Email from Classmate of 1951 sends his best wishes to all!

Doug Huston sent the below email extolling the awaking of many good memories from growing up in Berkeley. The blog served it's purpose and brought back memories of his family and their community service to Berkeley. His Father was the Municipal Judge for many years and his Mother worked with the City Clerk Department. Doug obtained his Doctorate in Bio Physics and enjoyed teaching until his retirement. Berkeley High School had two graduates who obtained their Doctorate degrees and both were in the Class of 1951. Hats off to Douglas Huston and Neil Finley. (Neil passed away in 1997 and was my brother in law ) His email was much appreciated and  you will enjoy his comments. 


                                                         (COPY OF DOUG'S EMAIL
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Joe:
  Late one evening this past week, I received a phone call from my brother, Denis Huston, BHS Class of 1958. After chatting several minutes about family matters he gave me some information about a web site available through the internet; thought I might find it interesting. He gave me no clues about the purpose or content of the site; he just said that I would find it interesting. The following afternoon I brought up the web site on my computer, and when the image of the home page came up on the screen I must have blinked several times. "The Red Schoolhouse" and memories of my "youth" came rushing into my mind.
  The trolley car ride from Carsonville, pass Ramona Lake, to Kinloch Junction was an exciting and harrowing experience. It was as thrilling as many amusement park roller coaster rides. Even the feet of the motorman would leave the deck on occasion as we rocketed down toward the junction. The "dinky line": a more sedate but never-the-less an exciting ride. There were Sundays we didn't have the price of a movie ticket so we would take our nickels and dimes and ride the "DINKY for an hour or so. I have memories of ice skating on Koenig's pond, and if the ice was good, an occasional game of broom hockey would break out. On warm humid summer evenings when windows were open, we listen for hours to gospel music coming from churches in Kinloch Park. It was a great and beautiful sound. Some Sundays we would cheer for the local baseball team. (American) Legion Ball was the game, played on a muddy diamond next to city hall. Grass was rare.
  These and many other memories come to mind.
  My parents had deep roots in Berkeley. Mother worked in City Hall for several years, working with Dorothy Wilson, who I believe was the City Clerk. Mother left that postion  to follow her true love...Books. She was the buyer/manager for the book department of Stix, Baer & Fuller and later for Famous Barr. Father served for a time as the Parks/Recreation Commissioner (or at least I believe that was his title). Later he would serve as the Municipal Court Judge of Berkeley, a position he held for many years.
  However, my memories are confined to a ten year period, 1942 to 1952. My parents and brothers moved to Berkeley in late spring of 1942 and I entered the fourth grade of the Red Schoolhouse in the fall of the same year,1942. I left Berkeley (and the St. Louis area) in the fall of 1952, returning infrequently and only for short visits with my parents. Indeed, I have not been to St. Louis or Berkeley since 1983. What information I have of Berkeley, schools, classmates, etc., is very limited.  My brother has passed on to me snippets of rumors, third and fourth-hand gossip, but nothing of substance. I have tried the "Classmates" site on the internet. After three years I haven't found that site to be useful, let alone informative. I did talk to Coach Schnell for a minute or two sometime ago. He and brother Denis were attending a former teacher's funeral. Denis called me on his cellphone and then put coach on the phone. We talked for a few minutes. How does one catch up on 60 years of one's life in a few minutes?
  So your Blog is greatly appreciated by me.  I have spent hours looking at the content of the tabs, examining pictures, reading all the comments, trying to consume as much as possible. I am now on my second  passage through the tabs (just in case I missed something the first time around). It has been lots of fun and I thank you for the time and effort you (and you crew) have put into the site.  I look forward to more.
  I have already made commitments to events and family activities taking place the week end before Memorial Day. My attemptd at arranging a travel schedule that would make possible for me to attend Reunion and fulfill my commitments here at home have failed. Regrettably I will not be able to join you at Reunion.
  However, I would ask you to please pass along my greetings and best wishes to everyone attending, especially to members of the Class of 1951 and to Coach Schnell and his family. Life has been good to me; I am well, retired and just as busy as ever.
  (Gads, has it really been sixty years?)

  Finally, Joe, will there be any post Reunion postings on your Reunion Web Site?

  Thanks again,
  Doug Huston . . . BHS Class of 1951