balls on the golf course.

Janet Long (Levers) (1966)

Paul, yours has to be the most insightful, WARMING POSTS ever on this site. What a straightforward way to help us learn from each other. Thanks!

Paul F. Aoki (1967)

Thank you, Janet. I am very lucky to have gotten treatment in early stages of prostate cancer. My advice to all men over 60, is to get a blood test which includes PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing. That test will show if indicators are present. An Fortune magazine article by Andy Grove of Intel is good to read about PSA testing. My PSA level last April was below .5, I celebrated by going to Mexico in May!

Melanie McKinzie-Petersen (Rued) (1967)

I received great advice from Queenie Carol. I was new to Woodland . We lived on he River Road, Plumbs, Mattos,  Hanks, Amens, Barrett, etc. We moved from LA to Here. Major culture shock. Major shock to my fellow classmates too I guess. I could do nothing right in your eyes. I looked different, danced different etc. I was shy and scared of most of you. When I came to school, I tried to be invisible. Queenie caught me walking past her office. She said always walk fast like you have a purpose! And, oh yeah, let the hem out on that skirt. So I practically ran around campus. There were quite a few of you I really liked and tried to know you better. I was working a really tough crowd. Ron Vanucci and David Hughes and Mike Masterson were great. Most of you still don't know who I am today. But I walk fast now. I was  hospital Adminstrator at 26. I was a head Hunter until I retired at 40 something. N.B., WAS THE WORST BULLY EVER AND R.M. WOW. I BET I CAN WALK FASTER THAN BOTH OF YOU AND I THANK MRS.CAROL FOR SEEING MY POTENTIAL AND ENCOURAGING ME TO GO FOR IT.,

Paul F. Aoki (1967)

Class of 1967 or other WHS graduates and friends,

After a couple of days to think about the best advice you received, the next question is: if you had a chance to go back to high school, what would you do differently? Why would you make that change?

Melanie McKinzie-Petersen (Rued) (1967)

George, so happy you were tested and treated and here to make us dig Into our archives. I would Never want to be of high school age. I attended 5 different high schools and my favorite was Woodland. I attended Woodland twice. We moved a lot as my Dad was CHP and we were transferred all over California. I did not have too much control over that. So, I guess I would have loved to have lived in the same house for ever with life long friends like most of you. On this forum. Pretty cool.

Vern Larson (1960)

Thank you Paul for posting those great questions for us to respond to.  I'm sure they will initiate some inspiring memories. 

The best advice I ever received was from my mother when I took my girl friend, Anna, home for the first time for my family to meet. I need to preface what I'm going to tell you first by letting you know a little about my family.  I have an older brother and sister, Leon, and Maurine, and a younger brother, Eldon. We were taught to say our prayers to Heavenly Father when we went to bed, again upon arising, and we all took our turns at meal times. We were raised with love in the home and food on the table.  We never went to bed hungry.  None of us were ever spanked, and that's amazing, because I certainly deserved it at times.  I must have slipped through the cracks because of the goodly conduct of my siblings.  I never at anytime heard my parents say a cus word, raise their voice to one another, or demean anybody in anyway.  Now for the advice I received...After meeting Anna, and having a chance to get to know her, my mother took me off to the side, reached up with both hands and grabed my shirt collars, pulled me down to her level, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, "Vern, I'm going to tell you like my old Auntie told me one time...You are going to fly over all the pretty flowers and land in a cow turd...you had better get this girl!"  I was somewhat shocked!  I had never heard my mom use language like that. I knew she meant business, and I wisely followed her advice.  Anna and I became engaged that weekend, and married several months later.  Now after 50 years, my parents are gone, and Anna is still putting up with me. I have been so blest my entire life!  Thank you Mom & Dad, and Leon, Maurine, & Eldon.  And Anna...Thank you!...I love you! 

George Manthey (1967)

Paul, yes indeed, thanks for getting us thinking and sharing.

I guess I wish I had gone through high school with more self confidence and less concern about what others may have thought about me--especially "others" who probably were never thinking about me anyway. Also I wish I'd known how much a difference effort can make:  at the time I thought you were just born smart or athletic or funny or . . .  

P.S.  I appreciated the picture of Miss Conger's class.  I also moved to Woodland in the middle of 5th grade. The folks we bought the house from told my parents they should hope I would get Miss Conger and told me she would be scary at first, but I would learn to love her. I was so glad I had Mrs. Wittmeyer as I never got past the scary part of Miss Conger.

Paul F. Aoki (1967)

Vern, you are in a minority if you've been married for 50 years! Both my sisters have also been married close to 50 years. Your Mother must have had a good feeling about your wife. So many of my friends gave up too quickly on their marriages. But I had a good friend tell me, "If I'm only going to live for 20 more years, then I don't want them to be like the last 20!"  George, good insight about caring too much how others think. Peer pressure can lead you in directions difficult to recover. I was lucky to have friends like you, Robert Boughton, and Peter Weaver in high school. We leaned toward the "nerdy" side, but luckily we realized early that we weren't going to be professional athletes .

Annette Ocegueda (Scott) (1964)

I want to thank you, Dan Ree and Ann Douglas for posting Ms. Cronger 5th grade class picture! I loved it because I did not have it before and Ms. Cronger was my favorite teacher I ever had! You guys are great with information. Hope you are all well and healthy!