We have begun the planning of our 25th Class Reunion and are very excited about this upcoming event. The date is Saturday, November 29, 2008. The location is Rick's Prime Rib House on Buffalo Road in Gates. More details will follow as we are in the planning stages with regard to food, pricing, etc. Please use this website to contact me if you know of the whereabouts of any of our classmates. We have a master list (of 534 students) and are always updating it. If you could confirm your information with us - and the information of anyone you may still be in contact with - we would really appreciate it. My email is: ccarleton1@rochester.rr.com
The Class of 1983 Reunion Committee consists of: Cheryl (LaRocca) Carleton, Heidi (Hagler) Hull, Jim Caternolo, Renee Tubiolo, Karin (McDonough) Carnevale, Bill Thomas and Eileen (Ryan) Cooper.
Please be in touch - looking forward to November!!
Cheryl‹ Welcome
When event(s) and details are finalized, they will be posted here and we will mail invitations to everyone whose address we have.
ALL CLASSMATES: If you have not done so, please contact me to update or confirm your home address, telephone number, and e-mail address at gc88reunion@twcny.rr.com.‹ Saint Helen's School Reunion1977 Class Reunion ›
]]>It was really quite embarrassing; I had a hard time locating anything. It seemed nothing was where it was supposed to be. At one point I had to ask a teacher (who had graduated several years after my class) where I was. My kids thought that was hysterical -- Dad got lost in his own school! It's been two years, and I still can't believe there's no longer a main courtyard.
I still enjoy the surprised looks from local friends when they see my senior yearbook. Most comments center around two subjects: the number of students that were crammed into a single story school; and, the number of "ethnic" names.
It never occurred to me at the time, but I wish I had snapped more pictures of the school when I was there. I guess I was too focused on graduating and getting out. I remember a couple of teachers saying we would miss the school in a few years. They were right. It would be dishonest for me to say I had the good times that so many others had. But, that was my own fault. The school, the students, the faculty, and even the administration, were all great. I've been a youth counselor with a couple of churches and I always tell the kids the same thing I've told my own children, "You get out of your school experience what you put into it."
In retrospect; Gates-Chili was a great school. I learned a lot, but could've learned so much more. There were good times... but so many more to be had, if I had looked for them.
For the record -- the 25th reunion was great. I wasn't sure what to expect, and wasn't sure whether I would be glad I went. Well, I was very glad I went, and hope to be able to get to the next reunion. Thanks to all those that put so much of themselves into the 25th, it was very worthwhile. Thanks so much!
]]>My plan is to do it sometime next summer (2008). It will take a lot of work and one person could never do it. This endeavor would require several of you to step forward and volunteer your help in organizing this.
If you are willing to share in the responsibilities of one piece of this planning and organizing, please email through the contact link at the top of this page. Let me know if there is some category of responsibility that would interest you. Some categories will include:
1. Find graduates and missing classmates
2. Entertainment
3. Decorating
4. Food and Beverage Planning
Thanks for any help you can give in this endeavor.
Let's make this happen!
Take Care, Sharon GCHS Class of 1966
http://gates-chili-high.org
You can create several types of input to do this. The first thing that you will need to do is change your temporary password to something permanent that you will remember. This MUST be done in order to keep using the the website. There are two ways that you can do this. You can do it by:
1. Logging in with the username you registered with and the temporary password that was sent to you in the Welcome email. (If you have lost this, please use the Contact link above to let me know that you have lost it and send the permanent password you would like to use.)
2. Once you are logged in with your temporary password, choose the 'My Account' link on the upper left of that page. This will take you to your own user profile.
3. On that page, choose the 'Edit' tab at the top of that profile. A new page will open allowing you to edit your user info.
4. Under the Password section of that page, you will see two boxes. Enter the password you would prefer to use in the first box and repeat it in the second box. Then scroll to the bottom of that page and click on the 'Submit' button to make it final.
Once that is done, you can input your own post, blog, reply, etc.. You can start here:
http://gates-chili-high.org/node/add
You will see the various types of items you can enter and a short explanation of each. Click on any of the orange highlighted words on that page, and a new page will be opened to help you enter that information. If you choose to enter a Forum Topic, please use the Categories drop down menu to choose the most appropriate Forum for your post.
If you have several memories to share about GCHS, you may want to use the Blog format. It will allow you to add additional memories as you go along. I hope that you all take this opportunity to participate in the website.
Take Care, Sharon Adams Lane
GCHS Class of 1966
Anybody remember the toilet hung from the flag pole? Noone was going to be able to graduate until the ones involved fessed up. I was incriminated by associationon that one. I forget what party I was at, but I drank to much and passed out in the back of a car. Seems that car was driven to the school campus and a bunch of guys spray painted vulgarities on the school bleechers and hung the toilet from the flag pole. Then the infamous announcement that no one would be able to graduate until they came forward and confessed. So who was involved anyway? Anyone want to fess up?
I was checking out the class roster of '66. As you know I was consumed with the music program. There was a sax player named Tony D'Angleo. He really had great chops. I didn't see him on the roster. He wasn't in the yearbook either. Does anyone remember him? Wasn't he in our class?
So who's coming to the reunion? My wife and I will be there. Hope to see you all.
]]>The 'Chili Grange Experience' was about a whole lot more than just necking. You always arrived at the Grange Hall in total anticipation of the excitement that this night might bring. Because there was always something exciting about to happen!
You waited in line to pay, get your hand marked, and finally get into the dark room that housed the band and dance floor. The walls and floors were heavy with wood, so the sound of the local band playing that night reverberated right back at you in a cacophony of sound. It didn't matter. This was 'your place' and everyone that mattered to you was here.
As you entered the room, you wondered who would ask you to dance that night. And you got to see who was 'in love' that week and who was 'out of love'. Of course, you wore your coolest clothes, just to get some nods of attention. Fishnet stockings, short mini-skirts, british walkers, and LOTS of eye makeup. It didn't matter that in 5 minutes you would be sweating from all the body heat and lack of air. At least for those 5 minutes, when you entered, you looked great enough to get 'the nods'.
To cool off (or go to the bathroom) you could go downstairs, but it was musty and too well lit. This is not what you were looking for tonight! Or, if you were brave, you could go outside and roam the cemetary. Pretty dark and scarey, but you could find out who was staying faithful and who was 'messing around'!
My best friends Kathy Mack, Susie Ritchie, Debbie Baccaro, and Lois Cooper will enter the room with me. Kathy will always be first, as the ringleader. They will all head for the dance floor, but tonight is different for me. I will head for the stage because my 'steady boyfriend' is playing in the band tonight. Yes, we had 'steadys' back then. That meant we didn't even look at another guy! So, tonight I would spend sitting on the edge of the stage, listening to the music, and watch my girlfriends fall in love (or out of love).
And, tonight, before we leave, we'll all pack into Barb Mack's little Chevy Corvair. We'll pile in layers of people sitting and lying down. Maybe tonight we'll break the record! Even if we don't, we'll laugh so hard that Kathy will scream that she is going to pee her pants. This is a threat to be taken seriously, especially if you are on the bottom layer!
I will never forget this as the 'best night of my life'! At least, until next Saturday night....................
]]>Then when the expressway had ended, and we hadn't dumped the bus, Phil would direct us in a chorus of "Well, the driver on the bus goes.......". That poor man must have had a lot of grey hairs from us!Second Ambulance ›
]]>The Gates Chili School District was created in 1956, as growth in the community created a need for it.
The school mascot has always been the "Spartan". A simple blue Spartan was used in my graduating class, but I have noticed that he has changed with the times!
The yearbook was called the "Gateways" when I graduated. I assume it is the same now. For the class of 1966, it was a dark blue bound book. I lost mine years ago, but I will try to get a pic of ours.
I hear that there is a building project planned for the high school, so I wanted to put some info her for the history:
The original high school address was 910 Wegman Rd. The building itself, was designed in a courtyard setting. At the south end of the school there was an open courtyard with a beautiful view of the outdoors. That courtyard was a catalyst for many daydreams!
The library was in the north end; gymnasium was located in the northwest corner with doors going on the 'fields' (soccer, football, field hockey); industrial ('shop') classroom at the northeast corner; auditorium and cafeteria was in the east section, near the center. Lockers were lined on many of the walls.
I also remember the exact placement of the principal's office (I spent a few hours there!). It was at the very south end of the building, in the center, with a door open so that everyone could see who was in trouble!
The toughest class to get into was 'driver's ed'. We all wanted to drive back then!
I will add more as I remember.
Crowded hallways ›