NHHS '62 Ship's Log

Mates, this entry comes from William “Skip” Freely (Class of ’55?). I share it with Skip’s permission.

Hi …

The Newport Harbor High School alumni, staff, and friends meet each Thursday morning for breakfast together at Denny’s at Newport Blvd. and 17th Street in Costa Mesa.

This morning, everyone left Denny’s before eating to go over to the high school campus.

The wrecking/demolition of the older buildings, including the main building and the bell tower, commenced.

They had a couple of very large scoop shovel tractors, which were equipped with “opposible thumbs”, so that they were adept in knocking down/scooping/picking up beams, etc.

They made quick work of the additions to the original main building.

It was quite sad to see it happening.

But they didn’t make a dent in the original portions.

They are reinforced concrete, and I believe the walls are somewhere between 10 and 18 inches thick.

So the bell tower will probably not be done for a week or so.

Some of the structural engineers among us said that they doubted the wrecking ball would do much.

I hope they have a devil of a time knocking it down.

It was built in 1930, and had no problems with the 1933 Long Beach earthquake.

Probably the biggest problem was the blonde, blue-eyed Newport Beach mommas..

The school opened in 1930, and Woody Hadley, who graduated in the first graduating class in 1934, was in attendence.

So was Al Irwin, who graduated in 1936, and the football and swimming coach for many years.

And a lot of others who were in the early graduating classes.

So after an hour or so of this madness, we went back to Denny’s to have breakfast.

No one was very hungry.

I had a cup of coffee.

Some were interviewed by newspaper and TV news folks.

Life marches on . . .

I came home for an early cocktail hour . . .

I am told that a new structure looking just like the old one will be built in it’s place.

Our class (and some others) provided the clock in the bell tower as our class gift.

I was told, after I commented that the clock hands and faces were still in place, that the clock was old and not worth fixing. But maybe they will get a new one made in China?

Keep the faith that things will go on . . .

Skip