Update 2-28-12

Hi,

First, the annual scholarship business, since I just got the yearly letter from South's principal, Maureen Henry.  It reads:
    I am pleased to inform you that our Senior High Scholarship Awards presentation will take place on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 7:00 PM in South Hall.  We would greatly appreciate your participation again this year in presenting The Vince Tampio Theater Award and The Booker Gibson Music Award and by making the formal announcement that evening.
    The students at South continue to shine in their academic performance and service to both school and community.  Your generous scholarship award allows us to recognize these students.  Please confirm your participation by contacting our awards coordinator, Liz King-Giordano.
    Many thanks for your continued support.

[Rich -- For those of you who may not know, we support two, annual, $500 scholarships at South, one honoring the still-lively Booker Gibson and the other honoring the late, but possibly also still active Vince Tampio.  This will be the ninth year of our projected ten-year commitment, and we presently have $140 in the Booker Gibson fund and $100 in the Vince Tampio fund.  The $140 came as a gift from the class of '71 by way of Amy Kassak Bentley.  Normally, the scholarship supporters remain anonymous except in my business records, but the reunion-goers from class of '71 were extremely gracious in their donation.  They could have just extended their party.
    So that means we need $360 towards the scholarship in Booker's name this year and $400 towards the one in Vince's.  As before, please make your checks out to me, Rich Eisbrouch, and send them to:  23030 Dolorosa Street, Woodland Hills, California  91367.  Please indicate in the bottom left corner of the check which scholarship you'd like to support, or if you'd like your money to be split between them.  I'll keep everyone informed weekly about the growing totals and let you all know as soon as the goals have been reached.
    It usually takes us six or seven weeks to raise the money, and, for eight years, we've managed to do this unobtrusively.  Each year, I've comfortably gotten the checks to Liz King Giordano at South by mid-May.]

In other notes, from Paulinda Schimmel:  Thank you for letting everyone know about the The Circle's fundraiser, "HAPPILY EVER LAUGHTER."  Did you know that our emcee, Larry Miller, graduated from South, I believe in the class of 1972?
    We are going to have an amazing silent auction plus two other comics beside Larry.  Please consider coming and supporting the cause, as I'd love to see any of you.  By the way, Mary Sipp Green has donated one of her incredible, limited edition giclee prints to the silent auction.

Next, from Peggy Cooper Schwartz:  Thank you for the lovely memories of the book Tal.  I was in Mrs. Sussman's second grade class and was so enchanted by Tal's story.  I just went on Amazon and ordered my own copy, to reread to myself and to read to my grandchildren.
    Speaking of grandchildren, I am so happy to share the news that we have a new granddaughter.  Her name is Leah, and she was born on January 25th to our son and his wife who live in Israel.  Leah is our first granddaughter after three grandsons.  My husband Les and I will be visiting Leah and her parents in Israel in April.

[Rich -- as I wrote Peggy:  Congratulations about your granddaughter.  Of the people I suspected might write about Tal, you were one because you recently mentioned that your mother had been our second grade class mother.  And I'm glad you were able to order a copy of the book.  It's a neat to read out loud to kids.
    It also would be nice to find out what happened to Ruth Sussman.  She could be only eighty.  It would be good to let her know she's still thought of fondly.]

Peggy soon wrote back:  Tal arrived two days ago.  I'm so excited as it means a journey back to second grade, Mrs. Sussman's class, and to a favorite childhood book.
    I really loved Mrs. Sussman.  Believe it or not, I remember that her husband was named Herb -- probably Herbert.  She came to my house for lunch one day, and I remember her talking to my mother and mentioning Herb.  Then I remember that her baby was a boy, and she came back to visit, with the baby, when we were in Miss Clark's third grade class.  Yes, it would be great to connect with Ruth Sussman.

[Rich -- Ruth Sussman is a surprisingly common name on Facebook, so I didn't try to chase any of the entries out.  I did read one obituary, just in case, of a woman from Philadelphia named Ruth Hansen Sussman, born 1925.  She wasn't our former teacher.
    The one entry that came up from Google was a note to a wedding invitation site signed Ruth and Herb Sussman in 2010.  I'm not sure if I want to try to trace that out as it might seem an invasion.]

Next, following last week's coming attractions from Barbara Blitfield Pech, here's the video:
    Paul Hoyle -- We Can Change the World
    youtube . com/watch?v=sfnoAqYZI7g    (please remove the spaces)
    The Choral Society from Temple Ahavat Olam in Kendall, Florida, perform the song "We Can Change the World" with Paul Hoyle on piano and lead vocals.
    We can change the world
    It takes one hand
    That is reaching out to another
Barbara adds:  Hope you all enjoy listening as much as we did singing.

Finally, if you happen to be in Calistoga, California, on March 10th, Amy Lieberman writes that Billy Valentine will be there, too, at the 2012 Calistoga Jazz Festival.
    From the Festival's site:  "Calistoga will turn into a veritable jazz club as some of California’s best live jazz bands roll out their sultry sounds under a main tent in the heart of downtown.  We've put together a full roster of notable acts that will perform nonstop from noon until six pm.  Stick around after the event, and you just might get a chance to listen in on a continued jam session at a yet undisclosed downtown location!  And there'll be a Jazz Brunch the next day, March 11th."

The South '65 e-mail addresses: reunionclass65 . blogspot . com

The South '65 photo site: picasaweb . google . com / SouthHS65

As usual, please delete the spaces.


Rich