Lee Schaeffer
Videographer -- Media Specialist

Page updated  3 / 8 / 2023

Monmouth College Reunion Flicker Pictures

Our Other Adventures
Maps


  FamilyEducation

Wilkins Twp. - Allegheny Co.
Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania

Lee's   Facebook Page
Judy's FaceBook Page
Debbie's & Lee III's Pages

E-Mail
e-mail address
Click to open your mail composer and add
LEE or JUDY before the @ in the address.
Please do not send greeting cards!
Logon: Gmail.com FastMail.com 
 C Panel - Webmail
My UPMC

HUDL - Login

 

"I Touched the Future: I Taught." 
1992 Fellow of the
 Christa McAuliffe Institute
For Educational
Pioneering
National Foundation for the Improvement of Education

Woodland Hills School District
Formerly known as
Churchill Area School School
New site with historic recordings and pictures

  CAHS Facebook page
Football and Performing Arts Videographer

Beulah Presbyterian Church
History & Cemetery

 

Blairsville - My Home Town

"Subvert   the  dominant   paradigm"
Each word above is a link to a Web dictionary.

Judy's AZD Sorority

 

I first used Beta Test NCSA Mosaic Browser at Stanford in 1992 before it was released
                        On-line since 1993 starting at 300 BAUD text only provided by DUQ.edu
1995  56K phone modem
 
November 2006 - DSL 
April 2011 - FiOS

Original nb.net Web Site 1998 when I retired archived at Wayback Machine 
Christmas 2001 - March 15, 2008 SchaefferSite.com

My First WHSD Site 1996 using ALOPress Web Editor

Last Page Update - December  2020

     

Lee Schaeffer
My 1948 DuMont TV Camera with GE Logo
RCA-TK60

Gateway Gators Productions - YouTube
Home Page
Engineer / Main Camera Operator

Quick Links
 My Words of Wisdom -- Latest Adventures

My Resources for Video Teachers
Including a personal technology chronology

Local Radio & TV Resources

The History Blog  --  History Today

WeatherAccuWeather  
Radar: US  -  RADAR  -  GOES 16-E -  Full US

Google Earth - World View

Space.com  -  SpaceX  -  Launch Schedule NASA Launch Dates  

News :  Google News - CNN - BBC 
Tribune Review  -  Post Gazette   

VOX  -  Daily Beast  -  NY Times  -  USA Today  -  US News - WESA
  Huffington Post - Howard Fineman - Local Patch
LiveScience

ComicsPolitical Peanuts - C&H - Bloom County - Bizarro - Nonsequitur

Video:  WIPMYouTube -  The TED Radio Hour   -  
Virtual Rail Fan
  Galesburg,
Ilinois


Yahoo Mail
- QVC - Amazon - eBay -
Crutchfield

Jigsaw Puzzles - USA Today Puzzles

      Scientific American      -  Air & Space     -  VideoMaker  -  Phys.Org
         Archaeology       -   Smithsonian    -  National Geographic
Teacher Magazine     -    Science DailyEurekAlert! / AAAS

CURIOSITY Rover
Mars Rover Mission  -  Phoenix Mars Lander
Reconnaissance Orbiter   - Daily Images
Saturn - Shuttle MissionsSightings
Hubble - Space Travel

Mr. Fred McFeely Rogers
Mr. Fred McFeely Rogers  --  1928 - 2003
My picture of his first out-of-studio remote production that I helped arrange 
at Churchill High School.
See the video from the show

      Dr. William Orr was one of my father's favorite teachers at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a generation later the favorite teacher of Fred Rogers.   Fred asked Dr. Orr, ‘What is that one little word that will fell the prince of darkness, the word that will strike down evil?’ After a few quiet seconds, Dr. Orr replied: ‘One little word: forgive - Father forgive them for they know not what they do.’ He went on, "You know, Fred, there is only one thing evil cannot stand, and that is forgiveness."   

      My uncle, Rev. G. Mason Cochran,  was Mr. Rodgers homiletics professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  One day he called Fred into his office and told him, "Fred, no Presbyterian congregation will ever give you a call to be their pastor!"   He convinced Fred that his ordination should be to minister to children through the medium of television.    

 

 

Schaeffer's Laws
#1
"People will congregate and talk in the most congested passageway."
i.e. Church doors, bottom of escalators, theater isles. 
#2  "The hardness of the butter is
inversely proportional to the hardness of the roll"
"The softer the roll, the harder the butter."

My Words of Wisdom 


DESIDERATA

Procrastinator's Creed

Camp Michaux
My tribute to a forgotten place.    View Visitors
My pictures of the camp are in this book
"SECRET WAR AT HOME"
--------------
Jackson Falls
One of my favorite places near Apollo, PA
-  Pictures & Video
Book features the falls! Which has my picture!
--------------
National Museum of Broadcasting
Dedicated to Preserve the Birthplace of the Broadcasting Industry
We can use all the help we can get!  Donate your old radios.


IMG_8819.JPG (215167 bytes)  IMG_8823.JPG (213079 bytes)
Ku Band Dishes for FTA and HDTV off air antennas     C-Band Dish
Backyard Antenna Farm 


My photograph of R. Buckminster Fuller 
  I spent three days as his host at Monmouth College in 1965

 See me for your   Personal History Videos 
Ideal for: Family History - Anniversaries - Weddings - Graduations - Birthdays

 

Adventures!

States Visited: Travel - Extended Stays
Countries:   Canada, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, England - Scotland - Whales - Ireland,  Bahamas

Travels & Milestones

I once read that "You should go everywhere when you are young just to see what's there.
 Then go to the same places in middle age when you can understand what you are seeing. 
 And go again in your old age when you can appreciate those places."

"It’s not the destination, it's the journey."
"He who travels has stores to tell."


1940s - Vacationed at Geneva on the Lake and later Conneaut Lake.  Trips around PA

1949 - Flew model airplanes in the Homewood Presbyterian Church Sunday School room to entertain Vacation Bible School.

1950 - Moved from Washington Blvd. in Pittsburgh to Walnut St. in Blairsville where I grew up as free range kid.
           During the 36" snow on Old 22.  It took the moving van 11 hours to make the trip.

1951 - 1959 Camp Pine Springs: Novice camper to councilor. 

1952 - Christmas present was a 1 tube breadboard radio from the hardware store window that I had coveted.
            Made a telephone with carbon microphone and old headphone mounted in a wooden cheese box.
            Illegally tapped phone line.  Since Blairsville only had 4 digit phone numbers, I used a telegraph key to dial. 
            One of first kids to have their own phone!  

1953 - Bought my first Raytheon CK-722 Transistor for $7.50!  Later 2N107 & 2N170  See also.
            Had a TV before my parents!   It was a GE fringe area set with 3 IF stages that could get 
            Miami, New Orleans, St Louise and Carson City, NV.   My father liked the Gillette Friday Night Boxing!            

1954 - 1960 BSA Camp Seph Mack as camper with Blairsville Troop 4 . 
            1961 - Seph Mack staff was my first paid job - $75 for 6 weeks!:  
                       Taught Pioneering, Map reading, Rowing, Canoeing.             

1955 - 1961 Family vacationed in Canada - Belvedere Lodge north of Rosedale and Fenelon Falls.           
              Spent many hours fishing with dad on Balsam Lake with second hand Evenrude.

1957 - Received a Knight Ocean Hopper 3 tube all band radio and a workbench vice for Christmas - still have them.
              Took my time but had the kit assembled and working by 9pm.   First station was HCJB in
Quito, Ecuador

1957 - National Boy Scout Jamboree in at Valley Forge via bus - Took Punxsutawney Phil - see below.
            One week in Washington DC organized by Scout Master Dick Boon - 
            We saw everything including from the basement crypt to the dome of the capital.
            Eagle - God & Country Order of the Arrow

1958 - Learned to drive our 1950 Chevrolet with Power Glide 

1959-60-61 Camp Michaux Westminster Fellowship Leadership Training Conferences.

1960 - National Boy Scout 50th Anniversary Jamboree in Colorado Springs.
            My first train trip across America on old wicker seated rail cars and dinned on picnic tables in an old mail car
            Great way to see the size and scope of this great land.

1961 - Graduated from Blairsville High School (Old Building)
            Band  - Orchestra - Dance DJ - AV Crew - National Honor Society
            Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award
           
National Forensics League  Extemporaneous, Debate & Judge

1961-1965 Monmouth College - Majored in The Physics 
            Jobs: Graham Hall Desk, Floor Councilor, Fulton Hall Desk, Photographer, Physics lab assistant.
            Helped build WFS Radio Station.  My history and pictures of the station.
            First airplane rides in Ford Tri-motor which is still flying!   
                  Flew home for Christmas on DC-3 and 707 after that expensive trip I traveled by train and bus.
            Senior year I had a decrepit Ford Victoria with a 386 engine for student teaching. 

1962 - Worked summer at Blairsville Machine Products  
            Running a 10 ton hydraulic broach and center-less grinder.   I made more than my parents combined!

1963 - Summer

Traveled to Tel Ashdod  Israel to work on a Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Archeological dig because I was short a religion credit at Monmouth College.  

On the way home I drove a VW bug from Rome to Paris via Switzerland and Heidelberg Germany.
Learned how to shift gears going around the Coliseum during morning rush hour!
     
You only do this when you are young and foolish and don't understand what you are seeing!   That why you have to go back in old age when you can appreciate the sites. 

1964 - Summer School at IUP in Chemistry even though  Monmouth was famous for its Chemistry Department
            I was also told that I did not have a "science elective" so I had to take Freshman Geology.

1965 - I was hired sight unseen to teach Physics at Churchill High School two days before school started. 
            Ford Victoria died so I bought 57 Chevy from my father - it died - bought very used VW Camper.
            Learned not to buy a car from your father or Ted McWilliams

1966 - Did cinematography for summer film program at Churchill while taking Slide & Filmstrip Production
            course at CMU.   Decided that everything I liked about Physics was related to communications... 
            Built first Vidicon TV camera.   Stage Manager and Forensics Coach and started AV work...

1967 - ...started Masters degree at Syracuse and lived in VW Camper and rode my 10 speed bicycle to classes. 
            Put almost 1000 miles touring the country side for 8 weeks.   
            Best SU Classes:  Film, Photography, Statistics, Television Production & Programmed Instruction.
            Built CAHS sage lighting system with experimental Silicon Controlled Rectifiers from Westinghouse Research.

1968 - Married Judy Maxwell : Honeymooned at Lake Wallenpaupack  
            Live CameraMy Pictures on early Casio digital camera
            We then went up to Syracuse and toured the Finger Lakes region on weekends.
            That fall, I began shooting football games on film with Kodak Cine-100 & zoom lens from art 1966 art project.
                Began developing the film myself with high speed reversal chemicals so coaches had the films before they went home. 
            Obtained second hand non-EIAJ Video Tape Recorder for school and began taping sports events. 

1969 - First Road Trip with Judy
             

              VW Camper (color it red but no hippy flower stickers) that we took to Yellowstone in 1969.  
              Broke down in Iowa so we had to stop and watch the Moon Landing at a state park.
              If we had not been delayed, we would have been out of range of a TV station!
             The engine exploded the day after we got home!
        
      Places we have visited "Out West"  on several trips.
            Jackson Hole live Web camera.   -  All area cameras

1970 - My first Solar eclipse - March 7, 1970 at Virginia Beach took several students and camped on beach
            School district had leftover money they needed to spend.  I was able to purchase  3 Sony 3200 cameras,
            Sony-SEG1 switcher, EIAJ recorders and monitors.  Started building first TV system.

            With help from student, Mark Rozner, designed computerized film ordering system using "mark sense cards"
            That was later adopted by the county film library.

1971 - Obtained storeroom to make a TV studio - Bruce Graham & Mike Karaman built mobile console.
            Rolled it to stadium, auditorium and gym and eventually ran cables to the studio.
            When we did a studio show, the console was rolled into the hall.  Film chain with two Carousel projectors. 
            Obtained Sony B&W PortaPack camera and recorder.
           
            Linda Linchner - ?? - Bruce Graham - Mike Karaman
            Built a "TV Typewriter" from Don Lancasters book for TV graphics.  
            Kept adding features till I had a small computer.   Later used Ohio Scientific C1P programmed in BASIC

1972 - My second Solar eclipse on July 10, 1972 - Prince Edwards Island - Visited Ann of Green Gables house.
            Obtained Dumont Image Orthicon TV camera from WQED and later an RCA TK-60 

1973 - Son Lee III born.
           Built full feature switcher/special effects generator - First cable TV return access tests with Adelphia Cable.

1978 - Bought Ohio Scientific Super Board II computer for $300.  Learned a lot of BASIC tricks.
            Wrote my own word processor and interfaced it with an old IBM Selectric Typewriter. 

1981 - Churchill Area School District ordered to merge to form Woodland Hills.
            Certified as GOLF and TENNIS instructor with CCAC - Used Reel-to-Reel VCR for slow-mo analysis.

1983 - Won state grant for Radio Shack Color Computer system for teaching Physics.
            I had to cross the teacher's picket line to get superintendent to sign the application.

1984 - Computer Science course at Pitt to teach College in High School class.
            Started first version of my GRADEBOOK program using Color Computer basic and later migrated to PC 
            and Borland Turbo Structured Basic.   It went through many revisions with input for many teachers.
            It could do anything that any teacher ever wanted!   See  MANUAL as WORD Document for it's extensive features.

1985 - Family tent camping trip to New England.  Cold and 4" of rain on Cape Cod so we went to see Ghost Busters.

1986 - CTV went color with VHS PortaPack recorder and camera.
           Westinghouse donated a CIA color camera and Cross Point Latch switcher

1987 - Woodland Hills High School's first year.   Became first school in WPIAL to use VHS tape rather than film.
            Coach Novac, "I like the color".  
           Incorporated color PortaPack as replay in our black and white TV productions for "Color Instant Replay"

1988 - Took Lee III on a camping trip out west following basically same route we did in 1969.  By accident we saw 
            Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin studio.  Judy flew to California and we met up in Denver.  
            Our Oldsmobile station wagon broke down in Des Moines and it took a week to get new computer.   

1989 -  Computer Science Pascal course at Pitt to teach College in High School class

1990 - England - Scotland - Wales - Ireland    Our Trip To England 

               Great Trip!

1991- Installed a 10' satellite dish and first watched the "topping out" of the National Cathedral in D.C.
           We also watched unedited network feeds from the Gulf War with novice reporter Wolf Blitzer. 
           Designated an official NASA downlink site for NASA for airing Space Shuttle missions on cable.  
1992 - Fellow of the  Christa McAuliffe Institute National Foundation for the Improvement of Education at Stanford University 
              Used the Internet for the first time . NEA could not get an Internet connection on campus! Had to use phone MODEM to Chicago.
              We went out a week early and stayed with friends at Livermore and toured San Francisco and the
area.

1992 - Purchased an Amega 600 for TV graphics

1993 - Follow up meeting for CMI with a week in Washington D.C. on "expense account."
           My High-8mm documentary CMI video was shown as part of the program.
           Got my first e-mail address through Duquesne University:  
           Added a hard drive for the Amiga 600

1994 - Started using WordPress Web editor

1996 -  Successful back surgery for a herniated disk.  Was up and walking the same day!
           
My First WHSD Web Site 1996 using ALOPress Web Editor Web master for many years.

1998 - Retired from teaching but continued working on AV, computer and videography for school district.
            Built their current TV studio which was seldom used.    Removed the studio in 2020 - End of WHHS TV

1999 -  November Road Trip to the Carolinas - Biltmore Estate
                
Garmin GPS V Waterproof Hiking GPS (Discontinued by Manufacturer) Garmin - GPS III
                My first GPS was a great Christmas gift from my son.

2000  -  First Major Retirement Road Trip  in October to NE Pennsylvania to See the Fall leaves
             August  Road Trip to Illinois
for college reunion.
             Williamsburg - Our first "retirement" adventure - nice to be there with no kids to chaperone!

2000/1   WHHS Band Trip to Peach Bowl in Atlanta - Clocks on video monitors displayed 1900 at midnight! 

2001 -  Our Hot Air Balloon Ride with Keiko!  August 14      

2002 -    Tenn in the Fall   Visit to The Log House on Pine Ridge
              Our friends moved to Pigeon Forge,TN. We  Stayed at Eagles Ridge Resort but visited 
               The Calico Inn  the #1 Bed & Breakfast in the country and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
               Dollywood® - The Entertainment Capital of the Smokey Mountains
               Kentucky Mountain Bible College where Judy's relative teaches.

2002-2003 -Chemotherapy at Hillman Cancer Center.
Chemo 18 weekly chemotherapy treatments as a follow up to my "colon tuck" at UPMC.  
   Not as much fun as my successful back surgery for a herniated disk in 1996.
   In good hands! Graphic Description!   
  Colonoscopy exam!  If your over 50, have it done!  Last one in October 2018

 
Watching Lord of the Rings DVD on my old Dell laptop.

2003 - Rhine River Cruise - Europe!  Great Time!   First all Digital Video and Photography on this Trip.  
            Switzerland - Germany - Holland - Belgium - France

2004 - Niagara-on-the-Lake - Mid-winter vacation 2004 at Center House B&B 
                                      Who else goes to Canada in January!
               Niagara Falls  
                                                My panoramic picture of the falls.

2004 - Tour of the Canadian Rockies 
            Train from Vancouver to Jasper, bus to Lake Louise, Bamff and Calgory. 

2005 - Granddaughter Renee Born

           wpe3E.jpg (5724 bytes) Surgery to remove Benign Facial Tumor at UPMC Montefiore 

           Jefferson National Expansion Memorial - St. Louis Gateway Arch (Built in Pittsburgh.) 
                 Saint Louis Zoo - Home page    St. Louis Science Center 
           On our way to Monmouth College for WFS / Alumni Reunion Weekend June 9-12
           My History of WFS - Monmouth College Radio Station.

             Bus trip to Machinac Island - Grand Hotel - stayed at The Island House Hotel - Island Camera 
            
First Video Editing Computer from - Computer Connections 2005 - Died 2015!

2005/6 Grand Canyon and the Fiesta Bowl as videographer for the WHHS Band - New Years 

2006 - "Appreciation Tour" of the Western Parks  
            4
000 miles by bus from Las Vegas to Little Big Horn and back via Denver.

2007 - Granddaughter Emily Born

2008 - Seattle via Amtrak! -  Our first rail trip around the country.  
         
   Chicago - Denver - Sacramento - Seattle - Chicago.
              B&B at Cicely - Roslyn, WA, the home of Northern Exposure
              Rain delay and flooding in Wisconsin got us a free hotel and an extra day in Chicago 
                                   

2008 - Dallas, TX via Band Bus - 2460 miles to do video of WHHS playing North West H.S. at Texas Stadium!

2009 - Branson, MO - Sat through a time-share sales pitch to get a three day free motel stay and show tickets.
           - We saw Peter Pan, Titanic Museum and historic
The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama.

2010 - Tucson - via Amtrak  Cold and raining when we arrived!  
             Three weeks in the sun (some of the time.)
             Visited Kit Peak Observatory and Titan Missile Museum - Pima Air & Space Museum

2012 - Colorado by Train with AAA -   Bus trip around state to ride on historic trains. 
             Including the famous
  Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

2014 - 7 Day Royal Caribbean Cruise on "Grandeur of the Seas" from Baltimore to Nassau 
           
Baltimore-based cruise departs despite viral outbreak - Judy caught it!

2015 - Drove to "The Villages" in Florida & over-night at Canaveral's Jetty Park Camp Ground. 
           Missed a SpaceX rocket launch to get home in time for WHHS spring musical!

              Visited Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk,  Wright Brothers National MemorialCape Hatteras Lighthouse

             Oinc's Barbeque - Ocracoke, NC   

2015 - We drove to Monmouth, IL for 50th class reunion and then followed the 
           Mississippi River north to 
Itasca State Park where we stayed overnight in the historic lodge.
              Minnesota's oldest state park at the Headwaters of the Mississippi.
              
              Headwaters of the Mississippi
                       Headwaters Webcam
            Saw Babe the Blue Ox at Bemigji and the locks at Soo St Marie

2016 -  Glacier National Park  via Amtrak roomette with two day stay in Chicago
               We stayed at the historic Park Lodge.  The train was delayed by high winds so Amtrak gave us
               our second free night's stay at a hotel in Chicago.
             
    Going to the Sun Road at Glacier.

2017 - Third Solar Eclipse  Aug. 21 to see The Great American Eclipse 

             
   Viewing my third total Eclipse at Maryville, TN
          Previously:  Virginia Beach - 1970   Prince Edward Island 1972

2018                                     ALASKA   
                   
27 Day Trip to Celebrate 50th Anniversary
      
We picked the destinations and our friend Travel by Joyce made all the reservations.

Car     - Lee took use to the airport hotel so we would not have to panic in the morning.
Plane 
- UAL Pittsburgh to Chicago.  Our next plane was delayed 2 hours while they changed a tire.
Plane 
- Chicago to Anchorage  I upgraded us to 1st CLASS!  Three night motel stay.
Trolley- Anchorage Trolley Tours  "The Bridge"
Restaurant -  Met Chad Carpenter
Train  - Alaska Railroad to Fairbanks for 4 nights
Bus     - Local bus through city to see the
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Boat   - River Boat was first part of cruise package.
Bus     - To Denali  for two nights The bus broke down on the way!
Bus     - Denali
Park where we were one of the few to see "The Big One" Bus Driver/Tour guide
Train  - Stayed in the cruse hotel in Anchorage and had an evening on the town.
Bus     - From the hotel to the historic Railway Station to catch the early morning train...
Train  -
Through the mountains to Seward to board the cruise ship

                

Ship   - Holland America Cruise Ship Westerdam from Seward to Glacier Bay
Ferry - Fast Ferry from Haines to  Skagway 
Train - Historic White Pass Railroad at Skagway.  Rain & fog gave it Alaskan
ambiance.
             Walked the streets of Juneau and toured the capital. 
            
The stop in Katchikan was unusually warm and Sunny.
             Cruse ended in Vancouver where we stayed for two nights to do laundry.  
Cab   -  From Canada Place to motel on south side of town. 
Bus    - Toured the city:  Gas Town / China Town /
Science Center
Rail    - Driverless Light Rail back from huge Metrotown Mall
Train - Amtrak Cascades at 5:30 AM from Vancouver to Portland for two nights.
Cab   -  Portland c
ab driver from hell could not find our hotel with GPS and we had to walk 5 blocks up steep steps.
             Visited Wells Fargo Museum, Powell's Books and walked a lot.
             Judy's
niece gave us a car tour of the city.

             

Train
- Amtrak Empire Builder from Portland to Spokane via the Columbia River
Gorge at Sun set.
             Then across the country to Chicago with only 10 minutes to catch
...
Train - ...Amtrak Capital Limited from Chicago to Pittsburgh 
             2600 Miles at average of 50 mph .  Great way to see the country.
Car   -  Son picked us up at the station early Sunday morning

2020   Our trip to New Orleans via Amtrak was derailed by the virus.  
             We would have arrived during the hurricane!

             Retired from doing coaches video for away games but got recalled!
             Day trip to Horseshoe Curve to see the fall leaves.

             Removed TV studio at WHHS after almost 50 years of service.

2020-2021 Pandemic!

2022 - Teaching myself Micro Python on Raspberry PICO computer.
             SC0915 

             Road Trip to Monmouth College reunion -1200 miles in Judy's Honda Civic.
               Flicker Pictures 

             Finally retired as official WHHS Football Videographer after 54 years!
               (Still got called back to do scrimage and first game.)
               Film - Reel-to Reel EIAJ tape - VHS Tape - U-Matic tape - DVD - Digital with HUDL

            Engineer and Camera Operator for Gateway Gators Productions
            Built three digital SDI/HDMI portable production
consoles and support equipment for them. 
            Based around Black Magic ATEM Mini Pro and Mini
Extreme 4 input & 8 Input Switchers. 
                             

2023 - Still working for Gateway Gators Productions

 

-------------------------------

Long range trips in the works:
2024 - Fourth Solar Eclipse - Monday April 8, West of Columbus, OH - Right in our own back yard!

 


                      Odds & Ends

Flight 93 National Memorial

"Noah" Sight & Sound® offers inspirational live stage productions in Lancaster County

Steamtown - National Historic Site - Scranton, PA
    

Camp Michaux - My tribute to a forgotten place

One of My Favorite Places - Jacksons Falls near Apollo, PA   New book features the falls!

Lake Wallenpaupack  - My Pictures - Live Web Cam

Ford Museum & Greenfield Village

Have you been to Kennywood yet?

Bedford Village - Covered Bridges in Bedford County

2001  Christmas Letter - With links to more information.
2012  Christmas Letter

 

 

Odds & Ends

 

Lee & Debbie

August 14, 2001  Our Hot Air Balloon Ride!    

Amanda Kathleen Spiaggi & Michael Glenn Conn Wedding Web page.

Forth of July at Pittsburgh's Point - With my first digital camera - pictures and fireworks links

My web page for our college classmate's daughter's wedding

 

The Schaeffer Family
wpe27.jpg (10937 bytes)
Lee and Debbie

Renee NicoleRenee Nicole Schaeffer
7 lb  1 oz.  Thursday at 9:11 PM

Magee-Womens Hospital

Pictures Renee & Emily

emily2_1.jpg (8198 bytes)Emily Catherine
6 lb. 13 oz. Thursday at 5:20 PM

Patches the Electric Cat
                        Patches -1984-2001

Schaeffer Geology on Roots Web - By another Schaeffer

JUDY'S PAGE - Her Genealogy Page
Judy, Lee III, Cat & Family Pictures

2000 Christmas Letter With Links

 

Family History
History of the Family of Anthony Schaeffer 1744-1999
Henry Alvindore Schaeffer - How G.Grandfather won the Civil War!
Rev. Lee Schaeffer My fathers ministry
   Chartiers Hill Presbyterian Church - Where my father started his ministry
   Blairsville Presbyterian Church where I grew up

     My father became the pastor of Blairsville Presbyterian Church in December of 1950.  Thus began many years of shoveling walks, cutting grass, keeping the lights lit on the Christmas trees, running the PA system and all the other responsibilities and duties of the "The Preachers Kid." 

  One of the church Elders, Attorney Samuel Miller who lived above the old Blairsville Library, had one of the first 7" Hallicrafter televisions in town.  When he was on the committee to call my father to the Blairsville church, he told me that I could come over and watch it anytime I wanted.  I coveted that set and now have two of them  in my collection of antique television equipment.  He also told me that if I persuaded my to come to Blairsville, I would have a free pass to the local movie theater.

Hallicrafter 505 7 inch.gif (29124 bytes)
Hallicrafter 505 circa 1949
with Channels #1-12

About 1952 Attorney Miller purchased one of every known piece of audiovisual equipment as a gift for the Blairsville Presbyterian Church.  As a 10-year-old, I was delegated the assignment of figuring out this state-of-the-art technology!   This launched my AV career.

Recording  the Christmas Service for the "shut-ins" was  father's first idea for the Ampro Tape Recorder 751a. tape recorder that used a flickering neon light to set the record levels.  

Listen to my father's 1959 Christmas Message

"The Tin Cup"  His favorite Story Recorded in 1978

 I could not understand why all the people decorating the church were so interested in hearing their voices recorded and played back while I set up the machine.  Not until years later when I became interested in the history of communications that I found that this was one of the first non-commercial recorders available.   While it was new to me, I did not realize that it was also new to all the adults as well.  

These audio visual experiences eventually lead to a degree in The Physics at Monmouth College
and a Masters Degree in Educational Communications at Syracuse  
A 32-year career as the technology coordinator for the Churchill/Woodland Hills Schools.

Technological History of Churchill/Woodland Hills High Schools

Computers I Have Used

    Friden Model STW-10 Electro-Mechanical Calculator - Monmouth College 1960

    IBM 1130 Computing System using 1967 FORTRAN -  Churchill High School 1966
         
    IBM 029 Card Punch
         IBM Card Reader/Punch for the 1130
         IBM 557 Alphabetic Interpreter
         IBM Card Sorter - The "Thunder Banger"
         IBM 514 Reproducing Punch

    With the help of Mark Rosner and the student assistants in the data center, I developed a mark sense card system for ordering films from the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit Film Library.   This system was eventually adopted by the Film Library for all the schools in the county. 

    General Automation SPC series

    PRIME Computer 
    Got a deal on Radio Shack terminals and printers for Churchill School District.  Designed the hardware to connect the main frame at the CAHS District office to the high School over 1000' of data cable using optical isolators.   The PRIME generated a Carriage Return (CR) and a Line Feed (LF) command which caused the printers to double space everything.  I had to mass produce a circuit board to connect between the terminal and the printer to block the LF command.

    Radio Shack Model I - Played with in the store.  Model III

    TV-Typewrite Cookbook - By Don Lancaster 1973-1975. I bought bare boards and scrounged ICs.
        I kept designing add-on boards to create a TV character generator for Churchill TV.   
       With the hardware I designed to automate the system, I had actually created a computer.

    OSI Complete system  boardOhio Scientific  1981 for $600 
    OSI Web  -   Old Computers Net
    6502 CPU
     BASIC-in-ROM, 4K RAM,
    Our first Home Computer  Used a cassette recorder tape for storage
    I added a floppy drive Nov. 1981 for $311 / Powers Supply $45 / Fan $27 and I made the case.

    The floppy expansion board with 24K of memory which would have cost $1000 but a former student was able to purloin a box of Signetics  "operable reject chips  from the MIT computer lab.

     

    Radio Shack CoCo - Old Computers.Com  The little computer that would not die!
       I wrote and received a state grant for first CoCo I computer system at Churchill High School
       Plus the parts to build an optical timing system for teaching the Physics of motion
       Installed 4 computer labs of CoCos at Churchill High School with boxs I made to network printers.
       I taught a generation of English teachers how to use the Elite Word Processor.
       Programmed "Stock Market" and other simulation for Social Studies Economics Course. 

    Author of the famous Woodland Hills GRADE BOOK!
     Around 1986 began development of my all inclusive Grade Book Program  on the CoCo
    It did everything!  Grades - Statistics - Seating Charts - Cooperative Learning Groups etc.
          Later expanded it in 1987 for IBM-PC using Borland Structured BASIC 
          Maintained it until 2003.
          Unfortunately, I don't have enough years left to rewrite it for Windows.
       The Rainbow (magazine) - I have almost a complete set if anyone wants them.
    MC-10 micro CoCo version for my son.  History

    TRS-80 Model 100  -  First laptop computer - Would run for weeks on 4 AA batteries.
    RS Model 100/102 .

    Commodore Amiga 500 - For TV Studio Graphics 

    Radio Shack Model 1000 RL - 1984 Almost a PC!

    1987 Converted Stock Market and Grade Book Programs to PC using Borland Turbo Structured Basic.

    2005 First video editing computer: Pentium-4  3GHz  for editing MiniDV GL1Tape  - It died in 2015 

    Dell Laptop Win 98 - Bought for $200 at a computer fair and is still running.

    Currently:
    2013 Dell  8200   i7 for video editing
    2014 ASUS i5 with Solid State C:/ for every day use and e-mail 
    2017 OneBook Tablet Computer 801 Win10 for $80 

  

EDUCATION

 

EDUCATION - SCHOOLS

Early Instructional Technology Highlights at Churchill & Woodland Hills High School

  • Developed automated projections systems for the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh in 1969.

  • Designed and built automation for 6 slide projector and film projector for theater at Three Rivers Stadium.
    Used paper punch tape for automation control.
    Co-produced "History of Baseball in Pittsburgh".

  • Developed Instructional Technology Center for Churchill High School.

  • Continually developed TV program through four different studios.
    Built first TV camera in 1967.  First Reel-to-Reel video tape machine in 1968

  • One of first schools to use a ZOOM lens for football films.

  • First school in WPIAL to use VHS video tape for game exchanges.

  • Received unexpected district funds to acquire Sony B&W TV system in 1969
     4 cameras, SEG-1 switcher, monitors and - EIAJ video tape machines.  

  • Built first TV studio with TV systems in movable console.
    Built TV switcher with full special effects that passed PBS standards.

  • Built companion portable audio console for studio and auditorium use.
    Student's produced morning announcement as a radio show for several years.

  • Fought long battle to get Return Access connections to local cable systems.
    Did early return access tests for Adelphia Cable.

  • Built and modified "TV Typewriter" for TV Graphics.
    First OSI computer in district for TV graphics.   Upgraded to CoCo computer.
    Amiga Computer for Color Graphics 

  • Wired Auditorium, Gym and Football Field for TV productions from studio.

  • 1972 Obtained TK-60 and DuMont cameras from WQED  and TK-45 Studio cameras from WTAE.

  • Installed Control Room, Studio and wired the auditorium for the WH Jr. Hi. school.

  • Installed TV control room and wired broadcast booth at WHHS football stadium.
    Continually upgraded to color and later digital productions.

  • Obtained 4 RCA TK42 studio cameras from WTAE

  • Installed 10' satellite dish - Became NASA resource center. Aired Shuttle space missions on cable.

  • Installed and then reinstalled automated TV production system for WHHS school board meetings.

  • Designed Audio and TV Booth in auditorium.  Installed audio and TV wiring to stage.
    Created 12 circuit electronic auditorium lighting system using experimental Westinghouse SCRs.
    Probably one of first schools to have electronic dimmers.

  • Overhead transparencies using 3M thermal copiers and Xerox 814 copier.
    Started with 3 overhead projectors and ended with about 45 which I had to clean twice a year!

  • Copy stand with Nikon F and Olympus Pen-F cameras for slides and filmstrips
    Kodalith Slides for slide show graphics
    High speed black and white positive and color slide processing

  • Standardized 3 Carousel projectors automated slide show system. 
    Two projectors on a dissolve controller for color slides and a third projector to overlay graphics.
    Audio tones on second audio track triggered the projectors.

  • 4"X5" Copy camera for making Kodalith negatives for etching printed circuit boards.

  • Audio recording - Struder-Revox 11" reel tape with Dolby noise reduction

  • Won state grant for for early CoCo system for teaching Physics,

  • Created IU film ordering system for district using mark sense computer cards
    Our system was the prototype for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit's film library's system.

  • Developed comprehensive teachers GRADEBOOK
    Stock Market simultion using real prices from Compuserve
    AV Center Management programs with automated system for teachers equipment requests.

  • Developed and installed 4 Color Computer Labs for Word Processing and Computer Science.
    Modified inexpensive surplus Digital Computer floppy disk drives. 
    Developed and built printer networking boxes so that 8 CoCo could use one printer.

  • Obtained Radio Shack Terminals to connect District's Prime Computer to High School.
    Used 4 1000' - 24 conductor cables cables and optical isolators to protect the equipment.

  • Students won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in first area video arts festival.

  • Maintained the school's telescope for many years and used it for astro-photography.

 

         Published Letters to the Editor

"Bly was from Armstrong"  - Published in the Post-Gazette - Correction
"Army-Navy Football"         - Published in the January 2000 issue of Smithsonian - First use of video replay.

 

"By your links shall ye be known"

VIDEO & RADIO RESOURCES

Resources for High School Video Teachers
      My list of television and radio resources and the history of radio and TV

National Museum of Broadcasting   - Pittsburgh

TV Listings
Comcast: Monroeville -   Excite
   WQED-TV : Schedule  -   KDKA  -  WTAE   -  WPXI  
   PBS-SD/DTV - PBS C-band  - PBS Satellite    --  DBS Satellites
    NASA Channel
-Launch Dates - Space Tracker - Space History
   PCNC
  Northern Exposure - Episode Guide

INTERNET RADIO
    WQED-FM Listen   Concert Channel  WESA-FM : Listen / JAZZ Index / NPR News
    KDKA RadioListen   -   WCPE / Listen : Wake Forest, NC (DBS Satellite radio)
 
    WMCR : Monmouth College
  Nation Station Listing

 
Baird Mechanical TV Camera I found in the window of the "Logie Baird's Bar" in Edinburgh, Scotland
He lived in the same housing block as A.G. Bell across the street from our hotel.

Pictures of the WHHS 2009 Radio-TV Crew

How I installed a 10' Satellite Dish!
LyngSat North American Satelites
Ricks Satellite

Xcam Videobotics system  I installed at WHSD board room.

 

 
Know Your TV Color Bars

White

Yellow

Cyan

Green

Magenta

Red

Blue

R + G +B W - Blue W - Red Primary W- Green Primary Primary

Internet Search Engines

 


wpe26.jpg (5098 bytes)
Very close to the first train I had.
Weather

Punxsutawney Phil
Groundhog Day  

Many years ago, groundhog pups were given to Indiana County Boy Scout troops to raise.  The most sociable one became "Phil" at Punxsutawney's next groundhog day.  I got to raise Phil one summer since our house was next to the Blairsville church where  Troop #4 met  (And where my father was the minister.)   The Indiana BSA Council took him with us to the 1957 Jamboree at Valley Forge, PA.  Since Phil has national fame, we were asked to bring him to the remote studio of the "TODAY SHOW with Dave Garoway"   We had to get up before daybreak and hike several miles to get there in time.  When we arrived, we were informed that a bread truck hit a telephone pole and knocked out the coaxial cable back to New York and so we lost our 15 minutes of fame!


Feeding Phil at Jamboree - 1957


Every RADAR view is different.
View them all and
make your own call!

AccuWeather
The Weather Channel
Interactive Radar Map

US - NE Radar   GOES   Forcast

WTAE - WPXI

Unisys Weather - Really detailed

Intillicast Weather - Forecasts
   RadarNexrad

Weather Cameras

NEWS

    CNN News   - Google NewsABC  -  USA Today  -  Washington Post  -  New Your Times - US News & World Report

    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Search) - Gateway Publications - Tribune Review -   KQV Radio (Listen)

    LiveLeak.com - Video clips   -   NPRWMCR

 

Interesting places to visit

PITTSBURGH

 

GEOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES - Map and Driving Directions
Each map display is best for different things.

 

JUST FOR FUN

 Hoaxes & Internet Tools 

Programs and resources for constructing your own web page

    Netscape                - Download latest version

    LView Pro              - Graphics file editor and image compression

    IrfanView               - Very nice image wiewer and editor.  Batch compression and resizing

    AOLPress              - Simple HTML Editor

    Web Page Design  - From the Digital Librarian

    FlamingText.Com  - Neat titles and graphics

    Old Web page 1994 - 2008 maintained by: LocalConnect / National Business
       3706 E. 5th Ave. North Versailles, PA 15137 The toll free Tech Support: 1-888-594-8324

    Verizon.Net 

Other WEB Sites     

    Camp Michaux

    Jackson Falls

    TVT     Television and Video Teachers of Western Pennsylvania

    Jan Newton  Librarian - St. Charles Public Library, Illinois 

    First Web Master for - Woodland Hills & Beulah Presbyterian Church

    Consultant LymeFight

 

 

 

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