I remember a Kevin Griffin who was a year ahead of me I believe.  Am I wrong?

Sarah Phillips wrote:

 In Lake Park they were.  Don't think so in NPB.

Sarah Phillips wrote:

Sorry. I can't say for sure if Kevin was one of the Griffin brothers on Marlin. I didn't know very many people beyond the 1965 grad date. 

Bill:  Is it still OK to contact your father? I got side-tracked on related subjects for these past few months. Still same contact info and after 9 PM?

Thanks.

Ray

Raymond (Ray) Eberling wrote:

Bill:

That's great. And indeed, AFTER 9 PM, right?

Raymond (Ray) Eberling wrote:

 Actually, you can call anytime now.

Just spoke with my father. 

He's eager to talk to you.

Bill:

That's great. I'll call him today. I'll call him today.

Ray

Bill:

That's great. I'll call him today. I'll call him today.

Ray

http://orangesnowman.me/north-palm-beach/  found this site about area history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Oakes mentions Sir Harry Oakes Florida investments

I well remember when North Palm Beach was developed. Albin R Olsen was the first town manager. My mom, Alma Beck, was the first recreation director. She provided supervision and activities after school in the late 50's in a park that was near the NPB water tower. I don't remember what amenities the park had other than a zip line that ran from a tree to a pole as I remember, and I think my uncle Bobby Hill put up the zip line. He worked for a while for the NPB public works department. Mom also taught ballroom dancing to teens, but I cannot remember where the classes were held.

North Palm Beach had a very forward thinking policy that every child should learn to swim, and offered free swimming lessons every summer. Before the country club pool was built, those lessons were held at my mom, Alma's, day camp and kindergarten, which was across the street from the present St. Paul's Catholic Church on Singer Island. All those kids from Connecticut who could not swim were bussed over to learn the rudiments of swimming at our commercially licensed pool, which was a meager 20 x 40.

I was in the seventh grade in 1956 when Pratt brought everyone down from Connecticut. They filled North Palm Beach, they filled Rivera Beach Junior High, (then the high school, in the memorable add a year at a time plan) I can remember that you could buy a home in North Palm Beach for as little as $11,000 as I remember, in the section to the west of Prosperity Farms Road. I remember driving without a driver's license, or at least driving a car with a learner's permit without an adult after dark. I remember getting my learner's permit on my 14th birthday and riding a scooter (TWN Contessa) to school. I rode it for a couple of years then Karen Olsen rode it, but it was pretty unreliable by then and is probably in the land fill now.

After the country club pool was built, and it was finished in 1961, my mom was the first pool manager. By this time, she had managed several public pools. She managed the Colonnades pool on Singer Island in the early 50's, the Cabana Club pool in Palm Beach in the mid fifties, and of course the pool at her day camp. I was always terrified of the ten meter board. Mom would use the ten meter board, but I could barely bring myself to use the three meter board; I've always been terrified of heights.

When the country club pool and dining room were first built, they also used the old Sir Harry Oakes home as part of the club. I can remember going to one teen dance at the old club. Sir harry Oakes owned the North Palm Beach area for a time. Of course, he was murdered in a celebrated case in Nassau in 1943. I loved the old club building, it had a turret and a tree that kind of wrapped itself around part of the house, probably a strangler fig. I was very unhappy when the old club was torn down, but Al Olsen assured me that it was riddled with termites and couln't be saved. Humph is what I say.  It was simply expedient.

I'm going to send this before I accidentally navigate away from this page and lose all my typing.. again!

Nancy, I am so glad you posted.  It refreshed my memory.  The park had two ziplines.  One for little kids and one for the bigger kids. They were attached to trees.  The bigger one to a solid palm tree.  I know this because one day I got up enough courage to try it and ran into it with my head.  The little one had a stopper.   It had a GREAT trampoline.  It had a big field for whatever and of course I believe it had swings.  Your mother taught me ballroom dancing.  I still remember this well and often think that this is what is missing from childrens lives today.  It wasn't just dance.  It taught kids etiquette and socialization.  Something that is missing from kids education today.  I was nine when I went and they were held in the cafeteria of the NPB elementary school.  I remember well the country club and the old building.  It was beautiful.  My mother took painting lessons there.  I believe it also housed the old country club before the new club was built.   Here is a tidbit......Does anyone remember the Tropicana juice bar machine outside of the NPB elementary cafeteria?  You could buy a Lime Bar or an Orange Juice Bar for a dime.  They were GREAT.    Thanks again Nancy for the memory. 

                                 Sarah