Richard Causee:  

Hello all classmates . I posted a few pics of myself and my wife . Been married 42 yrs. I have so many memories of Madison high . You see my fam and I moved into the hood in 1961 . On the corner of Bakewell street and Mt Abernathy ave. So we always went over there to play baseball and such throughout the years. The school was built in 1962 . My brothers had friends that graduated in ‘62 . My older bro Robert grad in 67 and my other bro Bill grad in 69 . I would have been a 71 grad but I was put behind in the 2nd grade all because my sis couldn’t recite the alphabet so I guess they didn’t want to hurt her feelings You know how that goes . I remember walking home from Sequoia Elementary and I saw that I had to do 2nd grade over . At Madison way back when do you know that there were at least 4 vending machines near the cafeteria . It had apples , oranges , bananas , and even those 6oz bottles of Coca Cola . The apples were so good . Ice cold and delicious . Eventually the vandals took over them in the late 60’s then they disappeared . On the way to school I’d meet up with Jeff West , Dennis Troxell , Rick Budde , Greg Bergstom. Do you remember them? My twin sister Carol dropped out about half way through her senior year to this day I’ll never know why she did that. She passed away 5 1/2 yrs ago from cancer . I’m surprised that only a few of us are accounted for . We did have 1100 classmates . Maybe most have passed away now . Do you remember Alice Zuelke , Laura Chappell , Terri Nicks , David Flower, Perry Schold . Victoria Westfall , Marie Comer, Julie D’Adamo, Bill Acomb , Bob Calligan , . Sometime back in the day the Then unknown actor Mark Hamil of Star Wars fame used to live around the corner on Cannington . He didn’t go to Madison but he went to HaleJr High . He was ahead of me since he was a few yrs older. I just may have hung around with him and my bros but don’t remember.They honored him renaming the street after him recently. Wow so neat. I went to Hale from 65 to 68 . I was a student telephone operator using an old vintage switch board . Do you remember Mr Channel the principal . I had to always have hand me downs since I have 2 two older brothers . I used to wear my older bros ugly grey gym shorts . He was in track and cross country in jr high through college . So in his ninth grade he got a letter in track so they would emboss or stencil a He Man sort of figure in white on the gym shorts . When I wore them after he went to Madison. The kids thought I was a fast runner . Not . At Madison You see I had a Mr Baer for US History I had to take it over . Me and this other kid were the only seniors in the class them being all Sophomores . One day mr Baer asked us if any of us had a drivers license yet s so me and other senior raised our hands . During that time . I never thought about having a reunion 50 yrs later. And here it is . Do you all remember the driver Ed course they built? I hated my senior year . I was 19 when I graduated . I already had to register for the draft and I voted for Nixon in my junior yr. I remember going to school on Monday mornings and there was this big tree on campus covered in toilet paper . I guess the Warhawks lost another game maybe or ?When their was a victory you all would go to that pizza restaurant just north of the school I don’t remember the name . I don’t know if it’s still there. I have driven around my old hood in years. I could go on and on . I’d love to go to the reunion but I’d like better to be on the weekend . I’m a nut for street tacos though . I hope you all are doing ok . You know I used to be 5’10” tall now I’m 5’7 1/2 “ . Hey let’s hear about your memories and experiences . I’m certainly going to add to this from time to time . I was a ceramic engineer before I was forced to retire from Coors before I barely turned 62 ...Expand for more