John Henry Mason – Class of 1930 – AHS Faculty Member

John Mason Henry, an AUHS Class of 1930 graduate, served as a faculty member for 42 Years, only taking a leave during WWII when he served as a U.S. Naval officer. He founded Anaheim High’s counseling department.

While at AHS, Mason was a member of the Honor Society – ’27, ’28, ’29, ’30; Classic Club – ’27, ’28, ’29, ’30; Commercial Club; Royal Order of the Golden Drape (a drama club); Hi-Y; Forensics; Mozart Club; Orchestra; Music Club and Junior Play. He spoke German and French.

The Henry’s were one of the oldest families in Anaheim and were among the town’s ranchers and business owners. Click here to read more about his family’s history in Anaheim. 

Mason was born in Anaheim on June 18, 1913, and passed away October 25, 2011. He was married to his wife, Helen, for 61 years. They had four children – Susan, Cathy, Douglas and David, all Anaheim High graduates.

Cassie Miller – Voice Heard Around the Globe

Cassie Miller’s Anaheim High teachers and classmates always knew she would hit the big time. A natural, Cassie was a star member of the school’s choir and a featured vocalist in theater productions throughout her time at Anaheim High and Fremont Junior High.

Now she’s touring the world and performing for audiences that number in the thousands, making stops along the way at Carnegie Hall, recording studios, TV and film sets.

But Cassie hasn’t forgotten her hometown roots. She performed for the Sept. 11 Service and Remembrance sponsored by the City of Anaheim to remember victims of the 9/11 terrorists attacks, including AHS Class of ’67 grad Charles “Chic” Burlingame, the pilot for American Airlines Flight #77, which was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon.

Returning home to sing for another Anaheim audience has brought Cassie full circle in a career that started immediately upon graduating in 1978 from Anaheim High when she joined the Knott’s Berry Sisters trio. She also paid her dues singing on cruise ships and performing in various shows at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.

Cassie’s big break came when she began singing background and touring with Perry Como and Andy Williams. She stills considers sharing the stage with these legendary singers a career highlight and “a dream come true.”

Cassie said she found her forte when she began singing with a local big band in Long beach in 1984. This experience ignited her love for the swing era. Since then she has worked with many ghost bands and swing bands including the Harry James, Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller orchestras and others.

Her most recent tour was a departure from the big band genre as a background singer for Supertramp. She recently returned from a tour in France, performing for an audience of 77,000 people.

Other career highlights including doing her own solo tour of jazz clubs overseas, singing with John Lithgow at Carnegie Hall and being “Big Band Singer of the Year” by the LA Music Awards.

Her song styling has brought her wide acclaim from many entertainers including Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Placido Domingo, Jerry Lewis and Liza Minelli.

Cassie has also appeared in commercials and print ads for such companies such as IBM, Chrysler and others that have aired all over the US and other parts of the world.

Still she is drawn to her Anaheim roots and shared an interesting part of her life. “My parents adopted me when I was a few days old. I ended up finding my birthparents and siblings, only to discover that my birthfather had also gone to Anaheim High and I went to junior high with one of my half-sisters, but never knew it at the time. My birthfather and I both had the same music director, Sheldon Disrud, who is still living.”

More about Cassie, including her schedule of appearances, can be found at www.CassieMiller.net.

Frank Kellogg – Class of ’44 Honors Grad Day, D-Day 67 Years Later – June 7, 2011

Remembering D-Day graduation at Pearson Park

 

http://www.ocregister.com/news/classmates-303511-kellogg-day.html

Traveling Trombone Returns to AHS

It took a 63-year journey, but Robert Watter’s treasured trombone has returned to “Old AU” to be played by a new generation of Colonists. When Bob, a former Anaheim High band member from Class of 1949, heard the 160-member Colonist band was looking for instruments, he decided to take his trombone out of retirement.

Bob, who is married to Janet Vincent from Class of 1951, first played the instrument when he joined the Anaheim High Band in 1948. His talent for playing the trombone caught the ear of band director William Cook and Bob was recruited to play in the popular nine-member swing band that performed for the school’s Military Ball, dances and other  functions.  (Bob is pictured fourth from left in this photo of the Swing Band from the 1949 yearbook.) Bob was also a member of the Varsity A Club, swimming and water polo teams.

After graduating from Anaheim, Bob’s trombone traveled with him to his next three gigs, which included the Fullerton Junior College Band (1950), the Santa Ana College Band (1951), then the U.S. Air Force Band (1952). Once he left the military, Bob retired the trombone and it was safely stored in his attic for the next 40 years.

The beloved instrument made an encore appearance at the June Anaheim Alumni Breakfast, when Bob presented his trombone to Anaheim’s new band director Breysi Garcia, a Class of 2000 AHS grad. Breysi brought along five of his top trombone players to entertain the breakfast crowd, many of whom were former band members.

Breysi also informed his fellow alumni that the band, known today as the Colonial Regiment, is working to raise funds for a trailer to transport instruments to its many performances. Alumni who care to donate to this effort are encouraged to contact Breysi at  garcia_br@auhsd.k12.ca.us  or emailing anaheimalumni@yahoo.com.

From Cook Auditorium to Broadway, ’75 Grad Coming Home for Local Appearance

Anaheim High Class of ’75 graduate Bob Lauder will bring 30 years of experience as an actor and singer to his performance this weekend in the Fullerton Civic Light Opera (FCLO) 40th anniversary show at historic Plummer Auditorium.

Bob, who recently finished a national tour as Old Max in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” will be among Broadway performers and FCLO veterans who will celebrate the theater company’s 40 years as one of the region’s major cultural resources.

The company will be presenting favorite Broadway musicals, from classic ballads to big dance spectaculars.  For tickets to the Jan. 28 show at 8 p.m. or the Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., visit www.fclo.com or call 714-879-1732. Plummer Auditorium is located at 201 E. Chapman, Fullerton.

While at Anaheim High, Bob was a drama major and played in the band’s brass section with the marching, stage and pep bands. A Las Vegas resident, Bob is also famous for his role as a real bearded Santa: www.lasvegassanta.com.

See Bob in action at http://www.bigleague.org/video_grinch.htm and support this Colonist by attending the FCLO 40th Anniversary celebration.