THE AHS TOUR
Most of us had not been back in over 40 years to walk the halls of Amundsen High School. Mike Haddock, Chief Engineer, graciously conducted us through classrooms, auditorium, pool, gym, lunch room etc. shouting over the din and taking group pictures. Our gratitude to him for spending an hour with the class of 1969 on its first reunion event!
AHS today--addition of fence and flora
Left side and shot in Winnemac Park
Long shot from Winnemac park
Rear of building
Assembling for a photo
Bruce Albamonte-Kathy Koclanis Horan-Jo Galva Hackett-Karen Burnett Grubbs-Dina Marks Tosh
20 minutes later...
I had a great time reconnecting with everyone and the events were wonderful. We had lots of people travel from one coast to another it really was great fun. George Hontos.
Metal Detectors - another new addition
Hallowed Halls with new smaller (!) lockers
They haven't lost the cheer!
“I was only able to attend one event, but I felt like I was there through the pictures! It was sure great to see everyone and find out a little about their lives. We have all been on so many journeys! Thank you again for everything.” Bruce Priest
Mural outside room 115
Classroom
Science classroom-That's the son of Nick Cosmas in case you're wondering!
Co-ed gym now
Joanne McCarthy Schoch receiving a boost at climbing wall while Cathy Amato laughs on!
New locker rooms
Pool - Girls thought they had it tough in a tank suit - the guys swam in the buff!
We could of all used a dip at this point!
New paint for an old auditorium
Jay Anderson is shaking hands with Phil Harris
Joanne McCarthy Schoch in foreground in auditorium
Posing on stage
“It was wonderful to see everyone last week-end in “Chi- town” (Sweet Home Chicago). The city seemed to be showing its best summer face to us and I was amazed at how Winnemac Park has changed into an Illinois Prairie Garden. Thanks Bonnie and friends for all of your hard work to make this re-union possible.” Janis Boghosian Ebert
Lunch room - was it really this small?
cafeteria line 1
Cafeteria line 2
So--what do you think, maybe a 45th in 2014?
Say what?! (Kathy Koclanis Horan, Cathy Amato, Dina Marks Tosh)
We headed out to the stadium after the school tour….
Kathy Koclains Horan-Liz Ross Cummings-Linda Scandura Kuzcak-Chris Rosberg Carlton
From Bleachers - new stadium
New bleachers
New scoreboard
I confess. ‘Twas I who took most of these early foregoing pix. I may post same along with others I have from Chicago to the photo gallery @ my radio station MySpace site.
Observations from the AHS tour:
Except for one bulky old CRT monitor on a teacher’s desk, I saw no evidence of computers in the classrooms we toured.
Any locked away?
In the gyms, there are no ropes to scale or learn acrobatics on anymore. I was scared of the damn things among a lengthy list of stuff back then. I needed an individual coach. I suppose if I had one at the time, “I coulda been a somebody. I coulda been a contender!”
!
Returning to the present, I’m taken aback by the rock-mountain climbing thingie on the wall. Unless they’re hiding an air mattress bag to cushion falls, (All together now, class!) “Lawsuit Magnet!!!”
They now have bolted down booths in the lunchroom. What’s up with that? Ya can’t even have a half way decent student riot any more in that kind of set up!! (LOL!)
Your thoughts on what we saw?…He queried, clutching his cane at the home….
Cya!
JBK
JBK
It was dark and scary then and it was dark and not so scary now. The line-up numbers on the floor in the gym. The old radiators on the wall near the windows? The smelly pool area and locker rooms. The girls bathroom was kind of smelly also. Still the same dim lit hallways. Metal detectors?????? Not in our time. I don’t even remember anyone getting caught in school with a gun. Maybe a knife. The aura around #219. So many wanted their photo taken near it. In remembrance of Mr B? In remembrance of a rebellious teen past? Whatever….Our perspective has changed since then. To me it was like going into a building I had once been in 40+ years ago. What has transpired is a rising fellowship among us all. A time to make new friends with people we went to school with. We are all different now. We are not frightened, shy, introverted teenagers worrying about the zits on our face or the braces on our teeth.
And John, what are the visiting hours and can you receive flowers?
Lisabeth Ross Cummings
Thanx! I’ll have a relaxed answer for you next week after repairs. Computer infected by swine, now has pneumonia flu. Ya live, ya learn!…Soon…