The things that I remember most about my years at Sheckler Elementary are:
1 - Sitting in lunch on a seat with a girl - one color meant dating, the other meant married.
2 - Recess - kickball, daring Kim Kerstetter to slide down the slide and sliding into my fist (oops
!)
3 - The dinosaur loop film in the library - I must have watched that loop over 100 times, no joke.
4 - Mr. Miller's twitch
5 - Painting the Map on the corner of the lot with my 4th grade math class
6 - The obstacle course that took up the entire gym (as huge as it was)
7 - Getting paddled by Mr. Brushak for staging a sit-in in the library over the bean bag chairs
8 - Dressing as a robot in the Halloween parade (worst costume - a cardboard box painted silver and my arms hurt like hell by time we finished the parade)
9 - walking to and from school/ being a crossing guard and wearing "the sash"
10 - The scavenger hunt that ended with the treasure of tootsie pops
I want as many memories as people can come up with in the comment section
Friday, February 24, 2006
Sheckler Memories
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How about that big parachute in gym class that we all stood around and lifted up and down and made the balls bounce like popcorn?
And duck-duck-goose?
And, for those in Abbott's class, silent ball! Wasn't it Judy that ripped down a curtain?
And Mr Abbott at the 3 dips riding the sleds with 3 or 4 students on his back?
Ok, I'll stop there.
With the visiting in-laws out with the wife and kids...between reading the blog, having a few beers and watching Wedding Crashers (Randy, a movie I'm not afraid to admit having seen), I'm having some really good laughs.
Being as I joined the class in the 8th grade....my only memory of Sheckler is of the Prom.....and that's all I am going to say about that.
cafeteria monitor lady, big and mean. if she saw you screwing around she'd come over and grab you by the hair and drag you over to the partition wall where you had to stand until lunch was over. did anybody else call her "The Gorilla" or is that just something my imagination came up with?
Mr. Abbott ruled. He's the one who organized our meeting at the three dips - he told everyone that if we had off from school we should all meet and go sledding. I remember Dave's mom was there with hot chocolate.
Plus in Mr. Abbott's class - combined with the class next door - I can see his face, but not remember sure of his name Mr. Connor maybe? - we published our own student newspaper for one or two issues. And didn't we do one or two morning newscasts too?
The best had to be when we wrote our own version of - and this is for Judy - The Wizard of Oz and then performed it for the rest of the fourth grade classes - maybe even the other grades I don't remember. And our performance was in that annoying second floor auditorium Steve mentioned in an earlier post.
I vividly remember working very closely with one other fourth grader on "the script" and giving the dog - toto - the best jokes. Then that litle bastard went and played the dog - so he got all the big laugs! Funny thing is - I don't remember what part I played - if any at all - and I don't remember who played any of the other parts except for the Tin Man - that was Bud Hayman.
Anybody care to guess who played Toto? I'm sure Dave knows, so I'll ask him to hold off and give Kristen a chance to remain undefeated...
how about the scooters with mr. pifely (?) i cant' remeber his name.
i loooved mr. abbot and totally remember the 3 dips blunder - he tore his lip open.
i remember watching zoomazoomazoom and the electric company.
mrs. bogardus witht he birthmark on her face.
i used to wish that my parents would buy scheckler and my family would live in it.
and weston straighter.
Matt---Yeah standing at the partition sucked big time...
And back to Steve's question - I remember some stuff from my third grade class too with Mrs. Bogardus. Didn't we have a dance contest that Carrie Spaits won [anybody else remember her?].
If I'm not mistaken, this was also the class we first played "Traveller" in. That was the game with the multiplication tables on flash cards and the first person would get up from the desk and stand nest the the next person at their desk - Mrs. B would flash the card and whoever answered it first would move on. When the "Traveller" lost, he/she sat down in that person's seat and the new winner began travelling. I remember Dan Pluchinsky ruled at that game. Me and a couple others were close seconds, but Dan ruled - he just moseyed around from desk to desk like nobody's business and I remember the anticipation when he would go up against one of the few of us who could take him. Very cool.
There was other Mrs. B stuff that was cool, but I can't think of it now. Except that we were her last third grade class at Catty - she moved to Texas that summer. Then Mr. Abbott arranged to have Mrs. Bogardus come see our class during either our class christmas party or our end of the year party. Most of the kids in his class had her the year before and it was an incedibly cool thing they both did.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think we were really lucky to have some of the teachers we had.
Oh - and for those Phillies fans out there - does everyone remember Mr. Abbott's "Phils Magic Number Countdown" every day?
Okay, I've rambled on way too much - is this an acceptable report Mr. Freeman?
oh my god, of course – wizard of oz. i was dorothy. who knew. i gotta say, it's not bad having that name. at least no one calls me 'amazon'.
i also remember putting an anonymous note is some teacher's mailbox that said something to the effect of ..."we know that you always pick rusty molchan for the lead parts in the plays because you favor him and it's unfair..." or somethiing like that. who ever the teacher was (god i can't remember who) came up to me in the large group room (LGR tm) and confronted me. i lied and said it was marika santee.
Holy crap - Marika Santee - another blast from the past!
Didn't Rusty play Pinnochio? And didn't Andrea play Jiminy Cricket - no wait, wasn't she a bad guy that cheats Pinochio out of something? Maybe I'm losing it. But I do remember Dan and Rock played two of the three toymakers in some play where they each repeated the same line. I remember thinking it sucked for Dan because he was toymaker #1 and had to learn all the lines, the other two just had to repeat what he said.
Where is Dan? And Jen Kratzer? They were here a lot earlier, but now, not so much... What about Colin Howlett and Steve Roth? Well at least we got a drive by...
i dont have any memories, yet, but i dropped a picture off and Randy's house tonight, Randy did you get it, in your mailbox, and Mr. Miller is the teacher
you all beat me on this one, i was about to inform you that it's not the 2nd floor auditorium, its that large group room, judy took that one. and I dont remember who played toto, but i was going to say rusty because I know he played pinocchio..i have that picture from the newspaper with him front and center. and not only do i remember the large parachutes from gym, how bout those huge yellow mats, i loved those things!
Okay, I don't have alot of Sheckler memories since I only went to kindergarten there, but I do remember that there was a door right in the classroom that led to a one person bathroom. There was a traffic light that hung on the door knob. When you went in, you turned the picture to red. When you came out you turned it back to green. Kids would wait for you to come out and turn it to green and there would be three or four at a time running to the door to go next. Okay, random thought, but that's all I've got.
I remember painting the map, the parachutes and the play. I was a munchkin. I also remember Mr. Miller making you go through a story and finding a word for every letter of the alphabet. When you were done you went to his desk got a pretzel stick and stood in line until everyone was done. Mr. Abbott had to be my all time favorite teacher. I loved him. I also remember playing store in kindergarten and Mr. Notestein was the best Art teacher and Miss Santee was very very mean!!!
JUDY! - My guts are killin me and my face hurts from smilein- c'mon westin??? Your memory is scary but it certainly jogged mine. thanx
another thought....in gym we used to sit in a pile of tires and pop up while everyone tried to nail you with dodgeballs.
Kristen - I got the pics...scanned and sent to Matt. How do you want me to get them back to you????
Anyone remember the principal at Sheckler???? I remember a "mean" woman like Mrs Trenchbull from the movie Matilda.....yes guys....another chick flick.
fyi - if you go looking for it, there is a picture of Weston that Randy posted on Feb 17th.
Kristen - when this post has run out of steam i'll post the Mr.Miller pic.
Pauko - I'm proud of you for admitting the movie your watching. Taking notes fellows????
From Tim C:
Freeman you want memories?!
I can't give you any memories of Sheckler because I didn't go there. I was reliquished to being beat by the peguins down at Saint Mary's till 5th grade.
But, I do have fond memories oif dragging you ass out of the back of Carlos Laverne's pick-up and into the waiting arrms of officer Lacket's police cruiser. Moments after leaving a dance!
Maybe Mike Muller can fill in some more details that I forgot in my senility?
Rusty was definitely Toto. He ruled that play for sure.
Connor is correct.
How about the journals we had to keep in Abbott's class, and the daily rhyming puzzle on the board (ie. heavy feline was 'fat cat')?
I think it was Rusty in cafeteria who one day shot one of those cubed carrot pieces off a fork onto the ceiling. We kept watching it for days, weeks, months but it never fell. I think it was there like 15 years later.
you guys have been busy today...all that remembering...i know it was rusty as toto....are you sure it was a carrot? i thought it was more something white-ish...
speaking of marika santee...what happend to faith??? what was her last name?
I get up in the morning and I have all this catching up to do! You guys are busy overnight!
I remember the map, Mr. Abbot ripping his lip open on the three dips, the play, the newscast, the parachute, SQUARE DANCING ANYONE?!and the lunch lady from hell. Randy, I like the Matilda reference!
Whatever happened to Marika Santee? Judy, I remember Mr. Connor. I remember once we were in the large group room (waiting for buses to be called?) and Mr. Connor was leaning against the wall and he was wearing a clip-on tie and it fell off! You and I laughed and he bent down and picked it up and clipped it back on again. I remember Mr. Abbot and Mr. Conner going to the halloween parade in drag.
Andrea, my mom told me she ran into Faith's mom at chuch. Faith lives in NYC and works for a jewellery company. She's married but I don't know if she's changed her name or not. When I speak to my mom again I'll ask her for more info.
Steve, Remember when Walenta paddled your ass" a few times " and you ran home ?
i just fucking laughed my ass off. i TOTALLY remember steve getting paddled.
how about tim cunnimgham misspelling the word luscious like 12 consecutive weeks in a row? and how wally made us memorize how to spell czecholslovakia? (a lot of good it did. i had to just go look it up).
vick - that connor story made me crack up. it's crystal clear. i saw your mom one of the last times i was home.
andrea - where do you live?
ok, i know this has nothing to do with any of the above, however, its a memory, and its really late, or early...but here's a name for you scott shrader...i thought maybe it was the kid in the middle of the rm 199 pic but now dont think so..anyone remember that name?
ok, wrong picture, i mean 209
Okay, I like all the busting on ME, but Lincoln memories of Wally Walenta will be in the next posting of "Memories". Let's stick to Good 'ole Sheckler, and the swings - who could go higher and jump off without breaking their arm?
I remember in fourth grade having a roll around fight with with Danny Plu and the desks were all messed up, but we broke it up before the teacher returned.
Remember having to go to the room where you traded your 45 cents for a lunch token?
Anyone remember plating the trees on 14th street? On Arbors' Day.
Also, the only play I really remember was our version of Sleepy Hollow.
How about The Electric Company - when I bring up that show, my students have to go home and ask their parents. My favorite was the ball that ran down the track with the number flags, and of course Spiderman, and the chef with the pies falling down the stairs (how redundant, yet still hilariously funny to a 3rd grader).
Kristen - I thought his name was Scott Shrantz.
randy, you are right.
Wow - too many memories - sensory overload!
MJ---I couldn't agree more about Mr. Abbot - and I forgot about the tires and the dodgeball - too funny!
Randy---Mrs. Koenig was the principal before Mr. Bruchak and boy was she mean!
Vicki---I forgot about them dressing in drag until you mentioned it - another example of how great they were!
Steve---Thanks for enforcing a little order around here.
One more note---Rusty was not toto. Would everyone like to guess again or should I just tell you? Oh hell, one more go around with this hint: He is not a member of the CHS Class of 1986.
Okay, Kim and I have discussed this Toto thing and we put together the script clues and your CHS clues and it's got to Frank Olszewski. Are we right?
Correct! But, oh, let's check with our judges and, oh, I'm sorry, there is no "team" entries in this division, so you have been disqualified!
Just kidding - nice inductive reasoning. Dave can take a lesson or two from you guys... Or girls... Oh, I meant women... Whatever... See this is why I get in trouble at work...
hi kim, it's great to see you are alive and ok. sorry to hear about your grandfather...you and mary still kickin it together...great!
mullen, your daughter is YOU....omg, i cannot believe you have an attitude problem...wut is up with that? how do you guys remember all of these memories? too funny
Hi Everyone, I was away for part of the weekende and boy was everyone busy posting away! Hello to Judy, Kim and Mary Kelly. It is great to hear from you. Speaking of memories, do you remember the principal Miss Kanik. She really terrified me! I also remember those red and orange seats and was just telling my boys about that the other week, that you didn't want to sit on a red seat with a boy because that meant you loved him, but if it was orange it was ok because then you only liked him. Also I have some pictures of that play we did called the Toymakers Pledge. I played the part of Rosalie and I thought it was so cool because they had made this big canopy bed for me. It is pretty funny. It has been fun getting some good laughs at all the memories we shared. I also loved when the big yellow mats were set up in the gym, also the scooters. I could go on and on. So many fun memories.
I would bet a good amount that Rusty played Toto at some point, though I'm not arguing Frank did it.
does anyone recall some kind of Dance show we did in? rehearsals, stage, costumes, parents, the whole deal. i specifically recall learning to do the Charleston and the Twist. both of which have come in handy throughout the years.
and lets see if Freeman remembers this... Steve's, Craig Kovacs' and my parents used to take turns driving us to school. one chilly fall morning it was Craig's step dad's turn (name Donny?). anyway, he had this crappy old beater van that we'd pile into the back of and tumble around all the way to school. well that weekend Donny had been deer hunting and he'd left his clothing in the van. why you ask? obviously because it was covered in deer urine, or some sythetic version there of. so it was a less pleasant ride than usual but we survived. go to school, go about our biz. about 10:00 i'm called to the principal's office because my coat which was in one of those weird sliding plastic doored closets had been next to a vent that connected with the buildings HVAC system. so the whole school smells like deer piss and i get sent home for a change of clothes. i think that's why i have no interest in hunting.
Andrea---Thanks, she has my eyes and my wife's blonde hair. We may have trouble...
Carol---You have to find my comment from before about this! Someone else asked about the mean principal and I think her name was Mrs. Keonig. Plus, I totally remember the Toymakers Pledge - although maybe not the name. Do you remember who the toymakers were? I'm pretty sure Dan was #1 (and had to learn all the lines), and Rock was #3.
Matt---I also remember the dance thing. Although if I remember correctly we had to learn all the dances and then the broke us up into groups and each group did one of the dances on stage. There may have even been some who didn't get on stage because they couldn't dance. I'm guessing I was one of those individuals. Oh and the deer piss story - priceless...
Dave---Just let me know how much you want to lose. Ours was a low-budget indie film and Rusty only did big budget studio blockbusters. If it was on the cafe-gymna-torium stage, it was Rusty. He didn't play the "large group room" (great pick-up by the way). It was Frank. In every performance.
ok...i remember that whole dance thing. randy and i had to do the bump to "oh what a night"....remember randy? i think joe jackson was the other partner in another dance...it must have been something to do with different years, because some of the other classes did things like make butter...cheese...etc. anyone else remember...like maybe 2nd grade...
mullen: i agree whole heartedly...you are in trouble with that combo....be afraid...very very afraid!!!
One of my biggest accomplishments at Sheckler was finally being able to jump up and reach the hallway clocks. And being first to run from the auditorium to our bus at the end of the day.
Dave---You're an animal.
Andrea---Regarding my daughter, you took the words right out of my mouth! But you seem to have ignored an earlier portion of the discussion regarding the Pinocchio performance. What part did you play? I have slight memories of you in some odd costume, but it's fuzzy and I can't quite make it out. Too many Dos Equis at Don Pablo's I think. Hook a brother up with the 411!
I found an old photo of a play we did at Sheckler and there were several of us boys wearing a turbin (hopefully correct spelling) on our heads, no shirts, shorts and carrying (don't know her first name) ODonnel. (I think) I would post the picture but it really isn't all that good. (My mom must have taken it because everyone in the picture only shows a part of their head)
I too remember the dance thing. I was suppost to dance with Weston Strader and I remember my dad calling the school and having a fit so they ended up having me switch. I know I didn't care but my dad sure did. Good thing times have changed.
mullen....you are right i had a SMALL part in that play...i think a cat or something, but all i know is that i was one of the evil things trying to get Pinocchio to do something to make his nose grow more....hmmmm.....how times have changed because i would never do that now...hah!
and ya know mullen....don pablos (a chain restaurant) is ok for food....but they have great mango margaritas.....
There she goes with the margaritas again.
i totally remember the dance thing, i had to do the charleston and its so funny, Jake (son) came home from school the other day and they had to learn these dances to in history class or something--and he mentions the charleston and i'm like I know how to do that I had to do it in sheckler, i remember i wore this black velor dress with fringes around the bottom and matching black headband, totally cool
and mj, almost died at the dad comment with weston---i could totally see my dad doing that too!!!
I also remembered the dance thing after you all mentioned it. It is funny how our brains work that way. I remember learning all the dances, but had to do the Charleston on stage.
Todd-I have pictures of the Toymakers pledge and the other toymaker was Rusty. You are in that picture along with Dan and Rusty and you guys are wearing shorts with suspenders and some pretty cheesy beards, mustaches and side burns. Where you one of the toymakers? Unfortunately I don't think I could fold it small enough to fit into the drive and post it.
Ahh.....I also had a flashback on the x-mas play. I actually found a picture of me, doing an oscar performance as a tin soldier. At least I didn't forget my lines. The dance thing rings a bell, but thats all. I'm on the Yuengling drip so I should recall much more very soon...
Carol---Nice "fold it up" joke. Well played. As for the play, I guess maybe I was an understudy and filled in for Rock. I honestly don't remember being one of them, but I guess I was. As has become painfully obvious at this blog - photos don't lie. Maybe Rock will drift in here and clear this up.
For the love of...
Okay, so I was re-reading some comments and Andrea's about her playing a cat gave me this wicked flashback to the play. I remember Rusty - as Pinnochio - ends up some place with all these girls - but I don't remember what they were supposed to be. But they had this song, the words to which hit me and are now stuck in my head:
"We're packing our bags and leaving this place,
Can't stay here we're losing our faith,
Nothing to do, let's get outta the race,
Let's get out of this place!"
Yikes...
you're freakin me out.
mullen--arent those the words from an "annie" song?
M---I'm freaking myself out.
K---Really? Then it's worse than I thought...
Speaking of singing, and I know this is for the middle school post (who's going to start it???), but I remember Ms. Lux could belt out some good tunes.
mullen....you are just a freak...i cannot believe you could even remember things like that....get a life!
pauko....ok, wendy marks played dorothy in the wizard of oz....julie heckman...toto....or how about....an ant can't move a rubber tree plant.....
ok, so i tried to sleep but felt bad....mullen you really aren't a freak....but just freakish for remembering those little details....did we ever do an annie show?
Andrea---Never feel bad. I have broad shoulders and if the zinger fits, well . . . But I blame you! It was your comment that brought about that memory. And then Kristen got me thinking about annie, so - hand to god - I spent too much time last night trying to find those song lyrics somewhere online.
[BTW - to make you feel even better about me being a freak, as I was searching, I remembered more words to the song:
We used to have a lot to do around here,
Fairyland was bright as could be,
Now it seems we're out on our ear,
Gotta move on you see, so...
We're packing our bags...]
I did find a few stage versions of Pinocchio that have more songs than the movie version, but none of them listed the names or lyrics.
My wife is starting to get concerned about me and the blog now...
i knew the annie reference would drive you nuts!
matt, could you help me create a blog site to help all these other blogger addicts? ya know going from one blog to another just to make them feel as though they are getting the help they need....then they can come back to this site and pretend they are ok....
mullen.....i'm gonna send some energy your way and maybe you'll feel a little more balanced...
My wife already mentioned there might be money to be made in a blog addiction counseling blog...
She's very funny...
mullen...i totally agree with your wife. i'm thinking of starting an online addiction therapy site....why not everything else makes money!
My husband likes to lurk and then tell me when there's a new post or comment somewhere. How sad is that?
isn't that what marriage is all about....a partnership??? i'm thinking...how sweet!
Ok, I was almost late picking up my son from play practice because I was reading the posts. I think I need help!
Vicki, you will definitely have to come across the pond for a reunion because your husband will probably feel like he knows all of us. Also, when is your due date. You will have to post pictures after he/she is born.
C---Wait for pictures after he/she is born? You must have missed Andrea's post about a webcam...
exactly....didn't you all know that vicki is taking pic's while she is waterbound and then she won't miss a beat!
Are we talking a live birth right here on the blog? That should bring in those slackers who haven't logged on yet!
hey, i'm all for it, but it may keep others away, weak stomachs
Pictures after I've had it? No way. Tune in for the live waterbirth! The webcam is ready to go, packed in my bag with the laptop and other hospital type things.
Carol, my husband has been on the floor with some of these stories. Are most people bringing their other half to the reunion? What about kids?
Wasn't there a 'fly' song, too, that involved different animals eating each other, but the fly would die?
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