VOL. I, NO. 2                                                                                     March, 2003

BROADWAY MELODIES FEATURED AT FIRST GALILEO GALA

Galileo alumni and friends were treated to a nostalgic show of Broadway melodies at the first Galileo Gala on February 22^nd in the Galileo Auditorium.

Produced by Sid Kellner, the show featured some talented performers who entertained the audience with their singing. Patti Leidecker opened the show with "There’s No Business Like Show Business". Patti , a talented composer, singer and piano player appears regularly at Marcello’s in Danville and on Wednesday nights at Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch in Carmel. Soprano Ingrid Fedge followed with "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever" and glamorous soprano Pamela Brooks sang "Fly Me To The Moon". Carol Rand sang "Bewitched" and tenor Douglas Bryson rendered "Unchained Melody". Doug’s voice combined with Ingrid’s in a duet from "Phantom of the Opera", and Pam followed with the Frank Sinatra standard, "All of Me". Carol offered "Over the Rainbow" and along with Ingrid sang a unique "Summertime" duet. Pam then filled the air with "All The Things You Are". Doug returned with "O Sole Mio" without a mike. Just before the intermission, comedian David Wolf went through his Jerry Lewis imitations.

In the second part of the show, Doug and Carol teamed up on two numbers from "Carousel", "If I Loved You" and "You’ll Never Walk Alone". Pam sang the beautiful "Wind Beneath My Wings" and she and Doug did a couple of Nelson Eddy songs, "Indian Love Call" and "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life". The emotional highlight of the afternoon was Patti’s own composition, written after 9/11, "Our Flag Still Stands".

The Galileo honor guard presented the colors and Principal Margaret Chiu and the student body president both spoke. GAA President Jim Dresser addressed the audience and said, "You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!", promising many new and exciting events in the months to come. Most of the audience was from the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and several students attended. The Galileo Lion, the school mascot, generously posed for pictures with many alumni. Photos of the event appear on the GAA website,www.galileoalumni.org.

GALILEO NEEDS YOU

DID YOU KNOW. . . . .

Galileo received the 1996 California Distinguished School Award.

Galileo is the only comprehensive high school in San Francisco that offers the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Program.

According to the SFUSD Cutting Report dated February, 1992, Galileo has the lowest percentage of students who "cut" among all the comprehensive high schools.

The February, 2000 report shows that Galileo has the lowest dropout rate percentage of any of the comprehensive high schools under 6%.

Galileo received a six year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

(From Galileo Handbook)

The mission of this association shall be to organize alumni into a cohesive unit to benefit all members of the high school community: alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends.

The purposes of this organization shall be to:
    Build and sustain mutually beneficial ties between the high school and its alumni.
    Increase alumni pride in the school and in the accomplishments of its members.
    Serve as advocates for the school and to promote its achievements
    Plan events which will increase alumni involvement with the association and with the school.
    Establish a communication model to keep members informed of the school’s achievements, concerns, and GAA activities.
    Establish and maintain an association with solid membership support.
(From GAA Bylaws)

Calling all Galileo alumni, wherever you are! We would like to hear from you. If you have an interesting story to tell, let us know. What did you do and where did you go after graduating from Galileo? Did you marry a classmate? If so, let us know. Perhaps you have an unusual hobby or occupation. How did you spend your graduation night? You can write a short biography of yourself, we’ll edit it and include it in our next issue. Maybe you are trying to locate a former classmate. We’ll try to help. Email us or write us. Let’s keep in touch.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
(Biography)

One of the attendees at the Galileo Gala was a 1935 graduate. Now a Professor Emerita of the University of California, Angela Capobianco Little has had a lifetime of service to the scientific community. Born and raised in San Francisco, she attended Sherman Grammar School and graduated from Galileo at the age of 15. Her early life was one of financial struggle during the Great Depression. It was because of Galileo Principal Fred W. Koch that she was able to gain admission to UC. Mr. Koch encouraged her interest in science and helped her receive a four year scholarship. Tuition was $27 in those days, a tidy sum nonetheless. In 1940 the future Professor Little earned a BA degree in biochemistry and bacteriology and worked for eleven years in clinical and research laboratories, married and had a family. In 1951 she returned to UC as a graduate student and remained for half a century, earning a Master’s degree in food science and a PhD in agricultural chemistry and did research, teaching, university and community service, publishing and attending national and international meetings of professional societies and being elected to honor societies. A true academic, Professor Little retired in 1985, but continued to do research and university committee work on undergraduate scholarships, incentive awards and medical school admissions and also taught at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco. Professor Little is listed in several Who’s Who’s in the world. She remains active in the Bay Area History of Medicine Club and does volunteer work at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, giving occasional lectures and keeping up with her interests in languages, music, reading, physical exercise and family affairs. Her daughter and granddaughters have followed her tradition and devote themselves to scientific pursuits. Professor Little has led a full and rich life and has contributed much to the well being of humankind. And she never forgets where it all began - at Galileo High School.

REMEMBER WHEN?

Ott’s Drive-In was the hangout of Galileo students.

General MacArthur came home from Korea and his first stop was San Francisco. Many of us went down to City Hall to hear him speak. Photos appeared in the yearbook. The next day, he spoke his famous "Old Soldiers Never Die" speech in Congress, and we watched it on TV in Miss Keohan’s classroom

Ghirardelli chocolate was made at the factory across the street from the football field.

Kezar Stadium hosted the high school Turkey Day championship football game as well as being the home of the San Francisco Forty-Niners.

Boys’ Life named Galileo "The High School of Champions".

The Galileo Observer invites your letters, memories, inquiries and suggestions. Send them by email to: editorgalileoobserver@yahoo.com, or by postal mail to:
Galileo Observer, care of Galileo Alumni Association, 1150 Francisco Street, San Francisco, CA 94109.

GAA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Jim Dresser (1951)
Vice President: Joe Scafidi (1950)
Secretary: Monica Parenti Kirkland (1953)
Treasurer: Augie Venezia (1953)

Directors
Mel Chiarenza (1953)
Frank Clima (1951)
Nina Pattini Clima (1950)
Diane Wall Cowart (1965)
Kay Lazzari Michelis (1953)
Fred Setting (1950)
Cordy Porter Surdyka (1953)
Janet Sullivan Neilsen (1953)
Ben Vanni (1948)

Committee Chairpersons
Public Relations: Cordy Porter Surdyka (1953)
Membership: Diane Wall Cowart (1965)
Database: Mel Chiarenza (1953)
By-laws: Monica Parenti Kirkland (1953)
Communications (Newsletter): Sisvan Der Harootunian (1951)
Webmaster: Vaughn Spurlin (1960)

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION, VISIT THE GALILEO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WEBSITE, WWW.GALILEOALUMNI.ORG.

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last updated 21mar2003
© 2002, 2003 Galileo Academy of Science and Technology Alumni Association of San Francisco