Some photos recently added to Frank Barning's Levittown collection

Kathy, Kendall and Perry Berns (1960) at Kendall's May graduation from the University of Texas at Austin.

Ken Plass (1960) with his wife Sandy and two of his seven grandchildren on a recent cruise to Alaska.

Brian Williams, class of 1963, plays the upright bass. He is a graduate of St. Lawrence University and lives in Ionia, NY.

1965 DAHS yearbook photo of Mr. Lawrence Lasker, beloved teacher and administrator.
World traveller Annajoy Herman Romdalvik (1960) on a recent visit to the Isle of Wight.

Letters and comments concerning the late Lawrence Lasker, a most inspirational Levittown Division Avenue teacher

Some of us when we die will be quickly forgotten. A few live on in thoughts and memories. Long-time Division Avenue High School teacher Lawrence Lasker had a profound influence on his students and is well remembered. He passed away on Feb. 6, 2011 and his obituary was posted in this blog on Feb. 20.

Recently, we received the following emails from Mr. Lasker's grandson Josh, and son Ken.

Mr. Barning,

My name is Josh Lasker, and I'm a current sophomore at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. I just came across your blog posts mentioning my grandfather, Lawrence Lasker, and just wanted to write a little note to express my appreciation for your tribute and all of the comments that it generated.

Soon after his divorce and retirement he followed my dad Ken, out to Jamestown NY right before my oldest brother was born. He lived there and watched (and helped) my brothers and I grow up for the rest of his life. He also fell in love again with a woman named Joanne, who was just as wonderful as he was. She passed away months before him in August of 2010 and he grew sick soon after. His life was full of tragedy but he never let it get him down.

I felt so close to him, and he was a hero to me, just like it seems he was to his students, and I cannot express how much I learned from him. I'm so happy so many others were touched before I even came to be. He never did stop inspiring people.

Thank you again Mr. Barning,

Sincerely,

Josh Lasker

• • •

I am Ken Lasker, Larry's son. My son Josh just sent me this link and the comments really touched me. My Dad and I were extremely close and he moved up here to Western NY after he retired and we were best friends, and he helped me raise my three sons, who he adored.

I probably met some of you while tagging along with my Dad at various functions at Division and I know how much he loved his students. He would've loved reading this and no doubt would've been misty-eyed doing so. Thanks so much for all of the kind comments. He was an amazing man. A great father and grandfather and incredible teacher. Luckily he has passed on so many of his wonderful traits to my sons to carry on his legacy of kindness and love for people. Thank you for thinking so much of him. I have a heavy heart this morning.

• • •

From Dewain Lanfear who graduated in 1960 and also taught at his alma mater:

Thank you for sending me the letters from Mr. Lasker's son and grandson in advance of your posting them, Frank. They are justifiably proud of him. I had the privilege of knowing him when I was a student and then throughout most of my career as a teacher in Levittown.

He was wildly popular with his students at DAHS, always caring and fair. As an assistant principal he was well liked and respected by the faculty, and unfailingly caring and just dealing with students in this role. . His responsibility was often to be a disciplinarian, but he usually sought out the cause of the misbehavior and found ways to resolve these problems. He "straightened out" a lot of potential trouble makers by listening to their problems and working to alleviate them.

I respected his ability to stay above the school district politics. He knew the game and the players, he just didn't compromise his sense of right and wrong for the sake of advancement. Wherever he went, he made his corner of the district a better place.

COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS POSTED ON HIS OBITUARY

From June Johnson, class of 1963
He was the best! I felt honored to have him as my teacher.

Brian Fisher, class of 1961

The news of Mr. Lasker passing away saddens me. I really enjoyed his cit ed class, and he was a very good teacher. I will never forget this man and his teachings. Mr. Lasker will always remain in my heart.

Marilyn Monsrud Frese, class of 1963

Thank you Frank for finding and posting this tribute to a wonderful teacher. He touched many in a way that many of our old teachers could never do. If you needed someone to talk about ANYTHING, he was the man! He helped shape many of our lives by his wise and amusing ways. He was a hero in both serving his country (he LOVED to tell old war stories) and in his influence on young people. He will be missed!

Susan Chasin Ross, class of 1962
I had Mr. Lasker for 7th and 9th grade Cit.Ed...and then moved away. I would come and visit him over the next few years. I called him about 10 years ago when I heard he was ailing, to let him know that he had meant a lot to me. I have always told my students and my daughter to let teachers that had a positive effect on their lives know. I don't think there is anything a teacher would rather hear than a student telling him/her this. My heartfelt condolences to his family. RIP.

Arnie Galeota, class of 1961
Mr. Lasker was my homeroom teacher. Always a pleasant guy. Don't remember hearing one negative comment from anyone about Mr. Lasker. I'm sorry he's gone. Didn't know he was in combat in Korea. He never spoke about it.

Kathy Stahlman Zinn, class of 1963

I had Mr. Lasker for 9th grade Cit Ed. He was a great teacher and had a wonderful sense of humor - always a twinkle in his eye. He was enthusiastic about his subject - at the time I thought of history as boring - and government - even more so! But he made it compelling. He was younger than I thought - I had thought he was a WW II vet. The world is poorer for his passing.

Bill Fey, class of 1968

I had Larry Lasker and I don't remember a single day from the time I met him as my teacher till I graduated in '68, where he didn't have a smile on his face or a twinkle in his eye. Hearing about his tour at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier...I can believe that for he was a special human being and they only took special people. Rest in peace.

Anonymous wrote:

Mr. Lasker sometimes talked about his Korean War experiences in Social Studies class. I vividly remember him telling us about the Korean national dish - fermented cabbage that was buried in the backyard for a time, then exhumed and eaten as a condiment. I thought he was making it up. Of course, he wasn't. In the years since kimchi has become a foodie obsession in this country.

Twenty years later I ran into someone else from D.A.H.S. at a pub in London, and we spent all night talking about Mr. Lasker over pints of Greene King Abbot Ale.

Rick DeMeis, class of 1964

What a wonderful person and great teacher--always approachable with a great sense of humor.

Carol Binninger Mondello, class of 1964

Larry Lasker was a wonderful person. He was an excellent teacher, confidant and friend. The first word that comes to mind to describe him is..RESPECT! I was involved in Masonic activities through out my teens...Mr. Lasker was always there. He was one of the greatest influences on my life...my FAVORITE teacher...and friend...he taught with his actions. I am in tears...he will be missed...but I will remember him always because of the joy he brought others...

Jay Barabash, class of 1963
He was truly an inspiration and a profoundly positive influence.

From Susan Hill, class of 1965
He was my class advisor and truly was an inspiration to many, he will be missed.

Lou Zinser, class of 1966
I was in Larry's class and had a great time. It is amazing how little we know about the person. What an honor to be a guard for the unknown soldiers, they were hand picked and were the cream of the crop.

Note: Lou provided your blogger with Mr. Lasker's obituary in February and if he hadn't, all of these memories of a great Levittown teacher could not have been posted.

LAWRENCE LASKER'S OBITUARY

Lawrence J. Lasker, 81, of Lakewood, N.Y., died Feb. 6, 2011, in his home.

He was born June 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of Hyman and Ida Allen Lasker. He was a graduate of Brooklyn College, where he earned both a bachelor's degree in economics, and a Master of Arts degree in public administration.

A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, he had served as a paratrooper and was very proud to have served as a guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery.

Prior to retiring, he had been employed as a social studies teacher and assistant principal at the Division Avenue and Gen. Douglas McArthur High Schools with the Levittown, N.Y. public schools district.

He was a member of Temple Hesed Abraham, Mt. Moriah Lodge #145, Free and Accepted Masons, the Jamestown Shrine Club, Ismalia Temple A.A.O.N.M.S., and the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club.

Larry loved to dote on his grandchildren, enjoyed traveling, and was an avid reader. He was a big sports fan, but especially loved the New York Mets.

Surviving are a son, Kenneth M. (Abbie) Lasker, of West Ellicott; a daughter, Lois A. (Leo) Vatkin, of Patterson, N.Y.; seven grandchildren: Dan Lasker, of Long Beach, Calif., Eric and Josh Lasker, both of West Ellicott, and William, Ilana, Dylan, and Esther Vatkin, all of Patterson, N.Y.; a sister, Doris Drantch, of Hewlitt, N.Y.; three stepsons: Jeff (Debbie), Mike (Sue), and Gary Erlandson; four step-grandchildren: Kyle, Drew, Emelie, and Dan Erlandson; and two step-great-grandchildren: Finn and Owen Erlandson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne Erlandson Lasker, who died Aug. 2, 2010; and by a brother, Donald Lasker.

Six teachers with looooong histories at Division Avenue High

Click on pictures to enlarge

Although it is not for everyone, I find Facebook to be a useful tool. I use it to keep in touch with friends, spread the word about my blog and to search for interesting items.

About three months ago, but who's counting, I stumbled upon photos posted by Larry Loewy, a 1975 graduate of Division Avenue High School. Despite the fact that Larry is 15 years younger than I, we share a big interest in our old hometown and school. He has done a fabulous job, I am told, of keeping his class united.

Among his many photos are scans of just about every page of the 1975 yearbook. Not expecting to find much of interest but curious anyway, I went through every photo. And voila! There are nearly 20 pictures of teachers and one school nurse who I remembered. In addition, two of my classmates, Dewain Lanfear and Jack Ellerkamp, were teachers in 1975.

Upon my request, Larry emailed copies of every picture that I found of interest. Many have been used in our blog in recent months of such familiar teachers are Mr. Peyton, Mr. Fricke, Mr. Lasker, Mr. Amen, Mr. Jewell, Mr. Kalinowski, Mr. Reggio, Mr. Aiello, Mrs. Drumm, Mrs. Lyons, Mrs. Sileo and school nurse Ettenson.

About a dozen of Loewy's 1975 photos have not been used so today we present six of them:

* Mr. Lawrence Lasker. An all-time favorite DAHS teacher. The response to our posting of his obituary on February 26 received a record outpouring of comments. For example, Jay Barabash '63 wrote, "He was truly an inspiration and a profoundly positive influence." Check the blog archives on the right of this page to find his obit and the comments of students posted below the story.

* Mr. Armand Tarantelli who is still going strong and is an avid reader of our blog. Like Mr. Lasker, Mr. T was a favorite of DAHS students for decades.

* Mr. Louis Des Roches. I have no memory of him, except his name and face.

* Mr. Mortimer Siegal. Some of my rowdy friends thought his name, Morty, was funny. At times, he was taunted from afar in a crowded hallway, with the high-pitched cry of "Morty".

* Mr. Robert Graham. A respected teacher.

* Mr. Peter Lampasona. In the late 1950s, he taught what was listed as "Special Class" in the 1960 yearbook. His students were often referred to as "retarded" or "retards", usually not out of malice. We just didn't have the sensitive terms that have evolved over the years. I wish I knew more about Mr. Lampasona to share with blog readers.