Weequahic in “Wikipedia:”
Pat Sebold
My wonderful aunt, Hannah Litzky, who taught English at Weequahic High School, taught me the pronunciation was “Wee-Khoi-ick.” When I did my practice teaching under the guidance of another wonderful English teacher, Hilda Lutzke, that is the way I pronounced it and still do today! Pat
Carole Heller Shapiro (6/63)
To add to the conversation as to the pronunciation of “Weequahic,” I mostly hear “Week-Wake.” Carole
Jeff Golden (6/63)
To my classmate Jac Toporek and Larry Koenigsberg (64). sometimes, when I mention to people that my high school has an alumni association, sends out a weekly email newsletter where alumni reminisce about the old neighborhood, and has been doing so for 25-some-odd years, they find this very odd. Some of them went to what were once outstanding high schools in Philadelphia and they never heard of such a thing. They might ask "Where did you go to high school?" I answer Newark, New Jersey. I might add that my high school was once considered academically one of the top high schools in the country.
Some would ask further, "What's the name of your high school?" Then I have a problem. I tell them that, if you never went to that school or lived in the neighborhood, you are required to pronounce it "Wee-Kwoy-ic." They ask how is it spelled and what does it mean. Eventually we get into the whole Indian name thing.
Speaking of Indian names, there is a town near me in south Jersey called Pennsauken. It’s an Indian name. Some people think it sounds funny and ask what does it mean? I don't think anyone really knows that any more. I tell them it means "Where the waters run clear, the corn grows tall, the fish and game are plenty, and people of all nations live together in peaceful harmony." Since that is the exact opposite of what people think of Pennsauken today, that is usually a conversation ender. Jeff
Norm Barr (6/54)
I am responding to Jac Toporek’s (6/63 description of the high school’s name as being pronounced “Wee-kwoi-ick” and his Chicago cousins’ twist, “Weekawaka!” For the sake of completeness, I would add the common blue-collar pronunciation, “Week-wake.” Norm
(Editor’s Note: for many in Mr. Martino’s Chem class it was “we quake”)
Mel Rubin (56).
In regards to Larry Koenigsberg’s (64) article about the derivation of the word “Weequahic,” I recall that there was a gazebo near Elizabeth Avenue in a grove of trees on a path that had an inscription stating that this was the meeting place of the two Lenni Lenape tribes and that was the source of the Weequahic name, “meeting place.” Not having been in the park since the 60s, although I have played a lot of golf there, I am unaware if the gazebo till exists or if it ever did. Can anyone help me out here? I hate to think it was a figment of my imagination, but in the 50s I was there on multiple occasions as it was on the way to the ball fields. Mel
Jerry Kaye (Krotenberg) (1/60/faculty 64-69)
I remember the music teacher at WHS, Mr. Melnick, who said the proper pronunciation of our fair school rhymes with “Sequoyah,” the beautiful trees in Muir Woods, CA. Jerry
Newark History Society
FYI, we have posted recordings of ta program on the Newark History Society's YouTube channel entitled "True Owners of the Land: Munsee Lenape and the First Settlers of Newark,'” March 14, 2023
(Newark History Society Program YouTube Link). Eyesha Marable's reading of NJPAC's land acknowledgement begins at minute 2:30, while Tim Crist's presentation starts at minute 5:50; the Q&A session begins at minute 56:45.
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