CHS LOOK BACKS

We Are CHS/We Are All Highlanders

Our school building is no more, the lockers and classrooms, shop rooms, band rooms, auditorium and lunchroom, locker rooms and showers and chem labs are all gone. What remains of CHS is US, our memories, our triumphs and failures the exceedingly happy days and those overwhelmingly sad, wins and losses on the field and wins and disappointments in the classroom, teachers who did their best to give us a decent education and a positive start on the rest of our life when we received that Diploma or GED.  Our recollections of those days and the people we shared them with, are our CHS no one can bulldoze it, cover it with sand and clay and say it’s gone. It is no more gone than your memories and mine. Our CHS is long in the rearview mirror, in 2022 we began sharing personal recollections of our time in Clermont ‘back in the day.

A Look Back #53, Submitted by Mike Phipps, the Class of 1976!

America was celebrating its 200-year birthday the year we graduated from Clermont High School. We attended Clermont Elementary for primary school and then attended Clermont Junior High School (CJHS) for 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grades. This is a Look Back on the Class of 1976 from my perspective. 

Integration was implemented in Clermont in 1969-1970 as our class started at CJHS in the 6^th Grade. This change allowed for many positive things. One of the best things was organized sports including football and basketball. With additional students attending the Junior High School, there was more competition for starting positions and made us all better players. This allowed students to participate and train earlier than waiting for the ninth grade in high school to begin. The Mighty Warriors with Head Coach, Jack Gaines and assistant coach, Matt Leeper. Cheerleaders, pep rallies and home games on Highlander Field. Basketball games in the school gym. The Principals were Bill Cockcroft and Bill Sullivan. My mother, Mary Phipps worked in the office as well. Some of the teachers included Mr. Adolphus Church, Ms. Maggie Ward, Ms. Betty Brown, Mr. Joe Dawkins, Mr.  Dru Rambo and Dr. Ed Pauley were all highly active in the new school. Of course, we played Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball in the summers along with enjoying Clermont’s summer programs.  Our class had a significant group of Girl and Boy Scouts.  

On to Clermont High School, what an incredible time, one of the coolest things to me was how  many of my classmates were Legacy students. For an example, my brother, Steve, Class of ‘65 and  Doug, Class of ’71 graduated before me, and I knew all of their friends and most of the Highlander  traditions. John Lofgren, Ann Ward Rossini, Debbie Lord, Vernon Nyhuis, Jeff Kirkland, Donnie  Tyndal, Dawn Dykehouse, Daryl Forehand, Sandy Homan Jolley, Tim Vandermeer, Emma Dority,  Steve Cook, Alan Hartle, Winnie Lucas Carter, and Mark Jones to name a few. They all had older  siblings who attended CHS! My apologies to the ladies for not knowing your proper married names. One of the CHS traditions I did not enjoy was “Clermont Judo” on my head! My brothers along with  Mike Williams (‘66) were black belts in the art of CJ. 

Very Smart People: Our Valedictorian and Salutatorian were Sara Nichols and Marianne Wurtele respectively. Sara and Marianne were the best and brightest. Happy to have Marianne as my  Chemistry partner our senior year.  

The Glory Days. Many of us lived for sports, the Class of 1976 Highlanders represented the school  well, however; the majority of our class was 5’9” and weighed 155 lbs. We had maybe 4 guys over  200 pounds. We were tough but not big! CHS had outstanding coaches in Gene Foster/Quin  Clements. And of course, Coach David Black. Fortunately, the Classes of ’75 and ’77 had the beef and it help with winning in football. I remember fondly, our last game of our senior year with  Groveland and we were the underdogs. Groveland was ahead at halftime and in storybook fashion,  Clermont Highlanders won the game with a 33 to18 Victory. The victory was sparked by running  back David Killeen who ran for over 200 yards. The offensive line played a terrific game with John  Lofgren, Ben McDowell, Wade Koller, David Bell and junior center Jim Davis. Pound per pound the  finest offensive linemen in Central Florida in the day. Fighting broke out late in the 4^th quarter and 

the officials had to stop the game with time remaining. We swiftly boarded the bus home with our  helmets on our heads. 

The Clermont Basketball team (‘75-76) won the District Championship Class AA with seniors,  Gerald Smith, David Bell along with center Reggie Ward, (‘77) and sharpshooter (’77) Jeff Kirkpatrick (77). Gerald “Smitty” Smith moved to town in the summer before his sophomore year from Illinois  and made the varsity team based on his speed and skills as a point guard. Gerald was the real deal  in basketball. Sophomores did not play varsity at CHS prior to this time. 

CHS had a highly successful tennis team, and I am proud to say we went undefeated during our  junior and senior years during the regular season. Art McLean, Jeff Click, Les Baron and me made  up the core of the Men’s Team. Karen Click and Moe McLean were the core of the Ladies Team. We  made it to the semi-finals of the regional tournament in Ocala. We made All Conference and both  Art McLean (‘75) and I received college scholarships. Long time coach, Jack Gaines taught us how  to play the game and opened many doors for us through tennis. We worked for him at the Wayne  Sabin’s Tennis Camp for one summer. Thanks Coach Gaines for all you did for us! Class of 1976 had outstanding athletes in Track and Baseball but I’m running out of space. David Killeen excelled  in the 100-yard dash and Johnny Bull, Donnie Tyndal, Donald Haddock (’77) and Derrick Mobley  (‘77) lead the Highlanders in Baseball. 

Life is Never Easy! Two of our best lost their lives too early. One of our most talented, intelligent,  and charismatic classmates of the Class of 1976, David Bell was murdered by a mentally ill person in Los Angeles who shot him. It was a bizarre set of circumstance that took his life. David was 22  years old and died on December 27^th, 1980. This was tragic! It was also the same day Gerald Smith  married his high school sweetheart, Francis Rambo (‘75). I was in the wedding that day too. David  had recently graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago and moved to LA to become an  actor. He had early success in securing a part on Quincy, a popular television show of the day, along with an appearance in a national Levi Jeans commercial. He made friends with some of the  cast of Saturday Night Live. Our group was always curious where his talent and humor would have  taken him. 

Kristy Anderson was the Homecoming Queen for the Class of 1976. She was attractive, kind, and  friendly to everyone. She was struck by Encephalitis just before our high school graduation and  based on her family’s care lived until middle age and passed away. 

David Bell Kristy Anderson

Class Reunion. To the Class of 1976, please mark your calendar for April 2026 and plan to return to  Clermont to celebrate our 50-Year High School Reunion. We will join in with the larger Clermont  Reunion Celebration which is fantastic and have a separate gathering to be planned. Please provide us with your email address and send it to one or all of the following members of our class:  gsmith@smithequitiescorp.com; or michael.phipps@cbre.com Your Reunion information will  come to you by email so please send your email address. If you have a new email in the last couple  of years, please update us. We need volunteers to help organize our gathering. I hope you enjoyed  my Look Back. 

We hope to hear from You! Drop us a line. 

A Look Back #52, Submitted by Debbie McCallister Baker, Class of ’71

The Class of ’71 was a group of 90 amazing students.  The class motto was “Give light and the people will find their own way”.  As we look back over the years, we can see that our class truly lived up to our motto.  We found our way to careers in real estate, business management, hospital lab technician, nursing, teaching, retail sales management, consulting, plumbing, aircraft mechanic, interior design, the US Postal Service, the Orange County Sheriff’s Dept, and law enforcement and forensic investigation as well as many others.

Guiding us on our journey through Clermont High and our senior year was a faculty of amazing teachers and administrators.  Just to mention a few, Edith Caldwell, U.S. History teacher and grandmother of classmate Stanley Caldwell, was always available to advise and guide us when we needed it; David Black taught Driver’s Ed and bravely taught us how to drive a car through the rolling hills of Clermont and Minneola; John McFarland taught us typing and patented the TERMGUIDE which was used to help us turn out perfectly aligned term papers and retailed for 35 cents!  Who can forget Mr. McFarland sitting at the front of the class on his very high stool administering a timed typing test and hollering “Red dot! Red dot!” if he caught anyone looking at their typewriter while typing!; Frank Sargeant taught us English and Creative Writing and is a nationally known published author in his own right; Betty Young taught us Home Economics and patented the Seam Guide, a sewing machine attachment that ensured a perfectly straight seam every time; Sam Ziegler was our Distribution Education (DECA) teacher.  With his help we acquired suitable part-time jobs that we worked in the afternoon after attending classes in the morning.  Some of us worked at Jack’s BBQ while others found jobs at the Citrus Tower restaurant, gift shop, or in my case, as a tour guide accompanying visitors in the elevator and regaling them with facts about the Citrus Tower and the surrounding area which included miles and miles of orange groves back then.  Needless to say, I heard many times a day “your job sure has its ups and downs, doesn’t it?!”

Several of the DECA students were entered in the district leadership conference contests that year.  I won first place in the Poster Contest for my poster “Juggling with Success”.  Lewis Lineberger placed 6th in the Job Interview Contest, and Bobby Prince placed 6th for the display Contest.

Our football team had an awesome season that year and with a squad of only 22 they won Clermont’s first bowl game, the Citrus Bowl, with a score of 38-8 against Cross City. 

We had a great time during the week before the homecoming game building our floats for the homecoming parade.  Who could forget the sore fingers from stuffing all the tiny little pieces of colored tissue into the wire holes that ended up being a beautiful float!  Janice Hoskinson was crowned homecoming queen with Sarah Beverly, Valorie Hutchinson, Shirlee VanderMeer and Becky Kennerly as her court.

The class play was “Deadwood Dick” a musical production described as “a rootin’ tootin’ melodrama of the Gay 90’s” written by Tom Taggarty.  The play was a huge success and included a large cast of juniors and seniors including Stanley Caldwell as Deadwood Dick, Donna Ekiert as Calamity Jane, Betsy Robertson as Rose, Mark Byrd as Joe Sidewinder, Debbie Ainsworth as TeeTotal Tessie, and so many others both onstage and behind the scenes. 

Graduation finally arrived.  Our valedictorian, Lewis Lineberger, delivered an awesome speech that inspired us all.  Our salutatorian was Bruce Taylor.  The weather was clear that night and we were able to hold our graduation on the football field in keeping with tradition.  We marched proudly up to receive our diplomas and when all had their diplomas in hand, we tossed our graduation caps into the air and cheered loudly marking the right of passage from high school teenager to “adulthood”.  Many of us would go on to college while others started fulltime jobs, got married, joined the service, and a few even ventured out to Lake Tahoe to work for the summer. 

Regrettably, we have lost several of our classmates over the years. On behalf of the Class of ’71, I would like to remember them now with apologies for missing any that I am not aware of:

Bruce Taylor  –  Danny Douglas  –  Kay Stoel Wynne  –  Adrienne Dupree  –  Clifford Kirkland  – Donald Heard  –  Melodie Benfield Brogdon  – Sparky Caldwell  –  Wesley Pickard  –  Harry Wilson – Connie Smith  –  James Pendergrass 

I would like to end this walk down memory lane by sharing a poem that was written by our valedictorian, Lewis Paul Lineberger, when we were in 6th grade.  It was published in a little booklet called “Limpos”.  He was definitely wise beyond his years!

 You’re a Grown Man Now Young days are gone forever. The stress of life is upon you. You must look to life As a new era, You’re a grown man now, And only remember your childhood days For they are gone, gone forever.

A Look Back #51, Submitted by Karen Clay Newman, Class of “64

Last year John asked me to write a history of the CHS Reunion.  I did the best I could considering I didn’t go the first 5 or 6 years.  This year he asked me to write something about it again. But before I can write about a reunion, I must think about what we are trying to remember or celebrate.

The Clermont High School most of us remember was a school built on East Ave. It was a series of buildings built on the side of a rolling hill. Back then Clermont was known for those beautiful hillsides.  Between each row of buildings there were rows of benches where students sat and talked between classes.  There was a cafeteria, a music room, library and gymnasium.  At the bottom of the school’s hillside we had our football field, Highlander Field, and the track.  So, we had our buildings.

Next let’s remember all the people that helped the school stay up and going.  We had terrific teachers and coaches, great cooks, office workers, teaching aides, hardworking custodians, and administrators to keep us all in line or at least try.  So, we had our personnel.

Then let’s remember the athletes.  We had many varied sports with dedicated players  and along with the sports we had cheerleaders.  Didn’t we have the cutest cheerleaders and the cutest uniforms ever made!  And along with those to help keep things lively we had a band.  So, we had our athletes and musicians.

Okay, let’s see.  We mentioned the buildings, the school personnel, the athletes, band members, oh I know.  We had clubs, all sorts of clubs.  And besides clubs we had yearbooks and school newspapers.   So, we can add these to our list of things to remember.

Now, we also had queens, lots of beautiful queens.  And to show them off, we had parades.  Seems like a lot of other things were in those parades as well.  You know like the band.  And the floats.  Oh, those floats we built.  I know the napkin company loved us.  Remember where the parades were, where we built those floats?  Remember who our queens were?  Remember sneaking out of class to go work on those floats? And so, we had parades.

These may not be real school activities, but we can certainly remember the Highlander Hut and JC Beach.  And then there was the Clervue Drive-In and the Burger Castle.  All are gone as we remember them, but our memories aren’t.  So, let’s add them to our list.

But wait!  I’m supposed to be talking about the Reunion.  What I have mentioned up to now are just generalities. Now comes the Reunion stuff.  

The Reunion is when we talk about these things with our friends.  People and friends are what make a reunion.  We gather together with people that we may or may not have seen in years and we talk and remember things with them.  We fill in all the gaps to which I have just alluded.  We only have one reunion per year but, we have had 31 of them.  31 reunions so far where friends get together and take a trip down memory lane. Last year we had over 300 alumni attending.  Every year we also honor the class having their 50th reunion.  We also remember friends that are no longer with us by having a memorial slideshow.  And food, we have a wonderful luncheon.  During the reunion we also announce the recipients of our two newest scholarship winners. And if you aren win the 50/50 drawing. 

So, this year, why not attend the latest CHS All Class Reunion #32 and see, meet and greet your friends new and old.  We reminisce about things and people, we laugh, and sometimes we cry but that is what makes a reunion.   

Hope to see you this year!

A Look Back #50, Submitted by Chrisia Breeden Peeler, Class of ’87

I was born and raised in Montverde my elementary school was Minneola, middle school, Clermont Middle located by Lincoln Park, high school was at Clermont High on East Ave.

Coming from a large family doing extra activities at school was somewhat of a challenge because at the time Montverde seemed so far away. We rode a bus to school.  I had lots of friends and loved the fact that though I didn’t live in Clermont I and many others from Montverde and Ferndale were still included. One of my favorite memories was being a part of FFA all 4 years of high school. It was the one club where I felt was perfect for me. Mr. Odom was an amazing teacher and mentor.

It was because of him that I got to excel and enjoy in FFA. I was able to have a hog, participate in many FFA contests, I was Chaplin all 4 years of high school. Mr. Odom would give me and others that lived out my way rides home after meetings, contests etc. My family had 1 car so it was truly a blessing though its not ANYTHING you would hear of now but it really meant a lot to me back then.

Another memory is me learning how to drive a tractor on the CHS football field, needless to say I wasn’t that great at it and I remember several guys including Mr Odom running after me trying to get me to stop. I wasn’t going fast but I wasn’t shifting those gears right either. This is only one of many, many memories I have from my beloved alma mater, as I have read from others though our building is gone the memories  can never be taken away. Coming from a large family doing extra activities at school was somewhat of a challenge because at the time Montverde seemed so far away. We rode a bus to school.

Being involved in FFA we would go to Publix located on hwy 50 in Clermont to go to the meat department, one of the contests was meat judging. We got to go into the meat locker to learn different cuts of beef, fat ratio etc.. It also included trips to Market Basket to do the same. We would go and check out the selection of fruit and vegetables as well because that to was another FFA contest. These stores always obliged to let us “learn” what we needed. Then trips to Ocala to learn trees because Forestry  was yet another contest I was involved in. Then of course the bonus of when the Lake County Fair came every year, we got to skip school and go because alot of the competitions were held there and of course we got to enjoy the fair as well!

I still have my FFA jacket with the pins still on it from all the contests.

As a Montverde gal our summers we’re filled making memories  mostly at Lake Florence.

That’s where we learned to swim & fish.  My memories include a trip every summer for a week to Camp Mcquarry located in the Ocala national  forest. This was a special treat because it was 4H camp. I belonged to 4H for 7 years. Living in Montverde  our pickins was slim on summer activities that involved  more swimming or fishing at Lake Florence. We would make projects that would get judged at the Lake County Fair every year.  That helped  in the cost of going to camp.

Sandra Gresham ( class of 84,)  Andy Ferguson (class of 84 )& Laurie Ferguson’88 was one of many crews I ran with that made these summers special.

When fall would arrive we got to look forward to Montverde Day which was filled with local people  selling their homemade goods, we got rides on the firetruck and everyone knew everyone.

Lastly the house that I and my 6 siblings grew up at in Montverde ( its the the Harper house now) is a landmark.

The 1st to have power in Lake county. Where people rode their horses & buggies to watch them turn on the lights at night.

This 2-story house holds lots of memories and lots of friendships.

It still stands today, actually  the great grandson and his wife live there and when I’m out in that area, I always stop by just to reminisce.

Though this quaint town is no longer what it once was, the memories  will ALWAYS be there.

These are some of many memories I have from my beloved alma mater, and as I have read from others though our building is gone the memories can never be taken away.

GO HIGHLANDERS

A Look Back #49, Submitted by Terry Abe Harris, Class of ‘67

The Harris family going back 4 generations is enmeshed in the Grant-Harris Drug Store. The owners of Clermont’s Grant-Harris Drug Store were Russell Grant and Richard Harris.  Richard was often affectionately/respectfully called Dick, but I don’t think his mother ever signed up for that.

Dad and Russell were from Graceville in the Florida Panhandle.  The road from Dothan, Alabama to Panama City runs through Graceville once named the “Peanut Capitol of the World.”

Dad always wanted to be a doctor, but he ran out of money and specialized in pharmacy at the University of Florida. After graduation Dad and his wife, Audrey moved to Leesburg, to work with his Uncle Paul Burns who owned a Walgreens Pharmacy. In 1949, I was born in Leesburg.

After a time Paul and Richard’s deal turned sour.  Simultaneously, an investor, who specialized in finding pharmacists to open drug stores in communities that needed them, got Russell, Richard and Clermont together. Dad commuted from Leesburg to Clermont and/or slept on a cot in the back of the drugstore. He was a Marine, after all.

My earliest memories of Grant Harris ar that it seemed to be a hub for Clermont and the surrounding area.  There was a soda fountain which featured ice cream sundaes, grilled cheese sandwiches, sodas, etc.  I remember Dad hosting our little league baseball team, a time or two after a victory.  He was proud of the soda fountain, knowing that many young couples met at the soda fountain – later married and raised families in the area.

During the early-mid 60’s, with the Civil Rights movement seeking justice, Grant Harris removed the soda fountain, replacing it with a coke machine.  Cokes were a nickel. When the soda fountain was removed, a gift shop and women’s makeup/perfumes section were added. Dad observed that a white man and a black man could stand beside each other to drink a coke and share conversation, but they couldn’t sit down next to each other.

Doc Jones the leader of Lincoln Park was a dear friend of Russell and Richard. The drug store had a Montrose Street side entrance where an individual could enter and be behind the pharmaceutical counter, where the prescriptions were filled.

Over the years, I saw numerous pharmaceutical salesmen, local, business folks and Doc Jones enter the side door.  Doc would knock on the door and laugh loudly when he opened the door and entered.  He was always greeted with welcoming, kind greetings.  A few funny stories would be shared.

Dad, through the business community, perhaps Lions Club and Kiwanis Club, along with Doc Jones was instrumental in the Lincoln Park High School having a lighted football field.  And, if memory serves me correctly, a gymnasium, don’t want to misspeak about that.

A story Dad told was the arrival of Santa at Christmas.  One year, the Merchants Association arranged for Santa to ski into the Bluebird Packing Plant beach area on a cold windy December day an individual with excellent water-skiing skills volunteered to ski in.  Because of the conditions, they tied Santa’s bag to Santa’s wrist and draped the bag over his shoulder.  When he released the ski rope, conditions and his weight didn’t carry him as far into shore as planned.  The Santa bag began to fill with water and pull Santa backwards into Lake Minneola.  Dad jumped into the water to keep Santa from drowning.  Another volunteer Santa would have kids sit on his lap and listen to Christmas wishes.  This year there was only one Santa suit soaking wet and freezing.  Dad knew that the $70.00 new special shoes purchased a few days before, got wet.

Dad was a big bass fisherman. I remember one Saturday afternoon, some of the business owners and fellow fishermen, held a sidewalk protest outside the drug store.  They marched with poster board signs, proclaimed Dad to be un-American because he wouldn’t tell anyone where is fished or the lures he fished with.  When asked what lake he caught his fish in, he always answered “Wet Lake.”

Dad was a pharmacist compound specialist so he could make medicines to order.  A doctor could provide a prescription and Dad would take various chemical compounds and make the medicine.  He was also interested in alternative and holistic medicines.  He ‘invented’ several products over the years and wrote three books: Yesterday’s Remedies for Today’s Ills, My Dad’s Sayings and a book on fishing.

I returned to the Clermont area in 1997.  It was to walk in my Father’s shadow.  A woman who worked at Willis Hardware on Highway 50 told me a story of her coming to Clermont.  She was recently divorced, had two young daughters, and also had pneumonia.  Dad introduced himself when she came into Grant Harris.  He had her wait, while he created a couple of medicines that cured her.  She told me she would have died without his care.

My wife, Nancy, and I took Dad and Mom to Caraba’s Restaurant for Dad’s birthday.  We sat in a booth.  As we were eating a young black couple with a ten-year-old, or so, daughter, sat in the booth behind me, I am sitting with my arm around Nancy, fellowshipping with my family as we ate.  The mother behind me got my attention and asked if that was Dr. Harris sitting at my table.  I said it was.  She and her husband both told us stories of being children in Clermont.  The husband told of how he got badly burned by a hot car muffler in his yard.  His family took him to the drug store, where he asked for Dad.  Dad cleaned up his wound, bandaged him, gave him medicines, and sent him back out to his family.  The wife/mother told a similar story of how she was sick, and her grandmother sent her to the drug store to ask for Dr. Harris.  Dad, again, doctored her, gave her medicine, and sent her back to her family.

In the early 1970s, Eckerds Drug Store planned to open a Clermont store.  While Russell and Dad didn’t want to sell, but with research, they learned that places where a previous drug store didn’t sell to Eckerd and go to work for them, the drug store was quickly run out of business.  Dad became the store manager and head pharmacist.  Under his leadership, the Clermont Eckerds Store led their Florida area in prescription sales.

Growing up in Clermont was a privilege.  Certainly, knowing some of the ins and outs of Grant Harris Drug Store is a privilege as well.

A LOOK BACK #48, Submitted by Kim Rester Sams, Class of ‘75

Lately I have heard many people lament about losing “our Clermont.” It is true, the freezes of the ‘80s led to the rooftops of the 2000s. Many of the groves where we hung out are bulldozed – thankfully at least one became Lake Louisa State Park!  While physically our little town will continue to change, our families will carry the heart of Clermont always.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane together… It was the 1960s. Highway 50 was two lanes and it roller coastered its way over the hills from Orlando out to Lake County. There was no Turnpike exit in Oakland, no East/West Expressway. No Disney either. The big excursion was taking visiting relatives to Cypress Gardens. A special night out was driving into town to go to Parkwood Cinema or the “big” bowling alley and Morrison’s Cafeteria.

I started at Clermont Elementary under the kind guidance of Mrs. Marion Caldwell. What a wonderful lady. Later I would go to high school with many of her children, all with the heart that she had. My Dad opened his family doctor’s office in Montverde (near Mr. Willie’s BBQ now). Not sure why. Later, he thought Groveland was in need, so we moved there for a few years. Dr. Rester’s office sat on Hwy. 50 on the corner across from Edge’s Department Store and across the street from Brannon’s grocery. To this day people tell me he had such a great bedside manner. A couple of years later there was a divorce, and after a stint living near relatives in Alabama, Mom and I returned to Clermont. I enrolled at Lincoln Park, newly named Clermont Middle School. My single Mom, Evelyn, transcribed medical records at South Lake Hospital (on Center Lake) to afford a tiny new concrete block home by Poynter-Harder Construction. Eventually we were joined by a kind Stepdad, Cleveland O’Neal, who treated me like his own.  

We lived on the now coveted John’s Lake chain nearly a mile down a red clay road most of my life, there were about eight houses then, surrounded by hundreds of acres of citrus trees. It was long distance to call from Clermont to Hartle Road–a whole different area code in fact. No cell phones or pagers back then, so our signal to be picked up from a school activity was to dial the home number and let it ring twice, then hang up.

My neighbors were the Butts, the Rutledges and the Pharrs. Later the Densmores moved in. We could all smell the orange blossoms drifting across the lake for a short, magical time each spring – but now the trees across Lake Sherman have been replaced by hundreds of huge homes on tiny lots and the smell of barbecues instead of blossoms. Their modern multicolored patio lights glow and blink at night, nearly obliterating the stars above. I carpooled to school with the Hartles, first Burton driving, then Benson, and finally I drove Alan and Miriam. The Hartle’s grove, home and barn are long gone, replaced by stores with fried chicken, auto parts and gas. Honestly, I never dreamed that giving directions to my home on Hartle Road would include “turn at the Rooms to Go on Ray Goodgame Parkway.”

In my teens I worked for Wometco (they owned Seaquarium in Miami too). I was a hostess on The Citrus Tower elevator, giving that famous speech that you can find painted on the wall there today…” From the top you can see 35 miles to the horizon…” I moved up to the more lucrative position of waitress and dished out my share of the famous Key Lime Pie (which actually came out of a giant can of green goo and was spooned into a prebaked crust). Does anyone else remember the fad of the glass blown heart pendants a lot of the girls wore? Maybe the reptile house that was so carefully curated by Bill Thacker? That orange blossom perfume sold by the gallons at the CT Gift Shop? We owe a lot to the Greg Homan family for preserving the Tower and I am grateful to the new owners as well for keeping it open.

No one will ever say I was a model student, as I made a poor choice or two for sure. Today I think they call it “acting out.” But, good friends, horses and the Groveland Girl Scout Mounted Unit helped reshape me. Ma Bell encouraged me to write, and I graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Florida. Mr. McFarland’s typing class has served me well. I am grateful for all the teachers and administrators who helped me along the right path which turned into an amazing career at The Walt Disney Company from which I retired in 2021.

Most of us are sad to see the hills flattened for more homes… to lose that country feeling, but many families are prospering with this growth. You can’t fault anyone for catering to what is coming. Progress, no matter how much you curse at it, is inevitable. We CAN have progress without complete surrender. The 1970s were a time of war– a time of rebellion—let’s harness that nostalgia.

Recently, a University of Florida report projected Florida’s population to grow by nearly 15 million people to approximately 33.7 million residents by 2070. It said that the greatest loss of undeveloped and agriculture land would be in Central Florida. No surprise there. Even with the rampant expansion, we still have farmland and ranches in our area which could be protected forever. Our generation is tenacious and resilient.

We do have choices. We can shake our heads in disgust, or ask ourselves, “how can we make a difference?” We CAN protect what’s left and we should not give up now. We are a generation who GETS THINGS DONE. Please take a minute to read up on what can be prevented if we fight for the right resources to save what is left. You can search online for Florida 2070 Summary.  Your willingness to make a call or write a letter may be our final gift to protect our “old” Clermont and our grandchildren.

A Look Back #47, Submitted by Carol Shust, Class of  ‘69

I was born in PA and my dad was a journalist.   After moving around the country, we settled in Minneola when Dad took over the South Lake Press as Chief Editor.  I remember landing at the old McCoy Airport in Orlando, stepping off the plane and being blown away with the incredible scent of orange blossoms.  As we drove to Minneola on Old Rt. 50, Dad pointed out the Citrus Tower.  In our neighborhood, that landmark would always be in view.

I started 5th grade with Mr. Masterson in what would be my most memorable classroom setting.  I was drawn in by the smell of the old wood floors.  The walls were adorned with photos of past Presidents.  We said the pledge of allegiance each morning and bowed our heads for a short time of silent prayer.  Little did we know that privilege would be taken from us in a few short years.

My parents divorced not too long after we had settled in, and Dad moved on.  I was devastated, and my grades reflected that.  One day I was called down to the principal’s office. (I was a good kid, so I was petrified.)  Mr. McClain apparently knew my situation and only wanted to comfort me and ask if there was anything he could do.  62 years later that small gesture speaks volumes to me.

Jr. High and Sr. High years are probably the most impressionable and I truly loved the small town feel of Minneola/Clermont.   One of the things that stands out in my memory was the lack of air conditioning at school.  We didn’t have it at home either, but it was difficult to focus with the humidity and heat.  I fanned myself with old test papers and used 6-12 to ward of the whining pesky gnats. In my senior year, air conditioning was put in several of the rooms.   Relief!  At least for an hour or two.

I enjoyed Mrs. Meeker so much, although physical education was not exciting for me!  I loved Creative Writing with Frank Sargeant, senior lunches off campus with Claudia Seitz; study hall with Darla Whitworth, baking cookies for fundraisers with Rebecca Elliot; walking downtown after school with Rita Stewart or walking home to Minneola with Buddy Roundtree or Skipper when we missed the bus.  These names and many more elicit such comfortable feelings.

Jaycee Beach was a favorite spot.  Most evenings the beach was not crowded at all.  I loved to swing as high as I could on those squeaky swing sets while I watched the sun set across Lake Minneola. I was baptized in that lake, played in it countless hours with my sister or Mike Heath, and spent many an hour enjoying the calmness that surrounded it.  I can’t go back and find this place the way I left it.  Time marches on as, evidently, we do, too!   But the memories are sweet.  They form a part of who I am today.

A Look Back #46, Submitted by Karen Lucas Zavon, Class of 1974

Clermont… Much of my life there shaped the rest of it. My love for nature and the environment; my love and dislike of small towns. My education that given the size of the town, was outside the ordinary. I also credit some of that to the very well-educated teachers who chose to move from the northern climes to Florida.

My family motoring the small channel between Minnehaha and Louisa staring into the tannin stained waters with a canopy of Spanish moss and a chorus of cicadas and frogs drowning out all other sounds. Time more magical than any Magic Kingdom ride. was like most functional and dysfunctional at the same time. I found most of my friends were living the same life. Clermont was the epitome of that. Living somewhere surrounded by fresh water warm lakes was idyllic. But we also dealt with poisonous snakes and fire ants. I was privileged to be surrounded by some loving family and friends.

My best memories…Water skiing with Bin Harmon every summer afternoon, riding my bike anywhere without apprehension, the rolling hills and sandy beaches, my father seeing me and any friend on a bike and giving us both a dime to buy an ice cream sandwich. motoring the small channel between Minnehaha and Louisa staring into the tannin-stained waters with a canopy of Spanish moss and a chorus of cicadas and frogs drowning out all other sounds. Time more magical than any Magic Kingdom ride. The sixties were a time for being athletic (thank you JFK) and exercising our minds and bodies at the same time. I believe the fact that I’m still functioning with good health is a tribute to that early discipline.

I’m sad to see that focus fade as school districts cut back on PE, music, art, and theater programs. I find it short sighted for parents to prioritize their tax dollars ahead when it comes to school programs. And now, book banning.  But don’t get me started on that… But let us put this in perspective. Clermont, as a young, privileged woman or man, was not the same for all that lived there.

When I was very young, my closest neighbors were just down the road in Lincoln Park, the colored section of town. I would play with dolls at the age of 5 with another young girl. When my mother had to go back to teach, I had a “colored” woman raise me and two other siblings. I remember my Mom dropping her off after work as her own children ran out to greet her. The times were what they were, but I am still disappointed in myself for not carrying on those friendships because I was ashamed of the association. Shame on me.

 I am grateful and amazed that Clermont didn’t experience the racial violence and strife that happened in other states. We did have a somewhat smooth transition when it came to integration. In 1969, integration was voluntary and only a few brave souls from Lincoln Park chose to attend CHS.  We sometimes walked home as a group.  Clermont as we knew it is gone. It has become a small bedroom community of Orlando. Even after all these years, there is still an underlying attitude of racial divide. I honestly dislike going back because it looks and feels so different now but also not as evolved as I would like it to be. I will cherish the good times, lament the bad things, and hope for a better future for my “small” town and especially for the State of Florida.

A Look Back #46, Submitted by Greg Homan, Class of ‘74

Gosh, where do I begin?

The emotions that overwhelmed me were many on graduation night. I had looked forward to it so much for years, but the reality of parting with dear friends and fellow team mates also was on my mind. Mixed emotions for sure. I had no intention of going to college so the anticipation of leaving Clermont was not a problem. I was ready to go to work. The only P.H.D. I would be receiving was a post hole digger.

“74 the year we adore. The members of the class of ’74 felt like ’74 was superior to the other classes. All classes did I suspect. Anyway, I thought I would take you all down memory lane by reminding you what was going on the night we graduated besides Clermont High School graduation, proving that in fact, 1974 was a pretty special year!

In January of that year, President Nixon imposed a 55 MPH speed limit and in February, Cher filed for separation from Sonny Bono, breaking all our hearts. In March, the Grand Ole Opry moved into their new digs and in April, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record and those were real home runs, not steroid induced ones! In June, the Seattle Seahawks were launched and in September, President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon.

The global economic recession really was flaring up world wide and India detonated its first atomic bomb, joining the U.S., U.S.S.R., Britain, France and China as a nuclear power. West Germany won the FIFA World Cup by defeating the Netherlands and French President Georges Pompidou died of cancer.

Richard Nixon, knowing he was facing certain impeachment, resigned as President in August and the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patricia Hearst.

And get this, the pocket calculator is marketed for the first time in 1974. And Dr. Henry Heimlich introduced us to the Heimlich maneuver.  Amnesty is granted to Vietnam draft evaders.

Chico and the Man, The Jeffersons and Good Times were the top television shows.

In sports, the Oakland A’s won the World Series and Hale Irwin won the U.S. Open. The Miami Dolphins won the Super Bowl and Johnny Rutherford won the Indy 500 with an average speed of over 158 MPH. The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup and the NCAA champions were North Carolina State. The college football champions were Oklahoma and USC. And Archie Griffin from Ohio State was the Heisman Trophy Winner. And get this, Americans Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert both won at Wimbledon to become champs!

Life expectancy was 72.8 years while today it’s around 80. And primitive word processors were just starting in be found in offices. And of course Joe Namath was sitting in a La-Z-Boy chair telling us that a chair by any other name was just a chair.

A new house averaged $34,900 while the average income was $13,869/year. A new car cost $3756 and can you believe it, the average rent was $185/month.Tuition to Harvard was $3200/year and movie tickets were $1.75 each. Gasoline was $.54/gallon and a stamp was $.10. Sugar was $.67, not for a pound but for five pounds, while milk was$1.56/gallon. Coffee was $1/pound while bacon was $.89/lb. Eggs were $.47/dozen and hamburger was $.68/lb. And bread, a whopping $.35/loaf.

Leonardo DiCaprio was born in 1974 as was Kate Moss, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Penelope Cruz, Jewel, and Ryan Phillippe.

The AMC Matador was the newest mid-size car.

And how we loved our music! New songs in 1974 included Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings, Bennie and the Jets by Elton John, Can’t get enough of your Love by Barry White and Cat’s in the Cradle by Harry Chapin. Sunshine on my Shoulder by John Denver and I honestly Love You by Olivia Newton -John came out as well and so did I Shot the Sheriff by Eric Clapton. Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas and The Loco-Motion by Grand Funk were cranking and Seasons in the sun by Terry Jacks was going strong as well!

And how about the great movies that came out that year! The Godfather: part !!, Chinatown, and Young Frankenstein came out as well as Blazing Saddles and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And who can forget The Towering Inferno!

It was for sure a great year. This past year I finally took the time to write and publish my autobiography. It’s called “Consider the Source” by Greg Homan and is available on Amazon if you are interested. In it I go into great detail about the Clermont High School years including racism and sports and how much living and growing up in Clermont meant to me.

Thank you John for allowing me to take everyone down memory lane and I hope some of these memories put a smile on someone’s face!

A LOOK BACK #45 Submitted by John Hotaling, Class of ‘65

Our family of 4 arrived at 585 E Minnehaha well after dark on October 11, ’55 after a two-week trek from our home near Schenectady, NY with a few days in Louisville visiting with our aunts.  It was late and we were all tired, Dad did most of the unloading and BJ & I were hustled to bed. I remember getting up the next morning looking out the windows, it looked like the yard was covered in snow, we soon discovered the yard was white sand with sandspurs what a downer.  Mid-week our neighbor Mr. Long showed Dad and I a huge rattlesnake killed in the grove across the street, my meandering from then on was sidewalks only.  Dad went to work building homes and cottages for Jost and Watson he was an engineer trained at Kentucky and he had built bridges for US troops in France and Germany.  He wouldn’t talk about WW II one day he did talk briefly about entering the concentration camps. 

There was a glitch getting me into school the NY age rules and Fla were different, but my folks convinced Happy Hayes I was properly a 3^rd grader.  Grandmotherly Mrs.Starr understood and quickly taught me to write cursive (we printed in NY).  I felt like an outsider, my friends were in NY.  I made a huge mistake and kicked my classmate Barbee Hayes in the shin over a mid-morning break at the coke machine, unbeknownst to me she was healing an injury to her leg.  From then on, I was careful not do anything like that again btw years later I took Barbie to the Prom.

Fourth grade In Mrs. Lucas’ class, I made friends and felt part of the group.  She was a very good teacher, I loved reading out loud. In 4^th and 5^th grade Billie Bakeman from the Clermont Garden Club would come across the street several times a month to teach us about plants, how to grow and care for them.  I remember her giving us each a Croatan to take home to grow, she and my mom & Dad inspired me to love plants. 

Fifth grade Mr. Davidson taught us in a double-sized classroom.  He wore a heavy leg brace that was no doubt uncomfortable, regardless he was very good with that large class.  He drove an English Ford car, one day we guys were able to lift his car and put the front tires over the large log used as a bumper for cars parking at that end of the school. That gag did not go over well.

Other than lunch in the cafeteria, our break was spent outside, we could buy ice cream, or orange juice.  There were swings, monkey bars but we usually played kick ball or softball, I remember some of the best players Ouida Crozier, Dayle Peck, Jane Stetcher and Michelle Conley.  Sixth grade Mrs. Conklin was very pretty and a good teacher (I had a schoolboy crush on her).  I played on our Rinky Dink Football team but didn’t particularly like football then and I really didn’t like it on Thursdays when the Catholic players left early from practice.

The next year we moved to the home Dad built on Prince Edward Street, then a clay lane, where I met Hal’s dog Goofy and Rags Charlie Beals’ Airedale. The Coon family Ronnie and his sister, Around Shady Nook Lake were Mike Shewey, Marion & Terry Craig, Dave Gerbrich, and the Middleton women, water lovers they were which encouraged me especially summers to fish across from their floating dock.  I remember seeing Millie Middleton carrying Phoebe on her chest as she walked around our little lake, I always thought of her as a hippie well before there were hippies. Another fixture some may remember was Miss Munger a teacher who lived at the cemetery end of Prince Edward behind the Haines family. She walked every day, never smiling or stopping to speak, I thought of her as the most lonesome person I knew.

From Prince Edward summers it was an easy walk to Cooper Memorial to peruse the teen boys sports books along with Nancy Drews, and add a few tokens to my competition jar for the summer.    I’d go home climb high in the Australian pines across the street and read while listening to Rock Robison on my transistor radio.

7^th grade we were across East Ave, I was in Mrs. Schlott’s homeroom, I remember her as a grandmotherly woman, she looked after us, got us to the lunchroom and kept us out of trouble.  I didn’t play football, when spring arrived, I tried out for baseball, Norm Julich was the coach was I ever in over my head, practicing with the likes of John Frye, Mike Shewey, Ron Carden, Tom Flegal & Tony Vaughn.  When the season opened, Coach named me the Bat Boy, so I got to stay with the team and go to away games, what treat.

Our class of about 70 folks was close knit.   We had small groups of close friends but as a rule I remember us being compatible, cliques came and went that’s what kids do at that age.

The next year I didn’t sign up to play football, baseball was always ’my favorite sport’. A week or so into the year Coach Perrin called me into his office to tell me that if I did not play football, he would see that I didn’t play any sport.  So, I put on the cleats for CHS the rest of my years.  We had good teams, and the camaraderie was always good.  I remember practices, one where Bob Carter got his leg broken, another when Raz Haire fell out and ended up in the hospital and when Burt Lee was taken to the hospital.  I stayed on the team, joined the Highland Clan, and ended my senior year as a Captain.

Several summers Norm Julich and Gerry McLean worked on a federal youth program grant they taught swimming 3 days 2 days they took a school bus to the Postal Colony site for a day of volleyball, kickball and softball Norm nicknamed me Troubles after I struck out 30 times one day.  Sammy Lane spent his day on the dock I think fishing for turtles.

My summer job for several years was Life Guarding at JC Beach. My first year I backed up Sandra Walker on weekends, she retired or moved, and I got the chair for the summer. I enjoyed it and still tease the dock runners at our reunions “Don’t Run On the Dock” The only real heavy days were the holidays when the Groveland and Winter Garden families crowded  the white sand.  I had several close calls, one when a toddler got away from her mom, she was angry at me, the toddler was less than 10 feet from her blanket and ankle deep in a puddle.  I remember Bobby McCown arriving in an MG wearing the first speedo I’d seen and with Zinc on his nose, he was a hoot, hear from him now and then.  Summer meant frequent rainy days and lightning, that meant clearing the beach and hanging out in the snack bar with Ma & Pa Richardson and sometime their son Paige.

I enjoyed summers playing ball and hanging out with Di Toma or Don St John.  My Folks & BJ loved to travel in the summer. Staying home alone was fun and a good place for friends to party.  One late night we called the White House we had no phone access for the rest of the night.  One year when my folks returned dad found the party evidence, I’d been tossing over the fence he said pick up all the bottles and don’t tell your mother. He remembered his younger days.  I miss him every day.

Those summer days Citrus was King, the grove workers left trucks overnight, prime targets for free gas for Gramps McGuire’s car.  When a freeze was expected there would be a call for guys to work smudge pots, over the cold night coach distributed parkas for the nights work.  I may remember occasionally one of the guys would show up with a parka, it was quite easy to conceal a six-pack lifted from a Ready Market.

Spent many summer hours at the Hut listening to the Shadows, Diplomats and DJ Rock Robinson spinning the platters. The Hut was loudest after a winning game but win or lose the place rocked.

My best buddies were Paul DiToma, Don St John, Dave Gerbrich and Bill McGuire. Paul named us The Maumee 5 he even had T Shirts made.  Shortly Betsy Bon Jorn was part of our escapades, including a parade through town led by Prentice and her Caddy. We spent the weekend of JFK’s assassination together glued to the TV.  Paul, Dave, John Shafer, and Morris Kennedy played at the hut as the Diplomats.  Don St John and I wrote Clermont sports for competing weekly newspapers, often exchanging notes, we made 10 or 15 cents an inch per column.

In ’64 Mr. Masterson taught POD. He was excellent in class interaction and well versed in state and national Government.  Occasionally he invited a few students to his trailer to discuss world events and politics in more detail.  What I remember clearly was his take on what was happening in Viet Nam and how it might end… he nailed it.  I always believed his take on Viet Nam resulted in his one-year stint at CHS.

After graduation in ’65 I spent 2 terms at Lake-Sumter, it was ridiculously easy IMO my CHS teachers were better.  My CHS favs Norm Julich, Al Lagano had been shipped away in ‘63 and Bernard Anderson understood teens and how to connect with them, once he sat silent at his desk waiting for us to get quiet.  Anderson taught English and Journalism. I named him as my fav teacher in ’65 for one of the state competitions.

I truly enjoyed our school and our community where else would your swim teachers be your favorite teachers in High School. I truly cherish my recollections of Clermont, friends, and events.

A Look Back # 44   Brian Williams, Class of ‘89

   When I grew up in Clermont in the 70’s and 80’s sports were everything to me.  My heroes were not on TV, they played on Friday Nights at Highlander Field, in the old gym, or at Bishop Field.  Even though I have been a history teacher for 30 years now, PE was always my favorite class!  Many teachers in various subjects influenced me, but I would like to reflect on the coaches today.

      In the fall of 1985, at the end of a PE class I decided it would be a great idea to kick a volleyball at the basketball hoop while the students were heading to the locker room.  Much to my surprise, I shanked it!  Everything thing slowed down and it suddenly became eerily quiet as the ball veered off course and slammed into a window on the north side of the gym. “Brian Williams, I am going to kill you,” shouted Mrs. Rosa Sullivan who was in her last year at CHS. My first thought was RUN, this lady can’t catch me and maybe she will forget about it.  My conscience kicked in and I humbly walked over and apologized to her.  As a mother of boys and a veteran teacher I am sure she had seen much worse.  She read me the riot act and could tell I was really worried about being sent to her husband Bill to get paddled.   Mrs. Sullivan finally smiled, gave me a little hug and said, “DO NOT KICK VOLLEYBALLS IN MY GYM”! She must have known the real punishment would come years later when Phil Lowery would force me to endure long afternoons of golf with Rosa’s sons Mark and Phil. 

      Bruce Kregloe had known me since I was a little boy and always called me “B.P.”.  My family called me that and Bruce had run around with my Uncle Mike Williams fishing and playing softball for years.  My fondest memory of Coach Kregloe was that every Friday during weightlifting class he would shout “B.P. go mow the field”! I got to crank up the old Massey-Ferguson and mow Highlander Field my entire senior year. The field was beautiful in those days, and I would do my best to stripe it like Augusta National or Wrigley Field. It takes an act of god for students today to do anything with mechanical equipment today and this man trusted me to be safe and do a good job.  I had come a long way since I broke that window my freshman year.

      The sport I have always loved the most was Basketball and in the 80’s Vern Eppinette was basketball at CHS!  I played varsity all four years and spent a lot of time with “Epp”. Tough, smart, and eccentric is how I would describe him.  Practices were brutal and focused on fundamentals and defense.  It always amazed me that even in the middle of winter the CHS gym was still 100 degrees when we practiced. Epp would make us “run a tower” almost every day.  A “tower” was a brutal route that followed Pitt Street to Grand Highway and then up tower hill.  You crossed highway 27 and it was not nearly as dangerous as it is now.  If you were lucky, you would see my teammate Steve Pace who usually cut through the groves lining 27 and was always ahead of us (with sandspurs all over his socks).  We coasted down the hill after highway 27 and navigated one final hill where the Clermont Yacht Club is now.  When you got to East Avenue you had made it and desperately hoped Epp would not make us go back in and continue practicing. I am thankful to him for the toughness he instilled in me as a young player and my own children have all felt my wrath many times in the Williams’ Family Driveway.

      Once Basketball was over it was time for Coach Gaines!  I played tennis at CHS, and the practices were not nearly as intense as basketball.  Besides the fact there were tons of “hot” girls practicing with us, Coach Gaines would often lose track of our location which was usually dunking on the 8-foot hoops that Clermont Elementary had right next to the tennis courts.  He would call us a bunch of “TURKEYS” and go back to feeding balls to the girls who were much more into tennis practice than Matt Mclean and me.  We used to call him “Captain Black” because that was the brand of pipe tobacco he smoked.  Coach Gaines was always at the courts ready to help us, if you needed a racquet strung, he could do that too.  I used to love going up to his $2 Saturday clinics, that Ryan Langley never paid him for.

   When I spoke at my buddy Mike Jones’ funeral a few years ago, I mentioned how these coaches played such a key role in the development of kids in Clermont.  Mike and I would reminisce about all our great coaches.  Adolphus Church was such an influence on us at Clermont Junior High, but at C.H.S. we both fondly remembered the likes of Gary Kinninger, Dave Brown, Don Morrison, Bob Williams, Bruce Cole and even a young Wayne Cockroft who was right out of college. But for me, there was only one guy I really wanted to be.

      Mike Boyack was Kregloe’s assisstant for many years and an excellent US History teacher.   He never seemed too upset, always had a joke, and just seemed to have life figured out.  I knew in 11th Grade I wanted to be a teacher and a coach in Clermont the rest of my life because of him!  Ma Bell got me a teaching scholarship to UCF that paid for everything as long as I taught for 3 years in a public school.  Perfect, that was my plan anyway.  My life would mirror Coach Boyack’s.  I played tennis for 3 years at UCF (thanks Coach Gaines) and then Mr. Coggshall along with Coach Kregloe arranged for me to do my senior intern in Mike Boyack’s class at the new South Lake High School in 1993. Prepared, calm and able to handle any situation is what I saw from Coach Boyack.  He always seemed to be having a good time at school or with his family.  Teaching, coaching, summers off with your own children, I was all in on this idea.  I quickly learned the hard way that Mike made it look easy and being a young teacher and coach was tough.  But, with Coach Epp’s fortitude, I did not quit, and I sure hope I make it look easy now to my students and colleagues. Teaching can be a great career as long as you understand what you’re getting into.  Your wealth will come from the kids you influence along the way, and I am so thankful I had so many great teachers and coaches at Clermont High School growing up!

A LOOK BACK #43, Submitted by Jeff McLean, Class of ‘75

Reflecting on growing up Clermont “Gem of the Hills” in the 50-60-70’s. was awesome. I was fortunate having some older siblings who attended CHS in the 50’s and 60’s and then the rest of us in the 70’s and 80’s.

It seemed like many parents either worked in agriculture business, owned their own business, or later worked at Martin in Orlando and then Disney. My class was lucky in that we were too young for Vietnam but several classmates were part of Desert Storm.

There were more than 40 people in my graduating class of 1975 that were born in Clermont and several had parents and grandparents who were Highlanders. We had great Elementary teachers Oreita Haines, Marion Lucas, Fain Yates, Eleanor Delano and many others they gave us a great primary education and prepared us well for high school. Highlights of Elementary school was attending the filming of “You Don’t Say” and spending a week during school at Outdoor Camp in Ocala Forest.

I remember the annual Labor Day celebrations at JayCee Beach with the fireworks, Greased Pole Climb,Beauty contest, and of course the treasure hunt with boats racing to find prizes inside floating bottles spread out over the chain of lakes. Clermont did the fireworks on Labor Day and Groveland did them on July 4th. Summers involved swimming lessons at the beach from beginners to intermediate and senior lifesaving with Coach Gaines and the “ring of death” as he called it. Our final test was to swim across Lake Minneola to the Cherry Lake bridge. Also in the summer was the rec program when the gym was always open and the trips to Don’s Skateland in Leesburg.

Much of my time was spent riding bikes all over town especially out to the clay pit to light some M80’s, Cherry Bombs, and an occasional cigar stolen from a parent. Can’t leave out  the mosquito spray truck that we would race behind, oblivious to the amount of pesticide we were ingesting. Little League baseball was really the only organized sport then. My Coaches were Ainsworth, Lucas, Pitt, Meeker, Nowell, Shep and other dads. We played on the all-clay parking lot at the top of the football field. My last year we moved to the new field on 12 th street next to the Catholic Church with grass infield and outfield. I played for the Braves with my cousin Bobby Vitter. I remember we had a pretty good all-star team led by Kevin Stewart who won both the pitching and batting trophy in 1969.

In earlier days Clermont Elementary classes attend CHS for 7th grade, in ‘69 my class of graduating 6th graders went to the new Clermont Jr High at Lincoln Park. This was the first year of integration of CHS and Lincoln Park High. We were called the Warriors, and we made many new friends from Lincoln Park and Minneola Elementary. I don’t remember any big issues arising due to the integration of the schools. It was my first introduction to organized football and basketball with Coach Gaines and Adolphus Church as coaches. I think 8th grade year we finished 4-1-1 in football and won the 8th grade basketball championship. Growing up on Football Friday nights, we elementary tikes would wad a bunch of coke cups to make a football and play games in front of the scoreboard like pitch up and tackle and other games with politically incorrect names. I don’t think we watched many of the games, but as we moved to Jr High we would sit up on the wall to watch the game or talk to the girls.

High School was a great time with all our childhood friends along with new friends who had moved to our Clermont. We had 105 in our graduating class. ‘75 won the homecoming float competition 4 straight years. In Highschool we were getting old enough to work, date, and drive forcing sports and studying to take a backseat to the dismay of our parents, teachers, and coaches. They were probably worried about us being in the back seat! One tradition I was happy that ended prior to playing high school sports was the initiation into the Letterman’s club, or Highland Clan as it was called. I heard many tales about those initiations true or not, but if they were, there are many Highlanders from the 60’s who suffered. In todays world those acts would be on the 6 o’clock news. I also had heard stories of students climbing the water tower to paint the class year or initials.

We had great coaches at CHS. Foster, Black, Kregloe, Clements, Barton, Mccombs, along with teachers Ma Bell, Peine, McFarland, Sullivan, Roe, Hoebeck, Ladd, Mccrary, Woods, Hotaling, Nagel, Henderson and of course  Lofgren and Dewey Smith to keep us in line. High school was great being able to play football, basketball, baseball and track with my brother and being on the Yearbook Staff with my sister who was the editor.

My group of close friends of Nyhuis, Stew, Pitt, Minnick, Godwin, Hagner had great times hanging out, sometimes partying or fighting at our hangouts the Bridge, The Swing, Picket Fence, GirlsScout Camp, Lassisters, and the Boat Ramp. Bridge jumping and crazy stunts on the swing were common, but no one got hurt or arrested. There were probably a few mailboxes destroyed by citrons available in the groves. During the 70’s classmates would “Lake News” your house forcing you to clean up a yard full of newspapers in the morning before church or school.

The 70’s experienced the opening of Disney and a McDonalds in Clermont. Disney World and the killer freezes of the early 80’s, changed the Clermont we knew forever. Luckily, I was able to escape trouble, even the time a few of us went to Groveland after a game and someone threw a few rocks at the Greenies bus. I can’t remember who drove and threw the rocks, but Lofgren and Dewey gave us a tough interrogation. Clermont guys were always trying to get to know the Groveland girls. I remember driving to and from school without a drivers license, in fact I got rear ended leaving the parking lot and had to run back to school and get my brother to say he was driving to the police.

Who could forget the homecoming parade and building floats at Bell Ceramics, Blue Goose, CBS, and other places. Homecoming dances at Jenkins Auditorium and the prom at new hotels on 27. CHS had Junior-Senior prom where only 11th -12th graders were to attend. If you were dating someone older or younger than those grades, too bad, you had to find another date. After prom a parent would host breakfast and we would head out to Daytona Beach for a day in the sun by the Sea Dip motel.

Graduation was both exciting and sad as many of us would leave Dear Ol’ Clermont and go on to college, military, work, or marriage. Our Graduation in 75 was marked by some classmates trying to steal some watermelons for a big party at Randy Karst’s house. It was a great party and some classmates got in trouble, but all made it to enjoy the commencement. Life was great growing up in Clermont/Minneola. We made friends, lost friends, fell in love and made lifelong memories. It was a special era and we are all very fortunate to call ourselves Highlanders. Once a Highlander, Always a Highlander.

Remember our Fight song to the tune of On Wisconsin?  Keep those spirits high boys, then you will succeed for Dear Old Clermont will be fighting ever for the team. And our Alma mater….Then look back at dear Old Clermont and remember well.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN FROM OUR MEMORIES OTIS SICKLER’S WESTERN AUTO, NEISNERS, GRANT HARRIS DRUG STORE, MARSHALLS PHARMACY, 5 THSTREET GROCERY, READY MART, JIFFY MART, DOWNTOWN PUBLIX, BOB’S BAR, RUSTY FOX, BURGERCASTLE, CREST RESTURAUNT AND LOUNGE, LAKES AND HILLS RESTURAUNT, KIDDERS RESTURAUNT,JACKS BARBQUE, POSTAL COLONY, HI-ACRES, POLO GROVES, JC BEACH SNACK BAR, CLERVUE DRIVE IN,STALNAKER CHEVROLET, SOUTH LAKE PRESS, KONSLER STEEL,SLIDING DOWN THE STEEP GRASS HILL BY27 ON CARDBOARD, KNOCK DOWN ORANGE FIGHTS IN GROVE BEHIND SCHOOL, CAMP SWAMPY The Classmates lost to car wrecks, floods, bombings, and other accidents. And of course— CLERMONT ELEMENTARY, CLERMONT JR HIGH, AND CLERMONT HIGH SCHOOL.

A Look Back #42, Submitted by Rob McCue Class of’86

Having grown up in Clermont since we moved here in 1976, my best memories of summer as a child were swimming in Lake Minnehaha and fishing off the dock near Hook Street and Lakeshore Drive. Riding my bicycle around Lake Minnehaha was not as dangerous with traffic as it might be now in 2023. I could share tons of memories going to Clermont Elementary, Clermont Middle School (riding my bike up Bloxam Avenue every morning for 3 years), and especially Clermont High School,

If you had asked me in high school what I planned to be, I wouldn’t have answered a future principal in South Lake County, but God saw fit to use me this way and I have no regrets!  I do clearly recall interviewing for a scholarship (Dawn & Jennifer Barnes Scholarship) my senior year in Dick Langley’s law office on Almond Street and saying that I hope to be able to come back to Clermont and give back to a community that really cared and loved me enough to make sure I would be successful in the future.

I suppose God heard me or likely already put it in my heart to find a way to come back and do all I could to make a difference for the next generation of kids so they might be inspired to come back and serve our wonderful community. I think we can all agree that times have changed but God has seen fit to protect and provide for this community when we align with His purpose for us. I was able to be a teacher, coach, career counselor, assistant principal, and principal at South Lake High, Cypress Ridge Elementary, and Clermont Middle School.

As a principal, summers were not a “time off” but a time to refresh, replenish, and prepare not only the buildings and grounds for the return of the students but to make sure we had the very best teachers, counselors, coaches, custodians, food service workers, teacher assistants, and office staff- including administrators ready to provide a learning environment that would help every student to develop academic skills, explore their interests, and potentially inspire them to discover God’s purpose for their life and their future. All the details of this preparation were parts of a journey to a much higher purpose. As educators, we just never know what word or action might impact the lives of our students, but it is certain that we “shape” the character of our community.

I am blessed to continue using the gifts God gave me to further impact our community and God’s kingdom on Earth as the principal of Wesley Christian Academy. It is my hope that the students will be inspired to be the next leaders to “shape” the character of our community.

A Look Back #41, Trick or Treat Part 2

Halloween was a fun time growing up in Clermont.  We always had a carnival and prizes for different categories of costumes.  One year Jerry melted wax all over his face  arms and chest and went as the was monster.  I went as a hobo.Clermont was not very big and you could go to 25 or 30 houses relatively easy without even leaving the area where you lived.  No one really worried about kids getting out of hand as almost everyone in town knew all the kids.  In our teen years we picked out certain houses and tee peed the trees in the yard, an d of course we had eggs to toss at other revelers and a car or 2, or maybe even the front door of someone’s home that we were fighting with.  Most of it was all in good fun.  One year, Halloween was on a Saturday night, Jerry borrowed his Dad’s Falcon and we road around Lake Minnehaha throwing oranges at mail boxes.  Mr Jones was a rural mail carrier and used the Falcon to deliver the mail.  On the Monday after Halloween, Mr Jones came into the driveway mad as a hornet.  Mrs Jones happened to be coming out of the garage where the laundry was and heard him carrying on and asked him what the matter was, and he proceeded to yell and cuss about the kids who knocked down all his mail boxes.  Jerry and I looked at each other and just kept silent and doing what we were doing.  We never let on it was us.  We new we would be dead if we spoke up. Bill

Great memories.  I remember my mom making my sister Cathy and I costumes to be judged. One time I was the big bad wolf and Cathy was Red Riding Hood, I was old Maid in the shoe and she was Little Boy Blue.  I didn’t own many dolls so mom improvised. We borrowed one from our neighbor.  It was something to be cherished.  So much fun.

One night I remember. For those of you remember my mom driving the school bus. They were parked at the elementary school.. This particular time, she was determined that the busses were not going to be egged this year. She got a big barrel, my sister was in charge of rolling it in the street while my mom and stopped the car. The culprits were coming down the street and Cathy stopped the car with the barrel and mom got after the boys.  She gave them a lecture that the eggs, when the sun dries the egg on the bus,  it peels the paint.Then she continued when they spray the fire extinguishers in the buses it’s a mess to clean up and not nice.   We had to help clean busses.  So much fun.  She had enough cleaning eggs off busses.  So she didn’t take the fun out of it. We brought toilet paper and she helped them paper the inside of the busses. The next morning the drivers came to find the busses papered not egged.  Well the drivers were a little upset my mom helped them toilet paper the busses.  It was easier to clean up. In her defense, she said it was better than being egged.    You guys know who you were.  I will never forget! Therese Moore Harmel 1970

A dad knows his son and his friends so my father made sure I was home quite early on Halloween during my school years! The next day at school I would hear stories of the eggs and the bleach on a couple of lawns in Clermont but I was never on one of those adventures. Damn it. I feel deprived! Danny

School is in full swing so it is fun for some and not so much for others to have Halloween come along as a break from the school drill.  For those who enjoyed Halloween, the Haunted Houses were fun.  I will never forget going through the line at one such place and having my hand put in a container of worms, a container of eyeballs and then other containers that I have no idea or remembrance of what they called them.  Looking back now, it was rather cool to peel grapes for the eyes and use sketty noodles for the worms.

There was this one Halloween where Maryann Piggott (I think Joyce Griner was with us too) Maryann and I dressed up like Brides/Princesses.  You see, our Mom’s believed that you make your own costumes back then.  I cannot remember ever having a store bought one.  Needless to say, She and I had a blast.  Our neighborhood was such a safe place that our parents just let us go and have fun, and fun we had.  We came along a few homes that had been toilet papered and saw a few kids that had been egged. . There were always a lots of teacher’s yards that got the TP treatment and a few Principals too.

My sister Sherry drove us around out of our normal area in her adorable little convertible bianchina up and down the beautiful hills of Clermont.  Of course, we had a blast. Sherry was always fun, bossy, but fun.  Our mothers wouldn’t let us eat any of the candy before they had a chance to inspect it (they had no idea how much we ate while out and about

My older Brother, Larry was of the crowd that ran around scaring the crud out of everyone, picking at the younger children and of course there was the tp and eggs.  I refuse to rat on who and what his group tp and egged.  There was one Halloween where Larry was brought home by the police after being caught skinny dipping with 3 girls.  Momma laughed so very hard in the Officers face.  She asked him, “If you had a chance to skinny dip with 3 beautiful girls as a teenager, wouldn’t you do it?”  Our Dad’s reaction was a bit different… Julie Norman House CHS ‘77

Halloween for me and some friends of mine actually started a few days before by the gathering of items such as an assortment of slightly rotten fruits, Bar soap, Fire crackers, eggs and a flashlight which were hid in the woods.  We a small group of so called hooligans (as ourparents called them) that lived in the Indian Hills section of Clermont  in the early 1960s was preparing for the night before Halloween of

trouble making. On the list of trouble making items for that night was the dumping of

garbage cans soaping windows, fire cracking mail boxes and tossing

rotten fruit and eggs. One time we ran into a rival gang from the east

side that resulted in a nasty fruit fight. The sound of a rotten fruit

making impact was a clear signal to turn and run. The next day we put on

some poorly made costumes and collected goody’s as if nothing the night

before ever happened. All in all a interesting night we enjoyed every Halloween.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again in April. Paul Enz

Growing up in Clermont was special as everyone knew each other.  We knew our friends, their parents, their siblings, etc.  Halloween was one time when we may not know who someone was as we dressed up, wore masks, and had lots of fun doing so.  The masks though were usually the store bought ones that went with the costume of the day.  I can’t remember anything I ever dressed up as though I am sure Barbie will be the popular character for this year’s trick or treaters.  Part of the fun was knowing that Clermont Elementary would be having the Annual Halloween Carnival.  There would be booths for food and booths for games.  One area that was fun and scary was the building/tent that you would enter and have to put your hand in various pots.  Were you feeling guts(spaghetti noodles) or eyeballs(grapes) or maybe some other part of a creature’s body.  Regardless it was innocent fun that for a moment gave you the chills but you knew that once you left the room that all was going to be ok.  Once it got dark and you headed out to trick or treat it was an family adventure.  We would start in our neighborhood, come home, get in our car and Mom and Dad would drive us to wherever their friends lived so we could trick or treat there also.  Hours later and after much candy we would head home exhausted from a night of family fun.  Once we got too old for trick or treating we would maybe go to the drive-in to see a scary movie but mostly got to stay up late and watch the classics on the late night stations.  Halloween was fun because we all looked out for each other and didn’t let the creatures of the night get any of us. Nancy Konsler Zoller, Class of 1977

This had to be 1967, I was 16. It was Halloween and Steve Ward and I were cruising in my dad’s ‘62 VW bug, we had a dozen eggs looking for a target. As I sit to remember this some of the details escape me. I’m sure Steve would remember them all. I can’t remember who we saw that we bombarded with eggs but wee took off. Sure they were right on our tails, I drove thru downtown and towards CBS.

They were behind us as I turn into CBS, speeding and pull into the first space around the corner. Steve and I jump out of the car eggs in hand ready to blast whoever turned that corner. Well to our great surprise it was Mitchell Rogers, one of our trusted Clermont police officers.  We ditched the eggs in the back seat and I don’t think eggs ever came part of the complaint but reckless driving did.  I had to go to court in Tavares and got a stern dressing down from the judge for driving crazy when all these kids were out. A year later the two eggs we stashed under the back seat broke….what a mess. David Styles

Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I have mixed memories of Halloween. When I was young, the “treat” part of Halloween brings back fun memories of my siblings and I dressing up in our mom’s creative costumes and dashing from door to door to get as much candy as we could. We would arrive home with a mix of store bought candy and homemade treats. As I grew older, the trick” part of Halloween began to apply. There are two memories that, after all these years, I must fess up to. The first was when I was not quite old enough to drive, a few of my friends and I innocently told our parents we still wanted to go trick or treating. While out, we made sure to get“some” candy, so as not to look like we had been up to mischief. Our real plan was to toss eggs

at passing cars. I’m also pretty sure one of my friends was carrying a can of black spray paint that night. Over the course of a few hours, we hid behind bushes and threw eggs at passing cars, with lousy accuracy I might add. Almost out of eggs, we were heading back to meet our curfew when I saw another set of headlights approaching. Hiding behind some hedges I hurled the last egg and splat; it landed on the passing car’s windshield. I also realized as the egg hit, it was my father coming to pick me up. As I remember, the ride home was quiet. Although I was never accused of the misdeed, the reckoning came the next morning when I was told by my parents to wash the car.

Fast forward a few Halloweens and I was behind the wheel of my mother’s Buick Skylark cruising around with my oldest sister and two of her friends. At some point, we passed a carload full of guys and they began to follow us. We were sure it was their full intention to throw eggs at our car. I was determined not to have to wash the car again, so I out maneuvered them, or so I thought. With their headlights now in the distance, we were intercepted by one of Clermont’s finest with blue lights flashing. Of course, the guys managed to get away. The officer at some point asked if we had any eggs in the car. We replied, oh no officer. He then asked us to step out of the car. As we obeyed, an egg fell out of the car and began rolling down the hill towards the officer. To this day, the probability of this happening still baffles me. Well, “as sure as eggs is eggs,” we ended up at the police station, extremely anxious and scared our parents would find

out. We were given a stern lecture and told to call our parents to come pick us up. We all looked at each other and knew the worst was yet to come. After two months of being grounded and having my driver’s license taken away, the message was clear. It is wiser to learn your lesson on the first go-around. That was the last year I ventured out on Halloween. Patty Lucas Green

Halloween night myself my brother Ben, Eddie Pender and Mark Dixon decided we were going to egg typing teacher J.D. McFarland’s house. Where we made a mistake was going around the block twice. We rolled up in the driveway, lights off, jumped out and the eggs were flying, little did we know J.D. was waiting outside for us. The four of us tried getting in Dixon’s Mustang at the same time and he caught us before we could back out of his drive I apologized and told him we would clean the house and he said he would clean the house instead. While he is giving us a well deserved verbal lashing he takes what I thought was an ink pen points it at my feet in the car and it goes off. I started laughing and said Mr. McFarland you can’t scare us with a cap gun, well it was tear gas. We were choking, coughing and our eyes burning, it was horrible, you couldn’t touch your nose with a powder puff. I don’t know how Mark could even see to drive. We went to the Jiffy store and put our heads in the coolers trying to get some relief, which didn’t go over well with the ladies working there. The trick was on us that Halloween. Matt Graham ‘70

I didn’t do much for Halloween.  I remember going to the spook house on Montrose as a little kid but that is about it.

The only other thing that might back some memories for the young CHSers is the Halloween one year the city called it off. Due to some trouble the city said no Trick or Treating.  The kids on our street were broken hearted.  So, our block had a party of our own.  The kids all dressed up and went from house to house.  One house was a Spook House, one had games like dunking for apples, one house had a haunted cemetery, several homes had lots of candy and I think one had crafts and one house took the kids on a hay ride!!  The whole thing was a huge success with parents and kids! 

That’s about the best I can remember. Karen Clay Newman ‘64

I lived a fairly innocent life at CHS, but I do have vivid memories of one particular Halloween. Jerry and I were dating and we were Juniors. I remember going by Doc McFarland’s house and, as Jerry threw the eggs, DOC came out from behind his car with a flashlight and said “Brown, I see you!” Doc was ready for the onslaught! First and last time we ever egged anyone! I must say that I do have some remorse, as I thank Doc each and every day when I use my computer keyboard! And yes, we all remember typing “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aide of their country” over and over again in his class! Not sure I remember much shorthand though!  Diana Hayes Brown ‘68

A Look Back #40, Trick or Treat, Part 1

I remember Halloween in Clermont, fun for kids from Tots enjoying the Booths on Montrose Street to Teens soaping windows, Begging for treats or racing around, switching For Sale signs, tossing eggs until they ran out then it was time to hit the groves for a load of oranges.  I hope you Enjoy these recollections and remember……

One event of Halloween I remember from a while back has to do with a small boat trailer that belonged to the school Principal at the time- it may have been “Happy” Hayes, but don’t quote me on that.  As I remember, he had the trailer at school in the shop department for some minor repairs.  Somehow it was sitting outside on a Halloween night.  The next morning, the trailer was hanging from the flagpole in front of the old school.  Somehow someone(s) had moved it across the campus, and managed to raise it up the pole, all at night, without being seen.  Well, the next morning the police were there, roping off the area around the pole, and they brought in a couple of trucks with cherry-picker booms on them, and a large wrecker truck with a long boom on it.  All this to get the trailer back on the ground, but it only took a few someones, without any equipment, to put it up the pole.    Never did hear who did it, or if they were ever caught, but it did create a bit of a stir that morning.

Happy Halloween…Cheers, Riley Brice ’54

My Halloween memories are few & far between, but I do remember getting into a bit of trouble while riding around Clermont with Betsy Bonjorn throwing eggs at houses & other cars of Highlanders and I think we Toilet Papered a few houses as well.

The end result was a visit from Prentice Tendall later that night. Oh, did I mention that Betsy’s Dad was the Mayor of Clermont. It didn’t go well. I’m sure some of my other classmates will have a few innocent tales to tell as well!!

Happy Halloween!  Judy Williams ‘65

Fall and Halloween memories for me included simple homemade costumes as a kid to more elaborate ones in junior and senior high school. CHS fall and Halloween activities included fall football games, marching band, and annual staff. As the Class of 1975 at Halloween time, we would have wrapped up another year as winners of the CHS homecoming float competition. We won the competition four years in a row. Our senior year, found those of us in Micki Nagel’s psychology class attending a superb Halloween party at Randy Karst’s home. My senior year 1974-75 was especially memorable as annual staff photographer. I have great memories of wonderful classmates who attended school with me, elementary grades to high school graduation. Growing up in small town Clermont, Gem of the Hills, in the “Old Florida” we once knew was a blessing indeed. Susan Harder Sangster ‘75

My Forever Favorite Halloween!

Freezing cold evening

Was standing outside the Sundries on Montrose Street Circa 1956

Was wearing my new suede jacket

She was wearing a black sweater

I offered her my new jacket to keep her warm

She accepted my gift

And I fell deeply in love with her!

Her initials in high school were S. A. M. we went “steady” from the 9th through my 12th grade graduation

I went into the military

She went to college

We both had marriages to others

After 29 years we re-met

And the 2nd time around was wonderful

So long ago and far away

Or was it only yesterday?  

Tommy Jarvis CHS 1960

Back in the 50’s & 60’s Halloween there was usually a carnival downtown for the younger set and hijinks for the teens, essentials required eggs and toilet paper supplies and perhaps a libation or two. Chief Tyndal had all his hands on deck on that night but as usual monitoring the street with a moderate hand. The day after, many homes of teenage students might find a for sale sign in the front yard. Unsigned to protect the guilty

Back in the late 1940’s and early1950’s the whole downtown was decorated for Halloween. All the kids dressed in their spooky or pretty (for the girls) costumes. There were food booths, spooky booths you could walk through with scary music playing. Fishing booths where you held a fishing pole and caught a prize!  All of Montrose Street was crowded with young and old! When it was time to walk and play trick or treat, we would leave the lighted Montrose Street and walk in nearby neighborhoods where the streets were dark and somewhat scary! Most of the nice people who lived within several blocks from down town, would be ready for the kids with baskets of candy, cookies, apples. One big house at the corner of Osceola and Fifth street would treat their trick or treaters with apple cider. Back then almost all the stores were right in the business district of downtown Clermont. We had a down town Publix, John York Jeweler, Clermont Sundries, Ferguson Furniture, Marshalls Pharmacy,Cantwell’s Department Store, N.N. Jones 5 and 10 store, Eagan’s office supply, Western Auto and of course Bob’s Bar, where the boys learned to play pool as they got older. Mr. And Mrs. Percy Seaver had their home where they sold plants and flowers. There were at least two gas stations. The post office, Grant Harris Drugstore and of course the movie theater was downtown where we all went on Saturday to see the Cowboy movies and the Abbott & Costello movies and maybe hold hands with a special boyfriend.  There was a Law Office and also a Chrysler, Dodge dealer. A Chevrolet dealership. We had an ice house where people could go to buy blocks of ice to keep their food cold if they had an ice box instead of an electric refrigerator.  One of the larger businesses was Blue Goose packing plant. Those years were great years to grow up in Clermont! We all knew each person we met on the street. The churches were all within blocks of downtown. Grace Baptist, Methodist, Catholic and Episcopal. All had good youth groups!  So many years have past now, and I’ve probably left out something, but Halloween was always a fun time! Gloria Oswalt ‘56

October always makes me think about the absolutely insane things that happened on Clermont streets, alleys and grove roads on Halloween.  Did the price of eggs go up the week before All Hallows’ Eve?  When the eggs ran out the groves supplied an endless supply of ammo.  I would love to know what Chief Prentice Tyndal told his officers on Halloween Night Patrol, whatever it was it must have included something like “There will be some strange things happening on the streets tonight, remember our real goal is to get the kids home safe tonight and remember we were all High School kids once too”. Anon?

I didn’t do much for Halloween during my High School years. My most memorable Halloween was when I was in Elementary School. I lived in the Apshawa community out in the country. One year our community organized a Halloween party for all of the kids. There was a Haunted House and games like bobbing for apples. We used trimmed palmetto stems to roast hotdogs over a bonfire. Then all the ice cream we could eat. We made sure we got our share.

Simpler times. Ray Morrison ‘64

Halloween party at Susan Westberg’s. Took cookies that I think it was Glenda Hull and I made. Put coffee and all sorts of weird stuff in them and everybody asked for the RECIPE   Sharon Prescott Jenkins ‘66

Most Halloweens were the same but 1963 was highlighted by a number of events, that made it special.  Halloween was like Easter.  There wasn’t an egg to buy at a grocery store.  But instead of eating them, we thru them.  One such event occurred that evening which was a Thursday night.  Gerberich, Hotaling and St John’s and I were riding in the back of Max Jensen’s truck.  We found ourselves behind Bill McGuire’s car driving down Montrose Street in the center of town.  We were heaving the eggs at them, with McGuire hanging out the driver’s side, with his door open and Tony Honey out the passenger side with his door open, tossing eggs back at us.  I believe it was Suzie Modica in the middle of the car steering.  That was typical stuff, except for the car that was approaching on the other side of the street. Mitch Rodgers (Clermont Cop) He swung his vehicle around and the great chase began.  We all avoided capture that evening, which was good because it was a Thursday night and we were playing South Sumter, the next night in football.  The game was highlighted by Clermont scoring twice in the 4th quarter to win 19-14 and improve our record to 5-2.  (Without being home by 9pm) Paul DiToma ’65  RIP

I remember trick or treating when I was younger. One time, we said trick or treat, and I was dressed in an Eagles uniform. The guy made us play football for a treat; then it was a trick. When I got older, it was TP’ing houses, throwing eggs at some Hooty houses, and we used to make “glop” (flour, water, eggs, bleach,and some water soluble paint, and throw it on houses on Lakeshore Drive. We stopped trick or treating at 15 years old. Mischievous, yes; foolish- yes. Then the TP, Eggs and Glop. What datardly creatures we were. Thank God we outgrew that stuff. Oh, we did throw citrons at a few mailboxes and completely knock them off the posts. Foolishness is found on the heart of a child, but discipline will drive it far from them and a little age. Hooty

My memories of Halloween in Clermont are based on the Lake Winona Loop. My siblings and I were allowed to venture out on our own for the big candy collection quest as long as we followed a path around Lake Winona.  The quest would always begin with a search for costumes at Niesner’s downtown. After being sufficiently disguised, or so we thought, we would grab a pillow case and head off to gather up our bounty. From our house on the corner of Minnehaha and 5th Street we would dutifully follow the path trick or treating every house along the way if the lights were on and looked promising. Notable calling spots were the McKowan’s, Hayes, Middleton’s, Prater’s and the Anderson’s as we progressed toward Lake Winona. Following the Lake we would hit the Hutchingson’s and Pool’s where we were always wary of being ambushed by that wild bunch. We made our way into Indian Hills where the Weber’s, Bishop’s, Vitter’s and Hogan’s lay in wait. We made sure we kept to the well lighted streets since our pillow cases were becoming tempting targets. We made the turn toward home with the Clay’s, the Cook’s and the Wolf’s our final stops. Spreading our bounty on the living room floor we compared the night’s rewards only to have our mom intervene by doling out an appropriate daily ration.  Great memories of good times, good people, and a wonderful community! Mark McLean

On Halloween probably 1964 we acquired at least 10 to 15 dozen eggs from an unfortunate egg producer outside of Clermont toward Winter Garden “you have the honor we have the system “ quote by former esteemed Clermont mayor. So when we prepared for a great Halloween, the Pool mobile(an older Nash when Bobby stuck his head out the window looked like a turtle sticking his head out of its shell) we could open the trunk from inside to fire eggs out the back. Myself Bobby maybe Hal maybe Sammy were present. We mistakenly began our first foray on Hwy 27 in Minneola and were quickly apprehended by local police. We were given a stern talking and relieved of our egg munitions however we did not put all of our eggs in one basket oh we were clever. We retrieved remainder of our eggs and threw them at each other in an orange grove. The names have not been changed to protect the innocent to the best of my memory Richard Westerman 1965

Those Halloween Egg Battles were fun and dangerous I remember riding with probably Bill or St John and Paul on East Av with another bunch in a truck Chunking eggs and when they were depleted turning to oranges, Prentice and his crew knew when to be tough and when to let us be just kids, wouldn’t be the same today John

I only clearly remember the younger years when many of us entered the costume parade. One year I was an Arabian Princess( complete with face veil and

pointed felt slippers).  As I recall I won 2nd place.  No age recalled. Probably 6th grade.  Of course, most of us were excited tobe out in the dark later than usual with the excuse of collecting sweet treats.

When we were all in our teen years I remember seeing results of the egging  but never participated so did not experiencing the excitement of running to escape being caught. However, as I recall, if you were caught the punishment was a firm talk from Chief Tyndal or his partner and a drive (or walk) home to have a talk with parents.  I am sure ther was a lot more excitement that I did not hear about.

Most of which were meant to be “innocent pranks”. Donna ‘65

 A Look Back # 39, Submitted by Mike Williams, Class of ‘66

I thoroughly enjoyed all the “look back” memories that have been shared. When I think back about the time I spent growing up in Clermont, I immediately think of the differences between then and now. For example: I still cringe a little when I hear small children call adults by their first name. For me, it was always Mr., Mrs., Miss, Sir or Maam, along with a please and thank you. Dating has also changed dramatically. Today it is more “hanging out” and “hooking up”. I still remember walking to the front door to pick up your date and meeting with the parents, who reminded you of the curfew. We were always careful to have our dates at home by curfew, and then we would meet up at the bowling alley and lie about how it went. The news is full of horror stories about shootings and fights at school. We now have armed deputies and, in some places, metal detectors. Back in the day, we had Mr. Styles simply walking the hallways and that was enough to keep everyone in line. We never thought about guns and if you checked the parking lot, every pick-up truck had a rear window rifle rack with a 22 rifle or a shotgun. We also respected and appreciated the police. There are dozens of us who have been given a break for speeding or acting stupid by Clermont’s finest. In a lot of cases, we were more concerned that Chief Tyndall would tell our parents. Thankfully I grew up in a time before drugs or needles. The only drugs or needles I ever saw were in Dr. Weaver’s office. Everyone has mentioned fond memories of Jaycee Beach. I also have great memories of summers at the beach, as we eagerly waited to see the girls with their new “two- piece” bathing suits. These days, a two -piece bathing suit would be pretty tame. I also enjoyed the dances at the Highlander Hut. When you walked into the Hut, all the guys would be on one side and the girls on the other. The girls all hoping to dance to any song and the guys all praying for a slow one. I remember when Chunk Meeker and I shot a couple of bottle rockets across the crowded dance floor. Don’t even get me started on the music, but that happens with every new generation. It just so happens that we had the best music and how could anyone not love Credance Clearwater Revival, Beach Boys, Beatles and GTO’s, SS 396’s and Mustangs. I can honestly say that I would not change growing up in Clermont for anything. Mike Williams Class of 1966

A LOOK BACK #38, Submitted by John Bull, Class of ‘76

I remember the days growing up in Minneola in the 60s when

 Jack’s (Underwood‘s) barbecue only had 4 to 6 stools.  It was exciting to go there and get a barbecue sandwich as a kid Dan across the street Bob Blacks Amoco station is where all my dad‘s highway patrol friends would fill up!

Our neighborhood had many friends, growing up the Coxes lived on the end of the street the Williams lived on the other corner the Pattersons, Dixon’s, Curt Harrison, Gores, Alexander’s, Godwin’s, Tommy Davis, Lanes, Bobby Giddens, Amersons, Allen’s, Smoaks, Johnson’s, Turners, Spears and many more we had the best neighborhood!

Lakeside cottages were at the curve on the lake with the ice house at the tracks!

Lakes and hills Restaurant was booming with Mr and Mrs Matz! In Clermont Otis Sickler at the Western Auto gave me first charge account at 12! Clermont Hardware was owned by The Simms is where I got my second one! At the Rexall drug store  Dick Harris was the community fix what ailed you guy! and Mr Marshall had the other pharmacy!

Dick Douglass had Texaco and the Gulf! Guy Lillard had the standard station! Clermont Hospital was on center lake! Publix was downtown! Chief Tyndal, Don Hildreth, Mitchell Rodgers, and Tommy Carlyle were the finest policemen around for our small town ! The bowling alley, Burger Castle, downtown the  pool hall and the beach house were the hangouts! Kids had no worries growing up in our town!

Clermont High School was a wonderful school, all my teachers were caring and wanted you to do well! Dave Lofgren, Bernell Smith and Mr Cockcroft were the principals when I attended! As kids we give them a hard time but as we got older we realized they had our best interest in mind for us to do well! Mrs. Cox and Maude Gibson used to see me in office occasionally getting my attitude adjustment! Wouldn’t trade those times for anything! Mr Hotaling was my mechanical drawing teacher, my class was tough on him I’m sure. a lot of us were mischievous! MA Bell, Mrs Nagel, Mr. McCrary, Mrs. Ohnstad, Coach McComb. We’re some of the great teachers I had along with Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Caldwell!

A Look Back # 38,  Submitted by Mike Williams, Class of ‘66

I thoroughly enjoyed all the “look back” memories that have been shared. When I think back about the time I spent growing up in Clermont, I immediately think of the differences between then and now. For example: I still cringe a little when I hear small children call adults by their first name. For me, it was always Mr., Mrs., Miss, Sir or Maam, along with a please and thank you. Dating has also changed dramatically. Today it is more “hanging out” and “hooking up”. I still remember walking to the front door to pick up your date and meeting with the parents, who reminded you of the curfew. We were always careful to have our dates at home by curfew, and then we would meet up at the bowling alley and lie about how it went. The news is full of horror stories about shootings and fights at school. We now have armed deputies and, in some places, metal detectors. Back in the day, we had Mr. Styles simply walking the hallways and that was enough to keep everyone in line. We never thought about guns and if you checked the parking lot, every pick-up truck had a rear window rifle rack with a 22 rifle or a shotgun. We also respected and appreciated the police. There are dozens of us who have been given a break for speeding or acting stupid by Clermont’s finest. In a lot of cases, we were more concerned that Chief Tyndall would tell our parents. Thankfully I grew up in a time before drugs or needles. The only drugs or needles I ever saw were in Dr. Weaver’s office. Everyone has mentioned fond memories of Jaycee Beach. I also have great memories of summers at the beach, as we eagerly waited to see the girls with their new “two- piece” bathing suits. These days, a two -piece bathing suit would be pretty tame. I also enjoyed the dances at the Highlander Hut. When you walked into the Hut, all the guys would be on one side and the girls on the other. The girls all hoping to dance to any song and the guys all praying for a slow one. I remember when Chunk Meeker and I shot a couple of bottle rockets across the crowded dance floor. Don’t even get me started on the music, but that happens with every new generation. It just so happens that we had the best music and how could anyone not love Credance Clearwater Revival, Beach Boys, Beatles and GTO’s, SS 396’s and Mustangs. I can honestly say that I would not change growing up in Clermont for anything.

A Look Back #37, Submitted by Danny Hoskins, Class of ‘81

April 1981 and just a few more months I will be graduating. I was still looking forward to the High School competition between classes “Spring Fling” this month where I was signed up for the obstacle course and the rumors of a graduation party at Rick Langley’s house. I will miss preparing for spring football but was concentrating on my next stop in life in Tampa. I was ready to leave Clermont, ready to see the world and leave my three police officer town! Oh, what a foolish young man, now I wish constantly Clermont would return to the days of the orange groves! I tell people who live in Clermont today that if they truly want to know how Clermont was in the past just watch an Andy Griffin show and add orange trees for anything outdoors.

Ferndale was home for me, and I attended Minneola Elementary along with Montverde and of course Minneola kids. Although some Clermont kids were bussed to Minneola in 5th grade, my first major experience with Clermont started in the 6th grade where I noticed the kids were more athletic, very good in academics and had nice sneakers. In 6th grade, Mr. Church was the first teacher that took extra time giving me advice on how to be a better student, person and what I needed to do to prepare for football tryouts. Each year as I grew older, I noticed that many people in Clermont gave me much needed advice for future success from our police, the school administration, teachers, and parents of my friends.

Now I had many friends from Ferndale, Minneola and Montverde but my first close Clermont friend was Mark Hettinger in 6th grade. He would get on the bus at Clermont Elementary where his mom taught to ride over to the Jr High. I had many first adventures with Mark from learning to drive, Molly Hatchet music, Clermont Dove hunts and getting ready for 9th grade football. Incoming freshman, you better have connections, or the upper classman would pound you! Mark’s cousin was David Bell so the summer before 9th grade was my first visit to the Clermont High weight room with some big boys. David Bell, Mike Langley and Greg Godwin were in there building some muscle. Wooden homemade painted green bench presses in the gym, also that summer we started running the hill to be ready for football.

I soon found out being a freshman with the class of 1978 as seniors was not easy, lol. One day in PE I made the comment to one of my friends that I was thinking about asking senior Linda Lory out on a date and BIG Anthony Morehouse who was a PE assistant found out (someone was a rat) and let us just say I was inflicted with pain and told that I will never even look at a senior girl again. BIG Mike Murphy inflicted a little more pain later that day and just like that my interest in Senior girls went away in less than 4 hours, lol. Also, my freshman year, the Varsity football team who were state runner up was practicing kickoff returns and a few of us JV players were selected to be on the kickoff team. This was my opportunity to show the Clermont coaching staff that I was a great football player, and I don’t know who hit me but lying on the ground looking up at the sky I swear I saw Jesus smiling down! One more story about the class of 1978 and that was being initiated for being on the track team. Freshman was hunted down after track practice to be stretched across the pole vault padding so Reggie Ward and Scott McLean could land on them after pole vaulting. Yep, the class of 1978 was responsible for making a few kids from the class of 1981 men that year!

I have many stories of my four years at Clermont High School that could be a book they would bring in my boys Eric Gonzales, Wayne Cockcroft Craig Cummings, Kenny Peacock, Kenny Boykin, Mark Hettinger and John Guzman but will close with this one. My senior year, one of my classmates had a toga party and of course we all gave $5 for an older individual to go buy us a keg of beer. We had the Keg in the kitchen in a wheel barrel and Clermont PD knocked on the door, next thing I know an individual was wheeling the keg out the back door, you would think the house was on fire! I never found where they took the keg and a few of us were not happy individuals!

I am now 60 years old and think back often to the days when I was growing up in this town. It brings a smile to my face remembering all the wonderful people and experiences that touched my life.

A LOOK BACK #36, Submitted by Jim McGuire

I will try and remember some of the things that happened, after all, my family was living here when I was born, so it has been a while.

My fondest memories were living on Lake Minnehaha and growing up, running down to the lake to bathe, with towel and soap in hand. Thankfully traffic was light. In the winter the four children stood over the floor furnace to get dressed on cold mornings. Jim MacDonald and June Matz got us to school on time.

As we grew in middle school years, we rode bikes to school and riding up Anderson hill was a real task.

During the summer, if I wanted to go to town, I would wait until Ruby or Dwight Gaines came down their  driveway, which I could see from my house, and begin to hitchhike. I always got a ride. Thanks Ruby and Dwight.

Growing up next to Dr. and Mrs. Aulls’ was quite an experience due to Mort and Buddy (RIP) being neighbors. We had orange wars in the groves and some times even in a     boat.

My first experience with chew tobacco was at 9 years old. We were skiing on the lake and Buddy had some tobacco. Of course, we had to try it. My first lesson in life about tobacco was Do Not chew tobacco, especially while skiing and swallowing water, etc. There were a few hours in that day I would like to forget.

There were many other good times with the Aulls’, unfortunately they moved to Eustis.

As we reached the teenage years, we were involved in sports during the school year and working with George Nagel, or Nate Gurney, in construction or Harold Turville, at his body shop in the summers.  Johnny and I also spent some time at the Beach cooking and serving with Sylvia Gurney when she operated the restaurant. AND, of course dancing and romancing on the dance floor.

I was fortunate to be able drive to work, school, date and mess around at an earlier age than lawful.  The police were quite lenient as long we behaved. I remember a band trip to Daytona Beach. The band was going to march on the beach and George Nagel and I decided to drive over (age 14 and 15). We took my fathers Lincoln convertible. We figured two learner permits made one regular drivers’ license. After we got to Daytona, the car disappeared, due to several of the teachers and chaperons wanting to ride

up and down the beach with the top down. Due to confidentiality agreements, we cannot disclose the names of the teachers.

As we got older in Junior and Senior years, our summers ended early, due football practice, with two-a- days starting at 4:30 AM. Loud mufflers did not go well with residents on or around the access and exits of the school. Prentice Tyndall was very kind to ask us to calm down or he would see that the noise  stopped.

I had so many great teachers that I regret not mentioning them, being afraid to leave out someone. We spent the summers waterskiing, swimming, or working to earn money for dates. I think the Oswald family, the McGuire family and several other families and lots of others, skied every lake, every river and on every type of object we could ski on. Disc’s, paddles, small boards with bindings. Our Ski Club traveled to Ponce De Leon springs to ski in 4 feet of mud. The Club also skied at Cypress Gardens. We thought we were Pro’s. Ha-ha. David Gurney and I found a way to pick up women at the beach. We

backed my grandfathers old Ford truck into the lake and had to get someone to pull us out. Some young ladies thought that was cute. That should have told us something,

Then we grew up, well not fully?

I want to thank all the friends and acquaintances that were involved in these years. As everyone that grew up in these times had the best life that we could have had. We all had suffering that we went through, but usually the light brightened in a very short time due to friends and others.

I noticed in all the previous posts, that the common thread in our lives was the living we did outside our homes. Thankfully we did not have all the devices to keep us inside. With the friends and the kindness of families and people of the community we were able to live in and out of our homes without worry. It was a Village raising its youth. THANK YOU CLERMONT!!!!

A Look Back #35, Submitted by David Hooten, Class of ’70

As many of us remember, the Jaycee beach was the desired place when I was growing up. Many of us remember taking swimming lessons at the beach usually taught by “Mr. Julich”. I am so glad to have taken those swimming lessons; they have served me well over the years. Even now, as I exercise at the YMCA, located in the town I live in, I swim the breaststroke, the backstroke, the Australian crawl, and the side stroke. All of this was due to the diligence of my parents who encouraged me to take the lessons (they made me do it but that was a wise dictate!). I remember once, after just a few lessons, Bill Cork and I were swimming in the shallow water. Well, I decided that I was ready to be one of the “older kids” and could take my newfound skills to the next level. So, I ran out on the dock to the deeper water and jumped in. I panicked and found out that I could not swim as well as I thought. So, I really did start to drown. My Mom thought I was joking at first, but Bill Cork, a better swimmer than me I might add, read the situation correctly. He immediately ran out, jumped in the water swam out to where I was, correctly applied a lifesaving technique by getting behind me and putting his arm around me, and pulled me to safety. My Mom, who then realized what was really going on, was horrified. I was only four years old. So, part of my look back is to thank my classmate and friend Bill Cork for making sure that I am here to write this recollection; thank you Bill.

Some other memories were of the Labor Day celebrations at the Jaycee beach. As a young kid, I remember the “greased pig” contest where they covered a small pig with Crisco and let him loose in a fenced in area. Those of us who were contenders got into the arena and did our best to wrestle the greased pig to the ground. I just remember how slick the pig was and how much sand stuck to our bodies with the Crisco residue on us; it was like sandpaper. I do not remember ever winning the contest, but I sure remember the “greased pig”. It was all good fun, and the pig was washed off after the contest (no animal cruelty here; just plain fun).I remember the great swing sets at the beach which were anchored down by concrete so that we could swing way higher than on our yard sets (which were not concreted and tended to come up off the ground). The snack bar, juke box and dance floor, usually covered with beach sand, were a steady diet of fun in those days. The juke box loudspeaker was blasting “Wild Thing” by the Trogs and other popular tunes like “Hungry” by Paul Revere and the Raiders. As we grew older, there were water skiing excursions on Lake Minneola and Lake Minnehaha.

John Monk and I put up a rope swing hung from a tall Cyprus tree over the Palatlakaha Creek not far from the bridge that many of us used to jump from near the Lake Susan Lodge. That was some fun for many folks! I even remember using skim boards to both skip through the shallow water at the beach and being towed behind a ski boat. I had a great one that I secured the help of Mr. Gray, who lived on Pine Lane, as he was a woodworker. He made a great one as a favor to me, thanks Mr. Gray. The Jaycee Beach was not as good a skim ride as Daytona or New Smyrna Beach, but fun nonetheless.

Many folks have recalled all the dances at the Highlander Hut. I wish I could say that I never used “Eddie” to buy a pint of Old Crow for us “young’uns”, but I would be lying. I also had a clever way, I thought, of using that bottle, once consumed by a group of us, to steal one shot out of each of my parents’ bottles, so as not to draw too much attention, and storing it under the house until the next venture (thank God for providence or I would be long gone). As Forest Gump’s mom said, “Stupid is as stupid does”! We, foolishly, thought it was very ingenious at the time.

I remember going to the football games at Highlander Field and listening to Louie Louie I by the Kingsmen that the announcers would play every now and then. I remember the song, “Go Ever Forward Dear Old Clermont” that we sang from the bleachers at those games. Clermont was a great place to grow up as I reflect on it even though, when I was younger, I thought it was a boring place many times. As I look back, I just did not know how good we had it; the Burger Castle, the bowling alley, the Freezette, and the orange groves, would all be welcome places in my book. However, all the great parking places have gone and are now somebody’s houses, oh well, progress happens. Have a great day ya’ll.

Hooty

Look Back #34 Submitted by Mary McLean Hix, Class of ’74

A Look Back # 32 – REUNIONS 1989~2023, Submitted by Karen Clay Newman, Class of ‘64 Around 1989, a group of Clermont High School attendees (mostly from the Seaver family) thought it would be fun and meaningful to get together with some of their schoolmates and have a CHS reunion. Little did they know that 34 years later, what started out with about 50 people would turn into a celebration of 300+ graduates, teachers, and friends. Spouses are also invited to attend.

To make it even more enjoyable, they decided to add another class each year. Let’s say they started with anyone who had attended from 1989 and before, the next year they would add the class of 1990, thus increasing the number of participants.

I’m not too sure about the early reunions. I wasn’t going to attend something like that. Reunions were for older people. So, for about 5 or 6 years my invitation came and I promptly threw it away, until one day I saw a picture of 4 or 5 of my friends that I hadn’t seen in years, all at the reunion. They looked like they were having a wonderful time. Well, that did it! The next year I was there! It was held in the cafeteria of Windy Hill Middle School. Cracker Barrel catered the event. By now there was a pretty good group of alumni in attendance. I could not believe what I had been missing. At each reunion the class celebrating their 50th graduation is introduced. This year the class of 1973 will be the honored ones. Last year, due to COVID, we celebrated 3 classes at one time. What a great time that was!

Another thing we have done during the years is to celebrate the lives of those who are no longer with us. We have had a memorial service in the past but now a video shown in honor of those who have passed away since the previous reunion. We also include teachers, administration and school employees. It is so touching to see the people who helped us grow and mature into the citizens we are today.

In the beginning I think they had the first reunions at Clermont High school, then Windy Hill. We also met in the gym at the church that is now Minneola City Hall.

For the past number of years, we have met at the First United Methodist Church in Clermont. It is quite a festive occasion with balloons, plants and beautiful table settings. And the food, it is absolutely delicious. We meet and visit, remember, renew and reminisce. We then have our meal and some years a program. We introduce the honored class, share pictures, and just have a wonderful time.

Something new we began about 5 – 6 years ago is our scholarship program. We collect/raise money throughout the year and then present 2 deserving high school seniors with a $1,000 scholarship to help them further their education. So far, we have disbursed $13,000. This year we will be presenting 3 scholarships thanks to a special donation by a family in honor of a loved one.  The recipients are also introduced at the reunion. By the way, the seniors applying for the scholarship must be a relative of a former CHS student.

During the last 34 years the reunion has expanded and grown. It is sad to say but we don’t have many of the original Hilltoppers left. If we don’t keep the reunion going and programs like it, we will begin to run out of Highlanders and the ability to share all the wonderful memories we have. If you can, I would like to encourage you to attend the reunion this year, if not this year, then the next.  You can find the registration form online. I bet John will post it as well. We can always use more volunteers if you feel that is your thing. We would love to have you.

After each reunion, I think we all leave thinking how lucky we were to have grown up in Clermont and to have gone to Clermont High School. We are all so thankful for the friends we have and are so glad we get to see them and visit one more time.

A Look Back #31, Submitted by Larry Young, Class of ‘60 My family moved to Clermont in 1947 when I was five years old and my brother, Sandy, was eight.  Our family was my maternal grandparents (Howard and Lucile Young) and my mother (Rosemary).  My dad was killed in WWII.

We rented a couple of places first then moved into our home at 339 Carroll Street from where I went to first grade in the old Clermont School building on 2nd Ave.  When I graduated in 1960, we lived next door at 359 in a newly constructed house.

My grandfather was editor of the Clermont Press which was the weekly local newspaper. He collected advertisements, wrote articles, gathered articles written by others, and edited the work of others. He taught me how to edit my own work by reading it backwards, not getting lost in content, but paying attention to spelling, grammar, and structure.  I hope it shows here.  He was also chairman of the South Lake Water Authority and responsible for maintaining the water level in the Clermont Chain of Lakes by controlling the flow at the Cherry Lake Dam which was later named after him.  The dam has since been removed.  He took water level readings every day at the Tampa Bridge and rain gauge readings in our back yard for the USGS.

My grandmother was active in the Clermont Garden Club and helped run the annual flower show.  She had a hybridized daylily plant that was considered a new plant that was named after her (Lucille Young Hemerocallis).

My mom was secretary for the Clermont Chamber of Commerce and helped produce Discover Clermont; Gem of the Hills which was a promotional film about Clermont. A copy of the film is available at Cooper Memorial Library.  She also co-wrote the book Clermont, Gem of the Hills with Miriam Johnson.  She owned Clermont Photo Supply which sold cameras, film, and did portraits. We also took photos of auto accidents for the Highway Patrol. It was a replacement for Mr. Schlott’s photo shop when he retired.  She also had a film company, Featured Films, that won an award that beat out Disney that year for a movie she made about Haines City.

My first-grade class was one of the last small classes; just before the baby boomers started running up the school population.  There were 30 of us that made it all the way to graduation in 1960.  The previous class was about 2/3rds of ours and the next class twice as big.  Each successive class got a little bigger.

My first job was at Grant-Harris Drug Store when it was downtown at 8^th Ave and Montrose.  It was when I was about 12.  The job was sweeping and moping the floors.  I was a really small boy and Dr Harris finally decided that the job was over my head, and I was sent home after about a week.  My other jobs were at Postal Colony Grove Service (now long gone) hoeing and watering newly planted orange trees and for John Middleton Construction Co. building houses and the attempt at an industrial building northwest of town on Old Hwy 50.  The building was a success, but the business that was planned there was a flop.

I was in the first organized band at Clermont School when I was in the 3^rd grade.  They tested our lips to see which instrument they might fit.  Mine fit the drums.  There were only a few of us and, in high school, it was difficult for us to make any kind of formation at half time during the football games.  A photo in the 1960 yearbook shows about 20 of us including the majorettes.

I took drum lessons from the band director’s son and Gene Dixon and they taught me well.  Well enough for me to take up playing a drum set when, in 1958, Jac Murphy, Ron Resler, Burt Canova, Jr, and I started the rock and roll band called the Impalas.  We began in Burt’s living room under the guidance of his dad (Burt, Sr), Buddy Baker, and Reg Cook who, along with Gene Dixon, were the Blue Notes band. After a while, we got good enough and brave enough to play in public.  We won the talent contest at the Labor Day celebration at JCC Beach that same year.  There was a talent scout from the Orlando Youth Center in the audience and he invited us to play at the Youth Center THAT NIGHT! We accepted.  When we got there, we had to wait to start our performance until after they finished filming a performance by the Everly Brothers.  We (at least I) was intimidated, but we pulled it off.  After that, we played a lot for dances at the Highlander Hut, at various Lake and Sumpter County Schools, the Orlando Youth Center many times, New Year’s Eve parties, and as far away as Okeechobee.  We also played for the prom for the class of 1959 at the Elks Club.

Teacher and coach Norm Julich formed an informal baseball club prior to any organized Little League. We were about 10 or 11 years old at the time.  There were just enough of us to make up four teams, but there were only two good pitchers and they rotated between teams when we played each other. Coach Julich was not only coach for all four teams but also the umpire for each of our games.  Later, some of us were on his Pony League team that played other teams from neighboring towns.

We had a great water ski club. We put on ski shows at the Labor Day celebration at JCC Beach for several years.  We would practice and ski behind Johnny Oswalt’s boat. We did almost every trick there is including pyramids, slalom, trick skis, disk, and many others.  The boat wasn’t quite fast enough for us to barefoot, but we kept trying at every practice and sucked up a lot of water in our falls.  The last year I was involved, it was so rough on Lake Minneola due to high winds that we couldn’t do the whole show, but we still did a few tricks.  Sometimes, some of us would ski from Lake Louisa to Lake Susan on the very curvy Palatlakaha River.  A fisherman once threw his can of worms at me.  It was before there was a speed limit on the river and probably the reason why there is one now.

Several of us would make a summertime canoe trip on the Ocklawaha River from Leesburg to Silver Springs.  It was a two-day trip, the first of which ended at the confluence of the Ocklawaha and Silver Rivers.  We would spend that night in a large boathouse (uninvited) that had a large, scary skin of an alligator hanging on the wall.

Clermont, Florida was a great place to grow up.  We had free reign of the whole town and the adjoining areas which was mostly orange groves back then.  Everybody knew everybody.  We all knew everybody’s parents and, unfortunately, they often knew us. I grew up with Robin Bonjorn and Jimmy Cole who lived in the block east of us and Shawn Hillary, Tommy Jarvis, and Jac Murphy in the block to the west.  We had a lot of adventures in my little pram sailboat, Sea Biscuit, on Sparkling Water Lake in front of our house and on the Clermont Chain of Lakes and in Green Swamp.  We would fish, hunt, camp, and generally just enjoy Clermont and the surrounding areas with very few restrictions.

I will always look back on growing up in Clermont with great fondness and pride.  I hear a lot of people comment about the little towns in which they grew up and they mention how great it was to have the freedom and safety we all had in those days.  Things have certainly changed.

A Look Back #30 Submitted by Margaret Weaver Billinger, Class of ‘73 It all began 50 years ago when most of us went to kindergarten and were in Mrs. Cherry’s class at the Methodist Church. She would take us on picnics and swimming trips out at her house at Cherry Lake and I remember getting in trouble for supposedly putting black paint and Jeannie Meeker’s hair but, it was her hair color and Mrs. Cherry tried to keep washing it out when it was not anything.

As years went by an elementary school, I remember watching first man walk on the moon when our teacher brought a portable TV in the school room to see it and times we had really bad thunderstorms the sky would turn so dark outside you thought it was midnight. and we would have to do drills of crawling under our desk due to the Cuban missile crisis. And we remember when we got into trouble, the teacher wouldn’t make us write on the black board all the way across we shall not talk in class over and over! And I remember playing in the playground finding snapping turtles call the teacher to come get them removed.

Unfortunately for me, since my dad was the town doctor the play ground teacher would choose me to take the sick kid to the bathroom!  In Jr High our class was always in some kind of mischief getting caught smoking in the bathroom. We had one teacher who would substitute a lot had a hemorrhoid extraction and had to sit on a donut cushion. One day I think it was Lindsey and Pat who decided they were going to glaze his donut. We all died laughing as he sat on the sticky mess. Life was good back then we played in the band, marched in parades, built floats, jumped off bridges or swings at the river, kite skiing, and we all survived. Had gun racks in our trucks, and no one cared.

We were taught respect and good work ethic and that we worked for what we wanted. Had teachers who taught us well and cared. People who cared about us as a community.

In high school we bussed to football games participated in a TV show and got to see Leonard Nimoy known as Spock, collected autographs. I miss the times parking at JC Beach, drinking Boones Farm wine, summers water skiing, or paddling the canoe down the river all day and getting a tow back watching turtles and gators and going fishing too…life was much simpler then… no cell phones or computers and people actually talked to each other. The school is now gone but it remains in our hearts forever!

A Look Back #29 Submitted by Keith Hogan, Class of ’70 Reading all the other trips down memory lane jogged by aged memory. These memories span many years.

Clermont was a special place to grow up, everyone knew everyone, lakes, orange groves and we were the Highlanders, coolest mascot name ever!

I remember Carle Bishop & I, probably 12-13 playing in the Lk Winona Marsh and accidentally setting it on fire and hiding until the FD showed up, walking up and asking everybody who had gathered what was going on?  Mr. Bishop was the fire chief and I’m not so sure he didn’t suspect us as the culprits.

Playing Little League ball, I was a Brave; riding on the back of Marvin Meeker’s truck all over town picking up the team and no rails on the truck bed.  Milkshakes when we won.  Those were the best times.

Then there was Halloween night bombing Jerry Doto’s old station wagon with a huge water balloon and him stopping in the road yelling for whoever did it to come out.  I & fellow cohort laying flat out in the sandspurs & ants in the vacant lot praying he wouldn’t come any further!!

Trying to steal my first kiss in the 7th grade in the high school darkened hallway while a basketball game was going on in the gym.  I was so shy I bailed, the young lady shall remain nameless.  

During basketball season, Coach Barton would send the managers to the grove next to the gym and pick oranges we could eat after practice to keep colds away.  Winning conference and district championships in basketball as a senior, especially because we beat Groveland for the conference title.

Friday night football games, track meets, baseball games, phys ed running around the little lake behind the gym, (barefoot). playing gator ball up on the clay football field parking lot, that was painful.  I remember in phys ed where we actually had to take a test of sit-ups, pushups, dips, all for time and then finish it off with the dreaded 440!

Key Club convention in Daytona Beach when our chaperone Jerry Posey came in the room unexpectedly and caught us all smoking  cigars. 

Getting stuck in Rick Weber’s old Ford, (I believe),  and my brother off of Grassy Lake Rd by the turnpike and they made me run barefoot almost 2 miles to George Ray’s house on Hwy 27 to get him to come pull us out.  I of course being the youngest was chosen to go for help.

As a youngster, each Saturday I would take off on my bike and collect bottles, turning them in at the ready market for 2 cents each and using the $ to buy a slingshot and bbs and then terrorized the bird population.

Friday & Saturday nights at the drive in because I wasn’t allowed to go to Orlando. My first speeding ticket on the way to Daytona after the prom.  Very traumatic!

Thanks for letting me share these memories.  Growing up in Clermont was special!!

Keith Hogan  ‘70’ flashhogan@aol.com

A Look Back #28 Submitted by Lori Ainsworth Pfister, Class of ’75 CLERMONT…dear old Clermont
Those of you that have remained in Clermont, have the significant growth and sprawl
intertwined in your being, it’s who you have become, it’s who you now are. You are not
a resident of a small, sleepy, quaint town, where everyone knew your name. A
community where if you did something wrong, your parents would know before you got
home. When you walked in Publix, you knew almost every customer and all who worked
there. You are now a resident of the largest city in Lake County, a suburb of Orlando,
where snowbirds, carpetbaggers, migrants, and immigrants far out number the flo-
grown.
The memories of what once was are very emotionally touching. The people, the town,
the way of life. I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived where and the times in which I
lived in during the formative years…in Clermont, the “GEM OF THE HILLS.”
In the summer of ‘63, I began the first day of first grade at Clermont Elementary. It was
nothing short of traumatic. I held tightly to my mother’s skirt as she gently assured me
that all would be well as she tried to make her way to the door. As I gazed across the
room at 30 or so unfamiliar faces, some crying, some laughing, the tears began. My
teacher, Mrs. Lucas, came over and took my hand, and my mother left. It did not take
long for the day to become brighter. Lifelong friendships began that day.
My time at Clermont Elementary continued as more friendships were formed and older
friendships strengthened. Our class was the last 6th grade class at Clermont
Elementary as integration was enforced and we became the first 7th grade class at the
newly formed Clermont Junior High. This move was definitely a defining moment at a
time when comprehension, beliefs, and thoughts became more astute as we went from
pre-teens to teenagers. Our class lost a few classmates while in Jr High and the
memories of those classmates arise often.
While attending Clermont High School, our class, the “Class of 75” won the
homecoming float competition each year. We were full of school spirit and imagination
and worked hard each night of the week at Blue Goose Packing House to build an
amazing float to always take top prize. Football games were well attended. Parents,
Grandparents, siblings, students, Chief Tyndal, and many other city officials never
missed a game. Clermont was the epitome of “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS,” especially
when we played our biggest rival…Groveland. I recall the anticipation of a fight for that
game that kept you on the edge of your seat. I will always be a HIGHLANDER, in my
heart and in my soul. I thought I was all grown up the night I was finally allowed to leave
my Daddy on the bleachers and head to the wall. Y’all know…that quarter wall on the
north end of the bleachers of Highlander Field. The wall where many of us girls had our
first kiss as they turned off the lights to crown the homecoming queen.
It is interesting to think about the very small percent of a normal life, the 12 years from
1st grade to 12th grade, and the impact it has on the remainder of your life, which can
be another 60 years or so. Important life lessons occur in those 12 years. Pride,

A Look Back #27 Submitted by Gail Swanson Biela, Class of ‘72
I’m a 1972 graduate of CHS, where my teachers gave me a solid education to
succeed in college and life. Our small community cared about us kids.
We smiled and greeted everyone we passed because, if you didn’t know them, they
probably knew you. We felt safe to go trick-or-treating at every home in town. In the
early 1960’s, a sign was posted on Hwy 50 as you enter town, “The Home of 5,000
Happy People and a Few Old Soreheads.” The following week, the Southlake Press
headline: A Few Old Soreheads Tore Down The Sign.
As a young adult, I had a serious bike accident and laid unconscious in the road.
Strangers took me and my bike to the ER where my mom and dad worked. I feel so
fortunate to grow up here.
BAND was my life at CHS! Mr. Fisher was an excellent teacher and very funny.
One January we returned from break to hear he died. So sad! At our spring concert played “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” in his honor. So then we had many
substitutes who didn’t know music. We didn’t like that. One time we all traded
instruments for fun. That was hilarious!
Our band was small but fun. We performed at the Daytona Speedway and many
parades. Also the U OF F Gator Bowl was a fond memory for me. Former students
cheered us on at the parade. That was our first-time hearing “Imagine” by Lennon.
We also had numerous beach parties, a campout, and other great times.
Mandatory Integration came to CHS and LPHS in 1970. Tensions were high. I tried to
be kind and welcoming to everyone who left their “black school” to come to our “white
school.” CHS became a mix of skin colors, staff and students. It was a peaceful
transition, unlike some of the U.S.
A very historic, memorable time.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom opened my senior year. Many of you, like me, got jobs there
on weekends and holidays. WDW kept giving us free park passes. When new rides
opened, we got a long lunchtime to go try it out. But college was calling us.
In 1976, I began teaching at Clermont High for Mrs. Ladd when her son was born.
Soon after, a Music job opened at CES so I taught there from 1976-1981 under the
stage (old cafeteria). Probably some of you reading this were my students. I
continued teaching all ages of music in Florida for over 32 years, bringing music
education into the lives of thousands. I loved it!
Historical Memories…got Polio sugar cubes; watched space rockets go up from the
school playground from John Glen to the Moon Landing; Cuban Missile Crisis and local Bomb Shelters built; JFK and MLK Assassinated; Beatles Arrived in U.S. on tv
Ed Sullivan Show; friends in Vietnam War.

The early years found this class in the Elementary building next to the high school next door (Spanish style built in 1927). Everyone loved this style and memories there. Agnes Johnson, Irene Warren and Mrs. Starr where some of the teachers I remember. I saw a teacher, Mrs. Betty Bruner, who taught me in the third grade in Howey-in-the=hills. She was my favorite teacher elementary teacher.  She taught me my multiplication tables, tie my shoes and took us all to see Gone with the Wind in Leesburg! We had to ride the bus to Tavares for other grades.We moved to Clermont when I was fourteen. I joined a good group. We held together all through school. I was able to graduate with perfect attendance for all 12 years! At one of the reunions Charlie Jones pranked me for this. We played football in the afternoon as there were no lights until out senior year. Likewise, basketball was played on a clay court which never changed. Our baseball went well. I was the manager.  Our Coach Stack came to us out of the Navy as the war was over.  He was really great! We all respected him. He got football practice at 5:00 am when I was over the lunchroom.  He fed us breakfast.  Our senior gift was a trophy case.  We don’t where it is now.  Our class had 18 to graduate and we departed with good respect.  Let me thank, Happy Hayes, Mr. Clark, and a few others.  I am pleased to say the Class of 1949, under the leadership of V Principal Henry Clay. We chose a new name for the annual, The Highlander, and school emblem, The Piper, and the Clermont Highlanders! This made us a proud class.
We are all Highlanders, Our School Buildings are gone but we remember well…..

A Look Back #24 Gary Prescott, Class of ’70
My Family moved to Clermont from Orlando in 1957 where we rented a home on Sunnyside Drive that overlooked Lake Sunnyside. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was probably the start of my love affair with the fresh water lakes in Florida. My first year of living in Clermont was spent roaming the neighborhood and fishing with cane poles with live grasshoppers that brother Mike and I caught. In the fall of 1958, I started 1st grade in Mrs. Miller’s class. I really enjoyed going to school where I made plenty of friends that I still speak with today. In 1959, our family moved to 335 3rd Street which was just a block away from school. I didn’t know at the time of how fortunate I was to live just a block and a half away from JC Beach. I basically lived there from after Easter until school and youth sports started in the fall. Other great memories include arts & crafts school at the Highlander Hut along with trips to Postal Colony where we played softball with the “big kids”. Swimming and Lifeguard classes were also summer necessities with teachers/coaches Norm Julich and Jack Gaines. I seem to remember that one class required me to place my arms
around one of my female classmates to illustrate a person that was drowning. It was the first time I had my arms around a girl. Interesting that still sticks in my mind 60+ years later. Our neighborhood was filled with kids and did all the usual things that were common back then. We (Kelly, Gaines, Pickard, Adams kids) followed behind the mosquito fogger truck, hunted for poisonous (or so we thought) snakes in the lake in front of our house, searched for glass bottles to redeem for 2cents and of course ride our bikes all over Clermont. I usually saved my bottle return money to buy a 10-cent sling shot at Neisners. As I got older, the arts and crafts classes at the Highlander Hut turned in to weekend dances. Me and my male classmates would always be grouped away from our female classmates that were on the opposite side of the dance floor. Us guys were always mortified of being turned down if we made the trip across the dance floor to ask for a dance. The lakes in town provided an array of activities that I still take advantage of today. After you learned to water ski with two skis, you then had to learn to slalom and then barefoot. I remember staying out on the lakes for days at a time, spending the night in a shack on Lake Minnehaha that was used by the owner as a grove house. And of course, fishing was another great treat especially when you had an expert (Mike) in the family to take you. 7th Grade allowed me to walk to school with my brother which eventually gave way to riding in our Jeep, Maybelline. High school was fabulous! By going to a smaller high school, I was able to participate in all the sports I loved, but wouldn’t be able to play in a larger school due to my lack of talent. Sports was always a big part of my growing up and I participate in all of them after school. I did this every day through my high school’s years except my final semester. I had extra time on my hands during this stretch of time and remember that it was the only time one of the Clermont’s finest had to come my home and speak to my father about me. There are quite a few other memories that come to mind when I think of me growing up. Too many to list, but there’s nothing that I would change about any of it. In fact, I tried to emulate and copy those times and repeat them as best I could for my kids and now my grandchildren. Clermont as we knew it no longer exists simply because there are too many people living there. While growing up, you knew almost everyone in town and they knew whose kid you were. So, you never were disrespectful and always did what you thought was right, because if you didn’t it would always get back to your parents. I believe that shaped who I am today and I’m hopeful that parents today will find a different way of instilling the positive lessons we learned while growing up in a very special small Florida town.

A Look Back #23 Therese Moore Harmel, Class of ’70 and Cathy Moore Clark, Class of ’71
Remembering high school days are great. We also must remember our youth and the elementary school. Where it all began. When we had all classes in one school. Where we had an auditorium where we square danced and had plays. The auditorium had
wooden seats that were numbered, and hand made. Where there were wooden floors in the halls, alternating with concrete. What craftmanship in a school that was not really appreciated. Where we went to school the same place my mom attended. That to me is
something to remember. Growing up in the 60-70’s in Clermont brought memories flooding back before high
school. We could ride the streets on bicycles or skates. We were not worried about someone picking us up. We would ride our bikes with baskets on the front to pick up unbroken bottles to turn into cash at the Publix store downtown, then go back to streets
we knew no one had been on to get more. We would cash them in, then go to our favorite drug store the Harris Rexall to get a soda from the fountain. We would play hopscotch on the streets not worrying about cars, then get our skates on to skate in the
elementary school where you could play hide and seek. Buck Crews was the custodian. He knew we wouldn’t mess up the walls. It was always nice to hang out with Cheryl Ann McClean, the principal’s daughter. Rodney Lyons would bring his go cart and he
would let us take turns going around the bus loop. Other times we would bring a long rope and jump rope on the basketball court. Then we would shoot hoops playing Horse until we got tired.
Jaycee beach was a place to go where we were taught swimming lessons by Norman Julich. Where we could swim from one end of the J to the other. We usually swam under the dock, it was cooler. The lifeguard would let you know if there were gars in the
water. There was no diving, sometimes we got to dive off the end of the dock into the big hole at the end of the pier. We built sandcastles near the edge of the water and dug moats around to catch minnows. We would sit on the “dance floor” listening to the juke
box play Louie Louie watching line dances, which we were never invited to join. We would wait for the train by the Highlander Hut to come by put pennies on the track and the conductor would blow his horn and throw candy out the window. There was always
something going on at the Highlander Hut to keep us busy during the summer, crafts, and games. Gather up the neighborhood kids and play kick ball or soft ball on the elementary field. On the Fourth of July we would either sit in our parent’s vehicle or sit
on the swings to watch fireworks. One thing we were always proud of Clermont where the Chain of Lakes were our pride and joy. You could get in a boat and see the seven wonders of our lakes. It was impressive to see the Cypress trees in the lake to know
that is where lamps were made of. We were so impressed by such little things. Bell Ceramics was the place to go also. They were always inviting kids to try to make something for their parents and give them as presents. They always said they were
beautiful when it looked like a ball of love. Christmas parade was always the best. Mom would make costumes, and there would
be a contest for all kids. Santa would ride down main street, the band would play, the parade was always fun and entertaining. It was an event for all to enjoy. Do you remember day camp out by the Teachout’s where we packed our peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, made mats out of palmetto fronds? then we would go to the lake and swim.
Those were memorable moments before we started school. Wish we could turn back time the good times before high school.

A Look Back #22 Riley Brice, Class of ’54
I first joined the Clermont schools when I was between the second and third grades. In
1943 my family had moved their business, Brice Dry Cleaners, from Groveland, where I
was born, to Clermont to take advantage of the extra business generated by a larger
population and the WW II US Army base that was just opened there. The Groveland
school was on what was called the “Strawberry School Schedule” where the term ended
earlier in the spring so students could work in the spring planting and farming activities.
As a result, the classes in Clermont were about a month away from their end of term,
and Mrs. Braddock (I think that was who it was) allowed me to sit-in on the last few
weeks of their second grade to catch-up with the work. Groveland did cursive writing in
the third grade, Clermont in the second. Hence, using the printed alphabet letters along
the top of the blackboard, I had to teach myself cursive writing. However, if you have
ever tried to read my handwriting, you will know that I didn’t do a very good job. Also, it
was a time for me to get to know my new Clermont classmates. At that time the
elementary school (grades 1 to 6) was in the old red brick building which was next to the
high school building (grades 7 to 12). One thing I remember from my time in high school
had to do with sports, which as we all know was pretty important at the school. Due to a
heart condition, I was not allowed to play any competitive sports, so I became the
“Trainer,” better known as the water-boy, for the football team. One fall, possibly 1952
or 1953, we had only twelve boys on the football team, and when the eleven starting
players went on the field, there were just three of us left on the bench on the sidelines –
the coach, Norm Julich, me, the water-boy, and Charlie Seaver, the only substitute we
had. We would look across the field and see the ten or fifteen people sitting on the
opposition’s bench and we would feel a bit lonely. But we still had a pretty good
season, as I remember.
Later I came back to CHS as a mathematics and physics teacher, and I picked up
where Mrs. Schlott left off, directing the junior and senior plays, assisted by Bud Baker
(his mother was a teacher/librarian at CHS for many years). One play we did, “Inherit
the Wind” written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, is the story of the famous
trial of John T. Scopes in 1925. Scopes, who later had a great career as a geologist,
was accused of teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution in his classroom in Tennessee.
John Watson was a member of the cast, so he might remember doing the play. But
even in the mid-1960s when we did “Inherit the Wind,” the idea of Darwin’s 1859
“Theory of Evolution” was still controversial. In fact, I remember we were performing in
the high school auditorium, and on the evening of our performance, in response to the
play and at the same time we were performing, there was a public prayer meeting held
across the street in the old elementary auditorium. I would like to think that we had the
larger audience. However, I was called in to the principal’s office for a little discussion
about the production as the script had a few “damns” in it, but we did not censor it at all.
We did good plays including some pretty “out there” works for a small southern town
high school in the 1960s, including “Diary of Ann Frank” “The Crucible” and “All My
Sons.”

A Look Back #21 Julie Norman House, Class of ’71
The Norman Family Moves to Clermont, Florida
The Summer of 1968 Harry and Nina Norman packed up their family of five children,
Sherry-14, Larry-13, Julie-10, Brian-7 and Lee-6 and moved to the Big City of Clermont,
Florida from the woods of East Orlando, Florida. This was a huge change for all the
Norman Children, you see, we were all used to playing in the mud, chinaberry fights,
playing baseball in the front field with all the neighbor kids that we had spent most of our
lives with so far, to knowing no one and trying to fit in.
The first person I met was Joyce Griner and we became instant friends. It wasn’t long
before we got together other children to play ball in the field next to our house or the
even bigger field next to Joyce’s house and of course she also told us all about
swimming all over the County and she assisted Mom in us locating JC Beach.
Needless to say, we were there every day after our chores were done.
Summer went by to quickly and it was time to start school. All of us were bags of
nerves meeting new folks and teachers. My first teacher was Mrs. Yates for homeroom
and math for the 4 th grade. I loved her dearly and she helped me a lot. I was a slow
learner and was made fun of often, but she worked with me after school and that helped
a lot.
There was an elderly couple that lived across the street from us named, Mr. & Mrs. St.
Pierre. Mr. St. Pierre loved to talk and tell stories. He told all of kids that he had a
snake named, “Rainbow” in his tool shed. None of us believed him but it was fun to
listen to his stories. For a long time he would ask us who the 6 th child was in our family
that did not come outside much and he only saw her when she was taking us to school.
He also asked where our mother was. You see, our Mom was a very tiny woman of
only 5’ and 99lbs. She would often get out in the yard and play with us as a group and
during those times it was hard to tell who the adult was. Mother even made us a
homemade slip and slide out of a shower curtain and dish soap. She was the first
person to try it out.
All five of us went to visit Mr. St. Pierre at some point or another, some more than
others. He had the coolest yard working gadgets. There was this one watering hose
that had holes all along it that he used to water is roses with. My two younger brothers
decided that we needed to have a hose just like Mr. St. Pierre’s to water Momma’s
flowers in front of the house. My bedroom was right in the front part of the house where
Daddy would park his car. I don’t think any of us will ever forget the morning that he
tried to wash off his windshield before driving to work and had to change his work
clothes before leaving. That soaker hose worked really well.
It wasn’t long before we found out about the bridge jumping and of course the swing.
The first few trips we made to the bridge, our Mom took us and she had just as much
fun as we did jumping. She was amazing.

Two years after we moved to Clermont, my Sister, Sherry, got her drivers license and of
course she became the family taxi driver in her little fiat bianchia convertible…. We had
a blast in that little car. Granted, we might have to push it to start it, by popping the
clutch, but we would laugh it off and just have fun. It was perfect for driving up and
down the sidewalks at the High School and of course there was this one field that just
had to have donuts put on it. Oh my!!
Toward the end of school year 1969-1970 a man visited Minneola Elementary School
where all of the 5 th graders attended, so that he could interest us in playing in the band.
I wanted to be a majorette, it was just a dream of mine. When I asked him about it, he
told me I would have to find an adult woman to help us organize…. I offered my Mom
and even volunteered her to make all of the majorette uniforms. Mom was an amazing
seamstress. I got home that day and told her the man was going to call her about it all.
She let me know that she did not have time for all of that what with raising 5 children.
Needless to say, he did call her and he did talk her into it. Mom got onto it all fast as
lightening. She ordered majorette instruction books and then designed the uniforms.
She made phone calls to all the local businesses and got them to help with the finances
for all of us. The one thing that most people did not know about Mom, was that, she too
was a majorette when she was in High School. For 3.5 years Momma taught
majorettes from ages 3 years old to 18. She went and got certified to teach baton
twirling within the first year. I too, received my NBTA Certificate to teach. We ate slept
and drank baton twirling. It was amazing.
One of our Summer trips to Majorette Camp (first year) we had a few issues. A student
that was with us got caught smoking on the balcony. Another student got caught drunk
in the shower off homemade strawberry jelly. Of course, I am not going to release the
names of those caught because that is their story. But I will say this…. We sure did
have a blast even though we were there to learn. Learn we did, a lot of and we used it
when we returned home. But the memories of Majorette Camp are amazing. For those
who never knew, my Mom, Nina Lee Norman, did all of it for free. She was never paid
for anything she did for all of us. She has gone home to be with the Lord now, but she
loved all of us. Yes she screamed, yelled, cursed some, but she wanted us to do our
best and she always knew we would if she pushed us.
In January of 1974, I got really sick and after a long stay in the hospital I couldn’t regain
my grades that I would need to pass, so I withdrew from school, got married, moved
away and later went back in 1977 in Orlando.
But I will never forget the wonder times of living in Clermont and I guess I will always
call it my “Hometown”.

A Look Back # 20 Barbara Peck, Class of ’68 and Dayle Peck, Class of ’65
Reading all the CHS “Look-Back” articles brought back some great memories and
prompted a search for the old yearbooks to get a clearer picture of what our own
experiences were during those years that seemed to last forever but were over in a
flash.
In 1965 we dedicated our edition of the yearbook to Eleanor Roe with the quote, “The
highest function of a teacher consists not so much in imparting knowledge as in
stimulating the pupil in its love and pursuit” (Amiel). To be selected was an honor well
deserved but since we had so many wonderful faculty members during our CHS years,
I’m sure it wasn’t an easy choice. Whether our interests included music or sports, math
or history, science or English, we had amazing teachers who not only provided the
information but guidance, leadership and friendship as well. I was reminded of the time
some of us persuaded Mr. Masterson to go water skiing with us. That likely took years
off his life.
And who can forget the school’s lack of air-conditioning (we didn’t know any better) and
the battle over the gnats in the lunchroom? Legend had it that you could tell how long
someone had lived in the area by how violently they swatted at the gnats. By the time
you’d been in Clermont two or three years, the gnats were just added protein in your
mashed potatoes.
Playing in the band was one of the best parts of the CHS experience. It gave us not
only the music itself but challenge and focus and the chance to be part of another kind
of team. From practices to half time performances, band trips, homecoming parades,
concerts and contests, band participation provided some of the best memories of those
years. It was an activity that carried over into college (Go Gators) and it’s also how I
came to love football.
Other memories that come to mind:
Building homecoming floats at Clermont Builders Supply. During homecoming
week hardly anyone was around the actual school. There was just too much to do.
Looking at some of those photos even now reminded us of how amazing those floats
really were!
Library banquet, Beta Club initiation, and working on the yearbooks. And who
would have thought typing class would provide one of the most valuable skills ever?
As seniors, we could finally leave campus for lunch. There wasn’t much time
allowed but we could get to someone’s house or maybe the bowling alley or Burger
Castle and still make it to our next class in time. Just one of the advantages of living in a
very small town.
Bowling tournaments. We all had a good time at local meets but some CHS folks
went as far as state level matches. Bike rides around Lake Minneola, swimming, water skiing and boat trips through the canals that joined the lakes.
The amazing fragrance in the air when all the groves were in blossom. And how
gorgeous the view was from the top of the Citrus Tower!
“Memory is a notoriously biased and sentimental editor, selecting what it wants to keep
and invariably making a few cosmetic changes to past events. With rose-colored
hindsight, the good times become magical; the bad times fade and eventually
disappear, leaving only a seductive blur of sunlit days and the laughter of friends.”
Peter Mayle
At times growing up in that little town may have seemed restrictive, but we couldn’t get
into too much trouble (though a few tried their best). We enjoyed a great deal of
freedom, but someone usually knew where we were at any given time and looked out
for us. In retrospect, we were very fortunate to have those years and those memories.

A Look Back #19 David Styles, Class of ’69
Summers in Clermont
My first summer that I remember working all summer at the school pulling weeds I was 11. I saved all my money and bought a lawn mower at the end so I could make money all year mowing yards. Worked at the school the next summer till almost the end and
got a call from Mrs Reiman, who owned Lake Susan Lodge with her husband Roy. She offered me a job with a .15 raise where I could work all year round! Of course I said heck yea ! Told my dad I was quitting, and he said you can’t, Mr Lashley and Lacy
Murray, (whose son is now mayor), need you to get the school ready. I said too late I’ve already quit, I start Saturday. I rode my bike there every day (2.5 miles) and worked there every weekend. I worked there till I was 16! Best job in Clermont next to being a
lifeguard at Jaycee Beach.
I remember working at Lake Susan on the Fourth and being real busy with all the weekend visitors from Orlando. It seems to me Groveland owned Fourth of July, they had fireworks that night. Clermont owned Labor Day with many festivities (much cooler
than Groveland).
As little kids my best friend Hock (Jim Hoskinson, his parents being Mr and Mrs Hock), and I would spend our days exploring on our bikes and swimming and playing some neighborhood game in Hooten’s back yard. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have
my best friend move right next door to me, how convenient! I got him in more trouble than he could have ever have gotten into on his own!
At night we would play Kick the Can at McCaffery’s because of the hill on their driveway and when you kicked the can it went a long way. We had lots of kids on Oak Drive and some pretty girls! Great place to grow up.

A Look Back #18 Donna Rorabaugh Mattison, Class of ’65
As I look back at Clermont, the first thing I think about is the fact that Rorabaugh’s have
lived in Clermont for about 110 years. My paternal grandparents traveled by train from
Iowa to Florida in 1910 or 1911 with two sons under the age of two. My father was born
in 1912 at their first temporary stop in Montverde. During this brief stay Grandpa tried
growing various vegetables but had no luck in the sandy Florida soil. He did find work
assisting with building the Montverde Academy. This contact served him well when he
purchased a lot in Clermont. Until he had enough money and help to build a home, he
built a platform and put a large tent on the property. Sides were put up to catch any
breeze on hot days and all went to bed at sundown and were up at sunrise. Cooler
weather just meant adding more covers and sleeping closely. The builder who grandpa
worked for in Montverde agreed to help with building the house as long as grandpa
bought the materials. While there have been two minor renovations over the years, one
of their oldest grandchildren, Mary Lou Rorabaugh, still lives in the original homestead
at 297 Osceola Street.
My grandparents were very generous, kind and loving with a strong Christian faith.
What they did not have was very much money, but then neither did a lot of folks during
the first third of the twentieth century. My grandfather was trained in Homeopathy in
Iowa, but he got very little money for his services and was often paid with produce or
other food items. To supplement what they could buy, they planted a vegetable garden,
raised a few chickens and kept a few dairy cows.
In 1914 my grandfather started the first newspaper in Lake County, The Clermont
Clarion. My grandmother would visit the ‘ladies’ to collect information for a society
column while grandpa handled other newsworthy stories and set the type for printing.
Grandpa also printed and handed out Religious Tracts to anyone who wanted them.
This was not a moneymaking enterprise and in 1921 the Clermont Press bought the
subscription list.
All five children of my grandparents, three boys and two girls, went to Clermont Schools
and at least four of them graduated from CHS which was then the two-story red brick
building. In future years several grandchildren, great grandchildren and at least a couple
of great, great grandchildren attended Clermont Schools.
For all except for the first year of their married life, my parents lived in Clermont until 1973. Initially in a small cottage near Cooper Memorial Library and later at 1077 Linden
Street. I was the youngest of three, my brother is ten years older and my sister six
years older. Bill graduated from CHS in 1957 and my sister Ruth graduated from
Lakeview HS in Winter Garden because she was married at the beginning of her Senior
Year and could not complete the year in Clermont.
With my siblings age difference, while growing up I mostly depended on cousins and
neighborhood friends as playmates. Tricycles, roller skates with a key around our neck,
bicycling around town, going to a roller-skating rink when one was in town. Grandparents of Alan, Danny and Bobby Pool lived a half a block away. Also, a new growth of fruit trees tended by “Buster” (not sure that was his name) taught me a bit about growing oranges. I also recalled at least one time when one or all of the “Pool Boys” learned how to get into the area where freshly made orange wine was kept. (I can readily attest to the fact that orange wine was not going to be a big sell!) It is hard to believe that in my early teen years I when I began “baby sitting”, I was hired to stay with three Pool brothers when my sister was busy. I can still see the large bedroom where all 3 boys slept, or should I say played until they finally went to sleep. Many fun filled, loving days and some overnights were also spent with my grandparents. Often my cousin who was 3 days older than I would also sleep over. I was entertained by helping grandpa weed his flower and vegetable watching Grandma kill and pluck feathers from one of the chickens for a meal, helping her bake breads, cookies and and cinnamon rolls. She baked every Saturday and all of her grandchildren knew when to stop for the fresh cinnamon rolls. During several of his high school years my brother was a lifeguard at Jaycee Beach. He used his skills to teach me to swim at a young age. He often says he just threw me in the water and I started paddling and he then showed me the correct moves. My mother quickly learned that I could easily be entertained several hours playing in the sand and water while she relaxed on the shore. When I was very young, we would frequent one of the small beaches on Lake Minnehaha and then Jaycee Beach when it began to have some amenities. This was when staying over at grandma and grandpa Rorabaugh’s house became a great treat for several cousins. Their house was just a few short blocks up from the beach! It became even better when summer weekends would include big family/friend gatherings with homemade ice cream on our grandparent’s large porch. For me (and I believe about 11 other-maybe more) in the class of 1965) all 12 years were spent in Clermont Schools…notice I did not say 13 years, there was not a public kindergarten. A few of the 12 did go to one of the Church’s private kindergartens and one of those 12 did tell me that I could not start first grade because I did not go to kindergarten. I remember crying and telling my parents what was said and they assured me that was not true. By then I had already learned to read and could often be found in one of the corners of Cooper Memorial Library reading. First and second grade classrooms were in part of the long one level section of the elementary school that was nearest to the lunchroom. Mrs. Julich was my 1st and 2nd grade teacher (maybe she decided first graders were not for her). That was when I met my BFF for life…Diona Bruno. The best school trip I remember from those years was the Sanford Zoo. Third and fourth grades were in the original two-story red brick building. My 3rd grade teacher was Mrs. Crowe. Learning how too do cursive writing was the biggest struggle I remember. I recall the time we traveled to Orlando to be on the Uncle Walt show. That was an exciting trip, especially the thunder and lightning storm that Mrs. Crowe had to drive us home in. She told us not to touch the doors and that because the car had rubber tires the lightening would not hurt us. True or not, that calmed us down and we arrived home safely. Mrs. Lucas was my 4th grade teacher and spelling contests were my favorite part of that year. Again, during my teen years I also stayed with the three Lucas girls a few times. Fifth and sixth grades classrooms were in the farthest corner of the one-story part of the elementary school. This was the area closest to the original football field and we could see the High School in the distance. When I found out over the summer that my 5th grade teacher was Miss Munger, I cried very hard. She had a reputation of being mean and she was tall, wore thick shoes, long dresses and was scary. We were all nervous the first day. My memory is that she had a sentence on the blackboard and told us to diagram it. Maybe she just told us to identify the parts of speech. Whichever it was the message was sit still, be quiet and listen to me. In retrospect, I learned an awful lot that year. Later, when I was in 8th grade English class with Mrs. Roe, I would remember all of the grammar I learned with Miss Munger. Mrs. Conklin was my 6th grade teacher and I recall her as young, pretty and kind. Unlike the straight rows that never changed with Miss Munger, I remember that we would rearrange our seats depending on the activity. I also recall a day when I was very embarrassed when a classmate brought his guitar to school and sang a song that was popular at the time “Donna” by Ritchie Valens. Another exciting event in January of 1958 was on a clear Florida day we went outside to witness the successful launch of Explorer 1. Now on to High School. A few months ago, in one of John’s monthly emails I wrote about Senior Year so this will just be an overview of other HS years. Before we had driver’s licenses Kathleen Johnson and Karen Steele were close neighbors for me hang with. Biking to the beach or just hanging out. When driving became available trips overnight to Daytona with Alice Nystrom and Glenda Hull were go to events. When we didn’t have the money for that, there was always going to Orlando and cruising in Alice’s 1994 Mustang. Favorite teachers were Coach Lagano for the jokes; Eleanor Roe for providing me the skills to be able to spell well and use correct grammar; Jewell Smith for helping me be successful with math and Bernie Anderson for being cool with teens. Charles Roe and my dad were great fishing buddies and shared a small Cabin Cruiser together. For two summers Betsi Roe and I were lucky to travel with them to the Island of Bimini. It was a great adventure for two teens. Especially when the dads went out fishing for the day and we had the Island activities to entertain us. We were all lucky to be in a small community where we had so many folks who watched out for us. We had a lot of older adults who made sure that, for the most part, we got through our teenage years safely. As with many teenage girls, I was frequently “at odds” with my mother. Fortunately, I had several older women nearby who could take the place of my grandmother who passed when I was eleven. One who lived next door would ‘hire’ me to iron her pillowcases or other small items when she could hear my mother and I arguing. Another lived immediately behind us and would welcome a visit from me when I needed to take a break from home. She introduced me to a small glass of sherry as we would talk about her career as a caseworker with the Red Cross. Two other neighbor women whom I enjoyed visiting with were Mrs. Sheldon and Mrs. Braddock. These women and others had a part in helping me get through my teenage years. My extra-curricular activities in high school were mostly limited to those available during school hours: Beta Club, Student Council, the Pied Piper, Yearbook, working on Floats for Homecoming, decorating for the Prom. I started working at Grant-Harris Rexall Drugstore shortly after I turned 14. I continued working through summers and for the two years that I was at Lake-Sumter JC. The job was very helpful with gas money for my 1954 Ford and other activities. Ella Mae Sheldon worked at Grant-Harris for some of the same time I did. Keeping up with homework and averaging 15-20 hours a week working kept me pretty busy. In summary, coming of age in Clermont provided a solid foundation for choices I have made over the past 58 years.