Remember when I told you that Brooke was on the East Coast and David was left behind? Have no fear! Brooke saw to it that a host and hostess would take her place that surely would not only surprise us, but delight us so. It was Mr. Crowston (Gordon, Brooke's father) and his wife Mrs. Crowston (Leilani)! Mr. Crowston was our Driver's Ed Teacher, Boy's Counselor and Athletic Director at Vernonia High School during our high school years (69-73). He was so loved by us then (and of course now), as his Christian character, and love for the students shined through every ounce of his being, every school day of the year. We feel so blessed to have had him in our lives growing up. Leilani is the sweetest and most charming of all people and we fell in love with her right away. She also did a fantastic job preparing and serving our breakfasts. Man, were we ever blessed that weekend spending it with the Crowstons!!
You may have noticed that we girls are all wearing the same T-shirt. Kathi had our loggerman modified (we hired an artist) to look like a loggerlady and Kathi had the T's printed for each of us when we arrived. We wore them proudly!!
We are all laughing because David took the shot and was getting uncomfortably close! Still having fun!
I just want to also comment that at breakfast time, Mr. Crowston would sit down with us and visit. He made a point to go around the table and encourage each of us. He had told us of his difficult teen years and how certain men in the community helped him through to his adulthood. He had much admiration for my Great Uncle Jim and my father, Wayne. They had both taken him under their wing, so to speak, to encourage him in his teen and young adult life. What a treasure to learn that, that of which I had never known before. It touched my heart!
We had an appointment with Ronda for our last visit (tour) of Washington Grade School before it's demolished in July (2012). Of our class, Norman Crawford, Deborah Banta Dustman, Marsha Sturdevant, Kathi Medges Knowles and myself was a show. Also, Ronda's sister, Tammy, came for the tour. It was a warm reunion and the Washington Grade School halls soon filled with noise and laughter. Below is a photo of Washington Grade School in the 60s taken by Dan Lawler (courtesy of Patti Lawler).
One of the things we noticed first were the graduation class photos all lined up on the hall walls taken down from the high school and now will be placed in the new "Vernonia Schools" building.
Then it was onto the tour visiting each classroom, library, gym, locker-rooms, basement play areas and the cafeteria. Below Kathi demonstrates the hook-poles used to pull down the screens and maps, and we believe they are the very same hooks used in our youth.
Norm, Deb, Gayle, Kathi and Marsh sit on WGS stage for the last time...remembering the games, dances, plays and the rope we had to climb for P.E.
Someone wrote this on their classroom board before leaving for the last time. We show our sorrowfulness for the inevitable.
Below is the kindergarten basement and the intercom down there, used when we were going to school there. Unknown to me, Kathi asked Ronda if the intercom still worked, and pretty soon I hear, "Gayle Welch, please come to the principal's office. Gayle Welch, come to the office please!" What a hoot!!
We had gone through every room in the building recalling our childhood school memories...laughing and sighing...singing and yes, eventually crying. As we began to exit out the east wing, I could hardly utter the words, as I gripped the old wooden railing. "Hey guys, do you realize how many times our hand slid down these rails?" And then someone asked, "Gayle, are you crying?" Yes, I was. The realization that we would never step foot in the historic Washington Grade School of Vernonia, Oregon again was no longer a thought, but a reality. AND if I remember correctly there were others in our group also wiping their eyes. You know who you are!
A video of our tour is below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r08sRgaRwjw
