Best wishes, and many happy returns for your birthday, Mrs. Archibald. From 1969 to 1972, I learned from you my knowledge of the Romance languages that has served me well in my international travels. My wife and I own a successful consulting firm near Seattle, Washington, and work and pleasure travels have taken me to every continent except Antarctica. In many places, the education you gave me allowed me to decipher the language and communicate adequately to find the essentials and to eat well. Thank you. Of my three years at Crawford, I only remember four of my teachers as having had a significant impact on my life – and you are at the top of the list. Feliz cumpleaños, y muchas gracias -- Dave Pabst ‘72

Mrs. Frances Brownell Archibald , Feliz Cumpleanos! I was in your Spanish class at Crawford High School and you made learning Spanish exciting. However, I'm sad to say that I did not keep up with my Spanish and only remember some phrases. There's hope for me, however, as my 3 1/2 year old niece is learning Spanish so I practice with her! I still remember you standing in your doorway to greet us at the beginning of class. You had the sweetest smile! Following graduation, I attended San Diego State University for three years as a Secretarial major. I fell in love with my Minister's Son and we've been married 43 years. We have one son (no grandchildren). We love to travel and have been to Great Britain, several US cities and six cruises (four to Alaska). We keep busy with church work and we publish a newsletter (volunteers) for a WWII navy group (USS Block Island Assn.). Bill's Uncle was the Chaplain on both the Block Island ships (first one was sunk by a German U-Boat & Captain insisted that his replacement ship be named the Block Island). Only six men died at the time of the sinking. We attend their reunions. Enjoy your special day! -- Judy Lyle MacInnes ‘62

I graduated with you and took Spanish throughout my years at Crawford, so must have been in one of your mother's classes. Just wanted to take this opportunity to wish her Feliz Cumpleanos -- Susan Horowitz Schein ‘64

Feliz Cumpleanos, Sra. Brownell-Archibald! I have often wondered where you were! Still in California, I see. I have been out of California since 1986 and am very happy living in Washington State. You were an inspiration to me as a student of Spanish at Crawford. I went on to be a Spanish minor at SDSU because of you. I taught school for 15 years in Oceanside and was able to use my Spanish with so many of my students who were Spanish speakers. After leaving teaching, I was still able to use my Spanish at my job with Verizon Wireless. Many of the people with whom I worked spoke Spanish and helped me practicar la lengua. I still am able to speak and understand quite a bit. I work at St. Martin's University in Lacey, Washington, next to Olympia. Spanish is taught by one of the monks so he helps me to habla la lengua. I have to admit I am pretty rusty and still have some difficulty with the subjunctive!!!! One of the highlights of your class was something you used to say! En bocas cerradas, no entran las moscas! I wish you the very best on your 97th birthday!! Love and hugs -- Dannette Sult Sturm ‘63

Please pass along my best wishes to your mom on her birthday. I had Mr. Young for Spanish at Crawford, but ran into you during events and between classes. You were always friendly, professional and just plain nice. I remember your students raving about you. And they always seemed to know more Spanish than I did. Your students loved being in your classes, a tribute to a fair, challenging, thought provoking teacher who makes learning fun. May your birthday be as special as you are. I'll be thinking about you and wishing you well. The day is also special for me, because it was my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday ... and many more -- Donn Dufford '63

I recall that Mrs. Brownell was positive in her thoughts and in her teaching, which related extremely well to her class. I recall that Mrs. Brownell expressed to me that I was creative in developing phrases in Spanish which I very much appreciated. I think that Mrs. Brownell’s helped to reinforce my confidence that has propelled me into a national marketing career where I have had to be creative. Mrs. Brownell may enjoy knowing that my marketing firm was involved in developing Sony Electronic’s first US-Spanish language sales promotion in conjunction with Disneyland. It was my creation, but thankfully we had fluent translators who made sure that the words were correct in Spanish. A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MRS. BROWNELL AND HOPES FOR MANY MORE! -- Mark Weissmann ‘69

Please pass along my best wishes on your mom's 97th birthday. I am a Crawford graduate who took Spanish from your mom. While I was by no means an outstanding Spanish student, to this day I can recite: "Habia una muchachita, quien tenia un crespito, exactamente en el centro de su frente. Quando ella era buena, era bonisima de veras, pero quanda era mala, era malisima." Feliz cumpleanos, Senora Brownell! -- Ron Hasbrooke ‘60

Congratulations!!! You were my Spanish teacher at Crawford when I was in 10th or 11th grade. I graduated from high school in 1967 and from SDSU in 1971. I just planned a Better Late than Never 40th Reunion for the Class of 1967, which was April 5th at Casa Guadalajara in Old Town. Have a WONDERFUL Birthday!!! -- Judy Horowitz Glenn ‘67

Happy birthday Mrs. Brownell. I enjoyed your Spanish class. You were always most pleasant -- Steve Bergath ‘67.

I graduated from Crawford and remember you very well. Please accept my best wishes and fond remembrances of you as one of the outstanding teachers at Crawford. Many times, I wish I had been a better student of Spanish. My husband and I recently returned from a month in South America. I can understand Spanish pretty well but am tongue tied when it comes to speaking. I did study Spanish at San Diego State for four years and at one time could read and write quite well but I never practiced the speaking part, unfortunately. I recently retired from Los Angeles County government where I was the protocol officer for 22 years. My job was to coordinate the visits of kings, queens, emperors and empresses, presidents, prime minister, royalty and ambassadors, etc. It was a fascinating and challenging job. As I like to say, I am the dropper of big names as opposed to being a big name dropper. In retirement, I keep busy as the membership chairman for an international protocol officers association that I helped found in 2002. I do occasional consulting on protocol, but have traveled extensively in the past three years so there is not a lot of time for consulting work. I also serve on the Board of the International Visitors Council of Los Angeles and will be hosting two women film makers from Georgia (former USSR) for a week beginning June 14. They are visiting the US for a month as guests of the US State Department as part of a very important international exchange program that seeks to make friends with emerging leaders from other countries and to increase international understanding through citizen diplomacy. I have great memories about Crawford and hope that you do too. Life was much simpler in those days and not so challenging for the teachers or the students as it is in today’s world. Happy, happy birthday -- Ginger Irvine Barnard ‘60

Hi Steve! I remember your Mom from Horace Mann I think and I think I had my first Spanish class from her. I have gone on to actually speak Spanish in the workplace (I was a bilingual Social Worker for 16 years) and now occasionally use it when I clown (yep--I'm a clown in my retirement and LOVE playing with kids, painting their beautiful little faces and making balloon creations, magic, etc.). More importantly, I remember your Mom very well, and fondly. She's done well to reach her 97th birthday--WOW!!! Please give her GREAT BIG HUGS and best wishes for a lovely day from me. It's so good of you to let us all know about her birthday so we can share in her joy -- Ellen Scott Hahn ‘59

My name in high school was Karen Simpson. I graduated in 1969. I had you, Mrs. Archibald, for fourth and fifth year Spanish in 1967-1969. I remember quite a bit of Spanish, but I have never really been to a Spanish-speaking country to put my knowledge to the test. During my fifth year in your class, I met Robby Seidman, who was a junior when I was a senior. We were first loves and dated for a year and a half both at Crawford and at San Diego State. In March of 2006, I filed for divorce from my husband of 33 years. Rob and I had not seen each other since probably 1972. I decided to google Robert Seidman, whom I knew was a professor at SDSU. I wrote him a short email, to which he immediately responded. We had lunch at Casa de Pico in Grossmont Center. The rest, as they say, is history. We dated for two plus years and were married last weekend at Saint Dunstan's Episcopal Church in the San Carlos area, with a reception following at Tom Ham's Lighthouse. We are so very happy to be back together again. We can thank you for changing our seats early in 1968 so that we sat next to each other! I am a retired first grade teacher. I have two daughters, ages 29 and 26, who are both married. I have one granddaughter, who is 9 months old. Rob has two children -- a daughter, who is 21 and about to graduate from UCLA, and a son who is 19 and a student. He is a professor of Public Health at SDSU. We both hope you have a wonderful birthday, and are so pleased to hear about you. Love -- Rob ’69 and Karen Simpson Seidman 68

Hello Steve -- I took Spanish classes from your mother and loved her. Please let her know that I took 4 years of Spanish at Crawford and continued on at SDSU and got a minor in Spanish! I never did teach it, though, although my 2-year old grandson is learning Spanish now from his uncle and me! I married Crawford 1963 cheerleader Jim Mass. We have been married for 40 years Please give her my sincerest wishes for a happy birthday. If you can send her address, I would love to send her a card and note -- Nancy Ford Mass ’64

I was a student of Mrs. Archibald. I have fond memories or her, even though I was awful at learning Spanish!! I have since learned I was dyslexic, and have auditory hearing processing issues as well. She still treated me with respect, and I remember her telling my Mom that the best way for me to learn Spanish was to go live in a Spanish speaking country. She couldn't understand why I could try so hard, and do so poorly. I never was able to live in a Spanish-speaking country, but I can get by, with my awful Spanish when I need to. She knew I wanted to learn, I just had a handicap that made it all the more difficult. It wasn't her teaching, it was me. I remember how classy she always looked and put together, with her hair always done just right. Please wish her a very, very happy birthday!! Warmest regards -- Valerie Missler Danzig '72

I graduated in 1975 and my sister Lori – the better student -- in 1973. We both had your mom as our teacher and she was such a wonderful, sweet woman. I remember her hair was always perfect and she seemed to really care about the students. It was great to hear she is still alive. Tell her you heard from a former student from way back if you don't mind. Best regards -- Lisa Rodefer

It has been a very long time, but I took Spanish from your mother and I loved her. Every time I would call you at home for surfing arrangements, she usually answered the phone. The first 10 minutes of the call would be with her quizzing me on lessons and of course speaking Spanish the whole time. I learned so much about life from her, particularly the trips to the Tijuana orphanages with donations. Please wish her a Happy Birthday from Rick and Karen (Wellington) Bennett ‘63

This is very odd. I have no idea why I checked out the Crawford alumni website for the first time in years today, but I actually thought of you, Mrs. Brownell, today. I teach 8th grade US History in Oakland. I stand in front of my classroom door and greet students as they enter the room. I try to say something to each one and I TRY to smile at them. Today I was thinking about teachers I liked at Crawford and I remember you being very pleasant and smiling and talking with your students. I had a fond thought of you this very day and wondered if any of my students will remember me fondly--and now I am letting you know I remember YOU fondly. You were my Spanish teacher in the 10th grade. Barbara Lamb was a senior in that class. She was a star. I must have learned a little Spanish because I can understand much of the over-acted telenovelas on TV. All thanks to you and have a very happy 97th birthday! -- Linda Kramer Chisholm ‘65

¡Feliz cumpleaños! Maligayang Kaarawan! ("Happy Birthday" in Tagalog) This is from Bill (William, aka "Guillermo") Davis from Crawford class of 1972. I had you for 4th and 5th year Spanish when I was in 10th and 11th grade. Here's wishing you a happy, happy 97th birthday, Mrs. Archibald! I was very excited to hear of your upcoming celebration and to have a way to greet you c/o your son Steve. I have though of you often through the years. You probably won't believe what I do in my career, since I was such a slacker and joker and goof-off in your classes! But my whole adult life has centered around language, linguistics, language learning and translation! In 1976 I married Donna Amis from Kearny '72 and we entered training with New Tribes Mission in order to become missionaries in the Philippines. After graduating, we stayed on staff in the USA for one year and I taught phonetics and basic language learning principles to missionary trainees.

I remember you very well. My girlfriend, Linda Neece, was in your class several years. She kept telling me that I should take your class and learn some Spanish so I would have some appreciation for another language. Well, I did not do that because I saw no real use for it, and I was having enough trouble speaking English since I had come from Texas in the 7th Grade to Horace Mann. Well, look at California now!! I should have listened to Linda!! I kick myself for not being one of your students, and by the way, Linda got pretty good with Spanish. She went on to go into the Peace Corps and went to Columbia. I too went into the Peace Corps and when to India, and had to learn Hindi. It sure would have helped to know how to learn a language before the Peace Corps. Well, I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday, and give you a little piece of information from someone that missed the opportunity to be in your class and has regretted it for years. Heck, I might even come see you on your 100th Birthday, I live in Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley -- Jim Porter ‘60

Hello, Mrs. Brownell! How wonderful to be able to wish you a happy birthday! I took Spanish from 7th grade until I graduated from Crawford in 1968. I think my senior year, I was the only one left in my class and attempted to read Don Quixote! You always inspired me. In fact, I won a small scholarship to SDSU because of my Spanish studies and your insistence that I write an essay! Thank you for your encouragement! I got a bachelor's and my master's from SDSU in Speech Pathology, and have state and national licenses and a rehab services credential. I am working in the Escondido Unified School District at a school that has a majority of Spanish-speaking children and families. Because of you, I am able to converse with parents, appreciate the culture, and do therapy in Spanish. Perhaps not as fluently as I would like, but I can do it! I was very excited to travel to Mazatlan this spring and talk and shop and read the signs...You have opened a new world to me at an early age and your influence has never left me. I am thankful for all that you taught me and wish you the very best birthday ever! God bless you -- Carolyn Penner Leffler ‘68

Senora Brownell -- I was one of your students many years ago at Crawford High School. I wasn't one of your best students because I didn't want to learn Spanish. However, over the years I have been amazed and how much I have remembered and used when I travel in Mexico. I am now retired as a special education director. Over the years I had four children and now have 19 grandchildren. I also earned my PHD is educational leadership. The best to you on your 97th birthday -- Dr. Cheeri Glenn (Smith)

Happy Birthday Mrs. Brownell. I have so many happy memories from Crawford. We were the first graduating class and only had 10th and 11th the first year. I looked in my yearbook and there you were. You signed it with "wishing me many happy years ahead". I have. I married out of high school and have been married almost 50 years. We have 5 daughters and 9 grandchildren. Thank you for all your years of dedication and thank you for being one of my favortie teachers. I remember you fondly --Joanne Scalisi Ackerman ‘59

I saw the item in John Fry's newsletter today about your mom, my beloved Mrs. Archibald. I was in her Advanced Spanish class for three years - 1967 through 1971. She was one of the first real Conservatives I ever had contact with, and her thinking and opinions contributed greatly to my own future attitudes. Both my parents were Roosevelt Democrats, but your mom's ideas made so much sense to me that I registered Republican when I turned 18!! I also remember her wonderful attire! She had a variety of brightly colored dresses that were hand-embroidered with intricate birds and flowers. One particular design, with the Tree of Life, comes to mind. And of course her beautiful coiffure of golden braids was quite memorable! In fact, everything about her was memorable, including her complete insistence on high standards of responsibility and performance. She is one of those teachers who really made an impression on students, and made a DIFFERENCE!!
I think she may remember me - she was one of my favorite teachers. I won a few small prizes in Spanish throughout my high school years, and we attended a couple of little award ceremonies and dinners together. I still use Spanish a little bit, but I went on to study French at UCSD, and my husband and I now have a small house in the Languedoc region and spend quite a bit of time in France. In spite of being a French major, I found myself working in the advertising business, and have been at the same agency for almost 30 years. Do give Frances my very best wishes for a wonderful 97th birthday. I hope if I ever reach her age that I can look back with the great satisfaction she must certainly feel at a life a career full of enjoyment and accomplishment -- Mary Ellen Whelan Cain

Happy birthday, Mrs. Archibald -- I was a student in several of your Spanish classes between 1969 and 1971 (I don't remember exactly which years or semesters, but you probably don't remember either). :-) Your classes served me well in my undergraduate years at UCLA where I was able to earn A's in Spanish while hardly showing up for class at all. (I'm not sure if you'll see that as one of the positive aspects of your teaching, but personally it made me appreciate your classes at Crawford all the more.) You were one of the teachers who inspired me with a love of language, and I'm happy to say that today I am a full professor of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern University, thanks, in part, to your efforts and teaching. Happy birthday, Mrs. Archibald, and I wish you many, many more. Best wishes -- Dr. Michael Pemberton

Sra. Archibald -- Here's hoping you have a very happy 97th birthday!! I wasn't one of your students (a tragedy I regret) but I believe my brother, Jeffrey Moore, was. I took Latin from Mrs. McMaster, but I always remember you used to stand outside your classroom door in between periods and say hello to everyone, including me. Feliz Novidad! -- Mike Moore

Dear Mrs. Brownell....Hola! Feliz Compleaños! I think of you so often and frequently wish I had kept my old Spanish book!! I keep looking for one at yard sales, but no luck yet! In my opinion, my grandchildren's Spanish books cannot hold a candle to the one's we used. You were the absolute BEST SPANISH TEACHER EVER! Not only that, you are a terrific person. I have even told each one of my grandchildren (6 of them, one in college) a few of the stories you told us. It's been a while, but you told us about breaking something and not telling the owner of the item and how very much you regretted it. I think there was a parrot in the story also -- in Puerto Rico -- Cuba? Gosh, it really has been a while. My 16-year old granddaughter has taken 2 years of Spanish and is now teaching herself to read and write Korean. Why? Darned if I know!!! She does have a Korean pen pal...and she loves languages...so I think that is where she will find a career one day. Karen (Poulson) Wiley was -- and still is -- my best friend. We used to study together and we still talk every day. We were both 1960 Crawford High School graduates. Happy, Happy Birthday! -- Jeannine Berger Passenheim