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Ken Ortiz

Hello all,

Here is a really cool sighting story that recently happened to me:

Our last few discussions here were about haunted places in the area. I mentioned Wolfden Brewing (one such haunted place), located in Bloomingdale, Illinois, where I have been a few times recently as I have some family that recently moved to Bloomingdale. I was there last Friday evening with my Bro and they have an outdoor beergarden (Biergarten) area (as they are not having indoor service as of yet). So my Bro and I were hanging out there and chilling, and as the temperature was going down and as we were really starting to chill (literally), we decided to move to their firepit area, which seats about 8. So as we were holding conversation with a woman there, a man came to our area and sat among us. So he joined in with us and as we were talking, we found out he grew up in Chicago. I told him that I also grew up in Chicago and went to Lane Tech (I had on my Lane Tech alumni hat, but it was dark and he was a ways away, so he did not notice it). He said, "Really? I also went to Lane Tech." So, not only did he go to Lane tech, he was a Class of 76'er! I let him know about our 76 website and hopefully he will join in. We shared stories about some teachers and  found out we both had Caroll for English 2. So we got a picture together and here he is. Let me introduce you all to Tom Lejman (who was on the Lane football team and is on page 32 and 195 in our 1976 yearbook). Also, he lives in the same subdivision area as my Bro, so I am sure we may run into each other again as I visit down there frequently. 

Okay, I do not know why this picture came here sideways, I tried to rotate it, never worked. Sorry all.

Edward Mc Carthy

Okay....Michelle - Weisemuller's accolades were posted up on the walls along side others outside the main office and I recall Dr. Rackey making mention of him once.  So the reality is,  he did not garduate from LT?   Oh the humanity of it all.  I can never again swing from a vine............

Thanks for all these details.  I do agree, success and 'hall of fame' is highly subjective.  For some, just making ends meet is noteworthy.  Others, well, some are more fortunate or more determined.  But I have learned we all have great blessings and each of us should be proud of what we have done.  Or not done.  As I age, my attitides chnage and I realize as I said above, hall of fame and success is really a personal/individual thing.  Sure, some people reach 'celebrity' status.  And I am happy for them.  But reaching a point of personal accomplishment and having what you need ( and success )  is measured differently for everyone.  My oldest is 25 and my youngest, a son, now 15, well, my definition of success right now and my hall of fame moment is getting him through high school and college.  We can all agree raising kids today is vastly more challenging than what our parents had to contend with.  He is a great kid, decent student and remarkable athlete,  but like many today, smart decisions and making plain good decisions are more and more difficult with each day.

Nuff said.  BTW, I admire that you are seeking to create a hall of fame.  Great idea to inspire others.

Terri (Therese) Bresnahan (Reid)

Thank you so much, Ed!  I'm really blessed to be able to have a career doing what I love.  And in large part, I credit all of those amazing English teachers I had at Lane.  The teacher who had the most impact on me was Mr. Penfield - I can still remember him reading Hamlet, Act 5 Scene 1  where he holds up poor Yorick's skull and talks to it.  Then he threw the invisible skull at us - and we all ducked.   He was just amazing. I still diagram sentences in my mind. 

I hope your wife and daughter enjoy the books!!!!

Terri 

Robert Cole

Michelle...

LTHS Hall of Fame...

What?  No Blago?
So what if he transferred out of Lane.

Maybe he gets his own section of the "Hall of Infamous"

Michelle Milkovic (Weiner)

Ha!  Hall of Shame...

I always heard he transferred to Foreman because he didn't make the Lane basketball team but who knows. I've lived across the street from Dick Mell for 30 years so we've had a front seat for the rise and fall of that political reality show.

I think we had an alum who was a Nazi spy in the 40s and a few more politicians who probably qualify, but we'll stick to higher ground.

:)

Robert Cole

He could head up the "Hall of Shinola"

Michelle Milkovic (Weiner)

In line to do my early voting on Friday.

Anybody recognize this building?

Edward Mc Carthy

uhhhh, is that maybe the entracne to that prison in Joliet?

Andrea M Adam

Michelle,

     Is that the entrance to the Irish American Heritage Center? These old schools all kinda look the same!

Marie Costa (McJilton)

Newton Bateman Elementary?

Robert Cole

Terri...

It's not ghost stories, but you should check out the annual International Magic Convention in Colon, MI. The largest magic convention in the world... in one of the smallest towns you'll ever find.

Harry Blackstone, Sr. had a home there and used to spend off-seasons there.  Developing new illusions and trying them out on the locals.  Over time, magicians gravitated there to learn from the master.  The convention just developed.

Some friends of ours used to own a small property there, right next to the old Blackstone property.  They have an old B/W picture of Blackstone Sr., standing on their dock, getting ready to do an underwarer escape.  The actual container from that picture is in their Blackstone museum in town (SMALL museum... but cool.).

There's a big container still on the shore where the locals say Balckstone Sr. used to stuff Blackstone Jr. when he was being a pest.  Before Jr. became a world-renowned magician in his own right.  I saw Jr.s stage show once and it was SPECTACULAR!

There's also a mail-order magic house in the small town that was started long ago by one of Blackstone's competitors.  It's still the largest magic specialty house in the world.
A very interesting little (very little) town, Colon, MI.  Still the magic capital of the world.

And, they STILL do a GREAT small town Independence Day celebration in the summer.  Nothing beats a small-town-America parade and festival.  A GIANT fireworks show!

Great small town diner.  The best fried chicken in town is served t the Marathon station on the way out!  Nice quiet lake.  Modest fishing (Tom Sawyer style.  Catching fish just gets in the way).  Very relaxing.  Quiet.
Americana at its best!

Except during the Magic Convention! 

Michelle Milkovic (Weiner)

As usual... Marie is correct! 

Check out John Simmers post #89 on this forum.

:)

Marie Costa (McJilton)

Michelle,

How did you remember that post? It is like from ages ago.

Anyhow, it is amazing how many 76's came from that school! 

Michelle Milkovic (Weiner)

Amazing right? 

But I spent fifteen minutes looking for my phone this morning only to discover it was in my back pocket.

:O

Terri (Therese) Bresnahan (Reid)

Robert - that sounds so cool - and, if nothing else, what a great backdrop for a mystery story!!!  And, thank you for the tip on the fried chicken - that's my favorite dish to find in small towns.  (You just can't find good fried chicken anymore!!)    I found it on Google maps - it's about a 4.5 hour trip for me - but it looks like it would be so much fun.  Thanks!!! 

Michelle Milkovic (Weiner)

Hey Bicentennials... does anyone know any of the guys circled in this article from 1971?  This fall will be the 50th anniversary of female students being admitted to Lane and we'd love to interview any of the guys who "were in the room where it happened" and not only marched to the Board of Ed, but met to air their grievances.  Some are in the LTAA database but not surprisingly, none are members, and no email addresses or phone numbers for the few names we have.

Mike Burgquist

Dennes Moffat and Tom Dreilinger are on Facebook.

Michelle Milkovic (Weiner)

Thanks Mike.  I made contact with Dreilinger last week and he is super nice.

Next question... who can tell us with 100% accuracy, all of the optional academic concentrations (majors) available to us back in 1972?

Art, Music, Science & Math, Pre-Engineering, Honors, Engineering-Drafting?

Help.

Janet Peterson (Ingraffia)

Michelle, 

I have the info you were looking for. 

Janet Peterson (Ingraffia)

Janet Peterson (Ingraffia)

Janet Peterson (Ingraffia)

Robert Cole

Gee... didn't get much of a choice back then, did we?
The biggest decision was choice of shop.

Ken Ortiz

Janet,

Wow! How long did it take you to dig that out? I only have a few Lane momentos left. I wish I still had my old, laundered coursebook though, not sure how that got lost. I will also eventually get to the bottom of what actually happenned to my class ring. I just have to get my sister in Tennessee alone and very drunk because she was the one who was last in posession of it.

Bob,

Too bad Lane did not have Bowling as a Minor as I excelled in it during my time there. I took those skills to College too. I tell people that I majored in Engineering in College, but I got minors in Bowling and Pinball.

Janet Peterson (Ingraffia)

Ken, 

Pete and I were drinking our morning coffee when I saw Michelle's post. I knew exactly where my small bin of mementos were. When I opened it, my Lane booklet was right on top. It must've been karma. 

When we were preparing for our move to Florida this year, we really had to do some major purging. Since there are no basements in Florida, we were each limited to one small bin of lifetime mementos. Between the two of us we have different Lane things. I have my class ring, Pete has Prom stuff. I also have an envelope that my mom saved filled with my red hair from one of my haircuts. Wow! It really was the color of a carrot! I'm sure I stood out walking down the halls of Lane. I wish you luck in finding your class ring. Even if you don't, it will be fun getting drunk with your sister! 
 

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Please stay safe and well.