Kathy and Tom Urban's recent trip to exotic China

Kathy and Tom at the Great Wall of China on a chilly morning

Tom picked up a local Shanghai beauty with Kathy's permission

The Urbans at the Palace of Heavenly Peace in Beijing

The Urbans at the Shanghai radio tower, which is taller than the Levittown water tower and even more famous

Tom in Beijing's world famous Tiananmen Square

Kathy Armstrong Urban, class of 1962, and her 1960 graduate husband Tom traveled from Beijing to Xian then down the Yangtzee River to Shanghai. They stopped at 10 ports each for a day along the way, March 13 to April 3, 2012.

The trip was booked with Viking River Cruises on its China “Cultural Delights” tour, a 17-day adventure. "We had traveled with Viking through Europe and been delighted, so China was a no-brainer," Tom commented.

Kathy and Tom met at DAHS when she was a freshman and he a junior (1958). They have been together ever since marrying in 1965.

Levittown's symbolic water tower lingers in our memories

By FRANK BARNING

If anything is a symbol of Levittown, New York it is the huge water tower at the corner of Azalea Road and Hilltop Road. It could be seen from miles away and was used as a landmark if someone became lost either walking or driving. Toni Crescenzo Gelfer, class of 1968, described it as "Omnipresent."

A 2009 photo of the structure by Tom Urban was recently the topic of a spirited discussion on Facebook. Several Division Avenue High School graduates from the 1960s participated, Tom among them, contributing information and remembrances.

Originally, the water tower was a checkerboard red and white. Eventually, it was painted green, as it appears in Urban's photo, but the people I asked did not recall when the colors were changed.

Some of the boys climbed to the top on dares or under the influence of spirits. This was the highest point in our town, Levittown's answer to the Empire State Building.

I moved to Levittown as a 12-year old in late 1954 and spent countless hours in the water tower's shadow, playing basketball. Mark Scope who went to Levittown Memorial High School also played hoops there. I have a vivid recollection that someone climbed the tower and painted "Scope Sucks" in large letters.

Here are comments posted on Facebook:

Susan Weldon (Division Avenue High class of 1960) wrote: I was there when the cops caught Warren Zaretsky on the top of the tower. When one of them stated, "This is illegal young man", Warren answered "no shit Sherlock".

Urban (1960) wrote: If you sat on the walkway that ran around the top of the tower you could see Wantagh Parkway winding towards Jones Beach. On a clear night it was peaceful. You could also clearly see the police cars at the North Village Green should they head your way.

He also stated: I cringe when I remember some "bad boys" unscrewing the bulbs on the very top. P.S. the access cover on the very top was not locked. Dangerous if you were to fall in but very tempting for green food dye around St. Patty's Day. Never materialized but tempting just the same....."very Bad Boys". And I yelled at my kids for missing curfew.

Your blogger replied to Urban: How many of the guys urinated over the side of the tower? It would seem like the natural thing to do for Levittown boys we knew, right Tom?

Tom Urban replied: Never did that Frank. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Walt Linder (1961) mentioned: I think my brother Paul did the water tower also. My parents had to go to the police station to get him.

Leslie Sands Bell (1968) remembers: the tower had raindrops (condensation) hitting us as we walked to the swimming pool on Azalea Road. It was refreshing!

Jeff Peyton (1961) commented: the late Al Baldwin (1961) had a prized red dome he had retrieved off the catwalk and made it into a lamp.

Jim McGrath (1960) bragged: Didn't spend much time at the tower. Was spending my time parked in Abbey Lane School's parking lot.

Part 2: Division Avenue High School's first graduation, June 1960

Click on photos to enlarge

By FRANK BARNING

As promised, here are two more of Tom Urban's photos from Division Avenue High School's first graduation day.

The shot with four graduates includes (left to right) Carole Arnesen, John Sanzone, Ellen Rees and Joe Guidice. Carole and Ellen were brilliant students. The Valedictorian was Carole Arnesen – the Salutatorian was Ellen Rees, according to our classmate Sandy Adams.

In the other picture are (left to right) Judy Lloyd, John Gentleman, Karen Judge, Steven Tuck, Barbara Bond, Pete Cybriwski and your blogger.

These photos are treasures, an important part of the history of Division Avenue High School and Levittown.

Part 1: Division Avenue High School's first graduation, June 1960

Click on photos to enlarge

By FRANK BARNING

It is difficult to believe that Division Avenue High School's first graduation day was a few months more than 51 years ago. On that sunny June day in 1960, approximately 200 of us said farewell to an important chapter in our young lives.

My classmate Tom Urban has provided four photos from that day. Two are included here and the others will soon be posted.

From the crowd picture, I can pick out the faces of (left to right) Diane White, Bob Kuhn (partially obscured), Jane Alexander, Dotty Caggiano, Tom Urban, Lou Pascale (partially obscured), and Lorrayne McCoy. I cannot identify the person after Lorrayne.

Notice in the background, Mays, where most of Levittown shopped in those days.

The other photo shows the gathering for the graduation ceremony. The keynote speaker was Dr. Joseph Astman, a professor at Hofstra College and father of 1960 graduate Jeph Astman. The head of the school board, Robert Hoshino, handed out the diplomas.

North Village Green drugstore job was a growth opportunity

Tom and Kathy Armstrong Urban

click on photo to enlarge

By Tom Urban
Class of 1960

The owners of the North Village Green drugstore in Levittown were Al Averbach and Milt Schulman. They were brothers-in-law. My brothers Norm, Jim and Dale and I all worked for them in age sequence. Al and Milt were generous and benevolent employers who treated our family with kindness and opportunity.

To this day, every time Kathy or I crack open a hard boiled egg, we think of counterman Artie Hertz, father of Division Avenue High School class of 1961 alum Sandy. Artie would make the egg salad which, in the process, would smell up the store. he would say "if it came out of your a _ _ it would smell too." He was a funny character and a single dad who taught me numerous Yiddish curse words. He would say something to me and I would run to Marv Bellows (the pharmacist) and he would translate. What a hoot!

Officer Chuck Kelly's brother Bill worked with me and my brother Norm at the Levittown post office. Chuck, who patrolled the North Village Green area, was a great beat cop as were two others I got to know well.
Since I worked at the NVG Drug lunch counter all through high school, I had an opportunity to bridge the Rock-Jock gap by serving all the local characters as well as the families who lived nearby and frequented the store (too many to name here). I got to hear all the gossip and the job served me well as a growth opportunity. So many memories revolve around my experiences at North Village Green Drugs.

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For more memories about the North Village Green, check out our November 1, 2010 post by Ken Taylor....... Do you remember "The Natives", denizens of the North Village Green?

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