Wittenberg Homecoming

For almost 40 years, we have not been back to our alma mater, Wittenberg University, in Springfield, Ohio. (Except for a quick drop-off of Molly for an overnight visit her senior year in high school...she chose Alma over Witt)

It was Homecoming and the school was honoring Dick Farney and Davey Maurer, Terry's football coaches. Terry really respected these good men and wanted to recognize their character and talent as coaches. Coach Maurer had recently passed away, however, Coach Farney was there and he was able to talk with him.

We drove into the campus and our first glimpse of memories was the old Phi Mu Delta house

on Fountain Avenue and Cecil Street. From the outside it hadn't changed much, but much has gone on since he left...The fraternity had been removed from the campus because of some rowdy behavior that is still not quite clear. Stories of "Hell Week" were remembered and better not to be printed in black and white.

It is now a Bed and Breakfast..."The Inn at Wittenberg"

I am willing to bet it is a bit cleaner, more quiet, and less rowdy than it was when the fraternity was occupying the place.

We drove past my sorority house, Kappa Delta. Looks pretty peaceful and is still on campus.

This is the place where "Joe" would pick me up for the many fun times that we enjoyed. Stormin' Norman was one of my roomies. We slept in a cold dorm with the windows opened all winter. Some days I would wake up with snow on my bed. Made it kinda hard to get up out of that warm bed in the morning.

We had green velvet like wallpaper that was ugly and I am hoping that it is still not covering the sacred walls of Kappa Delta.

We stopped at the Student Union and I got my picture taken with "Joe Cool".

He is my BFF.

This is the middle of campus. I would walk to classes hoping for a glimpse of Terry. He later confided that he did the same thing. We met in Blair Hall in "Education Psychology" with Dr. Sallee. She had mentioned that there were quite a few redheads in the class and I turned around and smiled at him. (He was in the back sitting with all of the football players.) He called me the next night to ask me to a fraternity party.

Terry stayed in Myers Hall his freshman year on the first floor. He has stories of the guys flooding the halls and body surfing. Made for really clean floors!

The Field House is where we registered for classes, standing in long lines, and hoping that we would get the classes that we needed. No computer generated registration for us! The football team locker room was here, along with Phys. Ed. classes. Terry confirmed our first date here while I was with the Syncopates and he was getting ready to go out on the field for practice.

While in the Field House, I took a picture of this ancient composite of dad's senior year. No. 55, first row, left corner.

Pencil neck no. 60, Freshman year...always so serious. You are not allowed to smile in football pictures. Gotta look tough!

A little thicker in his Sophomore year. (no. 55), but still really serious. He didn't know me yet, and I am assuming that is why he is not smiling.

Looking like a serious football player his senior year. However, he now knows me and he is thinking about me...I can tell that he is "in love"!

Terry, 62 yrs., talking to Coach Farney.

One of the things that I heard over and over this night was how tough and dedicated my husband was on the field. He was really respected as a player and a man of character. I am so proud of him.

Coach Farney's picture in to the right of Terry.

We drove past the house on High Street that we first lived after we were married in for the summer of '73. He had been a Community School Director, however, at our wedding we found out that he had landed a teaching job in Saline Schools. I was teaching 3rd grade at the time and was happy to be able to stay in Saline.

Actually...we lived in the carriage house behind this big house. Tiny, but great for us. We lived in three rooms upstairs just for 3 months.

I was in the Syncopates, which was a girls group that marched on the field at half time. We had pom poms, white cowboy boots, and short red and white skirts. Now that I think of it...it was a bit corny (we didn't have instruments, just pom poms, but I guess they needed a tall girl to be in the center and I fit the bill.) Anyways, we had great seats to watch the games. Would you believe that No. 55 actually looked at me in the stands and waved during a football game!! That is dedication. Anyways, I am standing in Cliff Park where the Syncopates used to practice 5 days a week.

This is Buck Creek. The story goes that if a couple got "pinned" (a level of commitment in dating where the guy gives the girl his fraternity pin...kind of pre-engagement) the fraternity brothers would throw the brother into this creek. Actually, Terry was never thrown in the river when we got pinned because the guys were not sure that they could accomplish this with him.

Maribeth, my buddy that goes way back to Crystal Lake, met us at the stadium for the Homecoming Game. I will write another blog entry on the fun times we had, growing up at Crystal Lake. Way too much! We haven't aged a bit. :)

This is the FIRST time he ever sat in the stands and watched a game.

Afterwards, we met Stormin' Norm, my bestie from first grade in Findlay and enjoyed dinner. We missed Brewster, her hubby, but sadly, he was home sick.

On Sunday, we drove down to Kentucky and took Carol and Mary Grace out to lunch at Panera.

A good time was had by all!