East High School - Denver, CO - Class of 1960 - Back In the Day

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Updated July 18, 2015

 

 The Denver Post

 

3 reunite for devil of a hike

August 23, 2002

 

Section:A      Page: A-02     Dick Kreck

 

Men will be boys.  Pals Harris Sherman, Larry Modisett and Kent Drummond went for a walk at Devil’s Head in the Pike National Forest near Deckers in 1952.  Three typical 10-year-olds exploring the woods.

“We totally got lost,” remembers Harris, now a prominent real estate and water lawyer.  Like 10-year-olds everywhere, the trio thought they knew a better way home.  “We went to the ranger station on Devil’s Head, and coming back we decided we were going to jump from one switchback to another.  We got off the trail”.

So far off that even though it was only a mile back to the trailhead and they could see downtown Denver way off to the north, the three were hopelessly lost in heavy forest.  As darkness closed in, the trio holed up in a small cave, warmed by their T-shirts and sustained by one canteen of water.

The next morning, they laid out a large “HELP” sign in rocks on the side of a hill and, against all what-to-do-when-you-get-lost rules, began walking.  “We did everything wrong,” Harris says.  “We came to a stream and walked uphill.”

A search party, led by legendary University of Denver ski coach Willy Schaeffler, a friend of one of the boy’s parents, was looking for the boys when they showed up.  “We found a trail that took us to the ranger station where we had been the day before,” Harris says.  “The ranger took us to the rescue group.”

On Saturday, 50 years later, the three childhood friends will re-create the hike.  Harris and Modisett, who went to East High School together, were at their 40^th reunion last year when they agree that it would be fun to go back.

I”II haven’t been to Devil’s Head since it happened,” Harris says.  “I think it’s a very great suggestion.”

 

EAST DENVER HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1960 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

 

By Elaine “Pixie” Pass Cohn

Little could anyone imagine at graduation, as we tossed our caps in the air,  that so many of us would gather fifty years later to celebrate. 

Denver in our day was significantly different.  It was a small town with no major highways,  and only five high schools.  The East High freshman class alone numbered over a thousand students.  New schools were soon planned by DPS.   Ours was the last great class of EHS.

GROWING UP IN THE MILE HIGH CITY       DO YOU REMEMBER……?

 

We rode Trolley cars downtown;  boys dressed in slacks and shirts;  girls in dresses, hats, and gloves.  We went  to the Denver Dry Goods  with its fancy Tea Room.  The Daniels & Fishers Department Store had an observation tower complete with a doorman.  The ride to the top was 10 Cents.   There was Neusteters, Joslins, the Loop Market, and the “five and tens”  Neisners  (which became a Kmart—how did that happen?) and Woolworths.

A new blonde appeared on the block – the May Company, merging with D&F, no less.  The architecture did not quite “ fit in” with the rest of downtown – giving rise to the nickname,  the cootie catcher building.

We saw the first skyscrapers –such as The Denver US National.  Was it thirteen or fourteen stories?

However many,  it certainly impressed the cowboys and other visitors at Stock Show time.

People from out of town complained about the altitude, our lack of theaters and paltry upscale stuff,  but happily stayed at The Brown Palace, The Cosmopolitan, and the Argonaut hotels .

In our Denver,  one could eat fancy or plain;  at spots such as  the Rotating Top of the Rockies in the Security Life Bldg.,  The Edelweiss,  The Golden Lantern, Fraula’s,  Pig and Whistle, The Blue Parrot,  Joe Awful Coffee’s,  The Tiffin, Paisans, Rocky Built Hamburgers,  The Holiday Drive-In,  the White Spot,  and The Apple Tree Shanty – is it really now a McDonalds??

And who could forget the Republic Drug’s Soda Fountain,  Dolly Madison ice cream,  Bauers,  or the beautiful blue mirrored Russell Stover Candy Store.

Towering over Colfax Avenue was a huge Coors Beer Bottle with moving waterfalls and the slogan that boasted  “Brewed with Pure Rocky Mountain Spring Water”

The Denver Symphony Orchestra gave us School Concerts.  All sixth graders in the city gathered together for the Sixth Grade Sing.   During Stock Show week,  the elementary school kids wore cowboy hats and gear to class.  And the Class of 1960 went from Preschool all the way through High School with only ONE snow day!

As kids, we ice skated at Zeckendorf Plaza and at Washington Park which sported Winken, Blinken, and Nod.  There was music at Cheeseman’s and a sundial at Kramner’s.     We rode our Schwin  bicycles anywhere, anytime – it was safe.

We enjoyed Mammouth Gardens, Skateland, and later,  Hayrides at Glacier’s Barn,    There were  80 Lanes of Bowling at Celebrity.   

In High School,  the Angels were in many State Finals – baseball, basket ball, swimming, tennis, wrestling, football, etc.    Football !      “1-2-3-4-5,  Here comes Panik’s Super Tribe!    Are we in it;  well I guess!   East Side High School,  Yes, Yes, Yes !!!!”

 

We had Boat rides on Sloan’s Lake, picturesque  Merry-Go-Rounds,  and,  Cyclone Roller Coasters.  We sipped cherry Cokes and danced at Elitches’ Trocadero.    At City Park, we watched the dancing fountains, rode on a train or a paddle boat, and fed the ducks.    At the Denver Zoo and Museum of Natural History – admission – was FREE.

Season passes to the Denver Bears – only five bucks!  Bears manager -- Ralph Hauk;   cutest player  -- Bobby Richardson (sigh.)

We grew up with radio:  KOA, KVOD (Voice of Denver,) and KLZ.  “The Cream of Wheat Story Hour”,  the “Denver Post Funny Paper Program”,  “the Lone Ranger”,  “Inner Sanctum,” and  “Big John and Sparky”,  all gave way to KOSI with Bobby Beers playing Elvis,  Ricky Nelson, Little Richard, and the Beach Boys.

35 cents got you into the movies  (in black and white, of course)  which included the Feature plus  “News Magazine of the Screen.”   For a quarter or less you could buy refreshments;   popcorn in a small-sized box,  Black Jack gum, Sugar Daddys and Black Cows (unless you were wearing braces,) and Junior Mints or Milk Duds in a large-sized box.    The Tabor, the Tower;  the Orpheum,  the Ogden;  the Paramount,  the Aladdin, the Blurebird;  the Cooper Theater,  and the Valley Drive-In.   Most torn down now in the name of progress.

Black and white Television made its way over the Rocky Mountains (finally) in the early 50’s.  There were four channels, most of which finished transmitting at midnight.   The Star Spangled Banner played at sign off.   Sporting small screens, most TVs were topped with “rabbit ears” antennas.    Remember the “Test Patterns?”

 Driving South on a two-lane road,  take your pick of University or Colorado Blvd.,   to the edge of town;   to Bob’s Place,  with the “Howdy” sign  (or was it “Howdy Angels.?”)

Like today’s Coloradans,  we took trips to the mountains  (did anyone but the tourists go to Pike’s Peak?)

No, we went to Estes Park, Central City, Red Rocks, Steamboat Springs.   All pristine locations  -- without the traffic,  without the Texans!

We had our feet X-rayed at shoe stores to see if our new shoes would fit.   We saw the opening of something called a “Mall”  at Cherry Creek.  We shopped at Anderson’s Toyland.     We rode over viaducts and saw the beginnings of the Valley Highway. 

We watched the first jet planes take off from Stapleton Airport, and got free birthday cakes with sparklers at the Skycap restaurant.

It was another time,  another part.   Growing up in Denver – memories of the heart.

Dedicated to the Hardworking Reunion Committee,  to the memories of Michelle Toltz, Forrest Luff, and all our other departed classmates, and to Jeannie Colvin Groussman who gave me my nickname.

 

 

To see a very clear Pic of the Graduation , Click her on Steve Brown's Web site 

Steve Brown as enlarged Individuals from the Grad Pic, Click here to see if You can Id them??