Jim Hammer, Baldwin Class of 1951, submits the following and has a great way of writing about the scenic local drive:
Well, we finally got out on our own with no place in particular to go. We began by going North on Rt. 8 and turning East on 228. As we drove through the rolling farm country of central Butler County we discussed just where we were going. I was pretty non-committal since I love driving so much I'd go anywhere. She suggested going up to Altoona and I was all for it since there are many beautiful vistas to be seen up that way; especially now that the countryside is covered with all the fall foliage.
As we drove I remembered a conversation I had with one of my fellow bus drivers who told me that they were having a Fall Festival over at Seven Springs Ski Resort. I mentioned this to Betty and she thought it would;d be a pretty neat ride...so, we changed course at Sarver, PA and headed South on Rt. 356. This is a pretty spectacular drive if you are into seeing rolling country farms with their big white or red barns and enclosed pastures surrounded by lines of trees dressed in their blazing fall colors.
We continued South on 356 till it merged with PA Rt. 66...(not of the movies fame)... With each bend in the road new and more spectacular colors came into view. We had begun our slow climb into the Laurel Highlands. On reaching Delmont, PA we entered onto one of the new Turnpike extensions. This is a wide 4 lane superhighway which travels along one of the many ridges that make up the Western slope of the Laurel Mountains. It traverses the landscape just to the West of Greensburg and continues South to the big Turnpike interchange at New Stanton.
It was there that we picked up PA Rt. 119 and continued our journey South. Again I have to say this is some of the most beautiful countryside ibn the whole of America. Rolling hills, wide spacious farms, colorful foliage, lovely old homesteads ranged across the hills along side all their out-buildings. On our left, the ridges of the Alleghenies far off in the mist; to our right farm after farm. Enhancing all this are the many old homes and buildings we pass along the way. Many of these old buildings hearken back to the old days of automobile traffic when travelers were required to stop after so may miles to re-fill their radiators with fresh water... All these things bring so many good memories back. It is well worth a trip, believe me...
We left 119 near Mt. Pleasant, PA and entered PA Rt. 31. All of you will recall what a pleasant drive this old highway is. Mt. Pleasant itself hasn't changed much over the years. The same old buildings grace its main street,,(Rt. 31) and the traffic still backs up at the traffic circle in the center of town. From here it was mostly up-hill as we gently climbed the Western slope of the Laurel Mountain. We traveled East past some of the most unique tourist traps existing. Most of them were closed due to the end of the summer season but one can only imagine the hordes of tourists that stopped here and there along the road. In the back-ground, off the main road there still was the occasional farm that stretched off into the distant valley and glens of the ridge. Mostly, tho, the slopes along the road side were covered with the arboreal forest and more littered with the giant boulders that came tumbling down from the ridge tops over the millennial. Off in the deep gloom of the forests one could see wild Rhododendron and Mt. Laurel...and the occasional vacation cabin nestled in the forest.
Turning onto the road going up to Seven Springs we were very lucky to get behind a very small car. One of those new gas savers with a 2 hp engine...obviously. It went great on the down slopes but barely made it past 25 going up-hill. Needless to say the seven mile climb took longer than I ever anticipated.
Seven Springs resort was packed with visitors. We just roamed the area checking out the craft shows and listening to the bands they had playing. We did take a trip on the ski-lift up to the top so I could take some pics...(some are attached)...but it sure was chilly at the top. Betty was freezing up there....in October???
The trip back home via the Green Stamp was pretty uneventful but it capped a wonderful day of driving through the beautiful countryside of Western PA.
Yinz all otta try it sometime!!! Jim

I have gone back to driving a school bus. This year it is different from a 'normal' route since I am driving profoundly disabled children to the DT Watson Institute which works with children affected by highly advanced Autism. They can neither speak nor, in most cases walk or control their muscles. To see these children is heartbreaking to say the least.
But I have to tell you about my Matron, who is responsible for the children's welfare while they are on my bus. Believe it or not she is a Baldwin graduate!! She graduated in 1981 and has family living in Carrick... I was amazed when she told me all this... She now lives in Saxonburg with her 2nd husband; her first died about 6 years ago. Her maiden name was Kathy Smith.
I told her about our Mini and how everybody is invited but she told me she couldn't possibly afford to attend. Both her and her husband drive school buses for a living. I drive it to keep busy so I don't go stir-crazy over the winter but I can't imagine driving one to earn my primary living...
She told me she had around 750 classmates when she graduated. Amazing when you think about our class size, isn't it? And they are actually adding on to the high school!!!
Note by Jack:
Jim is a delightful fellow and typical of our Work Ethic Generation who keeps busy and gives back to others. He actually missed graduating with our Class of 1951. He had joined the National Guard the previous summer and then was snapped up in the emergency call-up for the outbreak of the savage Korean War and was in that theater for over a year. While he came back to Baldwin in a later year we have always called him a 1951 grad. He and his lovely wife Betty are semi-retired in Gibsonia and Jim will never be fully retired. To boot, he is a cancer survivor and maybe a few times over and we hope he adds more to our blog. /s/Jack Knee

Thirty years ago Will Schweitzer helped organize the Western Pennsylvania Triumph Owners Association and he and two survivors from that epic were recently honored. That is Will on the left cutting the cake. Will, class of 1951, was part of the Union School crowd and later owned two pharmacies and is retired in Washington County. He owns several of the British cars and each one is no longer in production. Their Newsletter is interesting reading at www.wptriumph.org which Will helped found and he has been Editor and Club President from time to time.