Weekly Trivia Answers

Here are the trivia answers to this week's questions:

1. Walter Mondale
2. Bob Dole
3. Richard Schweiker
4. Rocky
5. "Songs in the Key of Life" by Stevie Wonder
6. Chris Chambliss
7. Swine Flu
8. Happy Days
9. A parade of tall sailing ships in New York Harbor
10. In a debate, he said Eastern Europe was not under the control of the Soviet Union
11. Innsbruck, Austria
12. Montreal
13. Nadia Comenici
14. Dorothy Hammil
15. Linda Ronstadt

Odds and Ends ... Our reunion announcement appears in today's edition of the Minuteman newspaper.

Bicentennial Trivia Time

How well do you remember 1976? Here's a chance to test your knowledge of trivia from our nation's Bicentennial celebration year. The following questions are courtesy of funtrivia.com. The answers will appear in Thursday morning's blog entry.

1. Democratic presidential nominee Jimmy Carter selected this man as his Vice Presidential running mate:

• Patrick Moynihan
• Walter Mondale
• Sargent Shriver
• John Anderson

2. President Gerald Ford selected this man as his running mate:

• George Wallace
• Nelson Rockefeller
• Bob Dole
• Ronald Reagan

3. Ronald Reagan, who was challenging Gerald Ford for the Republican presidential nomination, took the unusual step of naming his running mate before the convention. Whom did he select?

High Scott

• Howard Baker
• George Romney
• Richard Schweiker

4. What movie won the Academy award for Best Picture of 1976?

• Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
• Network
• Rocky
• All the President's Men

5. What album was awarded the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1976?

• Face the Music (Electric Light Orchestra)
• Rumors (Fleetwood Mac)
• Songs in the Key of Life (Stevie Wonder)
• Hotel California (Eagles)

6. Who hit the pennant winning home run for the New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth inning in the decisive fifth game of the American League Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals?

• Reggie Jackson
• Chris Chambliss
• Thurman Munson
• Craig Nettles

7. President Gerald Ford ordered the nation's largest immunization program to date by ordering that vaccinations against this disease be made available to every American:

• Spanish Influenza
• Chicken Pox
• German Measles
• Swine Flu

8. This was the highest rated regularly scheduled television show in the United States in 1976:

• Charlie's Angels
• Happy Days
• The Six Million Dollar Man
• Laverne and Shirley

9. How was July 4th (the Bicentennial) celebrated in New York City?

• The Statue of Libery was adorned in thousands of red, white, and blue lights
• A parade of tall sailing ships took place in New York Harbor
• The world's largest flag was flown from the Empire State Building
• Celebrations were canceled due to a blackout

10. President Gerald Ford narrowly lost the presidential election to Jimmy Carter, and most political analysts believe one major mistake cost him the election. What was it?

• He pardoned former President Richard Nixon for his Watergate crimes
• Unaware that his microphone was on, he uttered a profanity about Jimmy Carter
• He gave an interview to Playboy magazine in which he said he lusted for other women
• In a debate, he said that Eastern Europe was not under the control of the Soviet Union

11. Where were the Winter Olympics held?

• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Lake Placid, New York
• Innsbruck, Austria
• Sapporo, Japan

12. Where were the Summer Olympics held?

• Moscow
• Montreal
• Mexico City
• Munich

13. This popular folk singer was often called the "unofficial First Lady of California" because of her friendship with its bachelor governor Jerry Brown:

• Joan Baez
• Judy Collins
• Maureen McGovern
• Linda Ronstadt

14. This American skater won the Olympic gold medal and soon women and girls everywhere were getting their hair styled like hers:

• Peggy Flemming
• Dorothy Hamill
• Janet Lynne
• Linda Fratianne

15. In the Summer Olympics, this person became the first ever to score a perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics competition:

• Egg Foo Young
• Olga Korbut
• Nadia Comenici
• Mary Lou Retton

Good luck, and I'll have the answers Wednesday morning.

Paul

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Last night after supper I took my nightly walk around the block four times. After nearly one lap --- about a half-mile --- a car pulled up next to me. I recognized the driver immediately.

"I didn't know you were in my class," said Diane Kiraly, my neighbor. "We actually went to high school together."

Diane and her family have lived in our neighborhood since we were children. I know Diane and her three daughters very well, and we've become good friends recently.

"I saw your name and photos on the reunion Web site," she said. "I was among the 'missing.'"

We both chuckled and shared memories of high school in the middle of the street while her daughters seemed to enjoy our hearty laughter and fond remininscing. Naturally, she's looking forward to the reunion.

Diane was assigned to Fitts House, while I was a student in Wolcott. That may, in part, explain why our paths never crossed much at all while we attended Andrew Warde High School. But, isn't it odd that after all these years of being acquaintances and neighbors we didn't even remember that we were members of the same graduating class?

After about 15 minutes, Diane and her family were on their way to supper. As I resumed my walk, I thought about all the neighbors who were classmates of mine at Warde. I passed the Beam's home, where Jeff and Greg grew up. Jeff was a '76 alum, and his brother, Greg, still lives at home and is a good friend.

Around the bend, Chris O'Day's Mom still lives in the same home where I spent a lot of time as a youth. Chris frequently visits, and we've chatted about the reunion a number of times. A few homes down the street, Joanne Amelung, a member of our reunion committee and good friend, is raising her daughter, a student at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. And, across the street, Kevin Shay's Mom and her family are still going strong.

I kept walking and noticed the "Congratulations, Graduate" balloons adorning several mailboxes throughout the neighborhood. I chatted with Janet, a '75 Warde alum, whose twin daughters graduated from Warde Wednesday evening. We spoke about how special the evening was for her and her daughters.

Our neighborhood is a close-knit community which is located next to Samp Mortar Lake. Due to redistricting a few years ago, some families had the option of sending their children to Ludlowe High School. Roughly half the graduates on our block are from Ludlowe. Now, though, the neighborhood is exclusively within the Warde district.

My son attends Roger Ludlowe Middle School, but he'll be moving on to Warde in two years. It will be special for both of us when he attends the same high school as his Dad.

As for now, I look foward to seeing Diane, Joanne, and possibly Jeff, Chris, and Kevin, on my strolls around the neighborhood block.

Odds and Ends ... The 30th anniversary of our high school graduation is tomorrow, Saturday, June 24 ... The reunion festivities are eight weeks from Saturday.

Paul

The Changing Face of Fairfield

As one would expect, Fairfield has changed dramatically over the last 30 years. Black Rock Turnpike, the main thoroughfare on the Eastern side of town, bears little resemblance to the road on which we walked or rode our bicycles over a generation ago.

Who could ever forget establishments such as Gelco, Fair Mart, Pike Diner, Gail's, Howland's, Kuhn's Corner, Leopold's, Bonanza, Dairy Queen, Turnpike Stationary, and Jimmie's of Savin Rock? They're all long gone now.

On the other side of town, the Post Road has undergone a tremendous transformation, too. Stores which were fixtures for years on Route 1 are no longer there. Now comes word that Al's Place, perhaps the most popular watering hole for the working class, is "tapped out."

According to this morning's edition of the Connecticut Post, "The legendary long-time bar at the Post Road and Thorpe Street was evicted from its building Monday because of outstanding debt."

Al's Place was the signature bar for the working class in town. I'm sure many of us recall having "a cold one" or two or three with friends and even classmates at Al's. "All your shot-and-beer drinkers, your working people, your two-, three-, and four-dollar people, they're not going to have anyplace to go, especially with the Driftwood closing and Al's closing," said Clarence Jennings of Easton. "You've got a bunch of kid's bars, but no man's bars."

Oddly, Jennings is from affluent Easton, and he's complaining about the closing of a "working man's" bar. In addition, Al's was quite popular among the younger set, too. It wasn't just a "man's bar," Clarence. The Post article states, "Al's was raided last April by police who arrested 20 people for underage drinking. But John Suchy, director of the state's Liquor Control Commission, said Al's closing had nothing to do with an action by his agency."

The closing of Al's place, one of the most recognizable "landmarks" in town, is just another example of the changing face of Fairfield. The value of assets in Al's Place is about $5,000, according to the story in the newspaper.

Fairfield was a working-class town for many years. Those of us who attended Andrew Warde came from hardworking, blue-collar families who valued the dollar. Today, though, the town more closely resembles Wilton, Weston, New Canaan, and, to some degree, Greenwich. Everything must be bigger, better, and faster. Starbucks instead of Doughnut Inn. SUV's rather than economical cars or even station wagons. McMansions over Capes. Cell phones instead of common sense and/or patience.

The closing of Al's Place, although unfortunate, may be more symbolic than anything.

Paul

Graduation Day

It's that time of the year again. Whether it's elementary school, middle school, high school, or college, students are celebrating their graduations this week. Wednesday, June 21, the first official day of Summer, is graduation day for the students at Fairfield Warde High School. Three days later, June 24, marks the 30th anniversary of our graduation from Andrew Warde High School.

Thirty years. Can it possibly be 30 years since we accepted our diplomas and moved on with our lives? Reading several of the comments of our fellow classmates on the Warde reunion Web page, it appears most of us are having difficulty remembering much about our high school days. So much has happened in our lives since then.

According to Annie Forstrom, "Wow! Can it really be 30 years since we graduated? It seems like yesterday when I threw my mortarboard onto the cafeteria roof in sheer happiness of graduating. I wonder if it's still there?"

In many ways, Annie is right. It does seem like yesterday. However, 30 years is a very long time, and the memories of what happened over a generation ago aren't nearly as vivid as they once were.

"Wow. This really takes one back," wrote Scott Patterson. "Back in 1976, I couldn't wait to finish school and to get on with my life. But knowing what I do now, I would have savored more from our high school days, as many memories and feelings are now flooding back. Some, frankly, I don't remember!"

Stacey Marden comments, "High school? Yikes! I don't remember it." And, Debbie Russo chimed in with, "Memories of high school are quite a blur after all these years, but I look forward to seeing classmates I've not seen in many years."

As the reunion approaches, many are quite candid with their honesty. "I hope I can remember each and every one of you," hopes Fred Nehrings. "It's going to be tough. After all, this is my first class reunion, and it's been 30 years since I've seen most of you."

Fred, many of us feel just as you do. Our families, neighbors, and friendships have changed dramatically in 30 years. We're not the same people we were on June 24, 1976.

My advice? Just relax and have a great time sharing a special evening with those with whom we shared four special years a long, long time ago.

Paul

Who Was Andrew Warde?

Just who was Andrew Warde? Most people who live or were raised in Fairfield are well aware that Roger Ludlowe was the founder of our town. One of the town's two high schools and one of its three middle schools are named after Ludlowe.

However, I'd venture to say that Andrew Warde's biography and legacy is not nearly as famous as that of Ludlowe.

Andrew Warde High School was the second public high school to open in town due to a burgeoning population back in 1956. Exactly a half-century later, the school is now known as Fairfield Warde, but ask anyone in town about Andrew Warde, and I'm sure you'll get a blank stare.

We know he was born in Homersfield in Suffolk County, England in 1597, and he was one of the founders of Wethersfield and Stamford, Connecticut. His tombstone states that he was "an honored citizen of Fairfield, Conn. where he died in 1659."

The inscription on his tombstone at the Old Fairfield Cemetery further reads, "Member of a comission graunted to sev'al p'sons to governe the people att]conecticott by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay under John Winthrop Jr. Governor 1635~1636."

Andrew Warde married Hester (or Esther) Sherman February 1, 1618 (or 1619) in Woodbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Edmund Sherman and Joan Makin. She was born April 1, 1606 in Dedam, Essex, England, and died February 28, 1665 (or 1666) in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Their 10 children were Abigail, Edmund, William, Anne, Mary (who married John Burr), John, Sarah (who married Nathaniel Burr), Andrew, Samuel, and Esther. Abigail married Moses Dimon, and their daughter, Abigail Dimon, married Samuel Smedley, Sr., November 30, 1700, in Stratford, Connecticut. I'm sure you recall Smedley House at Warde.

The entire list of Andrew Warde's descendants can be found online. I think today's students would be wise to find out the rich biography of their school's namesake. Although the "Andrew" has been dropped from the school name, "Warde" still remains to remind us of our past and his vital role in the history of Fairfield.

Paul

Eagles, Mustangs, Whalers, Hurricanes, & Oilers

The National Hockey League's Stanley Cup finals are in full swing, and the series is nostalgic for several reasons. Most Connecticut sports fans fondly remember the former Hartford Whalers, now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and now known as the Hurricanes. They're playing the Edmonton Oilers in the best-of-seven championship series. The Hurricanes actually advanced to the NHL finals in 2002, but they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.

I was at the final game ever in Hartford when the Whalers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sunday, April 13, 1997. My family sat in the very top row and, although it was probably not nearly as emotional as the day the Dodgers left Brooklyn, I saw many grown men crying when the Whalers took one final skate around the rink to the strains of their theme song, "Brass Bonanza."

However, did you know that both of the two finalists this year debuted during our freshman year in high school as original members of the World Hockey Association? The Alberta Oilers and New England Whalers were flagship franchises in the WHA, which began play one month into our freshman year at Andrew Warde High School, then known as the home of the Crimson Eagles. The Whalers, who took their name from the WHA, won the inagural Avco Cup in the Spring of 1973.

One year later, the Oilers changed their official name from Alberta to Edmonton, while the Whalers eventually moved from Boston to Hartford. Both teams were incorporated into the National Hockey League in 1979, and the Oilers supplanted the New York Islanders as the league's dynasty, winning five Stanley Cups from 1985 to 1990.

So, as we prepare for our 30th high school reunion in August from a school which is now known as the home of the Fairfield Warde Mustangs, and you watch the Stanley Cup championship series, realize that both of these teams began in the Autumn of 1972-73 when we were just starting high school. They're still going strong today. And, so are we!

Paul

Lights, Camera, Action!

After a second successful reunion committee meeting last Saturday evening at Three Corners Restaurant in Fairfield, our promotion of the event hit the "big screen" this week. Reunion chairman Tony Procaccini appeared as a featured guest on News 12 Connecticut's Education Notebook Tuesday morning. The program will air several times this coming weekend.

Tony was interviewed by host Eric Greene. The segment covered a variety of topics, including information about the reunion, how the committee prepares for the event, and previous successful reunions. Tony brought visuals for the interview, and he showed his baseball cap from his days at Andrew Warde High School. Tony even showed the baseball he caught for the last out against arch-rival Roger Ludlowe in the 4-2 victory over the Tigers on May 12, 1976.

Eric Greene asked Tony about his previous reunion experience, including his elementary school reunion. They also discussed the important roles of the committee members and how each person brings a specific area of expertise in planning for the event.

Additional information about the reunion may be found at http://www.news12.com by clicking on Numbers and Links on the left-hand side.

Odds and Ends ... Former teachers Ed Bengermino and Ben Guerra have accepted invitations to the reunion. Ed is leaving on vacation the following day, but he was excited to hear about the reunion. "That was a great class," he said. Plans are in the works for a Family Reunion Social Sunday, August 20, at Lake Hills in Fairfield. Details will be forthcoming soon. Please be sure to check the reunion Web site for more information.

Paul

Television 30 Years Ago

Just about every other day my 12-year-old son, Billy, tells me, "There's nothing good on TV." We have Cablevision's Optimum IO package, which means we receive over 800 channels with every kind of programming you can imagine. Still, even though I chuckle at the remark, I have to agree with him.

Due to my early alarm, I don't have the opportunity to watch "prime time" television much anymore. However, on those rare occasions when I have an idle evening, the network programming is awful. "Survivor" and "Idol" programming is simply putrid. Are there any sitcoms today which can compare to what we were watching 30 years ago during our final year at Andrew Warde High School? I don't think so.

Here's a list of the Top Ten television shows from 1976, and many of them can still be seen in syndication today on TV Land or other local channels:

1. Happy Days ABC (31.5)
2. Laverne & Shirley ABC (30.9)
3. ABC Monday Night Movie ABC (26.0)
4. M*A*S*H CBS (25.9)
5. Charlie's Angels ABC (25.8)
6. The Big Event NBC (24.4)
7. The Six Million Dollar Man ABC (24.2)
8. ABC Sunday Night Movie ABC (23.4)
9. Baretta ABC (23.4)
10. One Day at a Time CBS (23.4)

I'm sure you'll remember many other "classic" television shows from that time period, such as All in the Family and Good Times, two series which I enjoyed immensely. Also, remember that we were still years away from cable television, and there were only eight channels we received. We couldn't even get all the Connecticut channels.

Also, recall that network prime-time movies were a staple back then, since cable's movie channels didn't exist. Each network had specific nights of the week on which it would show its prime-time movie. I still recall the theme music for each of the three network movies on CBS, NBC, and ABC. As a younger child, I knew what night of the week it was simply by hearing the movie theme song.

What channels did we receive? Channels two, four, five, seven, eight, nine, 11, and 13. The Mets and Yankees were on channels nine and 11, respectively, and the announcers were almost like extended family. Bob Murphy, Lindsey Nelson, and Ralph Kiner were the Mets' announcers, while Frank Messer, Phil Rizzuto, and Bill White broadcast the Yankees' games. Who are their announcers today? What channels are they on today? Better yet, who cares?

Yes, television is certainly much improved today technologically, but the quality of the programming pales in comparison with 1976. What do you think? Please e-mail me at pppiorek@news12.com to let me know.

Odds and Ends ... Our second reunion committee meeting is scheduled this evening at 7 o'clock at Three Corners Restaurant in Fairfield. Tony Procaccini, the reunion committee chair, is a featured guest on News 12 Connecticut's Education Notebook next week. Tony will appear for an in-studio interview Tuesday morning, and the program will air several times the following weekend.

Paul