In 1944, thirty-three frightened, but excited, small children entered the halls of Kaunoa. They were: Carol Mae Ansai, John Baldwin, Mariette Baldwin, William Baldwin, Carmen Christine, Charlotte Coleman, James Corell, Betty Downie, Guy Fujimoto, Marlan Hieda, Kaye Ichiriu, Hilda Kagawa, Marjorie Kage, Robert Kennan, Robin Leong, Howard Matsueda, Gary Medeiros, Marlene Meyer, Allen Newton, Joan Nishimura, Jown Powers, Henry Rice, Stanley Sameshima, Robert Sheffield, Melvin Shigeta, Phyllis St. Sure, Paul Suyama, Eileen Takahama, Jacqueline Texeira, Helen Tompkins, Winifred Trist, Albert Waterhouse, and Mae Yamamoto. Our first grade teacher was Miss Hill.
Mrs. Meloncon was our teacher in the second grade. Penny Bartlam, Alyce Ikeoka, Aimee Kobayashi, Malcom Medeiros, Anne Muroki, Sandra Roeder and Ransom Wong joined us that year. James Corell and Winifred Trist left us.
Our third grade was divided into two classes. Our teachers were Mrs. Doty and Mrs. Hasse. Roy Fukutomi, Richard Lux, Melvin Ogata and Melvin Au were our new classmates. Mariette Baldwin, Robert Kennan, Richard Lux, John Powers and Sandra Roeder withdrew from Kaunoa.
In the fourth grade Pikake English, Bert Funatsu, Jane Noble and Leora Seong were new additions to our class. Leaving us were Melvin Au, Carmen Christine and Mrs. Doty. Our teachers were Miss Rautio and Mrs. Doty. Mrs. Baldwin took Mrs. Doty's place later on in the year.
Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Hughes were our fifth grade teachers. Kenneth Kitagawa, Philip Meyer, Rowena Mitchell and Ritsuko Toyama were new to Kaunoa that year. Jane Noble, Howard Matsueda and Stanley Sameshima left us.
Our sixth grade class was a large one. We had forty-eight students that year. Clarysse Bell, Jere Milligan, William Bal, Grace Toyama, Florence Miyahira, Joycelyn Chang and Donald Souza were the newcomers. Our old friend Howard Matsueda came back to us that year. Leaving us were Joycelyn Chang and Robert Sheffield. Mrs Walsh was our teacher.
Our seventh grade was again divided into two classes. Joining us were Michael Gibbons, Susan Lathrop, Grace Matsueda and our old friend Stanley Sameshima. Philip Meyer and Charlotte Coleman entered other schools.
This year Michael McQueen joined the mighty class of "52." William Bal, Donald Souza, Grace Toyama and Jack Van Voast left us. The proud teacher of the class of "52" is Mrs. Priest.
Bill Baldwin - Bkuiaha@aol.com
Puck Waterhouse - puckwaterhouse@gmail.com