December  2003
Volume III, Issue 3

 
OK, OK, I'm thinking.  Trying to find just the right words to get everyone on board.

Seriously...I told Johnny I would do the best I could to get the Greenie Gusher up and moving again.  We do miss hearing from each other.
         This is such a special year and such a special time in all our lives.  Fifty Years...can you believe that?  Time for our Second Lap.  And, oh there are so many reasons it can be even better than the first.

         I hope this Gusher comes out before our reunion next Spring.  If each Greenie  contributes something...I believe it will.

         Some of my friends have called me a "spur."  Not so much as a 'thorn in the flesh', although some have seen me that way, too.  However, I hope I can make some statements that will 'spur you on' to sharing some of your thoughts and information with the rest of us.

First, let's tackle the Reunion Challenge together.  The only title of a column that I have been able to come up with for the Greenie Gusher is:  Belly Buttons.  You've probably heard the saying:  "Opinions are like belly buttons...everyone has one." Now, they may look a little different but we won't be making inspections at the reunion.  

         What I am hoping is, that as we share our opinions with all consideration and courtesy of each other's, we will be delighted by what we have in common today; lessons we have learned since 1954.  Since we seldom recognize each other without our high school pictures, I think it's a great time to make new friends out of old acquaintances.  What do you think?  We're the same and yet we are different.

I use to laugh at myself and say:  "I make poor people feel rich and dumb people feel smart."  Another saying of mine was that I was the only person I knew who failed her way through college.  I think I was more social than scholastic. The point I am making here is:  Don't hang back.

Don't worry about spelling or how you think your letter sounds.  It doesn't matter.  We just truly want to know what each other is thinking NOW.  We want to be Free to have a really good time this year.  You probably had a great time at the last reunion but I was up tight.  I don't want it to be that way this time.  And, just in case anyone else felt the way I did, I don't want you to feel that way either.  I think we are past the age of competition, don't you?  If not, surely we will be there soon.  Let's make new friends out of old friends this year.  Okay? 

Let me throw in a few SPURS here to help you get started.  Please email me at gwen5@rionet.cc and answer one of these questions or whatever lint you find in your belly button.  Let's just share who we really are...today.

THEN  AND  NOW

THEN:

l.  Have you been nervous about attending our next reunion?  Why?

2. What would you like to see in the Greenie Gusher?

3.  Who was the person you spent the most time with in high school?  Why?  What adventures did you have?  Did they include any of the rest of us?

4.  What was the silliest thing you did in high school?

5.  What was your most embarrassing moment?

6.  Who was your favorite teacher and what do you remember about his/her class?

7.  What student did you admire the most in high school?

8.  What was your favorite song in high school?

(If you have some more good "SPURS" please send them to me.

NOW:

1.  What is the most important lesson you have learned in life?

2.  What have you learned from experience to help advise another Greenie?

A.  A widow or widower

B.  Divorcees

C.  Those who face illnesses

D.  Those who have lost a child/grandchild

E.  Those who have had to care for elderly parents/family

F.  How to be a good step-parent.

3.  How did you adjust to retirement...if you are retired.

4.  What is your favorite place to travel?  Tell us about it.

5.  What Greenie did you run into in an unexpected place?

6.  Have you moved away from Beaumont and found a Greenie living in the same town you moved to?  Tell us who and about it.

7.  Which Greenie have you gone to visit?  Tell us about it.

8.  How did you feel when your first grandchild was born?  Tell us.

9.  What is the best book you have read this year?  This is not a book report.  But tell us why you liked it personally.

10. Tell us about what you enjoyed the most about the profession you chose.

Well, surely there are enough 'spurs' here to get us started.  If you have your own spur, that is fine with me.  We just want to hear from you.  We want to find out who has what in common with us today.  We want to feel like we really know each other when we come together this Spring.


Remember this old song?

"Getting to Know You

Getting to Know all about You

Getting to like you.

Getting to hope you like me too.

Suddenly...

Life is bright and breezy

Because of all the

Beautiful and New

Things I've learned about you.

Day by Day"

Let's really get to know each other.  Go to our South Park Web Site...Pull up the

E-Mail Directory...and send a Greenie a "Howdy"... just for ole times sakes.

 http://www.geocities.com/jlw54


Then PLEEEZE send me an email or snail mail in response to one of the "Spurs" or something else you would like to share.   gwen5@rionet.cc or Gwen Garig Watkins, HC 69, Box 282 - Sabinal, Texas 78881 or call: 830-966-3512.


RESPONSE TO "SPURS"

THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON I'VE LEARNED IN LIFE: 

Virginia McDaniel Hurley so graciously responded:  This question did "spur" me on.  We didn't get this old without learning a lot of lessons, but I've learned not to judge people on outward appearances or on first impressions.  I've gotten to know people who didn't appeal to me at all, but through church, volunteerism or other means I've come to know some of the most delightful people.

Example:  A couple at my church were about 10 years older than I, and were of the old school where she didn't work outside the home, the husband was totally head of the house and made all important decisions.  He was an engineer and was retired early from a large local company, and she was really quiet and "mousey".  I never really got to know her until she was ill for an extended period of time.  I called and visited her a few times and learned that she was a very educated lady—4 or 5 degrees, loved to read and was a delight to converse with.  They lived in a run-down house in an older neighborhood of small homes, but during my visits her husband took me out back where he had small garden plots all over the yard.  He pulled onions, tomatoes and other veggies and gave them to me.

This couple may not have had many material possessions, but they "made do" with what they had.  They loved the Lord and served Him daily.  They learned to be content with whatever they had, never complaining, and were grateful for the friendships they were offered.  I knew those friendships extended to their neighborhood when I passed their house one day and saw shiny new paint on it.  Their neighbors had pitched in and bought paint and provided the labor to paint their house, just because it was the right thing to do and they were good neighbors.

Wanda Wilson Ryals - "Never say Never!"

Carlos Maggio - To have faith in a religion, don't rush through life, and don't be concerned about small things.

Helen Hughes Dale -  One of the most important lessons I've learned in life is that we will worry less about what others think of us if we realize how seldom they do and to live one day at a time doing the best I can.


MY  FAVORITE  TEACHER

 Virginia McDaniel Hurley's favorite teacher was ALICE CASHEN.  Virginia says:  She challenged us as seniors to go out and be somebody, do something great, learn more, and don't let today's obstacles keep us from achieving tomorrow's goals.  She was a delight in our small group of SPHS's first Creative Writing class.  I thought of her often through the years.

          Jo Ann Epperson Parmley says that she had four favorite teachers, not necessarily in any order.  MR. LEEWRIGHT - because he taught us about our form of government and how it works and how important it is to stay informed and to vote.  MISS CASHEN - because she was so down-to-earth and was not ashamed to share her feelings with us.  MISS "B" - because she really cared about each of us and was ready to listen to whatever problems we might have.  MR. FLOYD - because he loved kids.  I worked for him for three years, and I can say that he was a student's best friend.  I probably thought more of him than the others but that would be hard to say.

Wanda Wilson Ryal's favorite teacher was JOSEPH TRUNCALE.  She says:  It is hard to explain the talents of this man and how he inspired so many students to appreciate good music and to sing in harmony.  He was a wonderful, kind person as well.  He could be tough when the need was there but funny thing, everyone seemed to respect him and there was seldom a need for that.

Carlos Maggio - My favorite teacher was Miss McFarland.  She was compassionate and totally dedicated to teaching.  I remember, in her class, you didn't sit on the front row of seats.

Helen Hughes Dale -  As so many Greenies say, "Alice Cashen meant so much to me."  Miss Cashen tried so hard to help me in many areas of my life.  She got me jobs (typing for other teachers, baby-sitting, tutoring other students, and part time office work down town).  She wanted to pay my way to college along with several other students I know of.  She tried so very hard to give me more self confidence.  She understood I had panic attacks and she never made me get up before a class.  I recited all my poems, book reports, etc. directly to her and she never gave up on me.

One year in her class she had me tutor several boys (more for me than the boys) and afterwards she had them buy me a gift and present it to me in class.  (I wonder if those boys remember that.)  They bought me several pairs of earrings.  One was made of LARGE silk flowers, one pair was hoops with a parrot sitting on the hoop, one pair was little covered wagons and one pair of little scarecrows.  It was really an assortment.  One of the covered wagons and one of the scarecrows have a place on my Christmas tree every year.

NOW:  My Christmas tree is decorated with things from the past; the bride and groom that graced my wedding cake, my daughters teeny-tiny dolls, little matchbox cars and airplanes of my sons, and now things from my grandchildren's lives.  I have the first shoe of each child on the tree, my skate key, the beautiful old faucet handles from my childhood home, the nursery rhyme figures from my children's crib mobile, many small favorite childhood books.  We sit around the tree and talk about all the memories on that tree and there is a piece of each of us on it.  And yes, every year I think about those boys I tutored in Alice Cashen's class.

[Okay...I'm curious.  Will any of these guys fess up?...Gwen]


ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE

Jo Ann Epperson Parmley says that her husband Dean Parmley is Dale Parmley's cousin.  "God and I had a long discussion about marrying him.  Fortunately, God won out.  I would not have done a good job if I had not had the good sense to listen."

A special blessing for Gwen:  By the way, Dean and your dad, Bro. Garig, had a very good relationship.  Even while Dean was in the service, your dad wrote to him faithfully.  He was a neat guy.  Later, while your dad was in the rest home, Dean visited him regularly until he no longer recognized him.  

[Thank you Dean...I've never met you but I can't tell you how much this meant to me to find out you were a good friend to my dad...and could spend time with him when I couldn't.  See Greenies...already new blessings come with new information from old friends.]

Carlos Maggio - About Dorothy:  Dorothy is from Houston by way of McGregor, Texas, 20 miles West of Waco and about 10 miles S-SE of Crawford.  She moved to Houston at age 13 and finished school here.  We met at Exxon where we both worked; we dated 6 years before marrying in 1970.  She has 2 boys by a previous marriage.  She is patient, understanding, and compassionate; she is beautiful on the inside, intelligent, and talented.  I lean on her greatly and in some things, she leans on me.  So we really do supplement (or complete) each other.  We agree on most political and religious issues, although she was brought up as a Baptist but converted to Catholicism after we married.  I hate to think of living without her.


WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE GREENIE GUSHER?

Wanda Wilson Ryals - Lots of news from folks I haven't seen in years.  There are many that have never attended a reunion and I wonder about them.  So, if anyone knows about them let us hear....Gladys Buchanan, Gary McInnis, Edgar Nelson...just to name a few.  I'm sure you can think of others.

Carlos Maggio - I would like to see present news of classmates and some lesser-seen pictures in the Greenie Gusher.  [This is a belly button...ha...I love the pictures-gwen]


THE PERSON I SPENT THE MOST TIME WITH IN HIGH SCHOOL

Wanda Wilson Ryals - Most of my time was spent with members of the Greenie Chorus.  We did lots of fun things.  I remember a trip out to Bobby Carraway's farm in Silsbee where we all went horseback riding in the rain.  My horse got a bit frisky....

Pat LeJune, fell asleep on the floor.  We took ashes from the fireplace and put on her hands and then tickled her nose with a straw.  She would raise her hand and scratch her nose and face and needless to say, she had black smut all over her face when she woke up.  That caper was pulled by Audrey Hebert, Bobby Carraway, Ronnie Berwick, Jim Bob Barlow, and yours truly.  Bobby's mom cooked us a full Thanksgiving lunch that day.  MEMORIES....


WHAT STUDENT DID YOU ADMIRE THE MOST  IN HIGH SCHOOL?

         Wanda Wilson Ryals - WOW!  That is a hard one.  I admired JoAnn Lampson who suffered from polio and was in a wheel chair.  Yet, she always managed to have the sweetest smile on her face.  I think she was a Senior our Freshman year.

         Carlos Maggio -  Mitchell Plaia because he had more chores at home than most of us, yet he was very determined to graduate.  Do you remember him kissing his diploma when it was presented to him at graduation?


WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SONG?

            Wanda Wilson Ryals - "When I Fall in Love" by Nat King Cole.

Gwen Watkins - "Blue Moon" or "Just A Bumming Around"


SILLIEST THING YOU DID?

         Wanda Wilson Ryals - Too many to recall.  I guess the "SILLY" was when Myrna Davis and I ate a bunch of chocolate chips and then looked at ourselves in a mirror and giggled our heads off because it made us look like all our teeth were rotten.  Is that silly enough????

Carlos Maggio - Contributed to Edgar Nelson's comedy in Mrs. McDougal's class.  

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT?

        Wanda Wilson Ryals -  This happened in Jr. High.  I stuffed scarves in my bra (different colored ones) to enhance my shape a little.  We were having a debate in the auditorium.  I was on stage and everyone started laughing.  I wanted to cry because I didn't know why they were laughing and the teacher sent a student up to tell me my scarves were showing.  I had one of those see-more blouses on that was very thin see through.... I didn't come back out from behind stage until class was over.  I can tell that on myself now....NO!  I DON'T DO THAT ANY MORE!!!!

        Carlos Maggio - When I was sent to the office by Miss Cashion and seeing my mother coming to visit with Miss McFarland after every six weeks' notice.


RETIREM ENT

         Wanda Wilson Ryals - Love it.  Nice to be my own boss.

Carlos Maggio - I adjusted well to retirement because I planned and looked forward to it.

Gwen Garig Watkins - I love it.  I am finally able to do the things I have  always wanted to do.  Write, live in the country, and have a home for my children and grandchildren to visit.

FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL

Wanda Wilson Ryals - Ruidoso and Red River , New Mexico are great.  Branson Missouri , Eureka Springs Arkansas.  I haven't traveled a great deal but have enjoyed these places very much.

Carlos Maggio - My favorite place that I have traveled is Italy and Western Europe .  The people are friendly (most speak English) and the food is not only safe, but very good.


WHICH GREENIE HAVE YOU VISITED?

         Wanda Wilson Ryals - Joy  (Towns) and George Alexander and I keep in touch.  I visited them in Ruidoso two different times.  Love that place and the cool evenings.


HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOUR FIRST GRANDCHILD WAS BORN?

Wanda Wilson Ryals - ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!

Gwen Garig Watkins - SHOCK.  As my husband and I walked up to the hospital we turned to each other and agreed, "It seems like just yesterday when we became parents.  How could this happen so fast?"


THE BEST BOOK YOU HAVE READ THIS YEAR

Wanda Wilson Ryals - I'm reading "The Purpose Driven Life" and loving it.  It gives you forty days of topics to take you towards a fulfilled life and know some of the reasons you are where you are.  WOW...you will understand if you choose to read it.

Carlos Maggio - I can't help much on books as, sadly, I don't do much reading. 

Gwen Garig Watkins - You guessed it.  The Bible.  And next was the same one Wanda read:  "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren.


WHAT YOU ENJOYED MOST ABOUT THE PROFESSION YOU CHOSE

        Wanda Wilson Ryals - Can't say I really had a profession.  I taught pre-school children for 16 years.  Retired from that and became a Church Secretary.  I love children and I love people is about the only reason I can give.

Carlos Maggio - I majored in Geology and chose to work as a petroleum geologist.  I was lucky to initially work (1961) for Exxon (Humble then) as they provided good training.  I changed to the Coastal Corp in 1980.  Geology is interesting because many things from the other sciences are incorporated and yet, when interpreting the picture below the ground, it gets somewhat artistic.  It usually is a team effort; you are working with others of the same profession but you also interface with engineers, landmen, partners, and well drillers.  I did not want a job where one dealt with the general public (as I did during high school and college).  Petroleum geology is rewarding because when an oil or gas discovery is made (odds of 1 in 10), it helps your company as well as society.  You also know that all the data and techniques were used together in the right manner.


HAVE YOU BEEN NERVOUS ABOUT ATTENDING OUR NEXT REUNION ?  WHY?

         Wanda Wilson Ryals - No!  Just hope I make it.

Carlos Maggio - I have not been nervous because I attended all of the previous ones and I have always enjoyed them.

Gwen Garig Watkins - Yes, I was.  But it was because of other circumstances in my life.  Now, I'm not.  So I'm looking forward to seeing dear friends.

WHAT GREENIE DID YOU RUN INTO IN AN UNEXPECTED PLACE?

 Carlos Maggio - I ran into fellow Greenie Pat Lamar in a barber shop in Houston in the late 1960's or early 1970's.  He cut my hair for several years and kept me up on classmate gossip.

 HAVE YOU MOVED FROM BEAUMONT AND FOUND A GREENIE IN THE SAME TOWN?

Carlos Maggio - When we moved to Corpus Christi in 1979 I discovered that Roger Clark lived down the street from us.  [I was in Portland ...across the bride about this same time and never knew these two were so near...gwen]

Gwen Garig Watkins - Helen Hughes Dale was in Cuero at the same time I was and came to see me.  This was about 1962.

ADVICE

[Since no one else was brave enough to offer advice in these areas this time, I hope Carlos doesn't mind me sharing his.  Maybe another Greenie will offer some for the next Greenie Gusher.   Thanks so much Carlos...gwen]

Widow/Widower:  Keep the good memories and move forward.

Divorcees:  Don't worry about any blame but happily live the rest of your life.

Those Facing Illness:  Pray hard and obey the doctor.

Loss Of Child/grandchild:  Realize that this is one of the saddest things that can   happen and allow time for the hurt to lessen.

For Caregivers Of Elderly Parents/family members:  Be efficient but keep your health in check.

Step-parents:  Be flexible and not expect credit or praise.

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