American Bandstand

Did you know my mom, Carolyn KRIEBEL? 

Were you a 1958 Graduate of Schwenksville High School? 

Or, are you a child or family member of a 1958 graduate?  IF you answered YES to any of these questions . . . I’m interested in YOU!! 

If you are the graduate, I’m interested in your memories of my Mom, Carolyn KRIEBEL.  If you are a child or family member of a graduate, I’m interested in any stories that you might be able to share about your family member’s memories of their high school days and their classmates. 

I, sadly, know nothing about Mom’s school days beyond the bio included with her senior photo in the 1958 Schwenksville High School Lanconian yearbook.  The bio reads . . .

Class President 9; Yearbook Editor 12; A.A. 9, 10, 11, 12; Band 9, 10, 11; Glee Club 10, 11, 12; Combo 10, 11; Basketball, J.V. 10; Varsity 11, 12; Interclass Basketball 9; Interclass Volleyball 9, 10, 11; Tri-Hi-Y President 9; Dancing Club 10, 11; Future Nurses Club 10; Newspaper Club 10. 

The one story she did share, the story that prompted this post, was that during her last year of high school she, and a bus load of classmates went on a school trip to Philadelphia and were the guests of Dick Clark and the AMERICAN BANDSTAND!  And, of course, as the self-appointed family historian and genealogist, I’d love to KNOW MORE!! While Mom has been a “pack rat” of many things; memorabilia or ephemera were not among them.  So, there are no photos; no news clippings; no ticket stubs; no autograph from Dick Clark or from the American Bandstand featured artists . . . nothing!!  The only thing she has ever said, was that she and her classmates were on American Bandstand.

While I’ve  found, on Google and Pinterest, iconic American Bandstand images, such as those you see here; I’ve not found any images of Mom on the show.  I’ve also looked at many YouTube clips of the American Bandstand, a dance show with a rock and roll theme; the dance floor teaming with youth dancing the Bop, the Twist, the Jitterbug, and the Stroll, while listening to a rock-and-roll soundtrack or other popular music of their day.  This doesn’t lend itself to finding a familiar face in the crowd; though I have, on a number of occasions, thought that I saw Mom in the gaggle of youth on the dance floor.  But, in the end, it really is impossible to tell.  Darn, darn, DARN!!!
While looking at these iconic images and YouTube videos I learned of the wall of pennant flags that seem to have been a feature of the show.  The pennants were from the high schools from both the  local Philadelphia and outlying areas; though I was unable to see if the Schwenksville High School pennant was among them.
So, do you remember the day  you and your classmates were the guests of Dick Clark on American Bandstand?  What was the specific date or time of year? Do you have pictures of the day?  Was the Schwenksville High School Class of ‘58 introduced on the show?  Was there a group photo captured; perhaps with the host, Dick Clark? Did Schwenksville High School present a pennant to Dick Clark and the American Bandstand? Were the students introduced individually on the show? Did any of the Schwenksville youth participate in the “Rate a Record” portion of the show?

Mom didn’t keep, as I said, memorabilia or ephemera, so growing up, there there were no yearbooks for me to page through and encourage – err, pester – my Mom to share her stories and memories.  But, I was able to locate copies online of both the 1957 and 1958 Schwenksville High School yearbooks. I now have, never before seen by me, photos of my Mom.  Sadly, still too few.

Here for instance here is Mom’s 1957 Junior Class Photo.

Lillian GRISDALE; Harvey BOSSERT; Tony MILLER; Jack PRESTON; and Colin PARKE are all in the above Junior class photo.  However, they were not among the seniors listed in the 1958 yearbook.

The Class of 1958 Alumni, Schwenksville High School:
Gilbert H AXFORD; Marjorie Ann BARRON; Joan Faye BEAN; George R  BICKERT, Jr.; John Hicks BOGERT; Theodore Harold COLE; Joseph DELUTIS; Ruth Carolyn DUNNING; Donna Jean GEORGE; Elsie Jean GREASER; Christian John Ray HARTLINE; James Ernest HARTMAN; Alice Jane HEIMBACH; David Roger JONES; William KEHRER; Donald Edwin KIRKNER; James Allen KOVACS; John Walter KRATZ; Kay C KRATZ; Glen Brian LANDES; Robert G McCAHAN, Jr.; Carol Ann MENG; Mildred H MEYERS; Anna Jane MILLER; Phebe Mary MONTGOMERY; Stanley RADCLIFF; Janis E RIEGEL; John Albert ROSE; Edward A RUTTER; Dolores Joyce SHELLENBERGER; Rick D SHEPPARD; Carol Ann SMITH; Robert Lee SMITH; Winfield SWARR; Joan Marie SWARTLEY; Jane Faye WACK; Nancy Marie WALKER; Philip Andrew WATKINS; Patricia Ann WINK; Todd Albright YOUNG; William Robert ZIEGLER

A note to fellow family historians and genealogists, IF you are interested in finding yearbooks – Middle School; High School; College and Military – I’ve had good success with this E-Yearbook.com site.  Note, however, that it is a subscription site.

Tracy
Copyright © 2016 Tracy L Meyers; Family Preserves