March-April - Tourtellotte Memorial High School Alumni Association

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Tourtellotte Memorial High School Alumni Association Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 2
March/April 2010
Tourtellotte Committee Update
BY: Lis Burton
Saturday, June 19, 2010 at the Thompson
Speedway Restaurant
Reservations can be made by contacting
Eileen Deary at [email protected] or by calling
Eileen at 860-928-2154. Cost is $25.00 for members
and their guest, $35.00 for non-members and includes
the social hour. Seating is limited - FIRST COME,
FIRST SERVE! Please note: This year, our function
will be ticketless. We will have a list of attendees, and
you will give your name upon arrival.
Banquet Day Program:
2:00 - 4:30
5:00 - 6:30
6:30 - 7:30
7:30 - 11:00
st
1 Annual Athletic Hall of Fame
presentation and school tour at the
district auditorium. Open to everyone!
Social hour – Thompson Speedway –
Reservations needed!
Dinner – Thompson Speedway
Dancing – Thompson Speedway
If you are interested in taking in a race or playing golf contact
Thompson International Speedway / Raceway Golf Course
at: 860-923-9591 or visit at: 205 East Thompson Road,
Thompson, CT 06277
As the volunteer chairperson of the Tourtellotte
committee I‟d like to reach out not only to TMHS alumni
but to all Thompson residents, past and present, near
and far, young and old to volunteer just a little time to
help make some fun things come to life for the
Memorial Room and for Thompson. We have a long
list of ideas but a short list of the helpers needed to get
the jobs done. The first volunteer job is to tell your
family, friends and neighbors about the things we‟re
doing and the help we need. Maybe you belong to a
group or organization that you think might be interested
in helping.
Here are some of the things I‟d like you to talk
about: The Memorial Room will be one of the events
during Walktober – Sunday, October 3, 2010, 11 a.m. –
3 p.m. It‟s the same day as Community Day, held in the
park across the street from the school. If you are going
to Community Day or haven‟t seen the room in years,
even if you came last year, please come visit, and bring
friends – it‟s free. A couple of volunteers are needed
for this event to help host the Memorial Room for an
hour or two.
We have the Thompson Public Library display
case reserved for the month of July 2010 and need a
couple of folks to help do the setup and / or take down.
Dates are Thursday, July 1 for setup and Friday, July
30 for take down, during normal library hours. More
details later. We want to bring the Tourtellotte story to
you in many shapes and forms.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Tourtellotte Committee
2
Stewart Joslin „53
3
Kathleen (Lindley) Weidman ‟75 – ECSU Fellow
4
Sgt. Ed Charlton ‟05 – Serving in Iraq
6
Left: A sample of
the Tourtellotte‟s
calling cards. We
found several
hundred in the
Memorial Room.
All, with the help of
Kathleen Hebert,
have been
cataloged and are
now stored in the
archive office.
Photo compliments
of TMHSAA.
“Angels Ever Bright and Fair” – Dr. and Mrs.
Tourtellotte‟s farewell to Hattie
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continued on page 2
continued from page 1
We are working on a couple of booklets for
visitors to the Memorial room.
One tells the
Tourtellotte‟s story, has room, building and site statistics
and a micro-biography of some of the painters of works
in the room. The other shows diagrams of the contents
of the room. We need researchers to help fill in the
blanks about these artists.
We particularly want to appeal to the young.
We need help to create projects like a treasure hunt,
word scramble, or essay contest, as well as think of
other activities to engage our younger visitors in the art,
objects, and history in and of the room. In the same
vein, we will need folks to execute these activities.
We would like to put some small, printed,
description cards near some of the objects in the display
cases. These would not only describe the object but
could be used by treasure hunters, word scramblers,
and other activities. Accuracy is a must. Help wanted.
The current list of ideas includes not only the
above activities but some for 2011 as well – it will be the
centennial graduating class!
So now that you have a better idea of some of
the things we are doing and would like to do, please get
going on that first volunteer assignment – talk it up!
Then, please contact the TMHSAA or me to get your
next assignment (your choice):
Stewart Joslin ‘53
BY: Staff Writer
We recently learned of the loss of Stewart
Joslin, Class of 1953. Stewart was born in NYC, NY
on June 22, 1935. He was married to Helen Marie
Rodman Joslin for 36 years and was the son of the
late Elmer and Elizabeth Joslin.
Upon graduating from TMHS Stewart joined
the United States Air Force where he served
honorably for four years. He returned to the
Thompson area and enrolled at the University of
Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut earning a
Bachelors of Science Degree in accounting.
He then worked at Price Waterhouse and
Aetna Insurance Company retiring from Aetna in
1992.
He lived most of his life in Tolland,
Connecticut and was very active in local politics and
community service having served in many capacities
to include the Board of Selectman and Historical
Society, He leaves two sons Stewart Joslin Jr., and
his wife Veronica, Jeffery R. Joslin of Tolland; a
daughter, Barbara Joslin and her husband Dino
Langdo; a Sister Eleanor (Joslin) Wentworth and her
husband Ron and eight grandchildren.
Email: [email protected]
Address: TMHSAA Office, PO Box 437, North
Grosvenordale, CT 06255
Phone: Lis Burton 860-923-2819
Left: The
1953 TMHS
senior
yearbook
picture of
Stewart
Joslin. Photo
compliments
of the
TMHSAA
Membership Drive – Seeking Friends
Making Connections
Membership and renewal applications can be found in
the December 2009 edition of the Hilltopper.
Remember dues are due!! $15.00 for regular
membership - $5.00 for senior citizens.
NOTICE TO ALL CLASS PRESIDENTS!!
Have Your Class Reunions at the Alumni
Banquet
If your class is planning a reunion this year or you want
to set aside a special section during the Alumni Banquet
to meet old friends - contact the TMHSAA at
[email protected].
A major benefit of the TMHS Alumni Banquet is it allows
all classes an easy method in which to meet and gather
without all the required work while supporting the
Alumni Association.
Make those phone calls and help us make this year‟s
event as successful as last year!
During his years at Tourtellotte, Stewart was
the class president all four years, was a member of
the Glee Club, Drama Club, was president of the
school‟s Debating Club and was a member of the
Student Council. He also played basketball and
cross country all four years and was captain for both
teams during his senior year.
We found the following in the 1953
yearbook. Many feel it captured his spirit
well…“Takes everything in stride… always willing to
lend a helping hand… popular with his classmates.”
Our best wishes to Helen and her family.
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Kathleen (Lindley) Weidman ’75,
Recently Selected as an Eastern
Connecticut State University Fellow .
BY: Staff Writer
Kathy (Lindley) Weidman, TMHS Class of 1975,
was honored as an Eastern Connecticut State University
Fellow on March 18, 2010, in a ceremony held in
Willimantic, Connecticut. The title is used to honor
exceptional professional and academic achievement.
According to the University, “Eastern Fellows are selected
by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice
President for Institutional Advancement in consultation
with the three academic deans… As Eastern Fellows,
they are honored by the ultimate measure of a top notch
liberal arts university – the quality of its alumni.”
Kathy has an extensive business background
focusing on finance. ECSU provided the following:
If your business needs some sort-term accounting
help, you can get a CPA on a temporary basis from
Accountemps. But if you need someone to step in and run
your company as a temporary CEO to fix its problems,
where could you possibly go for that?
For more than a decade, you could turn to
Eastern graduate Kathleen Weidman and her consulting
firm, Moonbeam Group, LLC. If you hired Moonbeam, you
could have Weidman come in and run your company for
anywhere from a few months to more than a year and
stabilize its operation, or perhaps save it from extinction.
In the past several years, she has stepped into four
companies and as temporary CEO has increased their
revenues dramatically. In two of those situations, she
secured acquisition offers for the companies.
Weidman is currently president on a permanent
basis of another company, Bright Systems, a specialist in
the preservation and retrieval of large-scale electronic
files in the media recording technology field.
All of this makes her schedule very interesting.
You have heard of computer marriages across state lines.
Hers is between two continents and eight time zones,
from her home in London, where her husband works in
his field …. to Reno, NV and the Bright Systems
headquarters.
Her earlier career included stops with Wang and
the Alsys Group in Massachusetts, where she was
promoted to President and Chief Financial Officer and
had her first experience orchestrating the favorable
acquisition of a company by the French company
Thompson CFS.
Kathy and her husband Richard live in London,
England. She has three children, Nicholas, 26 a former
Providence College Big East champion long-distance
runner and NCAA tournament participant and Mathew,
23, and Kara, 20, who are both attending college in New
England. Congratulations Kathy!!
To access the full ECSU article click on:
http://nutmeg.easternct.edu/mtstatic/press_releases/2010/03/eastern-inducts-new-classof-alumni-fellows.html
Eastern Alumni Fellow Inductees, left to
right, Jeffrey Brown '79, chief administrative officer
for Webster Bank and Webster Financial
Corporation; and Kathleen (Lindley) Weidman '79,
CEO and president of Bright Systems, Inc. in Reno,
NV; and Brett Harnett '84, assistant professor in the
Department of Surgery and associate director of the
Center for Surgical Innovation at the University of
Cincinnati, with Eastern President Elsa M. Núñez.
Photo and caption compliments of ECSU.
Above:
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Left: Kathy
(Lindley) Weidman
during a question
and answer
session with
Eastern
Connecticut State
University
students during
th
the March 18
Eastern State
University event.
Questions for
Kathy centered on
corporate finance
and women in
business. Photo
compliments of
Eastern
Connecticut State
University.
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Due January 1st of each year
Regular Membership………. $15.00
Senior Citizens (65 and older)………. $5.00
Graduating Class………. Free
hilltopper Staff
Editor: Kris Blanchard „87
Staff Members: Gladys Tucker „52‟ - Jane Ellison „61‟- Eileen
Deary ‟77‟ – Rachael Johnston „75‟ - Alex Kirkland „08‟
Archives: Gladys Tucker „52‟ and Rita Rohr
If you would like to contribute short stories to the
hilltopper please contact Kris Blanchard at
[email protected]
Sergeant Edward R. Charlton ’05
(CTANG) - Serving in Iraq
. BY: Staff Writer
.
Over the past 100 years students and former
students of Tourtellotte Memorial High School were
always among the first to serve our country in time of
conflict. During the past 19 years, Thompson, and
Tourtellotte, continues to send their young men and
women to areas of conflict, this time to the Middle East
and the War against Terrorism.
In January 2010, Ed Charlton, TMHS Class of
th
2005, a combat medic assigned to the 250 Engineering
Company, Connecticut Army National Guard,
was
among the most recent to answer the call of duty.
Charlton enlisted in the Army shortly after his graduation
from Tourtellotte Memorial High School in 2005 and was
shipped to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for basic training. He was
then sent to Fort Sam Houston, Texas for his advanced
individual training (A.I.T.) as health care specialist
(Combat Medic).
th
The 250 Engineering Company, stationed in
New London, CT, is a multi-role engineering company
specializing in medium girder bridges. Organized in
th
March of 1921 in Danielson CT, the 250 and its
predecessors have seen action in numerous conflicts
including WWII, serving in New Guinea, Northern
Solomons, Luzon and Guadalcanal. It has earned a
Meritorious Unit Commendation and a Philippine
th
Presidential Unit Citation. The 250 , as one of
th
Above: Sergeant Ed Charlton, 250
Engineering
Company, during a recent deployment ceremony in
Hartford, Connecticut.
Connecticut‟s key engineering units, has also seen
action numerous times during natural disasters
here in Connecticut
While at Tourtellotte Memorial, Charlton
participated in the track and cross country teams.
When not serving as an army medic, he is
employed
at
Home
Depot
in
Oxford,
Massachusetts. He is a registered emergency
medical technician and serves as an EMT and
firefighter with the Thompson Hill Fire
Department. He is the son of Linda and Ed
Charlton of Thompson, Connecticut
th
Above: Part of the equipment of the 250 Bridge Company. The M1977A2 Common Boat Transporter is the prime mover of the
250th Multi-Role Bridge Company. Built by Oshkosh on a HEMTT chassis, its primary mission is to transport, launch, and
retrieve multiple loads to include; the bridge erection boat, float bridge bays, and flat racks with bridge equipment. Photo
th
compliments of the 250 .
Have Articles or Stories??
Submit them to:
[email protected]
Or mail them to:
TMHS Alumni Association
PO Box 437, No. Grosvenordale, CT 06255
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Don’t forget the Alumni Banquet!
Mark your calendar!
Tickets this year are either purchased
online at [email protected] or by
calling Eileen at 860-928-2154. Cost is
$25.00 for members and their guest,
$35.00 for non-members.
PHOTOS FROM THE PAST
Above: WORC Quiz Program. Left to Right: Edward Oleksiak,
Paul Malboeuf (advisor), Luis Covell, Paul Rawson, Larry Daly,
Editor- Webster Times, Norma Johnson, Doris Kitka, George Seli
(advisor), Oakley Ragland. Oakley was featured in a previous
hilltopper article – He was killed in action during WWII in Europe.
Compliments of Charlie Seney ‟39.
Above: Class of 1939 Washington trip. Photo compliments of
Charlie Seney.
Letter from Dr. Seuss
Above: Class officers 1941 or 1942. Left to right; Bernice Bednarz,
(?) Lada, Marcella Riley, John Cuhna.
Above: A Dr. Seuss letter recently donated to the TMHSAA by
Rita Rohr. Mary Fisher, a former student, teacher and principal
was a big advocate of the arts as proven above. Dr. Seuss wrote:
“Dear Mrs. Fisher: I wish I could be at Thompson Memorial
School next Friday to attend the World Premiere of Mother Goose
and Dr. Seuss. I know that Mother Goose would love to attend,
too, but the chances are she won‟t get there either. However…
please give her love and mine to all the children who have worked
so hard to write, design and produce this extravaganza. With Very
Best Wishes, Dr. Seuss.”
Above: 1953 Student Council. Stewart Johnson is fourth from the
left in the first row.
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Small Gem found among Mrs.
Tourtellotte’s Calling Cards
BY: Staff Writer
Among the many projects accomplished by
the Tourtellotte Committee over the past few
months was the cataloging of Mrs. Tourtellotte‟s
many calling cards. These small cards were placed
in or on a small foyer table in the foyer of wealthy
people‟s home. While cataloging the cards Kathy
Hebert found the card at the left. It speaks volumes
of Mrs. Tourtellotte‟s distress over the loss of her
second daughter Hattie.
Several items of interest were immediately
noticed; the date Hattie died – March 14, 1884,
aged 9 years, 7 months and 14 days, and the date
and location of the initial service – Baltimore, MD,
th
March 18 , 1884. Hattie, according to our records
was then transported back to Minnesota for burial.
Also, it reminds us that Dr. and Mrs.
Tourtellotte commissioned the building of the
school some 23 years after the passing of their
second daughter.
Above: A calling card from Mrs. Matthew James Peppard
found among the collection. We assume the “Thursday”
listed to the lower left is the day she received callers.
AUDITORIUM SEATS UPDATE
Left: A refurbished
auditorium seat.
Available seats are
running out fast.
Anyone interested in
purchasing a seat
should contact
TMHSAA@Charter.
net ASAP.
Applications and
donation forms are
available in the
December edition of
the Hilltopper and
can be found at
http://www.thompso
npublicschools.org/
TMHSAA/index.html
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5 things you may NOT know
about TMHS – 1953
1. 1953 student council included James
Watters, Doris Janeczek, Shirley Potter,
Stewart Joslin, Robert Joslin, Margaret
Lindberg, John Naum and David Babbitt.
2. The most popular in the Class of 1953
Stewart Joslin and Betty Topliff.
3. There were 26 1953 graduates. Mr.
William Fisher was class advisor.
4. The mixed Glee Club under Mary Fisher
was 43 students strong.
5. Future Homemakers of America was
alive and well. This club helped girls
become housewives and mothers.
1953 –
STEWARTJOSLIN ’53 (Continued)
Remember When?
Left: Stewart
Joslin and
classmate Betty
Topliff in the
front foyer of the
1909 TMHS
building.
Stewart and
Betty (Class of
1953), was
voted the class‟
most popular.
Photo
compliments of
the TMHSAA.
Above: A wedding photo of the world‟s most famous couple in
1953. Jackie was only 24 years of age, President Kennedy was
12 years her senior. They were married in Newport Rhode
Island. Photo compliments of Google Image.
Above: 1953 TMHS outdoor fire fighters. First row, left to
right: Bernie Langer, Quartermaster; Robert Joslin, Fire
Chief; Lewis Elliot, Assistant Chief; Stewart Joslin, John
Naum. Second row: Irving Gibson, Theodore Raska, Mr.
Dunleavy, Instructor; Gerald Mulligan, Clayton Szlosek.
Who’s Coming to The Alumni
Banquet So Far???
Joyce (Johnson) Paine „49
Donald Furlong „56
Jean (French) Kestigian „49
Michael Kestigian
Alice (Green) Smith „49
Gladys (Krigsman) Tucker
„52
Priscilla (Gibson) Perkinson
„48
Karen (Langevin) Carlson
„65
Eileen (Boutin) Deary ‟77
Judy (Benjamin) Kolakowski
„49
Above: Thompson Speedway circa 1953. The Speedway then,
as it is now, was an important part of our community. The photo
above shows the sports cars that were once a big part of the
Speedways‟ offering. Many TMHS students would make their
way to East Thompson Road to see the action. Photo
compliments of www.stasher.us/
Frances C. Gesualdi „49
Barry F. Kitka „68
Maureen (Mulligan) Degan „68
Christopher Degan
Hope Sali „61
Heather (Sali) O‟Rourke „84
Eleanor (Joslin) Wentworth „49
Ronald Wentworth
Joe Lindley „74
Sue Lindley
Dan Almquist „48
Rudy Almquist „52
Paul Deary „77
Welcome New Members!
Maureen (Mulligan) Degan ‟68,
Rudy Almquist ‟52, Maurice Negip „44
Victoria (Wiggins) Mason ‟49,
Donald Furlong „56
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BULK RATE
Tourtellotte Memorial High School Alumni Office
PO BOX 437
North Grosvenordale, CT 06255
US POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO.
00000
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
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