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Mike Miller (1966)

Thanks Susan for your response. That is Mike Buse next to me. I remember we were best buds. Also Ken Kolb first row in cowboy shirt. We did live on Fisk. I remember walking you home from school. That was a bit of a walk for kids that young. Not safe to do that nowadays. I wish I could remember the teachers name, Miss Ranier? I found that pic along with others I will post shortly. Tell your mom hi for me.

Susan Pasanen (Lehman) (1966)

Mike, thank you for remembering Ken Kolb. I kept looking at him, knowing I knew him. My family was gone from Woodland for those three years. When we got back people had grown up so much. I think I had forgotten all the kids on our street. I will ask my mom about Miss Ranier and I will say hello from you. Thanks, Susan

Lynn Drumright (Black) (1961)

My husband told a story about Mr Pasenen after he had just gotten out of the military. He was teaching at Dingle I think.  This had to be in the 1952 or so.  Anyhow being rough 8th graders my husband and one of his friends started giving John a hard time. John walked over picked up one of the boys and threw him through the door out into the hallway where he sat for the rest of the class.  The entire rest of that year no one gave him any more problems. Sure couldn't do that today. Anyhow he was a great man he also officiated at our wedding in 1962 and was a good friend to us. 

Joel Childers (1966)

I went to Maxwell school in kindergarden and first grade. I seem to remember Mrs. Gunther was our first grade teacher but I could be mistaken. Funny how the brain works. All I really remember from Maxwell school is  walking home and chewing on sour grass from someone's front yard. Oh yes, and my favorite subject in kindergarden was graham crackers and milk and a nap. 

Susan Pasanen (Lehman) (1966)

Lynn, just talked to my mother on the phone. She seems to remember you and your family. My dad was in the Marines; he dropped out of high school to enlist when he was 17. He went to Iwo Jima where he was wounded when he was 19. He came back to San Francisco to get his high school diploma, married my mom, went on to get his teaching credential from SF State. Guess he got hired by the Woodland School District and Dingle was his first posting. My mom got a kick out of the story you posted about the 8th graders. I think because he had dropped out of school all those years before, he really felt that having a continuation high school was important, which is why he accepted the job to start one in Yolo at some point.

Thank you for your post and for the story, Susan : )

Don Murdoch (1962)

The USMC tattoo on his arm made him look even meaner.

Mike Miller (1966)

Maxwell, Freeman, Dingle, Beamer, Lee. I went to them all. Why so many. Family's were growing after the war, both WW2 and Korea. Homes were being built along with schools to accommodate such growth. I just found another class photo from a year or two early and a couple from a year or two later. My scanner is out of commission so will send later today.

Susan Pasanen (Lehman) (1966)

Don, that tattoo was on the arm he almost lost on Iwo. It was his pitching arm. He had been scouted for a major baseball team before he joined the Marines. He spent a lot of time playing baseball during his lifetime and coaching baseball. His girls team at Lee was a winning team, I remember. During the last year of his life when he had hospice care, they took him to watch the senior baseball teams he had been playing on. He loved the game. He touched a lot of lives, I think. Thanks, it is fun to hear about him from others, Susan

Mike Miller (1966)

Class of 1966 - The Early Years

Ok, round 2 of guess the mugs. I'll take responsibility for the intelligent looking one, bottom row, 2nd from left. I also recognize Dinwiddie and Rademaker top row. Susan, are you there (if you are, sorry for not recognizing you)? Perhaps Don Jones top row? I get a kick out of the expressions on some of those angelic faces. Obviously the photographer was "One Take Phil"'. Teachers? School?

Susan Pasanen (Lehman) (1966)

Mike, I don’t think the photo came thru?

Donald Daily (1961)

Susan

Your father married Cheryl Lawley and myself at Marys Chapel. Don Winters was my best man. John was always a kind man. Cheryl and I were married til her death in 2009.

Don Daily

Mike Miller (1966)

Sorry about that. Even though I am still 17, I somehow have aquired the brain of a 73 year old.

Jerry Delp (1960)

Joel Childers (1966)

Mike,

The intelligent one is the first kid bottom row (guess who), second one is you. Dave Ferguson (Fergie) is 2 from the right first row. Second Row first girl on the left is Freda King. 3rd row first girl is Connie Waldeck and Ann Hiddleson. The last row middle is Radamaker and Dinwiddie. I believe that is Mrs. Gunther on the left and it's Maxwell school.

Jerry Delp (1960)

Mr John Pasanen had to be my favorite teacher even though he was the only teacher that ever sent me to a principal's office.  Actually it was more like I was I listening to Evertt Parsons but we both got to visit Mr Roberts (later of Roberts Men's Store) for talking in class.   The photo is the 6th grade 1954 and I'm 2th from left in the 2nd row and Evertt is last on right - 2nd row.  In 1990 Mr Pasanen officiated at my daughter's wedding. 

Mike Miller (1966)

Yes Joel, I knew that was you but you described yourself so much better than I ever could. Do,you remember going to just about every school there was in Woodland. Or was it just me. Also, didn't you live over by Beamer. I remember your house. Your grandfather used to listen to an old radio with headphones.

Don Murdoch (1962)

Jerry, The photo is a little fuzzy but I recognize a few of the guys.  Tom Hernandez, Bobby Smith, Bill Griffith, Dick Ward, Jim Leathers and David Saucedo.  Don't recognize any of the girls.

Susan Pasanen (Lehman) (1966)

Jerry, I forwarded that photo of my dad’s class to my mom. She will love seeing it. Everyone, thanks so much, Susan

Joel Childers (1966)

In the early class of 66 picture (first grade I believe) that is Connie Logue first girl in the third row, not Connie Waldeck. Sorry, I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I started out at Maxwell, then went to Beamer through 6th grade and on to Harriet Lee and good old WHS. Bet you don't remember Mrs. Zeckmaster. She was the speech teacher. I had to go to speech class in 3rd and 4th grade until I stopped talking like Elmer Fudd. "Happy buttday" was a big joke around our house. 

The only house we ever lived in until high school graduation was my mother's parents house on 3rd Street about 4 blocks from Beamer school. And yes, Grandpa was a regular fixture sitting in his corner of the dining room with his radio headphones on either listening to the Giants or one of the old radio shows. Uncle Charlie Hoecker ("Signs By Heck" on Main Street next to Olsen's Hobby Shop) was a radioman in the army during WWII and he rigged up the headphones to that big old radio.

Mike Miller (1966)

Very odd how our memories recall the smallest details, insignificant as they may seem, but ingrained forever along side the good, bad and less attractive moments of our life.

Joan Richter (Lucchesi) (1960)

The girls in the above picture are, Top row: Karen Doering, Michaele Anderson, Joanne Hawk, ?, Karen, ?

Second row: Derrien Grady, Diane Dooley, Peggy Chidick, Jane Elzey, Sue Buckingham, Marie Payne, Madeline Anderson,?

Jerry: Mr. Pasanen was my favorite teacher also and I was a talker too. I used to get the look but never got sent to the office. The following year, he taught the 7^th grade and I had him then. He was tough but fair and I don’t think there was anyone who did not respect him.

7th grade was also the first year Dingle started sending us to other teachers. We had a homeroom and then went to another teacher for Math and one for English. I think they were getting us ready for high school. It was before Lee was a Jr. High.

Marcia Pitts (Faris) (1960)

Joan and Jerry - I am 3rd from left top row between Michaele Anderson and Joann Hawk.  John Pasanen was my all time favorite teacher.  He did send me to Principal Robert's office for talking and I probably deserved it since I got that look a few too many times!  My husband, Brad Hulse, who passed away in 1986, and I  asked to have Mr. Pasanen officiate the wedding at our church, St. John's U.U.C., but at the time the minister would'nt allow another minister to officate.  Also Shirley Pasanen carpooled with several of us to Sacramento City College in 1960-61.

Joan Richter (Lucchesi) (1960)

I received an email from someone who is not listed as a student of WHS but asking for information about the item below. Does anyone remember this?

I am trying to find any information about a set of coloring sheets that I came across regarding fire safety/ smokey the bear and had Woodland School 1957 in the lower right. They are on card stock, cream in color with blue printing. I think they came in a set of 15 but I do not have all of them. Any info would be appreciated and if anyone knows of a complete set available I would love to talk.

Bill Griffith (1960)

Greetings from another admirer of Mr. Pasanen: a student of his sixth grade 1954-55.  I believe there were 36 students in the class.  He was well loved and well respected.  He was also the fastest runner in the class.  I learned to write a check and a lor of U.S. History in the class.

One summer he served as our scoutmaster for a week at Camp Harvey West.  Our group was requested to perform a skit on talent night, so we went to Mr. Pasanen for guidance.  He stood there sternly in his Marine jacket, hands in his pockets, and reminded us that we had come to camp to learn to be leaders - so have at it.  The end result was that we executed a wonder acapella renditionn of Rock Around the Clock and as we sang Tommy Burns performed a fantastic "bee-bop."  I think Mr. Pasanen was surprised, but gave us a big smile.

My 8th grade year he coached our Dingle football team.  We had a game at Esparto and Marks' Meat loaned him a vintage WWII jeep.  He drove the jeep with seven students and another parent drove a station wagon.

Wonderful memories of a wonderful guy!

Susan Pasanen (Lehman) (1966)

Bill, I have vague memories from when I was in third grade (I think) that my family went to Boy Scout Camp. Wonder if we were there when you were. My sister Linda and I didn’t participate in activities during the day, but might have gone to camp fires, maybe. My dad often was camp director for the YMCA and for church camp. Because teachers were only paid then during the school year, he always had another job lined up for summers. Intersting about the Jeep, too. My parents first car was actually a WW II surplus Jeep that they drove back to Michigan to introduce my mom to my Great-grandpa Hill after they got married.

Bill, thank you for sharing your memories of my dad, Susan