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Montebello Centennial Stirs Up School Spirit, Memories

By Elizabeth Hsing-Huei Chou, EGP Staff Writer

When the Montebello Oilers marching band stormed into the Quiet Cannon banquet hall at Monday night’s high school centennial celebration, Tina-Marie Lozano, class of ’96, felt the familiar pull to “step into line.”

Even now, whenever she hears the sound of the school band, the former color guard captain can’t help marking time, which is often, because she now teaches English at her alma mater and experiences high school life on a daily basis.

It turns out many alumni are like Lozano, eager to return to Montebello High School, because 40 percent of the school staff are alumnus, including its current Principal Jeff Schwartz (’72), she says.

She doesn’t see this kind of homegrown staff at other schools, explaining that school pride is especially strong at Montebello. “Whenever I look out into my class, I wonder how many will return,” she says.

For those who did not come back to work at the high school, the memories and experiences can have just as strong of an impact. “High school really set the tone for everything else in life,” says Chuck Salcido (’75).

“The group I ran around with – I’m Mexican American, and there was Japanese American, Chinese American, African American, you name it. To this day, our group of friends is still very diverse,” he says.

Reunions have been good to Salcido. At a recent class reunion, Salcido and Toni Torres (’77), an old high school crush and lunch-mate, started up talking again and fell in love.


Toni Torres (’77), left, and Chuck Salcido (’75) became sweethearts at a recent class reunion. (EGP photo by Elizabeth Hsing-Huei Chou)
An ASB president in high school, Salcido says he was originally “too slow” to make a move because Torres, a former drill team captain, was dating another sweet heart.

In the 1960s, the school’s mascot “Ollie Oiler” got a girlfriend named “Olive.” The first person to play her was Carmela Fontes Hobley (’63), dressed in a yellow denim skirt and wearing an oiler’s hat and oil can that her father got her.

She had wanted to join the cheerleading team when sign-ups opened for the mascot position. “I said what the heck and went ahead and tried out. Actually I think my friends signed me up for it!” she said.

As the first ever female mascot for the school, “I just winged it,” she said with a laugh.


Class of ’52, BFF Forever: Twins Joan Ratigan, center, and Joy Rasic, right, are joined by “best friend” Lorraine Runco. (EGP photo by Elizabeth Hsing-Huei Chou)
If there is one particular classmate that has played a role in many a Montebello High School grad’s life, it’s Eugene Odou, class of ’42 and a “darn nice fellow” according to what his classmate wrote in his annual.

Several years after graduation he set down roots in Montebello as the local physician, delivering the babies of many of his classmates. Many of those babies grew to become Montebello High School students themselves.

Prior to that Odou had served in the Navy as a flight surgeon. In his Junior year, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, prompting America to join the fight in World War II and impacting his life and those of his classmates, including Japanese American friends, who, just as concerned about America’s fate, were nevertheless sent to the Santa Anita Race Track to be interned.

Odou attended the event with his family, which includes granddaughter Elizabeth Kivorkian. While Odou says his family frequently tells him, “TMI, too much information,” the 18-year old Kivorkian says it’s always been a point of pride to have a grandfather who knows so much history about Montebello High.

The two, representing a span of three generations at Montebello High School, with ten Oilers in-between, hosted a reception earlier in the evening honoring the numerous alumni who went on to do great things or impact a large number of people.

In addition to celebrity status alumnus such as actor Edward James Olmos, Nobel Laureate Bruce Merrifield, and tennis legend Jack Kramer, the long list of distinguished alumnus, filling up a wall-sized banner, also feature people who worked for the FBI, built “choo choo” trains, funded important medical facilities, and served senior citizens.


Alumni shows his Class of 76 ring. (EGP photo by ElIzabeth Hsing-Huei Chou)
The Montebello High School Alumni Association, which organized the event, began as an idea among members of the Esquires Alumni Band, first formed in 1955. Association member Susan Tinkley (’61) says the group does more than Centennial Celebrations. It gives out academic and athletic scholarships, and recognizes educators and teachers.

Throughout the night alumni lauded the school’s programs, whether it was in the academics, athletics, or music. John Odou (’73) credited the swim program for preparing him for a 30-year career as a lifeguard. Lucille Fontes Basye (’52) and Joy Rasic (’52) were high school songleaders who went on to become Ramettes, cheerleaders for the Rams, when the team was in Los Angeles. Patty Anglade Darnall (‘72), an elementary school teacher, was inspired by her music teachers in high school.

In his speech that night, association president Bob Bagwell said it was important that the association continue for another hundred years. “We want to be able to transfer this organization to a younger generation,” he said.


Event sound guy Phil Reyes (’72) ensures the night’s musical entertainment and speeches are crystal clear. (EGP photo by Elizabeth Hsing-Huei Chou)




April 29, 2010 Copyright © 2010 Eastern Group Publications, Inc.
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