Wendy Ashton McKenna '73 writes in Facebook: "I wanted to share this GoFundMe post from our dear classmate and friend Jenny Lawrence. (Jennifer Joanis) Jenny's son Brian was burned terribly from a propane fire recently and is in need of help. He lost everything he had so if you can please donate to the fund to help him get back on his feet plus help with the medical bills to come that would be greatly appreciated! If you're unable to donate at this time please just keep Jenny and her family in your thoughts and prayers."

She added the following from Jenny (Joanis) Lawrence, in turn from a GoFundMe appeal from Brian's sister. "Hello, I am Brian's sister Ashley. On Saturday Nov. 18, 2023, we received a call that Brian was in a trailer fire and had to be transferred to a burn unit in Las Vegas NV due to his severe burns that consumed over 30% of his body. He will be in the burn unit for 3-5weeks... [He had been struggling, and...] with this sudden accident, he is left without anything again. All of his clothes, personal belongings and trailer he lived in are gone. Now having to start all over again. Brian has received skin grafting to his whole face and back so far, now waiting for arms chest and hands. He is in good spirts for the most part but is worried about the medical bills that will be coming. We are asking for any donations to help with the medical bills and clothes he will need in the next 3-5weeks."

GoFundMe page

Temple City defeated Rancho Christian to become 2023 CIF Division 5 volleyball champions on 3 November, according to the Pasadena Star-News.

Read more...

UPDATE from Hector via Farcebook: I wanted to let you know that we did not meet the required number of commitments of classmates to confirm a group reservation. As a result I will cancel our reservation. WE WILL NOT BE HAVING A CRUISE CLASS REUNION.
Martha and I will continue to plan our annual seven day Mexican Riviera Cruise for travel mid-October to mid-November. We will schedule our cruise by February 15,2024. This will not be a group reservation. It will not be a reunion cruise. Just to give you an idea of cost for this trip we paid $1,500. For both of us plus taxes. I don’t yet know the 2024 prices. If you are possibly interested Message me and I will give you our travel dates and who our agent is.
Happy Thanksgiving to all
Hector


Thanks to Hector Hernandez, plans are in the works for a fun 4-day Temple City High School Reunion Cruise next year! The 4-day cruise would leave from Long Beach with stops at Catalina and Ensenada.

Hector needs a tentative head count in order to move forward with plans and to get a group discount and on-board perks. Through Facebook we have about 25 people so far interested in going. A “yes” doesn’t obligate you to go, but let’s him know that you really hope to go.

A date hasn’t been set yet, but we’re shooting for sometime in July-October 2024. The cost is approximately $350 per person, which includes your stateroom, all on-board food and entertainment. Secure parking is about $20 per day.

Other friends and family members are welcome and ALL CLASSES are welcome as well. The more people who go the more perks we get!! Send an email to Martha Hernandez at rob-mar92@hotmail.com with your name, your email address and number of people in your party so we can keep you updated with the details.

“Be There or Be Square!”

Susan (Sasse) Peer '74 has submitted the adjacent photo of the class. Click the photo for a larger view, click again to maximize (depending on your browser), or open it in the Gallery.

Are you a class member? You can submit a C/74 story for inclusion in TCHS Alumni News. Of course, we're always seeking class coordinators to maintain contact data and announce class events.

Writer and friend of TC Joe Torosian's newest effort is Broomball, a look into church athletics. Torosian's feel-of-the-50s (and the years after) style has captured much that is good and bad about youth sports. Here's the Amazon teaser (Kindle version). —RC

Review & purchase @ Amazon

Come see the TCUSD students perform. Band, Auxiliary/Guard, Choreo, cheer, combined choirs, and Brighter Side Singers will provide entertainment throughout the day.

Temple City High School earned high National and metro-area rankings in 2023-2024 Best High Schools, which U.S. News released this morning. TC High School ranked in the top 6% in the nation.

The district comments "We take immense pride in the ongoing accomplishments of our high school students. We extend our thanks to the dedicated staff, teachers, and administration who work behind the scenes to foster high-achieving learning environments and cultivate an active and inviting campus atmosphere!"

US News article

Hi TC Alumni! The Class of 1978 is in full tiki mode as we gear up for our 45th class reunion! Of course, we always say "The more the merrier" - so all TC alumni are invited!

Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023

Location: Clearman's Galley - AKA "The Boat" 7215 Rosemead Blvd. San Gabriel, CA 91775

Time: 4:00 PM -Closing

Details: Tiki Bar! Apps at the start (When they're gone, they're gone!), tiki/70's tunes, wine tasting, fun times!

Attire: Tiki/70's Aloha

Facebook page

Kathy Keithley '78 writes: "All TCHS Alumni are invited to join the Class of 1978 for our 45th year reunion at the Galley on 9/16 at 4:00PM. Brad Fagan & I are hosting!"

This same class put on a very nice event five years ago, including numerous former faculty and alumni from other eras. —RC

(Info available on Facebook, or sign in and see Kathy K's profile for a link to reservations info.

The US Social Security Administration has published the following warnings regarding scams that citizens may encounter during the holidays. We encourage you to share this information with friends and relatives.

Learn More

Some time back, a friend of TCHS, Lisa Moore, wrote

We've leapt to the conclusion that Pat was in the class of 1951 and that this drawing honors the TC Jr. High team of 1950-51, before the creation of TCHS. These players might have been a mixture of PHS and TCHS graduates a few years later. Dauer's drawing adopts the Disney-style seven dwarfs of Snow White as the linemen and adds additional players of the time.

The file we received is a single 8.5 X 11 inch PDF at web resolution, which we have reproduced as a JPEG at 300 dip resolution for printing. The version in this article is of lower resolution for web transmission. With what we take to be Lisa's permission we will make both the larger files available on request as a Zip file approximately 12Mbytes in size, delivered by email. No assertiion of copyright is included on the drawing or stated by Ms. Moore; we are unable to contact Mr. Dauer.

If you are interested in Lisa's offer, please use our Contact form at the bottom of any page, and we will notify her.

PS: The editors regret the delay in this notice, which was lost in a disk crash at the time.

PPS: The editors note that this is the type of service we'd like to make available to all alumni. That takes money; not a lot, but not zero either. We have expenses for computers, internet storage and transmission and technical assistance. If you can spare a dollar a month, please become a subscriber.

Very excited for the 50th reunion for the class of 73! The date is 10/7/23 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Monrovia.

Festivities begin at 5:00 pm by the pool. We have rooms available with a block rate and plans for other events for the weekend are in the works. Tickets will go on sale soon. Please check out all the details on templecityhigh73.com and sign up.

All classes are welcome! Any questions, please reach out to wendy.mckenna2@verizon.net Please help spread the news and can't wait to see you there!!!

PS: The editors regret the delay in posting this notice.

Class Website

In the 1940s we learned to write in first grade with pencils first, and later (cannot remember which year) India ink. In those days Longden School still had the old fashioned desks in rows one behind the other, and there were actual inkwells—little bottles that rested in holes in the desktop approximately as shown in the adjacent graphic (created sparing no expense). The pens had wooden handles and a cork wrapper near the tip that improved our grip and recaptured errant ink.

The part near the student was hinged and our books went inside; another version just had a shelf underneath the writing surface. For writing class, we would go to the closet, get our little bottle of ink and a pen, which we would use very carefully to avoid getting the indelible ink on our clothes. This was no small trick, as the rubber stoppers would often commit suicide by leaping from the desktop to the floor, for which we were punished as accessories before the fact, since the India ink would stain the old wooden floors.

Suffice it to say that few of us became calligraphers, but all of us were thrilled at the advent of the ballpoint pen somewhere around fifth grade.

When the old 1920s Longden School was demolished in the early 70s, some of the old desks were still on site. One of them escaped going to the dump by accidentally falling into the trunk of a close relative's car and has been awaiting restoration in my garage ever since. It has cast iron legs that support one desk and the attached chair that originally accommodated the child nearer the teacher. The front-most position had no forward seat. Needs rust removal and some loving treatment of hinges and woodwork. At 80 I've given up on being that restorer. Any volunteers? It would make a great donation to the history museum.
—Rees Clark

PS: It will occur to the most observant readers that left-handed children had a high propensity for dragging their sleeves through their work while dipping their pens in the inkwell, which of course were placed at right as God intended.