In September of the year 1947, 49 ambitious and inquisitive boys and girls marched proudly into Kaunoa to begin their long and tedious trip to superior education.
These bright pupils were started on their way by their patient teachers Mrs. Sarah Duponte and Miss Margaret Hill. The pupils were: Ralph Bradley, Howell Ching, Yvonne Ebisu, Nicky Faust, Linda Fukunaga, Janet Fukushima, Toshiko Funatsu, Margo Girton, Amy Hokama, Roy Ikeoka, Patsy Kawakami, Elaine Kaya, Haru Kimura, Gladys Kitayama, Marilyn Knox, Gerald Kushi, Leroy Lum Ho, Herbert Maeda, Gayle Maehara, Robert Miyamoto, Janet Murayama, Sharon Nowah, David Okada, Karen Ota, Ann Patterson, Faye Perreira, Mercedes Ramon, Betty Rego, Charles Sawyer, Joanne Shibuya, Lillian Shimomura, Richard Shoda, Kenneth St. Sure, Lydia Tada, Ronald Takahama, Wayne Takakura, Diane Takumi, Clifford Tanaka, Marvin Tanaka, Mei Lynne Ting, Henrietta Ueoka, June Ueoka, Roy Ueoka, Kim Waterhouse, Sheila Wirtz, Karen Yamamoto, Jane Yamane, James Yoshioka, and Andrew Zane.
Mrs. Evelyn Rego and Mrs. Ruth Doty taught us in the second grade. Clifford Biscardy, Anne Ferkany, Esther Hata, James Tozer, Naomi Suezaki and Peter Warman were additions to our class.
Our third grade instructors were Mrs. Ruth Doty and Miss Leona Golbinec. Leslie Bal, Sidney Hamamoto, Lester Hieda, Walter Osakoda, Jack Semura, and Steven Tateyama were newcomers. Daniel Vicente came and left during the year. Janet Murayama, Lydia Tada, and Peter Warman also left.
In the fourth grade, we were under the tutelage of Miss Nina Kirk and Miss Ruth Mortenson. Nicky DuBois, Marsha Braden, Harlan Cadinha, Jeraldyne Medeiros, and Robert Rose were welcomed to our class, while Leslie Bal, Nicky DuBois, Gladys Kitayama, Jack Semura, and Ronald Takahama withdrew. Robert Rose left us after a while.
The teachers who bore the burden of teaching us in the fifth grade were Mrs. Katherine Hughes and Miss Mary Brown. Harry Achilles, Wendy Anderson, Lorraine DeCambra, John Gannon, Brian Pearson, and Breck Tompkins joined us that year. Clifford Biscardy, Marsha Braden, Ralph Bradley, Herbert Maeda, Naomi Suezaki, and Andrew Zane made their departure. Harry Achilles and Brian Pearson left us at the end of the school year.
The sixth grade was instructed by Mrs. Charlotte Westcott and Mr. William Tavares. Mrs. Ellen Hull and Mrs. Mary Kruse taught us but left during the year. Wendy Anderson, Linda Chang, Toshiko Funatsu, Gerald Kushi, and Stanley Yamato made their exit. Alvin Leong, Carol McArthur, and Conrad Otsuka came into our ranks.
The seventh grade brought us Charles Barclay, Sarah Givens, and Robert Rose as newcomers, and Mr. William Tavares and Mr. Cole Ownsby as teachers. Carol McArthur left us for the states during the year. Sarah Givens and Robert Rose stayed for the year and then departed from us to our disappointment.
This year, the indomitable class of '55 consists of 58 students with Robert and Roberta Newell as newcomers. Our determined and benevolent teachers are Mrs. Alice Walsh and Mrs. Jean Priest.
We, the unsurpassable class of '55 do grieve to leave our beloved
Kaunoa School, scene of many triumphs, defeats, happinesses, and
sorrows. In her rooms we have patiently and faithfully studied
our lessons so that Kaunoa may be proud of her 58 citizens of
the future.
Wendy (Anderson) Bianchi - wendina@earthlink.net
Howell Ching - howell@shaka.com
Nicholas Faust - nfaust@fs.fed.us
Lester Hieda - hieda@koa.ifa.hawaii.edu
Kim Waterhouse - kimmauiboy@cs.com
Stanley Yamato - yamato@trianglenet.net