January 24, 2007

• Mr. Weinheimer

  Wow, I am having an absolutely fantastic eBay experience!  I am into depression era type dishes (no, I am not really depressed myself) and was able to purchase some very nice plates on eBay.  The seller lives in Schenectady of all places, and had the same name as an art teacher that I had in elementary school.  I figured that there would be no connection, but I remembered the teacher so fondly that I had to ask, and lo and behold, she is his daughter in law!  The exchange is as follows: 

  Dear D,

  Did you ever have a relative who taught art in elementary schools?  I had a Mr. W as an art teacher when I attended Brandywine Elementary School around 40 years ago.  He was really nice and let us do snow sculptures outside.  I made a rabbit and he showed me how to do the ears laying down on the rabbit's back.  Well, it is probably no relation, but sometimes it is a small world.

  Connie

  Hello, It is great to hear from people with a local connection,  Mr W (George) was my father in law. I am married to his son M who is also an art educator. George was the nicest man and the best father in law. Thanks for letting me know, it really is a small world.

  kind regards, d
  

  Dear D,

  Wow! What a lovely surprise!  I didn't think there was any connection, but I remembered Mr. W so well that I just had to ask.  I think that he taught at Brandywine for only a short time, but it was enough to engrave him firmly in my memory.  As I said, it must have been over 40 years ago, but I can still see his face clearly.  I must have been in first grade.  He was tall, soft spoken and kind.  Maybe kind of like Abraham Lincoln without the beard, but better looking.  Anyone would want to follow in his footsteps.  I remember being disappointed when for some reason another teacher took his place in the following years.  They just weren't the same at all.

  The rabbit ears technique that he taught me was excellent.  I had an opportunity to have some rabbits as pets, and their ears do spend much time lying down over the rabbit's back, just as he said.  What an original idea, to have us go outside and do snow sculpture!  We did it in the fenced-in areas in front of the school, the side that faces Becker street.  I did my work on the left side of the entrance.  The snow melted away, but the memory was etched forever in little grey cement cells between my ears.

  Greetings to M and glad to have been able to touch bases.

  I will give the plates special honor.  I ran across petalware in a semi-antique shop here in Tokyo, but whatever comes over here is at least doubled in price.  The shop was selling a chipped large plate for around $60!  So, I usually go into the shop for reference and then look for whatever I find on eBay.

  

  American 50's-60's kitchen and other stuff is rather popular here, because the Japanese associate it with American "simple country life" or the American "good old days" or some peaceful image.  Other items you can see in such shops are Fire King, Anchor Hocking Jadeite, Hazel Atlas, Optic Block and so on.  Maybe I am looking for my own "good old days," too, and now I know that I have found some of them!!

   

  Thanks for letting me touch a fond and unforgettable memory,

   

  Connie

   

  News Flash - Mr. Compukermann had Mr. W as a teacher in junior high, too!!

  • 09:24
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