Pre-WWII Bond Hill (Warren, Marion, Oregon: wedding, public schools, gym)

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by LylaL

I attended Swifton Primary from 61-63. My teachers were Mrs Trainer and Mrs Backs. How's that for a 53 year old? Can someone remind me what the lady principal's name was? Fourth through Sixth grade was at Bond Hill Elementary. I believe my fourth grade homeroom teacher was Mr Crow, in the art room. Fifth grade it was the music teacher, Mrs Backs, and in sixth it was my all time favorite teacher, Mrs Stoffregen. Other names that come to mind: Kneuven, Johnson, Parker, Decerce (gym), Stoller. Who am I missing?

I don't remember for sure, but weren't Trainer, Backs and Stoffregen at Bond Hill School in the mid-late 50s????

[CHARLES SHAFER]

I had two of them at Bond Hill School.

Mrs. Trainer was my 5th or 6th grade teacher. The only thing I recall about her was that she had glasses on a string. I think she is the teacher who gave us math problems and such as we stood in line to leave the room. Richard Corneilius and Laura Manshewitz always got the answers first as I recall. But I don't really know how to spell their names.

I remember a Mrs. Backs, who was the music teachers. We called her Mrs. Battleaxe. She had us sing Erie Canal. She passed out "instruments" she created, like a cigar box with stones inside.

I don't remember Stoffregen.

[CHARLES SHAFER]

I lived at 1910 Andina. But I think before you. I probably left for college around 1964. I remember it as a peaceful tree lined street.

[CHARLES SHAFER]

Hi
I lived at 1910 Andina
1945-1964
Charles Shafer
Do I know you?

[jkgibb1]

Yes, Miss Trainor, Mrs. Backs, and Mrs. Stoffregen were at Bond Hill in the fifties and early sixties. I believe this was pointed out to LylaL in an earlier posting. Miss Trainor taught 4th grade, was about six feet tall (or so it seemed back then), had wonderful posture and a blue rinse in her hair, which she wore in a bun. All parents wanted their kids to have Mrs. Stoffregen for a sixth grade teacher as she had such a wonderful reputation. I, too, remember that Mrs. Backs was called Battleaxe. I recall that she wore a hair net with small seed beads in it. We all learned to play the recorder in her room. We sang the song "Edelweiss" and when it came to the line "Blossoms of snow, may you bloom and grow," she had us say "bloom AH grow" because it sounded less harsh to the ears, I suppose.

My mother and Mrs. Backs were friends because my mom would play the piano for all of the school programs. I remember a big production of "The Nutcracker Suite" around 1961 or so. My mom also made a lot of the costumes for that show, too. I recall our dining room table filled with large, glittery, crepe paper flower "hats" for the "Waltz of the Flowers" number--I don't recall how my mother made them, however.

[jkgibb1]

We lived at 1719 Andina from the early fifties through 1970. We were two houses up from Reading Road on the south side of the street. Neighbors on the west side of our house over the year included the Rich family, Torf family, Catanzaro family, and Russell family. I think I recall my mom talking about the Van Berglan family, too. On the other side were two older ladies, Edna and Dorothy Verkamp. They rented the upstairs to Hazel and Randall Marshall. The Marshalls' daughter, Gail Kellogg, did local television commercials and eventually moved across the street with her two small redheaded daughters.

Actually, as I type this, I remember that Marie Bose first lived downstairs and was an aunt to the Verkamp ladies. They moved downstairs when Marie died. We had a small above-ground "swimming pool" in our back yard. I think its original purpose was to hold plants, but it sure kept us cool on a hot day. Miss Bose would sit on the toilet and yell out the bathroom window at my oldest brother--she would say, "You big cow, get out of that pool, you big cow!" My mom had to ask her repeatedly to stop calling him "a big cow." Miss Bose ADORED my other brother and was constantly buying him presents and giving him treats. I recall my mom saying how she often heard Miss Bose teaching my brother to say "Sh-- a brick!" and the best my brother could come up with was "shickle brickle." Mom also tried to stop Miss Bose's speaking lessons, but with little success.

[Passnthruagain]

I lived in Bond Hill from 1950 until 1961, and attended Bond Hill School during the peak years of the Ted Kluszewski era. I remember participating in the annual Trails West event at Sharon Woods Park. I was an Indian. Our band of warriors hid among trees and brush on a small hill overlooking the "Oregon Trail", waiting for the arrival of Marcus Whitman's wagon train. When the pioneers came within striking distance, we swooped down on the slow-moving settlers pulling their little red wagons, covered in Conestoga-style cloths. A great battle ensued. I think that I was the only casualty of the day. I came down with a horrific case of poison ivy, which I caught while hiding in ambush in the thicket on the hill. I was unable to go to school for the next two or three days.

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by Passnthruagain

I lived in Bond Hill from 1950 until 1961, and attended Bond Hill School during the peak years of the Ted Kluszewski era. I remember participating in the annual Trails West event at Sharon Woods Park. I was an Indian. Our band of warriors hid among trees and brush on a small hill overlooking the "Oregon Trail", waiting for the arrival of Marcus Whitman's wagon train. When the pioneers came within striking distance, we swooped down on the slow-moving settlers pulling their little red wagons, covered in Conestoga-style cloths. A great battle ensued. I think that I was the only casualty of the day. I came down with a horrific case of poison ivy, which I caught while hiding in ambush in the thicket on the hill. I was unable to go to school for the next two or three days.

I wanted to be an indian

[jkgibb1]

I remember having a bucket of fried chicken for lunch at Trails West.

[jams661]

I am 52 years old, and attended Bond Hill from 2nd grade thru 6th grade. I remember Mrs. Wurst coming from Swifton School, and my kindergarten teacher at Swifton was Mrs Bramer. Teachers at Bond Hill, Mrs. Gibbs 2nd grade, Mrs. Wilcox 3rd grade, Mrs McCracken 4th grade, and I ended up in Backs home room both 5th and 6th grade. I dearly loved Stoffregan and remember Mrs Trainer as the math teacher? Who was the art teacher? I remember making lots of clay sculptures and the kiln in the room and the safety poster contest every year. Anyone remember Joe Rays? Also, when I was attending Bond Hill, girls played on one side of the playground and boys on the other. And I don't remember there being any grass out there, just asphalt. Always wanted to be a crossing guard! I would like to find some pictures of the school and see if my memory is intact!