Hawaii
WHEN teachers and PTA from Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary School gave Principal John E. McCarthy a surprise retirement party, they also gave him the Navy award of "plank holder," meaning he'd been there since the school was put in commission 13 years ago. The plank was actually taken from one of the buildings and made termite-proof, which is more than can be said of the termite-ridden Quonsets that preceded the permanent structures now standing there. (June 3, 1969) ... 1969: Pearl Harbor Kai
principal solid as an oak plankAT the champagne reception the Star-Bulletin hosted for first-nighters attending the newspaper comedy "The Front Page" at HCT, Tom Hamilton mused, "Now if HCT would just do 'The Good Earth' next, Bishop Estate could host." (June 4, 1973) ... Actress Jo Pruden finished five hours of filming a "Five-O" sequence at Queen's Surf beach and -- lobster red -- slipped out of her bathing suit, covered herself with Solarcaine and headed for the Hawaii Performing Arts Company's un-air-conditioned Manoa Valley theater where she donned a wool dress and fur cape for her sweltering role in "The Killing of Sister George." Let us say she's seen better nights. (June 5, 1974) ...
YESTERDAY'S front page contained a photo of President Ford holding a wine glass aloft and toasting peace with Egypt's Anwar Sadat, and right below it a series of pictures of Ford falling down. We'd like to assure everyone that the fall happened before the tasting. One local wag suggests it happened because Henry Kissinger told the president he had to take a little trip. But the most oft-quoted line we've heard is, "He must have been chewing gum." In any case, stand-up comics will doubtless get much mileage out of the incident. (June 3, 1975) ...
COLUMBIA Inn major domo Tosh Kaneshiro took a group of friends to Chez Michel for dinner last week and, in trying to attract owner Michel Martin's attention, called out, "Chez, Chez." He thought it was Michel's first name. (June 4, 1978) ...
KONA Village probably loses more "Do Not Disturb" signs than any other hotel, and for good reason. The signs are written on a coconut, which guests place on the doorstep of their cottage before retiring, and many ask if they can take them home. No problem -- with 800 coconut palms on the property, the hotel isn't likely to run out in the near future. (June 7, 1979) ...
THE Hawaiian Humane Society, knowingly or not, has taken the name that the late UH professor Amos Leib chose for his kitten's residence, "Hale Meow Meow," for their new "Cat House" facility opening, oops, Friday the 13th. (Tireless punster Leib called his feline Caboodle, because he'd had her since she was born and he dubbed her Kitten Caboodle.) (June 5, 1980) ...
A STROKE has forced Dr. Laurence Peter of "Peter Principle" fame to cancel his appearance tomorrow at the Public Relations Society of America seminar at the Prince Kuhio Hotel. Fortunately for PRSA, a friend of Peter's, Len Wibberley, author of "The Mouse That Roared" and more than 90 other books and plays, had agreed to substitute for him to speak on humor in writing. (June 3, 1982) ...
WHEN Yvonne Chun, an East-West Center Jefferson Fellow from Manila, was on the mainland recently, she found that the first question she was asked was how many pairs of shoes she had. (Imelda lives!) (June 8, 1987) ...
A FULL-SCALE Boston Tea Party was held at the public unveiling of the new line of Boston pianos being launched by Steinway & Sons. Ellen Masaki of Thayer Piano Co. coordinated the event with Creations in Catering's Mike Rabe. The elegant afternoon tea party went off "Ye olde English style" replete with red-coated waiters strutting around in shiny knee-high black boots offering the traditional scones, finger sandwiches, petit fours and a variety of English teas. It was one case where "The redcoats are coming" was met happily. (June 4, 1992)
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com