CONTEST

Ladies and gentlemen....Here's our first and second contests. This is for the students that went to Memphis during the 50-60s. I will also have contests coming up that will be for students that attended during the 70s then one more contest for students from the 80s. 

Scroll down to the bottom picture for contest #2. Enter either contest 1 or 2, not both.

Contest #1....Name each of the six teachers in the photos below. These are the photos that Gloria (Gorczyca) Downey was nice enough to submit. If you know the names, please email them to me at: zarykfamily@twc.com

In order to give everyone a chance to see this, we will give everyone until October 15th to respond. Once I get everyone's email with the correct names, I will place your names in a bowl and my wife will pick out two winners.

Tell us the names from L to R for photo #1

Tell us the names from L to R for photo #2

Each of the two winners can pick any two of these fine artifacts from our school. I also have a pencil sharpener not pictured that will also be available. I found the flashlight in the custodians office and it still works! That's another YOYO, a box of super old Sucrets, old pop bottle, some old clay that's still semi-pliable, old chalk and a can of silver decorative spray.

Contest #2.....Interestingly, 4 out of the 7 products pictured above were made in Cleveland. Tell me which of the 4 were made in Cleveland and you will win a prize. Contest rules same as above, Oct 15th deadline but only one name with the correct answer will be pulled for this one. Good Luck!

Memphis School Items

I have two full boxes of small mementos from our old school. Need to start thinning these artifacts out. I will be posting what I have and if anything sings to you, email me at zarykfamily@twc.com

This old gal was apparently left behind from one of our travelling puppet shows. I found her sleeping under the stage in the auditorium. I suspect the puppeteers couldn't use her since some of the strings were detached, so they stowed her away and forgot all about her. I didn't realize they used real hair on the older marionettes! Click on any image to enlarge.

If this is someone's YO-YO that was taken away from them by one of our great teachers...I would be happy to return it to you at no charge! By doing quick research, it appears to be from the early 70s.

I'll have more to post. Also, the 'Name-the-teacher" contest is coming soon, thanks to our good friend and fellow classmate, Gloria (Gorczyca) Downey and her recent submission of some great pictures of teachers from the early 60s.

Gloria (Gorczyca) Downey's Story and Photos

Here's the wonderful story and pictures from Gloria (Gorczyca) Downey that I lost during the recent email changeover I went through. Thankfully, Gloria was able to resend her story and the great photos she took during her last visit at our school in 94. Also, we have some more photos that Gloria shared of some of her teachers back in the 50s that we will use for a 'name-the-teacher' contest. I will be posting them soon! The winner will win a souvenir.... an old pencil sharpener from one of our old classrooms (similar to the pencil sharpener in photo #5 below). 

Here's Gloria's story and great photos....Remember to click on any image to enlarge!

Hi Greg,

My family moved from Cleveland in 1961 to California. I went to Mark Twain through the 4th grade and then on to Memphis and that's where all my memories are. I found Bruce Stoessner's article on the internet a few years ago and have messaged him a few times on Facebook. It turns out that he lived just 4 houses away from mine. He moved there shortly before we left, he was younger so I don't remember him but he actually remembered my brother and I remembered his older sister.

Looked up Memphis School again last night and found your blog. My sister and I went on a road trip in 1994 and had just minutes to spend in Cleveland and had to drive past Mark Twain and Memphis School. It just so happen that school just let out days earlier and the were a few cars parked so we went inside. The people there said that the future of Memphis was undecided and things were being packed up. We asked if we could walk around and take a souvenir, they said sure. I took a metal fallout shelter sign and some flash cards. Now, of course, I wish I had filled the car with stuff. I took a few photos (attached) below. Also there is a picture of Mrs. Wurch's autograph from my old autograph book. I always thought that I wish I could do something with my name like that.

I graduated in 1959

Thanks for sharing your memories of Memphis,

Gloria ( GORCZYCA) Downey

                                          

                                          

Love the look of fountain pen ink which was commonly used back then. You can tell Mrs. Wurch was really creative! Click on this image to enlarge.

New Email Address!

Hello Fellow Memphians! I have a new email address it's:

zarykfamily@twc.com

The above pic is our old elementary school back when it had only two floors, not three like we all remember. This is a super rare image taken sometime before 1919, which is the year the third floor was added. Does anyone remember how cool our school looked at night when all of the classrooms were lit up? I remember going to an open house at night and walking there with my mother from W. 42nd Street. The school looked magnificent!

Please send your memories to me...long or short and some pics. Remember to hit the older posts button at the bottom of each page to see other stories and pics.

Thank you!

Greg