Fall 1960: The bell tower is built by Mr. Elwyn L. Booth, father to Larry Booth (‘55), Mary Diane Booth (‘58), and Dennis Neal Booth (‘61).

According to his son Dennis, Mr. Booth talked his fellow contractors into donating the bricks, mortar and labor needed to build the tower. The bell was used to celebrate campus victories.

1986-87: Ila Decker Piel (’61), chair of the high school’s 50th anniversary committee, spearheads a campaign to replace the original bell, which was severely damaged. ASB fundraisers and donations from the anniversary committee pay for the bell.

June 1987: The new bell is hung and officially rung for the first time during the 1987 commencement ceremony. In order to protect the bell from vandalism, louvers are installed that hide the bell from view.

Fall 2008: “The Mystery of the Bell Tower” is published in Mustang Memories, describing the history of the bell tower. It includes an assurance from the Foundation that the tower would not be torn down during the construction of the new Performing Arts Center.

As far as the school administration and Foundation understand, the bell tower will remain in place but will need some rehabilitation due to its deteriorating condition.

April 23, 2010: A maintenance crew begins to dismantle the tower, to the surprise and dismay of the school administration, students, parents and Foundation staff. Considerable panic ensues.

At Principal Mike Grove’s request, the cupola is placed in the Wood Shop area, where the bell is removed for safekeeping. (Members of the Bell Rescue Squad included Jeff Germano, Jason Berend, Michael Grove, and Kevin Shaw, ’10.)

May 2010: The bell is placed on display in the Principal’s office. The damaged cupola is repaired and put back on the top of the tower.

June 9, 2010: John Addleman, Director of Planning & Financial Management at the District Office spoke with me about the bell tower. The main points covered during our conversation:

• Even if the tower was in excellent condition, construction grading would bring it down. If the tower could be moved, it could be saved, but moving it will only destroy it.
• The District will rebuild the tower as a working bell tower, which will hold the bell purchased during the 1986-87 50th anniversary celebration.
• Instead of reinstalling louvers (to protect the bell) plexiglass windows will be installed in the cupola, so the bell will be seen as well as heard when it is rung.
• The dismantling crew has been instructed to save as many of the bricks as possible for incorporation into the new tower.
• The District will coordinate with the Alumni Association in order to install an historical plaque in the tower.
• Demolition will be between June 21 and July 1st. The new tower will probably be built by August 2011.
• The District will work with the Foundation and Alumni Association in order to coordinate a tower dedication ceremony with the reunion of the class of 1961.

June 23, 2010: Several maintenance personnel dismantle our bell tower, saving as many bricks as possible. The bricks are placed on pallets and moved to a secure storage place.

I watched them during part of this process and agree that the internal structure was as unsound as District representatives stated it was.

Our plans:

Ila Decker Piel (’61) will work with Principal Mike Grove and the Alumni Coordinator (that would be me) to coordinate the plaque, the incorporation of old bricks into the new tower, and the re-dedication of the new tower, hopefully at the same time of the 1961 reunion.

Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: D Street Bar and Grill
Street: 485 South Coast Highway 101
City/Town: Encinitas, CA

Alumni of San Dieguito, especially the classes of the 70′s, will gather this summer to celebrate having attended the greatest high school in the world. This NO HOST event will begin at 6 p.m. at D Street Bar and Grill and continue into the evening at several of the adult establishments throughout downtown Encinitas.

Since this is a NO HOST event, there are no tickets to purchase in advance. The regular D Street menu of food and beverages will be available to order from. It’s sure to be a great evening of pictures and stories.

RSVP here to let people know if you will be able to attend the event.

This can be a thankless job and a lot of work — unless the Class of 2000 steps up and volunteers!

Please let your class reps know that you’re willing to chip in just a little bit of your time. You’ll save lots of money and have a blast reconnecting with your classmates. Contact Joni at her Facebook page or by email. And don’t forget to check in to the Class of 2000 Facebook page!

Subject: Reunion Volunteers Needed

Hi Everyone,

The reunion will be here sooner than we know and WE NEED YOUR HELP to make it happen!

Please let me know if you’re interested in any of the following committees by June 25th:

VENDOR COMMITTEES
1) Food (coordinating with the food vendor)
2) DJ (coordinating with the dj)
3) Rentals (coordinating with table/chair vendor)

REUNION COMMITTEES
4) Decorations (all decorations, including tiki torches)
5) Raffle prizes (leading a committee to collect prizes)
6) Supplies (including name tags and programs)

EVENT PLANNING COMMITTEE
7) Events for the week (coordinating and helping with Thurs, Fri, After Party Sat, Sun beach day)

SET UP AND CLEAN UP
We will need 20 people to set up (Time TBD)
9) We will need 20 people to clean up directly following the event

Thanks and we look forward to working with you on making our reunion a success!

Zoe Wiese

Class of 1987 alumna Zoe Wiese has been recognized by the San Diego Women’s Council for City of Hope as their Ambassador of Hope for 2010.

Zoe created Three Sisters Jewelry Design when her mother was diagnosed with cancer, according to this article in the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Memories of her mother, appreciation for her three daughters and her own battles with thyroid cancer and melanoma have heightened her sensitivity for life’s fragility, Mohler said. She believes that jewelry can be a tangible symbol of love, and will sometimes spend a month perfecting a design.”

Her jewelry has been “featured on Kathie Lee & Hoda’s Today Show, in O Magazine, Riviera and have been worn by Heidi Klum and other Hollywood types,” according to the City of Hope website, which also describes how she donates a percentage of her sales to charity.

The City of Hope’s 8th Annual “Taste of Hope” will be held Sunday, August 22nd, from 4 to 7 pm in the Coronado Civic Center. For more information, call (858) 452-6846. To register online, visit www.cityofhope.org.

As a mother, wife, daughter, friend and successful business woman, she has committed herself to serving and supporting the local charities and non-profit organizations that play an essential role in the battle against cancer.

from the City of Hope website: “Our Honoree“

The “Cardiff Kids” reunion is for people who went to elementary school in Cardiff, whether or not they graduated from San Dieguito.

Bring whatever you like for beverages and snack food (chips, dips, veggie trays, etc.)

For more information, please contact Irma at 858-271-7828 or icsalas @ sbcglobal.net

Tom Dempsey in 1964

The city of Encinitas plans to commemorate that moment with a statue of the Leucadia native, noted for kicking despite being born with no right hand and no toes on his right foot. Patrons of Encinitas Parks has commissioned a 2,000-pound bronze sculpture of Dempsey kicking by sculptor Don Reynolds.

“The Kick,” as it will be called, would be displayed in the Hall Property Park.

A 20-inch model of the sculpture will be on display through June 22 in the lobby of Encinitas City Hall, which, interestingly, rests on the former site of a jewelry store owned by the Dempsey family.

Public comments about the proposed sculpture are being sought. The City Council will consider the public art proposal July 14.

The project has the official blessing of the NFL, said Jim Gilliam, the city’s arts administrator. Backers of the sculpture still need to raise about $150,000-plus for the project.

“Sculpture will recall Dempsey’s big kick,” by Jeff Frank, North County Times

On June 9th, from 4pm-8pm, we will be putting on the 1st annual SDA Arts & Tech Festival. I am organizing a car-show as part of it, which is for students and community members, and I want/need community members and Alumni that have cool/unique cars that they want to show off to students and each other.

I have already contacted a few Alumni that I know, and they are beginning networking with their contacts, but if you know of or can put me in contact with any known Alumni that have an interest or standing in the Automotive area, I’d appreciate it. I plan on showing cars and motorcycles from current and past students while the Festival includes exhibits, demos and sales from our Technology classes, Auto, Woods, Metals, Photo, Music, TV/Film, Culinary Arts, Theatre, Art, & Screen printing.

There will be much more information to follow, and we will definitely keep you in
the loop, but I just wanted to get the ball rolling …

Thanks in advance,
Eric Neubauer

UPDATE: They’ve got a website: www.80sdhs30.com. You can pay for your reunion here, so go, already!

Yes, we have a location and date set for our 30th High School Reunion!!!!!

July 31st, 2010, at the Ocean House in Carlsbad (formerly Nieman’s Restaurant) from approximately 6PM – midnight.

There will be additional info coming out soon.

We do need alot of help in getting the word out.

Thanks.

Gregg

email Gregg
Join the Facebook group for the Class of 1980

Click here to vote for San Dieguito. You may need to register in order to vote.

This stage requires another video, which is then submitted for votes. The video the kids created for the Wild Card Competition is a funny parody of a TV interview of a character from the reality TV show Jersey Shore. If it wins, San Dieguito will be headed to the Finals at the U.S. SURF OPEN in Huntington Beach.

We are competing with other schools across the country and need votes to help us advance to the finals. We have a 1 in 6 shot to making it to the finals!

In order to vote go to:
Go to www.hurley.com

1. Click ‘Login to Rate’
2. If you don’t have an account, sign up for one for free. When you’re through it will re-direct to the appropriate page. If it doesn’t, click here to get back to the video.
3. Click ‘login to rate’ again
4. Login with account information
5. Click on the 5th star!

Please help us out and spread the word! And continue to vote every day. (You may only vote once per day per email account.)

August 20th: 4-8 pm no host, site to be determined

August 21st:

• Time: 5:00 -12:00
• Location: Elks Lodge, 1393 Windsor Road, Cardiff
• Dress: Casual attire
• Menu: Catered Mexican Taco Bar, Rice, Beans, Salads, Dessert
• Entertainment: DJ
• Cost: $25 per person
• Reservations: Paid Reservations only to
  • Kathy Stanton
  • 839 Woodley Pl
  • Encinitas, CA 92024

August 22nd: Picnic Glenn Park, Cardiff, 11:00- ? Bring your own picnic

For more information, email Kathy Stanton or call her at 760-753-7334.