Welcome to
Collectors Corner!
Ed Sandoval Gallery's Newsletter
102-B Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571
edsandovalart@gmail.com
(575) 770-6360
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JFK's Visit to Los Alamos High School (1962)
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Most of us (sometimes) look back to our "glory days" in high school, and I'm no exception. Living in Los Alamos during the 1950's and 1960's was such a high point - great fun but also exceptional in so many ways. I mean,
how many high schools can say that both the President and the Vice President came for a visit?
Incredibly, that's exactly what happened on Dec. 7, 1962. Less than a year before
he was assassinated, I sat in our football field stands with my friends listening to John F. Kennedy while Lyndon B. Johnson sat on the stage behind him. I was a sophomore.
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JFK Arriving at the Santa Fe Airport
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John F. Kennedy at the High School Football Stadium, Los Alamos, New Mexico. Dec. 7, 1962
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The real reason for the trip was to visit the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for a briefing on the top-secret Project Rover - the lab's program to develop nuclear rocket engines for space travel. But in wonderful JFK fashion, he wanted to make the most of the trip and come to Sullivan Field to talk to us kids and our parents.Remarkable!
I remember the helicopters. We saw so many helicopters flying over the town and landing at the lab. The entire student body was assembled at the football field, and I can't describe the excitement we felt as we waited with great anticipation. It seemed like forever, but in reality it was only about an hour until we saw the motorcade driving down Central Avenue toward the field.
The stands were absolutely packed with more than 6,000 people, and the band started playing. We all jumped to our feet and cheered! The President of the United States was there to talk to us!
Here's a small part of his speech:
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….”I think this country has performed its great function because, as Senator Anderson has said, its people have had brains, and we have appreciated the cult of excellence, and we have developed that talent in a way which has served our country and served mankind. There is no group of people in this country whose record over the last 20 years has been more pre-eminent in the service of their country than all of you here in this small community in New Mexico."
"We want to express our thanks to you. It is not merely what was done during the days of the second war, but what has been done since then, not only in developing weapons of destruction which, by an irony of fate, help maintain the peace and freedom, but also in medicine and in space, and all the other related fields which can mean so much to mankind if we can maintain the peace and protect our freedom."
"So you here in this mountain town make a direct contribution not only to the freedom of this country, but to those thousands of miles away. Therefore, I am proud, as President of the United States, to come here today and express our thanks to you, and to also tell you how much I have admired from some years ago, from reading an article about the kind of schools that you run here and the kind of boys and girls that you are bringing up. We hope from them the same kind of service that you have rendered."
CLICK HERE
for video footage of JFK's visit to the lab and the high school
CLICK HERE
for a full transcript of JFK's speech to Los Alamos High School
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Perched at 7,500 feet, Los Alamos is o
n the Pajarito Plateau on the eastern flank of the Jemez Mountains, with mountain peaks above and the Rio Grande River valley below.
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Photo Below: Some of the "Senior League" drinking Singapore Slings at The Cave, a bar in Juarez, Mexico. Left to Right:
* Johny Montoya
* Tom Fick
* Ed Sandoval
* Don DeGeer
* Gilbert Montoya
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Sock Hops in the Early 1960's
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Since I'm on the subject of high school, I wanted to share another story about our dances. My friends and I were into “clubs” – not school sanctioned clubs like the chess club, but a self-appointed group of kids who banded together. We had always formed clubs. Even in elementary school we had a club that got into trouble with the FBI when we tried to make a clubhouse out of an abandoned guard tower. In junior high our club was called “The Universals.” As juniors, about 12 of us formed another club: “The Senior League.”
Wanting (of course) to stand out and be noticed, we wore black shirts with white ties every Friday to school. The teachers and administrators didn’t bother us but kept an eye on us, probably wondering why a dozen boys were dressing like that...
The best thing we ever did – an incredible thing – was to save our fellow students from boredom.
Los Alamos was uniquely isolated – it was hard to come and go without security passes and questioning. There wasn't much to do outside of the usual football games and basketball games. In a nutshell, we were restless.
Being enterprising young men, we came up with an idea: Let’s rent the town’s recreational hall and throw dances! We’ll get the best bands, charge admission and make lots of money! We liked the sound of that plan and began putting it into action.
We knew we could charge a LOT for admission. For the school kids up there, money was no object – their parents were highly paid physicists, nuclear engineers, mathematicians, members of the protective forces, professors/teachers…a gamut of successful specialists who were handpicked to be there. We charged $20 per person at the door, and that was way back in the 60’s! $20 for a Los Alamos kid back then was nothing - they gladly paid to jitterbug.
We got some mind-blowing talent to come and play:
- Glen Campbell: He was in Albuquerque playing with Dick Bill’s Band. They were awesome, playing rock and roll and western music, but Glenn wasn’t in the limelight yet.
- Fats Domino: He wore so much gold jewelry! When he played, he got all sweaty and so did the kids who just danced and danced and danced. Fats Domino's music was already on the radio, and he had several best-selling hits when we booked him. I can't believe that we - a bunch of crazy kids - hired him. He sang “Blueberry Hill,” “Ain’t That A Shame,” “I’m Walking” and a whole bunch more.
- The Platters: I can't believe we booked them either because they had several national hits too. They played “Only You,” “The Great Pretender” and "I Only Have Eyes For You."
We also got The Ventures, Al Hurricane (legendary NM musician) and unknown or new bands by talking to Norman
Petty,
who lived in Clovis, NM, and managed Buddy Holly’s career. We packed in hundreds of kids! We squirreled away the proceeds in a bank account, which we divided when we graduated. I don't want to say how much, but it was quite a bit of money for young entrepreneurs like us... It sure beat working at Safeway, which most of us did... :-)
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Featured Paintings
To inquire or to request a high-resolution photograph, please contact Ed at
575-770-6360
or
edsandovalart@gmail.com
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NEW: "The Land of Enchantment" (36 x 48
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NEW: "
Early Snow" (36 x 48)
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NEW: "Winterbear" (18 x 24)
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Model for the Painting Above: Winterbear from the Taos Pueblo
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NEW: "The Deer Hunt" (11 x 14)
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Weekend Getaway: Colorful Cuchara, CO
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Besides Taos, one of my favorite places is Cuchara, CO, about two and a half hours northeast of Taos. We stay at a family cabin, which has been in Gwen’s family for seven generations, but there are also charming B&B’s, inns and camping spots. It amazes me that this majestic landscape is so close to Taos – you head north to Fort Garland, up over the scenic La Veta pass and down into the lush, lake and stream filled valley.
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Our Group Caught 14 Rainbow Trout!
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Cuchara is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Spanish for “spoon,” this quaint village lies in the heart of the Cucharas River Valley, surrounded by the San Isabel National Forest with its one million acres of Colorado's finest scenery of lakes, mountains and wilderness.
One dramatic view is of the West Spanish Peak (pictured above). Visible up to 100 miles away, it was once a guidepost for traveling American Indians and pioneers. Hiking, fishing, hunting and viewing wildlife within this gorgeous landscape will keep you busy, and be sure to visit Blue Lake and Bear Lake.
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Bear Lake -
10,500′ Elevation
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You can also shop at the “downtown” area that includes an inn, a few gift shops and stores, and of course the famous Dog
Bar, named "One of the Top 12 Best Outdoor Patios in Colorado" by the Denver Post,
where you can grab a drink and a burger while listening to live entertainment. When leaving town, go south along Colorado 12, part of the scenic Highway of Legends, for stunning views on a winding road that leads up the 9,995-foot Cuchara Pass.
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This summer, Cuchara was nearly lost to the horrific Spring Fire that is now thankfully 100% contained.
If it weren’t for the heroic efforts of hundreds and hundreds of brave firemen, a treasure would have been lost. Our sincere thanks to them (and to all who lent their heartfelt support) for saving this pristine wilderness and mountain village for the enjoyment of future generations.
We are grateful!
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View of the Spanish Peaks from Nearby La Veta
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Featured Collectors: Dave & Mary Arellano
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One day Mary and I were in Taos, and we wandered into Ed’s gallery. Both Mary and I trace our family history to Taos as early as the 17th century and we love the area: the people, culture, history, architecture and of course the artwork. We met Ed and got to chatting. He showed us around, talking about his paintings and how “El Viejito” was inspired by the movie The Milagro Beanfield War. I told him about my craft – stained glass. Before we knew it, we were laughing and sharing ideas about art – it was like we were old friends.
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Dave, Mary & Ed with "Mi Casa Su Casa"
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Dave's Stained Glass of "El Viejito"
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Both Artists Revealing Their Masterpieces
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Visiting and Having Lunch in Ourey, CO
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Closeup of "Mi Casa Su Casa"
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Fast forward to today, and we have two of Ed’s magnificent paintings, and he has two of my beautiful stained-glass creations. Who knew when we wandered into a gallery of an artist we didn’t know, that we would turn out to be fast friends. We have visited one another – he and Gwen came to stay at our house in Montrose, CO, where we toured Telluride and hiked around the Black Canyon, and later we went down to Taos to stay at their place, where we witnessed the most magical rainstorm over the mountains
(top picture
).
Dave and Mary Arellano
Montrose, Colorado
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Touring Black Canyon National Park
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Would you like to be a featured collector?
If so, please send your personal story and photo(s) to edsandovalart@gmail.com.
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Contact
Ed Sandoval Gallery
102-B Paseo Del Pueblo, Taos, NM 87571
www.edsandovalgallery.com | (575) 770-6360 | edsandovalart@gmail.com
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