Atlantic Highlands High School 2010 Reunion - Class of 1960 Memories

Ron Halvorsen remembers: Going to the basketball games (didn't our team break 100 points at one time?) Longo's Pizza in Sea Bright (Our after game snack) Freddie's Pizza in Long Branch (When we were really daring) Oh yea there is Vaughn's in Highlands (I wasn't supposed to go there, stay away from the Highlands crowd) Dancing lessons somewhere on First Avenue (I must have dropped out) Karen was my dance partner I believe Walking to school every morning with Sandy. (Of course she always finished her homework ) Gym class (I was the smallest at the time so I was the one on top of the pyramid) Mike's ship ahoy in the harbor. (worked for a dollar an hour with Louise, Erin, Diane Sutton, and Liz Ferrar. (Can't remember anyone else) Setting up pins at our new Bowling alley with Skip Robinson Delivering telegrams (What a tough job that was for what little money we got) The train from Atlantic Highlands to Highlands (What a neat ride that was) Hudson Springs and the pool that we used to sneak into behind the Springs. Ah my 55 Ford (love that car) Antonito's drug store (don't know if I spelled that right but their 5 cent root beer floats were great) Swimming in the harbor (yuck)

Billy Freeman remembers: Buying beer at Mulligans in Highlands at age 16 and 17. (We needed a driver!! Wild parties at Steffer's and Potsie's on Bay Avenue, AH!

Mike Greco remembers: Getting containers of beer from Pauls with Schmedes, Bosley, Skenk et al and drinking in the woods of Auditorium Drive. Liked it so much, I built a house on that very spot and have been there ever since.

Henry Wheeler remembers: Dear ol' Mrs. Mulligan...I produced an ID that was my brother's when I was 15, (irrevocable truth I was born in 1929) and the old dear coughed up the beer...after a couple of buys, I even got brazen enough to have a short one at the bar! I quit that practice when I could feel the eyes of some old barfly piercing my head. Besides, since Eddie O'Hara actually looked the part, he was the principal source most of the time for us to gun down small-necks in the gravel pit off Bayside Drive. Million dollar residences now grace the same spot. I actually liked it better as a place to have Bosley fall off my motorcycle...the deep sand cushioned the fall ...I think we were chasing Pottsy's Pontiac at the time...

Bob Anthony remembers: ....consuming "some" amber brew when I was underage. Keg parties in the woods ( that was one of the ways I earned money to take Ruth out on dates). Diving off the Highlands bridge and swimming across the river. Living on South Bay Ave in Highlands meant that I could walk across the bridge, climb the rocks and body surf in the ocean. Many fond memories of working at Longo's with Jimmy Bosley & Lee Duttkin and drinking a little after work. We'd always over cook at least one pizza so that we would have something to accompany the amber brews.

Victor Godley remembers..... ....3rd Grade, Mrs Bill's class, Karen Rittershoffer sat in front of me and I pulled her hair, got a lecture from Mrs Bill's, how can you have a crush on someone in the 3rd Grade??? ......being in class (one of the classes that was closest to 1st Ave.) when there was this tremendous sound and the windows shook, and the entire building vibrated. Later that day I found out that my friend Patti Parker's father was killed in the explosion of the Nike Missile. ...being in study hall and finding out that John? McGovern's father was killed, when the train ran off the bridge in Woodbridge. The same train that my father missed because of a schedule change. ... at 13 years old, being beaten by 2 soldiers from Ft Hancock, because they didn't like the answer I gave them when they asked me what I was laughing at. I woke up in the Highlands Police Station, Sgt Walt Monahan and my Dad were putting wet cold compresses on my face. ... Tex Daino, Mike Wolf, and others whose names escape me, finding the above guys, a day or two later, and making the score even. ....Vaughns, God, do I remember Vaughns! Custom cars, family cars, kids cars, parked on both sides of the highway from the Bridge damn near to OLPH on both sides of the highway. Some of the cars were in Hot Rod magazines of the day. ..... "Duffy", and I am surprised no one has mentioned him, he was responsible for 75% of the keg parties during those years. "A buck a head and we'll meet you in the woods". ...one morning about 7 am, when 2 agents from the FBI came to my house and wanted to know if I was harboring Brian and Kevin Moran. They wouldn't tell me why, but what ever it was, nothing ever came of it. ....... when Art Cummings got shot in the back of his foot, the kid was trying to shoot off the heel of his shoe and missed. ......when I was racing Art Cummings on Leonardville rd, but didn't know his girlfriend was driving. I made the curve, she didn't, and she and Arts car wound up inside a house. That was the bend going towards 36 just past beacon hill country club. ...... keg parties at Sandy Tyrell's, cottage at the foot of Huddy St, Highlands. ...jumping off the Highlands Bridge and the State Trooper's getting pissed, because we had Moran's Speed Skiff tied up under the bridge, and the troopers on both sides of the bridge stood on the beach as we laughingly rode off into the sunset. ... "THUNDERBIRD" a bottle of that, and the ocean beach on the Sea Bright side, made for a great day. ... Ray Burdge, a good friend, who died too early in a dumb traffic accident. ... "Albertsons" the Buger Basket and Mary's cigarette ashes were free.... ... sharing a quart of beer with Lee Duttkin during lunch time in school, and the typing teacher smelling my breath. She was great, didn't rat us out. .... the car races over Scenic drive, I often wonder if I could still do it, without crashing or going over Van Brunt's bridge. .... Dotty Doll, kept telling me she already had a boyfriend, but still remained a close confident and friend. There is so much more I remember, but I'm afraid I might be getting boring, a lot of it good and a lot not so good, those were the days......

Henry Wheeler remembers: I lived just a few hundred yards away from that house near Hudson Springs...I seem to remember it was designed by Frank Llloyd Wright. I lived at 26, and Denny Devine, bless him, lived at 44. We regularly slipped into that pool under the cover of darkness during the summer. Denny and I made a practice of going swimming on Easter every year, two nitwits jumping off what was left of a pier that I think belonged to a Mr Gehlhaus. The water was heart-stopping cold, but we pretended to enjoy it. Denny had a '38 Buick coupe, and I owned about seven cars...two of which ran. Then once we actually had driver's licenses, I got rid of all but my '36 Plymouth, which required 5 gallons of oil to make the trip to Red Bank and back. Denny and I were always mad for the water, though, and I've thought how ironic he should die young in those same waters.

Cathie Tarling Sarnecky remembers: Unfortunately, when I knew all of you I was only 14 and 15 (I started school in Scotland and was 4 years old inthe first grade; I graduated at 15). Remembering: Bruce (gone but not forgotten), Bill, Doug (sister Mary was my friend), and "Chico" (Jim). I would tell my mother I wasn't "car dating". With"Chico" it wasn't a lie; > we "boat dated"....he picked me up at the beach in Highlands and we motored to the dock in Atlantic Highlands,went to the movies, and returned the same way. Lots of moonlight on the water dates. I remember parties and then pajama parties where all the girls got together (my first cigarette....sorry,can't thank you for that; it took me until 1996 when my daughter was getting married and said "Mom, please stop. I want you to know your grandchildren"). I can't be with you in August but you will remain with me always. I didn't share in all of the memories I'm reading, but they still make me smile. :-) If you'd like to follow myblog---7/24, 365 - How to Survive Retirement, go to: http://724365-cathiemom.blogspot.com/

Francis "Buzz" Borsky remembers: ..1971...My wife & I were memebers at CLEARWATER POOL. Every Saturday night there was a party with entertainment. I thought the regular singer & band were lousy and too loud ! We stopped going !! Image my surprise when BRUCE SPRINGTEEN & E STREET BAND moved on to better things !!!

Sandy Benton remembers: Going to the Highway 35 drive-in with Dennis Devine ad sitting in the rumble seat of his car! Stealing a kiss underneath Grand Bridge. Sleigh riding down Navesink avenue with Ron Halvorsen, the Murrays, the Mastersons and soon the entire neighborhood would join in!

Franklin Patterson remembers.... ... the trainride to Highlands during our Freshman year, but, who remembers the day the conductor stopped the train half way and put Vincent Mendes off because he did not have his ticket with him. ... getting out of school early the spring of Senior year because I had a job at the Food Basket on Bay Avenue. ...my athletic highlight was catching a touchdown pass from Bruce during gym class against Bob Anthony's team. Nobody wanted me because of my size. ..the day Rocky Finn threw a classmate against the lockers for anwering him back. Who was that student? ....that Pauls Tavern was a great place to have a 21 year old buy beer for you to be drank behind the Highlands Bowling Alley by myself, Red White, Nelson Anderson and Fredrick Voorhees. .....going to the Prom with Sandy Benton and dancing at 5AM on the side of the road by the Oceananic Bridge. .....Sailing with Vincent Mendes in his catamaran and blowing a bugle to make the bridge open. ...admiring Victor Godley because he could SIGN his parents who were deaf. And Who can name the "Unholy Eleven"? Our 11 classmates who were unlucky to be caught with alcohol on our class trip to Washington. I was the shy one who just answered "no not me" when asked if I had any booze. Little did they know! Does anyone recall our senior English teacher, with the southern drawl who would say "class we will CUT, SHARE AND REACT" Sad thoughts: ...a classmate who dropped out during Freshman year because she was pregnant. .... Red White's monther passed away that same year. Red and I beccame closer friends after that. I like to think we helped him keep up his grades and stay focused. ... The bowling coach being mad because I chose to bowl in a mens league instead of playing on the High School team.

Buzz Borsky remembers..... ......a couple of VINCE MENDES classics: one year he proudly showed off a german luger in his locker; another time, a significant explosion on the harbor beach created a large crater, vince (allegedly) borrowed some c-4 from ft monmouth for the entertainment (hopefully, the statute of limitations has run out). ......senior trip to DC: Adina Bell and I slipped away (her idea) from the opera until it was over: perhaps not as exciting as joining the unholy eleven, but spending a couple of hours under the stars, roaming around DC, with Adina was very special (at least for me). .....Dave Lowry: I know we all miss Dave....bear with me for a memory from 1962......I was in Air Force tech school in Biloxi Miss; one day I bumped into Dave who had come down from Minn with a Sgt Burke for some advanced training. We had a great time for a couple of months; one night we were at the usual drinking hole on the beach (long before casinos); Burke, who had a car, met a young lady and told us he would be back later to pick us up. The pub closed, Dave & I spent several hours on the beach, throwing a football around and talking about just about everything. Finally, about 4 am, Burke came speeding into the parking lot, stopped just long enough to pick us up & took off. When safely on base he explained: The girl was bait for some very bad people...he just barely escaped......... Dave & I had a great laugh. ......A gym class...Roxey had us boys doing tumbling...he had 1 of the smaller guys (O'neil ?) stand on another's (?) shoulders & told him to jump & roll; "but coach" he said... Roxey firmly told him to do it! off he went...head first...I remember a sickingly "snap" when he hit. I think we all thought he was dead. Amazingly, he recovered with no damage. Roxey intended him to jump feet first ...but he thought Roxey wanted him to go head first!