A Celebration of Mr. Simmons

Class of '62 Reunion

Magnolia Elementary School

August 22, 2014

Left to Right:

Barbee Weyer, Cindy Alberti, Mr. Simmons (looking like one of our classmates),

Peter Chiarelli, Shary Flenniken, Michael Gillie, Malcolm Morris, Sally Ross

This photo was taken in our old classroom (also shown in next photo)

The following photos were taken in the new Library

Thanks to Shary, Barbee and Toni for taking these photos

Mr. Simmons' daughter Teri (Left) accompanied him.

Included in this photo at right is Toni Harmer of Magnolia Elementary School

She and everyone else at MES was terrific.

Note: Video Tapes of our reunion will be added shortly.

It was Mr. Simmons' 93rd Birthday (in two days) so we brought a cake

Photos and Memorabilia

(If you have something you'd like posted here, please e-mail it (JPEG) to michaelgillie@live.com)

Submitted by Michael Gillie

Submitted by Ann Covey Smith

Note Mr. Simmons 4th row left

Submitted by Ann Covey Smith

Our last day of school. Note Mr. Simmons far right.

Submitted by Ann Covey Smith

Submitted by Michael Gillie

Submitted by Ann Covey Smith

Students were encouraged to write and invite famous people to the 1962 World's Fair

e-mail from Barbee:

I have been amazed at the memorabilia some of you have kept. I am especially amazed at the letter that Ann had from Eleanor Roosevelt. Amazing! It does remind me of something that happened that year. JFK came to Seattle in November 1961. My mom decided to take us kids out of school to see him. Mr. Simmons said OK and asked me to give a reort when we got back. I don't remember actually giving a report though.

Turns out we couldn't see much because the crowds were so thick. As we were returning to our car, when the parade was over, all of a sudden an open convertible came zooming down the alley where we were standing. There he was! We kids yelled out "Hi" and the President yelled "Hi" back.

From Historylink:

On November 16, 1961, President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), the 35th president of the United States, delivers a major foreign policy speech at the University of Washington Centennial Convocation. He is also in Seattle to attend a dinner that evening celebrating the 25th anniversary of Senator Warren Magnuson (1905-1989) in Congress. Magnuson, like Kennedy a Democrat, was elected to the House of Representatives in 1936. Kennedy was elected president in 1960.

On a clear, crisp November day, President Kennedy, Senator Magnuson, and Washington Governor Albert Rosellini (1910-2011) rode an open convertible in a 20-automobile presidential motorcade from Boeing Field to a 15-block long "Welcome Lane" extending along 4th Avenue from Jefferson Street to Stewart Street. Spectators overflowed the streets and threw confetti from buildings. Twenty-six different bands serenaded the president.

Reply e-mail from Ann: Barbee- lucky you! My Eleanor Roosevelt letter was a response to the school letters we all wrote to famous people inviting them to Century 21. I knew it was in the boxes my mom “built” for each of our school treasures, but thanks to our event I went through those boxes and found it. I will have it framed. My sister wrote Grandma Moses and she got a signed print sent back to her. Ann