WHERE WE ARE NOW

Among other titles, Cliff Cayer can now claim to be Class Statistician. Cliff put together a GPS of sorts for the Class of 1968. Some of the numbers are not surprising, but some seem to be unique. Who would have thought that we would have as many alum living in New Mexico, as in New York? I say unique, not surprising, because after visiting the beautiful state of New Mexico, I can honestly say I would move there in a heartbeat. Of course, I would have to bring James in an urn, because he would never willingly leave the Mid-Atlantic. Thank you Cliff and Patti for "putting us in our place".

• AK........1
• AZ.........1
• CA.........8
• CT.....164
• FL........11
• GA.........4
• KS.........1
• MA........9
• MD........2
• ME........4
• NC........1
• NH........3
• NJ.........3
• NM.......4
• NY........4
• OH........2
• PA.........3
• RI..........4
• SC.........2
• TX.........3
• VA........3
• VT.........3
• WV.......1

TEN MOST POPULAR CITIES THAT OUR CLASSMATES CALL HOME

1. NEW BRITAIN_______________37
2. SOUTHINGTON______________14
3. BERLIN______________________9
4. BRISTOL_____________________9
5. NEWINGTON_________________ 8
6. FARMINGTON________________6
7. KENSINGTON_________________6
8. PLAINVILLE__________________6
9. BURLINGTON_________________4
10. WEST HARTFORD_____________4

THIS JUST IN FILM AT ELEVEN

DO YOU REMEMBER?

Jean Bonafonte as Homecoming queen

Friday nights at the Farm Shop

The fight after the Staples Football Game

Sally Kalentkowski’s voice

Finding your unknown in Chemistry

Mr. Pagano’s haircuts

Your first field hockey game

Casino Royale in the boy’s locker room

Dissecting the frog

The first time you took the college boards

Mr. Churchill and Miss Scalise

Mr. Rittner’s jokes

Phil Bruzas and Ken Tessman fighting over who would wear the red pants in the Thanksgiving day game

“Sarge”

Mr. Marsh’s bow ties

The day there were three fire drills during D caf

Nancy Matascik’s love life

Brad Davis’ appearance

Mr. Eaton

“Step, toss, pivot”

Girls League Formals

The “Breakfast Club”

Stimulating discussions in room 218 which created a warm atmosphere between student and teacher

Marlboro Country—the boys’ main floor lavatory

Mr. Zeigler’s yellow turtle neck

Travel and study group in Europe last year

Joe Piatek’s laugh

Driving your car to school for the first time

Roger Jackuewicz’s fight with a Volkswagon bus

Receiving your college acceptance, or rejection

Ken Tessman’s fantastic attendance record

Wishing you were Tommy Schultz and being accepted at Havard, Yale, Dartmouth, BostonCollege, Boston University ….

Bruce Wearne’s Keilbasa raffle

The Cafeteria Strike

Cecil B. Prouty’s production of “Alvin York” (pay a dime or sit in the library)

David Labas and Janis Ropiak in their fabulous performance of “The Music Man”

Your Senior Year

Pendulum, Vol.7 No.7, complimentary issue

Lou Zabohonski invites you to add to the list. Here are two that Lou remembers.

Candi Broemel sniffling so loudly at the graduation that they had to raise the lights to see who it was

The day Lou brought the tape recorder to Mr. Mac's American class during our study of Macbeth and the "King" received boos

ALASKA OR BUST

I have been trying to write something profound for the blog for awhile with out success so here goes a bit off the top of my head. While this is essentially for me, I think this is also for those of you who are sitting on the fence regarding attending the reunion. I am sure there is even a smaller number of you who remember me and perhaps you may be interested in renewing or starting a friendship at the event. I feel this reunion is going to be a memorable event and I want to encourage you to attend with the hope that it can put high school experience in a better light, making your future experiences that much brighter. I have had virtually no contact with classmates since high school .Probably as some other classmates may feel, my dominant memories of my early years in New Britain and finally in high school were not positive. As years have passed my own sense of self and my self image has grown/improved. I have come to understand that the lonely times in high school were my own responsibility. Heck, we were all only children with varying levels of maturity. The years have allowed me to see that what I thought were superficial friendships and spectator-only involvement in classes, plays, athletic events provided a solid foundation for future learning. I thank all of my classmates now for what you gave me by just being yourselves. My life experience since high school have been blessings. Not always great, many truly sucked actually, but they have led to me being happy with who I am. I hope the same for all of you. I want to assure those of you still having hard times that contentment is possible. For those of you who don't read classmates.com, I immediately went to Alaska after high school, worked on Dall Sheep, Grizzlies, Caribou etc in many beautiful places. I even sued the federal government and won (sex discrimination). I homesteaded in the wilderness 100 miles from the closest road, earned a terminal degree, grew in a loving relationship, adopted a child and built a home. I am proud to say that our child just finished in the top of his class in math. Last night during my son's graduation party we watched sea lions, humpback and killer whales go by in the evening sun. I found that what Emerson wrote about thinking you can or can't making your reality is right on. The reason I mention all of this is to share, hoping we will all do the same at the reunion. One thing I learned in bush Alaska is something that many of you probably already knew in high school. It is the importance of sharing experiences. Subsistence living can be tough with dying a real likelihood all too often. Sharing experiences is a great way to avoid future dangers and creates abond between people that is truly valuable and forever. Here are some of my good memories from High School which I hope some of you remember. Ms. Grant was truly the most inspiring teacher I have ever had. She believed in each of us and the potential of good in the human spirit. I liked other teachers but no one gave me the energy of knowing that there is a "good" that we can all reach for. I have kept in contact with her very sporadically and most recently found she is still teaching high school in Seattle , still inspiring kids. A life well lived . I think of all my fishing/hunting buddies and the good times we shared close to what I know is our fundamental connection to the world around us. I think about the young women who sat next to me in 10th grade English and 11th grade geometry . You reached out and made me feel I was worthy and liked. I apologize for not reciprocating more and want you to know your friendliness eventually enabled me to develop an awesome and lifetime relationship with my soulmate Sylvia who unfortunately won't be able to attend our 40th reunion. I think about the friends I had in scouting and the laughter/learning/values and much more we shared in a safe environment. To close, what hopefully has not been too long for the blog, I want to promise you I will listen to your stories of your kids at the reunion. Please allow me to tell you one of my own . We have 108 stairs leading from our parking area to our house. They keep us in shape and also give one's mind time to wander. A few years ago my son and I were walking up them and I was fretting about a work situation which I did all too much back then. He obviously had enough, stopped me and said, " Don't look at the stair behind you or the stair in front of you, just the stair you are on. Don't think about anything but what you can see from that stair. Is everything not perfect?" I saw the light in his face and knew it was in all of us. Looking forward to seeing the light in your faces at the reunion. Always wishing you the best, bob piorkowski

YA GOTTA LOVE THIS GUY

Ro,

In an early blog you challenged those of us who did not attend the 25th to post a picture of ourselves from that time, attached is mine.

Here's an addition to the blog if you want.

Thoughts from one of the Lost Boys, i.e. until Patti found me. I am definitely going to the reunion and I challenge those who haven't yet committed to going to come and join us. As Ro pointed out don't worry about your looks. Reality is at this point we probably look more like our parents. Heck, I'm almost twice the person I was when I graduated. Take it as a challenge, try and identify the parents from the high school pictures of their kids. If you don't want to go because of the way you turned out, give it up. I used that excuse for the 25th reunion and regret it now. Herr Koch said he had a map when he graduated. Well I tried winging it and it shows. You could give me the title of Class Underachiever if you want. It wasn't until about 5 years ago that I realized what I should have been when I grew up. Come to the reunion if you are interested in details. I did have some successes. Most notably it took a military assignment to Germany to find a "Polish" girl from the eastside of Detroit, the city not the burbs. I proposed after knowing her a month after we met and we were married a month later. That has lasted over 31 years. The way I look at this reunion is a get together of a family that has been apart for 40 years. For me, I realized that I grew up with a good sized group of the graduating class, i.e. from first grade through high school. If that ain't like family I don't know what is. And, the excuse for not going because I'm afraid I won't remember, I figure everyone will help. Take this from someone with the memory of a sieve. I have gone over the yearbook a number of time looking at the pictures and the notes and the memories just aren't coming back that easily from the recesses of my mind. But that's a big reason for me going. I left too much behind and regret it now. Regarding the notes, Peggy and Ursula, I am sorry I was so annoying in Physics. Anyway, I am making the time and taking the road trip. I hope to see most of the class at the reunion.

lou (Zabohonski)

DEJA VU, ALL OVER AGAIN

OK BOYS AND GIRLS, LET'S NOT DISAPPOINT PATTY AND JUDI, AKA, DEZ AND MAGS SEND IN YOUR CHECK TODAY, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH BETTER YOU LOOK THAN THE REST OF US! I, FOR ONE, PROMISE THAT YOU WILL LOOK BETTER THAN I. SEE, NOW AREN'T YOU CURIOUS? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is your last trip down memory lane, until June 28th. Judy sent me some of her photos a while ago. I have to admit that my scanner took a turn for the worse and I had to replace it before I could show you the gems to follow. And some of them are real gems! Seems Judi's house was party central! Please enjoy and help me fill in the blanks in the captions. THANKS JUDI

Dolores Koff, Linda Tolis(?), ?, Nancy Melechinsky

Nancy Melechinsky

Look at those white jeans? Margaret Morgenstern & ?

THE PROM

1978

I'd recognize the guy on the right anywhere! I need help with the other two.

Some More from the 25TH

Regrets and Fond Memories from Richard Cook: Wide-Eyed and eighteen I had my entire life mapped out after I graduated from High School. Somehow, somewhere I lost that map. The scary thing was that every so often I would find myself back on track, thinking that I knew exactly what I was doing. But sooner or later I would discover that I was back in the thickest underbrush without the aid of a compass. Yet, I have still managed to arrive at this moment in time with my sanity somewhat in tact. (However, many of you, especially Kathy Smulski, will probably doubt that.) It was a pleasant surprise when I received Dez’s call about the upcoming reunion. After I lost the initial contact from the moment I graduated with everyone in the class I figured that I would forever be listed as an MIA during each of the reunions’ roll calls. From somewhere in an old box I found my yearbook. As I thumbed through the pages old faces and forgotten memories returned. There was Ross Spooner, Debbie Stratton, Nancy Matascik, and Kevin McCall who lived on the same street as I did. In those pages I rediscovered quiet Claire Calcinari who was in my homeroom both at Nathan Hale as well as at Pulaski. Then there was Phil Bruzas and fond memories of football push-push drills in the mud. Finally, I came upon the picture of Lou Zabohonski who was a great friend during our Senior year. It is with regret that I will not be able to join you at this joyous occasion. Although my numerous commitments preclude me from attending, I shall think fondly of each of you on that special day. What has happened to me in forty years? First of all I’m still numb to the fact that that many years have actually past. In simple form my story is as follows: To the possible horror of my old laboratory partners, Jean Bonafonte and Lisa Dowling, I actually make a living as a certified laboratory chemist in a research facility. Even without looking in my yearbook I have always remembered Jean’s reminder of our days at Pulaski. There next to her picture she wrote, “Remember last year in Chemistry? How could I forget the time that you almost blew Lisa and I up!” She, and others, may be surprised to learn that I have never succeeded in that particular endeavor, although several of my colleagues have gold stars in that category. My best regards to each and every one of you. A special thank you to “Mr. Mac” for all of your support during those chaotic high school daze (sic). Rich Cook

CAPTIONS

At Pat's request I have captioned all of the reunion pics. Between the two of us we knew who most of you were, or we thought we did. If we made errors, please forgive us, but do correct us. You may send corrections to either Pat or me. Next topic will be sports. Phil Bruzas sent me an envelope of sports clippings and the recent sports hall of fame dinner was held in New Britain. Thanks to Phil, we have some one of kind photos. I promise I'll get to it soon. Rosi

25th REUNION REDUX

Sandy Mazur, Judy Maglio, Marilyn Bindas

Robby Shettle, Kathy Tombari

Bernice Nowak, Sueann Thiede

Bob Polidori, Bob DiDonno, Art Tiede, Warren Burton

Robby Shettle, Barb Vallario

Patti Dezi, Jerry Bogosian

Marcia Sharasheff & Donnie Ahern, Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Ahern

Rosann Faiola, James (the hubs)

Sandy Sobolewski, Sal Scalise

Nancy Melechinsky & Bruce Hoffman

Shirley Gugel, & Hubs?

Pat Czarnaty, Bob DiDonno

Gretchen Schaffer, Marsha Neumeister

Debbie Bayram, Tony Dawkins, Theresa Willett, Yvonne Williams

Sandy Mazur, Kevin Smith Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Smith

Karen Tatum, Tony Dawkins

Jane Bentley, Dolores Koff

Candy Broemel, Susan DeSena, Barb Vallario, Marilyn Bindas

Tommy Shultz, Roger Jackucewicz

Patti is really cleaning out those junk drawers! (kidding, kidding) Now this set of photos has many more faces to test your memories. I realize that the contest wasn't one of my better ideas, so go ahead and use the comment function or send me an email and identify all these young fresh faces and I promise no one will win anything! Cross my heart. You guys look SO young. Honestly some of you look better than you did in high school. I decided that just because I wasn't there doesn't mean you don't get to see how I've aged, so I put a ringer in the photos of James and me taken the same year as the 25th reunion. After all, it wouldn't be fair if you compared the old crone I've become with my year book photo. Anyone else out there that wasn't able to attend the 25th, feel free to send me a photo of yourself taken in 1993 and I'll post gladly post it. So Bruce, it looks like you won the previously mentioned infamous contest. Contact me via email and we can decide on your "prize" Rosi

PROUD HUSBAND

I received this email today from Bart Mazzarella. Sounds like Kasmira Stryczek is one lucky woman!

"My wife, Kas, is in picture #5, (second row, second from right with the blond hair}. Nancy Lamb is in picture #9 and is the blond on the right, (but you already knew that)! Neither of these favorite blonds of mine have changed a whole lot since 1968! Especially my wife of 39 years! Kas is still gorgeous and no one believes she is a grandmother of 7! Everyone here in Florida is telling her to go to the reunion to show off how well she's kept herself, but she's never been that type of person. The fact is we haven't been back to Ct since 2000 when we moved my mom here to Vero Beach. Her mom, Anna, has been living with us since 1999."

VIEWING RENUNION PHOTOS

Some of you may be having difficulty viewing the reunion photos. I did change the host for these blog photos because there is a known issue with vanishing photos that are resized and hosted on google web albums. For those of you who have security settings that do not allow you to view anything that is hosted on a secondary host site, I have stored these photos on Picasa Web Albums. Here is the link. If your security setting does not allow a live link, just use copy and paste to put the address in your browser address bar.

25TH REUNION PHOTOS

Patti Dezi, Henry Loveland, Linda Silvia, Tony Dawkins, Barb Szczepanik

David Corning, Linda Silvia, Barb Szczepanik

Nancy Matascik, Peggy Foley

Sandy Mazur, Cheryl Griffin, Judy Maglio, Nancy Lamb

Phyllis Williams, Bob Polidori, Pat Dezi, Marie Giannini, Judy Maglio, Art Tiede, Stephen Carey

Phyllis Williams, Pam Pauls

Kevin McCall, Debbie Bayram, Nancy Lamb, Rich Fentner, Art Tiede, Pam Pauls, Bill Sara, Pat Dezi, Jane Bentley, Marie Giannini

Front Row, L to R: Bill Sara, Pam Pauls, Barb Szczepanik, Back Row, L to R: Art Tiede, Marie Giannini, Tom Gzyl, Judy Maglio, Kasimira Stryczek, Linda Silvia

Phyllis Williams, Judy Maglio, Stephen Carey, Pam Pauls

Pat Dezi, Barb Szczepanik, Linda Silvia, Art Tiede

Tom Gzyl, Judy Maglio

Art Tiede, Marilyn Bindas, Judy Maglio

Pat Dezi sent her photos from the 1993 reunion. Now I wasn't there and I wish I had been. Looks like everyone had a great time. If I got any of these wrong, let me know.