Washburn High's class of '58 reunion will be right on the button

Members of Washburn High's Class of 1958 who held on to a homecoming button designed by Charles Schulz have a piece of memorabilia that might be worth more than a few peanuts.

The Minneapolis-born, St. Paul-raised cartoonist lived down the street on Minnehaha Parkway from Tom Smith. "I was asked to go over to his house and see if he would do a homecoming button for us, probably in 1957. So I did and he did," said reunion committee member Smith, who now lives in Florida.

"I wasn't surprised [Schulz agreed] because my younger brother, Bob, was in the same class as Schulz's daughter --boy, I wish I could remember her name -- so we sort of knew each other," Smith said. "That was way back when. He was very cordial, very nice. He was becoming famous at that point."

As we know, Schulz went on to become world famous as creator of the comic strip Peanuts, starring Charlie Brown. Schulz drew a cartoon of Charlie holding a Washburn pennant while lamenting "Good grief."

Class members will be in the metro celebrating their 50th reunion at various venues June 20-22. Smith was unsure how or if classmates would incorporate the Schulz memento into the reunion.

"I wish I had mine, I tell you that," Smith said remorsefully when asked what that button would be worth. "I've got a picture of it. In fact, I even had some of his old comic strips and I gave them away."

Good grief, Tom Smith.

Halloran and other big dogs in the media world continue to slight St. Paul, site of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

"... the party's national convention in Minneapolis," Halloran wrote March 5. And then, showing no improvement in her convention learning curve, Halloran wrote on May 12: "... GOP's September get-together in Minneapolis."

New York Times columnist Frank Rich wrote, on May 18: "And then, on Sept. 1, comes the virtually all white G.O.P. vaudeville in Minneapolis."

Frank Rich is too great a writer not to be accurate about ALL details.

On Monday on NBC's "Today" show, Meredith Vieira was talking about Hillary Rodham Clinton's extended feckless campaign ego trip and how presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama has decided "to declare victory after the primaries on Tuesday night, and to do it from the arena in Minneapolis where Republicans are going to hold their convention."

Now, I have to double check the spelling of Vieira's last name each time I write it. So maybe the people who write what Vieira reads should do some checking soonish?

This isn't difficult stuff, unless you are one of those media types stubbornly committed to dismissing Minnesota as Fly-Over Country.

McFarland Cahill Communications partner Teresa McFarland is trying to make this easy for you guys.

McFarland was hammering away on this subject while traveling around the country with the MSP 2008 Host Committee for the Republican National Convention.

On the set of ABC's "Good Morning America" just last week, McFarland devoted time to "trying to get them to say the whole thing -- 'Minneapolis-St. Paul.' Got to visit with all the anchors and talked specifically with Chris Cuomo about saying 'Minneapolis-St Paul' vs. 'Twin Cities' or vs. 'Minneapolis' or 'St. Paul.'"

The Target Center is where the Timberwolves, known as the T-Wolves and Wolves, play basketball; the Dome is where the Minnesota Twins play baseball; the Hennepin County Courthouse, Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden, Guthrie Theater, Basilica of St. Mary and The Local are all in Minneapolis.

The X, Science Museum of Minnesota, Ordway Center, the Fitzgerald Theater and The Liffey are all in St. Paul.

Now, a pop quiz for Liz, Frank and Meredith. Because I've noticed that Cuomo's not the brightest bulb on the panel, he's excused.

What cities serve as the locations for 1) the Cathedral of St. Paul, 2) the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and 3) Minnesota's State Capitol? 4) In what city is the building we had the nerve to name the World Trade Center? 5) What the Hades is a Wild?

Extra-credit questions: What cities serve as the corporate HQs for 6) 3M and 7) Best Buy? 8) In what city was Bob Dylan born? 9) What city is the home of Symbolina's (not yet demolished) recording studio Paisley Park? 10) What is Symbolina's given name?