“To make GAA great... communicate and participate”

VOL. II, No. 9                _____________________________         October/November, 2004

During this season of giving thanks, it is appropriate to pause and be grateful for all our blessings. With all the strife in the world, our country is still the best place to be – to live, work, play, and raise families.

Let us help those who are not as fortunate as we are, near and far, and let us be hopeful and optimistic for the future. Life goes on and we are a part of the human panorama.

Happy Holidays to all our alumni wherever you are.

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Seniors (as usual) Win Song & Yell Contest

by Renee Mau Wade

The 60^th Galileo Song & Yell Contest was held on October 15^th at the Galileo football stadium. Students filled the stands with the winning cheering seniors spilling onto the field decorated with balloons and colorful painted posters. An honor guard of raised swords and cheering students ushered the Homecoming Court onto the field.

Tiffany Lew (1987), a former cheerleader, was a judge along with Rose Chung (1975), a former Miss Chinatown (1981) and beautiful as ever. Rose compared notes with Wayne Huey (1982), both former gymnastic team members. Richard Lee (1964) and Wilbert Tom (1972) were proud to see the current ROTC perform like they had done years ago.

An excited Carol Morgan Hargrow (1965), former ASB Vice President, shared news of her engagement to her fiancé whom she had met at the Galileo Homecoming dance 37 years ago.

The seniors won the Song & Yell Contest with their clever skits of nursery rhymes of Snow White and Michael Jackson. It was a terrific skit which had the 2000 students laughing, yelling and cheering at the clever story with fantastic gymnastics and dancing.

It was great to experience the spirit of Galileo again and that it is still alive and well. It is nice that the school spirit and energy felt by each of the judges during our years at Galileo still lives today. The alumni should be very proud of their Galileo; it represents a student body full of winners.

Note: Galileo’s school colors are now purple and gold.

Editor’s Note: Renee Mau Wade is a 1951 graduate of Galileo and lives in San Bruno. She was also a judge.

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Alumni Enjoy First Galileo Social

by Eleanor Clayton

On September 25^th, the GAA held its first get-together at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. Fifty-five people attended the event in a private upstairs room. Hors d’oeuvres were delicious and plentiful and the no host bar served good drinks. Alumni and their spouses were reunited with old friends and new friendships were born. The committee wishes to thank all those who worked so hard and diligently to make this affair a great success, promising an even bigger event next year. Although the event was not a fund raiser, several donations received from alumni helped to defray operating costs and add to GAA’s budget.

Editor’s Note: Eleanor Clayton is a 1943 graduate of Galileo and lives in San Francisco.

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Shall We Dance?

Carol Morgan Hargrow recently wrote Diane Cowart Wall, GAA’s Membership Director, about her attendance at the KPIX Dance Party reunion. Galileo had various students that danced on the show, including her fiancé Fred Bryant, her brother Tim and best friend Davetta Petite Thibeaux. “We had a great time reliving the teenage years,” she says. Sometime soon Evening Magazine is going to air the KPIX Dance Party reunion on TV.

Editor’s Note: Carol asks where she can send photos of the reunion. Please send them to webmaster@www.galileoalumni.org, and they will be placed on the website for viewing.

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Theater Anyone?

GAA has received 100 tickets for the February 12^th production of “The Wiz” by the Belasco Theatre Group. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased by contacting any Board member or writing www.galileoalumni.org. Tickets are going fast so be sure to buy yours early.

Based on last year’s overwhelming success of “Flower Drum Song” and former Belasco productions, “The Wiz” promises to be a very entertaining show. As most of you know, these productions acted and sung by teenagers, are the brainchild of former Galilean and popular entertainer, Eddie Belasco, who has been producing and directing these shows for over 20 years. You won’t know they are amateurs performing on the stage.

For further details of the February 12^th performance in Walnut Creek, contact Jim Dresser at jimdresser@msn.com or Janet Nielsen at jannneilsen@juno.com.

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That Time of Year: Local candidates for office standing at high traffic locations and transit stations handing out promotional materials which also fill up your mail boxes. One candidate for San Francisco School Board was Larry Kane, Galileo’s volunteer head wrestling coach. Coach Kane makes sure that each of his seniors graduates, and many have gone on to major colleges around the country. Some of the students he has mentored are Jesse Chea (2003), Delores Hernandez-Munn (1998), and Jose Garcia (1998). Coach Kane did not win, but continues to coach at Galileo.

At the first Galileo alumni social recently, Rusty Enos sported the most striking and beautiful Galileo sports jacket, custom-ordered as a surprise by his wife Dolores. Coming out of the woodwork to make an appearance was Ray Foppiano (1947). Hadn’t seen him in over 40 years! Lookin’ good, Ray!

Recently I stood in line on the street in Los Angeles to get a famous hot dog at Pink’s. Then I heard that people were standing in line for 4 hours in San Francisco to get a flu shot, and I didn’t feel so bad.

Principal Margaret Chiu reports that the Galileo Auditorium is now completely refurbished. It looks good, folks, I took a tour of it. Galileo has also installed 24 hour security.

Good to see a fellow Cal Blue at our Board meeting. Jesse Figueroa is a Stationary Engineer Aquatics at U. C. Berkeley. Go Bears!

Leafing through some old Galileo yearbooks, I came across one in the 1920s that had a young, trim Coach Tom DeNike and an artist’s rendering of the new gym. In those days, the yearbooks were filled with student poems and literary pieces (excellent examples of writing), and photos of students in tuxedos and suits.

Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox who made everybody believe.

The Galileo Alumni Golf Dinner & Raffle at Sharp Park golf clubhouse was a success. As usual Mel Chiarenza arranged a beautiful evening with good food and loads of prizes. Ably assisted by Diane Cowart Wall, prize after prize was awarded to cheering winners. Everybody walked away with something. Among those present were Charlene Fachner, Lenore and Al LaRocca, Sal Gianino, Lou and Gary Ferrari, Doreen and Elmer Jansen, Joyce and Richard Cozzarin, Ernestine and John Zuffo, Dee Ann Falwell Morgan, Monica Parenti Kirkland, Sisvan Der Harootunian, Carolyn and Diran Der Harootunian, Barbara and Mario Lombardi, Carmela and Oddie Hoffman, Ron Ertola, Barbara and Joe Scafidi, Nina and Frank Clima, Kay Michelis, Cordy Surdyka, Harry Holsworth, Paul Cassidy, Paul Giambra, and Karen Chiarenza, who arranged the table settings. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.

Going The Extra Miles To Get What You Want: Those New Zealanders surely know how to make good white wines, especially their signature Sauvignon Blanc. My favorite is Kim Crawford’s. I once drove 50 miles to get the last bottle of Kim Crawford’s Sauvignon Blanc at Trader Joe’s. On a recent Friday I had my favorite Cobb salad at the Balboa Café in the Marina and tried a glass of Babich Marlborough New Zealand 2003 Sauvignon Blanc @ $8/glass (unfortunately Kim Crawford’s was only available by the bottle @ $23). It was fresh and brisk with a great nose; I found myself sniffing the wine several times while drinking it. The restaurant also has my favorite Pinot Noir, Merry Edwards 2002 Windsor Gardens @ $60/bottle. The Balboa’s menu was originally devised by famed chef Jeremiah Tower, but he has moved on to Stars (now closed) and beyond. The food is superb. In the evening, the place is a singles bar with wall-to-wall people, as Monica Kirkland. Joe Scafidi and I found out recently on a Thursday night.

I also lunched recently with Paul Lamphere (1951) at Town Hall, a new (one year old) restaurant on Howard Street. The food was fabulous and the service very attentive. I recommend both these restaurants unequivocally.

IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME* before a toothpaste came out with different flavors (other than mint). Now Crest, that bastion of oral hygiene, has introduced four new flavors in its Expressions series – Fresh Citrus Breeze, Extreme Herbal Mint, Cinamon Rush, and Vanilla Mint. I think I’ll try the Vanilla Mint.

* Could be a good title for a song.

Speaking of vanilla, next time you make French toast, try adding a little vanilla extract to the egg-milk mixture. You’ll be surprised how much flavor it adds to the toast.

Joanna Woeber (1951) writes that she is now working at the information booth in Ghirardelli Square. Drop by and have some chocolate.

Times were when, if you saw a penny on the street, you’d stop and pick it up. Now you ignore it. Wonder how many pennies go ignored each year. Could make a nice little nest egg for a homeless person.

More nostalgia: I used to eat chunks of ice off City Ice trucks and chew tar from roofers’ trucks and eat licorice whips for a penny apiece and play handball with a worn out tennis ball and walk the hills of San Francisco thinking it was the entire world . . .

Tracking currency: I always thought it would be neat to follow a dollar bill or a coin from hand to hand to see where it went. The other day I was given a dollar bill that had a website stamped on it. I visited the site, www.wheresgeorge.com, and submitted the information on the bill and am awaiting tracking information (where the bill came from and where it goes after I spend it). Will keep you posted.

Questions: 1. How do teenage boys’ low riding jeans keep from sliding off? 2. Where do pigeons go when it rains? (Note: These questions have no connection to each other).

The Wisdom of (lower) Animals: They don’t worry, are instinctive, don’t have emotions, live and eat to survive, mate for progeny, don’t take part in the “rat race” (unless they are rats), and don’t control the fate of humanity. And who’s to say they are lower?

At the Movies: I plan to see “Ray”, starring Jamie Foxx, which in this political year, reminds me that Ray Charles sang one of the best versions of “America”. The song is worthy of being our national anthem. Also “The Aviator”, coming out in December, about the early life of Howard Hughes and directed by Martin Scorsese, who should score when it’s Oscar time, and, of course, “The Phantom of the Opera”. And then, there’s “Sideways”, a film about two guys drinking wine. Of course, there’s more to the story than that, but it is said that if the film scores big at the box office, it might help the wine industry. I saw it over the weekend and it is excellent, one of the best films of the year, and I heartily recommend it (see review in this issue).

Speaking of wine, there’s a pretty decent one at a reasonable price currently selling at Trader Joe’s – 1999 Villa Mt. Eden Syrah, only $2.99! Also Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Thank you, George Foreman! For your Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine. I have been using the Grill for over a year, and it is the best appliance for under $20 I have bought. As a single person cooking for myself, I use if for burgers, steak, chicken, fish filets, and the best grilled cheese sandwiches (garlic bread and almost any cheese). Eat your heart out, Muhammad Ali!

Transit Ethics: Standing up for seniors in public transportation has become a lost practice. Times were when we stood up for our elders, but no more. The handicapped, pregnant women, people with small children or groceries, the elderly – all are ignored by a majority of passengers occupying (illegally) those seats on busses and trains that are reserved for them.

Not giving up one’s seat – impolite, gauche, unfeeling

Giving up one’s seat in the senior/handicapped section – polite, correct

Giving up one’s seat in the non-senior/handicapped section – admirable

Giving up one’s seat in the non-senior/handicapped section to a non-senior – extremely polite, generous, giving, commendable

Tom Johnson, who attended Galileo in the late forties, passed away on October 28^th. A track hurdler, Tom was inducted into the Galileo Sports Hall of Fame. He was a good friend of Gino del Prete, Ed Belasco, Pete Marino and Bill Dito, all Galileans.

On The Move: Ginette Sutter-Cary (1952), longtime hostess at Caesar’s Restaurant, has retired and moved to Sonoma.

Monica Kirkland (1953) has moved to Orangevale, near Sacramento. Dee Ann Falwell Morgan (1953) is her 10 minutes away neighbor.

Fortune from a Cookie: Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise.

Thought for the Month: Tell me and I forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand. –Chinese proverb.

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Reno 50s Reunion

The flyers (over 200) went out via US snail mail this weekend to those who attended in the year 2000.  All classes, family and friends are welcome to join the group & hopefully the application forms will be shared.

Contact phone numbers are Alfred Jeung 415-5013, Alvin Joe 650-3418642, Dawson Lee 408-266-1532, Ernie Russo 415-897-7254.

Cost: $180.  SINGLE OCCUPANCY, WED. RECEPTION (FREE HORS D’OEUVRES)

THURSDAY, DINNER & DANCING TO DJ MUSIC.

Cost: $250   DOUBLE OCCUPANCY, WED. RECEPTION (FREE HORS D’OEUVRES)

THURSDAY, DINNER & DANCING TO DJ MUSIC.

Reservations will be limited. FULL PAYMENT due  no later than March 20, 2005.

The flyer has an area with food selection, golf  and slot information.

Make checks payable to "Galileo 50's Reunion"

Mail to: Jennie Wong Lee

640 27th Ave.    SF  CA 94121

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Your Medical Records Are Yours!

Recently I had to obtain my personal medical records from an otolaryngologist who had provided medical services to me in the early 1970s in order to complete a claim I had with the Veterans Administration. I checked UCSF, the San Francisco Medical Society, and the Medical Board of California in order to locate the name and address of his son, a practicing physician. You see, my doctor had died tragically in a private plane accident several years ago. I finally obtained his son’s address and wrote him a letter. I am awaiting his reply.

The Medical Board of California told me that physicians are required to keep medical records of patients for only 7 years. They are usually destroyed after that or kept by the physician at his/her discretion. In my case, I was asking for records going back 30 years. In case you didn’t know it, your medical records are yours and health care providers are required to copy them and give them to you upon your request. It is highly recommended, based on my experience, to request and retain your personal medical records. You never know when you will need them.

Below are some important phone numbers and email addresses:

San Francisco Medical Society – 415-561-0850

Medical Board of California – 916-263-2382, www.medbd.ca.gov, www.caldocinfo.ca.gov

UCSF Release of Information, 400 Parnassus Avenue, Room A68, Box 0308, San Francisco, CA 94143

* * * * *

Sideways

A Review of the Movie

Wine lovers, attention! Here’s a movie you’re going to enjoy. And not only wine lovers. Even if one of the themes were not wine, this film would still be one of the best of 2004. But the wine-drinking and wine discussion scenes are authentic, and if this movie doesn’t increase wine drinking across the U. S., nothing will. After seeing this film, you’ll want to go out and drink some wine. In fact, the chief protagonist’s favorite wine is Pinot Noir (he is obsessed with it), as is my favorite. So I took a particularly personal delight in watching this film. The vineyards and wineries covered are those of Santa Barbara County and the Central Coast of California. Some labels are flashed on the screen, and one wants to take notes. I found myself scribbling some names during the film. The wineries mentioned are certainly going to have a run on their stock.

Based on the novel by Rex Pickett, the film is the directorial work of Alexander Payne, who directed “About Schmidt”. It is about as true to life as you can get, and the four leading actors perform as if the camera were not present. There are some hilarious scenes, danger, adventure, happy-go-lucky fun, and serious introspection. The dialogue and the interplay among the leading characters is what makes the movie intriguing. Without giving away the plot, the story revolves around a part-time actor who is about to marry an Armenian girl and wants to have one last fling. So he and his divorced buddy from San Diego take off on a motor trip to the wine country of the Central Coast to taste wines and play some golf. They stop off in Solvang, and you feel you are right there with them. They meet two ladies, both of whom are wine-savvy, and the story takes off from there.

Sideways is an immensely satisfying film on several levels, and aside from its obviously low budget production, it should gain Academy Award recognition. It is a movie that would or should win a film festival award. I highly recommend your seeing it. The only thing missing from the theater was that they didn’t serve some wine during the showing.

Copyright 2004 by S. D. Hart

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LETTERS

What a wonderful newsletter!!!!! You are to be complimented for the wealth of information included. Think it’s great to include alumni news in the Pendulum. I have a wonderful memory of the 25^th Silver Anniversary of Galileo High School. I was a senior at the time, and we were asked to serve at the dinner celebration in the school cafeteria. Seems like yesterday! --Anstell Daini Ricossa (Fall, 1947)

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I apologize for not getting back to you sooner and thank you for your kind regards. I’ve started school, here at UCLA, for almost a month now and will be having my first midterm tomorrow afternoon. Freaky thought. I am very proud that the Observer is working together with the Pendulum and would be honored to write something for the paper sometime. It was good hearing from you. Take care. –Jean Lee (2004)

Editor’s Note: Jean is the former Editor of the Pendulum.

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We are several former graduates of Galileo (1958/59) are we are very much interested in finding a former teacher of ours. His name is Frank Voci, and he worked very much with foreign-born students at that time. But so far we have had no luck finding him. Is there any way that you could help us with this project? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much. Warmest regards. –Eleonore (Freund) Gerstenkorn (1959)

Editor’s Note: If there is anybody out there -- faculty, staff, students -- who knows the whereabouts of Frank Voci, please let us know or contact Eleonore Gerstenkorn directly at omaeg1@yahoo.com.

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Hi! I’m a graduate of Galileo, class of June 1964. I have not heard if we will have a 40^th class reunion. The last class reunion was in 1994 which I attended and would very much like to have a reunion in 2004 or 2005! I haven’t heard from anyone from the class of 1964; are any of you out there? –Richard Lee (1964)

Editor’s Note: If any of you, especially in the class of 1964, know of a planned reunion, please contact Richard at Richard.lee@uboc.com.

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Can someone please help me find a yearbook for 1944? My father, Norman Jerome Mahan, graduated on August 7, 1944 (took a summer math class at Washington High School) and received a Galileo High School diploma. Perhaps someone has a yearbook I can pay them to copy for me? Maybe someone from the class of 1944 has a phone number or address I can write to. Any information that I can obtain (class lists, etc.) would be very much appreciated. Thank you. –Mike Mahan

Editor’s Note: We answered Mike and referred him to Mark Huynh, the Telescope’s faculty advisor. If any of our readers have access to a 1944 yearbook, please contact Mike. His address is Mike Mahan, State Auditor II, Kansas Department of Labor, Michael.mahan@dol.ks.gov. Tel. 785-296-1798, Fax 785-296-5779.

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My compliments for a “new beginning”. Very, very informative and well presented. Your response to Mr. Phil Kaiser’s concerns were upbeat and informative. Phil Kaiser’s newsletter has and continues to be very informative and has kept the Galileo spirit alive. Now it’s your turn at bat and time to hit a home run. Continued success to you and GAA. You are more than welcome to use my comments in your next edition. It’s time to take the high road and foster the real spirit of our alma mater regardless of what year we graduated. “Like a fine wine, all grads of Galileo get better with time.” –George D. Paxson (1959)

Editor’s Note: Thank you for your kind words about the Observer. We are trying our best to inform all Galileo alumni of activities that involve all of us and our beloved school. In the near future we shall be launching an alumni page in the Galileo Pendulum, and it will be mailed to all registered members of GAA. As written in my editorial note in our most recent issue, it is not the intent of the Observer to engage in a “war of words” with Mr. Kaiser and his publication. It is my sincere desire that both publications independently of each other will foster the advancement of the Galileo spirit in the alumni and contribute to the expansion of GAA to include a wide spectrum of Galileans. We welcome your comments and suggestions and look forward to hearing from you again as you see fit.

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Autograph Collectors!

Send in your favorite autographs

from your yearbooks

and we’ll publish them.

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WRITERS/REPORTERS WANTED!

For articles and stories on alumni, events, whereabouts of graduates for this newsletter. No mastery of English required, just your willingness to communicate and participate. Contact the Editor.

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If you would like to promote your Galileo event on the GAA website

editorgalileoobserver@yahoo.com and/or webmaster@www.galileoalumni.org.

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The OBSERVER Is For All

Galileo alumni, family, friends, students, faculty . . . anybody and everybody, The Observer is for you. If you haven’t already done so, send in the email addresses of anyone you know who would like to receive a FREE emailed newsletter every month or so. We’d like to reach as wide a range of readers as possible. Send the email addresses to: Webmaster@www.galileoalumni.org.

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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

December 1, 2004 – GAA Dinner Meeting, Caesar's Restaurant, 6:00 pm

January 13, 2004 – GAA General Membership Meeting, Galileo, Room 210, 6:30 pm
Revised by-laws will be ratified by those present

February 12, 2005 – Belasco Productions’ The Wiz, Walnut Creek

April 17, 2005– Dragon Boat Tournament, Lake Merced

June 8, 2005– Galileo Academy Graduation Ceremony, Masonic Auditorium, 6:30 pm

(Additional information on these and other events at www.galileoalumni.org.)

BACK ISSUES OF THE GALILEO OBSERVER CAN BE VIEWED AT WWW.GALILEOALUMNI.ORG.

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IMPORTANT

For all EDITORIALLY-RELATED comments or suggestions, please address your emails to editorgalileoobserver@yahoo.com.

For all TECHNICAL problems (non-receipt of newsletter, etc.), address your emails to webmaster@galileoalumni.org.

Thank you.

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The Galileo Observer invites your letters, memories, inquiries and suggestions. All submissions are subject to editing. 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 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Jim Dresser (1951)
Vice President: Bernard Valdez (1949)
Secretary: Janet Sullivan Neilsen (1953)
Treasurer: Joe Scafidi (1950)

Directors
Mel Chiarenza (1953)
Frank Clima (1951)
Nina Pattini Clima (1950)
Diane Wall Cowart (1965)
Sisvan Der Harootunian (1951)
Monica Parenti Kirkland (1953)
Kay Lazzari Michelis (1953)
Fred Setting (1950)
Cordy Porter Surdyka (1953)
Augie Venezia (1953)

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.

Comments? Contact the Galileo Observer editor
last updated 21November2004
© 2002, 2003, 2004 Galileo Academy of Science and Technology Alumni Association of San Francisco