School & Community News

Jan class of 1952 deaths

The following members of our class have passed away:
Hugh Brown, Barbara Gratiot Collier, Charles Cutler, Nancy Salsgiver Myers, Rex Oliver, George Seiler, Joseph Shaw, Ed Taylor, Gail Davis Grubb, Frank Cirincioni, Jack Coey, Ron O'Hara, Mary Cox Lentz, Tom Merrick, Paul Wagener
If I missed anyone, please let me know. Sally Phillips Altman

Les BELL

I am looking for anyone who may have pictures of the 1952 Soap Box Derby in Piedmont,Califofnia= we also raced in San Francisco and I came in second there behind the actual winner I was a kid from Philadelphia Pennsylvania who only live there a few months and the fact that I had WON the soap box derby upset a lot of Piedmont dignitaries because the race was rigged from the beginning ==the Chevy dealer owner, I forget his name right now ,had a son who also made a soap box derby but never seem to show up at the time the cars were built? His car seemed to progress being built ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER GUYS WHO SHOWED UP ALL THE TIME Did he have RICH$ PRIVLEDG? YOU SEE ITS NOT A RACIal ADVANTAGE=IT,S A RICH ADVANTAGE ! THE wheels were tested and the best,longest SPIN TIME= time of the wheels rotation THESE WHEELS WERE given to the Chevy DEALERS, IN Oakland, CA. SON = he was supposed to win in San Francisco=IT WAS RIGGED= I believe he came second =THE first race I had in SF I had the unfortunate luck to race the actual winner of the race and lost by a photo finish =I sure would like to see that photo but anyone that can provide any information about Piedmont High School in 1951 and 1952 my friend's name was Fred gilberd he's the guy that came in second of course I was the one who gave them the secret of going in a straight line and you can beat anyone doing that anyone with information please call me at 609 221 2355 appreciate any help you could give thank you very much have a good life=FRED GILBERD I THANK UR MOM AND DAD FOR WHAT THEY DID FOR ME.

Piedmonts First Soap Box Derby-1952

I lived in Piemont on Moraga Ave. in 1952. I attended Piedmont H.S.. There used to be a woodshop across the street where my friends and I would gather after school. One day the Master Carpenter asked us if we would be interested in entering the American Soap Box Derby that was sponsored by Chevrolet. He explained we had to build the cars our selves and he would supply detailed plans for doing so. About 15 guys entered and started building the race cars after school and on weekends. All the cars turned out very well --with rounded corners and areodynamic styling. I painted mine a bright orange color with the name "BANTAM". My brother "Howard Bell" was an upholsterer, and he directed me on how to build green leather seats that were tuft and rolled that fit perfectly in my car. Our first race was in San Francisco---On my first race "heat" I lost by a photo finish to the guy who ended up as the winner of the day. The township decided to have its own race because of all the hard work, time and effort the we put into building these beautiful race cars only to have used them for one minute in San Francisco. The race was on a winding street in Piedmont (Maple Ave.?) I won the race after defeating all the other race cars one after the other. How did I win?? It was something that I remember from my geometry class--"the shortest distance between two points is a straight line". On an "S" curved street in Piedmont I cut each corner so close I was almost going in a straight line. I could see after my first race (heat) that after we started rolling down hill and hit that first curve that my car was gaining 4 or 5 feet after each curve? I was beating these guys at the finish line by 5 to 15 feet! It looked like I had a V8 MOTOR in my car. None of the races were even close! After I was presented with the wnners trophy topped with a "Gold Soap Box Race Car" Everyone was taking lots of pictures of me and my car. That was a real proud day for me and my family. The next morning I got a call from some township officials asking me if I could come to the wood work shop that afternoon because they wanted to talk to me. That afternoon as I rode my bike down Moraga Ave. I had thoughts of telling them my secret about the "shortest distance" and feeling real good about myself because all the town dignitarys were paying attention to me--a guy who grew up in Phildelphia, Pa and only lived in Piedmont a few months. Well I couldn't have been more wrong! When I got there they didn't congratulate me--they questioned me as though I had cheated or done something wrong in order to win the race? I explained my "straight line" theory and told them that I even gave my secret to my best friend who came in second! I thought they understood. ---Years later I misplaced all the picures I had of that race and I wanted to show my Grand Kids and Great Grand Kids. So I located my old friend that came in second and now lived in on the coast. He said the only picture he had was from a newspaper artical that was printed in a 1972 telling the story about the first Piedmont race. When I recieved the newspaper picture I noticed that there were 3 cars and their drivers shown---I WAS NOT IN THE PICTURE! They had cut me and my car out of it? There was mention of who won the race (me) there was only the names of the guys and their cars? Ha Ha--now this is unfair journalism at its best! There were lots of pictures taken that day, if anyone should have one in a scrap book I would be very happy if you could send me one--of course I need one showing me with my first place trophy--lol--Did they ever have another Soap Box Derby Race?

Best Regards-The Kid From Philly!
Leslie Bell

PS there is much more to the story but that's for another time.

Leahdell Dudly Lowry

A box containing personal family photos and mementos has been found at Heritage 21st Century Moving and Storage. The box contains items with the name Leahdell Dudly Lowry on them. There is a play bill from a senior class play in 1926 in which she performed!

I would like to locate a family member or anyone who may be able to shed some light on how I can locate the owner of these precious photographs and things.

Our facility was located in Torrance, CA for many years, and recently relocated to Carson.

I can be reached at the company phone numbers listed below. Thank you for your efforts!

Verna Panzo
Heritage 21st Century Movers
(800) 338--6666 (310) 320-1785

Corrected address for Helen B.

PAINTS (promote art in the schools), seeks alumni sentiments for Helen Brainerd's retirement celebration by May 22nd. Send wishes to CORRECTED WEB ADDRESS, helenb@piedmontpaints.org

Alumni help for Helen Brainerd

PHS Art teacher for over 20 years Helen Brainerd is retiring and PAINTS (Art Support Organization for Piedmont Schools)) is putting together a memory book with sentiments and rememberances, or art work from past students. Articles in the Piedmont Post and Piedmonter have feature stories on Helen and we are accepting e-mails at the following address:
helen@piedmontpaints.org
deadline is May 22, 2010.