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Der Nürnberger TrichterDer Nürnberger TrichterDer Nürnberger TrichterDer Nürnberger TrichterDer Nürnberger Trichter, sicher und schnell, macht die Köpfe hell!, sicher und schnell, macht die Köpfe hell!, sicher und schnell, macht die Köpfe hell!, sicher und schnell, macht die Köpfe hell!, sicher und schnell, macht die Köpfe hell!The NAA Funnel reliably and quickly makes one brighter.
A publication by and for the alumni, faculty, and staff of the former Nürnberg American High School
TrichterSpring 2009Vol. 21, No. 1 Nürnberg Alumni Association, Inc.
Stories in the Los Angeles Times andthe New York Times announced the deathat age 85 of former NHS social scienceteacher Warren Robbins Dec. 4, 2008.He taught at Nürnberg in 1950-51 anddelivered the commencement address forthe Class of 1951 from the steps of SteinCastle when Gen. Dwight D.Eisenhower had to cancel.
He is perhaps best remembered byAnn Marie O’Roark, 1951 valedictorian,who knew him as her teacher and, laterin life, as a colleague-friend. She sayshe inspired her poetry writing long agoand her conceptual thinking.
Robbins is best known nationally asthe founder and director emeritus ofWashington’s Smithsonian NationalMuseum of African Art and director ofthe Center for Cross-CulturalCommunication.
Born in 1923, the youngest of 11children of Ukranian Jewish immigrants,Robbins came to NHS shortly aftercompleting a master’s degree in history
from theUniversity ofMichigan in 1949.
After his stintat NHS he becamea cultural affairsofficer with theU.S. InformationAgency. He wastraveling as a
50’s faculty member went on to fame
Warren Robbins, dead at 85cultural attache with former Sen. S.I.Hayakawa (R-Calif.) when he strolledinto a Hamburg antique shop one dayand a collection of African sculpturescaught his eye. He bought 32 pieces.
Six years later and back in the U.S.,Robbins’ collection of African art hadfilled up his basement. Seeing that theWashington home of Frederick Douglas,the 19th-century abolitionist, was on themarket, he took out a big mortgage andestablished his Museum of African Art.
With little money, Robbins built hismuseum by the force of his personalityand his passion for cross-culturalunderstanding. Word was, “There was acrazy guy with an African art collectionwho had never been to Africa.” LaterRobbins did actually spend time inAfrica and became an expert in Africanart and artifacts.
Initially, there was resistance to awhite man establishing and organizinga museum of African art, but Robbinshad a ready answer: “I make noapologies for being white. You don’thave to be Chinese to appreciate ancientceramics, and you don’t have to be a fishto be an ichthyologist.”
In the mid 1970s, concerned aboutthe permanence of his collection,Robbins lobbied Congress to get TheSmithsonian to take over the museum.In 1987, the museum was moved to theNational Mall and renamed the National
Museum of African Art.When Dr. O’Roark began making
annual trips to Washington D.C. forwork with the American PsychologicalAssociation, whose headquarters areonly a few blocks from the RobbinsCross-Cultural Center, she renewedcontact with her former teacher. Theymet regularly to discuss compilation ofsome of Robbins’ writings anddevelopment of a library room atGeorgetown University.
In 1990 Robbins was still goingstrong, presenting a lecture at theInstitute of General Semantics entitled“No Dinosaurs on the Ark.” In it hereturned to themes which he firstintroduced to his students at NürnbergAmerican High School.
Yearbook photo
Robbins in later life
Robbins’ letter to hisstudents - p. 15More on Robbins - p. 17
2 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
NAA TrichterVolume 21, No. 1 Spring 2009
The Trichter is published three timesa year by the Nürnberg AlumniAssociation, Inc., a 501(c)7 not-for-profit organization, for the enjoy-ment of its members. All content isthe property of the author. Forreprint information, contact theeditor.
Editor: Pat GibsonEditor Emeritus: Bob McQuittyProofreaders: Terry Jorgensen, Jeanette
and Bob McQuitty, Pat Wood
Send material for publication to:Pat Gibson12700 Pauls Valley RoadAustin, TX [email protected]
Dave mentioned how crazy theweather has been this winter over hisway. It’s been that way here in CentralTexas too. One day, we’re wearing shortsand sleeping with the AC on and the nextmorning we’re in overcoats and mittens!
The redbud out behind the fence gotnipped last night but may still bloommore. The anemones are popping uparound the yard but not as tall as mostyears. I guess the lack of water is hurtingall the wild things. 18 months andcounting since we had a good rain. The
Lost Pines over in Bastrop caught fireSunday, March 1, and are still burningas I write this two days later. We getnervous every time we hear the firetrucks roll from the volunteer stationdown the road.
Hope all of you have a wonderfulspring and if you have any extra water,can you send it our way?
A Texas Anemone
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 3
David Ogé[email protected] Waters Edge Circle,Shreveport, LA 71106H:318-210-0926
Debbie (McLean)OgéV.P. - [email protected] Waters Edge CircleShreveport, LA 71106H:318-210-0926C:903-530-0310
Terry T.D.JorgensenV.P. – [email protected] North Woods Dr.Marietta, GA 30066-2947H: 770-928-4948C: 404-680-0735
Charlotte (Erickson)[email protected] Doral CourtKeller, TX 76248-4349817-431-2784
Doug Veith, JDLegal [email protected] Mercier StreetKansas City, MO 64111-4154816-569-3512
Robert A. McQuitty,PhDHistorian/[email protected] E. SenecaTahlequah, OK 74464-7041918-456-8443
Pat (Knighton)GibsonEditor-in-Chief, [email protected] Pauls Valley RoadAustin, TX 78737-9507512-288-1751
Board of DirectorsEra Representatives
Nürnberg Alumni AssociationPat (McCarroll)WoodEra Rep, Faculty and 1940’s/1950’[email protected] Raintree ForestSan Antonio, TX 78233210-656-2260
Doug HattEra Rep, 1960’[email protected] Main StreetHalf Moon Bay, CA 94019-1921650-726-1259
Reni (Peek) MichaelEra Rep, 1970’[email protected] Puget Road, N.E.Olympia, WA 98516
Linda (Moreira)LangfordEra rep, 1980’s - 90’[email protected] Vine StreetEltham, VictoriaAUSTRALIA 3095(03) 9431-5726
4 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
I love the 1st-quarter of the New Year when Spring is about to burst forth its beautiful foliage here in the Atlanta area, likeour many colorful dogwood trees, the multi-colored azaleas, and all the other beautiful shades of greenery. It’s a beautifultime of the year, except for the pollen, of course.
It’s also the time of the year when I’m able to share those many personal comments from Christmas cards received fromformer faculty & staffers from NHS that we got during the recent holidays, or other emails shared between old NHS friends,as we all get excited about the New Year 2009. So, Happy New Year, everyone!
Here’s hoping that your 2009 turns out to be a lot less rough and rocky, as the current economic trend begins to reverseitself, and the year brings about new opportunities on which we can all capitalize.
Coach (and former typing & shorthand teacher at NHS) Wendell Jahnke and wife Lois visited the Florida home of NHSteachers Ken & Ann Goold for 3-days, starting on this past New Year’s Eve. Ken reports that everyone was talking non-stopbecause there was so much news to catch-up on, as they hadn’t seen each other for many years. Ken also reports that (Coach)Dr. Dick Peterjohn and wife Elspeth, along with Dr. Howie Splete and wife Marlene, were scheduled to be in Sarasotaaround the 2nd week of January, and were planning a get-together with them, as well. Apparently, the Peterjohns and Spleteswere to stay at Nürnberg’s Dr. Hugh (and wife Carol) Brady’s condo during their visit. So, you know they had a super timereminiscing over their Nürnberg High days teaching in Germany. Amazingly, all of these three doctorates are Michigan StateUniversity Spartans, which pleases me even more. GO GREEN!
Speaking of 2009 Membership Dues…DON’T FORGET to renew your 2009 dues, Y’all. You can use your major creditcard online to renew at: NurnbergEagles.org .
I got to ski with our old Brat-friend Harry Damm (the Regional Director of Sales for Premier Resorts), who arrangedour fantastic Gathering of Eagles in Breckenridge in 1999 at the Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center. Harry’s invitedall of us back to his Beaver Run Resort, and has offered his recommendations for considering Premier Resorts’ “BarefootResort & Golf” in No. Myrtle Beach for our 2014 Gathering of Eagles. This is the same resort where Wendy (Barfield)Poole ’81 works as Director of Corporate Golf, and she would also love to host our Alumni Association group.
Cheryl Wafer ’81 informs us she was saddened not to be able to attend our San Antonio Gathering last June, and wascoming, but her roommate fell through the day she was leaving for San Antonio. So, Cheryl reports that she is committed tocoming to Boise and will see everyone there in 2011. She’s seen here with one of her favorite pets, Sammie.
Class of 1967 alumnus from NHS Joe Pensyl recently contacted me to renew hismembership, and shared with me that he’s still working for international companies that hirehim for his aviator skills in unusual places. Joe shared a glimpse of the view in an Africancoastal nation in which he’s currently working. Joe is hoping to join his classmates in Boise, ifhe’s back in CONUS by then, and can put in for the time-off in June 2011.
So, who amongst you is coming with us toNürnberg, Germany, in 2010?
For details email me at:[email protected]
Have a terrific summer, Y‘all.
Left: Joe Pensyl ’67 on his beach
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 5
Living in Louisiana, it seems to methat the weather just started gettingcolder in late December before weexperienced 80 degree weather here inmid-February. It’s March 1 as I write.This morning it is 32 degrees here inShreveport and in Nürnberg/Fürth, it is55 degrees! Do you remember thespring-like weather arriving when wewere at NAHS? We literally experiencedSpring fever. And, being so young, it wastough to concentrate on classes. Iremember flying a kite by the oldbaseball field, riding the Strassenbahnto wherever and hanging out at varioussidewalk cafés. Ahhhh…the memoriesof our high school days at good ol’NAHS.
Yes, we all wax nostalgic on thosedays. And that’s what your NürnbergAlumni Association is all about. We area gentle reminder of our adolescent timesliving in a tight knit Americancommunity. Our central socializing hubfor students and teachers alike was our
Kite Flying Time and OtherRemembered Youthful Activities
high school. It was even more so thathub because we were living as guests ina foreign land. Do you realize that ourold high school has been closed since1995? The Class of 1995 is now about32 years old. The Class of 1947 is about79 years old. But, no matter how old weare, one thing is certain, we all went toNürnberg American High School!
I have noticed more alumni from the80’s and 90’s are visiting our website thelast couple of years. That is a good thingfor I would love nothing more than tosee more and more alumni from the laterschool years become more activelyinvolved, take the Association reins intothose hands and lead the camaraderie forthose of us still willing to make the showevery three years. We are a finite,dwindling crowd, but as members of thatgroup, we are still around!
Reaching out to the younger set, I’dlike to offer this. If you have an interestin becoming actively involved in yourAssociation, I welcome any and all
questions on how you can do just that.Become part of the planning that activelydelivers the show for our group. Becomethe planners. For those of you that haveattended the past reunions, you know weall have a great time thanks to theplanners. Contact me and not onlybecome a part of it all, but an active partof it all.
I’m looking forward to seeing all ofyou in Boise, Idaho in 2011, but for now,I do have a great kite and will fly it as itbecomes just a tad warmer and the windpicks up. See you in Idaho!
Dave-O, Class of ‘70
Dave and Debbie New Year’s EveJourney back to Nürnberg with Dave and Terry in 2010!
6 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Phyllis (Russell)Johnson, Staff
Phyllis celebrated her 85th birthdayon June 2, 2008 and wonders if anyoneremembers her. She was dormitorycounselor from 1953 to 1957. She hasmany great memories of her days inNürnberg. She and her husband Kenattended the Breckenridge reunion butaren’t up to traveling these days. Theylive in Duluth.
Joan K. (McCarter)Adrian, ’49
Joan and husband Donn are happyto announce the arrival of a greatgranddaughter, Feb. 1, 7 lb 14 oz.,Kalynn Bailey Christine Caudle,daughter of their grandson Eric and hiswife Samantha. After 4 grandsons, 1great-grandson, 1 step-great-grandson,there is finally a baby girl for all of themto spoil. No pictures yet, but we will get
some eventually. Daughter Lynn, and herson Alex will be coming from SanFrancisco for Easter Week.
Joan and Donn are hosting Donn’sarmy officer class reunion in Septemberthis year to be held in Ft. Mitchell,Kentucky (across the Ohio River fromCincinnati). This will be the 60thanniversary of their class graduationfrom Ft. Riley, Kansas in December1949.
Connie (Porter)Johnson ’53
We’re giving thanks for the safereturn of our son, Sgt. Major DavidJohnston from another tour in Iraq.
Our daughter Lynn Hull lives inRaleigh, NC and shows three of herdogs. Her fourth is still in the puppystage but she’ll work with him and gethim ready in the next year. Lynn has agrooming/training business and is veryactive in the Raleigh Kennel Club. Shehas always had that special “touch” withanimals. Lynn once had a blue jay thatshe raised after it was injured. It wouldcome and sit on her shoulder whenever she went outside and called it. It would
hang around the garage door, waiting forher to come outside!
Betty Thomas ’54I have received my master’s in
nothing. I’ve broken no records and donenothing heroic. But I can still brag. Mygranddaughter Stacy Green graduatedsumma cum laude from the Universityof North Florida on December 12, 2008.When she got her congratulatory letterfrom the dean he stated that she had a4.0 average. She majored in elementaryeducation. Until she can locate a position
Lynn Hull and her two Westies
Sgt. Major David Johnston
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 7
Janet (Glen) Gray’57
Jim and Janet Gray are teaching andministering at Christ’s College in Taipei,Republic of China. They reported thatthey have been very busy since theirreturn from St. Louis. They are eachteaching two classes. Janet’s freshmanIntroduction to English Fiction has 40students and her World Literature classhas 20 students. Jim’s Gospel of Johnclass has 40 students and his EnglishBible as Literature (Old Testament) has20 students. Plus Janet has been doing alot of editing of the English translationsof the MOE documents
As they were enjoying teaching atChrist’s College they had the privilegeof meeting a well-known internationalcorrespondent, Carol Chang. She wastheir neighbor on campus, and came tobe their morning coffee buddy as theygot to know her. She asked them if theywould like to have a ministry to Chineseyoung men and women living indowntown Taipei who were grandsonsor granddaughters of Chiang Kai-shek’stroops who had fled to Burma andThailand. These young people were hereas illegal aliens who had fled to Taiwanto get an education, and hopefully to getsomeone to give them citizenship. Theyrallied here last summer and thegovernment has helped a little, but theystill cannot get health care nor passports.Janet was thrilled to be able to have anadventure with people from this regionof the world.
Janet teaching class.
Stacy and Betty after graduation
with the school system she is workingin the local county sheriff’s departmenttraining the employees in computerapplication. I am a very proudgrandmother! And Stacy did it all byherself! It occurred to me that I have notbragged about my Grandson BryanGreen, the brother of my honor grad
granddaughter. Bryan graduated fromhigh school last year and is attendingLake City Community College majoringin golf course management. He is doingquite well and has just received anadditional scholarship. We are not surewhere he will be for his 1st internship,but he has interviews set up in Savannah,
GA, some where inMontana, and in Wyoming.He is really excited - anddon’t tell him, but I am too.
Bryan Green
8 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Molly (Gehan ) and Don (Lawhon) Brewer’60
I retired in May of 2008 and un-retired, if that’s a word, in January of 2009.We’ve gained way too much poundage and I can only mop the kitchen floor somany times a day. Am going to be working a variety of part-time jobs, everythingfrom selling Avon to teaching in nursing, and Don is still working at the hardwarestore fixing things for customers...got a lamp or door or toaster that needs work?Bring it on in! My sister Gay, whom some of you may remember from years 58-60, although she graduated from Stuttgart, also retired in 2008 after a series ofhealth problems. They are moving to an island off the coast of Honduras calledUtila where the scuba diving is wonderful, since she and her husband Larry areboth passionate divers. Having a house built, or at least that’s in the plans but nofirm start date as of yet. I gather that getting things done in Honduras is quite achallenge.
We are proud grandparents AND great-grandparents...we’ve got grandkidsyounger than our great-grands. Nothing like an overlap family. Our youngest childis only two years older than the oldest grandchild, and it’s a durn good thing thateverybody is scattered across many states. If they all showed up for holidays we’dhave to shoehorn them in.
We’re looking forward to the next reunion- I’ve spent some time in Boise, andI hope we’re there for the Basque festival. Maybe we can work on getting a reunionin Louisville sometime soon. Think Kentucky Derby and bourbon!
That’s about it from the Bluegrass State. For now, anyway.
Ethel (Walske) Lapitan ’58Ethel and her husband Tony are bursting with pride for their Coast Guard
grandson, Lt. J.G. David Slapak, who graduated January 9th from flight school atWhiting Field, Milton, FL in a class of 22 helicopter pilots. Dave has eight years inthe Coast Guard, and he and his wife Dauma are now settled in Michigan atSedgewick Air National Guard Base, where they will be stationed for the next fouryears. Ethel and Tony have been permanent Florida residents for ten years now
Miki Korp ’62Miki let all of us know she is fine
and enjoying being appreciated by herstudents in Lahore, Pakistan. She isteaching Art History and, as adventurousas ever, enjoying living in a verydifferent environment.
Terry Jorgensen ’62
Mike Florek, ’61 joined Terry for someafter ski brew.
Terry skiingwith his friendHarry Damm.
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 9
Bob Hervey ’64This is to anounce the arrival of
Paige Renee Hervey born to Seth andLisa Hervey Feb. 6. Her stats are 7lbs.14oz. 20 1/2" long. She is our longawaited first grandchild. Mom, Dad andgrandparents are doing fine. She iscalling Denver, Colorado, home.
Charlotte (Eickson) Forman ’64 and Debbie (McLean) Ogé, ’71 NewYear’s Eve.
Mystery picture!Charlotte (Erickson) Forman came
across the picture on the right the otherday and can’t remember who is bravingthis ride with her. Charlotte is on theright. On the back of the picture is theword Lee. Anyone got a guess?
Charlotte (Erickson) Forman and herhusband Mike on New Year’s Eve.
1 0 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Shelley (Flippen)Conroy ’73
I found a fantastic airfare to Munichand I took my 28-year-old daughterJennifer with me for a four-day trip. Wetruly enjoyed the Hofbraühaus. We tooka short train trip to Nürnberg, but onlyhad a couple of daylight hours to exploreand could not find NHS in time. I hadnever ridden the subway in N´ürnberg,as it did not exist when I lived there, andthat was our only mode of transport. Thecurrent generation living in Nürnberg istotally clueless about where the militaryinstallations had been and knew nothingabout where our school was either. I didnot have time to access the Internet toget the address and ask for help.We didhave time to walk the emptyChristkindlesmarkt and eat NürnbergerBrats and drink Glühwein, however! TheBavarian-American Hotel was still there,and the outside looked just like Iremembered it, but appeared to beuninhabited.
Jean(Wendelschaefer)Garlick ‘65
Our son Ryan is going to be on aNational Geographic show called CodeBreakers in March. Here’s a link to seewhen it will be on in your area. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/tv-schedule# Hold down CONTROL and
then click on this link and it will takeyou to the National Geographic page thathas the show schedule. You can put inyour zip code and what TV service youhave (dish or whatever) and it will eventell you when it will be on. He wasinterviewed for it in London last summerand is in about 8 minutes worth of theshow. Not too proud, huh!
I would have loved going to the
reunion since it was so close in SanAntonio. But, last year was the toughestyear of my life. I lost both my parents(Mom in June, Dad in August) afterextended care for lung cancer andAlzheimer’s respectively. We cared forMom in our home and tried to do thesame with Dad, but had to move him 5times to find a place that worked for him.So traveling was not in our cards lastyear. I’ve attached a current picture ofmy husband, David and me at the OasisRestaurant out at Lake Travis, west ofAustin, Texas.
Left: Jennifer Conroy and Mom Shelly(Flippen) Conroy in Munich.
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 11
Over the years I have shared withmy children and, now grandchildren,experiences and profiles of people fromthroughout my life. For years I have toldmy posterity about Charlie Myers. I sawCharlie’s sister Mary Jane (Myers)Soyenova ’61 at the last reunion. I askedabout Charlie. She brought me up todate. She said Charlie did not considercoming to the reunion because he didnot think anybody would know him. Idoubt Charlie even remembers me, butI remember him.
Actually I think Charlie belonged tothe Class of ’56; however, he came upshort a credit or two so he graduated withthe rest of us in 1957. We saw him inclass infrequently. He did not have toattend school all of the time. I do notrecall his exact schedule or even whatclass he occasionally attended. I onlyremember that we did not see him veryoften and while not unfriendly, Charliedid not socialize too much. I think theonly real friend he had at NAHS wasDarrell Freeman.
When I saw him the first time, Iassumed he was German. He woreGerman-styled clothing, corduroys,heavily braided sweaters and Europeanshoes. He wore his hair long, neatlycoifed, like a German. “Who is theGerman?” I asked somebody. “He is nota German. His Dad is EES, lived inGermany forever. He’s American buthe’s ‘gone native.’” I thought to myself:“I have to talk to this guy.” Over thesemester that Charlie attended classes Imade a point to visit with him. I learnedthat he had indeed pretty much gone
A Most Unforgettable Character
native. Not only did he look German,he acted German. I asked him one day ifhe had ever gone “home” to the ZI. Hereplied that he had but that on thosevisits, during the whole time he felt likea foreigner.
Several times we would see Charlieat the O’Darby snack bar with a date.We never saw Charlie with anybody butfashion models, striking, statuesque,beautiful woman dressed to the nines.He would leave his date at the table whilehe went through the food line. I do notknow if any of these beauties everrealized the audience of teenagers oglingher while she sat waiting for Charlie tobring the food to the table. We satfascinated as Charlie conversed with hisdate in perfect German. His date wouldlaugh and flirt in such a way that we inthe “audience” would go crazy. Intoday’s jargon we would have classified
Charlie as “The Man.” Forget aboutfootball and basketball stars. Those guysdated the same girls we did. We wishedwe could get to know Charlie better.Maybe he could fix us up with one ofthose beautiful women (not girls,women).
Over the years I wondered whateverhappened to Charlie. Did he stay native?I did not get a full answer from MaryJane beyond that he now lives in theUnited States.
I always have a memory for out-of-the-ordinary people. I admire MikeLeach, coach of Texas Tech, a maverick,former rugby player, lawyer, nowsought-after football coach, whose teamsplay (and win) erratically, like him.
The reason I remember CharlieMyers is because Charlie was a maverickand a winner. I hope he has had a goodlife.
by Larry D. Shuman, ’57
Charlie Myers, Yearbook photo
1 2 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Opulence and 1st-Class service awaits you atThe Grove Hotel in Boise, Idaho
For those of you who make the commitment to attend the June 2011 Gathering of Eagles inbeautiful and scenic Boise, you will not be disappointed with what awaits you atThe Grove Hotel.
This is a 4 Star property with exceptional amenities, services, and benefits, and at anunbelievable $114/night Group Discounted rate.
Their typical Room Rack Rate averages $179 or more, depending on the day of the week,and time of the year you happen to choose to stay there.
The Grove Hotel’s friendly reminder of our Early Bird Special, and DEADLINE for securingour Nürnberg Alumni Association’s Group Rate, is May 16th, 2011. We hope to have theroom reservations department ready for you Early Birds to guarantee your room, by the endof year 2009.
Above: Our host hotel amongst ‘TheGrove,‘ in the heart of downtown Boise.
Above: The Grove Hotel Lobby Above: Elegant, fine dining available atEmilio’s Restaurant. They even have aquality Sushi Bar in the Piano Bar area.
The Grove Hotel’s onsite/in house FitnessCenter is the nationally acclaimed, Gold’sGym, and arguably the finest fitnesscenter we’ve seen in any hotel!Above: Double Bed accommodations
Above: King size accommodation, withall the luxurious amenities.
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 13
Day-Trips Can AddTo A Fun Reunion Itinerary
Boise Day Trips can be a delightful way tospend a day in the city of Boise or travelto some of the great locations outside thecity limits. Boise day trips from the city caninclude fishing, hiking, rafting and otheroutdoor pursuits. Boise Day Trips withinthe city can be spent touring a museum,or exploring the history and culture of thisportion of Idaho.Boise River GreenbeltDay trips in Boise can offer plenty ofthings to do. One popular choice is theBoise River Greenbelt. The Greenbelt is a20 mile stretch of paved pathway forbiking, running, skating, walking andmore. The trail makes its way throughdowntown Boise, as well as heading outthrough Veterans Memorial Park and theJulia David Park. There are restaurantsand cafes set up alongside the Greenbeltperfect for grabbing a coffee or a snackas you move along.
Old Idaho PenitentiaryAnother popular choice for day trips inBoise is the Old Idaho Penitentiary. Builtin 1870, the Penitentiary was used to holdprisoners in the undeveloped Old West. A90 minute tour is available for visitors,which costs about $4 for adults and is freefor children ages 5 and under. Thispenitentiary remains a popular attractionamong day trips in Boise and Boise tours.Ridge to River Trail SystemOver 75,000 acres of trails and open landmake up the Boise Ridge to River TrailSystem. From the Boise Ridge to theBoise River, the open stretch of land is apopular choice for Boise trips and Boisetours. Most visitors choose to mountainbike through the area, though it can alsobe hiked. There are roads through thearea so that you can drive in.
Idaho Shakespeare FestivalStarted in 1977, the Idaho ShakespeareFestival is a great way to spend Boisetrips and Boise tours in the summer. EachJune through September, theShakespeare Festival takes place at anamphitheatre along the Boise River.Prices for the plays cost $10 for childrenand $32 for adults, with discounts beingoffered for groups.Boise River RaftingGentle Boise trips spent coasting downthe Boise River are a popular way tospend a summer afternoon in Boise.Since there is not much whitewater to befound on the stretch of river that mostfolks raft, this is a popular event forpeople of all ages and abilities. If youdon’t have your own raft, canoe or kayak,there are a few different spots on theriver to rent them. Most trips from BarberPark in the north to Ann Morrison Park inthe south take about 3 hours
Above: Cascade Rafting ExpeditionsBelow: Bogus Creek Dude Ranch
1 4 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Fallen Eagles – Gone but not ForgottenKeith Whitley ’65
Keith’s sister Brenda reportedthat he passed away about 2-3 yearsago. The picture on the left of Keithwas provided by Brenda.
Joel Ziskin ’66The Association has received
word of Joel’s death. No other detailswere provided.
Bill Martin ’52Steve Martin, son of William
E. Martin, Class of 1952, recentlyinformed NAA secretary CharlotteErickson Forman, that Bill (as hewas called in school) died ofinterstitial pulmonary fibrosis onFeb. 1, 2007.
Peter Lurvey,’52, remembers him as a teammateon the NHS 1950-51 basketball team.
Yearbook Photo
The real history of NHS began in1906 although at that time there was noconnection with American dependents.From its beginning, the school buildingon Tannenstrasse in Furth served toeducate German girls in commercialwork. This building, was taken by theAllies during the war and became ahospital for German prisoners
In the meantime, an Americandependent school was started in 1946 atthe University in Erlangen. For one yearthe classes were conducted mostly in thegeological department while the dormwas located in a former bank building.In 1947, the school moved to the formercommerce school building. Theelementary school, kindergarten, and
The building soon becameovercrowded and work was started on anew school on Fronmullerstrasse,completed in 1951. This new school,with the elementary, kindergarten, highschool, and dormitory buildings, took onthe appearance of a small town collegecampus. The larger classrooms andmodern facilities were an immenseimprovement over the old school.
Although the students of NHS havegreatly benefited by the improvedconditions of the new location, they aremissing the fine opportunity ofexperiencing education under somewhatsimilar conditions as the youth ofDeutschland.
April, 1954 The Trichter __Page 3
THE BEGINNING OF NHShigh school were all together in onebuilding. This building after forty yearsof varied uses began to educate childrenin democracy and internationalfriendship.
This school, with only one entranceto the building, was small. The heatingfacilities were not up to date. It did havea small gymnasium and students werenot obliged to go to the post for P. E.classes. The two dormitories werelocated on an adjacent street. The dorms,almost in the center of Furth, were twoseparate German houses, each with abeautiful garden. During specified hoursthe boys could visit the girls’ dorm.Study hall was held in the schoolbuilding. The mess hall was in thebasement of the building.
I found this page among some photocopies sent to me several months ago. Thepage is yellowed and crumbling and I can’t remember who sent it! I will be passingit along to our historian for his files but thought all of you might enjoy reading thisversion of the school history. PKG
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 15
Text of Robbins’ Letter to the 1951 NHS SeniorsJune 6, 1951
I hope you will look over this talk again in a few years, at which time the implications of some of the things I have saidwill be more apparent to you.
I’m including a little list of books that have influenced me. They are all by well known and authoritative writers andteachers. Most any one of them will give you some fundamentally new ideas and will help you to continue to grow all yourlives — “to live in the stream of human tradition.” There is no reason why your learning and development should stop justbecause you happen to finish school. Yet this is often the case.
It’s interesting: It’s just ten years almost to the day that I graduated from high school. I’m twenty seven. These ten yearshave been very exciting and fast moving ones for me because I made up my mind in 1941 to keep developing. As I havegrown, “my world” has grown with me, and it’s a much richer place than I thought it was then. The people in it have more “onthe ball” than we sometimes think, or that they themselves often realize.
Don’t sell yourselves short. And don’t give up your faith in yourselves and in man. You have a long way to go but you canenjoy every minute of your lives — paradoxically, even the unhappy times — if you develop perspective about what livingmeans, what it requires of us, and what we can expect of it.
And don’t get discouraged with yourself. There isn’t one among you who doesn’t have something to offer — though itmay be expressed in different ways and to different extents. Very often a “C” student, for example, is merely a fellow whodoesn’t happen to like the way schools in general are set up, and who therefore finds it difficult to get in line and adjust toformal classroom education. He may have a better understanding in general (he may) though it doesn’t come out so easily,than the person who gets all “A’s” by just repeating what the teacher or the book says. When he learns to organize himself alittle better, he will have more to contribute and more to gain.
If you ever feel like “talking over” any of these ideas, don’t hesitate to drop me a line. If I’m unable to answer immediatelydon’t think its lack of interest. I’ll get to it when the time allows.
My very best to you. I’ve enjoyed knowing you very much. And thanks again for asking me to come back in this way foryour graduation.
These are classic books from the first half of the 20thcentury. Most are still in print and still important. --Dr. Robert McQuitty, Ph.D.
Cowley, Malcom – Books that Have Changed Our MindsRobinson, James Harvey – The Mind in the MakingHayakawa, S. I. – Language in Thought and ActionKorzybski, Alfred – The Manhood of HumanityOtto, Max – Science and the Moral LifeChase Stuart – The Tyranny of WordsLee, Irving – Language Habits in Human AffairsHuxley, Julian – Man in the Modern WorldKluckholn, Clyde – Mirror for ManFerguson, Harvey – Modern ManBoas, Franz – The Mind of Primitive ManBenedict, Ruth – Patterns of CultureWhite, Leslie – Essays on Science and CultureSumner, William – FolkwaysDorsey, George – Civilization, Man’s Own ShowBarnes, Harry – The History of Western CivilizationScheinfeld, Aram – You and Heredity
A LIST OF BOOKS TO LOOK INTO:
Some important prophets of modern times: George Bernard Shaw, Bertrand Russell, D.H. Lawrence, John Dewey, Henry JamesNOTE: Some of the books on this list may be tough reading for you right now. But they are important books to give you
an up-to-date understanding of the world (the latest generation). If one is too difficult, put it away and try again in a couple ofyears. In the meantime, read about the book: the libraries are full of books about important books -- reviews and explanations.And what you may not understand at first, often clears up on a subsequent reading.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you what you should and should not read. That’s “totalitarianism of the mind.” Keep your mindfree and open. No book is harmful if you read maturely and remember that words are only words. And no book is obscene, ifyou are not obscene. Obscenity is something that exists in the minds of people, not the words themselves. Some books maybe cheap and a waste of time, but you can learn to decide that for yourself. Good Reading!
Barnett, Lincoln – The Universe and Dr. EinsteinSiegfried, Andre – America Comes of AgeSteffens, Lincoln – The Autobiography of Lincoln SteffensMaurois, Andre – DisraeliFrank, Phillip – Relativity, a Richer TruthBarzun, Jaques – On Human FreedomLynd, Robert S. – Knowledge for WhatWylie, Philip – Generation of VipersKelly, Earl C. – Education for What Is RealJoyce, James – Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManButler, Samuel – The Way of All Flesh
1 6 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
New Pieces of the NHS Historical Record:
Warren Robbins’ Letter to the 1951 Seniors,Words to an Earlier Alma Mater
I was going to complain in thiscolumn about the lack of new materialsfor the Archive when quiteserendipitously several new pieces ofthe Nürnberg High School historicalrecord appeared.
You can read in the Fallen Eaglessection of this issue about the death ofWarren Robbins, who taught at NHSin the 1950-51 school year. In that articleI mention that thanks to Ann MarieO’Roark,’51, I have been in possessionof a large file of papers about and byRobbins. To prepare the article aboutRobbins, I went through this file morecarefully than before.
In it there is a personal letter fromRobbins dated June 6, 1951, andaddressed to “Ralph.” I asked Ann Marieif “Ralph” might be Ralph Lurvey, asenior in her class. She said it was quitepossible. A telephone call to Ralphbrought more information to light.Robbins not only gave thecommencement address in 1951, he alsosent a mimeographed letter to eachgraduating senior, 24 in all. Attached tothe letter was “A List of Books to LookInto.” Both the letter and the book listare reprinted on page 15.
Like Ann Marie, Ralph was anothersenior that Robbins took a personalinterest in. He and Ralph correspondedwhen Ralph was in Australia. Ralphtried to visit Robbins once inWashington, but came to town whenRobbins was not there. Ann Marie says
Robbins’ ideas made quite an impressionon her adolescent mind. Quite a teacher,eh!
* * * * *Another piece of history that has
emerged concerns the NHS Alma Mater.The words and music to the song thatmost NHS alumni consider THE AlmaMater have been published in recentissues of the Trichter. But the first“Nürnberg School Song” appeared in acopy of The Army Brat in 1948-49 alongwith news of a contest to change thewords. There were even going to beprizes of $3, $2, and $1. But, alas, thereis no extant information telling us thatthe words were actually changed or thatanybody won any of the lucrative prizes.
At the time when Pat Wood,’59,and I were chasing down the words andmusic to THE Alma Mater (See spring,2005, issue of the Trichter, p. 14), BobGiuliano,’52, wrote in an e-mail fromCanada, “No, No, No. You guys have itall wrong and late to boot! The Nürnbergsong was written by Paul Bowers, themusic teacher at NHS in the early fifties,1952 for sure. And he wrote one to thetune of Sibelius’ Finlandia that startedoff like this:
Dear Nürnberg High. To thee wepledge devotion.
Within our hearts . . . something,something, something.”
Bob urged me to get hold of DickMarkham,’52, who, according to Bob,could “put it all together for us.” I sent
two e-mails to Markham but got noresponse, and concluded that Giuliano’sclaim for an Alma Mater before THEAlma Mater was unsubstantiated.
I will now humbly eat my words.
First Known NHS Alma MaterLet’s give a ray for Nurnberg
High School,And let us pledge to her a right.Others may like black or crim-
son,But for us, it’s red and white.Let all our troubles be forgotten,Let high school spirit rule,We join and give our loyal effortsFor the good of our school.ChorusIt’s Nurnberg High School, it’s
Nurnberg High School,The pride of every Army post,Come on you old brass, join with
us young brats.It’s Nurnberg High School now
we cheer,Now is the time boys, to make a
big noiseNo matter what the M.P.’s sayFor there is naught to gear
[hear?],The gang’s all here,So hail to Nurnberg High School,
HAIL!
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 17
Paul Bowers DID teach instrumentalmusic at NHS from 1951 to 1954. Andsince Bob remembers Bowers in 1952,it may be that he wrote the words to thesecond known NHS Alma Mater, for Ifound the words to a song typed on theback of Warren Robbins’ reading list.It was labeled in someone’s cursive hand“Our school song – sung atcommencement.”
Or maybe Bowers didn’t write it.Robbins left NHS in June 1951. Bowersdidn’t arrive until the fall of 1951.
Whoever wrote the words, I nowhave a copy of the song Bob Giulianoremembers. Here it is:
Second known NHS Alma MaterDear Nürnberg HighTo Thee we pledge devotionWithin our hearts, We’llbuild for Thee a shrineFrom shore to shoreTo deep and endless oceanThy name within thy [our?]
memories will shine.Thy sons go forth to wide
and unknown portles [sic –could be “portals” or “ports”]
Farewell to Thee, our dearOld Nürnberg High
And just for the record, here’s THEAlma Mater.
Third Known NHS Alma MaterHail, oh hail to dear old Nürnberg.Now we honor thee.Loyal friends of thee forever,Faithful we will be,Toiling, striving, never ceasing,Looking toward the sky.Hail to thee our alma mater,Hail to Nürnberg High!
You can vote for your favorite ver-sion of the Alma Mater by writing tome at [email protected]. Com-ments welcome!
Making Connections Work
The Fine Art ofWarren Robbins
Warren Robbins’ first official career was as a high school teacher [atNHS]. He developed a program for his high school students that wasessentially a five-week overview of the social sciences and that addressed“the questions of who they were as human beings and what, in fact, itmeans to be a human being.”
[Even back then Robbins was developing his idea of the importanceof cross-cultural education.] One reason, Robbins says, why so many ofus continue to resist the idea that other cultures can be so integral to ourown is that we are collectively unwilling to see our human experience ascumulative.
[In his 1990 semantics lecture, Robbins asked why there were nodinosaurs on the Ark.] The answer: In Noah’s time, dinosaurs did notexist because no one knew that dinosaurs had once existed.
As another way of illustrating his concept of time in relationship tohuman understanding, Robbins asks . . . “Are you 21 or 21,000 yearsold?” Using 21,000 as an arbitrary estimate of recorded history, heemphasizes that “the human being is a function . . . of culture at whateverpoint in its cumulative process that one is born into it. The later you areborn in the . . . evolution of culture, the more information . . . you willhave at your intellectual disposal to assimilate and integrate, leading towarda kind of wisdom for your particular age.” Noah may have been wise forhis time, but he was only ten or twelve thousand years old. . . .
So, how old are you? Do you measure your age in biological years,or are you plumbing the wisdom of the past 21,000 years?
– adapted from an article in the University of New Hampshire alumnimagazine by Josephine Gregory
The Tulsa branch of the Nurnberg AlumniAssociation will meet at the home of former teacherBob McQuitty in Tahlequah, OK, on March 20,the day spring begins, for a Frühlingsfest.McQuitty says Bock beer, a traditional Germanspring drink, will be served if the guests are upto it, and has promised either Gefülltesschnitzelor Sauerbraten as the main course.
Expected NHS alumni include LanaStanfield ’62, Roscoe Cartwright,’62, VirgilJones,’61, and Gaye (Richards) McCoy,’63.
An Important Announcement!
1 8 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Marching Backwardto 1954-55 School Year
John Seitz, editorWerner Rosin, adviser
2 issues extant: Dec. 1954, April 1955Some photos from 1955 yearbook
Edited by Bob McQuitty, NAA Historian/Archivist Excerpts from the TrichterTrichterTrichterTrichterTrichter
CHRISTMAS IN FULL SWING“Operation Christmas,” sponsored
by Chaplain Shiery and Special Ser-vices, came to a close on Nov. 15. “Op-eration Christmas” was a drive to ob-tain second hand clothing and toys tobe repaired to give to the German chil-dren at the orphanages for Christmas.
The drive this year was about threetimes more successful than last year’s.
Eagle Basketballers Win B LeaguePlaying basketball against smaller
schools in the B League enabled theEagles to excel. After an impressiverecord in league play, the team went onto the USAREUR tournament in Marchand captured first place.
Peter Bailey and Dennis Crumleywere named Tournament All Stars.
The league schedule includedSalzburg, Stuttgart, Bremerhaven,Wiesbaden, and Munich.
The team included Crumley, Bailey,John Seitz, Bill Davis, Bobby Hadaway,Lawrence Moorman, Kent Harrison,Benjamin Saars, Steve McCarl, andMarvin Phillips.
What Is It?What would you do if approached
by a Contrafagotte?Claire Stille -- Ask it for a date.Bill LaGrand -- Make love to it.Janet Devall -- Give it to Don.Mary Keach -- Duck!Peggy Huff -- I’d hope and pray it’s
not like Buddy McDonald.Parvin Pfohl -- Go through the door.
Contrafagotte -- Double Bassoon
Did You Know?Nurnberg, although one of the
smaller of the high schools of the De-pendents School Detachment, has an en-rollment of 157 in grades nine throughtwelve. Only 23 of these students areseniors, 29 are juniors, 38 are sopho-mores, and the lower class has 67.
For all these students there are 18teachers who teach the 31 subjects of-fered. In addition to these teachers, thereis an office staff, school officer and staff,counselor, librarian, and cafeteria staff.
Eagle Gridders Tie for ThirdSplash . . . . Coach Blackstead just
hit the showers. The jubilant, victoriousNurnberg Eagles, after roping theStuttgart Stallions, tossed CoachBlackstead into the showers to showtheir high spirits.
On a wet, muddy ThanksgivingDay, the Nurnberg Eagles came out ontop of a 12-6 score with Stuttgart,thereby clinching a tie for third placewith the Stallions.
The Eagles’ first touchdown came
on fourth down and goal-to-go whenquarterback Benjamin Saars skirted leftend, aided by beautiful blocking frombacks Marvin Phillips, DonaldWooldridge and Morris Mack for theTD.
The second touchdown came on aSaars to Lawrence Moorman pass.
MERRY CHRISTMASThis year’s Christmas program, pre-
sented on December 15, was successfulin entertaining and giving the religiousand joyous feeling of Christmas. The fullmixed chorus and band participated inthe program. The Sextette and soloistsMary Keach, Russ Milton, and EloiseVan Liew were also featured. EvelynVeith was the student accompanist.
The theme of the program wasChristmas through the Ages. Grandfa-ther carried on a conversation with hisgrandchildren. The grandfather wasplayed by Ben Covington and the chil-dren were portrayed by KatherineFitzgerald and David Del Gobbo.
Important Events of 1954-55• Sept. 8 - Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) established.• Sept. 14 - USSR tests a nuclear weapon.• Dec. 2 - Red Scare: U. S. Senate votes 67-22 to condemn Joseph McCarthy for
"conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute."
• Jan. 22 - Pentagon announces plan to develop ICBMs (intercontinental ballisticmissiles) armed with nuclear weapons.
• Feb. 12 - Pres. Eisenhower sends the first U.S. advisors to South Vietnam.• Mar. 20 - “Blackboard Jungle” opens featuring the song “Rock Around the Clock”
by Bill Haley and his Comets, thus propelling rock and roll as a musical genre.• Apr. 12 - Salk polio vaccine introduced.• Apr. 15 - Ray Kroc opens a McDonald's fast food restaurant.• May 5 - West Germany becomes a sovereign state.• May 9 - West Germany joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).• May 14 - Eight communist bloc countries sign Warsaw Pact defense treaty.• May 19 - Austrian sovereignty restored; last Soviet troops leave in August.
Vol. 21, No. 1 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 19
Intramural BasketballLeague Formed
Every Thursday night for the pastfew months, boys from the Dorm andtown displayed their desire to play bas-ketball. With assistance from CoachBlackstead, teams were formed whichmade up the intramural league. A sched-ule was set up and the Iron Dukes, com-posed of Captain Wilson Renne, AlanDaly, Bill Arnold, Ed Roble, Leo Rizioand Keith Kochenaur, won first placehonors.
Intramural team captains electedLarry Moorman as coach and KentHarrison and Denny Crumley as refer-ees for the tussles.
Seniors, Faculty CompeteOn March 3 in the post gym, the fac-
ulty played the senior class in volley-ball and basketball games. The challengewas accepted by the faculty to help thesenior class make money.
The men teachers wore skirts,blouses, or dresses. They also providedcheerleaders for the women teachers.Among the male participants wereMessrs. Rosin, Boley, Blackstead,Abraham, Smith, Jones, Denneen,Wayne, and Walter. Among the seniorsplaying were Bill LaGrand, Pete Bailey,John Seitz, Marvin Phillips, LarryMoorman, Skip Huey, Frank Burnett,and Bob Hadaway.
Coach Blackstead, the fellow whoteaches the rules of basketball, this timethrew the rule book away and pushed,shoved, and fought his way into the bas-ket to score. At any rate the score cameout 13-12 in favor of the seniors.
In the women’s event, the teacherswere attired in sweat suits. The ladieswho played for the teachers were MissLarsen, Miss Knighton, Miss Bub, MissLoennig, Miss Barkemeyer, MissBadorek, and Miss Russell. The seniorgirls were Babs Melancon, ToniLagmay, Carol Koch, Mary Keach,Peggy Huff, Buzz Wickstrom, ChrisCraddock, Janet DeVall, and EvelynVeith. The senior girls pulled ahead ofthe faculty in the last few minutes of thegame to win 15-14.
Shoe Scrapin’sMany of the gals got up their courage
to ask their favorite dates or, in many cases,their secret heart throbs to the Twirp (TheWoman is Required to Pay) Dance.
The St. Patrick’s Day Dance was oneof the most successful dances of the year.This dance produced more dates than usual.One of the most enjoyable sights of theevening was a certain biology teacher(Willian Denneen) doing the Hokey-Pokey.Different huh?
Oh, that Wilson [Renne?]! Bread rises;it doesn’t raise. But how about “raisinbread”?
Laurels to Steve [McCarl?] on his win-ning the USAREUR essay contest.
One-Third of Student BodyParticipates in Music Festival
Fifty-four students (approximatelyone-third of the high school) accompa-nied NHS Choral Director Erma Knigh-ton and Band Director Marianne Harkento Frankfurt May 13 to participate in theFifth Annual USAREUR Music Festi-val. There were 45 in the Mixed Chorusand eight in the Band. Evelyn Veith wasthe accompanist.
The program consisted of classicalmusic – religious, secular, and folk.
24 march down aisle in Class of 1955
The Class of 1956presents
APPLE BLOSSOM TIME Seven O’clock June 3, 1955 Kalb Club
Junior-Senior Prom
Selected queen and king for the Junior-Senior prom at the Nurnberg HighSchool were Carol Koch and WilliamLaGrand – photo from “Stars andStripes,” June 15, 1955
Gerald Hurst Mary Keach
Marvin Phillips Peter Bailey Barbara Wickstrom
Valedictorian Salutatorian
Student Body President Senior Class President Homecoming Queen
Frank BurnettChristine CraddockWilbur DalyJanet Marie DeVallBobby HadawayWilliam HueyMargaret HuffCarol KochAntonia LagmayWilliam LaGrandMorris Mack
Barbara MelanconLawrence MoormanJohn SeitzMary Ann SpirkClaire StilleConstance SturmEvelyn VeithGeorge WalterhouseDonald Wooldridge*Willard McDonald*Elizabeth Miller*
*Other seniors that did not graduate with class
2 0 NAA Trichter, Spring 2009 Vol. 21, No. 1
Who wants to come back with us to…
Nürnberg, Germany?
This trip back in time to our olde haunts in Fürth &Nürnberg will take place in June or July of 2010.We are planning a 10-day trip, with 2 days for com-ing and going (airline trip). This opportunity will beopen to the first 25 persons who book their placeon this tour, and pay a non refundable $250 De-posit. Inquiries should be made to T.D. Jorgensen([email protected]) or David Ogé([email protected]), for further details. A com-plete itinerary (of cities we’ll visit, and the numberof days in each city, which hotel, etc.) will be dis-closed very soon.
