High School Archives

Victor Curcio (1955)

 

Victor A. Curcio, 70, of Newell, died Sunday, October 12, 2008, at his residence. Born December 11, 1937, in Pittsburgh, he was the son of the late Victor Curcio, Sr. and Bertha Tretinik Curcio. A life long resident of Newell, he graduated from Brownsville High School, class of 1955 and attended the University of Maine. Mr. Curcio served in the United States Air force from 1961 to 1965 as an Airman 1st Class. He was a member of St. Sebastian's Roman Catholic Church in Belle Vernon where he served as an Usher for over 40 years. Mr. Curcio was a Special Deputy Sheriff of Fayette County, a Pennsylvania State Constable, a member of the Belle Vernon American Legion and a member of the former Moose Lodge in Newell.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret Cormier Curcio; children: Vicki (Sohail) Rashid of Burke Va., Chris (Trina) Curcio of Perryopolis and Nick (Michele) Curcio of Belle Vernon; four grandchildren: Alexandra, Abigail, Zachary Rashid and Emi Curcio; a brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Rondell Curcio of Newell.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today, October 14 in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY INC., 700 Broad Ave. Belle Vernon, Pa., 15012. www.FergusonFuneralHomeAndCrematory.com.

Prayers will be held in the Funeral Home Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Sebastian's Roman Catholic Church, Belle Vernon at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Patient Care Fund, 5115 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa., 15232. Parish Rosary will be recited at 3 p.m. today in the Funeral Home by parishioners of St. Sebastian's. The Belle Vernon America Legion Post 659 will conduct services in the Funeral Home at 7 p.m. today. Entombment will follow in LaFayette Memorial Park, Brier Hill, Pa.

Ernie Davis Movie

Ernie Davis remembered

Fayette County's rich sports history is chronicled repeatedly in Memory Lane, but it still is amazing to realize the impact the county has had in the Heisman Trophy balloting over the years.

That fact is in driven home once again with the release of Universal Pictures - "The Express" - the inspirational story of Ernie Davis. Forty-five years after his death Davis is once again in the spotlight.

Thursday night there was a special showing of "The Express" at the Carmike Cinemas at the Uniontown Mall, one day before the movie opened nationwide. A big crowd, including some of Davis' relatives and the Uniontown High School football team, turned out for the event.

Davis was born in New Salem and lived in Uniontown until he was 12. His mother remarried and settled in Elmira, N.Y., but Davis returned to Uniontown every summer and spent time with his extended family and played on the local playgrounds. The opening scenes of the movie are set in Uniontown, where Davis began developing his athletic skills. Davis once played on the same little league baseball team with Sandy Stephens and Bill Munsey who later went on to play at the University of Minnesota, which won the 1962 Rose Bowl.

 

The movie focuses on how Davis (played by Rob Brown) overcame the racial barriers at that time and his relationship with his coach at Syracuse Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid) and his teammates. Many people don't remember Davis because his career was cut so tragically short. The Ernie Davis story is one worth telling, and young people need to see the film. The Uniontown High School football team was moved after seeing "The Express." It should be required viewing for all teams and all youngsters and I might add that a few older folks could learn something from the film as well.

George Von Benko's "Memory Lane" columns appear in the Sunday editions of the Herald-Standard. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

Class of 1958 High School Memories

 

"Why do our high school experiences occupy such a prominent place in our memories?" Thoughts of high school can sometimes preoccupy us long after our high school days have ended. But why exactly do our high school memories have such a powerful hold on us? Why do they so often seem as vivid (and in the case of negative memories, just as cringe-inducing) today as they did years ago? As adults we tend to look fondly on our high school years, occasionally musing “what if” in relation to academics, athletics, social activities, and friendships.

During the class of 1958 50^th reunion in August, classmates recalled their high school memories that included:

Riding the bus to school; Catching a ride to school with classmates who had cars; How far they had to walk to school; Funny incidents that occurred during study hall; How their class went on strike; What band members did to their band leader’s car; How Charlie Slick coached the guys; How Ras and Nora Nanns won the “dirty dancing” contest;How the Annex guys had to change buildings for their instruction. One classmate talked about an incident that occurred in POD class 50 years ago that evolved around racial issues that still haunt her to this day—she said that she lost her closest friends back then based on this incident. Some classmates were able to remember events that occurred in grade school that still lingered in their minds 50+ years later.  All of these events were video taped and are included on the Class of 1958 DVDs and show the majority of classmates participating and sharing these high school memories from 50 years ago.

Take a 9 minute view of their high school memories and notice how much fun they had sharing their stories:

 1958 HS Memories

 

Share you BHS memories

 

Well, classmates, I am trying to find a way to get this blog more enticing and interactive by asking you to become more involved by “sharing your high school memories” with other classmates. I am running out of ideas to keep you informed about events and other info; therefore, it is time for you folks to step up to the plate and provide me with some stories from the good ole high school days. There should be enough HS memories to share with others to keep this blog going for another 5 years. 

 

Do you remember who your class officers were and any stories about them?  Do you remember which clubs you belonged to and interesting events that occurred?  Were you a member of the band, a cheerleader or majorette and remember the fun times you had?  Were you a jock and remember some stories that you guys experienced together?  Were you an annex guy and remember events that you went through during HS? Do you remember classmates and stories based on your academic, commercial, secretarial or general classes? Do you remember any special stories about your teachers? Do you remember any humorous events you had during study hall and/or detention? Who was voted for the most likely to succeed (and did they succeed)?  Who was voted the class clown, the shyest couple, the most attractive couple, etc. and what do you remember about these classmates? The list goes on and on about memories that I know so many of you can recall and share with all of us. 

So, take a stroll down memory lane, and think about that time you scored that winning touchdown, or that time you and your friends were sitting around laughing so hard that you thought your sides might split. Memory is a powerful force, after all, and while we can't always control which memories pop into our minds and when, we can make a deliberate effort to zero in on as many of our happier youthful memories as we can recall. Therefore, I am going to try to get classmates to stroll down memory lane once again and send me “their BHS memories” so I can post them in this blog for discussion and if nothing else to simply recall the “good ole high school and/or elementary days.”  ‘

Send me an email indicating your name and class and the topic along with a story about the actual event that you remember so vividly that you wish to share with others. Maybe your classmates will remember it also and chime in to the topic with their comments.

 

Dr. Paul Burd

 

Burd enters Cal U HOF for work as an administrator

By Christine Oviatt, For the Herald Standard

10/06/2008

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Each year, since 1995, California University of Pennsylvania has honored former athletes with induction into its Sports Hall of Fame. This year, four of the eight inductees are local legends. Dr. Paul Burd, Richard S. "Dick" Caputo, Sebastian "Sibby" LoNigro and Scott "Skooter" Roebuck all grew up in the area and still reside here. They all have different backgrounds, participated in different sports and all have the same perspective on Cal U - it got them where they are today. The inductees will be honored at a banquet at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, in the Performance Center at the Elmo Natali Student Center. Tickets are $35 each. Reservations may be made by contacting either Amy Lombard or Montean Dean of Cal U Alumni Relations at 724-938-4418

 Today, a look at Burd.Honoree Dr. Paul Burd has a different story than most in the HOF. In fact, he was part of the original committee in '95 that created the Hall of Fame. Now, 13 years later, he is inducted into his own idea to honor individual sports athletes and contributors. "I never thought that as an administrator (at Cal) I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame," Burd said with a laugh. Burd grew up in Brownsville and graduated from Brashear High School, now Brownsville High School. He went to West Virginia University to receive his bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in clinical psychology. "My first love was working with students," said Burd.

After working for WVU, he ventured back home to the Brownsville area to start what would become a 35-year career. "My goal was to come back to western Pennsylvania for my son Scott and my wife Elizabeth's benefit." He came to Cal as director of the Financial Aid office in 1969. He was the interim Vice President of Student Development and Services in 1992, and accepted the full-time position in 1993 until retirement in '04. "I still go there to see everyone at the office and once they start to get to business and begin working, I just run away." he joked. "But I did something that I liked to do when I was there. Not everyone gets paid to do a job that they love doing."

When it came to athletics, he was not one to be put in the spotlight but rather behind all of the action. Everyone involved with the athletics department reported to him. He was a vice-president representative member of the PSAC Board of Directors for two years and he also chaired the NCAA self-evaluation of the Cal athletic program. He helped establish the first athletic gender equality committee which dealt with Title IX in the early 70s. "I got to see things happen when Title IX was introduced that I never thought I would. I recruited women to Cal to coach and participate in many sports, including golf and softball, which brought back national championships to Cal."

Without him and the other members of the original committee, there would not be a Hall of Fame. Burd has helped Cal become one of the top athletics program in the NCAA Division II because not only did he love his job, but also because he loves sports. "I was doing the things I liked to do. I really liked working with everyone."  "I still try to make it to the sporting events." he stated. "Cal is a part of my family now."
Burd still resides in Brownsville with wife. His son graduated from Cal in 1992 and his daughter Megan currently attends Cal.

 

Ruth Gomery, 103, School Nurse

 

Ruth Leighty Gomery, R.N., age 103, of Brownsville, Pa., went home to be with the Lord peacefully Friday morning, October 3, 2008, from Brownsville General Hospital. She became a substitute school nurse in the Brownsville Schools for the 1950-1951 school year and then became a full time school nurse in the Brownsville School system in 1952 serving there until her retirement in 1969. She is survived by two sons, Thomas (BHS class of 1955), with whom she lived in Brownsville and James and his wife Linda of Hot Springs, Arkansas; several nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews and many loving friends.

Family and Friends will be received in the SKIRPAN FUNERAL HOME, 135 Park Street, Brownsville, Pa., on Tuesday, October 7, from 2 to 8 p.m. where a Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, October 8, 2008, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Jack Hernstrom officiating.Interment will follow in Lafayette Memorial Park, Brier Hill, Pennsylvania. Memorials may be made to St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 307 High Street, Brownsville, PA 15417 in the name of (Sarah) Ruth Leighty Gomery, R.N.

Class of 1959 Reunion Committee

Members: Lynn Rankin, Lee Slick, Elaine Ryan, George Malek, Andy Behary & Erm Hartmann

 

The Class of 1959 50^th reunion committee held their first meeting at Hugo’s in Centerville on October 1. A preliminary letter will be sent to classmates within the next few weeks to request information such as name, address, email, phone number and info on missing classmates. We also need to know if you plan to attend this reunion so we know who to mail our RSVP letters to next year.

Any suggestions classmates may have to raise money for our reunion is appreciated. We are starting with 0 dollars and need all the help we can get.  Thanks classmates!

Any information you wish to provide now can be sent to any of the following members:

Lee Slick: lees520@excite.com

Erm Hartmann: hart5s@verizon.net

Andy Behary: jbehary@comcast.net

George Malek: geo841@verizon.net

CHECK OUT YouTube for additonal info on reunion:   1959 committee video!