After You Have Surfed This Site And
Enjoyed Its Contents,
Please Click Here To Be Taken To
The All New Laurelton Website
Click
Here For A Link to Old Laurelton Photos
Click
Here For A Photo of P.S. 156 8th Grade Graduation in 1951
It
Is With Much Sadness That We Report The Passing of
Sue-Carol
Ludacer Nussbaum, '50, who began these wonderful memories
Okay, here goes:
Where are all the train riders? Where are those of us who stood on the platforms of Laurelton and Rosedale stations and waited for the Long Island Railroad to take us to school?. Where are those of us, who had our own culture, the culture of P.S. 156, and Merrick Road, later to become Merrick Blvd? What happened to those of us who made the choice to go to Far Rockaway and opt for the train instead of the bus to Andrew Jackson High School, thus sublimating ourselves to the overwhelming culture of the Rockawayites? Even now, as I log onto the site, it is overwhelmingly of the Rockaways, the public schools they attended, the shops they frequented and the friends they made.
Let's hear about what happened to that
vibrant culture, the kids from Laurelton, who went to Chung's Chinese restaurant
and Safran's delicatessen and the Woolworths on the corner of 129th street
and Merrick Road. How many remember going to Jamaica to the Valencia
theater, with it's fantastic skylike ceiling with ######### stars
and clouds, or for our first part time jobs in Macy's or the many shops
along Jamaica Ave? Who among you remember the "Itch" our Laurelton
movie house and meeting friends there? Is anyone as old as I am who
can remember when the Bee Line bus ran along Merrick Road, before it became
a Blvd, and the city busses ran on it? Does anyone out there
remember Walter's taxi or Marder's pharmacy, and who among you can
tell me what happened to P.S. 156, where I made my first friends?
Where are you all? I remember Laurelton, and my Irish, German, and
Jewish friends as the great melting pot of my youth. I remember going
to St. Claire's
church in Rosedale with my Catholic
friends, because Laurelton didn't have one Catholic church.
I brag about my childhood with anyone who will listen, but where have you all gone?
BTW, I graduated from P.S. 156 in June of 1946. I know it's a long time ago, but there must be some of my classmates a) who are still living, and b) who have learned to use a computer. Let's hear it for Laurelton. We were always in the minority, but that doesn't mean we should remain invisible.
Sue Carol Ludacer (Nussbaum, Ragland) Email address: suenussbaum@swfla.rr.com
Sue has asked that any responses to her letter be sent to me at rockaway@astound.net and I will post them here. Thanks.
Skip
July 11, 2006
Hi, My name is Lance Wallach and I
attended P.S. 176 J.H.S 59 and Jackson Class of 71. I lived at 231-03 125 Ave.
The attached house block where all the kids came to play. Some of my friends
were Charles Berger, Farrell Brickhouse, Stanley Bellis, Bruce Friedman, Sandy
Kreger, Bruce Friedman and his brother Roy, The Twins, Paul and David Ross,
Howard Wells, Steven Liebowitz, whose father became my stepfather after my
father died, Anthony Salerno, David Weiss, Phillip Towger, etc., etc. Remember
stoopball, and trying to get your ball out of the sewer? One of my key employees
now lives in Laurelton and it is great to go back. The stores are different but
the houses look the same. We used to play wiffleball in the driveway. Kids would
come from all over to try to play in one of our games. How about playing
softball on the island by the cemetery.?
Lance Wallach Email Address:
LAWALLACH@aol.com
July 11, 2006
Hi, Everyone - What a great site! I lived on Jamaica Bay, across from JFK - then it was Idlewild Airport. Anyone remember back that far? I later rode the train with a pleasant young woman, Virginia Schneider, who lived in Laurelton and whose Dad was the Queens County Sewer Commissioner around mid 1950's. Can anyone help me get back in touch with her? I remember also those suspended conversations when the planes would fly over our house, low enough in the evening to light up my bedroom, and the best pizza I've ever had at Pizza King. And how about Weston's, the first fast hamburger place on Burnside Blvd., on the way to Far Rockaway? My name is Barney Shields and I can be emailed at deettagg@aol.com . Thanks for the memories!
Barney Shields Email Address: deettagg@aol.com
July 9, 2006
Hey everyone- I have a small world thing. Do you
remember Robbins Candy Store on Merrick Rd. between 231 and 232 street.
Well I met Mr. Robbins daughter here in Portland and lo and behold, Mr. Robbins
is still alive. More than that, he is visiting his daughter next week, and I am
joining them for a reminiscing dinner and bbq. Will write more about it after
our dinner..
Also had dinner with John DePillis in Riverside last week and met Barbara Rose
in Las Vegas.
If you want to know a bit more about me, I have a web page at
www.rabbiris.com.
(Am moving back to Vegas soon)
Dick Schachet Email Address:
LVRabbi@comcast.net
June 30, 2006
Hi Folks,
My name is Marv Merein. One of my friends, Andy Litsky, from Cambria Heights
just sent me the link to the Laurelton web site. Reading the notes is great fun
and I can not believe all the years it covers. I read notes from people who
lived there in the 1930’s all the way to a current resident who said a recent
home sold for $320,000 compared to $9,600 in 1942.
Laurelton was a bit like Camelot, it was nearly a perfect place to live in the
1960’s. There were 100’s of friends, places to “hang-out” and a place to make
friends for life. I met my wife in Laurelton as did my two brother-in-laws. It
was a simpler life where boys and girls passed their time playing games outside
with low tech equipment and flexible rules. Our parents let us go out and play
after our school and asked that we come home for dinner. In the summer we stayed
outside long past the sun went down and no one carried a cell phone or pager.
I have lived and work all over the world and I can say no place has touched the
‘glow” of Laurelton. In some regards Laurelton in the 60’s was like a Jewish
ghetto and life centered on the Laurelton Jewish Center or the JCH or for that
matter the Chinese restaurant. My favorite “hang-out” was the Laurelton Library
although I never entered it in the four years I was at Jackson. High school
fraternities and sororities served to build life-long friendships and adventures
exploded into our lives with thrills and excitement.
Thank you to all of those who contributed so generously to the emails included
in the website.
Marv Merein Email Address:
marvin.merein@cox.net
PS 156, JHS 59, Andrew Jackson class of 1967
June 30, 2006
Hi - I lived at 134-23 225 ST. -across from the
library- from 1957-1971 when I got married. I went to 156, 59 and Jackson '67-
I loved Carmines pizza and tell my kids that all pizza is judged by that- Thanks
for the site- the memories flood back - I was in Sigma Chi sorority in HS - and
remember the SAR conclaves-
Robin Gallay Fremer Email Address:
rfremer@columbus.rr.com
June 18, 2006
My name was Abbe Rifkin (still is, I work under my maiden name), and I lived at 121-19 235 Street. I have an older brother, Steven (AJHS Class of '60 or '61, I'm not sure) and an older sister, Brenda (AJHS, Class of '68). Neither my younger sister, Charlene, or I attended AJHS, as we moved to Miami Beach at the end of 7th grade (1970), but we all attended P.S. 176 and JHS 59.
I have very definite, very fond memories of Laurelton, and I am sad that my children did not grow up in the kind of neighborhood that I did (it's a different time now, that's for sure--I barely know my neighbors!). Burt and Dave's (I remember when it was Lil' Ed's or something like that), the Laurelton theater and 50-cent Saturday morning movies (and matrons who threw your behind out if you talked too much), the bagel shop where you could watch them make bagels from the window), the toy store, Dr. Rubenstein (his car would come down the street and every kid would disappear into their houses and cower under the bed), Marder Drugs (bought my first box of sanitary pads there, discretely packaged in brown paper--like no one knew what you had), Casual Department store, ringoleeveo, fireflies, kickball, and peaches in the summer, and snowmen, shoveling the sidewalk, and angels in the winter.
I graduated from 176 in 1968,
and fondly remember Mr. LaMont, Miss Altman for kindergarten (remember cray-pas
crayons, and how you were special if you got to use them?), Mrs. Blauschild for
first, Mrs. Manfre for second, Mrs. Cuscione and Mrs. Atwell for third, Miss
Hermer for fourth grade, and Mrs. Clarke for fifth. I remember falling in love
in sixth grade at 59, and crying hysterically when we left for Florida because I
feared I'd never have any friends again (but, of course, I did). I live in
Pembroke Pines, Florida (a suburb of Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale) with my husband
and the youngest of my two daughters (the eldest, 21, is in college and the
youngest is 17 and starting her senior year in high school. I'm an attorney, and
have been a prosecutor since graduating from law school, specializing in high
profile capital murder cases.
Abbe Rifkin Email Address:
Abbeandscott@aol.com
June 13, 2006
My name is Howie Spero. My sister Wendy linked me up with
this site - talk about jogged memories from the past, wow. I hadn't reflected on
Laurelton life in a quarter lifetime. I lived at 130-05 228th St, a memorable 7
block walk to PS156. I share memories of many of you, listening to the
loudspeaker announce the assassination of Pres. Kennedy during 5th grade and
playing hooky on Sat mornings from the LJC. For a lot of the time, the Boy
Scouts (troop 225) were a source of sanity and escape to the boony's out in
Suffolk County ..:) I.S. 59 was a blur although I have somewhat fond memories of
Jackson ('71) before I left Laurelton for my travels westward (I now live in
Davis, CA). Names like Bruce Kessler and Neil Rauch bring back memories of
asphalt softball and punch ball in the P.S 156 schoolyard as well as the
centerfield fenced garden that was a pain when a young Barry Bonds wannabe
placed our one and only ball into the garden in dead center field. Does anyone
else remember walking into Stanley's store on the corner of 230th and Merrick
Blvd to ask for balsa wood - theresponse was always......entertaining and
energetic?
I haven't finished reading all of the postings so I'm sure that some of the
above has been repeated before. Nevertheless, the memories of Laurelton are fond
and I reflect on the simpler times when a day away from home tramping around
Laurelton as a 12 year old did not bring out the FBI and police to locate a
missing child.
I'm currently living in Washington DC where I'm on temporary leave from the
University of California Davis, running a science program at the National
Science Foundation. Drop a line to this email if you remember me - I'd love to
catch up with many of you.
Thanks Skip for putting this forum together.
Howie Spero Email Address: spero@geology.ucdavis.edu
June 10, 2006
Hi Skip, My brother called me to let me know that he was posted on a page about Laurelton, Queens NY. He told me to go to Google to look him up. I can not find his blog. (not sure if blog is the right word) Is this the only web sight for Laurelton?
Anyway just to let you know that my family moved to Laurelton
from Inwood Manhattan in 1961 and I was 13 years old. My brothers were a bit
younger. Louis Basher who posted a blog was only 5 years old and my brother
Richard Basher was 8 years old. Another brother Harry was born in 1966.
We lived at 139 33 229th Street, in Laurelton about 5 blocks south of Merrick
Blvd. and not far from the LIRR on 225th Street (I think). I was in the 9th
grade and attended a Junior High School on Springfield Blvd. I think the number
was 59. After that I attended Andrew Jackson High School and I graduated in
1965, at the age of 17. In 1966 I traveled to Manhattan to work. In 1968 I met
my husband at a Purim Dance at the Laurelton Jewish Center. We married in June
of 1969 and moved to Brooklyn.
We lived in two locations in Brooklyn for 25 years and we now live in Bellmore L.I. with our children and grandchildren. My husband Jack had lived in Springfield Gardens and when he met me his family was living in Arverne, Queens. My name was Gail Joan Basher and my married name is Holzman. I had many wonderful friends in Laurelton, but unfortunately I have lost contact with them. Some names that I remember are Lynette Brown, Eileen Arshansky, Wilma ?? , Yvette Brody??, and Jessica ? ??Martinson, also Paul Donato. Thank you for your time. you can contact me at gajobh@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon.
Gail Holtzman Email Address: gajobh@gmail.com
June 7, 2006
Hi to all Laurelton
people:
My name is Bill Stein
(I was called Willie back then) I lived at
I would appreciate
anyone who remembers me and has the same great memories as I do, please
e-mail me at bstein@aztecny.com.
Still live in NY, actually
Bill 'Willie' Stein Email Address: bstein@aztecny.com
June 3, 2006
Hi to all!!! What memories this site brings back. I lived at 135-02 232 St. (1964-1973) and later at 235-06 131 Ave. I worked at Chicken Delight and Danny's Taxi. My brother Eddie Reiff lives in Georgia now and I am in Suffolk County. I remember Murray's candy store, the bike shop, Burt & Dave's (before and after the fire), Mr. EDD's, the Laurelton Kosher Deli, Ridgewwod and Meadowbrook Banks, P.S. 156, IS 59 and SGHS! I used to hang out with Lori and Larry Ribler, Micheal and Andrew Blumenthal, Leslie Ginsburg, Marla Malkman, Susan Berman, Jay Pickus, Elliot Mallemuth. Remember Donna Berman, she is a Rabbi and teacher. Remember the Blue Light Patrol? La Tosca, Pendl's music center, Franks Barber Shop, boy what a flood of memories.
I would like to hear from anyone who I
went to school with or remembers either my brother or myself.
William Reiff Email Address:
metman41@yahoo.com
May 28, 2006
Hi all,
What a cool site! I can't believe how many names and streets and places that
were mentioned sounded so familiar to me, like it was only yesterday!!!
My name is Nikki but in growing up and in high school I used my middle name,
Jane. Maiden name was Wedgewood. Andrew Jackson HS grad 1960. My dad owned
Wedgewood Studios (photography studio on Merrick Rd). I remember Raab's drug
store, Kern's bicycle store, Sam's candy store, Changs restaurant, A&P
supermarket where my mom shopped. Grew up and lived at 130-20 234th Street! I
can't believe how many names on this site lived so near me!!!
My friends were (in no particular order) Carol Lewis, Howie Hiller, Helene Hech,
Bonnie Grey, Margie Slott, Eileen McDonald, Penny (her father owned Sam's candy
store and what a treat it was to go there!!), Steve, and some others where the
names escape me. I played cards (usually Hearts) very often with Carol, her mom,
Howie, and some others. I remember Penny & Eileen hangin' out at Kern's bike
store and asking me to go. My dad was very strict, and mostly I wasn't allowed.
There were many parties in our family's basements. Helene's twin brother (Barry)
had old films and made them into videos. Some 9 or 10 years ago, there was a
mini Laurelton reunion where I got to see some of the names I mentioned again.
We met twice, about a year or two apart, at a restaurant on Long Island. It was
then Helene's brother gave us each copies of the videos. I get such a kick outa
watching them!! Anyway, I lived in Laurelton for about 21 years; then lived in
Queens a few years, lived in the "Y" on West 50th Street in NYC a few times
while going to school, then working, and then spent 34 years of my life on Long
Island (Levittown). Three years ago, my "better half" (Jim) and myself moved to
the Poconos in Pa, where we live in a beautiful gated community, surrounded by
nature and clean fresh air!
I have 2 sons (one married, one single) both who live on Long Island. Married
son has 3 kids. My email address is after my first grandchild, Megan!
I am still in touch via email with Carol, Howie, Helene, Margie, & Eileen. I
will be sending them the link to this site.
Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me and wants to reminisce.
:) Nikki (Jane Wedgewood) Email Address:
Megansoma@aol.com
May 23, 2006
Robin Spence Email Address: robinspence@verizon.net
May 21, 2006
Hi,
I remember "Milk Period" but in P.S.176 we had cookies covered in pink or white
icing or pretzel rods. There was one girl in our class, Sheila who wouldn't buy
any cookies because they weren't kosher so Miss Hermer , the meanest and most
frightening teacher I've ever encountered, got us kosher cookies. From that day
on I saw my teacher in a new light. She was the one who introduced me to the
French language, French culture, and to the joy of eating cavier and dates.
I'm in touch with several of my old schoolmates but I'm still searching for the
following people: Linda Kramer, Eddie Finemen, Vivian Keister, Arden Sue Travitz.
Last of all does anyone have any information about Henry Solganik who taught
French in JHS 59?
Deborah Gelfand Goren Email Address:
debgor2@yahoo.com
May 16, 2006
I still keep up with the new postings and reread the old ones to pep up my reveries. I'm still looking for the "Time Machine" that could rerun those fantastic days. Nothing but good fortune to you, I'm a believer.
Howie Katz Email Address: Katz4bike1@aol.com
May 6, 2006
Hello, I lived 234-11 129 Avenue. I graduated from Andrew Jackson 1960. Went to 156 for six months. Laurelton was the most magical place to grow up in. I don't think that there was another town like it. We were safe, happy and soooooooooo innocent. Everyone knew everyone and there was no peer pressure. Unfortunately life will never be that pure and wonderful again. I now live in Tamarac, Florida. I am in touch with several people from school. My brother is Henry Kessler class of 58, my name is Sandra Kessler Brandt.
Sandra Kessler Brandt Email Address: tgjl@hotmail.com
April 16, 2006
I am 45 now living in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with my husband and eight-year old boy. I would like to go back to see Laurelton sometime. My dad was there several years ago before he passed away and took a picture, and my sister, brother and I were so happy that our old house looked so nice. If anyone would like to write to me, I would be happy to hear from you. Happy holidays!
Valerie Eastman Email Address: Dubbly9797@aol.com
April 16, 2006
April 16, 2006
April 7, 2006
I was born in 1956 and went to PS 132..Mrs. Bernstein, Mrs. Lakritz, Mrs. Middlemiss (I loved her) Mrs. Perlman, Mrs. Semon (the meanest teacher alive!!) Our principal was Mr. Brau, we called him Mr. Eyebrow because his eyebrows met in the middle. Some friends I loved roller skating, jumproping, hopscotching and playing "war" were: Neil Rappaport, Max Simon, Marion Zucker, David Nagelberg. I remember Crystal Lewis was in my class and she told me who the Beatles were (I thought they were bugs that came here from England, swift kid that I was!)
Janet Shapiro Email Address: madaymaday@verizon.net
April 1, 2006
WHAT A WONDERFUL WEBSITE THAT I FOUND BY ACCIDENT. My name
is Jeff Goodman and I lived at 131-62 225 St. from 1948 to 1964. I went to PS
132, JHS 59, and Andrew Jackson where I g raduated in 1964. Now I live in
Boca Raton Fl with my wife of 28 years. I just loved Carmine's pizza, Raab's ice
cream , Mr. Singer's candy store at 225 and Merrick. The Laurelton movie theater
was 25 cents on Saturday and it was 25 cartoons. There were these ugly matrons
in white outfits that escorted you out if you were too noisy. One day,
I threw an ice cream cone at the screen. It was worth getting thrown out for
that.
Remember bon bons? Couldn't watch a movie without that. My favorite movie was an
Abbott and Costello flick. Life was so wonderful back then. It is just too bad
we were too young to really appreciate it. Please contact me at Jefbg@aol.com to
exchange more fond memories. Hello to you all. This website made my day.
Jeff Goodman Email Address: Jefbg@aol.com
March 22, 2006
March 22, 2006
The best was the full back page which reads like this:
Howie Katz Email Address: katz4bike1@aol.com
February 23, 2006
I am tying to locate some additional pictures and stories from my Grandfather Harold's Raab's Luncheonette or Raab's ice cream parlor. It was located on Merrick Road. My Dad is turning 60 on 3/17/06 and he would be overwhelmed with stories and/or photos from him past. Anything you can find or remember, please send me an email. Thank you - Jill Raab, daughter of Joseph Raab.
Jill Raab Email Address: jraab1024@aol.com
February 19, 2006
Hi, my name is Sherry Axelrod, 138-19-230 Street, LA 5-4275, and FI 1-1544. Great site, brought back great memories. I went to PS 156, JSH 59 and graduated AJHS in ’65. I have an older brother Paul, who went to Far Rockaway and AJHS. Our family was extremely active in the LJC, my father Irving was the Rabbi’s right hand man for the High Holidays, and during the year, was the one who was always throwing the kids out of the service for being too noisy.
About 2 years ago, I drove through Laurelton to show my new husband where I grew up. Though everything looked smaller, and the four very long blocks to Merrick Road seem shorter, the houses and property looked great. The islands were we walked the dogs and never “picked up” were beautifully landscaped, and in fact, there were signs in front of some of the houses, and on the islands that announced the winners of a Laurelton Beautification Contest. Of course, the hardest to look at was our beloved Laurelton Jewish Center…it is now a church with bars on the beautiful stained glass windows. I live in Boynton Beach, FL to a wonderful Rabbi, and we will be relocating within the year to Costa Rica.
I hope to hear from those of you who remember me.
Sherry Axelrod Email Address: shipper@broward.org February 14, 2006
Hello, everyone - my name is Pamela Melusky (formerly
Pamela Glasner) and I grew up in Laurelton. My address was 138-25-234th
St. My house backed up to the Belt Parkway - in fact, there was an exit
off the Parkway right behind my house. The turn was so sharp that if you
took it too fast, you ran the risk of ending up in my backyard. I remember
laying in bed on school mornings, waiting to hear the screech of tires
as some careless driver struggled to maintain control of his car. I got
so used to hearing that sound that I actually considered it bad luck if
the day did not start out that way.
Speaking of noise, we were not too far from Kennedy
Airport, and we were in the path of a runway. The planes were so low by
the time they passed over our block that we’d have to routinely pause in
our conversations and wait for the plane to pass - or the person you were
speaking with would not be able to hear you. Sundays were especially tough,
as flights would come in every two minutes. Anyone who lived in line with
the airport knew not to show your house on Sundays if you were trying to
sell it!
Directly behind my house was Laurelton Parkway,
the service road for the Belt. Then there was an area we called “The Greens”,
where we played for hours every day during the summer, and where the best
sledding was in the winter. Right next to that was “Twin Ponds”, where
we all learned to ice skate and where, occasionally, someone would fall
thru the thin ice at the pond's edge near the bridge.
Cross the bridge into Rosedale, where (when I
got older) I caught the bus for JHS 59 and later Springfield Gardens HS,
and we’d pass St. Claire’s Church and Catholic school and, of course, Manny’s
- the Candy Store where we’d buy Bazooka gum for a penny, or baseball cards
with a slice of rock-hard nasty gum inside, or pink-colored ball for punch-ball
- I personally liked the Pensy-Pinky (if I’m spelling it correctly); my
brother liked the Spaulding. And, of course, we’d buy our Archie comics.
And - last but never least - Egg Creams!
I remember we had phone numbers that started with
names - like Laurelton 7-7942 (mine) and Fieldstone 1-3413 (my friend Nancy’s).
And our zip codes were 5 digits long, but we only needed the last 2 digits
to mail something. We had a milk box next to the side door in the alleyway
- a white-uniformed man would deliver the milk in glass bottles with paper
caps on them, early in the mornings.
As soon as school was out, my friends and I would
play outside all day long - we’d be gone from early morning until dinner
time - and my mom never worried where I was or if some crazy person might
abduct me. In fact, all the mothers would throw the kids out! It would
never have occurred to any of us to spend a day in front of a TV unless
we were sick in bed.
Sometimes we’d walk to Green Acres and shop; sometimes
we’d just hang out at Twin Ponds; sometimes we’d take a bus into Jamaica
and just walk around; sometimes we’d take a different bus and go to Rockaway
Beach. My Great Uncle Jack had a house on Beach 33rd Street. We’d leave
our stuff there and walk to the beach, spend the entire day there and come
home in time for supper.
We used to get ahold of some lumber and 4 wheels
and make a “Go-Kart”, a simple contraption shaped like the letter “I”.
I was always the person in the rear providing the power to move us forward
(we all called it “Pammy Power”) and the breaks to stop us. I guess I must
gone through a lot of shoes . . .
Then at night we’d sit on the stoop (usually mine
or Diane Ritter's) and listen to the Beatles on our record players, or
catch lightning bugs, or just sit and talk about the latest clothing styles
to come across from England (remember Twiggy?).
At 11 years old my friends and I went, unescorted
by adults, to the World’s Fair in Flushing. Just three 11-year-old girls.
Our parents gave us spending money for the day, directions as to which
busses to take, and sent us on our way. I can’t imagine doing that now,
if I had a child of that age . . .
My best friends on the block were Nancy Amsel
(across the street from me), Diane Ritter (next door), Ellen Keltz (down
the street, at the corner) and Susan Muchnick (across the street). Brad
Packer also lived across the street, and Billy Bird lived on the corner,
across from Ellen Keltz. I lived there from 1955 (my parents bought the
house just before my 2nd birthday) until 1971 when I graduated from high
school.
I graduated from PS 156 in 1965, JHS 59 in 1967
and SHGS in 1971. I was accepted at City College, but never went, because
my parents brought me to CT. Actually, moving to CT was more like an Exodus:
first the Rabbi moved, then the Glicks, then the Glasners.
I have friends now, but have never, since I left
there, had the kind of friends, or felt that same assumed welcome - that
knowledge that you are welcome to just walk into someone’s house, sleep
over, have a meal, ask permission of a parent not yours and know that that
permission is as good as you own parent’s, because they’re like an extended
family . . . . and I still, at 52, miss that.
When I was about 12, I had a very vivid, frightening
dream that has always stuck with me. In the dream, I had stayed away from
my block for a long time and when I finally returned - still a little girl
- you know how dreams are - no-one recognized me and (the very strange
thing) all of the houses looked small, as though they had shrunk. It was
one of those dreams that stays with you for years, for whatever reason.
After my family moved out of Laurelton in 1971, it was years before I went
back. But go back I did, fourteen years later, with some friends from Connecticut.
And my dream came crashing back into my head. Only now it was real. No-one
knew who I was - every house on the block had changed hands - and all the
houses looked tiny to me! Maybe it was simply perspective - when you’re
small, everything looks big, I guess. It was the most powerful case of
Déjà vu!
Sometimes I wonder how my life would have turned
out if my parents had not moved me to New England. Sometimes I think I
might have been happier. Not that I’m not happy now - I have a wonderful
husband; my son is the finest human being who was born in the year 1977;
I love what I am doing for a living; I have the proverbial house in the
country with a cat and two dogs and a two-car garage. I just think that,
perhaps, a transplant of that sort, into such a dramatically different
world, particularly when one has no say in the matter, is a trauma that
always leaves one wondering . . . .
Well, I did not mean to sound maudlin. After all,
life is what you make it - and mine is fine, indeed. I think I would like
a reunion - a Laurelton reunion. Perhaps we could have it somewhere near
the old neighborhood, then have a bus take us through the neighborhood,
block by block.
I’d love to hear from anyone who remembers me
or any of what I have mentioned above.
Best regards,
February 11, 2006
Those were the old days, but we liked it. We found
crazy things to occupy our time, like sledding down towards the freeway
near the bridges, running across the same freeways, throwing eggs down
at the cars (getting caught and threatened by a motorcycle cop to put me
on the bike and bring me to jail-yeah, right), exploring the tunnels in
between the freeways and Brookville Park, almost suffocating to death in
1967 when some kids set the picnic benches in there on fire, and lying
to our folks about the smell, saying we rolled in burnt leaves). Running
around the streets of Laurelton at night talking on walkie-talkies and
nearly getting mugged, living on the handball courts near So.Conduit Ave
and Laurelton Parkway. Putting pennies on the railroad track, cheating
death or injury on the third rail. If our parents only knew....but I'm
sure your kids are thinking the same thing about you nowadays!
Jeffrey Lyons said that 1963 was the last summer
of innocence. So true. Life changed after Lee Harvey decided to make a
name for himself. Guns were no longer available for purchase through magazines.
People were skeptical of government. Viet Nam fed cynicism. The world seemed
to be in chaos. Right now I'm into doo-wop, have been for 6 years. It's
the music that started it all and was there before The Beatles. It's a
peaceful change from the rock and roll I've collected for 25 years. It's
so innocent. It reminds me of Laurelton, where I lived from 1962-1975.
We had a few celebs living there as well. I heard that Paul Simon bought
his mom a home on 225th st. Orlando Cepeda, Sam DeLuca, Dick Tiger, and
though it was Rosedale I'm including Ron Turcotte, lived there. A little
north in Cambria Heights could be found the Shangra-Las, leading the pack.
Kareem shopped at the supermarket where I worked, as did his 6' 2" mom.
So did a famous jockey. No one mentioned the 1964 visit to the Laurelton
Jewish Center by Robert Kennedy. I grabbed his arm and he looked a little
disturbed, but he was nice about it. Gary Pattick took the yamulke from
Kennedy's head. I often wonder if he still has it. Kennedy stood on the
moving car. It was cool.
We had fun back then. The good years for me were
from 1962-1972. The changes brought in gangs, and muggings. Stanley was
allegedly murdered in his store, the suspect someone I played ball with!
My brother got mugged, my co-worker got mugged where my brother got mugged,
and I developed really good side-vision due to walking home from work at
midnight. There were tragedies in the 1960's there. Every town has them.
Harry Bernstein, who went with the beautiful Wendy Fox, was murdered in
Hollis. Michael Trewitt's family had a double tragedy. Tommy DeOrta(sp?)
was shot on 232nd st. and Mentone, a bullet hole in the stucco of a house
for years. The gang was called The Aristocrats, hardly scary by today's
standards, but it had some trouble-makers. The real gangs would later use
weapons, not fists.
But there are so many fond memories and old friends.
That's where i read my favorite book, Huckleberry Finn, and would explore
Twin Ponds' caves and the wild areas near Laurelton Parkway and use the
tree swing there near the park. Al Fintz has done a fantastic job in getting
people together on the web. Al, my brother and I do recall when you fell
into Spencer Weiss's pool over 40 years ago. It was like a small town,
like Mayberry. Neighbors were friendly with each other. Porches were in
the front, not the back.
Let me rattle off a few names-Steve Barrett, Brendan
Russell and his little brother Shaun Shaun the Leprechaun, all the Trewitt
boys, Henry Rodriguez, Gary Saltzman, Andy Calavetta, Michael Sher(Mike,
forgive Andy and I for throwing your mom's baking soda cookies across the
street-they tasted like baking soda!), Robert Stegmann, Paul Bedrey, Ronnie
Kerschenbaum and brother Charlie, Robert Freiberg, Robert Gottlieb, David
Kahn, Mark Goret, Scott Rotter, Hal Smollar, Eric and Darrell Taylor, Debbie
and Gail and brother McGrath, Pete Calcarra, Al Lapoff, Phil Shadakofsky
and Shelly K. too, Dan Kramer, David Berkowitz, Robert Hirsch and his cute
little sister Jody, Mike Spano, the Mosteller girls, Mark and Barb Rosenthal,
Jay Pincus, Jon Lakritz, Arlene Gottesfeld, and the Jerkins boys-I didn't
know your dad trained world famous race-horses! Gino Taliercio, and my
newly adopted brother Mike Taliercio!
Well I could write for hours. My name is Glen
Gorsetman and I graduated from PS156 in 1964, JHS 59 in 1966, and SGHS
in Jan. 1970. Hey, Marie Nelson- I had a crush on you! Debbie Kagan too.
Ellen Shapiro - va va voom! But it was just my imagination, running away
with me...Go to Classmates.com people to see the names of old classmates.
My brother Kurt, who sings great like Tom Jones, lived on Mentone Ave.
We looked Italian but aren't. This is a fun website.
Thanks Skip, and all you Laureltonians for making
it happen.
February 11, 2006
Steve Schwartz Email Address:
SSchwartz8@aol.com
February 7, 2006
Hi again everyone,
Thanks to this WEB page I had the most wonderful
experience yesterday. A dear friend of my parents, Anita Turk, found me
on this site awhile back and yesterday hosted a luncheon with many of my
parents other friends (It's been between 25-40 years since I saw them).
She contacted me and I was invited to join them, what a wonderful day full
of precious memories. In attendance was Marilyn Levy, BettyLee Spear, Florence
Lichtman, Florence Kaufman, Ethel and Marty Silverman and hosted by Norman
and Anita Turk, who were in Florida just for a few days. Had it not
been for this site this never would of happened, thank you so much Skip
for providing us with this site.
Paula Wilk Amato, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl
February 3, 2006
Michael Storey Email
Address: mikersto@yahoo.com
January 30, 2006
Dear Skip,
I write to you today to tell you about a story
that took place several years ago...many actually. On a bright brisk fall
day I was heading to Beth David cemetery for the funeral of family member.
I was driving down from our home in New Hampshire with my wife Fern and
three children and since we were early, I took a detour to "Laurelton"
to show my familythe "Hood".
Well to be sure as my car crept down 139th avenue
towards 230th street memories came back one after the other. Looking at
those postage stamp size houses brought back many many giant memories.
I can remember the day I fell through the ice
at Twin Ponds.
I remembered throwing fire crackers at a passing
police car and getting caught....only with the intervention of Captain
Al Kirsch (230th street) did I just get a warning.
I remembered lunch recess ps 156 and playing in
the "yard" and getting the Laurelton Movie colored handbill of the movie
the following Saturday...if your color matched....you got in free!
I remember crowding into the hallway in PS 156
to watch the first space shot that took Alan Sheppard into space.
I remember the "coal" delivery at 156 every August.
I remember climbing the chain link fence
at 156 to get into the inner yard to play ball.
I remember the fights, stickball, softball, handball
and football.
I remember playing Chinese handball (ass's up),
scully, stoopball (ass's up). It still hurts to think about it!
I remember getting turned down for my first date
...... by the girl's mother!
I remember kissing a girl for the first time.
The blackout, assassination, HURRICANE DONNA,
riding my bike to Far Rockaway, going to Green Acres to bowl a couple of
games. My paper route!
Going to Jamaica to register for the draft! Getting
my 1s!
Failing my road test twice (maybe it was an omen).
Getting my drivers license and picking up Kenny
Lane at the LIRR station. GETTING into my first accident with Norman Levenson
and two girls in my fathers brand new BUICK on the Cross Island Parkway!
Getting off the bus from "59 and getting
a slice or eggroll. Good Pizza in NEW YORK!
Lot's of good memories. Laurelton was a family
town and although I recognize very few names on this blog, the 38 years
since I moved from the "hood" didn't seem to move as fast before my visit
as it seemed after my visit.
By the way, as my car approached my old home I
slowed to a crawl.... a elderly woman was walking from my old house with
a grocery cart. I jumped out of the car in my dark suit and sunglasses
in an effort to introduce myself..... my family thought I was nuts as I
startled the women. she put up her hands...she thought I was a cop!
I explained to her that I once lived in the house
and her response was "bullXXXX". I guess I was typecast! What a switch!
Now I live in New Hampshire in the sticks.....
lost contact with all my Laurelton roots, hardly knowing any neighbors
after being on this street for 20 years. My children never played stickball,
scully, Chinese handball or stoopball .......Hollis New Hampshire
is no Laurelton. I wonder if Laurelton is still Laurelton? Does anybody
know?
Regards,
Leslie Getto
If anybody remembers me or my family please write.
Leslie Getto Email Address:
smrarchitectural@msn.com
January 4, 2006
Since finding this site earlier today, I have
been unable to concentrate on work. Reading some of the posts have
brought back incredible memories of my years in Laurelton. My name is Michael
Moskowitz ("Mosk" to most back then), and I lived on 228th Street and (I
think) 137th Ave.from 1965 to 1971. My family moved (thankfully), to Plainview
within weeks of my entering Springfield Gardens HS.
It is amazing how the memories rush back once
someone opens the floodgates. I too lived across the street from Laurelton
Jewish Center like Bruce Kessler (I actually think we lived in the same
2-family house with his family on the bottom), one block from PS 156. I
moved in during third grade.
I read a posting by Steven Bruckenthal, who I
met at IS 59. He listed the names of many of my closest friends from
those early days who I would love to hear from if they see this posting.
They are as follows:
David Abrams, Eric Alperin, Lori Chozick, Mindy
Chozick, J.Scott Chroman, Gary Eisenberg, Susan Feilich, Laura Glass, Andy
Krugman, Rhonda Meserole, Wendy Orshan, Michael Rauch, Wendy Spero,
David Zuber.
FYI, the only person I have seen since moving
in 1971 was Gary Eisenberg.We went to college together for a while
and he used to live in Muttontown, near where I now live. As I write this,
I remember he lived on Francis Lewis Blvd. and we had our Cub Scout meetings
in his house. I remember the Kool-Aid his mom used to serve us.
I live on Long Island and work in New York City.
I can be reached at
mlm@weltmosk.com
Thanks for the memories.
Michael Moskowitz Email Address:
mlm@weltmosk.com
January 1, 2006
Hi Skip,
This is Ron Cowen, then called Ronald Cowen, who
graduated from P.S. 132 in 1968. First, Happy New Year 2006 to everyone!
I've posted to the site once before, and I just wanted to encourage people
who went to P.S. 132 to post their memories. After all, not everyone went
to P.S. 156. Thanks,
Ron Cowen Email Address: rcowen@sciserv.org
January 1, 2006
Hi Skip,
What great fun it is to reminisce the great days
we had growing up in Laurelton. I hope that one of these days someone will
plan another reunion like the one we had about 15 years ago in Hewlett.
I and two other old Laurelton guys get together
every couple of months for dinner in a nice restaurant in Fort Lee, New
Jersey. The three of us are: Bob Berkal, Saul Drubin, Art Kern (me), and
occasionally Bob Fidlow. How about some of you old pals - and certainly
Gals too - joining us. We would love to see and hear first hand from any
or all of you. Anyone who is available please email me and be sure to put
LAURELTON on your subject line so I don't delete it as spam. By the way,
my wife and I live in Watchung, NJ.
Hope to hear from bunches of you, near or far.
Arthur Kern Email Address: AKern@ValueAlliance.com
December 19, 2005Dear
Skip,
November 30, 2005It was great to read down the
website and remember the wonderful years growing up in Laurelton. We lived
at 227-08 139th Avenue from 1952 - 1964. And yes, I too remember our phone
number: LA8 0909. I've already reconnected with several classmates (PS
156 and JHS 59) and would love to hear from others. I'd be especially interested
in memories of LJC, Rabbi Howard Singer and the book he wrote (and we used
in class) With Mind and Heart.
Gloria Frank Rubin Email Address:
shalomrav@snet.net
November 22, 2005
Today is Nov. 22, 2005, a day that will be remembered
by every American, the day that President John F. Kennedy was killed.
It is just like yesterday when we were in PS. 156 and Mr. Kiley announced
on the PA system the dreadful news.
It is hard to believe that 42 years have passed,
but I am sure that we can all remember where we were at that moment in
time and what we were doing. It is just one of those things that binds
us together, like our memories of Laurelton.
To each of us it was a very special place. We
all have our memories of our classmates, teachers, and people who touched
our lives and enriched them.
Skip, I thank you for maintaining this website
so that we can reminisce, and stop every so often and smile and remember
those good old days..love to hear from friends
Barbara Klugsberg Email Address:
jsternberg@yahoo.com
November 19, 2005Hi
Skip, I was Gene Flowerman of 139-19 231st street what a place
it was. I'm 55 now and living in Escondido Ca. and now called Harry
Flowerman. I Remember the old times in Laurelton playing base ball
on a street and yelling "car car" so we would all get out of the way.
And people asking why we let some small kids play and the answer
was "It's his ball" those were the days. Halloween was fun we could
go door to door without our parents worrying. I had a 1930 Ford as
my first car in 1966 and got it running in 1967. It was a fun car slow
and cold in the winter. I drove it all over the place and moved it
to California with me. I been looking for a Paul Levinson from
Laurelton who was one of my buddies. any buddy who remembers me email hflowerman@aol.comHarry
Flowerman Email Address: hflowerman@aol.com
November 7, 2005Found this site by accident and
have enjoyed the memories. Loved hearing from my old classmates.
Thanks! 2 kids from Laurelton who got married:
October 29, 2005I'm looking
for anyone with any pictures or memories of my dad or anyone in his family.
He grew up in Cambria Heights...his parents were Italian, and he was one
of five children. There was Laura, Joseph, Michael, Julia and Rosemarie.
Their last name was Di Vilio. My father was Michael, and his nickname
was Mickey. His father built houses...and one of them was on 118-11
219th St. in Cambria Heights. I can remember some of the neighbors...My
dad was born in 1939...just to give you an idea of grades and years.
Any pictures or memories would be great. My dad has passed and I have very
little to remember him by. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Dorothea Di Vilio - Senetto
Email Address: SenettoGate@aol.com
I just found the Laurelton site today and while
I am waiting for my shutters to be put on, had some free time to "surf"!
Although I don't remember your name, you have mentioned many people I do
remember. I grew up in Laurelton, having moved there from the Bronx in
1938. Our first house was a rental on 226 St. (north side) in an attached
row house on the second block in from Merrick Rd. After that when my Dad
got on his feet a little more (very bad depression years), we moved to
131-78-229 St, and then to 135-47-228 St. We were diagonally across from
PS 156 and the LJC. My parents sold the house the year I married(1952)
to the LJC. I used to baby-sit for Rabbi Teplitz' two children. My Dad
played cards weekly with Irving Masch who was a pharmacist at Rael Drug
store. I am now living in Valencia Isles, Boynton Beach, and got a kick
out of hearing from a local transplant. We are now full-timers here. I,
too have had a long and interesting life and have such fond memories of
Laurelton. I have a younger brother Alan, who also went to PS156. His name
was Alan Margolish, and mine was Marcia Margolish. I graduated from PS
156 in 1944, went to FRHS for 2 years and transferred to Forest Hills High
school where I graduated in 1948. My mom was very active in Hadassah and
Red Cross during those awful war years, and I was married at the LJC in
1952, the first wedding in the "new" building. Hope this information is
interesting to you. Will also post it on the web site. Best regards,
Marcia Margolish Neiman Email Address:
marcianeiman@earthlink.net
October 21, 2005
Skip,
I have been checking the Laurelton page and have
seen many names that sound so familiar. It may sound odd but I miss Laurelton.
It was a special place for a lot of people. A town where everyone new everyone
else. You didn’t have to worry if you went to a friends house at night
or just took a walk. Life was just simpler then. Wouldn’t it
be great to have that back again. We lived in other towns in Long Island
and in Fl. And you never get that hometown feeling again. It truly was
a special place to grow up. Don’t get me wrong all towns have
there special problems but most of it was great. Friends made were lifelong,
I still keep in touch with quite a few Cookie Linette Lasker, Toby Steigletz,
Sandy Ridner, Howie Linette, Norman Samuels, Sue Weinstein then lost touch,
Stuart Hess, Abbott Gerlerta etc. Sometimes you wonder what happened
to certain classmates one being Howie Halyard-he had a wonderful voice,
or Sam Buchannan, Steven Brooks. If any one would like to get
in touch you can e mail.
Barbara Boklan Garfield Email Address:
leebarb1204@bellsouth.net
October 12, 2005
Dear Skip,
This is such a nice site to check out. I have
heard from several people that read my previous letter in August.
Keep up the good work. I would love to hear from anyone that graduated
from P.S. 132 in 1942 and AJHS in 1947. Mr. Blatt was my English teacher
and was still there when my son graduated in 1967. He was then a guidance
counselor.
Elaine Rigsby Email Address:
dulane2000@aol.com
October 2, 2005
From Laureltonite,
Two friends who grew up here, went to JHS 59,
and graduated
LOIS HOROWITZ, JUDY MOSCOWITZ, ROSLYN FISHBEIN
(spelling?)
For Donna, it's ADRIAN SKLAR.
Thank You.
Diane Liebelson Email Address: serenades@nyc.rr.com
August 31, 2005
Hi Skip
A few Laurelton Buddies from the 1960's got together
and came up with names of our fellow classmates in PS 156. We all
graduated in June, 1965. Can you please post this message we would like
to see what old classmates will get in contact with us.
Thanks,
Kurt, Mike, Glen
The Decade Was The 1960's...........The Place
Laurelton, Queens. We had great times and we were to young to figure
out that town would be home even though most of us moved away. Remember
Weekends at The Laurelton Movies......Our First Library Cards at the Queens
Public Library Laurelton Branch? Most of us had friends that are
like family and the relationships are still going strong all these years
later...........
PS 156 - Remember the class trips to Museums,
Ferry Rides and The World's Fair? The weekly class punch-ball game!
The Friday afternoon free time to make models and listen to records. These
things don't happen anymore......But PS 156 made us some great memories.
Unfortunately all school pictures are gone a casualty of the move out of
Laurelton in 1970's. If anyone has the class pictures from 1965 graduating
class, please post them.
Below is a list of our PS 156 Classmates
Larry Kilman
If you are listed above......contact us at
laurelton1960@yahoo.com
Kurt Gorsetman 232-15 Mentone Ave
The addresses above were our old ones in Laurelton
they are not current......
August 31, 2005Skip:
I was referred to your site by one of my brother's.
Reading the postings reminded me of what a "wonderful life" we had in our
corner of Queens in the 1960's and early 70's. This has caused me to uncover
old year books (the IS 59 yearbook was officially "The Senior Summit")
and other memorabilia.
I am Paul Kleidman from 120-03 225th St Cambria
Heights. As with Laurelton, Cambria Heights was a "small town" in the big
city. Linden Blvd was to us what Merrick was to Laureltonians. The hardware
store, was between 225th and 226th, and the super market (I believe a Bohack's)
down around 221st. We had several bakery's (the German near the corner
of 223rd the best), candy stores (penny candy, spaulding, baseball cards),
a pizza place (near 224th St) and a go-cart store (around 228th).
We had great neighbors who watched out for each
other. My cousins - Steve (who has posted to this site) and Ric, who lived
several houses away, have been life long friends and inspirations. The
Benders...Doug was my first hero....served in the navy and I believe on
several missions to recover Apollo space crafts (remember those days) lived
next door and were like family. Then there were the Menchise family - Nick
is still in touch with my cousin Ric and Dave I believe is in Florida.
Those of us that lived south of Linden Blvd went
to PS 176, not a better place to be nurtured. Mr. La Monte was the principle.
I can still remember him telling me about JFK's assassination, and chastising
me for kissing a fellow second grader in the hall. All the teachers were
memorable: 1st - Mrs. Manfre; 2nd - Mrs. Hundley; 3rd - Mrs. Cuscione;
4th - Mrs. Simonetti (thanks for allowing me on the crossing guard in 4th
grade); and 5th - Mrs. Clarke.
My first real friend were there: David Berger,
Jay Kates, Adrienne Brown, Mondel Sealey, Leona Cohen (her dad was also
my doctor), Amy Litsky, Joy Smilon, Carol Strom, David Leboff, Holly Popfsky,
Barbara Bellis, and Barry Koch, to name as many as I can recall (or recalled
from looking over a very old autograph book). Some of these were also my
first "loves", such as they are between first and fifth grade.
In 1967 I was off to IS 59, and my real relationship
with Laurelton. Until then, if you were from Cambria, you generally did
not stray past 130th avenue (where the islands were present along Francis
Louis Blvd), even on Halloween. Query: Those of you who have raised kids
in the past twenty year, would you have allowed your kids to have gone
as far and wide as we did, unsupervised, on Halloween? Probable not, which
is further evidence of the magic of our time and place in history.
IS 59 was remarkable, not so much for the facilities,
some what more so for the teachers, but certainly for the people. Thirty
plus years after leaving there, and regrettable losing track of most of
my classmates (thanks for being a trooper Billy), looking back through
"The Senior Summit" there wasn't a classmate from 9 SP-1 that I didn't
recall and have some memory of. This group consisted of: John Samuels III
(a great artist), Darrell Dove (he took me to my first Nets game in the
old arena), William Gazzerro (way to many memories to recall, since he
was involved, one way or the other, in most), Steven Leeds, Harold Todd,
Gary Thomas, James Menis, Gene Mattos, Jeff Azoulay, Mondell Sealey, Adrienne
Brown, Susan DeMarines (amongst many memories, we'll leave it to the time
I broke the lock on her fathers new car), Patricia Jamieson, three special
friends - Leslie Weitzman, Merri Turk and Judy Kornbluh - each of whom
provided invaluable guidance and support, Michele Moore, Sally LaMendola,
Eugene and Alexander Godilo-Godlovsky (fellow PS 176ers), Richard Steinbeck,
Debra Ilberman, Neil Rapppaport, Henry Simon (hope this finds you well)
and Vicki Rader. The other 9 SP classes also had many friends, including
transplants from Cambria like Jay, Barry and Leona.
After school and on weekends I remember cruising
Merrick, J & S Pizza (now in Belrose across from the old bowling alley...stopping
there occasionally on the way home from mom's in Franklin Square), the
movie theatre, and dances and other functions at the LJC. I also remember
sleep-overs with "raids" on some of the girls houses accessed by using
the shortcut from Cambria to Laurelton thru the cemetery. To protect the
innocent I make no mention of which of the girls houses we raided.
After IS 59 I went to Jackson, one of the few
in those days (1970-1973) to do so. I made many new friends, some of whom
I still keep in touch with, some of whom are still best friend...my brothers
and cousins, as well as Charlie Cooper, and my brother Carl's best friend
Chris Policano. However the days I spent at 59, and after school in Laurelton,
were special.
I wax nostalgic for many reasons, not the least
of which is, with my youngest daughter (I have three daughters, probable
some cruel pay back for my years hanging out in Laurelton) off to high
school next week, I realize how lucky we were. For all those of you that
find this post, I hope this finds you well and happy, and this brings back
just a moment of those days.
With wonderful memories, Paul Kleidman
Email Address: jlkklyde@optonline.net
August 31, 2005
Skip,
What a pleasure to find this gem of a site. Born,
raised and schooled in Cambria Heights, 120-19 225 Street, I graduated
PS 176 in 1968. But life did not really start until I went to IS 59 (when
we started it still was JHS 59), and I met the residents of Laurelton,
that turned into the friends and people that have molded me into the person
that I am today.
Throughout my life, people tell me about the friends
that they made in high school, or relationships forged in college. When
I tell the stories of my adolescence, I tell the tales of Laurelton. Basketball,
dancing (grinding) , stick ball, drinking (sorry mom), football at Alley
Pond Park, sneaking through windows, (sorry to all the dads who now have
daughters).
Cambria Heights, had great friends and great relatives.
The 5 Bruckenthal/Kleidman BOYS...My brother Eric (Ric), the elder statesman
of the clad, was 3 1/2 years my senior. The first in the family to wear
the colors (Officer) of the school crossing guards, does it surprise any
of us, that he is today the Chief of Police in Suffolk County. And all
the boys followed in his foot steps, well as crossing guards and officers
at least. Paul, Carl and Larry (Yogi) Kleidman, our three-first cousins,
raised 4 houses down, all went through PS 176 and JHS/IS 59. I was right
there in the middle of group...Cambria was the world to me...But then came
59!
Was I book smart, or as I insist, were the challenges
of 59 more about getting us out alive...7SP2 and 9SP2 came calling...What
did I know, I answered...What evolved were best friends, best romances,
best experiences....We were black, we were white. We were Jewish, we were
Catholics. We were male we were female. We would ride our bikes from Cambria
Heights, the three miles to 156 and spend the day until the sun was long
past gone in Laurelton. Our parents didn't know where we were, it was a
time before cell phones, before concerns of what could happen, we were
naive, and we were so very happy. First kisses, first sips, first of many
things.
I go back to the old neighborhood, and think about
the best times, the best friends, best girl friends. Where are they now...You
try to stay in touch, a visit on the weekend, a college weekend, but we
all went our separate ways. Other then my family, I have lost you all...Well
except Chris Policano, who we've been trying to lose for years! Where
are you now, my best friends, my allies, my partners in crime and sport.
My true loves! I hope that life has been great to you all, and that my
worse fears (you know who you are) did not come true! This will be in alphabetical
order, but you know where you really stand on the list! This is even more
appropriate that I write to you today. Today, my son, turns 14. He too
has just ended his Middle School years, and as he enters high school, I
see and I know, that his friends will be with him for life. I am so jealous!
David Abrams, Eric Alperin, Lori Chozick, Mindy
Chozick, J.Scott Chroman, Gary Eisenberg
Steven Bruckenthal Email
Address: WHARTON13@aol.com
or sbruckenthal@ref-point.com
August 28, 2005Hi Skip:
August 25, 2005
What a trip down memory lane when I found this
website on my email from a son of a friend.. I grew up at 137-40 232nd
street and graduated PS 156 in 1957 and JHS 59 in 1960 and AJHS in 1963.
I recognize many of the teachers and friends..
PS156 was the best with the best bunch of kids
and teachers.. They even let us listen to the World Series on the room
intercom and I remember hearing Don Larsen's perfect game in 1955. There
was no TV. The best pitchers in town were on the stickball field
at the schoolyard with the Pensy Pinkie curving into the chalked box on
the wall. Billy Berkowitz was the star player. Punchball was another gerat
sport and clearing the inner fence for a HR was a badge of honor
Since I went to Queens College I lived at home
until 1967 and throughout my college years I worked as a weekend maitre
d' at the House of Chang at Green Acres with Marshall Shapiro, the only
2 Caucasians working there. I am sure many of you ate there on Sundays
as the food was great. If anyone knows Marshall's whereabouts (he lived
North of Merrick around 226th) or of his cousin Jackie Coopersmith I would
appreciate hearing from you. I have moved West but always will think of
that great little town where my parents bought a house in 1943 for $3000.
Jeffry A. Bernstein Email Address:
jab@coblentzlaw.com
August 22, 2005
I just recently 'bumped' into this site....and
was surprised some people remember me. My name is Neil Rappaport....the
one who lived at 133-27 226th street (right next to Tom's Barber Shop)
from 1959 to 1973 (when we moved to San Diego). My parents owned Samuel
Cleaners on Merrick Blvd (between 226th and 227th streets); I have an older
brother, Howard, who attended schools in Laurelton straight through Andrew
Jackson High School.
I attended PS 132 and wish I could find my old
school pictures to jog my memory (which is poor). Max Gilman was (and still
is) most oldest friend; he now lives in Merrick (Nassau county); over 47
years of friendship.....WOW. We lived down the block from the Kanowitz
family but close to many families. At PS 132, I had Mrs. Fleck, Middlemiss,
Reiff, Perlman, and Semon.....with lots of friends in all the same classes:
Beth Brautman (thanks for remembering me), Robin Fader, Todd Herald, Craig
Casey.....the absolutely brilliant Mitchell Novick and Richard Angrist
(whom I'm sure when straight from elementary school to medical school).
I.S. 59 friends combined the above with the PS 156 folks.....and some of
those people were Leslie Weitzman, Merri Turk, Billy Gazerro (who didn't
mention me, but I do remember lots of the same people he mentioned), Debbie
Ilberman, Bernard Kavaler (who tried earlier to contact me).....and Judy
Kornbluh (clearly a wonderful person!). I think I was in 6E5...and 7SP1
and 9SP1 (am I right?) Mrs. Krantz's going away present anyone? Regents
exams? in Math, French, etc.
I was part of the smaller JCH (as opposed to you
LJC folk)....and need to find my Bar Mitzvah pictures to remember exactly
who attended; it was 1969 and I'm sure my double-breasted suit with my
wild tie will always embarrass me (but that was the fashion then).
I've driven down Merrick Blvd only once since
I moved away in 1973....I try to remember all the stores (eg., Stanleys,
the bakeries, bagel bakery near the library, the Chinese Restaurants (which
were always packed right after Yom Kippur, hmmmmm), the movies, the pizza
places, etc). Thanks for the website b/c it does bring back fond memories.
I'm sure I've not mentioned some people specifically;
my apologies....it's been a long time and a great distance for me. Regards
to all.
Neil Rappaport Email Address:
neilrapp@charter.net
August 19, 2005
August 10, 2005
Hi Skip,
Is anyone else struck by the contrast of the twoentries,
side-by-side: Dorothy skipping around the auditorium versus the terrified
rider of the Q 43? I think the reason "we" have been moved to convey our
collective memories here is precisely because our idyllic place has disappeared
- vanished - and few have been fortunate enough to replicate the
life we had led. As Carol wrote: nobody believes our recollections! But,
by logging on to this site, our memories of "the bliss" are confirmed by
people we don't even know.
So what do we learn from these stories, and the
disparities, and the poignant contrasts? Anyone?
Susan Katz Email Address: susanemilyus@yahoo.com
August 8, 2005
I grew up @ 133 - 27 221st in Laurelton. I attended
PS 132 and had Mrs. Bernstein,Mrs.Feldman, Mrs. Furman, Mrs. Stein &
Mrs. Kerner as teachers. My brother & I were in SP until 6th grade.
I was transferred to PS 184 in Whitestone during the whole busing crisis.
If I thought I was minority in a predominantly black school. I was
one as well in the predominantly white school I was bused to in Whitestone.
We were of the very few Asians that lived in the neighborhood.
Mrs. Powell was the school librarian at the time.
That was my favorite place to be. I tutored 3rd graders when I was in 5th
& 6th grade. I remember it seemed strange that there was a synagogue
in the neighborhood that was changing quickly. My neighbors were Italian,Irish
and German....then Jamaican and so on. They moved away during the late
70's. I had friend's that
My house was next to a supermarket called Bohack.
I thought that to be a funny name back then. It was riddled with graffiti
by a local gang known as the Black Spades. There was a candy store around
the corner on Merrick Boulevard which later installed bullet proof glass.
This was something that the liquor store across the street did as well.
Broken glass bottles and bullet proof glass were to become synonymous with
Merrick Boulevard. Woolworth's was still around and the old man Stanley
shuffled along the wooden floors when I would go to buy a ball or look
through the out dated wooden bins. I always bought my notebooks from there
before the store was demolished. I'd walk to Green Acres or bike there
along Merrick Blvd. We'd be extra careful
My parents bought their house in the late 50's.
My mother grew up in the city on the upper west side. I think they were
surprised by the radical change that occurred so quickly in the neighborhood.
We witnessed a gentrification without realizing it. I once found a syringe
and white powder in an eyeglass case in the parking lot of the defunct
Bohack;s..it had become an auto parts store. Our neighbor across the street,
lived there for a long time before my family, had a son who had come home
from Vietnam. He never worked. I used to think he was cool. He had a huge
afro and all of his friends would stop by to hang out with him. His back
yard was next to an old man's yard by the name of Emil. One day this cool
man died of a drug over dose. He was a product of those times.
I was lucky to have my teachers nurture my scholastic
and artistic abilities. I went on to a specialized highschool in NYC and
graduated from a Pratt Institute with an Art degree. My sister and I witnessed
racism on the Q76 & Q77 on a daily basis to and from school. I had
to attend Bayside highschool for one day before entering the school I was
to attend ( Art & Design ). On the way home before getting on the Q43,
the sidewalk had been scribbled with colored chalk, " The Q43 to Africa
". This was the bus my sister had to take before finally transferring to
Jamaica High.
I have not been to Laurelton in a long time.....the
part of my life was smack in the middle of race conflicts and hormonal
changes.
Lisa Resurreccion Email
Address: Resurreccionaeon@aol.com
July 20, 2005
Hi,
I went to PS 156 and then I went to Springfield
Gardens JHS 59 and then I moved to Great Neck. I guess I graduated
from 156 around 1962 and then I went to 2 year SP graduating from 59 about
1964. I remember being in an SP class with various teachers
I remember like Mrs. Seltzer, Mrs. Murain, Mrs. Cohen who collected rocks
from all 50 states, Mrs. Greenberg I think also. I took French in
JHS so I was in the 2 year SP French group. I remember trick-or-treating
for miles around until it became too dark, a house near the pond we ice-skated
at with incredible indoor Christmas villages that we could wander into.
I remember spelling bees, singing contests, and my crowning moment as Dorothy
in the Wizard of Oz, skipping around the auditorium.
Loren Wissner Greene Email
Address: LWGreene@aol.com
July 20, 2005
HiMy maiden name was Deborah Gelfand. I use to
live at 121-34 238 St. I went to P.S.176. Who could forget Miss Herman
? She still gives me nightmares. Across the street lived Arlene and her
brother Jerry Rouse. I also remember Jojo who was also known as little
Jo, Big Jo who played the piano while his mother sung along and the Marcus
family.
I'm looking for Susan Jacobs, Francis Einzcig,
Arden Sue Traubitz, and Eddie Feinburg. I'd love to hear from any one who
knew me then.
July 12, 2005
Hi Skip,
My eldest son, Howard Rigsby (Class of 67-AJHS)
discovered this website. I grew up in Laurelton at 130-40 228 Street from
1929 to 1948 and graduated from AJHS in January of 1947.
I went with Dallas Smith of 137-11 227 Street
and have been trying to find out whatever happened to him. We were Puppy
Love Sweethearts. He graduated from Rhodes in 1946.
Elaine Rigsby Email Address: DULANE2000@aol.com
July 5, 2005
My Laurelton memories are pretty dim but would
hope they'd be refreshed by some of you who might remember the Garson Family
on 232 St. My parents were Sascha and Eli. We moved there from Sunnyside
in either 1940 or 1941. My brother, Marvin was born there on the Sunday
following Pearl Harbor. I remember my first day of school at P.S. 156.
One of my friends was Judy Masch. I think her father's name was Irving.
I also remember Ian and Jeffrey Mackler, sons of Mildred and Phil Mackler
who lived on the other side of Merrick Rd. Also, Charles & Adrienne
Bernstein, children of Ruby & Harry. Also, the Nagel sisters -- Barbara,
Carol, & Ellen. And, of course, the Schackets.
Today I live in San Diego, CA with my husband
Mac who actually lived in Laurelton for a year with his first wife in about
1970, long after I had left Laurelton for many other places. I've got 3
kids & 11 grandchildren. Although we spend most of our time in San
Diego, we are at our Delray Beach, FL condo for about 12 weeks every year.
Haven't seen Laurelton for at least half a century and wish that our family
had stayed there longer. We left soon after The War ended.
Sue Garson Persaud Email Address: suegarson@sbcglobal.net
July 5, 2005
Hi! My name is Scott Plakun. I was born in 1952,
and grew up a 128-19 236 Street, next to Shelley Levine, who just turned
me on to this site. So I'm also from "the other side" of Laurelton. I attended
PS 176 (with memorable teachers like Mr Solzberg and Miss Herman), JHS
59 (the teacher I remember best from there was Mrs. Shula Hirsch: I don't
remember whether she taught English or Math or Social Studies, I do remember
she had published a book about the time she lived in Israel) and Andrew
Jackson High School (Mr and Mrs Wolfson, Mr. La Rocca, Mrs. Leidner, Mr.
Amatrudo, and who can forget SING! with Mrs Lifshey and Mrs Reich)
My circle of friends included Shelley, Caryn Katz
(now living in Toronto), Debbie Cohen (last I heard, she was in the Chicago
area), Malcolm Kushner (now in Santa Cruz), Steve Nelson (New Orleans),
and a bunch of people I've completely lost touch with: Toni Bartelucci,
Stephen Goods, Paul Tucker, Dennis Perman, Elliot Schwartz...
One of my fondest food memories of Laurelton is
the Wong's Chinese take-out restaurant, which was "closed Mondays unless
holiday falling on Monday", as I recall. I now live in San Francisco, where
there's plenty of great Chinese food, but I really miss Wong's style of
some specialties, including shrimp with lobster sauce, subgum pork with
almonds, wor shoo opp, and those fabulous huge egg rolls!
Scott Plakun Email Address: Splakun@aol.com
July 1, 2005
Thanks for this website! This is Ron Cowen, (then
known as Ronald Cowen) and I lived in Laurelton from birth until 1970,
not long after my parents split up. I left Laurelton pretty abruptly when
that happened and didn't stay in touch with people, but I'm very interested
in making contact with friends from that era.
My address was 226-41 129th Ave (our backyard
faced Montiefore Cemetery) and my phone was LA5-4300. I was pretty quiet
and studious most of the time, so people may not remember me. My sister,
four years older, is Elaine, and she went to Andrew Jackson High School.
I went to P.S. 132 and I too recall Miss Rand at the library and her stories.
I believe the dog at Stanley's was named Bowser, but I'm not sure.
Here's names of kids I went to school with at
P.S. 132: Beryl Leonard, Bruce Mogul (or Mogle ?) Robin Ugelow, Keith Rosen,
Susan Weiss, Albert Grant (he had a younger brother, Phillip, and Albert
was a great cartoonist), Gary Rosenblatt (I seem to recall we visited his
house on a school trip because his dad had an elaborate model railroad
set up in the basement), Barry Rubin (only in JHS 59, though, I think),
Robert Schless (not sure of spelling), Shelly Kastin, a Phyllis and a Rubin
but don't recall their last names.
I had Mrs. Bernstein in kindergarten, Mrs. Rosenberg
in the first grade, Mrs. Furman in the second, Mrs. Schiller in the third,
then Mrs. Pollack/Mrs. Brown in the fourth-fifth. Mrs. Pollack was very
beautiful and kind and she left in mid fourth-grade, around 1967, to have
a baby. I recall Mrs. Brown and her love of Greek mythology, and when she
brought in her Beagle, along with her daughter. Mrs. Merritt was the principle.
We had French, which I loved, with Mme. Rubin. I graduated P.S. 132 in
1968.
I recall playing handball--"Chinese" against the
sidewall of Woolworth's. Taking the Q5 to Green Acres Shopping Center--I
remember at Green Acres leaving two ketchupy pennies as a tip at Newberry's
and the pet department there, Karr's (or Carr's) bookshop, the maternity
store where my 12-year-old friends and I would try to push each other into
the shop.
At J.H. 59 I was in the "S.P." class. I remember
Andrew Phillips, Barry Rubin, Lori and Mindy Chozick, David Zuber (only
knew Andrew and Barry well; others just knew as classmates).
In my mind, I can still taste the Charlotte Russe's
at Schary's bakery, see the freezer in that store with Louis Sherry ice-cream,
and (I think) marble-chiffon cake.
Ron Cowen Email Address: rcowen@sciserv.org
July 1, 2005
I was scrolling through the Laurelton messages,
and I was so surprised to see my own face! Thanks to Ken Gross - that's
me in the front row with the strand of hair in my face. Debi Maller! My
sister has posted on here and I thought I would as well. Residing now in
New Jersey, I am a High School English teacher in Rahway ( challenging
- yes). My son is going off to college in Sept and my daughter is going
into High School. Im still in touch with Karen Landy and Irma Sklar,
but that's about all from those days. I tried to contact a few people but
had little luck.
Thanks for the memories
Debi Maller-Natoli Email Address: debmal52@hotmail.com
June 30, 2005
From birth (1942) until 1954, I lived at 138-19
226th Street. Scrolling through the posts rekindled so many memories...all
of them fond. To me, P.S. 156 recalls air raid drills, desks with ink wells,
being sent to the principal's office, playing stickball against the schoolyard
wall that was posted with "no ball playing by order of the Boards of Education."
From reading what others have written, I wasn't the only kid that longed
to hit a ball over the fence into the garden.
It was a different time. No parent made play-dates
for their kids. I was told just to be home for
My earliest memory is the snowstorm in 1947. I
was 5 years old. The snow was higher than I was. I remember waiting every
night for the Bungalow Bar truck to come down 226th Street. And I remember
my mother bringing knives outside to be sharpened regularly by a man who
had a truck with a grinding wheel inside.
I haven't been back to Laurelton in 50 years.
Reading this site brought me back.
Edward Price Email Address: edwardprice83@yahoo.com
June 23, 2005
Thank You Skip,
Mark Ponemon here!!! This wonderful website was
passed along to me by a friend of mine Barbara Sternberg. Yes I finally
checked it out :)
My run down is so similar to so many of you. PS
156, JHS 59 and SGHS class of 71. It was such a wonderful experience growing
up in Laurelton. I too played ball at PS 156. I remember playing until
it was too dark to see the ball. Going through sneakers because of the
pitching toe rubbing out playing stickball. Climbing into the little schoolyard
to play punch-ball. I wasn't much of a fence climber back then but later
on because of my training as a youth I could hop the main fence at Tottenville
HS on Staten Island in order to play softball with my sons and their friends.
(Some kids never grow up).
Who can forget the memorial day parades through
the neighborhood and stopping at each house of worship where a memorial
wreath would be dedicated. What about Toms barber shop on 226. Everyone
it seemed got their haircut there. Being Bar Mitzvah'd at the LJC by Rabbi
Singer and of course Cantor Kleinberg who taught you the notes and didn't
make a tape for you to follow. Though for Purim he would cut a record because
there just wasn't enough time to learn.
I look back and remember the jobs that I had as
a teenager; I worked at Purrfect Cleaners, I forgot if it was Real or Dial
drugs but it was the store off FLB and 231st. How about Chicken Delight
where when I wasn't delivering I was making batter and cleaning the chickens.
The liquor store on 231st Street. But the best gig I had was of course
was working at Burt and Daves until the day of the fire. Everything in
Laurelton seemed to revolve around that little coffee shop. I remember
coaching one of the LJC baseball teams and having one of the fathers making
calls from the pay phone for me to make sure we had enough kids to field
a team. Oh they were fun days and great memories. Of course there is a
lot more but rather than bore with more personal stuff any of my childhood
friends and or acquaintances don't hesitate to email me!!!!
Love and Knishes To all,
Mark Ponemon Email Address: mponemon@si.rr.com
June 17, 2005
"The Microcosm
and The Elephant in the Room" Situation
By Kenneth
Gross- P.S. 156, Class of '64
While
following the resurrected trial of the two white Jewish civil rights workers
from Queens who along with their black friend were murdered in Mississippi
in 1964, it occurs to me that the Laurelton Gang on this website has not
only missed the “Laurelton as U.S. microcosm” concept, but we are posting
without going near the elephant in the room. Laurelton,
as we knew it, is a destroyed community due to the effects of racial unrest. Ironically,
the photo of my P.S. 156 6th grade class, posted on this website with my
April submission, was from 1964, the year the aforementioned KKK murders
occurred down south. What
an ironic end to the elementary school experience in a place that had taken
a lead role in advancing race relations in this country- learning that
two whites and a black, not much older than the students you see in that
156 photo, murdered like dogs in our wonderful country over that ignominious
initiative- voting rights for blacks. Hey, this wasn’t 600 years ago, it
was 1964. A president with leanings towards improving America’s albatross
had a few months earlier been assassinated. Now it was time to assassinate
a couple of jews and a colored! So,
it occurs to me, how much better in Laurelton were we than the damn South?
We certainly went through the motions of attempting integration. But when
I think of the black kids in that P.S 156 class, I see them more as “students
studying abroad” rather than integrators. They were in effect visiting
white Laurelton at the time. They weren’t buying Pensie Pinkies at Stanley’s,
they weren’t shooting over to Four Star for a rye bread, they weren’t popping
into Zuckerman’s for a screwdriver. I
do recall when I had my Bar Mitzvah a few months after that 6th
grade photo; I went to the LJC with my grandfather real early before services
were to begin. There were some invited black kids from 156 there that arrived
early sitting outside the temple. The old man couldn’t believe it! They
had arrived before the cantor and rabbi! I think it was the young black
guest (of co-Bar Mitzvah boy, Burt Feilich) Gilford Fitts, who simply
explained to us- “It said services begin at 8:30 on the invitation!” How
was he supposed to know that Jewish people interpret that to mean you show
up at 10:30 or 11:00? But
after the attempt to “welcome” blacks into Laurelton, by carefully bussing
in some bright kids from St. Albans and Springfield Gardens into the “liberal
bastion of New York City freedom”, it was time to take some cues from our
Southern fellow citizens and get the heck out of Laurelton by the end of
the decade. Granted
the black community in Queens then and always in the U.S. has hardly been
a homogeneous group. We’re not talking about the equivalent of Sweden here
where everyone is literate, well behaved and loves all white people. Some
blacks actually hated white people! Shocking, I know. Well, maybe it was
because they live in a country that didn’t show nationwide outrage over
the Civil Rights murders of 1964!!! So
the angry and poorly educated element in the black community spawned the
dissolution of white Laurelton. But I think, there was a deeper rift in
play. The Laurelton we all remember was Mayberry with a New York accent.
It was not really a scenario for a grand social experiment between the
races. The black kids at 156 were interlopers, partially perceived as such
by the naïve white kids, but more significantly in that regard by
Laureltonian parents. You don’t show up at Bar Mitzvahs at 8:30 in the
morning. There
is a comfort zone we all have with the familiar. That Big Laurelton Easy
was violated with integration. And the community disintegrated.
Ken
Gross Email Address: Kgtheme888@aol.com
June 17, 2005All I can say is WOW!
When I discovered this website, very vivid memories came flooding back
and I even became a bit teary-eyed. Where to begin??The photos of
Laurelton were so familiar. This is Shelley Levine who grew up at
128-15 236 Street (1952-1965). There are addresses where I lived
since then that I can't even remember but this one always stuck in my mind.
And, as Bruce Kessler (Freiman) so delicately put it, I'm from the "other
side of Merrick." Bruce, I don't seem to recall you, but David
Kramer and Michael (last name "Z") Zidbeck were in my classes at PS 176.
If I hadn't already packed my pictures for yet another move, I could scan
a classroom shot from one of those years and start naming names.Random
Thoughts - In the neighborhood, I wasn't shooting hoops, but I was pretty
darn good when it came to any games with the Pensy Pinky or Spalding.
I was also good at the see-saw and monkeybars at the school playground.
The boys on my block would play stickball in the street but I wasn't allowed
to join in. The best times were when we could go out
to play after dinner when it was still light out. My favorite Good
Humor ice cream was the chocolate cake pop with "candy bar" in the middle.
I think Bungalow Bar did make one flavor I liked - a black cherry ice cream
bar. Maybe I just liked the color purple.Some of the kids who lived
on my block and in the same age group were Scott Plakun (recently got back
in touch with him), Joan Sklersky, Debbie and Judy Weber. My best
friends in the neighborhood were Debbie Cohen and Caryn Katz. And
I'm sure there are a lot of names from PS 176 that many of you would recognize.
The reason I do know so many people on this site (and who went to PS 156)
is that I attended Hebrew School at the LJC. I also went to
JHS 59 for 7th grade, but moved in between to Rochdale in Jamaica and switched
to JHS 231 for 8th grade. I attended Springfield Gardens High (class
of 1970), but if I hadn't moved would have been at Andrew Jackson and know
people who went there.LJC memories - Rabbi Singer playing basketball and
"mock" collapsing from exhaustion; the principal, Mr. Gorodetzer, who bought
me a bag of chestnuts from a vendor on a field trip into Manhattan (can't
remember where we were going); my bat mitzvah lessons with Rabbi Kleinberg
whose daughter I vaguely remember had the nickname Bobbin; Rabbi Thomson,
one of my favorite teachers who used to have us compete in games while
in the process of learning; and a classroom including Mark Carlin, Glenn
Goldenberg, Steven Weinberger, Larry Weiss, and so many others. And
Alan Fintz (who apparently is calling himself Al), I seem to recall a scavenger
hunt (maybe it was for some holiday) where we were on the same team and
had to stop at everyone's house to pick up something from the list.
And Oscar Reicher (his sister Elane was in my classes at PS 176), gave
me 10 baseball cards and taught me how to"flip" them. Said I could
pay him back in cards when I won. So I played on the bus to
Hebrew School and beat all the boys. Paid Oscar back in full with
cards to spare. Remember having cards for Bobby Richardson and "Moose"
Skowron - I liked their blue eyes.SGHS memories - Mr. Linker's math class,
Mr. Chinitz's math class, Mr. Katz's English class (the best!), Mrs. Teplitz's
French class (always knew we were getting a test when she wore her black
dress and "dagger" necklace), Mr. Dunetz's social studies class, the Senior
play, theYearbook staff, and on and on and on.... I still have the
yearbook and some of its pictures can been seen on the Classmates website
in a "photo album" that James Robinson put together. My best friend
during these years was Diane Krasinski. I'm still trying to track
her downand it was during one of those searches that I came across the
Laurelton website because Al Fintz had mentioned her.By the way, Mr. Fintz,
several years ago you approached me on the train, either on our way to
work or home, and I was flattered that you recognized me. Maybe I
am aging gracefully. After talking for awhile, you said that I seemed
to have more confidence than the girl you remembered. Yes, I was
a shy, introverted girl growing up...I was Shelley belly, four-eyes, metal
mouth. Well, you get the picture. I sure can laugh about
it now.I've rambled and babbled and could say so much more. I hope
some of you recognize something I've said and maybe someone recognizes
me, because I remember so many of you. Thanks for the memories!!!Laurelton
-- life was so simple and good then, but we didn't know it until now.
Currently, I live in West Palm Beach, Florida.Shelley Levine
Email Address: shelleyfish@earthlink.netShelly
wrote once again on June 18th to add the following:OK, so my memory is
a bit faulty. My post from June 17 is above this one, but I have
a correction, and a few more recollections that I just have to get into
print. So forgive a few more blasts from the pasts, golden
oldies, and all that good stuff, totally random.
June 17, 2005
Hi
Skip, I’m
Etta (Appel) Weinstein – A
friend and co-worker at our I
moved to Laurelton in 1943. My address was 133-09 227 I
have been looking for Cookie (Roberta Klein) Frischman,
she and her husband Irwin were living in NJ, for many years and I cannot
locate them any more. Also, Barbara (Mossberg) Kornbluth,
Barbara & Larry lived in I
live in I
saw Burt Barnett (Burt & Dave’s) in Ft Lauderdale many years ago. I
look forward to hearing from anyone who remembers me.
Etta
(Appel) Weinstein Email Address:
ettawein@adelphia.net
June 17, 2005
I remember being in the auditorium during lunch
and kids playing the piano or singing on stage for everyone's amusement
( beatles songs mostly). I was probably the only gentile to work
at the LJC (foreshadowing future events; I am now in the catering business).
Most of the kids I knew in 156 ended up in IS 59 with me and then ultimately
in Springfield Gardens HS.
Seeing all these stories on this site....oh my
god: Hank Greenberg, Bobby Horowitz, Seth Figmen, Jonny Revels, "Foots",
Robert (Whitey; we gave him that name in IS 59), Rigsby, Todd Herald, two
guys from the neighborhood near IS 59, Chino and Buttons ; basketball players,
( I was jealous of all these guys; they were better athletes then me ).
The girls: Barbara Bellis, the Chozik sisters, Robin Baruch, Susan DeMarinis,
Susan Resnick, Andrea Weiss, Leslie Weitzman, Holly Popofsky (my first
crush), Sally LaMendola, Beth Brautman, Lauren Barbakoff, Merri Turk (
the only person I have kept in some contact with), and countless others.
Rosedale Lanes, the Laurelton movie theater, Carmines Pizza ( 2 slices
and a soda for 60 cents), the Q5 and the Q5a, the Capri beach club, Casual
Dept Store., delivering the Long Island Press, the Pizza King in Rosedale,
Brookville Park, the baseball field at Laurelton West, riding our bikes
to Rochdale Village ( to see my girlfriend Rebecca Lazarus).
I went to more Bar and Bat Mitzvahs then all of
my family combined!. Along with Merri, others who I have kept in
contact with over the years, Henry Simon, Cary Chevat, Paul Kleidman.
Great times, great memories, keep em comin!
Billy Gazerro Email Address: gus100@msn.com
June 13, 2005
Hi Skip,
I'm Etta (Appel) Weinstein. A friend and
co-worker at our Temple told me about this site, Donna Maller Dawson and
I thank her, its great fun to read about where I grew up.
I moved to Laurelton in 1943. My address
was 133-09 227 St. LA 5-1900. I graduated from PS 156 in 49 and from FRHS
in 53. I married and lived on 147th Ave. and 223 St. till 68. I live in
Thousand Oaks, CA and have been here since 73. My brother Joel Appel lives
in Levittown, L.I. and my sister Laura is in San Diego, CA.. Laura was
in the PS 156 graduating class of 51 picture, it was great to see her here.
I have been looking for Cookie (Roberta
Klein) Frischman, she and her husband Irwin were living in NJ, for many
years and I cannot locate them any more. Also, Barbara (Mossberg) Kornbluth,
Barbara & Larry lived in Massapequa for years. If anyone knows where
either of them lives I would love to get in touch with them.
I saw Burt Barnett (Burt & Dave's) in
Ft Lauderdale many years ago. I look forward to hearing from anyone who
remembers me.
Etta (Appel) Weinstein
Email Address: ettawein@adelphia.net
June 13, 2005
My name is Michael Feldman. I just finished
reading the New Laurelton website which I brought with me to read on a
long flight. Great reading which has set off a flood of great memories.
Here they are:
I moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton in 1952
with my mother and father, Ray and Jack, my two older sisters, Marilyn
and Lenore (in those days known as Lenny), and our Irish Setter Clancy.
We lived at 130-51 226th Street. We lived in Laurelton until 1965 when
my parents moved to LeFrak City and I went on to law school when I met
and married my wife Gloria (Adler). Gloria is also from Laurelton, but
I didn't know her there. She's 3 years younger than me and through high
school I did not know girls her age. My loss. I knew her brother Paul through
Brooklyn Tech. He and I are one of the many Laurelton boys who made the
long commute to Tech, although it was fun schmoozing on the train and bus
each day. Gloria, Paul and their parents, Fran and Jack, lived on 230th
Street and 139th Avenue. The same block as the Bravins, owners of Sharry's.
When Gloria and I would get to talking about
Laurelton with new friends who did not grow up there, they were so impressed
with everything we told them about our town that they dubbed it the "Center
of the Universe", and it was for a number of wonderful, glorious years.
On my block were Billy Solomon and his brothers
Steve, Ricky and Elliot; Herbert (Hubba) Rosenberg and his brother Harold:
Bruce Rose and his sister Mary: Jackie Kuppersmith and his brother Aaron
(Aaron had light brown hair, but right in the middle on the top he had
dark hair in the form of a question mark); the Goldsteins (4 boys, one
was David); Artie Hoffman and his brothers Bernie, Jackie and Bobby; Carol
Shafran (we walked Clancy and Topper, the Shafran's dog, a lot together)
and her brother Lester and sister Marilyn; Roy Gildersleeve; the Braverman's
(boy and a girl, sorry can't remember their names; David Dresner (they
had the first MG TD I ever saw); and Irene Greenberg (my first crush).
Nearby were Jerry Sobel (brothers Donny
and Sidney); Steve Ferris and sister Susan; Susan Becker and brother Jerry;
Emily Spiro; Janet Bayer (my second crush); Kenny Fine (our doctor's son);
Michael Ginsburg; Alan Zaretsky; Jay ("Little Abie") Lebenkoff and his
sister Ethel; the twins Donny and Wally Schwartz; and Barry Meyer.
My cousins Carol and Robin Kravitz lived
on 229th street for a number of years.
I went to P.S. 132 from 1952-1956 when shortly
after we started the 8th grade we were moved to JHS 59. After the 8th grade
at 59 I went to Tech. I can still remember the day while in 59 that we
were let out of school to travel on the LIRR to go to Tech to take the
entrance exam in the most spectacular auditorium I had ever seen (second
largest theater in NYC-Radio City is #1).
We were members of the JCH on 223rd Street,
Rabbi Levinson and Cantor Katz. No one ever did Adon Olom better than Cantor
Katz. Tortuous Hebrew school with a teacher by the name of Mr. Neir. We
were the first class to learn Hebrew the way it is currently spoken. Before
us, including our parents, it was taught with a different pronunciation.
In those days there was only one girl in our Hebrew school class. The original
JCH was a converted church and when they built the new one it was reconverted
to a church and moved to North Conduit and 225th Street.
All of the stores mentioned in the prior
emails plus the beauty salon next to the Itch, "Mr. Murray's". It was owned
by my friend Barry Meyer's father. When we would go to the Itch Barry would
always caution us to behave because otherwise the matrons would tell his
father. It had no affect on us and we were frequently the object of flashlight
beams and shushes from the matrons. Color coded fliers that the Laurelton
Theater would give out at the schools-if you had the right color for that
day you got in free. I never got in free. Standing on line at the Itch
waiting for the doors to open and playing "frontsy-backsy" when your friends
showed up. Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop shows before she went on television.
In 1961 our Laurelton Chapter of AZA winning
the AZA city softball championship at Cunningham Park with 2 out in the
bottom of the 7th no one on base, and getting consecutive hits from Hubba,
Steve Ferris and me. Better still, reading about it the next day in the
Long Island Press.
Jeanne Frick who was in my classes at 132
and who was the first one to tell me about a "disk jockey" she listened
to on the radio at night, Alan Freed. Being on the Alan Freed show and
watching him sing "Come On In" and clap his hands as we walked on stage.
After he disappeared (Payola), doing some submarine race watching at Brookfield
Park while listening to Murray The K.
Marilyn and Lenore's Far Rockaway High School
letter sweaters. Can't remember the boys names. Their crinolines on top
of their lamps in their bedroom.
I read in earlier emails of all the games
we played with "Spaldeens"-here are a few more, box baseball, box handball,
Chinese handball, handball, errors, asses up. But my favorite was stickball.
Queens style. Not the dinky kind of Manhattan or Brooklyn where you counted
sewers. We played in the school yards and against garages, where a 12 year
old could throw a fastball, and a 2 foot curve and you could hit the ball
200 feet. Boy how I loved that game. And it only took 2 guys. And two-base,
a 226th Street game designed by the aforementioned Roy Gildersleeve when
we didn't have enough guys to play four corner baseball with the Spaldeen.
Two-base took only 2 guys on a side.
Speaking of games, all the games mentioned
in earlier emails were great. There were two kinds of pitching baseball
cards. One, where you flipped it from your side and it landed either face
up or down and the other player had to match. The other, which I personally
liked better, was flipping them from a distance of about 4 feet to a wall
and seeing who could get closest to the wall, or a leaner, or land on top
of the other player's card. Sought of early, very early, Vegas. Winner
kept the other guys cards. By the way, just like so many of us, my mother
threw my baseball card collection out when I was away at college. The other
thing that we did was play chess. There were times when there would be
several games going at once on stoops in front of our houses on 226th Street.
Tom's barber shop. An extraordinary place
for a boy. Where else could you read almost every comic book ever written,
listen to men talk about sports, women and stuff, get free gum and gook
for your hair (all you had to do was bring Tom a bottle to fill up). Tom
waived to everyone who walked by. He knew everyone who walked by. He also
displayed a blackboard in his front window that showed the weeks' JVC softball
league results and the MVP's for the week. The JVC league was run by Jerry
Garfinkel. I saw an email from his daughter. Please thank your dad, I loved
playing in that league. A double header every Saturday. If you hit it over
the fence that was a big deal. A guy wrote an article that appeared in
the Sunday Times magazine section about 15 years ago describing Tom's barber
shop and Laurelton. Terrific piece and its available on line from the Times.
Walking around town on the Jewish High Holidays.
Going from the JCH to the LJC, hanging out outside, visiting friends' homes,
but never quite going to services.
Taking a date on the Q5 to Jamaica to go
to the Loew's Valencia and sitting in the court yard of a castle with stars
and clouds in the sky.
Getting off the E or F train at 169th Street
in Jamaica coming home from Tech and if the bus was not there grabbing
a slice of pizza at the bus stop-not as good as Carmine's or Tony's. Tony's
was owned by Linda Piccolo's dad.
Alternating among Ebbetts Field, the Polo
Grounds and Yankee Stadium-my friends were mostly Dodger fans, but Steve
Ferris and Jerry Sobel were Yankees and Giants fans. Going to my first
World Series, the 4th game of the 1955 Series, with Steve Ferris. We left
Laurelton at 3 AM and took the bus and subway to Ebbetts Field to wait
on line for standing room tickets. It was great-Clem Labine gave me a ball
during batting practice. Could you ever imagine letting our 12 year olds
take the bus and subway alone, never mind at 3 AM. It was great. Not only
did we have Laurelton, but we had all of NYC open to us, including museums,
movies and those 3 great ball parks with Willie, Mickey and the Duke. How
about Giants football games at Yankee Stadium for 50 cents and your G.O.
card! and, at the Garden there were double headers with the Ft. Wayne Pistons,
Syracuse Nats and of course the Knicks with Harry Gallatin, Dick McGuire,
Braun and Ray Felix, the only 7 footer who couldn't play the game.
Going to Alan Freed's rock and roll shows
at the Brooklyn Paramount, now part of LIU. Seeing Frankie Lyman and the
Teenagers, Paul Anka, Stan the Man Taylor, and the Little Blond Bomb Shell,
Joanne Campbell. I always thought that Freed had a thing for Campbell because
she certainly had no talent.
Walking to Green Acres when it first opened
any being amazed by the place, not realizing that it was the death knell
for the shops in Laurelton.
House of Chang-I was in grade school with
Betty Chang and her mother taught me to use chop sticks. Went to Tech with
Jimmy.
Zickerman's-we all remember that store. It was
great, barrels of nails, screws and every type of hardware you could imagine.
I think my Dad secretly wished he could have a store like that. When I
go into hardware stores today, not very often I admit, I long for Zickerman's.
I hate buying screws and other hardware items neatly packaged in clear
plastic. Ugh! I want to buy stuff by the pound.
Stanley's-it's not so much that it was a
mess, it's just that he crammed so much in such a little space that only
he could find the stuff. I remember buying models at his store, especially
CO 2 powered cars that we raced in driveways.
Halloween-tricks were much better than treats,
once you stocked up on candy. We used to make chalk socks and pound them
on other kids. I did it once to Janet Bayer's new white coat on Halloween
and had to pay for the cleaning. Something I always wanted to ask-Janet
why did you wear a WHITE coat on Halloween?
Going to the beach at Far Rockaway. Only
way to get there without a car was by subway which took 2 hours or hitching.
My friends and I hitched although we were forbidden to do so.
132 school yard games-in addition to all
the ball games, there was dodge ball, jump rope (I was OK, but couldn't
do double dutch), and marbles (before they paved over the area and put
in trailer school rooms).
Riding my bike to 132. Carolina Scaglometio's
(sp?) mother would let us park our bikes in her driveway.
Each street had its own candy store on Merrick
Rd.: 225th Silvers, with the best penny candy supply in town; 226th Hammerman's
(?) and later Joe's, great malteds and egg creams, and 228th Schultz's,
Mr. Schultz always told you the same jokes when you went to his store-"Guess
who's in the hospital, doctors." "Guess who's in the army, soldiers." "I
called the zoo today, but the lion was busy." And of course, there was
the candy store between Raabs and the Itch where we stocked up on candy
before disappearing in the theater for an entire Saturday. Do you remember
how in the summer you had to squint your eyes when you came out of the
movies because you had been in the dark so long and it was still daylight
when you emerged at 6 PM.
P.S. 132, Mrs. Powell (3rd grade), Mrs.
O'Connor (4th grade), Mrs. Katz (5th grade), Mr. Breitner (gym--he always
told us that he could buy us a Cadillac for "nothing" if only we didn't
smoke, a pack a day was 26 cents times 7 was $1.82 week, times 52 weeks
per year, you do the math-within X years we'd have enough for the car).
Air raid drills under the desk. You had to cover your eyes so that the
flash would not hurt you and the back of your neck so that debris would
not get you there. Oh yes, you also had to face away from the windows so
that shattered glass would not get you in the face. Talk about the age
of innocence!
JHS 59, Mrs. Lev for English and Mrs. Kranz
for math. Two of the best teachers I ever had!
The first day at 59 is etched in my brain.
All the kids standing around in the school yard excited and trying to figure
things out, the kids from 132, 156 (and I think 176) on one side and the
kids from points west of Springfield Blvd. on the other side. One thing
I learned from that was that I didn't know how to dance at all. Wow, the
first dance in the gym on an afternoon after school was an eye opener.
The roller rink just past Springfield Blvd.
before they turned it into a Times Sq. Store-don't know what it is now.
I too remember the Chrysler dealer on Merrick
and 224th. For a while they sold Triumphs. They had a powder blue TR3 that
I fell in love with. They were nice enough to let me sit in it many times
without throwing me out.
High school sorority dances. I loved them.
Couldn't dance well, but won the door prizes a few times. Went to a bunch
with Carolyn Walton. Spent a lot of time with her and at her house.
Played ball till it was too dark to see,
and even then if one guy stood under one street lamp and the other guy
the next street lamp, you could just barely see enough to have a catch.
Of course, until your mother called you in.
The smell of rain in the summer time on
the hot streets.
The small grocery store on the north side
of Merrick between 226th and 227th where the owner would use a long pole
with a mechanical hand to retrieve boxes of cereal from the top shelves.
I saw a number of names on the website that
I recognized:
Steve Goodman, Howie Barlow, Howie Silversmith
(I also remember his brother Larry), Tony Kerns (he was a supreme nut job-the
only guy I knew in Laurelton how used baseball bats to hit kids rather
than balls-true story), Judy Lesk, Gail Wallach, Jeanette Lebov, Steve
Haberman (lived on 226th Street for a while-his dad had an English car
that had mechanical arm turn signals), Judie Burstein, Judy Zaretsky, Senator
Mosberg, Obenzinger, Alvin Lebensfeld, Bobby Eidus, Judy Russock, Richie
Ellentuck, Larry Frank, Steve Brooks, Warren Harris-I think he hung out
with Lester Shafran, The Count, Foster Lahn, Howie Krassner and Stuie Pector.
Debby Baum-I remember going to a party at
her house one summer. Her dad had rigged up some speakers in the driveway.
I felt a bit uncomfortable dancing with Debby to "Tears On My Pillow" by
Little Anthony and the Imperials because she was on the short side and
I was on the tall side, but I must have really liked it because I remember
it after all these years.
Linda Desimone-her mom taught me how to
play solitaire and her dad helped me finish up a sheet metal project for
Tech. You could tell how much progress I made with Linda.
Debbie Klur-I learned how to dance while
watching Bandstand in her basement.
Rae Liebelson-we were in grade school together
and she was so smart in science that we were all convinced in the third
grade that she would become a rocket scientist. Did it happen?
The Gorlick sisters-sorry, can't remember
which ones I knew.
Well, sorry to bore you all, but as I said,
it is a long plane ride and the memories just flowed. I hope this triggered
some more memories for each of you.
Best regards,
Michael Feldman Email Address:
mfeldman@proskauer.com
June 9, 2005
My name is Jeffrey Peck. I lived at 130-12
Francis Lewis Boulevard. My telephone number was LA5-7159 (before
area codes). Life was simple then. I am much younger than most
of you. I went to P.S. 156 and graduated in 1958 - from the 6th grade!
Then on to brand new J.H.S. 59 in Springfield Gardens via Q5 bus and then
to AJHS in Cambria Heights via two busses. I recall being one of
@ 5000 students and 3 shifts - by senior year we were out by 12:30 - a
hell of a way to prepare for college. But I've gotten far ahead
of myself.....
I was one of the better players ( I was big for
my age) in the Laurelton Little League, founded officially @ 1955.
I played shortstop on the Robins - one of several bird name teams.
Sol Aptman was my first baseball coach. His son Michael, Lenny Bloom,
Kenny Englander, Neil Dukorsky, the Cliffords ( Klein and Gelfand) and
a few other friends played in the league. I don't recall whether
hipkneedoc@aol.com played with us - he may have been too cool for baseball.
I recall hitting a few balls over the fence at the old field near where
the Cross Island and the Belt Parkway came together. But I was a
bust in the Babe Ruth League - the kids were more my size and I couldn't
hit the curve ball. I played third base on a rocky and uneven field
- I think it was Brookfield Park and - after taking several bad hops to
the chin and groin I switched to softball and discovered girls - Lynn Blair,
Vicki Kimmel, Zola Feldman (a/k/a Stevens after the parental divorce),
and my first true love, Marion Schwartzberg.
I loved growing up in Laurelton and have fond
memories of a warm and friendly town whose families, young and old, resembled
those in the popular TV shows of a much more decent and innocent time -
Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It To Beaver,
Donna Reed, etc.
I look forward to reading the notes posted before
and after mine.....keep those letters coming!
Jeffrey Peck Email Address: Jeffrey.Peck@dbr.com
June 7, 2005
Wonderful Photo From Bill Odin -
P.S. 156Q 8th Grade Graduation Taken in 1955
June 3, 2005
June 3, 2005
May 31, 2005
May 28, 2005
May 26, 2005
May 26, 2005
Hi Skip,
I guess I really started something. It took a
while, but I did hear from some old Laurelton friends, from my class. It’s
great to be remembered after so many years. I am also so gratified that
so many of you have made contact with one another and that I’ve been the
catalyst for it all. After a career as a lawyer, I am now spending most
of my time writing.
I have just finished my second novel, and am also
writing some poetry. I don’t know if any of you remember the hundreds of
convoys going down the Cross Island Parkway, during World War II. There
were trucks filled with soldiers going to ports of embarkation. I had a
vision of my riding my bicycle along the bicycle path and waving to those
young men, as they left to go to war and wrote a poem about it. I wonder
if anyone shares this memory with me. Please let me know if you do.
The Bicycle Path
There was a path that went along the parkway
Trucks filled with soldiers rolling past
I rode fast into the wind and waved
Despite my speed, they gained and overtook me.
How could I know when I was ten
And I’m still riding fast out in the wind
So very long ago when I last saw them
Sue Carol Nussbaum 2004
May 26, 2005
May 19, 2005
May 7, 2005
I now live in Fair Lawn
(Bergen County) and would love to hear from you. I went back to Laurelton
several times to show my children/grandchildren
May 7, 2005
Hi,
My
name is Robert Hank Greenberg and my family lived in Laurelton at
225-17 139th Ave. until 1972. My parents Larry and Bernice bought
the house in 1964. My older sister Laura was the 1st. girl to wear
pants at IS59 (where my dad taught for awhile). I have a younger
sister Marsha who (in-between teasing her) I would take to Mr. Ed’s for
the best cheeseburger in the world. Our house was right on the corner
of 226th St. and 139th Ave. Our neighbors across the street were
Lisa, Amy and Claudia Silberlicht. Next door were Kenny and Jane
Hochman.
My
teachers at 156 were Miss Karr, Mrs.(Grace) Aberle, and Mrs.Pratt.
But I remember Miss Cernise very well for some reason. At 156 back
then I think I was in a '"slower class" as they grouped everyone according
to their reading scores. I didn't really learn to read until my dad
let me know that I had to learn to read, so I could read my impending baseball
contract (I guess he did not know about sports agents yet). Mrs.
Aberle really helped too and my reading score went up in her class.
I remember that to be "cool" you had to be a great softball and basketball
player. But to be "super cool "you also needed a high reading score.
My
1st class at 59 was 6E10 then --7SP2---then my dad told me it would
be much better for girls and sports to not skip a grade so I went to Mrs.
Macquerrie's Homeroom class where Bernard Kavielier was vice-president
and Cardlin Martin was president. My best friends growing up were
Larry Lapidus, Ulysses Love, and "Duba" Richy Rubin. I tended to
be friends with different age groups. Older than me were the Howard
Nussbaum, Kenny Hochman, Howard Silfen (great fastball), Steven Shermer,
Mark Fractor(?). My sister Laura was their age and I remember when
her friends Phyllis Katz and Joy Webber would sleep-over. I
remember playing basketball with Bobby Horowitz who all the girls loved.
Seth Figman was popular too and he was a great pitcher and had a wicked
mid-range jump shot.
I
remember talking on the phone with Sue Feilich for hours. She had
the coolest family in Laurelton. She took me to a couple of Knick
games (front row seats). Her brother Larry gave me my big break in
softball picking me over a bunch of older guys. I remember a few
of the guys that took the games so seriously that sliding on cement was
common. Bruce Kessler, Howard (ambidexterous after breaking his arm)
Brichtner, Raymond Domyano, Scotty Rotter (who lives in Portland Oregon
and I spoke with a week ago). Barry Secular and Neil Rauch were some
of the Super Cool Dudes, all older than me. I have a long Island Press
clipping where playing for The LJC. I scored 50 points and it is
my crowning achievement in life. Kashinsky, scored 18 in that game.
We beat Temple Gates of Prayer, Flushing 90 to 29. In that same clipping
Scott Rotter scored 35 and Weiss had 13 as the LJC beat Bayside Oaks.
The
"schoolyard" of 156 produced the best athletes in Queens. I loved
watching the Marx Brothers with Richy Rubin. I learned how to roll
a joint around that time. If I could only make it 1969, the best
year of my life. THE METS, JETS, and the KNICKS won "IT ALL"
Joe Namath, Cleon Jones, and Willis Reed (who came to the LJC). Lori,
Mindy, Suzy, Mona, Jane, Amy Margolis, Wendy Orshan, Randy Kaufman, Helene
Greenberg, not to forget the girls my age who passed me by liike Beth Brautman,
Andrea Weiss, Barbara Bellis; whiskey sours at Mithchell Boxer' Bar mitzah,
the best party ever. Ronald Brack, Louis Basher, Michael Blumenthal,
Mary Lie, Charlie Giacomentoni throwing dirt bombs at the toy soldiers
we would set-up while listening to the Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, and
The Beatles.
I
remember going to University Settlement Camp and running away at twilight
to find Surprise Lake Camp which was over the mountain just to see Lori,
then being crushed that Lori had a boyfriend Danny. But alas, Sandy
Landee came into my life. I remember lunchtime at I.S. 59 a bizillion
kids playing. Robert Rigsby and me playing basketball against
the best player at 59 Johnny Revels. His brother Foots played at
LIC. I remember Tony's pizza; getting a brown bag filled with french
fries at Chicken Delight, the vivid colors of the badges worn by the crossing
guards at 156.
I
remember when Howard Nussbaum who was Captain and had the blue badge, was
attacked by 2 kids. He picked one up and swung him around so he wouldn't
get hit. He was like a super hero to me. One of my final memories
in Laurelton was Scotty Rotter saving my life.
I
could go on and on.................
Robert
(Hank) Greenberg Email Address: HankJuggles@aol.com May 7, 2005
Skip,
I have
fond memories of Laurelton and as one of the earlier residents of that
great town I may only recall some who may read this page.
I graduated
with Sue Carol from PS 156 in 1946. My folks moved to Laurelton in 1927
so I saw it grow from a handful of homes with shrinking potato farms to
the great community it was, when in 1952 my family moved to Roslyn Heights.
I noticed
that Gloria Cohn Garfinkle mentioned the Perlows' who were my next door
neighbors on 231st Street. In point of fact I was born there, and
Joey and Gilda were my earliest playmates.
In
the old days people rented homes as often as they owned, the last of which
was on 138th Ave. between 226 and 227, right around the corner from Herb
Scolnik. We were the Jesters! We still see and speak to each
other often in Palm Beach County.
I recall
that we lived on 224th Street for a while a half block north of the Ed
Wynn...Keenan Wynn home. Other than that we lived on 141st Ave. and two
houses on Francis Lewis Blvd. which was changed from Cross Island Blvd.
when they built the Cross Island Pkwy.
Initially
I was assigned to PS 138 ( when I lived on 141st Ave.) but it became necessary
to transfer me to 156 in the 5th grade, as the the anti-semitic beatings
I took every day caused me to miss too much school.
We
sure had some interesting teachers. Remember Mrs. Fernandez? I think she
favored me. It was embarrassing. And Mrs. Wenhold's 'teeth'....
and Mr Baron, our Principal. I can't remember too many names so a
little reminder from any out there is welcome.
I think
this email is long enough so I'll invite others from my time to communicate
with me...so...
Speak
to you later,
Sam
Rubin Email Address: RCStar30@aol.com May 7, 2005
Hi Skip, Harry
Ploss here! Great Website and memories, thanks for the good work.
My parents Robert and Stella Ploss bought 131-65 229 St
in 1950 for $12,500 with a 4% GI loan, LA7-2686. I was born in 1947
in Brooklyn and my brother John was born in 1951.
I
remember getting rye bread and Bialys from Sharry’s bakery on Sundays.Eating
hand-packed Lemon Ice Cream from the Greek Grocery. Going to the
Movies for 35c at the Laurelton Theater. Shopping at Zickerman’s
Hardware across Merrick. Passing and shopping in Woolworth on the
way to PS 156. Meeting in, Lil-Ed's
Luncheonetteafter Little League. Shabbat
services at Laurelton Jewish Center, Hebrew School, and Bar Mitzvah lessons
from Cantor Kleinberg. And Troop 225 Boy Scouts, and
going on Camping weekends on Staten Island and Ten Mile River Boy Scout
camp.
Eating
with my Family and Grandmother at Chang’s
Garden Chinese 225th & Merrick, near the Laurelton Public
Library. My first savings account at Ridgewood Savings Bank @ Merrick
& Francis Lewis, paying 2% interest,
never thought we be back to 2% interest! Getting
a few rolls of ½ dollars and feeling so rich! Shopping in
A&P and eating so much fish! Playing with my friends at Twin
Ponds by the Belt parkway. And riding my bike to parks. Shopping
at Green Acres Mall. Eating Mike's
Sicilian Pizza from Valley Stream while we watched TV together!
Many
Memories of PS156, Especially Mr. Scharf telling us about his trips to
Mexico, in the 6th grade, in 1957. JHS 79 then graduating
Brooklyn Tech HS, in 1964. Riding the Q5 to Jamaica, and taking the F train
from 169 St to Manhattan or Brooklyn. Graduated Cooper Union in Physics
1968 and went to University of Chicago. My Parents sold the house
in 1974 and moved to Omaha Nebraska, and then to Dallas in 1977.
John
is an Architect in Oakland CA, and I was an Actuary from 1973-1992 and
an investor since. Lived in Chicago 1968-1982, Miami FL 1982-1993
and Dallas now.
I
am still in contact with Monty Renov, the son of the Rabbi of Temple Beth
El. Does anybody remember me? Write
hploss@gmail.com Harry
Ploss Email Address: hploss@gmail.com May 5, 2005
Gloria Cohn Garfinkel here....married to Irwin
Garfinkel. Married in 1949. Irwin lived at 130 42 229 St. Gloria lived
at 134 56 231 st. Irwin had 2 brothers; Burton now 74 and Rubin now 87.
Gloria has two sisters; Edythe and Helene.. Both sisters are widowed. Irwin
and I graduated PS 156 and Far Rockaway High School.....anyone out there
remember us? Irwin graduated in 1944 and I graduated in 1947. We would
like this on the Laurelton Page....some names in our past were Richard
April, Beverly Shatzberg, Larry Kornbluth, Larry Kandel, Howard Goldston,
Norma Simon. A neighbor of mine from 231 St. was Gilda Perlow and her brother
Joseph....also Eugene Schneider who lived around the corner.We live in
the same house 55 years in W. Hempstead and spend 5 months in Palm Aire
in Pompano Beach Florida. We have 3 daughters and 7 grandaughters and 1
grandson...ages 12 (twins) to 27. Just heard about this web site. It brought
back so many wonderful memories.....love to hear from you. Thank
You.
Gloria Garfinkel Email
Address: IrwinG@webtv.net
May 1, 2005 April 25, 2005
Hi Skip,
I am so excited about
finding this web site! The best years of my childhood were spent
in Laurelton. It was a wonderful community. We lived in a Dutch
Colonial-style home; 228-15 Mentone Avenue. I have fond memories
of playing with two sisters that lived down the block from me - Debbie
and Gail McGraf (sp.?).
I think I am a bit younger
than others who have posted memories here. I went to P.S. 156 from
1963 (kindergarten) through 5th grade. I recall having a Mrs. Belfey
for 1st grade, Mrs. Gormandy in 2nd grade, Mr. Nobel for 3rd grade, Mrs.
Curtis in 4th grade, and Mrs. Freeman for 5th (went to Christ Luthern in
Rosedale for 6th and 7th).
I used to love going
to the Laurelton Library and Green Acres shopping center (before it was
April 23, 2005
Hello
All,
Nice
to see Howie Udell, Billy Odin, Debbie Klur, and so many familiar names
from the past. Where are Marjorie Fidlow and Richie Schutzman?
This is Mike Kaback 10-27-41, NYC Tourist Guide. www.mikesnyctours.com
Laurelton
1952 thru 1975 when my parents passed and I sold the house for about $37,500.
Purchase price $12,500. We moved from the Lower East Side of NYC
to the country, we had a grass lawn @ 135-14 227 St.
I remember
mowing the front lawn (on a slope) and our back yard complete with cloths
line. I played badminton with Alan Naness over the bushes separating
our houses. We played in the street in front of our house with Juddy
Berkowitz, Marty Gitten.
I remember
running around the block for exercise & to lose weight. You had to
watch the slate and concrete sidewalk levels as they changed up and down
to avoid stubbing your toe and taking a spill. This must have been
primitive Jogging before there was such a word.
DDS
Rothenberg. PS 156Q. LJC, Stickball, Touch Football, 2 wheeler, Spalding.
Great memories.
Now
I am back in Manhattan conducting tours of the Garment Center and all around
town, trying to stay in shape and to make the most our of every day.
I can be reached at mickeybilly1@yahoo.com
Best
to all,
Mike
Kaback Email Address: mickeybilly1@yahoo.com
April 17, 2005
April 15, 2005
This
is how it went: I typed in” Mrs.Schreiber's
chopped liver” in the MSN search field
and THIS site was first on the list.... LAURELTON!.....my
home from 8th grade PS 156
until I left it for the “big city” somewhere in the late
60”s.......HOW COULD I NOT “CLICK” ON IT ????? And for the
next hour , I read all the entries and was transported back to that
magical wonderful time and town.... From Mrs
Shelly to me parading around dressed as the Progressive Penguin,
.........ShboomShboom
and all the basement parties ........and everything else encased
in the time capsule of my years there..... Back then, I was Debbie Feld,
with brother David, and Sister Teena,
and parents, assorted cousins, aunts uncles and grandparents
who all lived there. WHERE IS THE
CLASS OF ’58 “Let Us Sing Of
Andrew Jackson” And
any one else who may have touched my life during those years.... I miss
all of you! Am still in very close contact with Peggy Edelson,
(now in Howard Beach) and Emmy Matsil
/ Michelle Cohen and cousins ... in Thank
you Skip for creating this place for us.......
Debbie FeldSchiffman
Email Address: seaglass@mindpring.com
April 15, 2005
Hello!
I have been reading all
of the wonderful stories on the site. I have lived in Laurelton (just a
few blocks from ps 181) for the past 33 years. I also had a very wonderful
childhood here and now my child is having the same experience. The area
has definitely changed, but the magic and the wonder are definitely in
this new generation. They play street football, freeze tag, hide n seek,
basketball, red light green light, school, supermarket, etc.... they still
go to Brookville Park and look for tad poles. I tell them about the old
boathouse (which is gone now, but the stairs remain) they tell ghost stories
about Brookville Park and really believe in them! These kids still have
it, and it is called "imagination!!"
All the best, The laughing
icelander !! :)
Audra
Gray Email Address: distributioncsnyc@fattonusa.com
April 13, 2005
Dear Sue,
This is Herb Scolnik.
I was so happy to see your name on the Laurelton board. I remember all
the great parties we had at your house during the holiday season( Christmas).
Learned how to play post office and spin the bottle there. Sam Rubin lives
15 minutes from me and we renewed our great friendship. I now live in Delray
Beach, Florida. I look forward to hearing from you.
Herb Scolnik
Email Address: hscolnik@adelphia.net
April 10, 2005
April 7, 2005
April 5, 2005
Michael Storey
Email Address: Shatwafan@wmconnect.com March 17, 2005
My name is Ira Hazan ... I was born in Laurelton
and delivered by Dr. Friedlander ... remember his nurse ... she was mean
!!! We lived there from 1948 thru to 1957 when we moved to Long Beach ....
I lived on Frances Lewis Blvd right next door to Frances Lewis ... the
website gave me a chance to contact her after all these years ... I had
2 older sisters, Diane & Joyce, both of who have passed away rather
young that some of you may remember ... I used to love to fishing at Twin
Ponds, it seemed so big to me in those days
I had Mrs Ready, Mrs
Curly, Mrs Schlussman & Mrs Schneider for grades K - 3 at PS 156 ...
our block had a lot of boys that I'd love to contact if possible: Carl
Hammer ... Chucky Pascow ... Jerry & Arnold Tranis ... Billy &
Judd Berkowitz ... David Novack ... Paul Epstein .... Steve & Jackie
Zipper ... the Gatti brothers ... I also had cousins on the block ... the
Cohen's ... Ruth, Eddie & Murray and the Ellis family too ... Vera
& Joan
Laurelton, even though
I was young when we moved always brings back great memories and we went
back often to visit all of our friends & family there ...if anyone
knows how to reach Louis Rich, please let him know he still owes me the
15 cents he promised to pay me, right inside of "Jake the Gyp's" ... remember
his bike shop ??? ... I should have known, any promises in his place were
not to be kept
I've passed on this website
to everyone I know from Laurelton and hope that we can all get everyone
else to do the same ... thanks a lot, Skip
Ira Hazan
Email Address: ira@hazangroup.com
March 16, 2005
My name is Joe Ferrara and I grew up with my sister
Pat, and brother Tom at 131-29 227th St. My family moved there in
1953 and moved in 1970. I went to PS132, JHS59 and Andrew Jackson.
My friends at the time were Jay Katz, Stan Marcus, Marty Reich, Mark Sauerhoff,
Larry Stark, Rita Smith, Paula Katz, Johnny Butera, Barbara &
Steven Katz, Gary Weintraub, Eddie Rothlein, Kenny Hason, Arnie Feldman,
Alex Papako, Michael Fisher, George Burner, Mark Weiner,
JOE FERRARA SMR183@AOL.COM March 9, 2005
Does anybody know if Anthony Kerns and Paul Sieden
went to jail or became lawyers?
February 28, 2005
Hi
Skip- My
maiden name is Frances Lewis and I lived at I
just finished reading the new Laurelton site and had several good laughs
and lots of wonderful memories. I was graduated from PS 156 in 1951
and from FRHS in 1955. I’ve been in Thanks
for all the memories – especially to Lew Goldman who was in my 7th
grade home room with Mr. Ryan and to Marshall Sroge who was also in classes
with me. I’d love to hear from some of my old classmates. Best
regards to all, Fran
(Lewis) Cantor Email address: flc3080@adelphia.net
February 28, 2005
Tony Larussa Email Address:
tlarussa@tribweb.com
February 15, 2005
February 15, 2005
Here's
a link that has a list (and a melody) that may help to bring back some
nice memories for those of us that are lucky enough to have heard of the
Laurelton site.
Thanks for all the effort you've put into maintaining it.
Norm
Samuels Email Address: nsamuels@optonline.net
Hi
A friend sent me the email. I was born in 52 and my brother in 50.
We were at the other end and went to
176, 59 and Jackson. Still, we frequented the Chinese restaurant,
Marder's, Stanley's toy store,
Colony Cards, the movie with the pizza place at one corner and the candy
store at the other (to buy
candy before you went in.) Twin Ponds Bakery stayed in business long after the
town was as we knew it. We went to Dr. Greenberg the dentist/orthodontist
until not that
long ago!! He kept us up on the neighborhood people who still visited. My
husband went to St. Claire's and lived down the block from there (also
1952.) Nice
to hear about the old neighborhood.
Erica
Wallach Sheid Email Address: wheelerteacher3@optonline.net January 24, 2005
January 24, 2005
January 23, 2005
January 23, 2005
January 14, 2005
Hi, I just found your site. It’s amazing … all the
memories are flooding back. I lived in Laurelton from 1956-1969. What a
great childhood! I lived on 227th and I see my best friend Beth Brautman Berman Email Address: bbmother@optonline.net
Skip I
have checked your Laurelton page many times and each time it brings back
so many memories. So far, no one has mentioned Today
I sitting for my 9 year old grandchild and teaching her stoop ball – since
there are no stoops in Fl she couldn’t get it. But I did teach her hand
ball against the house- she thought this was cool. They just don’t
understand how much fun it was just to go out and play with your friends
and neighbors. My life was formed there was born there. I don’t think there
is anyplace like that now. Boy are they missing out. Does
anyone no what happened to Ronnie Bernstein, Steve Brooks. Howie Halyard.
Sam Buchananan, I was in ADG anyone out there. Barb
Boklan Garfield Email Address: leebarb1204@bellsouth December 22, 2004
Hello, Does anyone out there know what happened
to Andrew Jackson High School? It is no longer listed as an area High School.
Is the building still there?
Richard Freedman Email Address:
RichardFreedman@msn.com
Having attended two reunions in the past few years
it was wonderful to see friends from those years. It is fun to compare
notes as to who remembers their teachers. Ms. Coslan ( who later became
the Librarian at JHS 59) and Mrs. Badey for Kg, Ms. Heller 1 st grade,
Mrs. Nobel second, Ms. Schneider 3rd, Mrs. Aberle 4th ( my very favorite),
Mrs. Reid for 5th when she was there-- and Mr. Gambino ( also a favorite)
for 6th. I remember getting caught in 6th grade passing love notes with
Jerry Solomon who I hear is in Calif, and Mr. Gambino making us stay after
school and threatening to tell our moms if we did it again.
Being in the SP at JHS59 I remember the chorus
and singing at Lincoln Center and the Band-- also remember Judy Schoenfeld,
Howie Polera and Jerry Solomon and I going to dance on the Alan Freed dance
show on TV-- what fun-- could you imagine letting your JHS child go into
Manhattan by themselves on the train and bus after school and back again--
boy have the times changed. I would love to hear from anyone who might
want to correspond- pamssanity@aol.com Thanks for running this page!!!Pam
Raven Lippman
Email Address: pamssanity@aol.com
December 15, 2004
What a great
page and what wonderful memories ( many long forgotten) they evoked. However,
though I had forgotten many things like the Q5 to Jamaica and the gang
at the bike shop, Laurelton has always remained a part of my life.
I moved there with my parents from Brooklyn in 1952. In , those days I
was Eileen Kaye. Although I moved into Manhattan in 1968 my parents remained
there until my mother's death in 1995. So not only do I have memories of
Laurelton, so do my children. (They even know my childhood friends and
have been to Twin Ponds and the Green Acres mall) I lived at 130-36 229th
Street,( my phone number was LA 8-4839) and graduated from, PS 156( remember
Miss Postley and Miss Lawson), JHS 59( Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Morrison, Mrs.
Kranz,Ms. Fenner, Mr. Groffman, Mr. Krauss) and Andrew Jackson HS in 1962.(
I was in PDG sorority, we were the girls in red and white).
November 30,
2004
November 26,
2004
Hi - Just
found this incredible and fun to read page. It has been wonderful
and exciting to read all of your stories and to have recognized some of
the people on the site. My name is Ruth Craft Lax and I lived in Laurelton
from the time I was 3 months old until 1958. I went to P156 and graduated
8th grade in '52 and went on to FRHS graduating 4 years later. I
subsequently finished my degrees and am working as a licensed psychotherapist.
My Mother, Minnie Craft, worked at the LJC and I remember eating lunch
there every day while everyone got to go home for lunch. Boy was
I envious of them. I remember walking home from the Rosedale station
and stopping off for a pickle from a deli (non kosher) in Rosedale. I also
remember the last year in high school when the LIRR didn't go all the way
to the school. We would hitch a ride from the end of the line
to the school. Imagine today - hitching a ride. I remember
going to Hebrew school walking hand in hand with Michael Yesner, puppy
love at 10.
Playing stickball
in the street, stoopball, The "Itch", Raab's, Mrs. Weinberger,
and Mrs. Wenhold/Shelley, Mrs. Lawson (my 4th grade teacher) so many friends
and neighbors - They have all been part of my early memories. My close
friends at the time were Marion Ostrower, Susan Wendroff, Carole Fogel
(who sadly passed away) and Zebbie Geller. I am in contact with Susan
, Marion and Zebbie. If anyone knows or keeps in touch with Eve Honig
( went to AJHS) please let me know her last name and how I can reach her.
Ruth Lax
Email Address: RLaxHF@aol.com
Thanks for this great Laurelton site as a link
from the Far Rockaway site. My name is Bill(y) Odin. I attended P.S. 156
from 1950-1955. I left Laurelton in 1967. Let me begin by saying that I
was deeply saddened to read of the death of Ann Winsten on the Far Rockaway
site. She was a dear friend during my Laurelton years. My condolences to
her family.
I came to this site through my wife Mona Magida
(Far Rockaway H.S. class of 1963). It’s great reading the memories of people
whose experiences I also shared. Looking at my 8th grade graduation
picture from 1955 I was surprised that I could still positively recognize
and name over 40 people. I have most recently been in contact with Jud
Berkowitz and Steve Rhodes, both of whom went to Shimer.JHS. I now live
in Massapequa Park on Long Island and am a Snow Bird with a home in Delray
Beach, Fl.
Attached
are two pictures from P.S. 156 taken in 1955. We were the Queens elementary
basketball and softball champs that year. One picture (the softball team)
is the Long Island Press clipping with all our names clearly captioned.
The other is a copy of the newspaper picture (basketball) with our names
written across our picture.
I am only going to relate two memories of my elementary
days in Laurelton that are quite different than those written by others.
First: I have vivid memories of Arthur Kauff tormenting Mrs. McLean our
5th grade teacher. He made some good fun for us out of an awful
year. Second: I remember Stanley’s. He owned a store that sold sporting
goods and hobby stuff (unfortunately, I read in the newspaper he was later
to be killed during a robbery). When we went in to buy two Spauldings at
19 cents each he would have to charge us tax, so we would by one ball (no
tax on 19 cents) leave the store and come back a few minutes later to purchase
the second ball. Would our kids or grand kids today understand how valuable
or important a penny was. Oh! and of course there was David K. who ran
into Mrs. Campbell in the hall, when we were in 8th grade, and
put her out of commission for a few weeks.
Bill Odin Email Address:
tigger25@optonline.net
Paula
Kazdon Becker Email Address:
spritz1245@aol.com
Marilyn Garfinkel Email Address: idratherbeinwdw@yahoo.com
I guess I could write forever about all the great
times and experiences growing up in Laurelton. I did get to see a lot of
these friends about 5 or so years ago at a reunion and I did drive through
Laurelton this past August and remember saying to myself “ what happened
“ to so many different places. I couldn’t believe that the basketball court
that I honed all my skills on had no
What happened to Burt and Daves….Adrians Bakery…..4
Star Bakery…Wongs Garden…the bagel place on 225th….Carmines Pizza..Riviera
Pizza…A&P (my first job). Dairy Mart (my second job) ….Stanleys….Zickerman’s…..the
movie theatre ( always a double feature ) and all the other great
places??? It seems like the song Mrs. Robinson…..Where have you gone
Joe DiMaggio ?
Sorry to take so much time
Bruce Kessler (Freiman) Email Address:
bfreiman@aol.com
November 6, 2004Hi Skip
- Marsha Straubing told me about the website. It was great to read
it and see so many familiar names and places. I lived at 138-20 230th
Street, went to PS 156, JHS 59 and Andrew Jackson '62. Does anyone
remember having to stand completely still in the schoolyard at 156 when
the bell rang? I guess what I remember and miss most is kids playing in
the street. We played punch ball, stoop ball, running bases, etc.
with kids on the block until it got too dark. I am still in touch
with Marsha Straubing and Donna Klur and went to a great reunion in 2000
and stayed with Adrianne Sklar. That was a great time. I will check
in on the website regularly. My email address is maxbpeck@aol.com.
Maxine Bergman Peck
November 4, 2004
Hi All
I'm Diane Liebelson--lived on 226 Street, near
that big Avenue whose name escapes me. You would only
know me from PS 132, & JHS 59 (attended 1956-59), because after
that I commuted to Bronx HS of Science (4 1/2 hour commute daily--ugh),
1962 graduate. Later graduated from Columbia Univ. I was outgoing,
tall (5'8"), plump, dark hair, very fair complexion My sister Rae
is one year older than me & also went on to Bronx Science. Our family
moved from Laurelton in Sept., 1962. Unfortunately my memory of the
early Laurelton years isn't too good as to teacher names, etc. Although
I do remember enjoying bicycling through the hilly streets visiting a few
friends one of whom's last name was Johannsen, other names now escape me.
I do recall catching fire flies as others have mentioned, on those quiet
summer evenings, and sitting on the stoop with my older sister Edrea (graduated
Andrew Jackson in 1959) enjoying ice cream pops from that Good Humor truck
ringing its bells as it drove down our street. Of course I remember
fondly Donna Cooperman (aka Klur), and have stayed in touch with Judie
Burstein. Also knew to say hello to at JHS 59, Judy Zaretsky,
Joan Modell & Maxine Berg?
A very close friend of mine from age 11 through
20 was Lois Orlick who did go on to Andrew Jackson. We stayed in
touch till 1964. IF ANY OF YOU KNOW LOIS ORLICK'S MARRIED NAME, COULD YOU
PLEASE EMAIL ME. I'd appreciate it very much. Lois called me in the
1970s when her father died, and at that time she was married with 3 sons
living in NJ, but forgot her married name. I'd like to contact Lois
again.
Does anyone remember the twins, Arthur & Franklin
Peterson? I knew them at PS 132.They were cute even then, and charmers.
Also on my corner lived Richard Smith who wasin the same year at PS 132
& JHS 59 as me. We won a dance contest when I was about 13.
I always loved social dancing, and continued to do so through rock n' roll,
disco, cha-cha, & reggae.
If anyone remembers me, and would like to contact
me, I'd be glad to hear from you. All the Best,
Diane Liebelson
Email Address: serenades@nyc.rr.com
November 4, 2004Hi, guys....
I have never gone to a reunion but I imagine this
is what it is like. What a kick this is...to read collective memories of
a shared time. We were, indeed, children of innocence. Our lives
were about bus passes and egg rolls, slam books and singing r&r around
a piano in someone's home.
We had a prom at the Biltmore in Manhattan, we
worked for months on end for Sing, and George M. Cohn turned us on to poetry.
When we screwed up, we had detention, and when we didn't screw up we would
find our names on the honor roll in the hallway. We discussed college plans
with Milton Blatt and we stopped off for egg creams on our way home from
school. We'd go to the Itch and once there was a terrifying movie
about ants called Them.
Judie Burstein Fein Email Address: traveljudith@qwest.net
October
7, 2004Dear
Skip,
Howie Katz
again. The fall always brings back some of the best memories. The cool
October and November breezes were a welcome relief to pre-airconditioned
summers. The coolest spot in our house at 131-45 227th St. was in the basement.
Mom or Nana would keep a huge crock filled with lemonade and ice when summer
was at its worst. Lawn sprinklers came out for the kids and splashing and
screaming was a way to relief. Bungalow Bar or Good Humor trucks plied
their trade. But the cool winds of change in September and October were
another pleasure. Most of the trees were maples that lost those leaves
of red and gold. My Dad and I would sweep them up in front of the house
in a pile and set them on fire. The whole town had that smoky pungence
in every street. Cant do that now.
The daylight
got shorter but we would be outside calling for each other (after homework
was done) and never went home until we were called by name or a whistle.
Ringaleavio (spelling?) and tag games were the most popular past times.
Anything that entailed risk and running was best. Choosing sides were determined
by lot, "one potato, two potato, three potato four, etc." We would try
to finagle a ringer onto our team or face certain defeat. Winning, losing,
the tide always changed so it zeroed out to no great loss. I guess you
could say that the overall attitude was a seemingly never ending supply
of hope. We were innocents. Our teachers at 156 gave us lessons in censored
History and Geography. So called "bad things" were filtered. We wouldn't
dare repeat to our folks some the street words that made us blush. We saved
most of that vocaabulary for special moments. Today, it is all part, I'm
sad to say, of the American lexicon and has become so common that the words
have lost their relief effect.
I can still
see that little boy of seven or eight, going out right after a good rain
and taking advantage of the draining waters at gutters edge, sailing his
mystical boat made of popsicle sticks downstreatm to heaven knows where,
just as long as it was still moving. Talk about optimism! Have fun,
live long and remember.
October
1, 2004
Hello again to all of those who continue to look
in on this site,Upon taking some visiting family members to the Grove Park
Inn located in Asheville, North Carolina (a resort in the mountains built
in 1913) we came across a piece of Laurelton memorabilia. In one of the
hallway cabinets for display was a guest bill dated April 10, 1947. My
brother and I were so surprised to read that the guests were from Laurelton,
New York. Does anyone know B.N. & Mrs. Fishman, 138-55 225th Street?
Renee (Bravin) Courage
Email Address: rcourage@juno.com
August
16, 2004
My name is Carol Gross Hittleman. I lived
in Laurelton from 1937-1957. I attended P.S. 156 (graduated in '50)
and Far Rockaway High School (graduated in '54). After graduating
from Queens College, I taught for one year in P.S. 156, returning to my
school roots. I was affiliated with the Huntington, LI public school
system for 22 years and then accepted a position as a Professor in the
Graduate Education Program at C. W. Post/Long Island University.
I was there for ten years and retired a few years ago. My husband,
Daniel (Jamaica High School) and I have I can’t express how moved I am by the magical
memories shared by all of you. I grew up in a house on the corner of 224th
Street and 138th Avenue. My name is Janice Jackson and I have an older
brother Vaughn Jackson. Although I moved to Laurelton in 1967 as a baby,
my memories of growing up in Laurelton as a kid in the 70’s are still quite
as wonderful as the ones you have. Laurelton was a charming town
then and fortunately much of that charm spilled over into my era. It’s
amazing that many of us are years apart and share different cultural backgrounds
but still share a common bond in the warm feelings we get when we think
of our childhood in Laurlelton.
Like you, I attended the movie theatre on Merrick
many Saturdays. Recently I told my 11 year old son that we didn’t see 15
minutes worth of previews. Instead, we were thrilled to see a variety of
cartoons including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Yosemite Sam. I also remember
standing around with my father in the hardware store Zuckermans, hoping
we were the next to get help in purchasing a new AC filter or fluorescent
bulb for the kitchen or getting keys made. Who could imagine a Home Depot
or Lowes back then? There was also a Martin Paint Store on the corner of
Francis Lewis and a nursery called Nickersons around 219th St. where we
bought our tulip bulbs and a real Christmas tree every year. I remember
the bicycle shop around 233rd St. . I finally convinced my father to get
me a unicycle like the one they had in the window. I remember the
shoemaker and the Chinese laundry that packed my father’s shirts in the
paper that looked like a brown paper bag. Still to this day, I think
Merrick had the best Chinese food whether it was from the takeout on 231st
(still can’t find fried rice as good as theirs) or the other one around
232nd House of Chang.
More Merrick memories include marching in the
Laurelton Little League Parade at the start of the baseball and softball
seasons. Does anyone remember going to the Thompson’s house to get a uniform
and a book of raffles to sell? By the way, we also bought our bagels at
a bagel shop on Merrick between 224th and 225th St. The post office used
to be a small building on the corner of 223rd and Merrick. It was replaced
with a larger facility a few blocks down. We frequented the butcher around
230th Street and Woolworths on 229th.. We shopped at Alexanders, A&S,
Korvettes, Finast, and Grand Union at Green Acres Mall, even went to the
drive-in movie. We dressed up and went to eat at Cooky's Steak Pub on special
occasions.
Aah…156. These are my teachers from K-6. Ms. Robinson,
Ms. Kerman, Ms. Singer, Ms. Carr (very stonelike in appearance and never
smiled), Ms. Schwartz (she introduced our mostly African American class
to matzah crackers and chopped liver spread and yes, I had my mother go
out and buy some for our AA family). Then there was Ms. Freeman with the
crooked pinky fingers and Ms. Talish who we all loved. We put on the musical
Oliver Twist. Just a couple of weeks ago, I introduced my son to the musical
as it traveled here to Virginia. I almost cried when I realized I still
knew all of the words to all of the songs. And then there was Assistant
Principal Mr. Sussman who put the fear of God in our hearts. Even then,
the first whistle mean "Freeze" and the second meant, "Get in line." Whenever
he caught someone talking in line in the schoolyard, that eerie “YO! U!
GET OUT!” that he screamed in the bullhorn sent chills down my spine. Mr.
Guss was the principal and Ms. Sklar was the other assistant principal.
I always thought of her as classy. I cleaned the class erasers in the basement.
I still remember how the cafeteria smelled on the days we had franks and
beans. Lunch was 50 cents a day. I remember the maintenance men George
and Joe.
The 70’s were the years when the face of Laurelton
really changed. Non-African Americans who were in my class in the 1st grade
were gone by the time I graduated from the 6th grade in 1978. Janice Corbino,
Emil Blanco, Randi Fingerhut, Barbara Terribile, Brian Pasternak, Richard
Noodleman, Natasha, Sandi, and Joshua left without a trace. My good friend
Dorothy from 224th St. who had a brother named Joey moved. I still have
a picture of the two of us. Stanley, the Jewish boy who never spoke
a word, who wore a yamaka and lived on 223rd St. all of a sudden stopped
coming around to stare at us as we played. Where did he go? Where did the
old lady go who had the two ! feisty poodles who barked ferociously as
you passed her house on the corner of 226th Street and 138th Avenue?
What happened to the family that sold fireworks out of their house on Francis
Lewis Boulevard? Even the jockey Cordero moved away with his daughter Merlie.
He had a horse in the garage every now and then. I hear that the only non-
AA family left on my street are the Peters or is it Petersons?
Life wasn’t complicated then. We were safe walking
to school, riding our bikes all over Laurelton, and playing in the streets
even after the street lights came on. Our parents didn’t worry about child
molesters and kidnappers. Kids used their imaginations to have fun. We
didn't require sophisticated video games. There weren’t many cars so I
and my best friends Allison and Nichel Stephen would get together with
others and play stickball or softball right there in the street. Bases
were made of soda bottles, branches, or whatever we could find. I went
to visit Laurelton not long ago and the cars were zooming down the street
where we once played in the street all day. Shelley Johnson and I would
walk to Brookville Park to go fishing for tadpoles. Our parents knew we
would return home safely. As a small child there were islands of overgrown
grass and weeds on 225th Street where people walked their dogs. I am impressed
with how well kept they are now with beautiful flowers and plants. I was
thrilled to see a Laureltonite make the news. Norman Roberts who went to
156 when I was there is now head basketball coach at St. Johns University.
He was a year older than I was but his brother Marty who was my age probably
remembers me.
Yes, there was something enchanting about Laurelton
years ago and I think it’s beautiful that we all have a place to go and
share it. I could go on and on. If anyone remembers me or just wants to
share, please feel free to email me at JAJACK2000@yahoo.com. I’m living
in Maryland now.
Janice Jackson-Payton Email
Address: July 26, 2004
My wife grew up on 207th St. off
of Francis Lewis Blvd, went to PS136 & Andrew Jackson ('53).
I grew up in the Bronx so I know very little about Queens except that my
grandmother lived in Carona. My wife skated @ Springfield & Wolcliff
(spelling?). She recently passed away (5/14/04). Going through
some of her possessions in her"treasure box" I found a small pin
of a white skate with the word "Springfield" on the bottom. Her brother
thinks that she won "something" but doesn't remember what. Her maiden
name was Carol Frank. Any information that you can provide will be
greatly appreciated. If you post this to your web site, maybe someone
will remember her. Although Carol and I were together for 42 years,
she never talked much about her childhood and I'd like to learn more about
it so that I can pass it on to our 2 children. July
17, 2004
Dear Skip,
I just loved reading everyone's memories.
Larry Frank sent it to me. I have so much to talk about I need to
step on a soap box just to share all the great times I had at the Laurelton
Itch. Just going to the 156 school yard and playing anything was
just fine. I went to the summer program there, walking 4 blocks or
taking my bike was a lot of fun. I lived at 131-20 229 Street from
1943-1961. Moved to Rosedale and stayed there until I married in
1964. Have kept in touch with a few of my 156 friends and then JHS59,
and AJHS also. I recently moved to Florida but made a trip to see
my old house. The block and all the streets I rode my bike on looked
nice. All the homes are updated and nicely kept. I also went
to see 156 and the LJC. It is now a church.
Merrick Road was not so nice.
The Itch is also a church. I saw Peter Luxe's name, I remember him.
What we need is a picture of everyone then and now, pert up our memory.
Mines shot. I wrote to some of the people on your memories page and
got nice responses from them. As you can see I love to type, very
relaxing. Thanks for doing the website.
Jeannette Lebov Friedland AKA Janet
Email Address: Janetf182@aol.com
July 15, 2004
Hello Everyone,
I just came across this fantastic site
about Laurelton. I currently live in Laurelton on 130th Avenue and
229th Street. Your memories and picturers of the neigborhood is great.
I have lived in Laurelton from 1985 to 1986. Then in Cambria Heights
from 1986 to 1998 when I got married and then I moved back to Loaurelton
and have been there since. I graduated from Springfield Gardens in
1987 and my brother graduated from P.S. 156 I think in 1989 not quite sure
of the date. However I really enjoyed the descriptions of the neighborhood
prior to my living there. You all seem like you had so much fun.
I know that I am "young" but I do remember
Marder's Pharmacy, it used to be on 228th and Merrick. It is now
a Duane Reade at the corner of Francis Lewis and Merrick. Burger
King used to be at Francis Lewis and Merrick. Woolworth at the corner
of 229 and Merrick closed a few years ago, it is now a furniture store.
I really miss that place I used to get my craft supplies there.
The hardware store on Merrick between
228 and 227 closed a few years ago and there are now about three new business
there. There is a Curves, and two take-out restaurants. The Laurelton
Jewish Center across from PS156 is now a Seven Day Adventist church.
Ridgewood Savings Bank if I am not mistaken was robbed twice this year.
On the opposite side of Merrick on 228th
street there was an empty lot for some years I don't know if a house was
originally there and destroyed, but there is now a three (3) possible a
six family home there. Alot of people are either putting additions
to their homes. There are also one or two group homes in the neighborhood.
Andrew Jackson High School is now a
magnet school with four schools in one building.
I was looking at the old pictures of
the blocks in Laurelton, they seem much wider then than they are today.
Is it possible that the streets were wider back then? There were
no cars parked on the streets like there is today.
I see where someone bought a house in
1942 for $9,600 with a monthly mortgage of $50. Wow. Back then
it must have been alot of money. One of the houses on my block just
sold for $320,000.
Laurelton has and is going through changes
but there are families and organizations that are fighting to prevent people
from building multiple dwelling homes where there was originally a one
family home and to maintain a beautiful and safe environment to raise their
families.
Sorry to be so long winded but I will
definately check this site out from time to time.
H. Ellis
Email Address: hellis0523@yahoo.com
July 9, 2004
Skip, What a great site!
I moved to Laurelton in 1944 with my folks and sister Harriet.
I went to PS 156, Shimer JHS and then Andrew Jackson, graduating in 1960.
My sister went to Far Rockaway HS and graduated in 56. FRHS was no
longer an option when I went to HS.
I lived at 135-05 Francis Lewis Blvd.
till 1966 when I went off to Vietnam with the US Army. When I returned
I went back to work at the Long Island Press where I was a reporter.
Also on staff there was my Laurelton next door neighbor Martin Goldstein.
I think he's now with the Associated Press. I was a member of Sigma
Phi while at Jackson, with Richie Ellentuck, Bobby Eidus, Jerry Krassner,
Hal Fuchs, Steve Haberman, Carl Lindeman and others. Michael Ginsberg,
Alvin Lebensfeld.....Friends from Cambria Heights were Richie Kustin and
Larry Krug. I'm still in touch with both of them regularly.
I remember when the Ridgewood Savings
Bank at Merrick and FLB was robbed! Some big deal.. I worked
at Feldman's Meat Market for years and then worked as a counter man in
college at the Busy Bee.....formerly Lil-Ed's. Now the corner is
a Burger King. Capri's baked Zitti and the House of Chan eggrolls
were the best. The last time I was in Laurelton, the Laurelton Jewish
Center was a boarded up mosque.
The sororities and fraternaties always
had dances every month, SING at AJHS was a way of life. They were truly
great times growing up. Or were we just that innocent? Anyway,
I'll try to remember more and contribute again.
You can reach me at larrylaurelton@yahoo.com.....really!
If you remember Harriet Frank from Far Rockaway HS she's at harited84@aol.com
Thanks for the memories.
Larry Frank
Email Address: larrylaurelton@yahoo.com
July 9, 2004
My name is Ed Stein. I was a member
of Sigma Phi of Cambria--remembering such names as Ira Feldman, Eddie Shapiro,
Bernie Seaman, Harvey Albert and many others.
The memories of all those wonderful
years are brought back to life because of your wonderful web site and all
the replies to it.
Iam still married to my wonderful wife
Gail (Rachlis), whose parents owned Lil-Ed's Luncheonette on the corner
of Merrick and Francis Lewis.
We now reside in Tampa Bay, FL and we
can be reached at our e-mail address:
estein2@cfl.rr.com
Ed Stein Email Address:
estein2@cfl.rr.com July 1, 2004
Dear Skip,
Thanks for this site. The collective
memory sure is powerful! My name is Marsha Straubing. I lived
at 134-49 Francis Lewis Blvd. from 1952-1967. AJHS '62.
My sister Shelly Straubing AJHS '64 married Bob Abramson from Cambria
Heights but sadly became ill at an early age and made her transition many
years ago. My sister Rebbie Straubing was much younger and moved
to Manhattan with my parents when she was a young teen.
I remember all my teachers names from
PS 156 but that's about it. Except for Mrs. Mc Lean in 5th grade.
She gave me a U in penmanship and wrote in red pencil on my papers slant
one way! I also remember Mrs. Blum in 6th grade. She was very
sweet but the best thing about her was that she was Ricky Blum's mother
and I thought he was very cute.
I remember Go Go's candy store which
was on Merrick Blvd. two doors down from Francis Lewis. That's
where the kids on my block went for ice cream and egg creams. The
egg creams where served in a pointy paper cup in a stainless holder.
The small size was 6 cents. Summer evenings we would play handball
or punch ball on the block or sit on the stoop and catch fireflies and
put them in a jar.
And what about Mrs. Pendels dance classes
(her studio was in her basement) and yearly recital. For those
days it was a pretty elaborate production with great costumes.
I was in OPL (green and gray sorority
sweater). I remember pledging and Hell night and the dances that
each sorority and fraternity put on. We sold ads for the souvenir
book and little stuffed dogs for profit. I am still friends
with Donna (Debbie Klur) Cooperman and Maxine (Bergman) Peck. I have sent
them news of this web site.
I have so much gratitude for having
grown up in Laurelton. Thank you all for reminding me of so many
things I had forgotten.
Love to all.
Marsha Straubing, Venice, CA
Email Address: marstau@aol.com
An old Laurelton friend, Marsha Straubing,
forwarded this website to me tonight. It was great to read all the
entries and to reminisce about those magical years.
My life in Laurelton has always been
with me. I have tried to explain to my children what it was like
growing up in a neighborhood where we played outside year round, and there
were always kids to "call for". We were safe no matter where we went,
whether we rode our bikes or walked to Merrick for a soda at Joe and Ed's
or a pizza at Capri. My parents never worried about my being out
and about. We knew people on just about every block. I lived
on 229th between 131st and 130th and graduated from PS 156, JHS 59 and
Andrew Jackson ('62).
I was the GO President of the first
graduating class of JHS 59. Judy Burstein was my Vice President.
I sang in the chorus with Mr. Buchanan, who told us stories about his time
in the Navy with Harry Belafonte. He was a wonderful music teacher
and a dear man. I think of him often. I remember when we sang "Paladin"
on TV. What a thrill! And our performance of the Hallelujah
Chorus for the Christmas concert was outstanding!
Our lives were so much simpler in the
50's and 60's. No tatoos, or piercings--no serious drugs. I
was a sister in OPL and was a member of the script and lyrics committee
of "Sing" for my 3 years at Jackson. Jessie Tillman was the music
director and Mr. George Cohn (?) was the faculty advisor. Sadly,
he moved on to Cardoza High School in Bayside when it opened in 1961, I
think, and we lost a terrific English teacher. Remember Dorothy
Bonowit? She was our high school principal, and she led Jackson through
some pretty wonderful years. As an educator today, I look back on
those years and realize what an excellent public education I received.
My closest friends during my Laurelton
years were Adrienne Sklar, Marsha Straubing, Maxine Bergman, Judy Zaretsky,
Carol Shafran, Joan Modell, Enid Zucker (who recently passed away) and
Gail Berger...but there were many others who moved in and out of our lives.
I'm still in touch with many of these old and dear friends, and knowing
them has enriched my life.
I just wanted to add my thoughts to
this Laurelton page, and have enjoyed reliving the memories. Thanks
for doing the work of keeping this site going.
Donna (Debbie Klur) Cooperman
Email Address: DCooperman@aol.com
July 1, 2004
Hey Skip,
I'm Howie Katz, lived at 131-45, 227th
Street, LA 8-0378. My folks moved from Brooklyn to Laurelton in 1929. I
had the great fortune to grow up in our hometown. My Mom and Dad were Maury
and Elsie. Mom had her parents living with us, Carl and Ebba Sunnenberg.
The depression hit and everybody hunkered down for the long haul.
I never really knew we were struggling until years later. Went to PS 156,
and graduated 8th grade in 1939 and on to Andrew Jackson. Had a host
of friends: Artie Gladstone, Everette Goldstein, Dolph Marcus, Jerry and
Bobbie Friedman (not related), Artie Greenberg, Wadler, and on and on.
I remember Mickey DiEsso who starred in "The Mikado" with Richie April,
Dot Day, etc. Yes, Wilde was cross and Cross was wild. I had a crush on
Mrs. Evens. Senorita Berkowitz taught me Spanish, never got hit with chalk
or eraser by Mr. Greenstone, alias Angus McGreenstone in his physsics course.
I enlisted in the army in June '44 a
week or two after D-Day. Got my dog tags before my high school diploma
that month. Uncle Sam gave me a job in the Armored Force in a mediuim tank
called the M4A1. It was a beut. Made sergeant and got out in fall
of '46. Finally made DDs in 1953. Had married in my junior year and
am now married to a new wife, Judy.
I cannot completely put into words,
the emotional ties that bind me to Laurelton but they are mostly slim threads
of memories that are of such number, that combined, they are like
unbreakable braids of steel. There were many kids on my block of all sorts
and ages. For the most part, we were never in our houses. We called for
each other and out on the street we went. Yes, I remembeer all those games
that have been mentioned. Mumbley Peg was not. It was played with a pocket
knife thrown into the ground in a contest called "territory." Dangerous.
We did play marbles and I still have some of my chipped survivors. There
were absolutely no parents allowed! We made up our rules to play by, stuck
to them and if there were any disputes a good case of the 'hollers' got
all the steam out and on to the next game. Stickball, stoop ball, you name
it. The reason most of us were slim was because the only time we sat still
was in the Laurelton Theater or listning to the radio and even then 'fidgeting'
was very popular.
I remeber the long days of summer after
shool let out. Freedom took on a new meaning. We wrung out every last minute
of the days doing one or more outdoor raids and games. Holloween was special.
We used to come home all chalked up. Oh yes, Jones Beach was spectacular
and a favorite place to drive to in our 1929 four door Studebaker which
by 1939, doors on the left side started opening up on sharp curaves.
That's enough for now...there's a lot
more, but I'm bending your ears off so take a break. I'm still here in
NYC, in old Manhattan. There will never be another Laurelton for me. I
would guess it is the same for you. God speed and live long. I miss the
old town. You can find me at katz4bike1@aol.com. Laurelton 8 - 0378 is
not in service.
Dr. Howard E. Katz
Email Address: katz4bike1@aol.com
June 25, 2004
Skip, this is a joy for me. I lived
at 134-(not dash) 48 229th St from 1930 until 1949 when I married and moved
to, of all places, Brooklyn. Our phone number was only four digits - 0185,
no exchange. I went to Shimer JHS from 6th grade at PS156, and then on
to AJHS, and CCNY, class of '49. Wasn't Mrs. Winters still the math teacher
when you youngens went there? Guess I'm a little older than most of the
gang, but I do remember all of the stores mentioned - wonderful memories,
worked at most of them. I am surprised that no one seems to remember Schneider's
grocery, and Levine's vegetable store, both on Merrick between 228th and
229th. And yes, it was a wonderful life in those days, and a 'special'
place in which to grow up. There was one foot patrolman for the entire
neighborhood, and he never had anything to do. I did return once after
my folks sold the home, about 1970. Sorry, but the sight of the steel shuttered
store fronts on Merrick Road was very depressing.
Dolphe Marcus Email
Address: dmijb@cox.net
June 23, 2004
Hi Skip: This is really a lovely
memory. My name is Milli Sobel and my Husband is Hank - We
enjoyed reading all the details that everyone remembers. Do any of
you rmember "The Doll Lady" who sang for the children in 156. It
was from Banai Brith. About "What makes a good American - What
do you have to do?" Our sons are Kenneth & Richard Sobel
and they attented 156 and AJHS.
Milli Sobel
Email Address: millihank@aol.com
June 17, 2004
Hi, Has anyone been in Laurelton recently?
I last saw those wonderful streets in the fall of 1963, prior to my family
moving to the Los Angeles area. Is the area rundown? If anyone knows, or
has recent or vintage (50's/60's) pictures of the neighborhood, please
contact: RichardFreedman@msn.com (130-64 223rd St. circa 1963 ). Thanks
Richard Freedman
Email address: RichardFreedman@msn.com
May 30, 2004
Dear Skip,
We live in the Washington, D. C. area
and last Thursday my wife and I visited the new World War II Memorial,
just before the official dedication on Saturday, May 29. We also
stopped by at the FDR Memorial - which is magnificent. We saw thousands
of WWII vets and their families. It was a good place to be.
I thought of the war years (1941 through
1945) in Laurelton and what my memories were. Its been 60-odd years
so I can't claim complete accuracy. I remember rationing (red stamps
for meat) of food and gasoline (3 gallons a week which was just enough
for a weekly round trip to visit relatives in Brooklyn and a "A" sticker
in the windshield of our 1936 Chevrolet). I recall blackouts and
air raid drills with wardens going through the street looking for errant
lights. There were victory gardens: I recall bush beans and cucumbers
- which we had never seen growing before. There was even a victory
garden at P. S. 132 (my alma mater). We flattened tin cans for recycling
along with newspapers and metal. There was a block party in the 130
block of 229th St. I think in 1940 or 1941 with Glenn Miller's (?) band.
We watched the progress of the war in the newspapers. The liberal afternoon
paper PM had he best maps. ("liberal" wasn't a dirty word back then).
The draft board was SSS #64 out of Jamaica with a local office in Laurelton
I believe headed up by Sidney Graber.
And there was an honor roll with blue
stars and several gold stars listing young men from Laurelton (and I think
Springfield Gardens) who were serving in the armed services or who were
casualties. The honor roll was set up on an empty lot on Merrick
Road at the corner of 226th Street across from Hickey's Tavern. It
was torn down almost within moments after VJ-day and stores erected.
Last week Time magazine had an issue
dedicated to D-day. In it was an oral history of soldier, still alive,
who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He talks about a buddy, Robert
Dittmar, who was mortally wounded that day. That sort of jogged my
memory and as I walked about I thought
As I strolled through the memorials
I thought of the gratitude we (families with blue stars or no stars) owe
to these individuals and the 400,000 others who are honored. Lest
we not forget them. I've had 60 great years beyond their noble efforts.
I am grateful.
Albert Herner
Email Address: herner2324@webtv.net
May 30, 2004
Enjoyed reading all the memories of
Laurelton. However, I have only been able to find and contact one
friend from my "era"...Renee Bravin. Where is Elaine Lease,
Susan Kitzen, Carol Goldberg, Johanna Cannizzaro, Alan Corwin, Bonnie Mayo?
I lived at 138-39 226th Street. My name was Sharon Glazer (brother
Warren). I was told that the "Itch" got its name from the itchy fabric
on the seats. Did anyone go to P.S. 159 between 1958 and 1963?
Anyone remember the lst grade teacher Mrs. Heller (scary orthopedic shoes),
2nd grade, Mrs. Anderson (huge woman with no sense of humor), 3rd grade,
Mrs. Freeman (had these bangs that she was always flipping back with her
hands; always wore high stilleto heels), 4th grade, Mrs. Aberle.
There was also a Mrs. Miller who left suddenly in the middle of the year.
Never knew why. Do you remember going down to the basement to clean
the erasers? There was this table with an attached vacuum.
Really bizarre.
And what happened to all my friends
from Rochdale Village?
Sharon Glazer
Email Address: sbisantz@comcast.net
May 28, 2004
Hi Everyone!
My name is Judy Shapiro it was Rosenberg
and soon to be Garber. I lived on 229th st between Merrick and 135th.
Ave. I still remember my telephone number Laurelton 5-7646.
My dad owned Hutt’s fish market on Merrick road. I lived next door to my
cousins Jack, Ed and Charlie Stein on one side and the Count of “The Big
Ten” Mark Kessler on the other. The guys from “The Big Ten” loved
to come to my house, because my mother Martha always had cookies in the
house and they loved talking my Dad Arthur. In 1960 my Dad was in
a bad car accident in Flemmington N.J. and Artie Silverman, Barry Appel,
and Doc took a ride all the way up there to visit him.
I went to P.S. 156 and yes I had Mr.
Scharf in 6th. Grade. That year he had us do a whole year project
on Mexico, It was a lot of fun. I went to J.H.S. 59 and how many
of you had Mr. Ho Ho Hauser for Spanish. (What a trip he was). I was in
the 59 chorus with Mr. Buchcanin. (He was Great!) From 59 I went
to “Old Hickory and Victory” Andrew Jackson High School, I graduated
in 1965. I was in Sing every year, Sophmore year was “The Circus”,
Junior year “Books” and Senior year was “Inventions”. I am still
friends with Fran Dorfman, Maxine Rauchweger and Ellen Blenner.
Laurelton was the most wonderful place
to grow up. I loved to hang out at Lil Ed’s. Summers on that
corner were so much fun. I was in OPL, we were the green and gray
sweaters. I remember the Princes and Mu Sigma parties.
I know there are many of you out there.
I would love to here from you.
Judy Rosenberg Shapiro
Email Address: jshapiro@carnegieeast.org
May 27, 2004
Hi Skip,
My name is Larry Kapit. I loved reading
all these stories. It appears I’m a bit younger than everyone (I’ll
be 50 this year), but would love to share my memories. I’ve been
living in Coral Springs, Florida, since 1981, when I married.
I lived at 131-35 228th St from 1956
through 1973 and although I can remember both my phone numbers (“local”
and “long distance”), I can’t always remember last week. I attended PS
156 and JHS 59 and graduated from Jackson in 1972. (My sister and brother,
Donna and Steve, graduated in 1966 and 1969, so maybe someone here remembers
them; they both attended the Laurelton reunion about 5 years ago.)
I remember sitting on a stool at Helen
and Sam’s “candy store” at 229th & Merrick sipping my egg creams and
reading the box scores. I remember Marder’s, Zickerman’s, Burt & Dave’s,
Woolworth’s, “Stanley’s” and the 2 bakeries and banks that many of you
mentioned. A couple of you also mentioned Wong’s Chinese restaurant, whose
sons were in my boy scout troop 404.
And yes… I played stickball in
my driveway all the time. Remember the pink Spaulding and Pensie Pinkie
rubber balls? About 2 years ago, I was contacted by someone (Marshall
Zucker) via Classmates.com, who remembered me from 156. I hadn’t seen him
since 1965, yet he remembered me playing my drums in a talent show in the
5th grade. My oldest friend, Mike Shernicoff, lived off Francis
Lewis and about 128th Ave. Someone indicated the rabbi's name
at the LJC. The rabbi during my “time” was Rabbi Singer (and Cantor Kleinberg).
If anyone wants to contact me, my email
address is: Lkapit7@bellsouth.net
Larry Kapit
May 27, 2004
Dear Sue/Skip:
What a wonderful web-site! I am
much younger than most of you having graduated PS 156 (6th grade) in 1965;
but still feel a bond with those of you who remember Laurelton so fondly.
I lived at 139-36 230th Street when Laurelton was pre-zip code postal zone
13; ph.# LA.7-0180. I graduated JHS 59 in 1967 and Springfield Gardens
HS in 1971. My dad (Morris Bravin) owned Sharry's Bakery (1948-1970); so
it was nice to read comments from those of you who enjoyed the baked goods.
Yes Sue, Charlotte Russe was one of my favorites too.
I have an older brother Howie Bravin
and an older sister Phyllis Bravin Karp. To add a few remembrances: how
about Jones Beach, the Sunrise Drive-In Movie (since torn down) and Green
Acres Shopping Center in Valley Stream? I also remember the LJC but with
Rabbi Howard Singer (he wrote the book, Wake Me When It's Over; later became
a movie starring Ernie Kovacs). P.S. If Barbara Frey is still out there,
I think we went to JHS 59 together. Didn't have a goof friend named Roz?
For Now, Thanks for the memories,
Renee Bravin Courage
Email Address: rcourage@juno.com
May 7, 2004
WOW - did you bring back wonderful memories.
We grew up at 138 dash 02 233 Street. We are four sisters - The Gorlicks
- Gail, Karen, Brenda and Cheryl. I can still remember my old phone
number LA 8-0327. If anyone wants to get in touch, please do.
This is better than a black and white at lil eds. I remember Mr.
Kiley and Mr. Gambino at 156. Double dutch at 59 and OPL and sing at AJHS.
I just found all my sing buttons and senior hat ('65) Thanks for
the memories.
CherylGorlick
Email Address: CherylGorlick@aol.com
April 28, 2004
Skip:
Thanks for the memories! My name is
Ed Stein who lived at 134-31 229th Street in the 50's. I was a member of
Sigma Phi of Cambria with the likes of Ira Feldman, Bernie Seaman, Eddie
Shapiro, Harvey Albert and many others.
My uncle owned Hutt's Fish Market on
Merrick and I married (and am still married) to Gail (Rachis), whose parents
owned Lil-Ed's Luncheonette on the corner of Merrick and Francis Lewis.
Every Saturday night was either a basement
party or a dance--there was no better place to be a teenager than laurelton
in the 50's.
I now reside in Tampa Bay, FL and I
can be reached at engstein@verizon.net.
Keep the memories coming!----P.S.-Does
anyone know the whereabouts of "Chick" Jacoby?
Regards to all--
Ed Stein Email
Address: engstein@verizon.net
April 23, 2004
Just came across your Laurelton site
and I loved reading all the responses you got describing Laurelton in the
"old days." It brought back many memories.
My parents moved to Laurelton when I
was in 8th grade (1950) so I went to PS156 for one year and then to FRHS.
I have very fond memories of growing up there.
I still see many Laurelton friends;
Joan (Schwartzman) Bloomgarden and her husband Charlie, Elsa (Lipson) Levine,
Elaine (Weiss) Miller, Brenda (Schiffman) Kingsley and Jackie (Berger)
Cohen, I was recently in a gift shop in Boca Raton and recognized
Phyllis Elias whom I haven't seen in 45 years.
Joan (Alpern) Roman
Email Address: JOANELLEN523@AOL.COM
April 15, 2004
Skip-
I was just advised of your site regarding
Laurelton and I thought I would get in touch. My name is Chuck Stein.
When I lived in Laurelton between 1952 and 1970 I was known as Charlie
but now use the nickname of Chuck. Our family lived at 134-31 229th
Street and consisted of my mom and dad, George and Ruth Stein and my two
older brothers, Jack and Ed Stein.
I attended PS 156 as well as JHS 59.
When everyone else went off to Andrew Jackson, I went to the New York School
of Printing in Manhattan. What an awful trip every day taking the
Q5 bus to Jamaica and then the E train to 50th Street in Manhattan.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone remembers
going to LilEds coffee shop on Merrick Rd (Blvd)? It later became
the Busy Bee and was always a hangout. I worked there for a while
folding newspapers and making egg creams. When Lil and Ed Rachlis
owned it you may remember their kids working there -- Gail and Steve Rachlis.
For those of you who lived in that area
of Laurelton during the 1960s you may remember kids always playing stickball
on 229th street. We would usually hit long drives up to the Mobil
station on the corner of Merrick and 229th. Next to the gas station
was a bar that was somewhat unsavory. Does anyone remember the day
it burned to the ground? Everyone from the neighborhood stood there
cheering!
Back to JHS 59. Who remembers
the chorus? Some of the members were Burton Lass, Steve Neufeld,
Bernard King. The chorus was a lot of fun. We would entertain
at churches, civic centers, etc.
Did anyone have Mr. Scharf in the 6th
grade at PS 156?
Let's see who else I can remember.
Judy Gold was the first girl I went on a date with. We went to see
a movie at the "Itch" on a Saturday afternoon. I think I was 12 or
13 at the time. At 59 I hung out with Gwen Volpe and Jackie Abalafia
(I think that's how it is spelled). Does anyone know where they are?
Oh well, enough of the old days.
If anyone wants to get in touch, I am the Vice President for Business and
Financial Affairs at Suffolk County Community College. My email is
steinc@sunysuffolk.edu.
Regards,
Chuck Stein
Email Address: steinc@sunysuffolk.edu
April 13, 2004
Dear Skip: I got to the web site from
information sent me by Gene Gertler, who now lives in Prescott, AZ. I live
in Alexandria (wife: Liz Appell from Mount Vernon, NY). The page is great
and brought back a flood of happy memories. I and my twin brother
Alan graduated PS 156 in 1953. My older brother Herbert graduated in 1950.
We all went to Columbia College (tuition was then $630/yr). Herbert went
on to be a dentist in Manhattan where he and his wife still live. Alan
became an industrial engineer/corporate finance type. He and his wife live
in Wellesley, MA.
After Columbia I made the Navy my career.
Upon graduation went into the insurance business. Produced four children
(including twins). Laurelton in the 1930's and 1940's and 1950's
was a GREAT place to grow up. My folks were the first in their family to
leave apartment living in the Bronx (Ben and Ethel Frommer) and make the
trek to Queens and a private home. First they rented on 137th Ave and 233rd
Street. In May, 1941 they bought our home at 137-16-227th St. (cost: $9,600.
Monthly mortgage: $50, Tel: LA-5-1421). They lived there until 1960.
My crows were Alan Waters ("Drippy"),
David Lippner (sadly died about 1975, cancer, in Florida), Bob Yaffe (went
into real estate on Long Island), Lenny Kleiderman, my brother, red headed
Michael Levine, Werner Bucher, Lenny Kleiderman, Lenny Wasserman, Larry
Kornbluth, Charlie Bloomgarden (became a dentist on Long Island), Larry
Gittens (first family with a TV set, circa 1947), Bruce Stoloff, Joel Karpay
(moved to FL), Gary Wayne (moved to LA - at a time when you got there by
railroad). Girls? Paula Press, Ada Wayne, Muriel Lieberman, Irma ?, Sue
Naplebaum, Cora Schertzman, Francis Rubinow (who now lives on an Indian
reservation)
Best times were with Troop 225, BSA
at the LJC. Mr. Seidel and then Mr. Schacket as scout masters.
Answer to someone's question: "The itch"
movie theater so named because when it first opened not only were there
two films but there were give away dinner plate contests plus the Pathe
news, plus serials on Saturday with the result that your rear "itched".
I was told this by Jonas Fisher, father of Ellen Fisher (PS 156 1951 or
1952) many years ago. For those who remember red headed Audrey Friedman
(married name Katz), OS 156 1951 or 1952 she lives in Fairfield, Ct. See
her on the way to Maine in the summer. One of her sons is here in Silver
Spring, MD.
Could go on for pages and pages. Will
return to this site often. Last: Yes I remember when the Ridgewood
Bank was robbed. It was during Rosh HaShonah services and Rabbi Teplitz
made the announcement. I also remember the day the bank opened. It was
mobbed. Lauelton finally had its own bank!
Paul Frommer FrommerCLU@comcast.net
April 12, 2004
Just had your site referred to me, and
wanted to add a few random pieces of information. For Bob Kriegel,
who lists some teachers when he was at P.S. 156 in the thirties: they were
all still there ten years after you left, memorialized in: "Wilde is wild
and Cross is cross And Wenhold thinks that she's the boss"
The two bakeries were Sharry's and Four
Star. One of them had a sign that said "All baking done on
premises", which as a lad I thought was a misspelling of *promises*, as
in: "I'd like a rye bread please" "Sorry, we're all out, but we PROMISE
to bake you one"
For a full set of pictures from that
area, see: http://www.queenspix.com/laurindex.html compliments of Paul
Frommer, a classmate.
Gene Gertler, PS 156 Class of '49
February 6, 2004
Dear Skip, It is a joy to read
about places of my childhood and teachers I had all but forgotten.
I remember having to walk all the way up to Merrick Rd. and go to the farther
bakery for the "good" rolls. (they had a wonderful crushy crust) Rather
than the one on Merrick Rd. that was closer to my house (on 227th St. and
137th Ave. - life was so simple then, streets went one way, avenues crossed
them, making an easy grid) As the youngest in the family, I had to
walk there, every Sunday morning, in snow, rain or boiling sun from the
time I was about 6 yrs. old. There was not a trace of concern that
anything would happen to me along the way. What a difference time
makes!
I don't recall the name of the 2 bakeries,
but I remember the name of my friend, Rhoda Metz whose dad had the first
television store in Laurelton, on Merrick Rd. And Marilyn Gold
who was the most popular girl in my classes thru the years and the excitement
in her family when relatives they found had survived the Holocaust, were
to come to America to live with them. There is so much more - the
"itch" - where did our movie house ever get that name? But, I will
leave it to later - feel free to respond! Especially if you recall
me or my family (they were there since 1927).
Joselyn Kinstler Ney
Email Address: joselynk@comcast.net
January 17, 2004
Hi Skip:
I happened on your website - very interesting
to me as I lived in Laurelton from about l950-mid l960's when I moved away.
I didn't recognize any of the names of the people who wrote in, but wanted
to give you my background in case someone recognizes me or my particulars.
It is always fun to go down memory lane.
My maiden name was Susan Berliner.
I lived at l39-l6-233rd Street and went to P.S. l56 and graduated
in l959 (if memory serves me correctly). I then
went to JHS 59 in Springfield Gardens for 7-9th grades, graduating
in l962. I went to Andrew Jackson HS from l962-l965 at which time
I graduated. I went on to Queens College and graduated there in June l969.
I have a visual sense of the town as
I knew it (Merrick Road bordering Rosedale, Mentone Avenue etc).
I 'see' the stores as I wandered shopping along with my mother, but don't
remember exactly what the names of the stores were. I do remember
a diner on 233 rd St. and Merrick Road, standing there getting a bus to
JHS 59 and later high school. I remember hanging out at the LaTosca
pizza parlor on 233rd and Merrick, Woolworth's, a Chinese restaurant, the
toy store (near Woolworth's?). I remember a yummy deli, a bakery,
a fruit/vegetable store, and a bagel place (where they made their own bagels).
I remember either a Bohack or A&P supermarket closer to the Rosedale
line.
Any of this ring true for anyone reading
this website? Thanks and regards,
Susan (Berliner) Levy
Email Address: slevy54@rcn.com
Compared with the rest of you, my Laurelton
story is really ancient history. I lived there from 1929 until my
parents moved (they had to take me along) in 1947. I graduated PS
156 in January, 1939. People of my age, as you know, have fomidable
memories of the distant past.
Therefore, it shouldn't surprise you
that I well remember Mrs. Wenhold (music teacher) and her somewhat
stouter, equally severe colleague, Ms. Weinberger who acted as principal
while Mr. Baron, the regular principal, was on sabbatical. I remember Mrs.
Kranz for her superb penmanship that looked like it was lifted from a 1850's
textbook on cursive writing. For severity and just plain scariness,
though, none beat Mrs. Cross (heavy) and Mrs. Wilde (thin) who, fortunately
for you, might have been a few years before your time at 156.
The greatest thing P.S. 156 did for
me was to recommend me for Brooklyn Tech. I graduated there
in 1943 along with three or four other 156 alumni. I went on to Carnegie
Tech, graduating in 1948.
I went to the "Itch" every Saturday
PM with five cents worth of candy ffrom Aronowitz's candy store next door.
I remember Marders drug store, Sharry's
bakery, Zickerman's hardware (I delivered his Xmas circulars), the Jewish
deli between 227th and 228th on Merrick Rd., King Kullen and, very important,
Twin Ponds, where we used to ice skate and sleighride during the mostly
severe winters we had.
I belonged to Troop 225. The Scoutmaster
was Norman Barnett. His son, Larry ("Bubs") was one of the troop
leaders.
I had occasion to pass through Laurelton
very recently after an absence of well over fifty years. It may interest
you to know that stores and other businesses past the south side of Merrick
Rd. east of 230th Street didn't exist in the Laurelton I knew. That
area was occupied by Capt. Engerer's Kennels and a large truck farm.
And no one every heard of Cross Island Parkway.
My best to all who survived the swimming
at Valley Stream State Park and the severe Hurricane of 1938.
If there are any survivors of the P.S
156 class of Jan. 1939 or any whose Laurelton "playing" days were between
1936 and, say, 1943, I'd love to hear from them. I live in Florida
(West Coast)
Robert (Bob) Kriegel
Email Adderss: bkriegel@comcast.net
November 22, 2003 Skip,
Just found the web site, and the memories
came flooding back. My name is Ken Price and my family lived at 138-19
226th Street from `1942 (?) to 1953, when we moved to Roslyn Heights. I
graduated from PS-156 and then went to Kew-Forest High School in Kew Gardens,
taking the bus on Merrick Road to Jamaica, and then the subway to Kew Gardens.
I remember Sharry's Bakery on Merrick
(where my Dad always bought his "seeded rye", and sometimes a "corn bread"),
the shoe store with the x-ray machine where you could see if the shoes
fit (don't think that's allowed any longer) and the store that sold Boy
Scout uniforms for the scout troop that met at the Jewish Center.
I remember walking to PS-156 one day
and seeing (and hearing) a "Comet" jet aircraft, the first passenger jet,
going overhead after talkoff from Idlewild Airport, It was so different
from all the "prop" planes that were always flying over Laurelton at that
time.
I had Mrs Weinberger as a teacher, and
Dr. Kiley was the Principal. Don't remember the other names, guess I'm
getting old. My diploma from PS-156 is still in a case "Presented by the
Mothers Club" at the school.
A few years ago I went back to the old
house, to show my wife where I had lived as a boy. We were parked in front
of the house when the current owners, a black family came out and asked
us "what we wanted". I explained that I had lived there, many years ago,
and they invited us in to see the
Ken Price, PS-156 '52
Email Address: Ken.Price@ipaper.com
Hi Skip,
What great fun it is to reminisce the
great days we had growing up in Laurelton. I hope that one of these
days someone will plan another reunion like the one we had 10 years ago
in Hewlett. I and two other old Laurelton guys get together every
couple of months fo dinner in a nice restaurant in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
The three of us are: Bob Berkal, Saul Drubin, Art Kern (me), and occasionally
Bob Fidlow. How about some of you old pals - and certainly Gals too
- joining us. We would love to see and hear first hand from any or
all of you. Anyone who is available please email me and be
sure to put LAURELTON on your subject line so I don't delete it as spam.
By the way, I live in Watchung, NJ . Hope to hear from bunches of
you.
Arthur Kern
Email Adderss: BigartK@Optonline.net
October 21, 2003
It was wonderful reading the names of
places of Laurelton again. A generation later (I grew up in Laurelton
in the '60') not much had changed, and the great memories still remain.
I'd love to hear
Bernard Kavaler Email Address:
kavbro@comcast.net
October 6, 2003
Where have all us Laureltonians gone?
I moved to Laurelton in 1937. The belt parkway hadn't been built
and when we first drove out to see Laurelton it seemed like an endless
journey. We bought a house at 135-10 227th. St. and our neighbors
included Lester Levine, Irwin Anhalt, and Fred Kuhn. My brother Bob (he
has passed away) was friendly with Hymie Becker, Kenny Anhalt, Cliff Rosen,
Burt Goldstein and played baseball for the Wolves Baseball team.
It was a nice small town feeling in those days. Merrick Road was
our centerpiece. The Itch movie house,,,was wonderful as we would
see double features plus a serial like Flash Gordon. Raabs was our
caloried meeting place
I went to PS 156 in in the fourth grade,
but left later to go to Shimer JHS and the on to Andrew Jackson HS, where
I was a member of the track team with other Laureltonians like Everett
Goldstein, and Roy Beck.. Graduated in 1945..... My sister
Elsa was friends with Joan Weiss.
Subsequentally I married Charlotte (Shai)
Kane who lived on 228th. St. and was friendly with the Elias brothers and
Kavalers. (Sadly Shai died in 1989) Any old friends
Write to me at : nlipson@comcast.net
Norman Lipson
October 2, 2003
Greetings, I was raised in Laurelton,
and lived at 130-64 223rd St. I attended P.S.132 (graduated 1959),
J.H.S. 59 (Graduated 1962), and AJHS (left for the coast-with family in
1963). What a wonderful place to be raised; no locked doors, playing in
the streets, never ending summers, Carmines Pizza, egg rolls, candy stores,
SNOW DAYS, baseball cards, ( my mom threw them away)........ My friends
who I remember, and have lost touch with are: Steven Zelden (225th St),
Stanley Schaffer (223rd), Norman Fondilla (225th), and many others.
I live in the San Fernando Valley with my wife and three children.
Should you read this, and remember, please email me: RichardFreedman@msn.com
August 25, 2003
Hi Laureltonites: I think of you
all often. I lived at 230-07 138 Avenue. We had the greatest
kids on our street. My dad owned the Springfield Roller Rink. {remember
that)? We were very active in the Laurelton Jewish Center; remember
Rabbi Teplitz? He lives in Woodmere. I live in Merrick and
Boynton Beach, Florida with my husband. I graduated from FRHS
in1955. My sister Paula passed away 2 years ago. I am eager
to hear from you.
Harriet Scher Weiss
Email Address: Henshele@aol.com
June 10, 2003
Hi Skip:
I have enjoyed going through your Laurelton
page and see that there are many of them that attended Jackson who have
visited there. Since I have been putting together a database of our
alumni of the 50s & 60s I am wondering if you might place a note on
the Laurelton page to direct them to me so that they might get listed to
be kept in the loop for future reunions and perhaps reconnected to some
of their former friends and classmates.
We are also looking for all our Rosedale
friends who attended Far Rockaway as well to be placed on our separate
neighborhood database. We also have our own web site for our school
and one for each neighborhood that surrounded Andrew Jackson although not
as sophisticated as yours (I am a friend of Carol's and know her dedication
to this effort!) and you BOTH should be applauded for all you do to keep
the KIDS from your school in touch. We have also shared many great
memories of our old neighborhoods, our favorite hangouts and stories of
our youth. Anyone interested in reaching me to find out how they
can reconnect with their past can email me at BzeBee1063@aol.com
Warm regards,
Alison Kaplan Dillworth AJHS~66
Email Address: BzeBee1063@aol.com
May 23, 2003
Dear Skip:
I grew up in Laurelton (225th St.&
143rd Ave)between 1953 and 1969. Although I remember the Laurelton Theater,
I never heard it called the Itch. I am curious as to how it acquired
that name. Was it
Brian Mitchell
Email Address: bjmitche@yahoo.com
I hope someone reading this can answer
Brian's question. Please write him if you know.
May 6, 2003
Hey all you Laurelton-ites,
Sue, I was friends with your brother
Jeff, OK a few years after most of the folks posting on this page, but
I do remember most of this stuff anyway, I remember being a paper boy on
232th street From Merrick down to Mentone Ave and back, I'd always have
a bialy (SP) with a Chocolate Egg Cream at the drugstore after my route
with some of the tip money I'd earned, toasted with butter, the cream cheese
and lox a was reserved for the holidays. (I make my own lox these days)
I remember seeing Bye Bye Birdie and Westside story at the Laurelton Theatre.
I remember PS 156 and the eraser cleaners in the stairwells, the coal ashes
they used to put on the icy sidewalks that came from the furnace in the
basement, the first whistle which meant to standstill, the second to line
up, Riding bikes along the paths winding along the BElt parkway to Brookville
Park to fish, yellow rain slickers walking to school, Trick or Treating
all the way to and from PS156 on Halloween, And the games we played, Johnny
ride the pony, (Telephone pole essential) tag, Hop scotch, blacksmith,
(aka monster) Red light Green Light 123, Stoop ball, Touch football, Handball
and stickball, but best of all was SKELLY or some called it skully, played
with bottle caps filled with melted crayola's on a board drawn on the middle
of the street, Imagine that? Being able to play a game on your hands and
knees - uninterrupted - for hours, in the middle of the street!!!!. We
lived on 226th Street down by 139th Ave. My sister's name was Carol and
my Brother's name Anthony. Carol went to Jackson, and was in "Sing" every
year, that was a great event, Remember "Sing!"???? Anyway great site here
hope to visit again
Tom Chiappisi Email Address:
tomc1@worldpath.net
January 10, 2003
Looking for Emily Rand from Laurelton.
Thanks.
Rheba Silverstein, aka Rita Feldman,
Class of 1957 Email Address: rhebasilverstein@yahoo.com
January 10, 2003
We lived on 230th Place and I indeed
went to PS 156!! After 6th grade, a group of us went to Shimer Jr.
HS in South Ozone Park (not terribly memorable) and had to walk about 2
miles each way from Merrick Rd. to the school. My father had the
Atlas Rug Shop on the corner of 225th St and Merrick. I started FRHS
in 1944 and graduated in '46. Made the daily trek to and from the
LIRR Rosedale station. You have certainly evoked a flock of delightful
memories, for which I am ever so grateful!!
Sy Mallis, MD
Email Address: smallis1@san.rr.com
January 5, 2003
Hi to all,
I'm Bob Kamen, but not the same Bob
Kamen who had a sister named Susan. I lived in Laurelton at 130-11
235th St. from 1939 until 1959 or thereabouts, went to PS 38 and Jackson
(class of '56). I sure remember the potato farm where I first played
baseball. My very first job was as an usher at the itch. Later,
I had the very dubious distinction of working at Rael's pharmacy when we
were held up by two armed robbers. Whew!
I would up with a degree from City College
after ten years as a dropout,
Bob Kamen
Email Address: r3k@tampabay.rr.com
December 16, 2002
Hi Gang,
I was thrilled to find this site. My
name is Ed Dean. I lived in Laurelton at 131-19-224th Street from 1945
to 1957 when my family moved to Florida. I attended P.S. 132 (class of
1955) and Andrew Jackson H.S. until 1957. I finished high school in St.
Petersburg. It's hard to believe it was so many years ago. What a wonderful
place to grow up. I used to hang around with Steve Fischman, Howie Silversmith,
Steve Falk, Michael Gold, Peter Korn, Warren Harris and so many others.
I remember all the house parties we had, the street sports we played (stoop
ball, stick ball, punch ball), the yo-yo's, flipping baseball cards, marbles
in the schoolyard at P.S. 132, wearing our boy scout uniforms to school
on the day of the troop meeting and shop class with a gruff old teacher
whose name escapes me. I remember Silver's candy store on 225th Street
with all the penny candies behind a glass cabinet,! the .25 ice cream sodas
and the nickel candy bars.
Remember when pizza slices were .10
and they raised the price to .15. How about the Chrysler dealership on
Merrick Road. In 1957, the new Imperial came out and was draped with a
tarp in the showroom. When they finally lifted the tarp, I thought that
Chrysler had created the most beautiful car ever. I still do.
I moved back to Long Island after college,
married my first wife of 30 years and built a home in Lindenhurst. After
she passed away, I met and married my second wife and moved to Salisbury.
After three years there, we retired and built a beautiful home in The Villages,
Florida in 2001. We love it here. It's like Disneyland for adults. I am
now working as a Reverse Mortgage Advisor for a bank in Ocala and enjoy
assisting my clients.
I'm sure that there must be many former
Laureltonians residing in Florida. I would love to hear from you. My e-mail
address is: edward_dean @excite.com and my business site is: http://eldean229.tripod.com
Edward Dean
Email Address: edward_dean
@excite.com
December 27, 2002
I was so happy to see the Laurelton
page, my Brother, Robert Wilk, plays remember Laurelton mind games with
me whenever we are together. Does anyone remember the Kids shows at LJC
with Zippy the Monkey, the Merry Mailman and the Hopi Indians? The restaurant
on Merrick Rd. and Francis Lewis that had a train that brought the burgers?
Playing Go at 156 playground. How about Stuie Pector, Michael (Grandma)
Fisher, Bobby Street, Cheryl, Alan and Howie Krassner. We lived on
230th Street and 130th Ave. How about Estelle's Dress Shop, Prusnan's
Clothing Store, and buying a pickle at the appetizing store and walking
around eating it. How bout the show's at LJC present and performed
by the Mr. & Mrs. Club. Going to Capri Beach Club in the Summer.
I need more trivia to beat my Brother, so please send as much ammo as you
can.
Paula Wilk Amato
Email Address: p_amato@bellsouth.net
November 11, 2002
Hey Skip: I came across this website
in my never ending search for old Laureltonnik's. I found Howie Solot,
Al Kirschner, Steve Antler and Mickey Bornstien. They were old high
school fraternity brothers from Mu Sigma circa Laurelton1951 to 1955.
I graduated from Jackson in 1955 and then left Laurelton for college and
then the rest of my life. What has happened to me in the past 47
years is probably the basis for the great american novel. Nevertheless
my search continues. I do remember that a lot of my social life was
woven around the fraternities and sororities that were part of Laurelton
during that era. I remember especially the football, basketball and
softball games of that IFC league. Man was Sigma Phi tough.
Some of the fraternities we competed against were Sigma Phi (both
chapters), SAR, AZA, the other Mu Sigma chapter (Alpha Ro we were Beta
Beta) plus others that may have slipped my mind. So if Yogi Raphael,
Jerry Becker, Esta Miller, Marc Port or if anyone out there in cyberspace
remembers these goodtimes maybe we can roll back the clock and do a little
searching together. I live in the great Midwest, Grand Rapids, Mi.
It would be one of those strange wonders if someone was my neighbor.
Lenny Urowsky, Andrew Jackson Class
of 1955 Email Address:
disser5@aol.com
November 1, 2002
Hi Skip,
I had a ball reading all the posted
letters about Laurelton. Fond memories for sure. My name is Burt
Sachs, I lived at130-38-225th st. Most of my time during my teenage years
were spent with friends from Boy Scout Troop 345 . We met at The Jewish
Community House on 223rd st. I graduated AJHS in 1955. I was very much
involved with the Music Dep't. ( Mrs. Gluck, and Mr. Nelson Faerber). I
always loved music and made it a life long career. Both of
my degrees are in music. In 1998 I retired from Cardozo HS in Bayside.
I was the Band Director there for 15 Years. I am enjoying retirement. As
the Greeks said, "I want to die young as old as possible" I am still a
kid at heart. If anyone remembers me please contact me.
Burt Sachs
Email Address: bunton37@aol.com
July 30, 2002
I came across the 'Laurelton' site,
and it was like a trip down memory lane. I truly enjoyed reading
about things that I have almost forgotten about. The places mentioned
brought back a lot of wonderful memories.
But nobody mentioned the wonderful Italian
restaurant on Merrick and 231st street...The Capri; that was the best place
for Italian food. And while you waited for the bus... how about the
Diner on Merrick and 233rd street. They made the best hot chocolate!
Do you remember going to the shoemaker and sitting in the little chair
with the door while he would put new taps on your loafers? And how
about the Chinese take out place on Merrick and 231st street... they made
the best egg rolls. Stanley's toy store on Merrick and 228th street...
they had the newest games and toys. I also remember getting off the
school bus with my friends at Merrick and 233rd street and going into La
Tosca's for a slice of pizza and a coke.
Now that I look back at some of these
wonderful memories... and the fun it was to be a teenager.... and most
of all never having to worry about the things our children have to now.
How lucky we are to have been a part of that wonderful generation.
I attended PS 156 and JHS 59 in Springfield Gardens, and Andrew Jackson
H.S. I grew up in Laurelton, married and moved to Bayside, and have
been living in Hudson, Florida for 25 yrs.
Sandra Pepper
Email Address: Onelastpepper@aol.com
July 23, 2002
Dear Sue:
Judy and I both went to PS38 in Rosedale.
Judy went on to Hunter College HS '58 and Hunter College '62, while I went
to Andrew Jackson '64 and St. Johns '69. We knew all our neighbors,
went to Rabb's and to the Itch on Saturday afternoons and sat on the front
porch on warm summer nights and tried to catch fire flies.
I just reconnected with an old friend
from Laurelton, Lois Needleman who I haven't seen, nor talked to in 35
years. Al Bindman Far Rock class of '54, is my brother-in law.
Thank you for bringing back so many wonderful memories.
Elayne Gross Email
Address: Elayneg2@cs.com
July 23, 2002
Sue, Skip et al..
What a delight to discover the Laurelton
web page and read the previous entries. I lived in Laurelton (130-50 232
St.) from 1938-1966, PS156 1951 and AJHS 1955. I came across our PS156
graduation photo last year and blew my wife's mind (and mine too I suppose)
by spontaneously ripping off 90+% of the names.
Growing up in Laurelton, as for all
of you previous correspondents, was a great experience. My memories are
too numerous (and perhaps too emotional) to get into in great depth, but
here are a few.
The PS156 teachers - Mr Ryan, my 7th
grade home-room teacher, a sweet gentleman (was he also the baseball coach?),
round faced, wire-rimmed glasses, always with a collarless white shirt
and short black jacket.. On St. Patrick's day we stook around a circle
holding hands singing "When Irish
There have been numerous allusions to
the Itch. Do you remember the colored papers with the coming attractions
that were distributed at Raab's (and probably elsewhere)? If you
came to the theatre Sat. and your color matched that in the window you
got in free. As neither I nor anyone I knew ever had the right color, I
assume the odds were somehat worse than winning the lottery. But it was
a great gimmick to get you there on Sat.
My first job - making deliveries by
bike for a dry cleaner (whose name I mercifully repressed - was it Schultz?)
on the North side of Merrick Road somewhere between 226th and 228th. He
was an ornery old man, spoke with a middle European accent, and paid the
munificent salary of 10 cents/hr, plus
The Kearns gang. Remember them?
Although they lived in Rosedale, their base was the bicycle shop on the
South side of Merrick near 233-234th St., which was owned by their parents.
Mom was the circumferentially-challenged gang leader. There were
three brothers - Tommy, the elder; Jimmy, the middle (he was really a pussycat);
and ..... oh, I can't think of the youngest's name, but he was the meanest
of all. They and their cohorts would appear periodically at the 156
schoolyard and terrorize us (often physically), and now and then accost
us when we were walking alone or in twos, chase us and beat us up. Oh,
and they also stole our bikes - although we could never prove it - brought
them to Mom who had them repainted and resold in the store. Pop Kearns
found his own solution to his family's modus vivendi - he hung himself
in the back of the shop.
OK, I've bored you all long enough -
perhaps more next time. Meanwhile keep those reminiscences coming.
My e-mail address is pagestlg@aol.com
- would be glad to hear from any of my old friends, but must warn
you I am not the best correspondent.
Lew Goldmann
May 12, 2002
My husband is a Belle Harbor native
and reads the Far Rockaway page from time to time. He showed me this one
about Laurelton and I had to respond. My older brother Alan Coffield went
ot FR (class of 58). I went to 156, Shimer Jr.H. and graduated Jackson
in 1960, and my younger brother Michael (sadly passed)
Laurelton was the best growing up. I
see John Wong and his son David at their restaurant in RVC. Mrs Wong passed
away a year or so ago. Roger, a waiter from Laurelton, still works for
them. The Itch, Raabs, Woolworths, the Riviera (Italian), Wongs,
house of Chang, LilEds, etc. are all part of who we were growing up! I
lived on 225th and 139th Ave. and have nothing but the greatest memories
of growing up there. We
Love to hear from anyone from the neighborhood
(223-230 streets, 141 Ave - Merrick Rd.) I've been back to town, and although
it brings back memories, it is also very sad.
Rita Coffield Podair
Email address: ROJOPO@aol.com
May 7, 2002
I guess we lived on the wrong side of
the tracks, attending PS 38 Queens (near St. Claire's). Our
Life was terrific for a kid on our block.
There were families of every ethnic stripe, and we felt tied to
My parents used to drop us (3 kids,
youngest about 4 years old) at the Itch at ten minutes to twelve Sat. mornings,
and pick us up at 6:15 in the evening. They didn't know or even care
what was playing. We came home, ate franks and beans, and fell sleep early.
What a great day they must have had! Life was, or seemed, so uncomplicated.
Go to school 5 days, play around 2 days, summers in the street with marbles,
running bases, bikes, skates, spaldeens, and then the ice cream man came
around.
I can still name each family who lived
in the 28 houses on our block. Some have become pretty well
Thank you for establishing this website.
Susan Katz Email address:
susanemilyus@yahoo.com
April 11, 2002
A cousin sent me your Laurelton Memories
section. I enjoyed reading all your reminiscences, even though I am 10
or 15 years younger than most of you seem to be. I never even
thought of commuting to FRHS, since by the time I was close enough to high
school to consider it, I already had a big head start on learning Hebrew,
at that time, the only "excuse" for choosing Far Rock over
Gail Husid Sachs
Email address: Gailie 920@aol.com
April 9, 2002
Hi
I see that there is still a PS 156 (the
Laurelton School): http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/ny/ browse_school/2520.
Would this be the same place or an impostor? It's 97% Afro American, 2%
I lived at 137 dash 53 Francis Lewis
Boulevard (as Susan Kamen Marsicano remembers, it was always 'dash').
At PS 156 from 1st grade until junior high (my best friend was Jandy Rosenthal
Ruth Kamen (Epstein) PS 156 and Andrew
Jackson class of 1961
April 1, 2002
We lived at 131-10 226th St. from 1931
through 1973. I graduated P.S. 132 (1944) and Andrew Jackson (1948).
I knew Tom the barber. My first job was for Zickerman (about 1939)
delivering circulars at 12 cents an hour.
Albert Herner
Email Address: aeherner@webtv.net
February 5, 2002
Hi Skip,
Just visited the Laurelton page, and
have noted a few new visitors. Welcome all. I'm still looking
for classmates from P.S. 156, class of 1946. I still have my graduation
picture. Hi Marshall, I graduated from P.S. 156 in 1946, so I'm a
lot older than you, but you remember many of the same things I do.
I especially remember singing Christmas Carols, but we also sang Christian
hymns at assembly. My Methodist husband can't believe I know the
words to all the hymns. I certainly remember Mrs. Wenhold, and Weinberger.
Mrs. Fernandez was my eighth grade teacher and she was the best of the
lot. I remember her with affection, even though she took the lead
in the class play away from me and gave it to my Chinese best girl friend
to make her feel at home. Do you remember the old teachers, who wore
floor length black dresses? When I think of that, I feel 100 years
old instead of a young 69 (last birthday) At least I can still remember.
Hi, Harriet. I don't think we
know each other, but did you bring back memories. Yes, yes, yes,
I remember Wong's Chinese Restaurant when the Wong sons were in the service,
and their father proudly displayed their service pictures and a blue star
for a son in the army. It wasn't a restaurant then, but was a take
out place. I remember he had a big picture of Chang Kai Shek there
too.
I remember Sharry's and my first Charlotte
Russe. I think that's the name. And of course the Woolworths
on 229th st. Not 129th as I said previously. I also remember
those damn middy blouses with red ribbon tie. There must be a good
reason my mother never took a picture of me in one of those. And
music appreciation with the ditties. My first husband went to Boys
High School in Brooklyn and we used to laugh about that. I guess
it was a policy of all the city schools. I still sing the ditty in my mind
when I hear any of those selections. And the sewing.
My God, the sewing classes. Yes, I remember the apron, and I do have
a picture of me graduating in that white dress I made. That did start
an interest in sewing, and as soon as the war ended, my father bought me
a sewing machine. Of course he was in the textile business so he
had a motive. My mother never could sew. Thanks for the wonderful
memories.
Best regards,
Sue email: suenussbaum@swfla.rr.com
I didn't attend FRHS as I graduated
and moved out of town in 1955 as I was entering HS. My name is Michael
Senoff, I lived at 138-24 225th Street, I attended LJC. It would be interesting
to chat with anyone who remembers me. I agree with the sentiment that it
was great to grow up in Laurelton.
Michael Senoff Email
address: mike381@earthlink.net
January 19, 2002
What a treat to read all about our old
stomping grounds- I grew up in Laurelton from 1941-1970
Am in touch with many people still from
Laurelton, especially those who lived on 230Pl- the 139 block.
E mail with Barbara Bocklin a lot, (sister to Bruce and Keith (may their
memories be for a blessing) Her Mom, is still alive and kicking
in Florida, Marty Spar, Arnie Berger, Warren Hoffnung etc. I lived
at 135-30 232 Street and after I got married, bought a home at 130-16 225th
Street where I raised my kids. Presently live in Las Vegas-- Someone
mentioned a Fidlow-- must be Mike Fidlow's sister. Was Bar
Mitzvah at the LJC with Leslie Spokane--
Am anxious to hear from any of you.
lvrabbi@lvcm.com. By the way, believe it or not I am a Rabbi here.
As Ruth Kranz said when she found that out--- "Dickie Schachet is a Rabbi????
Let me hear from you ..
Rabbi Richard Schachet lvrabbi@lvcm.com
January 17, 2002
It was great to relive old memories.
I lived at 137-35 Francis Lewis Blvd. and graduated from Far Rockaway in
'59. At some point in my junior year, I got tired of taking the bus
to school, and along with Marge Fidlow (now Hirsch) arranged to have Buster
(of Buster's Gas Station on Merrick Road)
Ruth Sheldon Email address:
shelru@aol.com
January 15, 2002
My younger (by two years) brother, Marshall
Sroge alerted me to your existence and I would like to join the chorus
of Laurelton voices. I'm thrilled to be coming around the circle to my
past. I lived at l39-36 23lst in a spanish stucco house similiar to a hundred
others. They probably cost a few thousand dollars. We lived near Mentone
Ave or Street where there were a few stores .
I attended p.s. 99 and while I as so
nostalgic about Laurelton I remember my youth as being frightfully stressful.
I remember the slam books, the very popular leaders that everyone admired,someones
female cousin from the south that created a major riot when she appeared
in public and shook up the town with her sexy statements. It was a perfect
town , safe and friendly, full of the familiar.I remember going to the
Itch and for 25cents I was there all afternoon. On sunday everyone went
for Chinese food. Artie Kern, Bobby Fidow,Dickie Cornish, Donnie B., etc(
I hope I dont get sued for using these names) would come over to my home
or Eleanor Salinger.
I'm still in touch with Bobby Fidlow,
Artie, and of course Eleanor and I saw Doris Lippman in Florida with Eleanor
this past winter. I remember going to Jamaica by bus and it felt like being
in New York City. I remember the train to Far Rockaway High School and
the great socializing that far outdid the scholastic performances. I remember
getting a "salmon" and feeling terrible. When I moved to Bayside that High
School it was so much harder. I remember the sewers that were being
built and the streets were full of sand and lumber, What a mess. We had
cesspools.
The letters are terrific to read and
one memory brings on many. It's great to renew the memories of a happy
youthful time
Suzanne Sroge Scherer l949 &
ps.99 Email address: Beaubess@msn.com
January 11, 2002
Hi Skip.
Peter Lux, who lived on 227th St., a
block from our house, sent me the info on this page. I grew up at
135 dash (remember we all knew how to say 'dash'?) 39 227th St. Went
to PS 156, graduated in '53, I think it was, two years after Bobby Thompson's
home run ruined our summer/autumn. My best friend was Bonnie Frendel,
who lived on 225th Street.
I too took the train to FFFFRockaway
high school. Spoiled brat that I was, I tossed the lunch from the train,
to have 7 layer cake for lunch in the cafeteria. Was in what they called
a "core" program there, and weren't we all smart! As you see, not too smart
about food. Graduated in 1958 and went to CUAS - Cooper Union Art
School.
One memory I have is our nice dentist,
Dr. Geller, on 228th Street.. that street always felt special to me, as
it a center meridian with trees.
Susan Kamen Marsicano, Class of 1958
I went to P. S. 156 and graduated in
1951. Spent a term at FRHS before moving to Bayside. Yes, who does remember
all those stores on Merrick Roard, including Rael's Pharmacy (who was Rael...the
owner's name was Firemark) and those Irish pubs called Killarney and Killane's,
the twin ponds service station and AlKorn mens clothing? The Laurelton
Jewish Center, where I was bar mitzvahed is now, at least at last reckoning,
a church. How about the teacher's at 156...Wenhold, Weinberger
(who struck fear into the heart's of anyone who was deficient in arithmetic,
Fernandez and Baumritter.
Teachers wore suits and dresses and
made singing Christmas Carols mandatory regardless of religious beliefs
until a boy named neil kilstein said he couldn't sing those songs. Also,
who remembers Raab's...a soda and candy emporium reaching above luncheonette
status?
Marshall Sroge Email
address: msroge@jasa.org
Dear Sue,
What fun it has been to read about the
memories people have shared about their years in Laurelton. Not only
was I a "train rider" but I recently found some old monthly LIRR tickets.
(We are preparing to sell our house and I have been doing a thorough cleaning
into areas I have not seen in decades.)
I lived in Laurelton from 1943 to 1959
and attended PS 156 from grades K - 8 after which I went to FRHS.
Do you know that the Chinese restaurant in Rockville Centre, Palace of
Wong, is owned and operated by the children of the former owners of Wong's
Garden from 225th Street and Merrick Road. One of the waiters from
Laurelton is still with them.
Do you remember when the Laurelton Library
was a store front on Merrick Rd.? How about the area around 135th
- 137th Avenues and 222 - 223 Street? In my early years in Laurelton,
it used to be an empty lot where I walked my dog.
There were many times my mother would
send me to Sharry's Bakery on Merrick between 229th & 230 Street with
instructions to bring home a coffe babka. Who could walk past Woolworth's
without stopping in to browse among their "treasures."
Remember "Assembly Day" at 156?
We girls had to wear our middy blouses with the red ribbon tie. We
didn't dare forget to tuck in a handkerchief everyday! How about
the music appreciation programs where we learned the name of the music
and its composer by singing a little ditty that
Is there a girl from 156 who can forget
the sewing classes in which we made aprons as a prelude to the sewing of
our graduation dresses? I remember bringing safety pins to graduation
just in case they were needed. Does anyone else remember the "surprise"
graduation party which was given us at Carl Hoppl's Valley Stream Park
Inn to celebrate our departure from elementary school?
Yes, the memories are good ones.
Harriet Kniberg Werner - Malverne, NY...FRHS
Class of 1957 Email address: libraryesta@aol.com
Dear Sue,
Saw your Laurelton page on the Far Rock
site. 130-54 229St. from babyhood (1937) to 1960. Laurelton before
the sewers were installed and the streets were not one-way! PS156-1950,
Far Rock '53. My older brother (Martin) was also Far Rock around your year.
Sadly, there was an active Laurelton webpage but it shut down last year.
There is a less active site now: http://www.members.tripod.com/Calskp/1-Remember.html
Dan Alman, So. Fla.
Sue,
Just read your piece on the Rockaway
web site. My name is Foster Lahn. I lived at 130-67 225th st. I went to
P.S. 132 (not everyone went to 156). I graduated in 1956. I know
that time plays havoc with all of our memories as we age. Woolworths was
on 229th street. Could you be referring to the "HOUSE OF CHANG" on about
234th st.? I have many fond memories of the "ITCH", first on Saturday afternoons
( double feature plus 12 cartoons for a quarter), then Saturday nites on
"GROWN-UP DATES". Across the street was Zickermans Hardware and next
to that on the corner was Marders Pharmacy. Farther down the street was
LIL-ED'S lunchonette/candy store (Merrick and Francis Lewis Blvd.) The
ridgewood Savings Bank was on the other side of the street next to the
A&P. LIL-ED'S later became Burt and Daves, and I worked there after
school. I also worked at the Sunrise Super market (later the Grand Union).
I graduated Far Rockaway High School in 1960. I am listed in the
1960 year on the web site. Thank you for bringing back some memories of
the "GOOD OLD DAYS".
Foster Lahn FRHS Class of 1960
Matcom@att.net
Hi Sue,
What a pleasure to finally have someone
from Laurelton making a statement. I lived on 233rd St and also went to
PS 156. Graduated in January, 1945 and then on to FRHS from Jan.'45 to
Jan 49. I remember 'The Itch" very well. What a fun time we would have
on Saturday afternoon. But the 'Valencia' in Jamaica is where I went with
my first real date. You should be hearing from a lot more Laureltonians
now. I found some when I went in to the Classmates website. Looking
forward to hearing from a lot more!! For my classmates, I was known
as Betty R. which I hated, because when I arrived at 156 there was another
Betty Shapiro in my class. I would really love to hear from her.
Guess we'll all keep in touch now.
Betty Brass (Shapiro) Class of '49
Email Address: Bdeboop@aol.com
June 4, 2001
I lived on 227th street and 135th Ave.
I went to P.S.156, Shimer JHS and Andrew Jackson H.S. I used to catch
the Q-5 bus in front of Zuckermans Hardware store to go to Jamaica
Next to the Itch was Wedgwood Studios, a photography studio. Does
anyone remember Raabs. It was an ice cream shop on the corner of Merrick
and 228th Street? Remember when the Ridgewood Savings Bank (Merrick
and FL Blvd.) was held up at gunpoint? When I moved to Laurelton,
they were putting in the sewers. Some years later they had to dig
up the streets again because of a huge scandal involving faulty construction.
Anyone remember Tom the barber? He used to sell the green goop he
would put on our hir to make it stand up stiff as a board. Laurelton
was a great place to grow up.
Howard Udell
June 4, 2001
Dear Sue,
Your name does not sound familiar but
I lived down the block from Marders Drug Store. I just spoke to an
old friend and he advised me of a Laurelton web site. I am thrilled to
read about the Bee Line bus company. Where did you put your bus pass to
high school. I lost mine on the second week of school, it cost me 10 cents
to rise the bus. Who are you? Where did you live, how old are you?
I lived on 228street between 133 Ave and Merrick. I also remember
the movies, the pizza place, Burt and Daves, Schultzs' cany store etc.
Please email me back, I am VERY excited. My name was Barbara Frey
back then.
Hi Barb, it's great to hear from a former
Laureltonian, even if we didn't know each other. I graduated from
P.S. 156 in 1946. I still have my class picture. My maiden
name was Sue Carol Ludacer, and I lived in three four different houses
in Laurelton. Do you remember the Bee Line bus? Then you are
about my age. The house that I lived in closest to yours was
on 230th street and 135th Ave. (I think) Is Mercurio your maiden
name? When I went to High School, I walked to Rosedale station.
I was living on Laurelton Parkway, near 141st Ave. near the
bridge over the Belt Parkway. Did you go to 156? I never did find
out what happened to it. Write back soon.
Sue
Hi Sue,
Saul Drubin, New Jersey
Email address: SD011135@aol.com
My name is Edward Ingeneri and I lived
at 137-08 223 St. Laurelton. Reading all the memories of Laurelton and
Far Rockaway moved me to write that I too am proud to have grown up in
the wonderful Town of Laurelton and to have met many wonderful young boys
and girls from the area growing up. I was to one reunion about 14 years
ago held near Kennedy Airport and have never heard any more about future
reunions. If any one from the past wants to reach me call my home
# 1-631-874-4537 cell phone 1-516-984-0495 or e-mail eji69@aol.com.
At present I live in Suffolk County, Manorville, NY ( Near Westhampton
Beach) and in Ft. Lauderdale Fl. some of the time (mostly in the winter
of course).
My best to all,
Edward Ingeneri
Dear Laurelton
people, I'm writing in hopes that someone knows where I can contact
two brothers who are cousins of mine. All of us lived in Laurelton
in the 1950s. I moved to Los Angeles in 1953 and haven't seen them since.
Their names are Stephen (Steve) and Richard (Ricky) Ross. They both went
to P.S. 156. Steve and Ricky are sons of Adele and Lou Ross.
They probably graduated from Far Rockaway in the range of 1956-59.
If anyone knows any information about them, please e-mail me.
Thanks so much.
Jeff Cohen
Email address: Water45@msn.com
my name is les lebov. My wife is sharon
skolnick. I lived at 131-20 229th st. Laurelton which was a great
town to grow up in from 1944till married 1963. Went to 156 and ajhs. Have
loads of memories to share. Ran into estelle opolyn and howie linnet. Great
to see some people from the past. HELLO IS ANYONE OUT THERE
????????????????????????? BE WELL
les & sharon
Email Address: MOREIZLES@aol.com
Hi Skip,
I'm from the neighboring town of Cambria
Heights, living there from 1940 till 1953. Kids from there attended
PS 147Q and then AJHS. But my family moved in 53, when I graduated
147, so I never went to AJSH.
The Laurelton site is fantastic.
Wish we had the same for Cambria Heights. Since the towns were neighbors,
I wonder if anyone visiting this site has memories or friends from there?
My memory of Laurelton is that we used
to drive there to buy our "Jewish Sunday breakfasts," bagels, lox, carp,
bialys, whitefish, pickles, etc etc. Anyone else remember that?
I lived at 115-82-222nd st in Cambria
Heights, 2 blocks from Linden Blvd.
Linda Albert - Tampa, Fl
Email Address: LindAlbert@aol.com
Please send your Laurelton memories
to me and I will post them on this page.
Thanks,
Skip Weinstock
Email address: rockaway@astound.net
Pamela (Glasner) Melusky Email Address:
landbaron@cox.net
The Life of Riley could apply to Old Laurelton.
We didn't have air conditioning but it really wasn't that bad. We didn't
have money but who cared? (maybe our parents did). We played ball in the
hot sun for hours, probably ruining our skin. What, me worry? We worked
menial part-time jobs and attended college because we were told we had
to, often resulting in living in a rut, but music was a great escape (do
kids have that escape nowadays?).
Hi, my name is Steve Schwartz and also stumbled
on this website while "googeling". I grew up in Laurelton from 1955-1968.
I lived on 234 st. and 130 ave. I attended PS176, JHS59, and Jackson.
Many of the names from this "side of the tracks "are all familiar and a
real blast to see from the past. Graduated from Jackson in 70 and still
keep in touch with old friends-Andy Sheffrin, Steve Kapit.Many
of the names mentioned in other postings bring back plenty of memories.
Names like Postman, Kramer, Zidbeck, Rubin were all guys we played
basketball with at the PS176 yard.Teachers
such as Mrs. Sladon, Mrs.Simonetti, who used to put you on her lap and
spank you for your birthday (couldn't get away with that today), Mr.Kariss,
Mr Solsberg and Miss Hermer, who would sew up your pockets if you kept
your hands in them, all bring back memories.
We had some great stickball games behind PS176
in an area known as Box Canyon. I remember Eddie Geier going down
into one of those below ground pits to retrieve the pensy pinkies and threatening
to leave him down there.
Some other stores on Merrick Road not previously
talked about, but deserving of honorable mention were Manny and Zelda's
candy store ,which made the best egg creams in Laurelton. Also Pizza La
Tosca ,where in 1965, you could get a slice and a coke for 25 cents.
Social Barber Shop was a landmark as well where during the same era, one
got a crew cut for 75cents and u tipped the barber 25 cents. (if you were
sharp way back when, you tried to wait for the owner to give you the haircut,
thus saving the 25 cent tip for pizza and soda at the above pizza establishment.
Last but not least, Chicken Delight was a great place to get off the Q-5
bus after school to get a bag of french fries for 25 cents. (the grease
was included in the price.)
Lastly, other names of schoolmates, from this
era who may not have made the Laurelton reunion in 1999: Sheryl Postman,
Robin Serota, Joan Sklersky, Ann Bauman, Elaine Reicher, Jill Glassman,
Helen Lashnick, Marc Lessinger, Alan Honigman, etc. If anyone out
there knowsthe whereabouts of some of these folks, please contact.
Email Address: P_Amato@Bellsouth.net
Hello! I am Michael Storey and I posted
back in April of 2005 but since then my e-mail address has changed to mikersto@yahoo.com.
I was in Mrs. Nichols 5th grade class at p.s. 156 and classmates were Stuart
Smoller, Neil Rothman, Merrill Kramer, Joel Swirling, Vincent Oliveri,
Steven Parker, Omar Marti, John Biondililo, and Elaine Kessler. If
any of you see this or anyone knows them - e-mail please. Thank you. Mike.
139-22-230th street
My teacher was Ms. Gyves. Our entire class
went to her wedding. If I recall correctly, it was my first wedding, as
well as my first time in a church. Ms. Gyves (I cannot recall if that was
her maiden or married name since it changed mid-year), was quite attractive
to the 3rd grade boys and we were
all a little disappointed when she got married.
Then came the "IG" years of 4th and 5th grade where we studied French and
the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Since everyone I knew was in
"IG," we were in the same class for 3 straight years. PS 156 was
a great school, with a great school yard. Almost every day after school
we played either basketball, baseball or stickball there or went to each
others houses. I remember the back walls furthest away from the school
where we chalked in the strike zone for our stickball games. Across the
street from the schoolyard lived one of my best friends at the time, David
Zuber, who, no doubt, has gone on to do great things. I remember
thousands of touch football games in front of David Abrams' house on 229th
Street (or was it 227th). My friends may remember many basketball games
in front of my house shooting at the basket which was nailed to a tree
(very high tech). I also remember how we were never home, stayed
out all night (at least till 2 or 3 a.m.) for bar and bat mitzvah's and
never had any adult supervision, yet we all survived. My kids never
leave the house without an adult and they are going on 11 and 13.
It is sad how that part of growing up has changed.
Howie Katz
looking for an answer or two. I've got two photos of my former street,
227th, 131st Avenue looking North and South, from 1951. That's the year
before I left my home at 131-45. I was in my sophomore year at N.Y.U. College
of Dentistry, and was married that year to my former wife. I forgot that
the streets were "one way" and which way Merrick Road was. I know my old
house does not show in these photos since it was half way (up or down)
from the corner, but it would help the image in the memory bank of my old
homestead that meant so much to me growing up there from 1929 on. It was
a long time for me to be in our "center of the universe." Those visions
still sustain me to this very day.
As our common
shared past are almost universal, the same fondness and love is most
comforting in this age of violence and unflinching hate. Where tolerance
and being a good neighbor were our watchwords, the contrast is blindingly
stark. Would someone post the site for me or contact me at katz4bike@aol.com.
I would look upon that as a great kindness. Thanks in advance. Howie. P.S.,
Have a great holiday and healthy New Year.Howie Katz Email
Address: Katz4bike1@aol.com
Andrew Jackson Class of l973
Hal Smollar and Sally LaMendola
Email Address: smollar_s@firn.edu
Does anyone remember Phil Scire who lived on
227 Street North of Merrick Road or Dallas Smith who lived on 227 Street,
South of Merrick Road?
Andrew Jackson in 1962, would like to contact
these very good friends of theirs. Can anyone email me for their contact
info? For Lois Orlick, friends
Gloria Black
Nancy Amsel
Susan Markman
Ursula Tartaglia
Gerald Shapiro
Steven Narby
Anita Ginsberg
Anthony LaTasso
Peter Sauro
Christian Shoenfeld
Norman Silverman
Ilyne Fried
John Zangler
Dan Blumenthal
Anthony Cerulli
Dennis Kelly
Vinnie Vivo
Dan Kramer
Hazel Terry
Esther Robles
Florence Santoro
Martin ?
Gary Patick
Howard Brezenoff
Frank Dinardi
Jason Smolen
Steve Snyder
Michael Mercurio
Mary Green
Eugene Rubin
Neil Rauch
Steven Phillips
Janet Prager
Diane DeLuca
Mike Taliercio 138-06 233rd Street
Glen Gorsetman 232-15 Mentone Ave
The summer of 1971, the year that we graduated
from IS 59, a great year. A better summer...But what happened. I come home
from camp, and it was a changed environment. Where did everyone go??? It
was as if, all of my friends had moved away in two months...It was, as
we know now, but in 1971 I had no idea, Andrew Jackson, and Springfield
Gardens High Schools, were looming, and most of our parents had other ideas.
Thus, the WHITE FLIGHT, that ended best times of my life. My Jackson career
ended before it started, private school called, and soon we too took flight.
Paul Ehrlich, Susan Feilich, Andrea Friedman,
Hank Greenberg, Laura Glass, Godfrey Headley
Jane Hockman, Jody Kleinman, Andre Kloetz, Andy
Krugman, Keith Lyons, Amy Margolis
Rhoda Meserole, Michael Moskowitz, Wendy Orshan,
Kenny Perlmutter, Michael Rauch
Mona Rosenberg, Carolyn Russoff, Elaine Salerno,
Wendy Spero, David Zuber
IS 59
Class of 71
Although he lived in Cambria Heights (not Laurelton),
entertainer Chuck McCann attended and graduated Andrew Jackson High School.
Many people will remember his childrens' TV show on local NYC television.
He was a contemporary of Sonny Fox and Sandy Becker.
On an national level, he was nominated for a
Golden Globe for his role in The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. And many
people will remember him from a commercial in the 1970s. A man opens
a medicine cabinet in a bathroom and inside is someone who waves and says
"Hi guy." That someone was Chuck McCann.
He's also done a lot of other stuff. And
the reason I bring it up now is that he is among the dozens of comedians
featured in the documentary getting the biggest buzz of the summer -- The
Aristocrats. It's a movie of lots of comedians telling the same dirty
joke. Yes, it sounds stupid but it's hilarious. And included
with people like George Carlin, Whoopie Goldberg, Robin Williams, Chris
Rock, Phyllis Diller and just about every big name comedian you can think
of -- is Chuck McCann.
Malcolm Kushner AJHS - Class of 1970
Email Address: mk@kushnergroup.com
I also went to PS 156 and JHS 59
A group of us opted to attend Jamaica High School
(class of '73) in order to avoid Andrew Jackson High School; catching the
Q 5 every morning along with Leslie, Merri, Judy, Debbie (was I the only
guy?). (Max had gotten accepted to Stuyvesant HS in the city). Lots of
great times as a group, surviving a fairly difficult time in life and the
crumbling environment around us; I was mugged several times and my dad
was robbed at gunpoint once.
attended St. Claires. They were in uniforms while
kids in my school touted the exploits of Mohammed Ali & Joe Frazier
and wore a lot of double knit fabric. I learned that "ironed" hair did
not mean that you actually ironed it on an ironing board. A school friend
was knifed to death on 221st. for his coat in 1979. My mother was mugged
in front of our house as she returned home from work.
not to linger too long around J&S Pizza,
the bowling alley or MacDonalds. There were rumors of people being chased
through the neighborhood if they didn't live in Rosedale. We weren't allowed
to go the local theater but we were allowed to take the bus or ride to
Green Acres. Newberry's,Penny's, Kleins and Gimbels. That's where you got
your school clothes.
Deborah Goren Email Address:
debgor2@yahoo.com
I noticed quite a few references to my younger
son, Robert (Whitey) Rigsby. He lives in Pennsylvania and has 7 children
and one grandchild. My two girls graduated from SGHS. Nancy lives in North
Carolina, Wendy lives near me in Zephyrhills and Howard lives in Woodstock,
Illinois.I would love to hear from anyone from my era, especially if they
live on the Gulf Coast of Florida. I am in Largo.
Please keep in touch.
We would love to be in contact with Laureltonians,
particularly those who are now in Palm Beach County full time or part time
(like we are) and hope that we can all get together for coffee at a Starbucks
in Boca or on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Looking forward to
hearing from some of you.
Some of my sister's friends were Joanne Miltz,
Joanne Hoffman, Jody Agalore (sp?)
Do any of you remember if SGHS had a prom in
1970??? I know I did not go to anything like that, but I don't recall there
even being one.
dinner. I walked to P.S. 156 every day and played
ball with friends until dinner-time.
First, that French teacher with the “daggers”
I mentioned was from JHS 59, not SGHS, and her name wasn’t Teplitz (that
was another teacher), but I think it was something like Mrs. Hiller.
A few other junior high memories include Chinese jump rope in the school
yard (remember that girls, with the rubber bands?), and Mr. Arciello, a
social studies teacher playing baseball with the guys and running pretty
darn fast around those bases, keeping up with the “youngsters.” Gee,
I hope I’m remembering this right.
Does anyone remember Cooky’s restaurant (and
excuse me if it’s mentioned somewhere else already and I missed it)?
I seem to recall there was one on Merrick (Rd. or Blvd.), not sure, but
I did have my Sweet Sixteen at the one in the Green Acres Shopping Center.
I remember my first time walking home alone from
the LJC, (living on the “other side” of Merrick) and being so scared of
making a wrong turn and getting lost. I was so relieved when I saw
a big silver gate/fence at the corner of 236 St. (and 129th Avenue?) where
I knew I had to turn to walkthe last block to my house. Would
a little kid be allowed to do that today?
And in case there are any ladies here who were
Girl Scouts in my neighborhood, I remember a couple of years where my basement
was the Girl Scout cookies headquarters.
If anyone from my side of the tracks who attended
PS 176 is out there, give a holler. And to all of you I know from
Laurelton (either side of Merrick) through Hebrew School, junior high,
and/or high school, you’ve brought back great memories! It’s been
such fun to write this and I hope it’s hasn’t been to tedious to read my
ramblings. It would be great to hear from any of you.
Again, this is Shelley Levine (currently in West
Palm Beach, Florida) shelleyfish@earthlink.net
This is unbelievable skip. My name is Billy
Gazerro and I lived at 135-54 Francis Lewis Blvd. After reading some
of these entries, they jogged some very old memories of my childhood.
Living around the corner from PS 156, I spent the majority of my waking
hours in the schoolyard like so many others from that era. Basketball,
stickball (pensie pinkies and stickball bats from Stanley's), chalk to
draw the strike zone. Lets see: past the pitcher was a single; past
the sewer was a double and over the fence or hitting the school was a homerun.
Thrilled to see this web-site which was sent
to me by Barbara Starin Solerno. We moved to 130-41 235th Street in 1947
and left in 1957. Parents were Sol and Freda Haar and siblings were Floyd
and Andrea Haar. Friends on the block in those days were Charley Koppelman,
Artie Berkowitz, Lyle Fox, Billy Gargen, Other close "buds" included Barry
and Marty Baum, Jack Gartner. Willy Wilner, Howie Sklar. Most went
to P.S. 38 and since AJHS had guns and FRHS had knives in those days (and
I could out run a knife), I took the train to Far Rock. Mu sigma was the
fraternity. The Valenica (greatest theater ceiling in the industry) or
the Alden for a special date The Itch for a cheap date and the hangouts
were Lil and Ed's and Raabs. Basketball was in Charley's driveway, LJC
was Bar Mitzvah central The part time job was the fat ladies dress shop
on Jamaica Avenue. The Chinese Restaurant on Merrick and 225th every Sunday
night was written in stone so long as we got home in time to watch Ed Sullivan..
The car was whatever Charley or I could "borrow" when the folks were out
for the day. My aunt and uncle owned Estelle Peck's on Merrick and my grandfather
was the tailor downstairs. That block on Merrick is the only one changed
and it is now a Duane Reed. Girls I recall include Eva Seplow, Eve Weiss,
Michelle Rodney, Barbara Starin and the inimitable Marion "the flash" Flashberg..I
still see Barry and Marty Baum, Artie Berkowitz and Charles (now)
Koppelman. These are lifetime freindships. I went on to Hofstra, met Mary
Ann there, have 3 terrific children, spent 40 years as a national retail
store designer in the store fixture industry and just retired. We are in
Bayville and would love to hear from anyone I may remember. Steve Haar
Email Address: Journee666@aol.com
Click on the photo to view it in
its larger format
where I rode my bicycle so free and young
and the wind stung my face as I raced on
and I felt the sunshine warm and bright
to destinations unknown to them or me
places I would know when I grew older
that lay across that most seductive sea
and they waved back as if to say goodbye
Then I blew kisses—and so did they
Smiling, laughing, as they sped along
roaring past to find their destiny
Some got there sooner, lost in battle.
Some later—but still ahead of me
that I would speed through life into the wind
and race just like the soldiers who rode past
me,
with no care for my own obligatory end?
not knowing then but certain now
that mostly all those eager men
who left my sight that day—so long ago
Are now at peace out of the wind
and sunshine—and the love of children
who wave goodbye
Thanks to Ken Gross for reminding me about Skip's
great site! Since Ken and I walked to 156, 59, SGHS and the LJC together
for most of a decade, this is good a time as any for me to join him here!
Speaking of "here," I was just in Laurelton yesterday - for about the 10th
time since New Years - checking mail, messages, etc, at the house I was
raised in 40 years ago. Though they've been at their place near Ken's
folks in Florida the past 8 Winters, my folks still have one of the only
"vintage" phone book listings in Laurelton for the rest of the year! And
honestly, it has been strange, each time I drive off the Belt onto those
picture-perfect and peaceful side-streets, naming each friend permanently
connected with each house, as I drive past: Ken Gross, Harold Pearl, Jason
Smolen, Glen Goldenberg, Rich D'Argenio, Steve Snyder, Jerry Weitz, ...
Depending on the time of day and the cloud cover on each visit to town,
some other memory or anecdote that matches the scenery, comes to mind.
One new twist the past decade, as I idle down
from Conduit, is passing the house where Amy Heckerling lived, recalling
how quiet and unassuming she'd seemed on the walk down 227th to JHS 59
via the Q5, and comparing that image with the woman who wrote and directed
Look
Who's Talking and Clueless] .
What changes the feel of the neighborhood most
is the way trees hit the sky against rooftops - on each block, the way
that worked in the 60s, seemed the only way; Now, when tree-crowns pop
up or disappear in strange places, I know the new arrangement is a mistake,
and the way trees framed the sky back when, was right. One odd example
is a "Mother/Daughter" pair of trees on opposite corners of 135th at 227th.
As Ken and I finished HS in '70, only one giant of that species crowned
above the telephone poles, at the SW corner; a sappling from it, blown
across by seed with the wind, was just starting amidst a thorn bush.
Now, the thorn bush is gone, and that hidden sappling at the NW corner,
is taller and fuller than its parent across the way.
Speaking of opposite corners, [some segue!],
Ken's memories etched of 11/22/63, are like a book end to mine, since our
6th grade classes were on opposite sides of the same hall, near 230th Street!
While his class had that drawing of Abe Lincoln on the board [the morning
another Pres. was about to fall!], our morning lesson by Mr. Grutman, was
... about the line of succession to the presidency! Names of all
the cabinet officers had been chalked on the board before lunch break!
"Robert MacNamara, Robert Kennedy, Douglas Dillon, Dean Rusk, Orville Freeman,
... ;" even Larry O'Brien, the Postmaster General! All in the order
they'd succeed to the presidency, if he, his Veep, the speaker of the house,
and pres. pro tem of the senate, were all gone. [Funny how even the
Postmaster back then seemed so much more competent than the speaker today!
... or the pres, for that matter!] Anyway, what were the chances
we'd BOTH be doing something about lost presidents or their successors,
that day?
When the bad news came, I sat about middle of
the row farthest from the window, with Susan Diamond in front of me, Mark
Rosenbloom behind me, and a room filled with so many I'd love to compare
notes with right now - Malcolm Kushner, Rodney Little, Diane Krasinski,
Ellen Isquith, Paul Steiner. The reactions Ken remembers, rang a
bell for me: A bit like Joe Handlin [who's now an attorney and Pres. of
the NY Harvard Club!], I recall blathering about how the Red Chinese must
be behind this, and how they might attack, soon! Hearing this speculation,
Mark Rosenbloom - usually a pretty cool character - was crying about Kennedy
most loudly among the boys, and accusing me of insensitivity to talk
of such things when JFK was gone.
I also recall that I first heard about Ruby killing
Oswald, as I walked down the sunlit steps of the LJC's 228th St. exit -
just opposite Glen Goldenberg's old house - right just after Sunday Hebrew
classes ended. Our main TV was in our finished basement, with the
knotty pine walls, buffed floor tiles and rumpled felt penants from all
of summer vacations pinned to the walls. Most of Friday through Monday,
we sat glued to a "portable" tube TV that weighed more than most consoles
today, with a dent in metal the body where we used to bang it to make the
rolling stop! We hardly noticed the long spells down there without daylight,
as grainy B&W images of the horse-drawn cart, the family, the crowds,
passed before us. And even with those great TV anchormen, there were
long silences. Newsmen then weren't afraid of natural silences filtering
through their coverage of historic events, between background noises and
important pronouncements. Without the ubiquitous talking head framed in
the corner of TV screens today, that B&W TV was more real than color
- as if you were looking out a window at the streets of DC - an almost
unmediated link to the event.
We were so patriotic and trusting then.
Before seeing with our own eyes, the likes of John Cornyn and Tom DeLay,
it was utterly implausible to imagine anyone hating our patrician pres.
from Boston, or any political opponent fearing that JFK's attempts at peace
might cut into their future arms profits enough, to consider removing him.
Maybe there really was some link between the fact most people seemed good
back then, and the fact that most people simply lacked the imagination
to be very bad. Or maybe, it just seemed that way to us at 11!
The better side of our imaginations back then
- the birth of manned flight, the musical rainbow springing from the guitar
strings of the Beatles and dozens of other innovative groups - we took
for granted, as though all that creativity and boundless hope, were normal.
It is truly strange to look back 40 years later and see that the experiences
that seemed "newest," happened long ago, while things that are supposed
to be "cutting edge" in modern culture, have grown stale and repetitive.
How often I've heard my own college kid, Nat and his friends, muse about
how lucky we were to have been around when all that great music was happening
at once.
Al Fintz Email Address: prospect83@hotmail.com
or 718 253-0462
Skip, my name is Daniel Kramer. Kenny Gross
sent me your web site so I checked in. I lived at 138-14 227th Street,
right across from Burt Feilich and Carl, David and Jerry Robinson.
My neighbors were Barry and Andy and Candy and why I can not remember last
names I do not know. I too remember by childhood in Laurelton with
nothing but fondness. I was born there in 1952 and lived there until
I got married (first marriage) in 1973. My parents, Evelyn and Charles,
lived there a few more years and then moved to the Cryder House in Whitestone.
My sister, Nancy, got married to Jay Schwartz and moved to Toronto.
My other sister Michele got married to David Perchikoff and moved to Laurelton.
April 1, 2005
Anyway, back to those days freeze framed in our
minds, I wrote a poem dedicated to Jackie a few days after the murder
and proudly read it in front of the class which included people like Robert
Sumpter, Ronnie Silverman, Bonnie Green and Tommy Massucci.. Whether we
were 10 or 40 or 20 back then in Laurelton, I guess what happened to Kennedy
defined in some measure a key chapter in our collective Laureltonian experience
and will remain etched in our brains forever.
Ken Gross 138-19 226 St.
Email Address: Kgtheme888@aol.com
Steven Goodman
Email Address: goodmans@jacksonlewis.com
Hello! I am Michael
Storey. Was delighted to find this Laurelton website! I was in Mrs. Nicholas
5th grade class in 1960 at p.s. 156. If any of these people see this or
someone that knows them - please contact me at shatwafan@wmconnect.com.
Stuart Smoller, Vincent Oliveri, Elaine Kessler, Merrill Kramer, Neil Rothman,
Steven Parker, ALSO, kids from the neighborhood: Bobby Gugliano, Susan
Bernstein, Chris Carroll or any of the firefighting Carrolls from Laurelton.
I lived at 228-48 Mentone Avenue in Laurelton. Thanks,
Hi Skip,
Skip,
Bonnie and Andrea Kwardowitz (spelling?), Cynthia
Dilbert, Jerry and David Robbins, Steven Kessler, Janet Marcune,
and the one I married Claudia Lahti. I know I have forgotten
many others but hopefully people will recognize some of the names and reply
with their own lists.
How can you explain the good old days without
sounding like you come from another planet? Yet Laurelton stands out as
being the one place that I've ever heard of that still has hundreds, if
not thousands of people still going to reunions of a town not a school.
Where growing up was a magical experience that can never be duplicated.
What a wonderful time and childhood I had there.
It has been a great trip back in time to read
all the letters sent in. THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT.
Just discovered the Laurelton page, it's great
to see so many posters from the old neighborhood. I lived on 224th street
near south conduit avenue and attended P.S. 181 from 1964 to 1969 and IHS
231 in 1970 and part of 1972 when my family moved to eastern Pennsylvania.
would love to hear more from people who lived in that part of Laurelton
-- remember "the lot" where we played baseball for endless hours? What
was the number of the small wooden schoolhouse that was at the front of
that vacant lot but was torn down in the early '60s. I am working as a
newspaper reporter at a daily newspaper in Pittsburgh and often talk about
those great days with my children, who are fascinated by the simple fun
we had. some of the kids from the neighborhood were Mike and Phillip Pipia,
the five Kerr boys, Larry Donahue.
Dear Skip,
This is a
roll call for my old gang. Artie Abrahams, Jack Arrow, Milton Bagley, Roy
Beck, Herbie Berkman, Bill Bernstein, Bernie Bertash, Norm Belsky, Lloyd
Borow, Martie Colodzin, Howie Elakman, Herbie Ferber, Henry Fisher,Jerry
Friedman, Bobby Friedman, Marvin Genser, Artie Green (nee Greenberg), Everett
Goldstein. Robert Harrow, Melvyn Huber, Jerome Jacobs, Stanley Katz, Herbie
Kazdin, Norman Lippman, Dolphe Marcus, (we had lunch in Long Beach, LA.,
last year, Marty Moses, Ronnie Orsag, Morton Scheines, Jerome Schlactus,
Gene Schneider, Charley Seaman, Avram Silverman, Elmer Stang, Joseph Thierman,
Edgar Trell, Marvin Wadler,Melvin Wilens, Kenneth Winkler, Herbie Zohler,
Martin Zoler.
We had an
annual dance in 1947 and our pledges were George Cutler Albert Herner,
Selig Moskowitz, Louis Rosen and Arnold Wein. All from Alpha Phi Pi. The
war was over and we were so happy to be civilians again.
Hi,
My name is Ida (Felson) Lesser, graduated from
PS 156 in 1951 and AJHS in 1955. Great reading all the Laurelton
memories. I lived on Mentone Avenue between 230th Street and 228th
Street. The railroad tracks were behind my Spanish stucco house.
I used to take take the Q 5A on the service road to the Belt Parkway to
Jamaica to shop in Gertz. When the school bus wasn't running during
Regents week, I changed at Linden Blvd. and Merrick Rd. for the bus to
Jackson.
What ever happened to Leonard Elias, Joseph Levine,
the Miller twins, Norman Silfen? Does anybody stay in touch
with any of these KIDS?
Ida Felson Email Address: Joanida@aol.com
February 12, 2005
Skip,
http://www.thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me/index.htm
Hi Skip,
I went to PS 156 for almost three years.
Started first grade in Sept. 1957 and moved to Woodmere in March, 1960.
I had Mrs. Claus for 1st grade, Mrs. Schlossman for 2nd and Mrs. Nicholas
for 3rd. I've been collecting the class pictures and posted the ones i
have on the Laurelton website. I'm always looking for more and hope
you might have some from you days as PS 156.
My favorite barber was Jimmy who had a way with
kids. I had to sit on the board across the arm rests because I was
too short for the big seat. I remember a bazaar with rides and games
in a vacant lot on Merrick. Also, the Sunrise Supermarket where mom
won an RCA color television in 1956 just by writing her name on a piece
of paper and throwing it into a box. I was going to Town & Country
Nursery School in Cedarhurst and when the wagon driver walked me to the
front door of our house and saw the color television in our living she
asked, "How can your parents afford a color television?"
Steve Shapiro
Hi, My name is Robert Kanowitz, and I lived at
133-05 226th street. I now live in Jericgo on Long Island, which is the
same house I moved to in 1969 when we moved from Laurelton. I still speak
to a few people from the Laurelton area. I am a caterer in Nassau County
and have done many reunions. I would like to help out if we could
get a reunion together. Let me know if you are interested.
Hi, well first of all thank you Skip and thank
you to all who made me smile and remember all of those wonderful memories
of our childhood. We all have so much in common and share the privilegeof
growing up in such a special place: Laurelton.
From Laurelton, 1955-72. PS 176, 59, AJ, class
of 69. I found your site yesterday when another old Laurelton friend emailed
it to me... but the link didn't come through too well, .. i think
its working now. One of the pictures I think is of my house at 121-64 234th
st, right off the corner of 128th.
Is there a regular
way to contribute to this Laurelton site? I used to participate in another
Laurelton site. I went to the reunion on long island in 1999 and
it was a blast.
Hey thanks..
I live in albany NY now, but would love to find some more of my old Landsmahn!
Barb Goldstein
Email Address: gmarxist@aol.com
January 8, 2005
My name is Matt Kuschner, My father is Ted Kuschner,
he was the owner of Casual Dept. Store on Merrick Blvd & 231 St., the
same block as Martin Paint. There was PS 181 in Rosedale, and yes
it is still there. Mr. Aronoff was principal, Grace was the custodian.
There was also teachers like Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Jacobs, Mrs. Golsdtein,
Mrs. Borowick and Mrs. Kleinberg was my kindergarten teacher, as well as
her husband was Cantor at the LJC. I attended 181 from 1964 to 1970.
We had a yearbook when I graduated and it is still fun looking back at
all the memories. We lived at 143-51 228th St. Thanks.
January 7, 2005
I'm so confused! When I was 5 years old,
1963, we moved to 145-30 230th Place, Laurelton. *(almost positive of the
address)* I went to school from kindergarten thru half of 3rd grade
before moving away. My best friend was Jeanne Johnson who as I recall,
I chipped her front tooth while swinging my metal lunchbox! I remember
the Murman and Webber families as being neighbors of ours. I have
vivid memories of so many things; airplanes flying overhead, throwing the
baton in the air at football games, the school yard, and being "Spring"
in our class play of "Spring Tonic" where I wore my aunt's blue gown that
my mom sewed silk daisies on!! I also remember my favorite 2nd grade teacher
Mrs. Borrowick. But here's my confusion---I could have sworn I went
to PS 181, but I can't seem to find that school located anywhere!
Everyone here is talking of PS 156 and I'm wondering if after 40 years
I've just made a mistake with the school number or do you possibly know
if there was a "PS 181"?
Thanks,
Cindy (Covell) Maher
January 7, 2005
Skip,
Below is my input
for the web site …. I've been remiss in that I've got to the site last
Summer, and have from time to time been enjoying reading about the folks
I've known, but never submitted some memories. I get a thrill whenever
I find a name that brings up an image or two.
January 3, 2005
Sincerely,
Courtney
from 226th street and 131 st Ave Email Address:
DLFRANCIS9@aol.com
HI!!
I'm Pam Raven Lippman--I grew up at 130-42-231st
for my whole life until I graduated from Queens in 68 qnd got married.
I am a NYC (Retired) school teacher and currently live in Manalapan NJ.
I have been back to Laurelton many times while driving to LI. Such a short
detour off of the Belt to see where such fun was had. What a wonderful
place to grow up in.
As a second generation Laureltonian (two generations
on 228th Street) it is absolutely wonderful to read the memories of Laurelton.
What a fantastic place it was to grow up... which is what my father did
before me, and what I did until age 15 in 1972 when my family moved out-of-state.
It'd be great to catch up with my contemporaries who when to 156 in the
early 60's, JHS 59 in the late 60's and SGHS in the early 70's -- or spent
those years at the LJC, in the years when Singer and Kleinberg were replaced
by Konovich and Kunis. Neil Rappaport, Jimmy Brietman, Richard Angrist,
Mitchell Novick, Susan Resnick, Joel Katz, Barbara Cziesler, David Dunetz,
Michael Feldman, Steven Weiss, Maribeth Soloman, Harvey Bell, Lori
& Minday Chozik, Susan DeMarinis, Debbie Ilberman, Michael Jennis,
are you out there? Isn't it amazing how the names of the people you
grow up with stay with you so vividly decades later?
Bernard Kavaler
Email Address: kavbro@comcast.net
December
7, 2004
Skip,One
evening I was feeling a bit nostalgic and landed at your web site. What
a wonderful find! My name is David Berkowitz and I lived at 226-14 Mentone
Ave, LA8-3622. If I close my eyes I can feel my house shake from the LIRR
almost running through my backyard and the dishes rattling from the noise
of the jets flying directly overhead. I was raised with white noise before
anyone ever coined the term. It is no wonder why I can't get a good night
sleep living in the silent suburbs of Bergen County N.J.(Woodcliff Lake).
I moved to Laurelton in 1956 and attended
PS 156, JHS 59, and Springfield Gardens HS(class of 1970). I was Bar Mitzvah
from the LJC and was there with Rabbis Teplitz and Singer and like everyone
else Cantor Kleinberg. We all have our many memories of our childhood in
Laurelton and I am happy to say that mine are all wonderful. I wonder if
my kids will feel the same way about our town as we all appear to feel
about Laurelton. Somehow I don't think so! I remember going directly from
Junior Congregation on Saturday mornings in my itchy wool suit to the Laurelton
movie theater. I carried a brown bag with a Hebrew National salami sandwich
and watched the Bat Man serials or some double feature. The Pizza joint
directly next door (Carmine's?) had a neon sign that read" Eat Pizza and
Live A Hundred Years" . Those were the good old days when we knew nothing
about saturated fats.I baked bagels at the Laurelton Bagel Bakery every
Saturday and Sunday morning. Even that was fun, especially taking home
dozens of bagels after each work day. The owner of the shop was named Milty
and he lived in Valley Stream. As I got older I became a bus boy and waiter
at the LJC for VIP caterers who later opened up a second catering hall
in North Woodmere. Like
all that have written before me I can free associate and speak of punch
ball in the inner school yard at 156, the horrible smell of hot lunches
in the cafeteria, summer school on the black top with a gym teacher name
Mr. Burke, Miss Postley crying when the announcement came over the PA system
that President Kennedy was shot, being a milk monitor, and going to the
basement to suction the black felt erasers. I can't forget about bringing
$1 to school every Friday for deposit at the Ridgewood savings bank on
Merrick Rd. It has been
fun writing this email but equally enjoyable reading what has been written
by those before me. Thanks
for your efforts, David
Berkowitz Email Address: joycedavid@aol.com
Hi Skip,
It
is always such a kick for me to click on to the Laurelton home page. The
problem is none of my contemporaries seem to be around, but, in reading
through the page what a surprise it was to come upon someone who lived
in my house at 135-31 233rd St. after my family left. I did a double
take when that address popped up in front of me. It amazes me that we remember,
after all these years, not only addresses but phone numbers too.
Ours was Laurelton 8-1219. I think we remember all these places because
it was part of a time of innocence. I graduated from P.S. 156 in 1945 and
on to FRHS to graduate in 1949.
It's
funny how I can remember the'Itch' and Sharries (sp) Bakery and so many
other places but can't remember the name of a place I went to a few weeks
ago! Oh, well, could that be old age creeping up?! Reading this page makes
me feel young again. What a great aphrodisiac! My fiance and I spent the
afternoon at Twin Ponds the Sunday before we were married and that was
54 years ago! Still married too!
Betty Brass
(nee Shapiro) Email Address: bdeboop@socal.rr.com
Thank
you for your caring and creating this web site. I will enjoy watching it
closely from now on. Would love to hear from anyone from Laurelton who
might remember me, especially someone who might live near me in Florida.
JOEL REICH,
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Email Address: JBREICH@BELLSOUTH.NET
I live in
Rochester, New York, having moved here with my first husband for business.
I taught middle school for 25 years, and just retired in 2001. I
have a daughter and a son. When my daughter met her inlaws
for the first time (they lived in Boston) low and behold, her father and
mother in law were both Laureltonians. Their names are Leona and
Carl Rothbaum. Just around my age. Small world. Carl
tells me that he wasfriends with Mark Fishman, who I think I remember.
Carl attended the High School of Art and Design. He entered the army
and then came back to New York to start a business. He and I reminice
about Laurelton.My cousins, the Temlocks and the Weinsteins also lived
in Laurelton. We were an extremely close family, as we have remained
so to this very day. All of our kids hear stories about Laurelton all the
time.
Here's another
interesting story. While going through my divorce in about 1990,
my first husband called me up to tell me that he met a man whose cousins
lived in Laurelton. Who were they? The Linnetts. He told me
that he told this person that I would help him find the whereabouts of
these cousins. I finally did contact this man and helped find his cousins.
I also married this man, all due to our Laurelton connection!The people
who lived on my street were Goldsteins and the Schreibers, and the Mosbergs
(father was a state senator) and the Weiss'. The Obenzinger
family lived accross the street. Janie Davis and the Gelerters, and the
Feingolds lived nearby. The Solomans lived on our street as well.
I dated Spencer Schroen, who actually attended Far Rockaway. The
Rosenblooms and the Michaelsonslived near me as well. The Breitmans were
my familiy's best friends. We lived in Laurelton from 1945-1970.
P.S.
I can't leave this site without mentioning the wonderful experiences that
I had as a flute player in Mrs. Gluck's orchestra at Andrew Jackson.
I can't imagine how many of us she truly inspired. Sing was truly
another fantastic experience for all involved. i still carry on the
tradition of singing, as a part of a Sweet Adeline's group here in Rochester,
NY.
If
any of you recognize my name, and are so inclined, please drop me a line!
Thank
you Skip.
Judy Lesk
Blaustein Email Address: judylenore@aol.com
I called
Lois and we talked for hours, as if the past decades we weren't in touch
just vanished.
Thank you
Laurelton site.
Diane Liebelson
Email Address: serenades@nyc.rr.com
I recently
remarried (coincidentally, my new husband's mother used to work at the
Laurelton deli on the weekends ) and I am thrilled to say that I had 4
friends from Laurelton in attendance. They were Barbara Lipson, Susan Edelson,
Arlene Goldstein and Barry Gendler( who had been my date for my high school
senior prom). Another friend, Alice Schaefer was ill and couldn't attend.
What a thrill it was to have people there who have been my friends for
52 years! In addition to them I still see Eileen (Mickey) Pollack, Gail
Berger and Joan Modell on occasion. They all live out on Long Island.I
also keep in touch with Janet Breitman who had been my best friend from
4th grade through our freshman year at Queens College. She is now living
in Florida. I am one of the few Queens people that moved up North to Rockland
County ( just over the Tappan Zee Bridge ). That is where you end up when
you marry a Bronx boy.
I was a member
of the first graduating class of JHS 59 to complete 3 years there. I was
in the Choristers with Mr. Buchanan( I remember Paladin and the Hallelujah
Chorus) and I took French( Mr. Pignataro) as my language because my cousin,
Mrs. Judy Bell, was the Spanish teacher there and I didn't want her as
a teacher although I love her dearly. She is alive and well in Forest Hills.
I went to
Queens College and became a teacher. My first job was at PS 37 in Springfield
Gardens behind the Esquire shoe factory. I used to go to Raabs for lunch
with my colleagues. While there I attended the retirement party for Mr.
Kiley, our former principal. How strange it was to sit with my former teachers
as one of them.
Having continued
to visit Laurelton regularly until 1995, I was there to see the changes
as they happened. Merrick Blvd. will never be the same.Imagine gates on
the store windows! We never even locked our front doors! But when I drove
by, in my mind's eye, I saw it as it had been when I was growing up.
I saw Marder's
Pharmacy on 228th St. Schultz' candy store on 229th St.( there was a dry
cleaners there as well), Woolworths,Zickerman's Hardware, Tom the barber,
the Laurelton movie theater( there was a beauty salon near there too ),
the Chinese restaurant on the corner of 225th St( I remember getting off
the bus from Jackson to get an egg roll on the way home from school) Lil
and Eds on the corner of Francis Lewis Blvd across from the Ridgewood Savings
Bank. So many wonderful memories. You had to be there to understand that
Laurelton feeling. It is hard to explain this to my present day friends.It
is wonderful to have found this website and know how many others remember
and understand.
YOU CAN GO
HOME AGAIN!!!!!!!
There are
also several names here that I know ,Donna Klur and Adrienne Sklar lived
on my street. Judy Burstein, Diane Liebelson, Maxine Bergman,and Marsha
Straubing were classmates of mine. Perhaps they remember me as well.
Today I am Eileen Kaye Carter. Thanks to all of you for sharing your
wonderful memories. It has been a trip. I loved the ride.
If
anyone remembers me and cares to e-mail me I can be reached at JustEileenC@aol.com.
I would love to hear from you. Best regards,
Eileen Kaye
, Nanuet, NY( formerly of Laurelton, 11413 ) JustEileenC@aol.com
It is wonderful
to have been told about this sight-thanks Pam. My
Laurelton experience is also somewhat different than many others.
I lived on 230th street-between 145th and 146th avenue-hence south of Conduit.
(Did I live in Laurelton or Rosedale?) I was bussed to 156. Those
who lived one block to the west went to the "wooden school"-PS 137-and
I met many of the great people that went there once I went to 231.
Those who made IGC(mistakenly called OP for many years) came from 137 to
156. I went to Kindergarten in 1959-had Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Rognan-in
the afternoon. First grade was a half day for me, the first half
of the year was in the afternoon, the second half in the morning.
I had Mrs. Heller for first and second grade. I had the greatest
teacher in 3rd-Miss Cernese. She was a new teacher, and was lovely.
I had a very fine fourth grade teacher-Mrs.Aberle. Whenever I have
had contact with members of that class(which remained the same in fifth),
I always ask if they remember where they were at the terrible moment on
November 22, 1963. None seem to remember that our class was split
up-it was called emergency distribution-Mrs.Aberle had to leave for the
afternoon. My friend and I were in a tough fifth grade class, and
someone spilt ink on his paper. I won't name my fifth grade teacher,
in accordance with the rule, if you do not have something nice to say about
someone....The one highpoint of that year, however, was playing Java on
the xylophone and winning the "other instruments" talent show.My class
was sent to sixth grade in the JHS's. I went to 231, leaving many
friends behind, but still seeing many of them at the Laurelton Jewish center.
My years at Springfield Gardens(class of 72) were among the happiest I
ever had.I have had a real longing to speak to friends of the past, and
due to the reunions of 1999 and 2001 this has happened. Allowing
friends to meet again is also the best thing this item of technology has
brought about. Marshall
Zucker MZXYLO@AOL.com
Hi Skip,
Hi: Someone just sent me your message about Laurelton
and I remember just about everything you mentioned, except you did not
mention the Laurelton Jewish Center. I lived at 135-44 229 St.
Three houses from 137th Ave. I belonged to the "Jesters." I
think we graduated at the same time. I went to PS 156, 1941-1946,
Far Rockaway HS, and graduated in June 1950 and then NYU '54. Married
Judy Edelson in 1954, (Andrew Jackson HS '51), who lived at 130-50 229th
St. Reading about all of the places, Stanley's toy store, the bakeries,
Marder's, the bicycles shop on Merrick at about 234th St., Shultz candy
store,Hutt's Fish store, A&P, etc. Lived in Laurelton from 1941
through 1954, then US Army for two years. Had Mrs. Wenhold,
(Art, a horror), Mrs. Weinburg (Math, not bad), Mrs. Wild (English, another
tough one).
Just celebrated
our 50th wedding anniversary. Living in Jericho, NY and NYC. Judy
graduated from Jackson in 1951. Does anyone know about Howard Freedman
from 226th St., Florence and Charlotte Bernstein, 234th St.?
Stan Email Address: broadwin@aol.com
My name is Paula Kazdon
Becker, I lived in laurelton from 1954 until 1971. i went to 156,
59 and graduated from Andrew Jackson in 71. i had brief contact with
sandra ettinger and barbara kilman. i was looking for sharon isreal
for a long time..but never seemed to contact her. i heard that she
had passed away, but never confirmed that. interesting enough when
i moved from manalapan, new jersey in 1990, i met rabbi eli havivi, who
also lived in laurelton...it;s a small world. i
got married in 71 and moved to new jersey, where we lived for 18 years,
had two girls...and now we are in north carolina, which is a interesting
place to be jewish...one of my dd's lives nearby and is married with a
son and another on the way, my other dd lives in washington, dc and
recently married. i would love to hear from
anyone...there's david levine, fred bender and many others...what a great
site and way to get in touch. Judy Rosenberg...there
was a Rosenberg on the block...with a brother named Ross are you one in
the same...there was also Calvin Polikoff and brother...who at one time
was in contact with my mom...Sharon Gardner, lived across the street from
me and I am going to send this site to her as well. Please contact
me.
Wow it's great reading all these memories!
My name is Marilyn Garfinkel, and I have two older sisters, Barbara and
Gail. My Dad Jerry was very involved in the community, many of you
may know him from the Youth Group that he ran at the JCH on 223 Street.
Today happens to be my 50th birthday, so I seem to be a little younger
than the average person on this site, but I do recognize a few names.
Larry Kapit was the younger brother of my sister Barbara's friend Donna,
and Barbara Frey was good friends with someone I am still in contact with--Roz
Weisman. Page 6 of the photos was a thrill for me--the one of 227
street looking south from 131 Avenue shows my family's car parked in front
of my house (before I was born!) in 1951. We were the third house
from the corner, 131-10 227 Street. My parents bought the house that
year, and lived there until 1974. My wonderful Mom passed away in
September of last year, but dear old D! ad is still alive and healthy,
he'll be 86 next month. I am sure I am repeating some of what others have
already mentioned, but my memories include:Stanley's--The store was a complete
mess but he knew where everything was! The Laurelton Theatre--but we always
bought candy across the street at Miller's candy store so we wouldn't have
to pay the higher price the theater charged. Mr. Miller was sort
of a grouch, but Mrs. Miller was a sweetie, and they made GREAT egg creams!
Carmine's Pizza next to the movies--I remember when they raised the price
from 15 to 20 cents a slice. And they had a sign inside that read
"Eat pizza live 100 years". The bagel place between 223 and 224 streets
on Merrick road (I may be off by a block). I have two memories of the Key
Food on 225 street--There was a fire and I recall the smell of "cooked"
meat reaching all the way to my house on 227 street. And on a sadder
note, someone was shot there after a holdup, as a kid I was morbidly fascinated
by the blood that remained on the sidewalk the next day. The shoe
repair place on Merrick and 227th, across from the movie theater.
I can still smell the polish and leather in my mind. Zickerman's Hardware
store. I never found them particularly helpful or friendly to kids,
and just about every time I had a key made there I had to return and get
it cut again because it rarely worked the first try. The old A&P on
Merrick and (I think) 230 street, they had sawdust on the floor and as
a kid I thought that was impressive for some reason. Woolworth's, House
of Chang, my first bank account being opened at Ridgewood Savings on Frances
Lewis Blvd and Merrick, Miss Rand reading to kids at the Laureltoin Library,
P.S. 132, JHS 59, Marder's drugstore, Colony Card shop, Good Food (my first
experience seeing Holocaust victims, the owners had numbers tattooed on
their arms), Shari's Bakery. My buddies as a kid were: Hank Simon,
Neil Rappaport, Howard and Wayne Siegel, Alan Goldwasser, Helene Gruber,
Myra Dranoff, Gayle Braunhut, Jeff Goldsobel, Susan Bock, Susan Rosen,
Howie Schulman. Classmates included Steve Nagelberg, Hedy From, Michael
Eisen, Jordi Herold, Larry Grant, Maria Weitzenkorn, Francine Wolpe. As
a teen I became friends with other Laureltonians: Howie Miller, Gary Weinstein,
Irving Blumenfeld, Roz Weisman. Still friends with them, though we don't
see each other as often as I would like. Others I remember from my
older sisters, living on my block, and my Dad are: Barry Becker, Eddie
Levinson, Paul Glanz, Dona Kapit, Helene Katz, Harvey Blumenfeld, Dana
Launer, Shelley and Abby Braverman, Larry Katz, Laura and James Levitt,
Arnold and Rita Smith, Joey Ferrara, and a bunch of others who I
can only recall by their first names. I guess I could go on and on.
Laurelton has so many great memories for me and will always be near and
dear to my heart. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful walk down
memory lane!
Gee...everybody has said so much already. I lived
at 229th street right off Merrick Road 134-53 to be exact, the corner house.
I lived there from 1961-1965 From there we saw people..especially the old
zaideh (sp) walking to the Young Israel everyday. We went to LJC,
and saw Bobby Kennedy speak there one day, which was VERY exciting.
I remember Mrs. Anderson, my second grade teacher, as well as Miss Cernese,
and my very favorite teacher of all time Mrs. Aberle.
Relatives of mine
owned Marder's. I loved Stanley's, and the movie theatre on Saturdays,
where you paid 50 cents and stayed all day. The pizza parlor was right
next door. Shari's had the best charlotte russes'. I can still
taste them.
I am looking for
Andrea Miller, whom I went to school with until the end of fifth grade
when she started Parochial School. She lived "way on the other side
of town" near the LIRR. My cousin Paula Kazdon lived a few doors
down from me and if anyone is looking for her contact me.
Robin
nee' Rosenberg, Class of 1965 ps 156 Email Address: robinspence@charter.net
the mid 60’s !!
I
remember all my friends Howie Brickner, Larry Weiss, Larry Kilman, Don
Weis, Richie Grabarnick ( the first person the knock out Dexter Diaz )
Barry Secular, Neil Rauch and so many others that made growing up there
so much fun. I remember climbing over the fence at PS156 so we could
play softball, football, or shoot hoops. I remember wanting to hit it into
the garden so bad when we played softball or wanting to beat Steve ( I
forget his last name ) in stickball because he took it so seriously and
kept records. I remember going to Stanleys on Merrick for oak tag and stickball
bats and Pensy Pinkies, and hoping Stanley's dog wouldn’t bite me. I remember
my first slice of pizza ever at Carmines on 227th and Merrick and also
remember 2 slices and a soda for $1.00 ! I remember going with my buddy
Ray Domiyan (who I heard
had past away ) to the movies on Friday and hoping
the ushers wouldn’t come and flash their flashlights in our face ! I remember
Susanne Schwartz and Malarie Gordon and Susan Agolnick and most of all
Pam Shapiro ( we still talk).
I
remember playing basketball all day in the schoolyard and going to Merrick
to get a quart of Italian ices from Adrian's Bakery and eating the whole
thing leaning against the handball wall when we walked back. I remember
riding my stingray bike all the way to Far Rockaway beach (my mother hated
when I did that ) so that when I came back, my legs were strong enough
for me to dunk on the rim that was a little bent at the schoolyard.
I remember waiting for Eugene Rubin, David Kramer and Mike (last name began
with a Z) to come from “the other side of Merrick” so we could show them
who the better hoop players were! I remember the Laurelton Little League
and Neil Rauch’s dad coaching. I remember having 20 guys suit up to play
tackle football so we could get dirty and hurt one another. I remember
playing street hockey and Scott Rotter's brother Billy thinking he was
Ed Giacomin ! I remember the 69 Knicks and having Emit Bryant's wife as
my home room teacher in the gym at JHS 59. I remember my first day of school
there and some guy telling me to give him my converse sneakers or he would
kick my ass. ( never gave them to him ) I remember winning championships
at the LJC and telling Jeff Borowick to shoot the ball and not
pass so much. I remember Eric Maller ( boy was
he smart).
rims on the backboard, and the fence we used
to hit the softball over was blocked by mobile units for the school.
I remember the Little Spot contest about fire
prevention in PS l56, and Mrs. Reid, who was always tugging at her bra
strap. I recall the baseball court painted onto the floor in PS 156,
having milk and cookies in school, grabbing a wooden pass to go to the
bathroom, fire drills and ducking under our desks, which I suppose were
improvised bomb shelters. There were those fashionista nightmare grass-green
gym suits and clubs, lots of clubs we belonged to at school. There was
also the Laurelton Jewish Center and the literary magazine at Junior
High school 59 and wearing Ban The Bomb buttons. I don't remember the name
of the deli across the street at Andrew Jackson High School, but we all
went there to eat. I recently found out that there were many high schools
in the country named Andrew Jackson,and this was a shock and a disappointment.
I thought ours was the only one.
We lived at 135-31 233rd street, and we played
punch ball, collected dead birds that fell from the roof and buried them.
Greetings and blessings to all of you,
Howie
Katz Email Address: katz4bike1@aol.com
With fond memories,
Carol Gross Hittleman
Email Address: chitt@optonline.net
Dear Skip,
of another Robert Dittmar who lived
at 131-09 226th St. in Laurelton. (his grandparents lived next door at
131-07). He was a SSgt in the 701st Bomber Squadron shot down over
Germany. He died on Oct. 31, 1944 and was awarded the Air Medal with
three oak clusters. He is listed on the Wall of the Missing at the
U. S. Cemetery at Madingley, England. I visited there in 1960.
Another Laurelton boy who died earlier in the war was Billy Sauer who lived
at 131-03 - just a few doors down (I lived at 131-10 - across the street).
Boca Raton Florida
Best teachers: Mrs. Freda Bernstein
(grade 1 &2) whose husband was in India/Burma during WW II, Mrs.Kahn
(best looking), Mrs. Postley, Mrs.Kranz (logarithms), getting punched by
Mr. Reilly (?) at gym (years before everyone was suing everyone), Mrs.
Beatty and Claus in kindergarten. Mrs. Anderson whose two sons became the
town professional gardeners. Living in the greater Washington area
is also Avi West, about fifteen years younger than I.
Prescott, AZ
Email Address: gene@cableone.net
Class of '50 at PS 156 (Any Music
and Arters out there too?)
I still communicate with Leslie Davidson
who was my little friend on 233rd Street. I still can conjure up
some of my neighbor's names. I remember some details from P.S.
l56 and a few from JHS 59. My mind is in
tact (thankfully :-)), but I think what happens is that so much has transpired
over the years, I don't recall fine details.
house. It's a LOT smaller than I remembered!
As we were leaving, I mentioned that my Mother had planted mint just outside
the kitchen. The owners told us that it was still growing there, and allowed
my wife to take a cutting. A little piece of Laurelton is growing well
in our garden in Mexico.
recollections of my dad, his brothers,
and my grandparents, the Kavalers (138th & 228th) from the 30's, 40's,
50's. Thank you.
out there? Now live in Sarasota, Florida
P.S. Anyone know
of pictures of the old neighborhood, and where they
might be posted?
because of the seats (which I remember
as being rough), or was it something more gross? I do remember the little
Italian lady (I never got the impression that she spoke much English) who
was the tough usher flashing her flashlight at you if you misbehaved. In
any event, if you could enlighten me as to the origins of that nickname,
I would appreciate it.
Denver, CO
Scary.
then on to Wesleyan in Connecticut.
I'm now living in Gulfport, Florida and doing as little as possible <grin>.
I graduated Andrew Jackson in 1963.
Would love to hear from any of my Laurelton friends. I lived at 137-20
231st street.
Eyes Are Smiling". Miss Wenhold
(as noted in an earlier entry), who struck terror in our hearts, and who,
to out unbelieving stupefaction (even to this day), turned up one day as
Mrs. Shelly. Mrs. Krantz, a dear wonderful woman (thanks, Rabbi Dickie,
for remembering her first name), who served as the diametric opposite to
her math-teaching colleague, Mrs. Weinberger. Mrs Campbell, the music teacher
(or was she the librarian?) who replaced Mrs. Pickens and taught us "June
Brought the Roses" for graduation. And the regal Mrs. Fernandez, spinsterish
Miss Greenstein, mensch-y Mr. Scharf, and on and on. Each one added something
to our lives (besides knowledge).
tips. He repeatedly referred to his
customers as "dirty baskets". Once he actually did get the word right,
but quickly corrected himself. I think I held the job's longevity record
- two weeks.
graduated in 62.
were near the LI Railroad, we had the
Q5A, the local candystore, the center islands where many a dog eas walked.
Trips to shop in Jamaica were the best, and then we graduated to a day
in the city. We'd stand on the corner of Hillside Ave. waiting for a bus
(after getting off the subway), and were as free, safe and naive as could
be. We didn't use the LI RR, that cost too much.
school was so different from 156 that
we weren't even in competition. We lived at 130-49 236 St. from
1940-52, when I graduated from PS 38.
Across 130 Ave.,for blocks and blocks, was the "potato farm"
where all sorts of games were played,
until the developers put up the despised Garden Apartments. We left
shortly after that.
each other by bonds of neighborhood.
When the "boys" came home from WW II, Bernie Kastenbaum and Herb Wadler,
the whole block put out flags, strung a banner across the lampposts, sang
and danced for hours. When Roosevelt died everyone rushed out to the street
to cry. When Raabs opened, we all went over for free ice cream because
Frank and Harold Raab lived on "our block" and
we felt absolutely extra special.
They had the best chicken salad sandwiches on rye.
known, such as "Stuie" Pivar. Some
may be imfamous for all I know. I would love to read entries from
some of my old pals from PS 38, so dear to our hearts, especially Mrs.
Murphy. Now there was a motivator!
Andrew Jackson. Does anyone out
there know of any all-Laurelton website, for those of us who were "born
too late " for FRHS? I'd love to hear from anyone out there who would
like to write. My husband is Burt Sachs;
Hispanic and 1% white, so I assume
the culture must now be quite different from when contributors to this
page were there and Jewish holidays were synonymous with school holidays.
whose mother also taught at PS 156).
Then went to Andrew Jackson (graduated 1961). In '61 my parents (mother,
Hilda Epstein now aged 90, taught at PS 156) moved to Albany and I went
to the University of Wisconsin. Haven't been back to Laurelton since. Living
in Europe since 1970. I married Bob Kamen (brother of Susan), who also
went to PS 156 and Andrew Jackson (class of '61). We're divorced but keep
in touch. My brother, Paul Epstein, also PS 156, told me about this
site. He heard about it from Ed Cohen. So Laurelton news is travelling
far and wide. If it reaches any of my classmates, it would be good to hear
from them.
Email address: Ruth.Kamen@inst.riba.org
Director, RIBA British Architectural
Library
Royal Institute of British Architects
66 Portland Place
London W1B 1AD UK
Was very active in the Scouts with
my entire family. Also am cousins with the Laurelton Lipmans (I saw
cousin Doris a few weeks ago.)
Valley Outreach Synagogue
www.valleyoutreach.com
take us to school. I first noticed
his buses laying dormant each time my dad would take me with him to fill
up our old Buick. It proved to be a great business for Buster...and a very
convenient way for us Laureltonians to get to school. BTW...the photo
of '59 cheerleaders includes Rochelle Meister, who lives on the island
with her husband, also a FRHS grad.
Laurelton in the 50's was just
a new york minute...
In addition to the personal photos
of family and friends, I found the 1953 photo of our P.S. 156 graduating
class, photos of an OPL sorority dance.
incorporated them into the music.
It has some interesting memories, including
PS156.
I graduated PS 156 in '48 and FRHS
in '52. Lived on the corner of 225th street and 138th ave. I just stumbled
across this web site and it really takes me back. Lots of memories.
I'm trying to find out if there is any active alumni groups or reunions
that go back that far. Any help or advice would be welcome.
Sacramento, California
(916) 392-6425
Class of 1963