What's on your mind?

What's on your mind

This is a place to post comments, photos, whatever...about growing up in the Hialeah Area...or anything else that is on your mind. In the past, we've been using our individual webpages for this purpose, but now we have a dedicated forum on our website. Please note that this forum is "not secure" and that comments you make are available to anyone that visits this website.  

If you post a comment about a deceased classmate in this section, please also post one on the classmate's "In Memory" page. Your comments here get lost in the many other comments over time while whatever you post on a classmate's "In Memory" page can easily be found by our classmates and family members of the deceased. 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak


 
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05/28/24 11:33 AM #696    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

From our 1964 Yearbook: 

Now, who was Pat Sullivan? English teacher...Allan P. Sullivan?


05/29/24 08:30 AM #697    

Guillermo Marcia (Current HSHS Teacher)

Mrs. Lundblom-Blizzard, thank you very much for your message. :-) I am so pleased that the colors that were chosen were red and blue, my two favorite colors. I guess any chances of you learning any Spanish that day went out the window(pun intended). The cafeteria layout seemed like it lent itself to food fights. I am so glad that you have so many fond memories of your experience at Hialeah High. Personally, I attended a technical school, William H Turner. I learned about agriscience and was a member of the future farmers of America club. So, it is nice to know that the FFA goes way back. I especially love your anecdote regarding your sister and the Palmetto bug. You just cannot make up such a funny story. The truth is so much funnier than anything made up. 

Mr. Rusinak, that picture provides answer to my questions. Thank you kindly sir. :-)

Thank you all for some of the anwers you've provided.

This is a message that I sent Mr. Rusinak and I hope that it addresses some of your concerns:

I hope this message finds you doing well. Funny problems that we have today are that digital assistants, such as Siri, do not understand other than average last names. That being said, Siri does not really understand your last name. I never imagined that things that exist today whatever exist in my lifetime. However, I am glad that they do. As for the questions that you have regarding the demolition/construction, there are many things that have not been made official as of yet. It is my understanding, per the school security guard that walked with the inspectors from the district, that they said that the building adjacent to 49th St. will contain the new classrooms. The apartments would be where the original building is located. As for who the tenants will be or how they will be chosen, nothing has been made official yet. As you already know, the number of enrolled students that we have at this moment are nothing in comparison to the 4200 that there used to be while you attended. Something that truly affects the number of students that enroll at Hialeah Senior, are the nearby charter and private schools. In fact, yet another one is being built on the Hialeah race track. They are truly not playing a fair game. They allow students to attend, charge the state, and once they notice discrepancies either in their behavior or their academics, they push them right out into the public school system. They keep the funds received for the student. This means that the state funds are double dipped. Why nothing is being done about this? I have no idea. There is no drawing plan at this time as the plans from the district have only recently been approved. It is foreseen that these changes will take place within the next 3 to 5 years.


05/29/24 08:43 AM #698    

Guillermo Marcia (Current HSHS Teacher)

A motto that is constantly repeated here is "Once a T-Bred, always a T-Bred." All of you make that motto come to life.

FYI: We recently had Harry Casey(KC and the Sunshine Band) and Bucky Dent visit our school. It was nice that they were also T-Breds.


06/11/24 06:52 PM #699    

Guillermo Marcia (Current HSHS Teacher)























06/11/24 06:54 PM #700    

Guillermo Marcia (Current HSHS Teacher)

Hello T-Breds,

          First and foremost, I wish a speedy recovery to any of you experiencing health issues. Furthermore, I apologize that I do not have any additional photographs at this time, particularly that of the seal. However, it looks much like the photograph posted by Mr. Roger Browning in the 1963 website. Regarding the seal's future, I can vouch for the current school administration and how much they care about HHS past, present, and future. I am sure that a special place will be made for it. I very much enjoy all of the anecdotes posted by your class. Thank you for allowing me on this amazing time machine. Best wishes to all of you.


06/11/24 10:52 PM #701    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Thanks Guillermo for taking and providing us the photos of the school. If you haven't had a chance to visit our high school in a number of years, you might be surprised to find huge new buildings at the east and west ends. On the west side is a multi story parking structure. On the east side, built with parking below, is a multi story building that contains the school administrators, classrooms and much more (maybe Guillermo can fill in on the "much more." 

And all the beautiful trees, beautiful when we were there, have grown to monstrous proportions. The roots probably suck all the moisture in the soil and and the huge canopies block out the sun making it impossible to grow grass. Imagine how tough it would be to cut down those trees...and then remove them! Below is what the courtyard looked like back when we were there. Almost every photo taken for our yearbook was taken in one of the many outdoor areas. 

 


06/19/24 04:45 PM #702    

 

Caryl Gardner (Broaderick)

Hi T-Breds, Let's keep reaching out to friends  who we would really like to come to our 60th reunion. It really is quite a milestone for us. Reach out, maybe someone just needs a little encouragement. This is really a big deal...60th reunion.  Looking forward to a great REUNION!!!


06/20/24 11:13 AM #703    

 

Bruce Nierenberg

 

My wife Kim and I are looking forward to joining everyone at the reunion.

Travel safe.

 


06/20/24 11:16 AM #704    

 

James Ward

See you there 


06/20/24 12:39 PM #705    

 

Genevieve "Dev" Perkis (Steffen)

Oh MY those pictures sure brought back memories from so long ago!  I was a T-Bred 1962, 1963 and a very PROUD graduate 1964! Those HOT days in the class rooms with NO AC. And an auditorium for certain classes with a TV and lots of students. But we were TBRED strong. Wish I could attend reunion but just getting back from one of my many travels. I know it will be an awesome reunion. Enjoy!


07/28/24 01:21 PM #706    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

 

Reminder that our 60th HHS Reunion is coming up....September 24th and 25th...at Hiram's Resort in Sebastian, Florida. There is no charge to attend the reunion. Come join your classmates for a few hours, the day, both days, or make it a mini-vacation by staying at one of the two hotels where we have rooms reserved. 

 

So, did flamingos make Hialeah famous…or did Hialeah make flamingos famous?

History of the Flamingos at Hialeah Race Track ("X" out of Facebook and be sure to turn on the volume):  

https://www.facebook.com/HialeahPark/videos/the-famous-flamingos-at-hialeah-park-are-a-symbol-of-the-sunshine-state/981752646004760/

Hialeah Race Track Flamingos that have definitely watched too many horse races!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my7DWAFwnh8

The plight of the Hialeah Flamingo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mVu8uqb2uE

 


07/31/24 06:00 PM #707    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Yes, another reminder of our very soon to happen 60th Reunion of the HHS Class of 1964...that's us folks! If anyone has any questions whatsoever about the reunion, please do not hesitate to contact me at vince@rusinak.com. Deadline for making reservations at the group rate is August 24th. There are still a few rooms available at Hiram's Resort and more at the Best Western Plus. Hope you can make it!

In the mean time, here's a lot of fun information about what we knew back then as Hialeah Race Track…or is it now just Hialeah Park...or maybe it's Hialeah Park Race Track?  Whatever its proper name, it has a race track…or maybe the word is racetrack?

Hialeah Park Race Track…a short written history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hialeah_Park_Race_Track

Hialeah Park Race Track…a short video history:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGhE4-mTsAc

Lots about Hialeah Park Race Track…and more…in the 1960s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shRtO4m5j0k

A well-done home video of a day at Hialeah Park Race Track in 1992:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKjIZjRAR-o


08/01/24 11:14 AM #708    

Fred Levoy

Hey, Vinny... Thanks for posting the information about Hialeah Race Track.  I lived on West 32nd Street, which was at the north end of the race track and our house was a little more than 2 blocks to the west.  I remember many evenings we could go out into our front yard and watch a "pink cloud" circling over the race track.  At the time, I guessed there were 1000's of flamingos in that display.  I feel certain there were far fewer than I was guessing, but it was really an impressive sight!smiley


09/26/24 01:04 PM #709    

 

Paul Stokes

Wife Carol and I had a wonderful time at the Reunion this week, cut short a day by the storm.  Many thanks to the Reunion Committee - Tim and Nancy Blizzard, Jack Krouskroup, and Nancy and Vinnie Rusinak – for simply outstanding work.   Those of us there having reached retirement age (although not all us have taken retirement), folks seemed pretty relaxed and at peace with themselves.  There were some widows and widowers there, and it was so encouraging for us to see them, because they seemed to be doing well.  But it is no news that death hangs over us at this age, even if we don’t talk about it very much.  But that truth, at least to me and in an interesting way, enriched the gathering.  There was talk about an age-80 get-together, and I hope that happens, and I hope that, with God's help, we will see even more of us there.


09/27/24 07:37 AM #710    

 

Alice Lacedonia (Pace)

Thank you for your post Paul. Wish we could have attended. Looking forward to a roundup of the group in six months or in one year. We will plan on attending 80 years old reunion. Attended the 70 years old!


10/22/24 11:13 AM #711    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Senor Wences, the ventriloquist who, when we were growing up, made us all

chuckle, if not laugh out loud...(Open the box) Hello in the box...S'ok...S'ariiight (Close the box)..  

This ventriloquist must be a relative of Senor Wences:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBvfiCdk-jc

Now have a great day!


10/23/24 05:53 PM #712    

Beverly "Fran" Tish (Whitaker)

Love Jeff Dunham!!! I always enjoy his shows.Thanks for posting...

11/27/24 07:50 AM #713    

 

Bill Coffeen

I loved our recent reunion ... I would hope we would be looking at an "80 Year Old Reunion" in a couple of years ... I hope we do not wait another 5 years to get together ....


01/14/25 05:14 PM #714    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Real estate prices in Hialeah. Hialeah was made up of modest sized and priced homes. In the late 40s and early 50s, our parents purchased their homes for around $5000...maybe a little more? I recently did a Google search of the address of the home I grew up in and saw it was on the market...for $1,200,000! No way! I found another home in the area, that looks like my old home, that is listed for $1,300,000. Really...check it out. Maybe it was once the home you grew up in: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/625-E-28th-St-Hialeah-FL-33013/43960571_zpid/. Is this for real? What am I missing?


01/14/25 06:12 PM #715    

 

Margaret Meister

...And a gallon of milk at Farm Stores was 99 cents!

 


01/14/25 06:36 PM #716    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Using the same rate the home increased in value, the price of that gallon of milk today from the Farm Store would be around $257. Now if you had used the price of eggs back then, I would have to agree. angel


01/14/25 08:08 PM #717    

 

Margaret Meister

laugh  Price of eggs here is grazing $12. now. (Mass.) Braga city market: $4.00. My mom paid $7,000 for the house on SE 1st Place two houses off LeJeune Rd. Rocky Moore was on the corner, and the Lows down the street. Mike Perez (rip) was directly in back of us. The house has seen additions, but that should hardly garner a $470,000+ price for a 2bd 1ba 1,500 sq ft house of no particular style. It was 'early military'. Built in 1947, I believe. Considering that age, and the fact that it's been through many hurricanes, that little frame house must be more solid than ones being built today.


01/15/25 11:02 AM #718    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Recently posted on the Class of 1963 webpage by John Baris: 

Hialeah High School opened September 7, 1954

with 3,064 students making it Dade County's largest. It was considered a high school even though it was comprised of grades 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th. In each of the next two years the lowest grade was dropped and a higher grade added.

.....................................................................................................................................................................

Hialeah High School opened its doors to students and staff in 1953 to serve the growing communities of Northwestern Miami-Dade County. It is one of the oldest secondary schools in the county, having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. Hialeah was one of the ten Miami-Dade high schools that was given a grade of "F" for the 2006–2007 school year according to the FCAT examinations.

Hialeah's growth began in the late 1950s and early 1960s when a population boom occurred due to large housing developments being constructed in the northwest section of the city and the development of Miami Lakes opening in 1962. The housing developments were Palm Springs, Palm Springs Estates, Westhaven Estates, and other housing developments north of W. 68th Street up to the northern city limits of Hialeah at W. 84th Street. There were very few Hispanics in Hialeah up until the mid 1960's when large numbers of Cubans started moving into the city. The largest graduating class from Hialeah was in 1965 when 1190 students graduated. Miami Springs High School, which opened in September 1964, was built to relieve this overcrowding problem, but the initiative failed as the student population growth in the area was larger than the capacity of both high schools. Because of this, Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School was built, opening in 1971, to relieve both schools from their population problems. This divided the city of Hialeah into the three school zones still in effect today, Hialeah High School mostly serving the eastern and central portions of the city.

Up until the early 1970s, Hialeah High School (as well as the surrounding area) was predominantly white Americans until the influx of white Cubans, the majority of the school's population became Hispanic over the 1980s and 1990s. In 1987, an asbestos problem forced the closure of Miami Springs Senior High School. Miami Springs Senior High School students and staff temporarily relocated to Hialeah Senior High School. A split shift was established where Hialeah High students attended the first part of the day and Miami Springs students attended the second half.

Hialeah High's campus was greatly expanded between 1999 and 2003 adding a new building, expanding and renovating its auditorium and classrooms, and adding extra parking space. Due to a population increase in the city of Hialeah in the early 2000s, the school was fast becoming one of the most populated in the area and a proposal to build another high school in the city of Hialeah was put before the school board, and Westland Hialeah High School was constructed.

Hialeah has an athletic rivalry with nearby Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School which began in the 1970s. It also has a less formal rivalry with Miami Springs High School left over from the 1960s, and a historical rivalry with Miami Jackson High School which is no longer in effect.

 


01/22/25 01:57 PM #719    

 

Caryl Gardner (Broaderick)

Hi Fellow Thoroughbreds, I was wondering if if anyone happened to have a 1960 Palm Springs Junior High year book? If so, could you post the ninth grade classes pictures. Thanks in advance. Caryl Gardner Broaderick 


02/04/25 12:49 PM #720    

 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

St. Augustine Roundup happening on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

Lynn Anderson Dewhurst and Peggy Herlong Lowe are hosting the HHS Class of 1964 Roundup at the Beaches at Vilano Restaurant (254 Vilano Rd, St. Augustine, 32084, 904-829-0589). It will start at 3pm (which coincides with the restaurant’s happy hour) and goes until…well, the restaurant folks say we are welcome to stay until they close at 9pm, but you can always leave whenever. We will be able to order from the menu and pay by separate checks.

The restaurant will need to know how many tables they need to set aside for our group, so please call or email Lynn, no later than Monday the 10th of March, to let her know that you plan on attending along with the names of others that may be coming with you. Lynn’s email is dewhurst@bellsouth.net, If you have any questions, Lynn’s cell phone is 305-331-2072 while Peggy can be reached at 423-304-5097.

If you plan on staying in the area, Lynn provided a few hotel recommendations:

  1. Holiday Inn Express @ 140 Vilano Blvd. Phone is 904-295-1111
  2. Hampton Inn @ 96 Vilano Blvd. Phone is 888-609-5503
  3. Hyatt Place @ 117 Vilano Rd. Phone is 904-481-8300.

If you haven’t ever taken the time to explore St. Augustine, this might be a great opportunity to do so. As you probably know, St. Augustine, established in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the US. One of the best ways to see as much as possible of St. Augustine in the shortest time (90 minutes) is to take one of the guided tours. Although there are several tour options, Nancy and I were pleased with Old Town Trolley Tours. If you want to see a great dolphin show, check out Marineland. It was big when we were growing up (but is starting to show its age) is only a short drive to the south

Hope to see you at the Roundup.

 


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