MEMORIES OF MISSION HILL JR. HIGH

STHOSE OF US WHO WILL BE GATHERING AT THE MISSION HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM (and for those who wish that they could be there) for Coach Milo Badger's Memorial Service (Sunday, November 26 at l PM), will find,I am certain, these memories as written by Gino Campioni to be very special. Also
Len Klempnauer adds some interesting interesting facts about Coach Badger and the Mission Hill Gym:



Memories.....................! I remember a lot about Mission Hill Jr. High. Sam P. Reed, of course, who put on a model aircraft building club after school. I was very keen on that. There was Ronny Arana, who became very expert on model planes, including designing his own digital proportional radio control system. Unfortunately, Ron was killed at a young age in a motorcycle accident. His brother Jerry was also a keen model plane builder.

I remember Mr. John Evans, and his math class. He put a prohibition on girls' wearing bracelets made of stolen Buick hood ornaments to class, as they made a loud bang when they put their arm down on the desk. I remember Mr. Evans saying, "Class dismissed. Everyone pass out quietly." (snickers from the class)

Mr. Ross and Mr. Knotts, who taught woodworking and metal shop. I did make a small bookcase and a little table, which now are with my stepsons, I presume. (unless they needed firewood) I was always termed a "wood butcher" for my ineptitude at wood working.

I remember that there was an aircraft engine in the metal shop. I think it was a Pratt & Whitney Wasp from a bomber. It sat undisturbed on a test stand for a long time, but one day they got it running. A roar and a plume of smoke, and the thing came to life. Its sound could be heard for half a mile. I think it was anchored down pretty well, or it would have gone right through the roof.

Miss Hunkin may have been the librarian, and may also have been the cool gal who played basketball with us.

Mr. Miguel who taught science and photography. A totally unflappable fellow, even when experiments with hydrogen would produce startling explosions.

Miss Van, of course, my favorite. Such a serene lady. Her hair went silver grey when she was 19.

Of course you will remember Miss Dablich. Music and rhythm. Her vocalise consisted of scales, not the usual do re mi, but lu lu lu lu. Miss Dablich in the long blue dress.

Miss Young, Miss Wells, Miss Wilkinson, and others. Those were the days, eh?

Gino

Ivan,
The last time I saw Coach Badger was at a Dad's Club Tournament a few years ago. We spent about 20 minutes discussing the old days, and the subject of the Mission Hill gym came up. He said that my Mission Hill Class of 1950-51* -- we were ninth graders -- were supposed to have been the first class to use the gym, but construction delays postponed the opening until the next year. So, I guess the Class of 1951-52 was indeed the first class to use it. I also recall that a major storm wreaked havoc on the floor because of poor construction sometime thereafter and it was closed a long while for repairs, but I can't recall the year.
Contrary to what someone implied at Sunday's services for Coach Badger, the Mission Hill gym was supposed to open the same year as the "new" Branciforte Jr. High School. B-40 opened in the spring of 1951. In 2001, the B-40 Class of 1951 re-enacted the march they made from the old Branciforte Jr. High to the new school. The Sentinel covered it, and their story is in the paper's on-line archives at:
http://www.santa-cruz.com/archive/2001/April/28/local/stories/1local.htm
Branciforte Jr. High's web site has a lot of photos of the event. It's at:
http://www.b40jr.santacruz.k12.ca.us/B4050TH.html
There were so many speakers at yesterday's services that I'm sure some of us who wanted to say just a few words bowed out because of the time the others has taken. I had considered mentioning this little anecdote about Coach Badger:
As you may remember, Coach batted left-handed and he used to power line drives from home plate at the far corner on King Street directly up against the east wing of Mission Hill. So I asked him, "Coach, were you intentionally trying to break some classroom windows?" He gave me his answer and made me promise never to reveal it. So I won't. But he did recall putting a ball through the window of Miss Wells' classroom on the second floor, momentarily scaring her.
Three members of the '51 class, later Santa Cruz High Class of '54, attended the services (Nov. 26, 2006): Jun Lee, Al Mitchell and myself. You were there representing Mission Hill '52 (SCHS '55) and Dave Herman representing '50 (SCHS '53). Were there others from either of those two classes? Both Al and Dave became Mission Hill teachers.
I can remember also some 35 to 40 years ago that there was a citizens' effort to have the gym named Badger Gym, just like the "new" SCHS gym is named Fehliman Gym in honor of C.E. "Doc" Fehliman, the long-time teacher and founder of the SCHS Alumni Association. But the school board rejected the Badger proposal. What a shame!
I wonder how many people at Sunday's services knew, until someone mentioned it, that junior high then consisted of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades . . . and that Mission Hill at one time also included an elementary school, one K-6 classroom each, as did B-40 Jr. High when it was in the "old" building at Branciforte Avenue and Water Street.
Finally, I wouldn't exactly call what we had in the main building a "gym." It contained a locker room, showers and Coach Badger's office as I recall. I think the first shower I ever had was at Mission Hill because most of the old homes then had only bath tubs. Can you remember the anti-fungus mat we had to step on before entering and upon leaving the showers?
Len Klempnauer, Capitola

A WHITE SPORT COAT AND PINK CARNATION

Jerry Kerrick wearing White Sports Coat and Pink Carnation and his date Pat Costella
(Photo Courtesy J.Kerrick Family Photo Archive - C. 1954-55)

Jerry Kerrick with Pat Costella and Mike Kuffel with his date Barbara Ceragioli
(Photo Courtesy J. Kerrick Family Photo Archives - C. 1954-55)

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IN ‘LA NOSRA COSTA’ I WRITE ABOUT THE KERRICK FAMILY OF SANTA CRUZ and the Kerrick Laundry. Specifically, I write about the renowned Jerrill Kerrick of “Auntie Dear” fame. According to Carol (Costella) Swartz the future Professor Kerrick, of the University of Puget Sound, had a certain misadventure circa 1955. (This one is in addition to the ones I write about in the book.) Not even his White Sport Coat and Pink Carnation could save him.

Seriously, now that I have your attention, Carol makes certain interesting comments about that time period. And she also raises some unanswered questions. Perhaps you BLAGGA FANS could help her out. ivn0



Ivano

I just finished your book. It was wonderful -- even though I wasn't from 'up the Coast', so much of the book brought back memories.

I wrote earlier asking if you were a friend of Jerry Kerrick's (which you were). I'm still wondering why there is a connection in my mind to you and my sister (Pat). I remember when Jerry asked my sister to the 1955 Senior Ball (or was it the Snow Follies and she asked him?) but I'm sure it was a double date and wondering if you went to either of those dances. I remember him picking my sister up with a white sport coat and a pink carnation!!! Maybe you went with her friend, Anna Cox? Anyway, my sister never forgave my mother that night as my sister was supposed to be home by midnight and was so mad that my mother called Jerry's mother to find out why they were so late. Guess it caused a lot of embarrassment or whatever because they never dated again -- broke my sister's heart (for a moment, anyway).

And, when I read the name Hodgie (Wetzel), I knew it had to be the "Hodgie" that dated Mary Lane. Her family and ours were old time friends and I remember her mother being upset about her dating Hodgie. I guess he did have some sort of 'reputation'. Mary was married a short time to someone named Erwin? or Swenson? She later married Al Negri who owned Bubble Bakery. She lives in Pacific Grove now. Is "Hodgie" still around?

One reason I was interested in your book was because my aunt, Gina (Jean) was a Bardoni before she married my uncle, Henry (Ric) Costella. And I thought the Bardoni's were growers up the coast, but maybe Pescadero? There was Silvio, Gina, and some other siblings. I know my uncle and aunt were best friends of the Fambrini's and I remember Margaret and my aunt being very close for years. Did you ever hear of the Bardoni's? I heard through my father that my grandfather was upset at first when he heard my aunt was a "Toscani" and not a northern Italian like he was. Similar to what some Italians thought in your book. My Italian side came from the Parma region.

So, again, thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful book. I know many people will love reading about the 'old' days of Santa Cruz and so much of it will always be a part of us.

My husband, Don Schwartz, has similar memories of growing up in Live Oak -- tales of the poultry business and trouble they got into as kids --- definitely the good old days. He retired from Santa Clara City as a Capt. in the fire department so maybe somewhere your paths crossed? He worked from the 70s until 1997 -- first in Santa Cruz and then, luckily, transferred to Santa Clara City. We also live in Scotts Valley (off of Whispering Pines). We built our house in '71 and maybe we bumped into each other at Ponza's wonderful Camp Evers store or at Gordon's Chuck House.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your book and good luck in the future. Carol Costella Schwartz