In 1967, the sixth grade trip to Washington, D.C. sparked considerable excitement and months of fundraising for the students, their teachers and their parents. Forty-three years later, a class photo taken during the trip is sparking memories of the event.
Roger Cole, a Chatsworth sixth grader in 1967 now living in Greenwich, Connecticut, sent the Gazette the photograph and then asked some former classmates what they remembered.
Sixth Graders at Chatsworth Elementary School took a class trip to Washington, D.C. in 1967. Click on the photo to see a larger version.
Jonathan Marten, a former Chatsworth sixth grader now living in Jersey City, recalls the 1967 trip to Washington, D.C. as having been planned by the classes of Mrs. O’Connor and Mr. Sloane.
“We held bake sales and a number of other fundraisers throughout the year to help raise money to offset the cost of the trip,” he said. “The support from the school, our parents and the community was total.”
About the trip, he remembers, “We took two buses down, and I believe we were gone for three days. It was an amazing trip for a group of 6th graders to be able to take together and, most definitely, an incredible memory for all of us.”
“ I can only hope the kids in the Larchmont and Mamaroneck schools have it anywhere near as good as we did back in the 60s and early 70s,” he added.
Bo Emerson (aka as William, Bill or Emo), now living in Atlanta, Georgia recalled: “Somehow, at a gift shop along the way [to D.C.], we acquired cap guns that actually fired small vinyl bullets. We thereafter spent most of the evening potting each other, and anyone who walked in our hotel room.”
He had other memories involving purple grape soda, motion sickness pills and bus ride back to Larchmont. “So, you see: few memories of Washington, but many memories of the trip,” he wrote.
The photo also sparked memories – mostly good, some less so – for Gary Rosenberger, who shuttles between New York City and Miami these days. “It was very long ago. But I do remember coming up with the idea of selling seeds after seeing an ad in the back of an Archie comic from the American Seed Company, That was pretty successful in raising money,” he said. “I also remember my mom saying she’d rather contribute ten bucks rather than to have to go through the hassle of baking a cake for the bake sale. She was very practical that way. I think her cake made about $6 when all the 50 cent slices were added up. Roger also had this fantastic notion of making candles in these molds that his mom had. It was a fun afternoon of candlemaking for us.”
Mr. Rosenberger also recalled less profitable ventures: “I remember James Banker buying a stupid spy camera for $5 then having buyer’s remorse and reselling it to me! I never took a single picture with it, as it was impossible to find film for it. Dumbest purchase I ever made.”
“I have since traveled far and wide (Tibet, Mount Kilimanjaro, Burma, Patagonia), but DC was like a foreign land to me,” said Mr. Rosenberger. “I think my greatest memory was seeing the Spirit of Saint Louis at the Smithsonian. In 1967 we were closer to Lindy’s transatlantic solo flight than 1967 is to now.”
Also from the D.C. trip, Mr. Rosenberger recalled “a guide at the Rotunda showing us the spot where John Adams used to sit and hear all the conversations because all the acoustics of the room led to the one spot where he placed his desk. The guide went to the other side of the Rotunda and we could hear his every whisper.”
Less happily, Mr. Rosenberger said, “The picture also coincides with my recollection of constant drizzle, rain, clouds, gray.”
As a graduate of Chatsworth (class of 63), now living in the Washington DC area, it was good to see how well dressed the students were back in the spring of 67. Now when students come to DC, they dress like they are going to Disney World rather than visiting our nation’s capitol. I know I am old fashion, but I like seeing kids well dressed when they walk the halls of the Capitol building, it shows a certain amount of respect for our government and its leaders.
Bruce, unfortunately, perhaps the ‘clothes’ you describe worn today reflect the dysfunction in Congress we see today. But fashion should be less a symbol of respect, than should be the actions earning respect.
The American city should be a collection of communities where every member has a right to belong. It should be a place where every man feels safe on his streets and in the house of his friends. It should be a place where each individuals dignity and self-respect is strengthened by the respect and affection of his neighbors. It should be a place where each of us can find the satisfaction and warmth which comes from being a member of the community of man. This is what man sought at the dawn of civilization. It is what we seek today. – Lyndon Johnson
The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations And Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment. – George Washington
Thanks for the article. Sadly, I am wondering if this is one of the field trips cut from the budget this year.
Lauren, sadly we must wonder how the schools became responsible for all the activities of its students. There used to be a role for others, including parents. And as a current television commercial shows, classrooms of the world meet via the ‘wonders’ of the audio/video/streaming live action of the internet. The ‘combined’ class size ‘increases’ at those times, quite beneficially, and many who could never dream of seeing other places, have the world and its people within their easy reach. Sometimes dreams do come true.
We need to change the structure of education and the allocation of funds for education in the 21st century. We need to change our expectations and notions of schools and education in the 21st century. Significant but critical challenges for schools and communities that limit access to calculators and their expectations of the potential for consolidation of municipal services and municipal government. Sometimes dreams do come true
Every day,
new technological
innovations
help make
information
flow faster,
systems
work better
and our lives
a little easier.
But often,
when it comes
to adopting
new technology,
governments
lag behind
the private sector
and even the
casual consumer
because
they are
unwilling
or unable
to try
something new
and
change
the way
things
have
always
been
done.
In serving
the public,
government
should constantly
be looking
for new and
better ways
to provide
information
and
services.
- New York City Mayor Bloomberg
Oh My!!!!!! It’s been a long time even though I wasn’t allowed to go on the trip…..strict parents haha. I spy old friends of mine:
Wendy Larsen, Linda Lewis, Janet Meyers, Kate Long, Sarah Foulke, Jody Enders, Karen Colin, Rose Batzanian, Kathy Whitten, John Marten, Bill Emery, Laurie Maynard, Ren Holden, Mr. Maddey, Jimmy Pugh, Stephen Hansen and all the faces I have forgotten-feel free to remind me gang! It’s been a long time!