The following e-mail has been sent to those classmates for whom we have e-mail addresses:
"DGHS Class of 57 Graduates Past & Future:
September 14, 2010
Please allow me to paraphrase a conversation that took place between classmates Judy VanSelow Engelthaler and Ed Stoyanoff at our 40th Class Reunion.
Ed: I think we should start having a Class Reunion every five years!
Judy: Why is that Ed?
Ed: Because we are going to start dropping like flies!
Fast forward to June 2007 our 50th Class Reunion; after many months of searching we accounted for 344 of our 357 classmates. Fifty-three of these were deceased, Ed Stoyanoff was among these fifty-three classmates. We have lost ten more since then that I know of and maybe more because I do not email contact with 98 of our classmates.
This brings us to the future and a possible 55th Class Reunion!
Does a 55th reunion hold any interest for you? Would you attend?
If so, what time of the year is best for you? What month?
Which would be more to your liking, A 2-day event or a 1-day event?
Anything special you’d like to see done ( we envision something very informal)?
Comments?
Please email your feelings and comments to me at johnspencer@phocalpoint.com.
If you would like to keep up with any additional happening please check out our class blog at www.dghsclassof1957.blogspot.com or our web page at www.dghs57.org.
Should you have something of interest you would like to add to our class blog please contact Judy VanSelow Engelthaler at judon@centurytel.net. Or, if you happen to be a member of ‘FaceBook’ why not join our ‘DGHS class of 1957’ group.
Thanks,
John"
We've already heard from a handful of classmates --- why don't you drop a line and let us know your feelings about this (or anything else, for that matter). We're looking forward to hearing from you!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Porter Said "....and in come the station"!
Do you remember the train wreck at Main Street in DG when we were 7 or 8 years old?
Ray Vybiral sent out these pics of the wreck to several DGers --- and Tom Austin filled in the details below. Since we lived a couple of blocks from town, and my dad worked for Civil Defense, I remember it well.
What follows is from Tom Austin:
"Indeed, Downers Grove, Main Street depot. April 3, 1947, at 10:41 PM. Dr. Ehler (Glen) just happened to working at his office late, and treated 11 victims of the crash. Only 2 were fatally injured of the 65 on the train. As luck would have it, John Kidwell was at the Masonic Temple, and working for Electro Motive Corporation, knew where the switches were to cut the power, which stopped the fire from spreading.
Scenario: East bound freight train passes through Downers Grove, and a 14 ton International Harvester tractor falls off. This is not noticed by the crew, and Mrs. CM Draper, who often worked late, had left, leaving the station empty. Seconds later, the Twin City Zephyr, on schedule from Minneapolis, St. Paul went through at the customary 70 miles per hour and hit the tractor. This took out 300 yards of railroad right of way track and the engine wound up on its side blocking all three tracks. First and second coaches jack knifed and took out the west canopy, the west waiting room, and filled the ticket office with debris.
Lobby of the Tivoli theater was the first aid station.
By midnight a temporary track was put in and beefed up to keep traffic moving when cranes arrived from the Chicago yard, and by the next day things were back to normal.
There never was anyone named as responsible for not securing the tractor, but several people lost jobs or were demoted quietly over the wreck.
My Uncle Art was a CB&Q fireman, so we were privy to a lot of the details."
Thanks to Garland Edgell and his magic touch with Photoshop, the pictures are much more clear. And if you click on the title to this story, you'll reach the archives of the Downers Grove Reporter and all stories and pictures about the wreck. Again, our thanks to Garland Edgell for providing the link to the Reporter.
Ray Vybiral sent out these pics of the wreck to several DGers --- and Tom Austin filled in the details below. Since we lived a couple of blocks from town, and my dad worked for Civil Defense, I remember it well.
What follows is from Tom Austin:
"Indeed, Downers Grove, Main Street depot. April 3, 1947, at 10:41 PM. Dr. Ehler (Glen) just happened to working at his office late, and treated 11 victims of the crash. Only 2 were fatally injured of the 65 on the train. As luck would have it, John Kidwell was at the Masonic Temple, and working for Electro Motive Corporation, knew where the switches were to cut the power, which stopped the fire from spreading.
Scenario: East bound freight train passes through Downers Grove, and a 14 ton International Harvester tractor falls off. This is not noticed by the crew, and Mrs. CM Draper, who often worked late, had left, leaving the station empty. Seconds later, the Twin City Zephyr, on schedule from Minneapolis, St. Paul went through at the customary 70 miles per hour and hit the tractor. This took out 300 yards of railroad right of way track and the engine wound up on its side blocking all three tracks. First and second coaches jack knifed and took out the west canopy, the west waiting room, and filled the ticket office with debris.
Lobby of the Tivoli theater was the first aid station.
By midnight a temporary track was put in and beefed up to keep traffic moving when cranes arrived from the Chicago yard, and by the next day things were back to normal.
There never was anyone named as responsible for not securing the tractor, but several people lost jobs or were demoted quietly over the wreck.
My Uncle Art was a CB&Q fireman, so we were privy to a lot of the details."
Thanks to Garland Edgell and his magic touch with Photoshop, the pictures are much more clear. And if you click on the title to this story, you'll reach the archives of the Downers Grove Reporter and all stories and pictures about the wreck. Again, our thanks to Garland Edgell for providing the link to the Reporter.
An Edgell Update
A note from Garland Edgell brought us up to date on him and wife Betty (Myers):
"Betty had rotator cuff surgery on her right shoulder back in May and is still recovering by doing a lot of physical therapy. She and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on August 20th this year."
A very happy 50th anniversary to you both --- and Betty, hang in there and do what the therapist tells you. I know from experience that therapists know best. Hopefully, you'll be 100% in no time at all.
"Betty had rotator cuff surgery on her right shoulder back in May and is still recovering by doing a lot of physical therapy. She and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on August 20th this year."
A very happy 50th anniversary to you both --- and Betty, hang in there and do what the therapist tells you. I know from experience that therapists know best. Hopefully, you'll be 100% in no time at all.
A Facebook Nag
If you've read any of the blog, you'll see Facebook has been responsible for several classmates reappearing after a number of years. We'd like to have as many classmates as possible on Facebook --- we've even started a class of '57 group. So why not sign up for Facebook and join the group? The more the merrier!!!!
Bill Fletcher: A Voice from the Past
After being "unavailable" for some 50 years, Bill Fletcher was enticed out of hiding by Judy Dian Larsen with a message via Facebook. What follows is Bill's response to Judy:
"I'm in Atlanta, where I've been since 1967, five years as a German professor at Emory Univ., eight years in city planning-related activities, and the last thirty years as a cabinet and furniture maker (to visit Bill's web site, click on the title of this post). I'm not much for reunions, so that's why you haven't seen me.
Been married for 44 years to Dorothy, who teaches art history at Emory. Best decision I ever made!
Four children: Eldest, Jessica, mother of two and museum conservator in Denver; Jeremy, jazz musician and teacher in Manhattan, father of one; Rosamond, architect in Brooklyn; and Rachel, coompleting a Master of Public Health at Univ. of. Minn.
I did enjoy looking at some of the DGHS photos on the occasion of the 50th reunion. Also took a virtual tour of DG on Google Earth.
Hope you are doing well."
I have looked at Bill's website, and I must tell you his furniture is outstanding. Check it out for yourself --- and if you're in the market for this, why not contact Bill? It's almost like keeping it in the family.
"I'm in Atlanta, where I've been since 1967, five years as a German professor at Emory Univ., eight years in city planning-related activities, and the last thirty years as a cabinet and furniture maker (to visit Bill's web site, click on the title of this post). I'm not much for reunions, so that's why you haven't seen me.
Been married for 44 years to Dorothy, who teaches art history at Emory. Best decision I ever made!
Four children: Eldest, Jessica, mother of two and museum conservator in Denver; Jeremy, jazz musician and teacher in Manhattan, father of one; Rosamond, architect in Brooklyn; and Rachel, coompleting a Master of Public Health at Univ. of. Minn.
I did enjoy looking at some of the DGHS photos on the occasion of the 50th reunion. Also took a virtual tour of DG on Google Earth.
Hope you are doing well."
I have looked at Bill's website, and I must tell you his furniture is outstanding. Check it out for yourself --- and if you're in the market for this, why not contact Bill? It's almost like keeping it in the family.
Dan Moravec on Facebook
Just got a note from Dan Moravec via Facebook:
"Hey Judy,I married Pat Krause from the class of "59".We have one son and two "Grand Babies" that live in NC ,230 miles from us.We still go back to Downers to visit our mothers,mine is 99 and Pat's 89.Larry Christy lives 15 miles from us and we get together often.We have lived here for 25 years and love the ocean and the nearby mountains."
Great to hear that Dan and Pat both still have their moms. And how wonderful Larry Christy, another classmate, is in Dan's neighborhood.
"Hey Judy,I married Pat Krause from the class of "59".We have one son and two "Grand Babies" that live in NC ,230 miles from us.We still go back to Downers to visit our mothers,mine is 99 and Pat's 89.Larry Christy lives 15 miles from us and we get together often.We have lived here for 25 years and love the ocean and the nearby mountains."
Great to hear that Dan and Pat both still have their moms. And how wonderful Larry Christy, another classmate, is in Dan's neighborhood.
The Spencers Go Green
John and Ann Spencer's son, Paul, and his company, Clean Energy Collective, have developed a concept to provide solar energy for all, not just those who can afford to build solar homes. Called solar gardens, these areas contain large solar panel arrays, owned by up to 320 residents; the power generated will be sold to the electric utility, which in turn credits the homeowners with a proportional sum for the energy saved. Click on the title to this story to hear more about this from the local TV station.
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