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Tom Stewart (1969)

Have any of you celebrated Boxing Day (St. Stephen's Day)?

Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It originated in Great Britain but is celebrated in Ireland also, and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire.

In Ireland as well as many other European countries, 26 December is Saint Stephen's Day, which is considered the second day of Christmas.

This custom is linked to an older British tradition where the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families since they would have had to serve their masters on Christmas Day. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food. Until the late 20th century there continued to be a tradition among many in the UK to give a Christmas gift, usually cash, to vendors, although not on Boxing Day as many would not work on that day.

Norma Berrettoni (Plocher) (1966)

Janet - I remember the Thursday night class was for 8th graders and Friday the 7th graders attended.  I remember how our 8th grade teacher, Sister Therese, loaded on the homework for Thursday nights.  Mrs. Santoni was a great teacher!

Theresa Eve (1964)

Boxing Day, yes one of my bosses at the State always opened her house for a gathering on that day of celebration.  Mrs. Santoni, great lady teaching us how to dance and to be ladies and gentlemen; good for her.  It was not always comfortable to be on the dance floor with her eyes watching your steps.  Merry Christmas, and "Thank you for the memories."  (Bob Hope)

Don Murdoch (1962)

I also attended Cotillion with Mrs. Santoni in the Beamer Gym in the 7th grade. Hated it. But all the 7th graders from Dingle, Beamer and Holy Rosary were there so it was the thing to do. The best night was the last night. She held a BeBop dancing contest.  Joe Hollar and Larry Ellis were the finalists with Joe winning. NO Cotilliin in the 8th grade for me.  Ahh, the good ole days.

Lois Takimoto (Kawata) (1969)

Lois Takimoto (Kawata) (1969)

This is probably the most I have ever posted. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Cotillion memories. I took it for 2 years. I was usually the last girl picked. But, one time Mrs Santoni chose my 6th grade classmate from Mr Martin's class to start the snow ball dance. As Steve Anderson started walking towards me, I was surprised, thrilled and scared. I didn't want to be the only couple dancing with everyone watching. But, it was so nice of him to pick me first. I also remember the polkas. So dangerous! The boys would speed from one end of the gym to the other. I hung on for dear life. Lol. I was sure we were going to collide with another couple.

Mary Collins. In the mid '90s I was in Pismo Beach with my family. I was in the pool or jacuzzi and saw a woman who looked familiar. I figured out where I knew her from. I asked her if she was Mary Collins from Woodland High. She was. Small world.

Joel Childers (1966)

I'm sure a lot of us who took cotillion feared it or downright hated it. I have never been a dancer and  was awfly shy. But Lois reminded me of something. One evening when I was 13 or 14 years old, in Methodist Youth Fellowship, the leaders decided we would dance the Polka. Something got into me, and I really went wild skipping and spinning around the dance floor with my partner to that upbeat music, occasionally knocking people over like bowling pins and falling on the floor laughing. I wish to belatedly apologize to Ruth, Virginia and the whole MYF gang if I caused you any physical or emotional damage. Hope all you Wolves had a great Christmas!

Jeff Johnson (1966)

Ah Yes!!!!! Cotillion !!!!!...Just a couple of days ago my great good buddy Gregg Schneppke ( who for the last 7 years lives just four miles south of us here in Napa Valley with his delightful beautiful sweet partner Julie ) and I were having dinner and reminisced about those lessons ....It was such ( can say this now) great experiences learning basics of dancing and formal ideas associated with dancing ....Everyone or most everyone hated those lessons but we all sure learned a lot ....having been a teacher and administrator  for almost 40 years , I am certain no middle or high school student today has ever experienced any lessons we all learned from Mrs. Santino....Think I am a better dancer today because of these lessons , 

Gary Wegener (Wegener) (1966)

Ditto what you all have said about cotillian.  Looking back, what a wonderful, civilianizing experience, especiallhy for middle school kids.  I would love to see Mrs Santoni recognized somehow/somewhere (at the Community Center maybe?) for her efforts, no... her accomplishments in smoothing our rough edges.  Interesting info about it if you google it.

Jeff Barrow (1966)

I dug into my old scrapbook and found this picture of Mrs. Santoni inspecting our fingernails at a Cotillion lesson. As I recall, there was a big dance at the end of the series of lessons and one of the criteria to be able to attend was that you had to stop biting your fingernails. So, she periodically checked as shown in the picture. 

Bill Griffith (1960)

"May I have this dance?" were the instructions of Mrs. Santoni.  So, I tried it at our first after game dance our senior year.

"I guess so" was the response, but Miss "I guess so" and I became wonderful friends our senior year and I went on to practice "may I have this dance" for years to come.

And to my now octogenerian class mates "may the force be with you."

Janet Long (Levers) (1966)

Wow Jeff! You get a prize for finding that relevant photo! But an award should also go to the Daily Democrat of 60 years ago for being such a newsy and local information source. Covering community events- and listing the names of people pictured-helped me feel connected to, and a part of, this place. Now it seems sort of a chicken or egg disaster has beset newspapers: they don't cover local events enough to attract and engage reader-subscribers, therefore papers are financially impacted and don't have the resources to hire reporters to cover local events. We grew up taking such coverage for granted, but its really a thing of the past.

Anna Lopez (Northam) (1963)

when I was in 7th grade cotillion a friend also swent with me. I actually enjoyed it and my friend got a (crush ) as we use to call it back then on one of the boys she danced with. The boy never found out.

David Stotts (1965)

Jeff or Burr as us good friends used to call you-great pic.  What a kick looking at some of the names in the picture.  Great memories of several of those in the picture and many with you too.

Dennis Amaral (1966)

I went to cotillion with my friend John Hiedrick.  We missed the 7th grade session so Mrs Santoni had Addie Wilson take John, afew others,  and I out to the hallway in front of the gym to teach us the basics.

It must have worked as there was a picture of Addie and I in the Under 21 Section of the Democrat doing the Cha Cha. 

Theresa Eve (1964)

With great sadness, I learned of the passing of Mr. Peter Wiesick, one great Woodland High School teacher.  He was one in a million, never to be forgotten.  A gentleman in all ways.  He taught by example.  He was not an easy teacher, you had to work.  But you learned.  I send my deep condolences to his family at this Christmas Season.  Mr. Wiesick will remain in my heart as a man of goodness and kindness, never to be forgotten.  Thank you Mr. Wiesick for being such a good teacher. 

Connie Logue (Wilson) (1966)

Well, my memory conerning the instructior of Cotillion was wrong (Mrs. Santoni instead of Mrs. Vickery), thanks for the correction Janet Long!  However, the memory of butterflies in the stomach still remains! ;-)   The polka was so much fun, I couldn't help but laugh and laugh while twirling and twirling!  I'm really enjoying reading about everyone's memories of those times in cotilllion.  Jeff Barrow, what a wonderful picture from the Daily Democrat, thank you for sharing.

Howard Neal (1964)

Theresa, I agree with your compliments about teacher Peter Wiesick. I am sorry to hear he is gone. May he rest in peace.

Tom Stewart (1969)

Let me join the chorus concerning Peter Wiesick.  I totally agree he wasn't easy, but he was the best.  I never had another teacher who so completely knew his subject and illustrated his love for it.  Some of us would go to the library to check on something he said because it was hard to believe he knew so much, but it ALWAYS proved he was right!
I had one college professor who was similar, but not better.  He was a history professor also and made it come alive.  I wish there were many more like Peter Wiesick!
 

Theresa Eve (1964)

Howard and Tom, thank you for your acknowledgements of an outstanding Woodland High School teacher, Mr. Peter Wiesick.  A great teacher, kind man, and very much the gentleman.  I was able to express my appreciation to him in person during the 1960-69 Class Reunion at the Yolo County Fair Grounds.  

Anne Douglass (Loud) (1964)

Craig:  David Stahlhut, along with Peter Weisick and others, were listed as teachers under "Social Science" in the 1964 yearbook.

Joel Childers (1966)

Mr Shinsky (sp?), who taught American History, was cerainly a memorable character. He is the only history teacher I remember. He was really into the civil war. Unfortunately I was quite bored with memorizing dates of battles as if that was important 100 years after the fact.

Other of my favorites were Mr. Young, English; Mr. Faultis, Spanish; Gerald Mosher, Math; Vern Schwartz, Band; Mr. Putnam, Biology.

Monte McCray (1966)

I remember bill schinsky i had him for history

Ron Damsen (1966)

I remember Mr. Shinski looking out at our class of fresh faces and saying, "youth is a defect, soon cured by time".

Stan Brown (1965)

Yes, Pete Wiesick was a great teacher and a good guy. His geography class was interesting and made you want to see more of the world. I would run into him at times over the years and he always had an interest in how your life was going.  A fine man that will be missed.

Another favorite WHS teacher  was Mr. Roddewig.