BILL STANLEY'S MEMENTO FROM A REUNION 30 YEARS AGO

Click on photo to enlarge
By Frank Barning
Many wonderful photos were taken at the Division Avenue High School's 50th reunion in August. I have posted 86 of them in Facebook. One of my favorites is of my classmate Bill Stanley holding a shirt from our 20th reunion in 1980. Retired since 2001, he was a Nassau County Sheriffs Department lieutenant.

Since that 1980 reunion, I have moved from Glen Cove on Long Island, to San Diego in 1982 and in 2005 to Las Vegas. When we were planning our move to San Diego, Vivian and I decided to unload old junk as well as good stuff we might never use again. Most of us love our "stuff" and it is difficult to part with items you think are important. A major reason for our stuff removal was the cost of shipping things approximately 3,000 miles in a moving van. We never regretted the decision as to what was left behind.

Twenty-three years later, we bought a house in Las Vegas. And again, decisions had to be made about what stuff would come with us. The move would be only about 350 miles, so it was not about money. We had a lot of old furniture from our Long Island days, items that were out of date. So we donated about half of our furniture to various charities, and gave hundreds of books to the library and to neighbors. Very little that did not come with us to Las Vegas has been missed.

But one item that survived both moves was my 1980 shirt from the 20th reunion. It is a treasure, not quite up there with my 1960 yearbook, but nevertheless an important memory. So when I saw Bill Stanley holding his reunion shirt, it really struck a chord with me. I wonder how many of those shirts have survived the years and the various moves of other classmates.

Under photos in Facebook, comments may be posted. I wrote, "Does it still fit, Bill? Mine looks like it shrunk in the wash, but I still have it after all these years."

Ten minutes later, smarty-pants Louise Nicolosi Hayn, jumped in and commented, "I have mine and it fits."

An hour later, here is what Bill had to say. "Not even close. They must have given me the wrong size at the 20th or maybe...."

1957 Levittown Pony League All-Stars

Click on the photo to enlarge it

Front row: Dewain Lanfear, Tom Krustangel, Jimmy Judson, coach Popetti, Ernie Villatore, Dick Cleere, Gary Parker
Back row: Frannie Kolb, John Fitzsimmons, Jerry Reichert, x, coach Jack McDonald, Joe Forte, Ted Popetti, Bobby Lombardi, Neal Manley, coach x

Not only are there boys in this photo who graduated from Division Avenue High School, a few went to Levittown Memorial and Island Trees. Joe Forte, now retired, was a long-time National Basketball Association official.

A picture perfect trip to the Polo Grounds in 1957

By Frank Barning

If you asked the guys in the class of 1960 which girl was the most well endowed at Division Avenue High in Levittown, New York most would give the same answer. Observant boys in the following couple of classes might have agreed. Her name will not be mentioned here. All that I will report is that my buddy Mal Karman labeled her "Miss Boulders." You get the picture.

It was 1957, the last season before the New York Giants moved to San Francisco, that Mal suggested that a few of his buddies make a road trip to see the Giants play at the Polo Grounds, across the Harlem River from Yankee Stadium. We agreed to go and in addition, Mal invited a handful of others, including Miss B, who consented to join our ranks.

While we were riding the Long Island Rail Road to Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan, Mal pulled an eight-mm movie camera out of the canvas bag he was carrying. Frankly, I thought he had brought his lunch.

In Penn Station, where my dad worked for about 30 years as a ticket seller for the Pennsylvania Railroad, we found the uptown subway line to the Polo Grounds. It was a beautiful day and we soon were in our seats in the historic old ballpark. It had been a fun trip, some of which Mal filmed. The camera whirred as he took shots of his friends and the ballgame.

About a week later, he invited friends to the premier of his Polo Grounds-excursion film. We couldn't wait.

What Mal had filmed was a surprise. There was precious little of his pals. Mostly, it was grainy 8-mm shots of Miss Boulders, primarily closeups of her from the neck down. How he had accomplished this without any of his companions figuring out what he was filming is still a mystery. Obviously, Miss B was not invited to the premier.

A list of states in which early Division Avenue High School alumni (1960-63) reside at the present time; one listed per state

Click on map to enlarge it

By Frank Barning
Lists can be fascinating. Many senior citizens such as myself have their Bucket Lists, but I have always enjoyed creating and perusing lists. When I was a youngster I could recite the top-10 homerun hitters of all time, the longest rivers and the stations on the Long Island Rail Road from Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan to Hicksville, the stop nearest Levittown. Do you remember the conductor shouting, "Change at Jamaica?" I even ranked my favorite Major League baseball teams and players. This blog entry is a list.

To amuse myself and to illustrate a point, I have created a list of states in which early Division Avenue High School alumni (1960-63) reside at the present time. There is only one person shown per state. The idea is to simply provide an idea of how spread out we have become. All are 1960 graduates unless otherwise noted.

My research indicates that New York has the largest contingent, followed by Florida with California distant third. Maiden names are used for women.

Arizona: Bob Bond
California: Russ Green
Colorado: Lilette Levy
Connecticut: Susan Weldon
Delaware: Fred Hessling
Florida: many
Georgia: Gary Parker '62
Hawaii: Bill Astman '62
Illinois: Bob Mattera
Indiana: Skip McCarthy '62
Kansas: Al Cardamone '62
Louisana: Jack Bishop '61
Maine: Dorothy Caggiano
Maryland: Gary Burnham ‘62
Massachusetts: Karen Judge
Minnesota: Len Sandok '63
Missouri: Linda Cacioli '62
Nebraska: Jim McGrath
Nevada: Frank Barning
New Hampshire: Jeff Harriton '63
New Jersey: Tim Lavey '63
New Mexico: Michelle Fromm '63
New York: many
North Carolina: Gary DeCastillia
Ohio: Tom Dubose
Oregon: Jim Healy
Pennsylvania: Tom Paturzo Baker
South Carolina: Dewain Lanfear
Tennessee: Franne Newman
Texas: Perry Berns (Bernstein)
Vermont: Roberta Landry '61
Virginia: Pat Kraft
Washington: Ken Plass

Australia: Toby Burman ‘62
Canada: Toby Rutner
Israel: Roya Sitkoff '61
No one was found for Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Thank you to Sandy Adams '60 for her additions and assistance

1952 Northside School; Mr. Langan's 4th grade class

Click on photo to make it larger

Front row: Ray Wenz, Jim Tucker, Ann Hoffman
Second row: x. Maryann McNally, Cliff Fromm, Sharon Dumas
Third row: Sharon Kivowitz, Margaret O'Pray, x, Beth Cummings
Forth row: Connie Drakos, Jeanne Hurley, Bob Castro, Pat Moore
Fifth row: Margery Fisher, x, Jerry Bonima, Sherry Kruger
Back row, standing: x, Jerry Cohen, Louie Lopez, Bruce Garabrant

Also in the photo are Billie Jean Divone and Evie Fielding

Thirteen kids is this class graduated from Division Avenue High School in 1960. Ray Wenz, Bruce Garabrant and Louie Lopez are no longer with us.

Photo courtesy of Beth Cummings

CRUISING LEVITTOWN WITH NO PARTICULAR PLACE TO GO

Mike Caldararo in 1958 and in a more recent photo








By Frank Barning
One of my first high school friends to have a car was Mike Caldararo. Many of us took driver ed. with Mr. Peyton, soon passed our road test and got a license at the infamous Nassau County DMV office. But few had their own wheels. Mostly, we bummed rides and occasionally were given the privilege of driving the family car.

I remember driving around Levittown with Mike in his 1953 Chevy Belair and a few other friends, probably including Ron Albaum and John Gentleman. We had no particular place to go but it was so freeing, so grown up, to take a spin around town or roar up and down Hempstead Turnpike.

Once Mike was stopped on Division Avenue by a policeman who wanted to make sure that a bunch of young teenagers were not joy riding in a stolen vehicle. Although he was not a hood, Mike had a hairstyle that might have fooled the fuzz. Mike was courteous to the cop and he was soon free to drive on.

One afternoon as he drove us around, Mike pointed out that he was almost out of gas. The term used in those days was running on fumes. We were asked to chip in for gas and as was typical of most Levittown guys in the late 1950s, there was little or no change in our pockets. Mostly we had lint. Sheepishly, we contributed what we could and handed it to our sweet-dispositioned driver.

Mike headed to the nearest service station and 28-cents worth of gas was pumped into his car, which was enough to buy a full gallon. Someone wiped off the windshield and then off he and his buddies drove.

A Chuck Berry lyric captures the moment....
" Cruisin' and playin' the radio
With no particular place to go."

Part 3: Division Avenue High School's worst teachers

This is the third installment of worst Division Avenue High teachers. To see previous comments, scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on "older posts".

Arnie Galeota, 1961
The worst teacher for me was a small, mousy type of guy who taught physical science. His name was Solimando. The class had a few really tough to handle wise guys and they ran all over him and we didn't learn anything. I think he was such an easy going guy he didn't know how to take control of the rowdies. The class was out of control everyday. Not being one of those types I was not happy with him as a teacher.

I think Vinny Barbarino of Welcome Back Kotter fame was in my class and gave Solimando a hard time.

Sandy Adams, 1960
I think the absolute worst teacher that I had at DAHS was Frank Morgan – 4th year Latin. I don’t recall him ‘teaching’ a single class. He would assign pages to translate at the start of each class and then he’d leave and we wouldn’t see him until the last few minutes of the period or not until the next class. Exams were ‘open book tests’ so we all passed with flying colors! I can’t recall who else was in this class – I believe about 6 of us stuck with it through the four years, but what a boring class.

June Johnson, 1963
In my senior year I had to take Intermediate Algebra. I had gotten through Elementary Algebra and Plane Geometry and needed an additional math course. The teacher was Mr. Pollock. He seemed pleasant enough, but missed a lot of school. We had a steady stream of substitutes and inconsistent teaching. By mid-year, Mr. Pollock was gone.

The class was out of control behaviorally. With the revolving door of subs we were lost.
One day, while waiting for the teacher-du-jour, one of the girls took a bottle of scotch out of her book bag, opened it, took a swig and passed it on to the rest of us. I had no interest and sent it to the next kid.

All of a sudden everything got quiet. I followed all eyes to the door where Mr. Simes stood. His face was bright red and he looked ready to explode. He was enraged.
The upshot was expulsion for the swiggers and the girl who brought the bottle to school. For me it was a 26 on the Regents.

Diane McDonnell, 1960
Mr. Crane who taught Business Law. He was a disrespectful jerk and the worst teacher I ever had anyplace.

Mr. Sullins was a terrible math teacher, but I really liked him as a person. He was very sweet but not a good math teacher -- instead of giving me a hint, he gave me the correct answer during the 9th grade math (arithmetic) final -- I remember the question, too: it had to do with square root. (Math doesn't figure well in my IQ).

Warren Zaretsky, 1960
I was such a bad student and paid so little attention to any of the "teachers" -- other than for my own entertainment opportunities -- that I have no "worst" to offer.

Memories of my dear friend Christine Wilkens

By Susan Weldon, 1960
i moved to levittown in august of 1953 in time to start 6th grade at northside school. my teacher was harry baumann (be still my heart) and my new best friend was christine wilkens. our friendship lasted for many years until i lost track of her when she moved from levittown some years before her death.

i spent more time at chris' house than my own. she lived on chickidee lane with her mom, frances who was a single working mother, her nana and her younger brother guy. frances had been either an aquatic dancer or a lifeguard at jones beach and we spent lots of summer days there fastidiously slathering ourselves with baby oil mixed with iodine. i felt like one of the family, especially when nana yelled at us for various infractions and frances gave us a few bucks to go away.

when chris turned 16, nana bought her a red (or was it green?) MG two seater convertible. it came with very specific rules about when and where it could be driven. the list did not include sneaking out of the house late one spring night and driving into 'the city'. we didn't get caught.

chris and i stayed close after high school. we saw each other a lot the two years i went to hofstra - most often at the bowlder lounge. i went to her wedding (in a slip and a raincoat - but that's another story). i knew and liked her husband lee and knew and loved her children, donna, guy and douglas.

after i moved to new york and then connecticut, we saw each other less frequently but remained connected. i stayed with her when i came from connecticut to our 20th reunion. she was divorced and back on chickadee lane. it was as if we were still teenagers getting dressed and putting on makeup and after the festivities staying up all night rehashing and relishing every moment.

we had many phone conversations over the ensuing years. chris had some tough times, but was always up for a long dishy chat. i knew she was selling the house and moving to glen cove or garden city or somewhere and assumed she'd call when she was settled. she didn't and i'm sad and ashamed to say i didn't try to find her.

i'm not sure how i found out chris had died, but when i did, i somehow tracked down her daughter donna and phoned her. she was happy to hear from me and gave me the great gift of telling me that chris remembered our time together with joy as i still do.

In memoriam......Division Avenue High School Class of 1960

Carole Arnesen , Richard Bachman, RoseMarie Bellistri, Diane Brown, Mimi Brunette, Pete Cybriwsky, Eddie Fink, Carolynn Flohl, Bruce Garabrant, Janet Goldberg, Daniel Huntley, Kenneth Kemmer, Joan Kerrigan Koster, Jim Kinane, Ann LaMar, Stephen Lilienthal, Louis Lopez, Neal Manly, Eileen Maxwell, Sterling Morrison, Pat Miscovsky Noonan, Daphne Nylund, John Sweeney, Jeanne Tlockzowski, Ronald Turner, Ray Wenz, Christine Wilkens, Stephen Zwerling

There is no way to know if this is a complete list. It has been compiled over many years, primarily by Barbara Wittenberg Taylor with the assistance of Frank Barning.

May our departed classmates rest in peace.

Comments concerning the Class of 1960's 50th reunion

Lilette Levy Bagwin, 1960
I had a great time. It was fantastic to see everyone and to hear about what people are doing and thinking. It was great being with people all our age. Nobody could criticize a senior moment since we all had them.

I was especially excited to see Karen Judge and Joan Lucas. They were my sorority sisters. It was also fantastic to talk to Dewain Lanfear about teaching. I loved talking to Geoffrey Eisenbarth, Don Davidson, Susan Eisenberg Zwerling, Peter File and Cliff Fromm. It brought back so many memories.

I loved the Levittown Museum visit. I felt like I was back at home in my kitchen as there was a full size model of a Levittown ranch kitchen with the stainless steel cabinets and sink. There was even a refrigerator with the little freezer door inside. The TV in the wall was something I had forgotten about and then I saw it.

Cliff Fromm, 1960
At the DAHS reunion I was thrilled to see Jay Citrin. His parents and grandmother and my parents were good friends. Jay and I went to Hebrew School together and were active in the youth group. Both of us joined the Navy right out of high school. I think this is the first reunion he went to as I looked for him at the earlier ones. My sister, Michelle, attended the reunion and she was as happy to see Jay as I was. We all gave each other a big hug.

I was also very happy to see Susan Zwerling. It's a small world as Stephen Zwerling's mother and my mother were friends when they were young girls back in the Brooklyn days. I can't leave out Don Davidson. He's such a nice guy that you can't help but feel good when he's around.

Wally Linder, 1961
There was a football reunion in the Spring of this year, and many members of the class of 1961 went to that reunion. As a result many people were missing. Anyway this reunion was poorly attended by the class of '61, so I was kinda disappointed. I was thrilled to see some of the guys that I grew up with, in the old neighborhood, but there were still too many missing.

Pat Stanley Share, 1962
The reunion was pretty special, I was delighted to see some who have not been to other reunions, Jane Patten was one, she was a beautiful girl and has grown into a lovely woman and I was so glad to spend time with her, we were both thinking her brother Ross might surprise us but he was unable to make it.

It was fun talking with Tom Dubose and George Fox, George has had an interesting life, working in Washington DC as an adviser to big wigs! Also seeing my cousin Evie who is married to Dave Winters is always nice, Chez became the table bartender, he is such a sweet guy. And, in general, just seeing so many, get together, there must have been close to 200 from different classes.
________________________________________________________

Several class of 1963 graduates got together at the Milleridge Inn during the reunion weekend in August. Len Sandok provides his thoughts......
The occasion of a 47-year high school reunion is probably reason enough to look back and reflect on your life. I did just that over the last the past few weeks. I have to say that I am a very lucky person. There are many small things and a few big things that I regret and that I would do differently if I had the chance. (No, I’m not going to go into them here and now.) For the most part I am satisfied with my life. However, after the reunion weekend, I know that I would have made the effort to get to know all of you better in high school and stayed in touch for the last 47 years.

I pondered the question of why I felt so strongly the friendship we experienced at the reunion, after all – we had just reconnected. Was it because we have a similar background? No, there are many with similar backgrounds with whom I would not care to spend five minutes. I wondered if it was because we all hold similar political beliefs. I decided that was not the reason either. I am not sure if that statement is true and there are times when I enjoy being around people who believe differently than I do and I like discussing thing with them because I learn from them.

So what was it that drew us together? The answer is “friendship”! I believe that you can not pick your friends. There is a non-tangible amorphous something that makes friends -friends. I don’t know what it is, but it was felt by my wife Ellen and me. It was there, I felt it. While my life was rich, I cannot help but feel as if it would have been richer had we seen each other from time to time.

Mr. Murphy's 1957 sixth grade Summit Lane School class

Click on photo to make it larger
First row: Marilyn Monsrud, Tyler Asdorian, Peter Barnett; second row: Noreen Donlin, the late Bob Benn, Leslie Wohl, x; third row: Aaron Gurwitz, John McCormick, Leslie Wohl, Brian Williams, x; fourth row: Darrae Cabre, Richie Ligouri, Kathy Stahlman, Bob Leporati, Jeff Harriton; back row: Charlie Kawada, x, x, Mr. Murphy, David Lounsberry, Ricky Hofer

If you are able to identify anyone not listed, send information to fbarning@cox.net.

Photo provided by Marilyn Monsrud Frese 1963

Who were your best teachers at Division Avenue High School?

These lists are for BEST, not favorite, Division Avenue teachers. For example, to me math teacher Mr. Chenevey was easily the best. My favorite was Mr. Amen. If you went to Division and wish to submit a top-10 list, send it to fbarning@cox.net

Cliff Fromm, 1960
1. Mrs. Cameira
2. Miss Eisenhauer
3. Mr. Tarantelli
4. Mr. Reggio
5. Mr. Quirk

Susan Weldon, 1960
1. Mr. Chenevey
2. Mr. Kalinowski
3. Miss Eisenhauer
4. Mr. Cetnarowski
5. Mr. Aiello

Lilette Levy Bagwin 1960
1. Mr. Chenevey
2. Mr. Reggio
3. Mr. Kalinowski
4. Mr. Keating
5. Miss Eisenhauer

Arnie Galeota, 1961
1. Mr. Russo
2. Mr. Danhieux
3. Mr. Chapman
4. Mr. Peyton
5 Mr. Tarantelli

Pete Weiss, 1963
1. Mr. Chapman (English)
2. Mr. Erbacher (Cit. Ed.)
3. Mr. Erath (algebra)
4. Mr. Vanderwater (calculus)
5. Mr. Fremed (physics)

Frank Barning 1960
1. Mr. Chenevey
2. Miss Eisenhauer
3. Thaddeus Kalinowski
4. Mr. Graf (few may remember him)
5. Mr. Keating

Lillian Smith Handleman, 1962
I had no favorites. I found Division's teachers to be less than inspiring. Now, Wisdom Lane, that was a different story.

Kathy Armstrong Urban 1962
1. Mr. Chenevey. I remember him standing in front of the class and pushing his hair back as he taught. I had him for algebra & geometry. Math was not my forte and I wanted to quit geometry but he wouldn’t let me. I sat in the front row and he would tease me about using my fingers and toes to count. I wound up getting a 96 on the Regents. He was fantastic.
2. Mr. Crane
3. Mr. Chapman
4. Miss McGuigan
5. Miss Smith

Lunch at Jimmy Buffett's in Vegas with old friends; our waitress had magnificent tats, but misunderstood my compliment

We had lunch here in Las Vegas yesterday with two of my most favorite people in the entire universe, Alice and Tom Henningsen from Chicago. Vivian and I had not seen them in at least a dozen years, but Tom and I are constantly emailing each other.

When the Barnings published Baseball Hobby News (1979-93), Tom was one of our premier writers. He and I are huge baseball fans and our emails always end with the name of an old ballplayer, often obscure. I might sign off as Hank Sauer and he as Andy Pafko.

Tom is a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan and lives and mostly dies with each of their seasons. The last time the Cubs were in the World Series was the same year that he was born, 1945. He still can't get over the Cubs blowing the pennant to the New York Mets in 1969, collapsing in the National League championship series with the San Diego Padres in 1984 and don't even mention the 2003 Bartman incident to him. Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with a foul ball in the playoffs and might have cost the team a trip to the World Series.

We had lunch with the Henningsens at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. Most of the waitresses in the touristy restaurants in Vegas are young and attractive. Ours was both. I noticed that her arms had some very artistic tattoos and I commented, "Nice tats." I mean, how many guys my age would are so thoroughly modern that they would know the current lingo is "tats."

She gave me a look that indicated mild or amused puzzlement. Tom tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear, "She thinks you said he has nice tits. You should have said "nice ink." So much for being modern.

I explained to her what I meant, and added that she also had nice, well, you know. Our waitress was far from offended. In Vegas, just about anything goes.

Bicycle boy comes of age on his English racer

For most of us, our initial mode of transportation on wheels is a tricycle and then a two-wheel bicycle. I loved to ride my dark green three-speed English racer. It wasn't a premium brand such as Raleigh or Rudge, but that didn't matter.

I found this statement on the internet written by Sheldon Brown..."From the 1930's through the 1960's, English-made 3-speed bicycles were, in some respects, the ultimate in human-powered transportation. They spawned a vibrantly active club culture that has never been equaled. The bicycle provided unprecedented individual mobility to the British working class."

My English racer indeed gave me " unprecedented individual mobility" and I did not have to be a member of the British working class. In fact, I didn't work at all, just did kid's stuff and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my new home town, Levittown, when the Barnings moved to Hyacinth Road in October of 1954. I was 12-years old, free as a bird.

Levittown's various streets (our town magazine was called "Thousand Lanes") could be confusing to a young newcomer whose only modes of transportation were shanks' mare (walking) and bike. I first rode in Forest Hills, Queens which was mostly set up on a grid, so getting lost was difficult. It helped that the east to west streets were set up alphabetically. I lived on Austin Street, next came Burns, Clyde, Dartmouth, Exeter and so on.

It helped that the part of Levittown that I traveled the most had two themed sections. We lived in the flower section and many of my pals lived in the bird section. There was birds that I had never heard of before moving to my new hometown.

Anyway, I was a mobile young boy tooling around Levittown on my English racer. I did notice that as I got a year or two older, that fewer kids were riding bikes, especially girls. But nothing was ever said. It just was.

And then one day, I was riding to my friend Mal Karman's house on Meander Lane (what section was that?) and came upon a particularly cool classmate, Maryann McNally who was walking on Azalea Road. She was always friendly, had a great smile and was in Mal's top 10 of prettiest girls in our school. Yes, he had a top-10 list and updated it monthly.

It was just a withering look from Maryann, not verbal, but it shouted "There is something wrong with you, Frank, if you are still riding a bike." I felt mortified, humiliated. And I got the message.

From then on for the next couple of years until I could drive, I only road my bike at night.

1961 photo: Division Avenue High School athletes with future baseball Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski

click on photo to enlarge it
1st row: Bill Astman 62, Bob Benn 63, Bill Mazeroski, Skip McCarthy 62, Bob Spadafore 62, Jeff Harriton 63
2nd row: Jerry Reichert 61, Jack Lorenz 63, Bob Rolston 62, Frank Policano 63
3rd row: Jeff Peyton 61, John Fitzsimmons 61, Joe Panarello 62, Larry Orloff 62, John Stalberg 62.

Bob Benn, Bob Rolston and Joe Panarello are deceased.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Peyton who wonders is there was a dress code that day.

For Susan Rutkin Villatore, the days growing up on Mistletoe Lane were the best any kid could wish for

Susan and Ernie Villatore with their tribe. They have been married 46 years.

By Susan Rutkin Villatore, 1962
We moved to Levittown in the summer of l954 when I was l0. My parents had sent me away for the summer because there was a polio scare in my old neighborhood of Laurelton, Queens.

Moving all the way out to Levittown was to be healthier and safer. We lived in a large house in Laurelton, and so moving into this little box was not, "movin' on up!" My mother promised to make my sister and my room exactly as we wanted it, to appease us. My sister was l3 and had just graduated from 8th grade. She was miserable; she hated Levittown, and even after graduating from Memorial in l958, went away to college still hating it.

I, on the other hand, loved everything about it. Outside my door, were boys playing stick ball, and there he was, the boy of my dreams, who I eventually married. I was the only girl on the block, with Tommy Dubose across the street, Arnie Galeota, just outside my upstairs window, Jimmy Heyward just around the corner, Ralphie DelPiano on the other corner, and eventually my cousins, the Albaum twins (Don and Ron), who moved in at the end of the block.

I met Maryann Webster that summer, and she and I would sit on the curb watching the boys play ball. I eventually gained their respect when I became the 2nd fastest runner on the block, right behind Ernie Villatore. We used to race our bikes and I was always second. As we grew up, we would go to the foundation of an incomplete firehouse in the lots off Cornflower Road. There we would smoke. I think I was 12 when we first started smoking. Arnie and I had many a good conversation across the lawn into each others window.

There are too many memories to mention, but we all seemed to keep close touch even to this day. We celebrated each of our weddings together, and the birth of our children, and mourned the death of our friend Ralphie in 2002. Jimmy Heyward still lives down the block from us, but in a different neighborhood. The days growing up on Mistletoe Lane were the best any kid could wish for.

Click on photo to enlarge it

Some Levittown boys had a sump to explore, Arnie Galeota and friends had a vacant lot off Cornflower Road

Arnie Galeota (left) and his pal Ernie Villatore before their senior prom. Ernie married his date, Sue Rutkin.

By Arnie Galeota, 1961
Very early Levittown had unusual landscape areas like Orchid Road's sump, as Tim Lavey commented on in the previous blog entry posted here. I lived on Mistletoe Lane, off of Cornflower Road a short walk from the small cross street that intersected the Cornflower vacant lot where I used to play baseball. The name of that little road escapes me as so much does these days. I know I had to walk it to get to school.

In that lot were these sagging wires, dead power lines I think, that hung a few feet above our heads. Every once in awhile someone got the urge to find a way to bring that wire down low enough to where a guy with two hands would grab hold of it and go for an upward ride but would invariably come back down through their own body weight. I tried it a few times and it did give me a rush but it also made me think of the consequences if on the way up I suddenly lost my grip, so I became an observer after that. I had heard that someone had broken both their legs doing that.

That empty lot was the focal point of our baseball experience as young teens. Ernie Villatore, Don and Ron Albaum, Jim Heyward, the late Ralph DelPiano, and his older brother Nick plus a few other guys who were not long-term residents of Levittown made up the baseball competition. I must add that Tom Dubose was always invited but he had a paper route that he would not give up so he was too busy making money much like he's been for these past 40 years.

We played on a surface that made the New York City pot holes look like pimples. A ground ball was always an adventure and someone usually had a bad hop hit them in the face or chest. We honed our hitting skills though and our fly ball judgment skills as well.

Jim Heyward lived on Cornflower and it was at his house that we played hooky on many an occasion. Both his parents worked and they left earlier than we left for school so we would all meet at his house every morning since it was right on the path toward our destination, the high school. We would decide if we all or just some wanted to take the day off and write an excuse note. Sometimes we all would stay home, but usually that pillar of Division Avenue Ernie Villatore would go to school because he was always involved in a team sport and there was always practice.

That little street that intersected the area was owned by the Long Island Rail Road and all of those streets that ran parallel all the way up the length of Levittown were always closed down one day every year for legal reasons to protect LIRR ownership. It was an inconvenience to be sure, but it made it's point.

I would love to have a Mistletoe Lane reunion. We had some honorary members like Sue Chasin Ross, and Bill Stanley. Seems like Stanley was everywhere you looked in those days...he got around. Jim McGrath spent more time there as well but as an older teen with a car.

Back then, Levittown was like one big playground. I was fortunate to have had a lot of kids my age to share that portion of our lives.

Early 1950s memories of Orchid Road and the glorious sump

Tim Lavey calls the above photo of he and his brother Mitch, "Building Levittown."
click on the picture to enlarge it

By Tim Lavey, class of 1963
My brother Mitch and I lived at 173 Orchid Road, between Skimmer Lane and Violet Lane (about halfway between Jerusalem Avenue and Newbridge Road). The picture was taken behind our house before the sump was built.

You can see an old culvert behind my brother Mitch's head. He graduated from Division Avenue in 1965.My guess is that it was late 1950 or early 1951. The houses in the background are probably those on the southern leg of Blacksmith Road." According to Jeff Peyton, class of 1961 and my childhood friend, "The sump was even with, or just south of the Old Motor Parkway, a place to my young eyes that was filled with wildflowers and Queen Anne's Lace, oversized brown locusts, and toads. I loved that place."

I remember one time a whole bunch of us were hiding out around the culverts in the underbrush playing war games in the early evening just as it got dark. My dad sneaked up on us and shouted to wake the dead. I’ve never been so scared in my life. As he took my brother Mitch and me back to our house, I can remember him lecturing us on properly setting up a perimeter to avoid being surprised by the enemy. September 4 is my dad’s birthday. He would have been 90 this month. He passed away in 1995 after a considerable struggle with the effects of Alzheimer’s. I miss him greatly, of course, and so do all those who knew him.

I also have wonderful memories of days exploring the forbidden tunnels inside the sump. We weren’t supposed to be in the sump much less going into those tunnels, but it seems that almost everyone did it. I forget just how far I crawled under the streets of Levittown exploring the sewer system, but I believe I got pretty far north. I remember being somewhat frightened about not being able to back track to the sump after making too many twists and turns into and through adjacent underground tunnels. It would have been exceedingly embarrassing to have become hopelessly lost and then ignominiously extricated by town authorities.

One more thing comes to mind. I recollect that before the sump was built in the very early ‘50s that we had major flooding all along Orchid Road during a heavy rain. I think my dad was out back with other dads doing what they could to stop the water from cascading into our yards and houses. I always thought (incorrectly I’m sure) that the sump was built shortly thereafter because that flooding had occurred. It’s much more likely it was already on the drawing board.

Photo courtesy of Tim Lavey

Part II: Worst teachers, a few worth mentioning

Larry Bory, 1960
I agree with Tom Urban whose comments appear in the previous blog entry. The worst Division Avenue teacher was Mr. Navarra, a bully who loved to make students small. He loved to patrol the second-floor boys room between classes. He quit teaching and opened a liquor store on the North Shore of Long Island.

Frank Barning, 1960
In my experience, the absolutely worst was chemistry teacher Dominic Solimando,. He was a total disgrace to his profession and it didn't help that he had an uneducated, grating Brooklyn accent. I don't think that he lasted more than one year at Division. Solly lived on his own planet. Susan Weldon (1960) describes him as "ferret like."

Most of the students in my chem class were college bound. But because of Solimando several of us had to attend summer school in order to pass the regents. It was humiliating to have to tell my parents that I had to attend summer school. Several other solid students barely passed, having scores in the high 60s. What a shame!

Mal Karman '60 wrote a poem about Mr. Solimando, which I still remember 50 years later...
Old Solly had a Brooklyn lab
how silly can he be
To live a life as Captain Jet
and dream of chemistry
"I won't be dare on da regents test"
and we all did fail how true
But those who suffered now can laugh
Old Solly got the screw

Almost as bad as Solimando was a very nice man, Joseph Fischer. At least he was sane. I had the misfortune of having Mr. Fischer as a geometry teacher and with a few weeks to go before the regents and many of us feeling totally unprepared, he actually allowed two students to take over the class. I will always feel deeply indebted to Ira Selsky and Tom Krustangel who guided me and most of our class to success in the hated regents. After 10th grade, Krustangel left Division and has not been heard from since.

The DAHS powers that be must have understood that Mr. Fischer was a disaster as a math teacher. The following school year, he was transferred to the library and worked there with John Mathews. I spent a lot of time studying in the library and Mr. Fischer was always cheerful and most helpful. Whoever hired him to teach math was the real culprit, not this gentle soul.

Bob Castro, 1960
I was very fortunate because most of my teachers were pretty good, although some of them made some pretty good goofs. That being said, my one outstanding stinker was Mr. Solimando, my junior year chemistry teacher. If my memory serves me correctly, he had three classes totaling about 90 students, and only 14 of them passed the regents. I made it through with a 67. That screwed up a lot of peoples' grade-point averages, including mine. And I eventually failed college chem and had to take it over. This guy couldn't communicate with any of his students,

Michelle Fromm-Lewis 1963
Without a doubt or question, the worst teacher I ever had in high school was Senora Miranda. I had her for Spanish in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. I, and most of my classmates who stuck it out with her for 3 years, knew less Spanish at graduation than we did after 8th and 9th grades. Her nickname was Misery Miranda, and quite truthfully, I don't ever remember her actually teaching us Spanish. She was much more into current events and politics and she instigated some pretty hot discussions in our class. For instance, one day we came into the classroom and written across the board in large letters was the phrase "Better Red than Dead". Well, you can just imagine.....

In 8th I had La Señora Celesta Cameira. In 9th I had Mr. Shatz (he didn't require the "Señor"). Old Shatzie was a bit weird but a really good teacher.

Jon Buller, 1963
Any feelings I have about the shortcomings of our teachers are balanced by feelings that they all deserved medals for putting up with us. At the twentieth reunion I was talking to Mr. Kalinowski, and I began to apologize for so often giving him a hard time. I was very interested in learning a foreign language in high school, although I never would have admitted it to anyone at the time.

In a gesture that would be familiar to all of his past students, he held up a hand to stop me. “You were ANGELS,” he said. “Compared to what we get today, you were ANGELS!”

Tom Urban was badgered and belittled by a teacher from hell

By Tom Urban, class of 1960
Clearly, Paul Navarra was the worst teacher I ever encountered! Throughout my four years at Division Avenue High School, I was badgered, belittled and generally picked upon by the man.

A biology teacher, he was a plump, arrogant, pompous jerk who seemed to harbor resentment towards an entire group of male students. He would single us out in the lunchroom, in class and wherever he could.

In the lunchroom, he would pick a fight and then send us to Mr. Quirk or Aiello’s office for disciplinary action. They would invariably laugh it off and say “try to be nice, etc.” In class, he would pick a fight and threaten to “take you to the boys' room for punishment” It is my understanding that he got his clock cleaned in there on a few occasions.

In senior year, I took chemistry. The teacher was new to DAHS and obviously was a friend of Navarra. Even though I received all 90+ grades through the year and on the final, he gave me a final grade in the 60s with a comment, “You have to get along with all the teachers here”. He was gone the next year.

Even after graduation, his harassment did not stop. He would badger my steady girlfriend Kathy (now my wife) with comments and threats “how can you go with that jerk, etc." After school one spring day, I was at DAHS to pick up Kathy. I was talking with my classmate Bill Stanley and Mr. Wright (our class of '60 adviser). Bill and I were wearing Bermuda shorts. Navarra came down the hall yelling at us “You can’t come here dressed like that, let’s go to the principal’s office.” Mr. Wright, trying to avoid the onslaught, said, “I have to go guys.” Bill soon took the high road and left.

I was fed up and as I walked through the lobby heading for the front door with Navarra spitting out insults and saying “Let’s go to the principal’s office and see if you are wanted here” I yelled at him, You fat pompous pig! I had to listen to your crap for four years. I don’t have to anymore." I walked out front to wait for Kathy.

At the time, the lobby was full of students going to home room for dismissal and Navarra turned purple and headed to the main office. He returned with Mr. Quirk in toe. In the ensuing diatribe, I explained that he had picked on me throughout high school and he stupidly admitted that he hated me and my friends. During the confrontation, he kept poking me in the chest with his register book. I warned him to stop hitting me or I would retaliate. Mr. Quirk kept saying “Paul, I have to go”.

Throughout this encounter the science department Chairman, Mr. Monroe Fremed, was watching from just above us at a hallway window. He observed the whole encounter. I left without throwing a punch (it was so tempting and so justifiable). When I got home, my dad asked me what had happened at DAHS? I wondered how he knew about the event and asked “why do you ask, huh?” He said he had received a call from Mr. Quirk with an apology for what had transpired. Mr. Quirk had explained that this was the last straw and Navarra would not be teaching at DAHS next year.

My understanding is that Navarra ended up at Plainview or Plainedge High School. He should never have been allowed to teach.

I would invite Bill Stanley to confirm or deny my memory of the events and ask any other ex-student to add their tales of woe about this jerk.
__________________________________________________________

Our next blog entry will be various comments about horrible teachers.

Hofstra eliminates football: Sunday will never seem the same

By Frank Barning

This is a weird Sunday morning for me. Another college football season has just begun but a Hofstra University score is nowhere to be found in the morning newspaper.

On December 3, 2009, The New York Times reported, "Hofstra’s decision to eliminate its 72-year-old football program because of costs and waning interest among fans shocked players, coaches and alumni.” The Times story continued, "Hofstra’s president, Stuart Rabinowitz, said the $4.5 million invested annually in football would be channeled to student scholarships and other academic priorities."

In 1964, I graduated from Hofstra University where I had covered the football team for the Hofstra Chronicle and worked as a student assistant in the sports information department. For two years, 1969-70, I was the sports information director. Hofstra football was an important part of my life back then.

In 1982, we moved to San Diego and in 2005 to Las Vegas. Although I could no longer attend games or follow the team in Newsday, each Sunday during the season I made it a point to get the final score. This was done religiously, a very small part of my life for sure. But there was a special history, a continuum. I was proud to be a Flying Dutchman.

To make matters worse, a few years ago, it was decided to drop the Flying Dutchmen nickname which went back to the late 1930s. The school was named for William S. Hofstra who was of Dutch ancestry. Hofstra was renamed...The Pride. Excuse me. Are you freaking kidding?

My friend and fraternity brother, Les Bayer, has been attending Hofstra football games for more than 40 years. I sent him a condolence note last night. My loss is infinitesimally smaller than his. Les has attended, by his estimate, close to 400 Hofstra games.

Gary Parker, Division Avenue class of 1962, attended Hofstra on a football scholarship. He was among the first Blue Dragons to play college football. After quarterbacking at Division, he became a standout pass receiver for the Flying Dutchmen. Imagine his disappointment that Hofstra football is no longer?

Mike Dyer, my first sports editor on the Hofstra Chronicle commented, "I'm sure soccer will be a super homecoming for them."

The Times story reported that "The Pride established a tradition of producing N.F.L. players in the last two decades. The former Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet, the current New Orleans Saints wideout Marques Colston and the Steelers offensive tackle Willie Colon reached the N.F.L. after stellar careers at Hofstra."

One of my Hofstra classmates, John Schmitt, was the starting center on the 1969 Super Super Bowl champion New York Jets. That was Super Bowl III, the Jets' only Super Bowl appearance. Schmitt was Joe Namath's center. A year or so later John showed me his Super Bowl ring and I will never forget the size and beauty of that treasure. Imagine how big John feels about the demise of Hofstra football?

Our son, Randy, graduated from UCLA in 1995. Since he entered that university in 1991, the Barnings have been Bruins fans. We live and die with them, just as I did when Hofstra was my team decades ago.

But it is not the same.

1957 Wisdom Lane Junior High, Mr. Brannigan’s 7th grade class

Top row includes: Gerald Trotter, James Brunton, Richard Fiertag, Marty Vogt,Tom Banks, now deceased Gerard Farge
Second row includes: Steve Ashwal, John Bouse
Bottom row includes: Lillian Smith, Mr. Brannigan, Elizabeth Lemmie, Maureen “Moe” Tucker, Gail Pike
Note: click on the photo to enlarge it.

Moe Tucker, who graduated from Levittown Memorial in 1962, was a drummer in the famous band The Velvet Underground. Sterling Morrison, class of 1960, was the guitarist. Google Moe Tucker for more information about her career, Morrison's too.

If you are able to identify anyone not listed, send information to fbarning@cox.net.

Photo courtesy of Lillian Smith Handleman, 1962

Phyllis Hirsch's fond memories of growing up in early Levittown

By Phyllis Hirsch Smith, class of 1960
I am grateful I grew up in Levittown and overall the experience was great.

I remember so many people and feel like I was connected to them in different ways while growing up in Levittown. My family moved to 58 Honeysuckle Road in 1947. I remember got to a little schoolhouse for kindergarten and probably the lower grades.
We lived by the North Village Green and hung out there at the pool, playground or bowling alley and later at the lounge. We also hung out an the Azalea pool, the Community Church, went to Jolly Roger's, walked or road bikes to Salisbury Park, danced in Billie Jean Divone's garage. I was sorry to hear of Chris Wilkens passing I remember walking from my house to hers I believe she touched many of us in different ways.

I remember parties at Pat and Billy Stanley’s. I remember friends getting together at my house to give Dave Monelt Levittown Memorial class of 1959 a going away party when he joined the Marines. I remember sitting with so many friends and discussing boy friends and girl friends and giving advice it is amazing how little I knew and how much advice I dispensed.

I have been married to the same man, Greg, for 47 years. I met Greg through Division Avenue classmate Cathy O'Brien Sabo's husband Andy. Greg and I have two children. Our daughter Donna, who works in the banking field, is divorced. She has a son Christian 13 and a daughter Claudia 10. Our son Scott is married to Micki and they have a son Ethan 14 and a daughter Hannah 11.

Greg and I have been self employed since 1967. We own an auto-body shop and a mechanical repair shop. Our son works with us as does our daughter in law. I work as little as possible.

We live in Patchogue on the Great South Bay across from Davis Park on Fire Island. We also have a condo on Siesta Key Sarasota that at times we rent and other times we use for ourselves children and grandchildren.

Photo courtesy of Tim Lavey, 1963
Click on photo to enlarge it.

Northside School, 1952-53, Mr. Hugh Marassa's fifth-grade class; 11 members graduated from Division Avenue seven years later

Foreground: Sharon Dumas
1st full row: Joan Allibone, Jean Hurley, x, Beth Cummings
2nd row: Cathie Pantano, Lorraine Troiano, Theda Minkin, Chris Wilkens
3rd row: x, Noel Heinisch, Pat Lucio, Sherry Kruger
4th (last) row: x, x, x, Marjorie Fisher
Standing: Gerald Benima, Cliff Fromm, Ken Porter, Jerry Cohen, Rich
Ostrowski, x, Bob Castro, Steve Mohr, the late Louie Lopez, Ken Hollwedel, x
Teacher: Mr. Hugh Marassa

Photo courtesy of Steve Mohr

Taken in 1953, this photograph is 57-years old. Levittown was six years old at the time and was a community that was transitioning from most houses being rentals to individually owned homes. Families came and went, and as a result neighborhood and school friends were constantly disappearing.

Interestingly, 11 of the students in Mr. Marassa's fifth-grade class graduated from Division Avenue High School seven years later. Five members were at the 50th reunion high school reunion in August...Sharon Dumas, Joan Allibone, Beth Cummings, Noel Heinisch and Cliff Fromm.

Several years ago when Steve Mohr emailed this picture to Frank Barning, he could only remember about half of his classmates. Cliff Fromm and Bob Castro viewed the photo and helped fill in most of the blanks. Seven students are not identified. If you are able to provide any names, email fbarning@cox.net.

For easier viewing, click on this vintage photo and it will appear larger.

Why did Mr. Graham have to be a Good Humor man in Levittown?

Dr. John Stalberg practices in California and is an expert on Doo Wop

By Dr. John Stalberg, 1962
Although my parents had little money, my father's family was all doctors and lawyers who went to the University of Pennsylvania. That's where I went. I doubt that guidance counselor Mr. Rogo ever heard of it. The depression, WWII and meeting my mother in England and having me, kept my father out of college until the 1960s.

The problem at Division Avenue High School was that richer districts could pay more money. I had Mr. Chenevey (great) for 8th grade math and he then left for Syosset,

A great experience for me was subbing at Division in several May- June school years, because medical school ended early. What an experience sitting in the faculty lounge 4-5 years after graduation. Compared to the 1960s, DAHS was as good as most private schools are now because public education has gone down the toilet.

And here is a memory of one of our teachers….
I had Mr Graham for homeroom in 8th grade. He was an English teacher, but not mine until years later. I was at my cousin Greg Donaldson's house on the south side, 2 Rock Lane. It was summer and we were sitting around bs-ing when I heard the ring of the Good Humor Man. I ran outside and waved him down. I could already taste the Coconut or Toasted Almond. Who got out of the truck with a cheery (until he saw me) "What do you want?"

It couldn't be, am I dreaming, my homeroom teacher Mr. Graham? No must be a look alike, teachers aren't ice cream men, are they? It was definitely the weirdest, freakiest bizarre feeling. Mr. Graham looked more uncomfortable than me. I told everyone in Greg's house what happened and they couldn't believe it either. It permanently changed how I felt about Mr. Graham and he always looked scared I might say something and blow the whistle. I never did, but he always was worried when I was around, or so I thought. He could have at least been a Good Humor man in East Meadow or Wantagh, I always thought.

In 7th grade math, I had a Mr. Spina. He was morbidly obese, huge-350-400 pounds. He did a lot of, literally huffing and puffing (Pickwickwian syndrome*), yelling, screaming, what else do you expect from a 400-pound 7th grade math teacher. He had all us little 7th graders scared shitless.

Well you know those little chairs that have wheels that were behind the teachers' desks? Yep, one day in the middle of a tirade, he kicked the chair out from behind the desk, and when he sat down, or plopped down to catch his breath, the chair collapsed, Spina was sprawled on the floor and broken pieces from the chair were propelled all around the room. Despite knowing the consequences, the class exploded in laughter while he scrambled to his feet, as if he did it fast enough we wouldn't notice. He was forever subdued and I don't recall seeing him at the school again, after the year ended. Boy, payback was so good then, even my parents cracked up, after the obligatory, "He's not
permanently injured is he?"
___________________________________________________________________
*Editor's note:
Pickwickian syndrome: The combination of obesity, somnolence (sleepiness), hypoventilation (underbreathing), and plethoric (red) face. The syndrome is so named because of the "fat and red-faced boy in a state of somnolency" that Charles Dickens described in his novel, The Pickwick Papers.

Photo of Dr. John Stalberg by Frank Barning