published: Friday, December 12, 2008

Remember When

By Ann Dupee

Compiled from the 1976 South Lake Press

32 Years Ago

n Betty June Galassi of Groveland was installing officer for the Lake County Association of Educational Secretaries at Lake County's new Trainable Mentally Retarded Center in Eustis. Pat Klinger of Davis Elementary became Corresponding Secretary.

n HUD approved the 20-acre site for the joint Groveland - Mascotte Recreation complex to be annexed into Mascotte.

Landowner Don Wynn agreed to the $39,000 price if Groveland would annex an adjoining 10 acres. Groveland Council agreed, provided a 60-foot right-of-way be furnished for street purposes and the paving be done by the HUD project.

n Minneola Town Manager Dwight H. Chastain submitted a proposal for Clermont Council's consideration to utilize the city's dispatching service and jail facilities.

Council voted 4 to1 that Clermont City Attorney Leonard Baird and Minneola's attorney prepare a preliminary document for consideration by the Minneola Council and then the Clermont Council.

No action was taken on Councilman Charles Beals' recommendation that, at any such time as an agreement is entered into between Clermont and Minneola, a rider be attached stipulating that each municipality in that same year place the question on their election ballot as to the voters' desire for a merger of Clermont and Minneola.

n Presidents of the Clermont Garden Club's Circles are: Mrs. William Lamb, Sandspur; Mrs. Arthur Parker, Hibiscus; Mrs. W. M. Johnson, Indian Hills; Mrs. R. J. Delano, Night Bloomers; and Mrs. Alvin Wurst, Green Thumb.

n Officers of the Clermont Junior Woman's Club are: Diana Brown, president; Judi Morrison, president-elect; Pati Ream, 2nd vice president; Jewell Symmes, recording secretary; Joyce Droege, corresponding secretary; Beverly Pool, treasurer; and Susan Parks, immediate past president.

Judi Morrison was elected "Club Woman of the Year;" Jewell Symmes, "Most valuable member of less than one year membership" and Diana Brown, "Most valuable member of more than one year's membership."

n "Most Valuable Players" of the Clermont Senior Girls Softball League were: Susie Meade of the Wreckers; Jacky Jackson of the Hustlers; Tina Priebe of the Rockets; Martha Nichols of the Robins; Jennifer Lantz of the Orange Birds and Robin Wilson of the Pebbles.

n Junior Girls All Star team members were: Julie Shepard, Martha Nichols, Lisa Pemberton, Bridget Morehouse, all of the Robins; Robin Wilson, Becky Wilkins, Valerie Shields, Bernie Morehouse, all of the Pebbles; Tina Priebe, Paula Blackburn, Angie Shumaker, Barbie Hundreiser of the Rockets; Jennifer Lantz, Debbie Smoak, Julie Fillingim and Tracy Smoak of the Orange Birds.

The outstanding success of this year's league can be attributed to the outgoing Board of Directors; Mrs. Bill Wilkins, president; Mrs. Marilyn Priebe, vice president; Mrs. Bobbie Holmes, treasurer; Mrs. Rosemary Yoder, secretary and Mrs. Frank Meade, head umpire.

n School Board member Dru Rambo from Clermont honored Sallie Benson, Clermont Elementary School teacher, who retired after 30 years in the Lake County School System and 11 years in Baker County.

n Winners of the two top trophies at the Clermont High School awards banquet were Rick Matthews, Burton Lee Award for the highest scholastic average by an athlete; and David Bell, Mike Shewey Award for the Best All Round Athlete in a variety of sports.

Tommy Baker was awarded the "1976 Groveland High School Athletes Outstanding Booster of the Year." Mr. Baker is having the grand opening of his new business, Groveland Service Center at 207 E. Broad St., across from Peoples State Bank.

n Clermont Junior High School Awards: Tracy Smoak, Distinguished Youth Award, 7th grade English and Physical Education; Nancy Seitz and Kenneth Brown, 8th grade Physical Education; Andrea Barton, 8th grade English; Marjorie Herron, top Math student in CJHS; Wayne Koszegi, 8th grade Social Studies; Susan Matthews, 7th grade Social Studies; David Gresham, 7th grade Industrial Arts; Robert Lory, 7th grade Science; Martha Nichols, 7th grade Math, English and Science; Reba McQueen, 7th grade Math and English.

CJHS Perfect Attendance awards: 6th grade: Lynette Blaine, Kecia Bon Jorn, Bridgett Cooper, Michael Donaldson, Theresa Harris, Christine Frey, Tom Herda, Sherman Isom, Rhonda Lyon, Jeff Julich, Kathryn Lord, General Payne, Sheri Smith, Victoria Varian.

7th grade: Paul Bowen, Curtis Cole, Semita Allen, Paula Blackburn, Patricia Blaine, Antonio Harris, Mike Keys, Jane Kennedy, Sharon Leonard, Carolyn Meginley, Ken Peacock, Dale Pitstick, Susan Matthews, Kayley Mays, Vera Payne, Lisa Pemberton, Victor Range, Michael Rutherford, Roger Schneider, John Sullivan, Vincent Varian, Robert Wootson.

8th grade: Bruce Blaine, Charles Blaine, Tony Chandler, Sarah Bostian, Sylvia Clark, Bobby Duncan, Jeff Scott Henderson, Roger Henry, Dana Harper, David McGinley, Claude Magee, Karen Danner, Tina Keene, Jeannie Julich, Tijuana Keys, Terry Moore, Nancy Page, Vanessa Range, Sam Stalnaker, Mary Smith.