August 2008 Update

1. Two New Members found Holly Rogers and Lori Taddeo. See messages below :

From: Lori Taddeo gatorgate@hotmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 7:21 PM
Subject: CLASS 1978 REUNION
It will be a shame if we do NOT have a 30th Reunion!! For all of those who missed the 20th it was a great time!! So if anyone can get a hold of Sue Kenney (do not know her married name?) and get a bug in her ear about this PLEASE do so!! Time is ticking away......maybe we can have it a Joey Diggs place like we did for the 20th.....SOMEONE HELP!!

From: Holly Rogers holly1655@comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 5:53 PM
Subject: wow- nice job
Just found the site and the blogs- looks great- thanks to whomever is the responsible one.
I'm still on the Cape- West Barnstable to be exact- my email is holly1655@comcast.net.
so what is up for the 30th? Was the pub crawl it? or will we do another Friday night at the "VILLA"- can you beat it????


2. BHS 1978 Grad Steve OBrien in the news:

Barnstable Officer Stephen O'Brien sings at Opening CeremoniesBOURNE - Officer Stephen O'Brien has combined his talent for singing with his profession as a Barnstable Police Officer, and at 2p.m. on Friday, September 19, he will sing at the opening ceremonies of the Bourne Scallop Festival. He performs at many functions, dedications and ceremonies singing the National Anthem along with other songs ranging from 'Danny Boy' to 'Ave Maria.' Officer O'Brien's hobby for singing has grown over the years and has led him to study with renowned voice instructor, Bradley Pennington, of Boston's Bel Conto Opera. Officer O'Brien represents the Barnstable Police Department.

July 2008 Update

We had some activity to report in the month of July for the Barnstable 1978 class:

1. New member: Lori Thompson
Great job on the website…I was sad to see a few of our classmates had passed away…I had no idea. I’ve been in Florida for almost 14 years now…… My email is as you receive it molnarlori@embarqmail.com
I’ve had fun reading the updates & blogs etc…brought back a lot of memories!!!!!! Thanks, Lori

2. New Member Duncan Gibson:
Hi! Just found the class blog.... feel free to add my email dgibson689@aol.com more later!!
Duncan R. Gibson

3. Falmouth Triathalon:
We had a class member representing in the Falmouth Triathlon:

You asked for results and here they are... The Falmouth Sprint Triathlon on July 20, 2008 was a BLAST! I really hadn't trained for this and I was so pleased with my time. 1 hour and 16 minutes for 1/3 mile swim, 10 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. Thanks for asking for my results.
Joan Hartel

4. 2008 BHS Pub Crawl:
We had 3 members of the class that showed up for the 2008 Hyannis Pub Crawl- Scott Perkins, Scott Schofield and Robin Fuld (see pic under the Irish flag). On the next crawl we hope to double that number! Here is a link to the pictures:
http://centerville02632.blogspot.com/2008/07/2008-hyannis-pub-crawl-click-photos-to.html

5. Class Member Sighting emailed from Scott Perkins:
I have a friend that graduated from Barnstable in 1982 that I have known for about 40 years now. Our fathers met when we were little kids at Jacks Lounge in Hyannis on West Main Street. For people from Centerville in the 1960s that was the closest watering hole to wet your beak so it was a popular joint. Plus they always had the greatest pizza in town and some people think they still do. So when I get to the Cape we make it a point to stop into Jacks for a few pops to remember our Dads. On this trip my buddy, who still lives in Hyannis, told me he recognized Willie Dixon sitting across from us at the bar. I wouldnt have recognized Willie in a million years so I asked him "Did you graduate from Barnstable High in 1978?" and he responded with a stern "Who's asking?". I was going to back off but after explaining who we were we had a great conversation about the old days with Willie. He kept talking about his dream to be a running back on the football team until one day he got the handoff and Carl Williams, Kevin Davis and Sonny Hoxie lowered the boom on him. Willie had one question about who was the QB for Barnstable and I went through a list of names like Matt Dacey, Hostetter, Mike Weller and it took us about 5 minutes before I dredged up the name David MacDonald which was the one he was looking for. It is incredible the things that are still stored in the nooks and crannies of your brain. Willie is a good guy and it was fun catching up with him....Perk


That is all for now. If anyone wants to write any stories or send in any links just forward to barnstable1978@hotmail.com

Robin Fuld Update

A couple items about Robin Fuld from her Art College in California. (click to enlarge)

Barnstable 78 Spring 2008 Update

A quick Spring Update:
1. A lot of people are asking about a 30th reunion to make their travel plans etc. If anyone has any info leave a comment on this blog or email to barnstable1978@hotmail.com

If there is no reunion in the works I know the annual BHS Pub Crawl is happening on July 25th in Hyannis. After hitting all the bars on the pub crawl you will not even remember what year you graduated. You might also get a free night of room and board at the Police Facility on Phinneys Lane or the brand spanking new jail on Barnstable Road. Walking down Main Street these days requires a can of mace, a tazer, a rape whistle and a good set of brass knuckles.

2. We added 2 new members recently. Donna Shea checked in from Texas ( donnaaucoin@tx.rr.com ) and Denise Grenier checked in from Raynham Mass ( gren1959@yahoo.com ). Welcome to the site.

3. This month we will review memories from the BHS Social Studies Faculty:
- Mr Reed: I dont remember any classes he taught but I used to see him at Celtics games in the 1980s. Also the advisor to The Imani Club.
- Mr Hicks: Rollie Hicks was the baseball coach and a good teacher. My lasting memory of him is when he lectured he would put his hands behind his head and his two underarms looked like Lake Wequaquet and Hathaways Pond. His stock market picking contests were very informative. I saw him at The 99 in Centerville about 3 years ago and he looked great.
- Mr Dwyer: He not only taught history....he lived it. He always said "Dont be a wallflower!" Another good teacher.
- Mr Gleason: He used to tell us about driving an oil truck in the Summer. There was a kid in his class named Mendes that was absent the entire semester but was once seen hitchhiking towards Mashpee and Gleason went to look for him. He was a good guy.

Some of the other professors were Mr Thomas, Mr LeBlanc, Mr Cressy, Mr Melchiono and Mr Thayer. I know Leblanc and Melchiono coached the hockey team but I dont remember stepping in their classrooms. I think Leblanc was the teacher who perished in a plane crash in Alaska a few years after we graduated. I would say that the Social Studies Department in our era was filled with some very good teachers but the subject matter was much more enjoyable than math or science.

4. Egads! To prevent any heart attacks this Summer let it be known that the Mini Golf Course on Main Street across from the old Zayres building is being demolished. Here is something from the Barnstable Patriot on the demise of this historic playground:

Wings, a small family-owned chain of retail beachwear clothing and beach items, has proposed building a new building on Main Street. They are purchasing Hyannis Main Street Mini-Golf from Steve and Sue Fedele.

5. My NCAA Bracket went down the tubes when my Final 4 Selection of Cape Cod Community College, Mass Maritime, Hyannis Barber College and Grand Prix Driving School - Cotuit Campus were all eliminated early on.

6. The 2008 Best Pizza in Barnstable voting on the BHS 1978 site is now over. The winner is the pizza at Jacks Lounge on West Main Street. The pizza is great but dont touch any of the patrons at the bar when you pick up your pie unless your tetanus shots are up to snuff.

Police beef up mall patrols
By CAPE COD TIMES
March 04, 2008 9:56 AM
Barnstable police have stepped up patrols at the Cape Cod Mall and surrounding area in the wake of an attempted daylight robbery Monday.
Police have no suspects at this time, but are continuing the investigation into the incident, said Sgt. Sean Sweeney.
The attempted robbery occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. yesterday when a woman, who works at a business in the mall, told police a man wearing a ski mask had ridden up to the driver’s side window as she sat in her SUV, parked outside the TGIF Restaurant on the Route 132 side of the mall.
The woman told police the man demanded money and when she did not respond, smashed her window. She told police that she slid across to the passenger side of the car, out that door and ran into the mall seeking help.

Barnstable After Dark

For this month's update we will delve into what the night life was like back in the late 1970s in Barnstable. Please leave your comments on this subject by clicking on "comments" at the bottom of this post. Anonymous comments are not only accepted but encouraged. On the comments page just select Anonymous or use any nickname.

First and foremost a discussion of the night life circa 1978 cannot start without mentioning that the drinking age was 18. As 18 year olds we could go into any package store and shop like we were kids again at the little red candy store in Centerville. Grab a basket and fill it with beer, nip bottles and Boones Farm wine. Pop in your Saturday Night Fever 8 track tape (and maybe burn a little tree) and you were living the high life....literally and figuratively. For those short on funds the 25 cent drink night at the Compass Lounge in Yarmouth or the 'Beat the Clock" drink specials at Brothers Four in Falmouth were crucial. The drinking age was quickly raised back to 20 and then 21 as our generation proved we couldnt handle the gift of unlimited swilling. Another popular hang out was the Velvet Hammer in the East End of Hyannis. It was a dimly lit place but there were some great bands. If you didnt care for the bar scene the spot for imbiding "adult" beverages was the Hyannis Drive In. A packy run to nearby Parkers Package Store to fill the cooler and then all the munchies you could ever want at the Drive In snack bar. For the guys without dates the soft core Danish import films they used to show there were vital to our survival. Thank God we have cable and internet access to this cinematic genre now right in our own homes!

Most of the socializing in high school at Barnstable revolved around the automobile. You watched the movies from your car, you drank and listened to music in the car, you cruised Main Street looking for dates in your car. When cutting classes you hid in your car or parked in the Angelos parking lot until classes were over. The car was essential to being independent and to having an environment where you could do anything you wanted.......and I do mean ANYTHING. Like they used to say....if that vehicles a rockin....dont come a knockin.

Dances were a big part of the social scene in those days whether they were at the High School or at Wequaquet Yacht Club. Many stories have come out of those venues that will not be repeated here. But feel free to put them into the comments section at your leisure. The beaches at Kalmus and Craigville were popular destinations for partiers looking for some action as well. The seagulls were the beneficiaries of the vomit pools on the sand for a breakfast buffet.

The BHS teachers were probably doing some kick ass partying as well. Rumors were that they may have been burning some tree "behind the scenes". Most of them were hippies anyways. The hangout in town for the teachers was the Ye Olde Windjammer Lounge in the Kings Department store parking lot aka Airport Plaza. Some teachers tended bar there as a Summer gig. Speaking of Department Stores, who remembers when the shopping meccas were Kings, Mars, and Zayres? The Cape Cod Mall effectively killed those establishments. Puritan Clothing carries on and brings back a lot of memories when visiting the Main Street location. Getting back to the teachers, we have seen a rash of stories where the teachers are diddling high school students around the country. If that phenomenom was happening back in the 70's it must have been swept under the rug or maybe it was too hot for the pages of the Cape Cod Times to report on.

Growing up on the Cape you think you are pretty hot stuff in your own small pond. But, you soon find out a few months after graduation how sheltered an existence you have lead. When people in the dorm at college are pulling out hash, mushrooms, qualludes, acid and coke you feel like you are on a different planet. Hell, I know a lot of people from the BHS that didnt even know what a bagel was until they got off Cape. The culture shock factor for people growing up on the Cape and then becoming inhabitants on "The Mainland" must be one of the highest in the USA.

The late 70's nightlife was good and there was a place on Barnstable Road called "Dick Dohertys Crystal Palace" that made Penthouse Magazines list of top bars in the country. But the club scene from 1980 to 1984 around town was truly the Golden Age and will never be seen again. There were still Happy Hours in those days and summer rents were still affordable for the college crowd to come spend the season on the Cape. Pufferbellies opened in 1980 and was a huge college hangout and could hold 1500 patrons. A great night of clubbing that a friend of mine developed was as follows:

1. Go to Guido Murphys Back Room around 7pm and pay your cover and get the hand stamp which gave you access for the rest of the night.

2. At 730pm you would hit Rascals on Rt 28 in Yarmouth for their 90 cent draft beer special. The waitresses were dressed like girls from the 1920s and the DJ cranked out tunes for the dance floor. This venue burned down many moons ago.

3. About 9pm you proceed back to Main Street for a margartita on the outdoor grotto at Gringos. This is one place that is still going strong today.

4. At 10pm you make your entrance to the then #1 hotspot in Hyannis - Guido Murphys Backroom. The lines for entrance were usually long but already having your hand stamp you were golden and walked right into the fray. There was an outer bar and an upstairs balcony commonly called "the holding tank" where you could have drinks before you were allowed entrance to the famous "Backroom". The Backroom itself featured a guitar player (usually a dude called Shitty Smitty) and was so packed you barely had room to lift your drink to your lips. The popular nickname for the Backroom was "The Snakepit". It was THE place to be seen in Hyannis. Underage drinkers could gain admission to Guidos by scaling the roof of the business next door (across from Dunkin Donuts) and then hopping onto the roof adjacent to Guidos upstairs balcony bar. They would wait for the bouncers to get distracted and repel onto the deck.

5. Just after midnight you left Guidos for a place on Main Street called T Rossi's. It was located where the now defunct Hooters is. Tony Rossi was the greatest bartender and host that has EVER run a drinking establishent in the Town of Barnstable. He had a kick ass sound system in there with speakers he had specially made at Bose in Framingham. There was a model train that ran around a track along the entire circumference of the bar. He made the BEST shots in test tube type glasses. The B52 was poured in 3 levels consisting of Kahlua, Baileys Cream and Grand Marinier. The Stormy Weather shot was a 4 level drink consisting of the same ingridients as the B52 but with a level of Yukon Jack at the top. Watching Tony pour these shots was like watching Louis Pasteur in his Lab...a genius at work. The bar itself had an upscale feel and after a few of those shots you felt like you were on a Caribbean isle. A great place to take a date or to try to hook up for a one night stand and the greatest place to end a night of clubbing that ever existed. Sadly T Rossi's did not stand the test of time. Sometime in the late 1980's a buddy of mine from Boston came down and we were over near the old location of Signor Pizza on Main Street. There was a bar in that plaza called "Days End" that was just a hole in the wall. We walked in there and our jaws hit the floor to see Tony Rossi himself tending bar. To us this was like seeing Michaelangelo painting a house or Mick Jagger singing outside a bus station for quarters. He told us he had started a family and didnt want to keep the lease up at the old place. At the end of the movie "Eight Men Out" they show Shoeless Joe Jackson playing in some minor league in a backwater town after being banned for life from Major League Baseball for fixing the World Series. Seeing the great Tony Rossi at that moment brought the same feelings out.

Fast forward nearly 25 years and the locals report the Hyannis club scene is pathetic. Last July I met some college buddies and found 3 bars in Hyannis closed early for a lack of customers. The only place that seems to do anything is Roo Bar. Pufferbellies still exists but you would be safer walking into South Central LA with a suit made of $100 bills than going in there. College kids dont flock to the Cape anymore and the Town Fathers have effectively killed the Summer party atmosphere. Maybe Main Street will have another resurgence but the late 70s and early 80s atmoshpere will never be duplicated. A walk down Main Street Hyannis nowadays with the homeless people and religious zealots parading around makes you feel like the American Indian with the tear running down his face in that old commercial about littering. However there is a spruce up going on that you can read about at this link: http://www.barnstablepatriot.com/main_streets_on_board_with_new_light_fixtures_news_12_14324.html

That is it until next month. Everybody stay safe and look forward to St Patricks Day and Spring. Remember to do your tax returns so you will not be getting your next BHS 78 update at the House of Correction. Good times to all!

Old Middle School Annex

Man allegedly threatened with gun
HYANNIS - Barnstable Police are on the hunt for a suspect who allegedly threatened a man with a gun on Main Street. Around noon, the victim told police a man had reportedly alluded to him that he had a gun and may have lifted his coat in an apparent motion to show it.
The victim ran into the School Administration building on South Street and asked someone there to call 911. About a half-dozen cruisers quickly responded but the suspect remains at large. Photo by Frank Paparo.