FIRST THINGS FIRST

(As Published in the Brookfield Neighbors and Elm Leaves Magazine)

Hello and welcome to my new space in the Brookfield Neighbors Magazine! I am honored to be here. My name is Jill Emmer (née Cherwenka) and I am a Brookfield Central Class of ‘93 alum.

From childhood I remember visiting establishments such as Zorba’s, Elliot’s Diner and Phillip’s Pharmacy. We had birthday parties at Leilani’s and swim lessons at the YMCA. I saw the movie Annie at Ruby Isle. I spun around at the Tot Lot and jumped o the high dive at Wirth Park pool. I also walked stray dogs at the Elmbrook Humane Society.

In my teens I ran cross country and competed on the ski team. I flipped burgers for three summers at the Western Racquet Club poolside cafe. My friends and I would go bowling at Brook Park Lanes, see movies at West Town and West Pointe Cinemas and swim at the quarry.

Brookfield looks a little different these days, but it is still an amazing place to raise a family! My little family of 4 (5 including Wally the dog) loves living here.

My ambition for this space is to fill it with a menagerie of all things Brookfield: the history, its people, activities, maybe a little fashion, sports and of course photography tips and tricks since I am a professional photographer.

Since this is my first “column”, I think it fitting to share a fellow BCHS grad’s reflections about being in the first graduating class of 1958:

“I was in the first graduating class at Brookfield High School. It was just Brookfield at the time as it was the only high school in Brookfield. The school first opened in 1955 with only 7th through 10th grades. Our class chose the name of the team: the Lancers...and the colors: Columbia blue and silver. We had no homecoming game as there was no one to come home. It was an innocent time with no drugs or alcohol. We danced to Elvis in the gym. The girls

were not allowed to wear slacks or jeans except for one day when we wore Bermuda shorts. Our senior class president was killed in Viet Nam. There are still quite a few of us, and we have gone through much: Viet Nam, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy...and Martin Luther King...and Robert Kennedy...wars in Afghanistan and Iraq....We have been blessed with the gift of years. We are thankful for our alma Mater and proud always to be Lancers.

Blessings - Char Holm Matheny 1958”