APRIL 25, 2025

TO RESPOND WITH A COMMENT OF YOUR OWN, PLEASE CLICK ON WHSALUM63@AOL.COM.

Hi Cheerleaders of Newark’s Orange & Brown,  

Lew Wymisner (6/64) notes passing of classmate:

Our Class of 1964 mate, Arthur “Skip” Clarke, age 77, died unexpectedly on March 15, 2025, and his souse Cynthia “Cindy” Hanson Clarke, age 75, joined him a week later on March 21. For anyone looking at a 1964 Weequahic yearbook, Skip’s photo was inadvertently mixed up with another 1964 graduate, Robert "Bobby" Clark (no “e”). For a more detailed obituary for Skip and Cindy, visit: Obituary for Arthur Clarke. Lew

Reunion Notes:

Albert “Frenchie” Anouna (6/64)

Once again, the Class of 1964 is getting together at my home on June 8, 2025 (noon-5 PM) for our 61st reunion. Our 60th reunion last year was a success. Many of the alums that attended wanted a repeat of last year and get together again. I would be happy to provide further information; anufar@gmail.com. Reunion flyer attached (LINK TO PDF). Albert 

Class of June, 1963’s 80th Birthday Brunch; June 7, 2025:

A second round of email invites have been mailed. Please RSVP letting the organizing committee know if you can join the more than 20 of your classmates who have already committed to attend. For more information and question, write to Jac Toporek at whsalum63@aol.com. 

J. Paul Blake (58)

Members of the Great Class of 1968, it's time to get together again. Let's reprise last fall's successful "Great Class of 68 Zoom Reunion" with our first "Countdown to 2028 Zoom Reunion." Mark Sunday, October 29, 2025, on your calendar and be ready to enjoy great conversation, fun, and the enduring camaraderie of the Great Class of 1968 with your classmates. More information will be available soon. The Zoom platform limits participation to 100. Send the email address you'll use to join the event to me at jpaulblake@hotmail.com. Paul

To Leslie Goldman Pumphrey (6/62) on “skipping” a grade:  

Norm Barr (6/54)

The comment about “skipping” or being “skipped,” reminded me about the alternative, “staying back” (or “flunking”). At the beginning of each school year, we would learn about which classmates “skipped” ahead of us, and which “stayed back.” Norm 

Joan Frieder Smith (67)

Some of the “skipping” was a result of the city of Newark doing away with mid-year graduations. My brother Ken, with a February birthday, began Kindergarten in February of 1951 and would have graduated in January, 1964. When mid-year graduations were done away with, he was skipped ahead and graduated in June, 1963.  Joan

Mary Sherot Mandel (64)

In response to “skipping” at Maple Avenue School. I missed the cutoff for Kindergarten entrance in September by ten and half hours! Mr. Townsend allowed me to enter Kindergarten anyway. I did a.m. then p.m. and, at the end of the year, my parents were told I had to remain in kindergarten to be in the correct class. I stayed back; made new friends. 

But once I began high school, our graduating class was told we were the last class to graduate in January. It was suggested that we attend summer school for two summers (2 classes each summer) to get on track and graduate in June 64 instead of January 65. It was an adventure! 

Yes, some of my friends did “skip” in 4th grade. I’m not sure how that made them any smarter. It was a harsh reality never really knowing what I did that warranted staying back in Kindergarten! The excuse was that there were too many of us that they let in that September! So, instead, almost all of us filled the halls of South Side the first summer and WHS the second year! One half year of learning crammed into a few weeks of summer school. The things I remember from those two summers were fun experiences, not necessarily the academics! Mary

Responding to Mady Bauman Barna (1/56) on her note remembering the family’s Weequahic Diner:

Marty Mack (55)

I will never get tired of talking about the Weequahic and Claremont Diners with old(er) alums (we are dwindling down). The world has changed since those glorious days when our biggest problem would be how long would it be before Leo seated us. It was more a social gathering than a diner. Coming home from college it was a must to stop in with whomever you were dating, especially if it was a Weequahic girl. Amazing, all these years later I can still remember the layout of the diner and Leo saying, "Don't worry boychick, it won’t be too long."

Marty

Shirley Ezersky Friedman (56)

It was great seeing a comment from an old Weequahic friend, Mady Barna, as it was so uplifting remembering the Weequahic Diner. It was home away from home. Kids came there from other schools far from home because it was the greatest landmark in our days at Weequahic. Thank you Mady for the note; it will always be a reason for pause to recall our wonderful memories at the Diner. They are memories which are cemented in our minds and never to be forgotten! Shirl

Enid Hinkes’ (6/60) reporting on WHS was heroes receives grateful acknowledgments: 

Sharon Levine Corzine (6/63)

Great… the bios of war heroes. Thanks. Sharon

Jac Toporek (6/63)

I, too, appreciate Enid’s passion and commitment in continuing to report on Weequahic’s fallen war heroes. So many comments have been printed over the 26 years of the “WHS Note’s” publication about the school’s legacy of distinguished graduates. Enid’s sharing of tales makes certain that the WHS fallen in battle retain their rightful place as distinguished school and community members.

 On the next block up from Meeker, corner house, lived Arthur Neidermeier (not certain of spelling) and family. Art graduated Peshine in June, 1959 with me, my brother Norbert, Leonard Levine and Clark Lissner, all 225 Meeker and Custer Place area kids on the block, so to speak. Although, we continued onto Weequahic, not sure Art did as well. Perhaps he spent all of part of his freshman year there, I am certain Art did not graduate Weequahic. Maybe he spent high school at a Vo-Tech or Arts High or his family moved elsewhere. In any case, we learned a number of years later that he was a victim of the Vietnam War. On one or more of my visits to Washington, D.C., I found his name inscribed on the memorial wall. Also, saw his inscription at New Jersey’s Vietnam Memorial in Holmdel near the now PNC Arts Center. Thank you for your service, Art. Jac

Margie Bauman (6/60)

Still enjoying classmate Enid Hinkes’ amazing work on Weequahic High war heroes. Several years ago, my son Daniel and I were in Normandy on America’s Memorial Day weekend. We attended a memorial service at the American cemetery at Normandy, the final resting place for some 10,000 American soldiers who died mostly in World War II, but also a few in World War I. Many of the grave markers were for “A comrade in arms known only to God.”

In this country, we tend to associate Memorial Day weekend with family gatherings, picnics, trips to the shore and yes, lots of big sales on retail stores. But after participating in Memorial Day services at Normandy, held in French and English, Memorial Day will never be the same for me again. The crowd gathered there to honor our soldiers came from all over what was occupied Europe during the wars before being liberated by the allied troops. Most of us were toddlers whose family and friends were in uniform over there. For those of us who were fortunate, they came home.

Thanks again to my homeroom classmate Enid Hinkes for your research work. We had quite a great bunch of people in our Homeroom 308, including Enid.

For a while I was Homeroom Secretary or something like that. Part of the job was to accept notes for absences from the parents of students, most of which I think were written by my classmates when they wanted a day off from school. Margie

Ron Sedaille (6/60)

I'd like to express my appreciation to my fellow classmate Enid Hinkes for undertaking this project. As a veteran of the United States Air Force from July of 1961 to April of 1966, I deeply applaud her efforts. Ron 

The WHS NOTE is emailed to you by the WEEQUAHIC HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION for the CLASS OF 1963 ASSOCIATION and editor, Jacob Toporek.



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