MAY 23, 2025

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Marvin Schlanger (Chancellor 61/WHS 65) posts Chancellor reunion notice:

The Chancellor Avenue Class of 1961 is organizing a 65th reunion weekend of festivities in Southern Florida during February/March 2026. Of course, any of our Weequahic ’65 classmates who live in Florida or will be traveling to Florida at that time are invited to join. If you have interest, please email Marvin Schlanger so that we can formalize the plan. m.o.schlanger1969@gmail.com

Larry Koenigsberg (64) continues; Part II of thoughts on “Weequahic-Pop” lore:

Replying to Herman Rosenfeld’s (67) reminiscences of talented fellow musicians at WHS, I hardly remember my classmate Bob Applebaum from orchestra days when he was playing violin, although we were friends at the time. He has since become a fixture on the Los Angeles music scene as a highly regarded mandolin player, master of many styles. I heard him a few times as a bluegrass mandolinist around the time of our graduation. He was kind enough to send me a jazz recording by a group he'd led.

Of course, the late David Shapiro, another classmate, was known as a masterful violinist even in high school as well as throughout his life, although he chose other career paths. We were friends back then and reconnected some years ago. One evening when I was in NYC, I jammed with him at his apartment in the Bronx, a startling experience for me.

Eric Rosen, also Class of 1964, was another friend in the orchestra and band, where he played clarinet. We've stayed in contact ever since. Eric became a truly brilliant improvising jazz alto saxophonist, helped along by music lessons from Charles Lloyd. I think he didn't work much as a musician, preferring just to jam on other players' dates or at parties. I played with him a few times, including once when my son was playing piano and I walked the bass on the piano's low register. They commented on my inaccurate time, which is still true.

Herman Rosenfeld's note mentioned Ronnie Scruggs; Eric is the only other person who ever brought that name to my attention. "A good vibes player," said Eric, who also spoke highly of David Ginsberg, whom Herman mentioned.

I wasn't close with the late Barry Levitt (64) in high school, but friends of mine were tight with him, so I got to know him a little back then. Barry also benefited from lessons with a noteworthy teacher, Herbie Hancock in this case. A few years after that, he was written up in the "Goings On About Town" feature in the “New Yorker,” where it mentioned him playing piano at the Persian Room in the Plaza Hotel. He was there for two years. "That was a fun gig," he said, when I mentioned it to him much later.

It was my good fortune to be educated in a school with such a brilliant assemblage of teachers and students, regardless of where I fit in that group. And I'm still thinking of and reading about and writing up the rewards of that time. Larry 

Responding to insert of Temple B’nai Abaraham graduation photo in the newsletter a few weeks ago:

Jackie Ivers Metzger (64)

I’m also in that 1958 graduating class. I can’t remember now why I was in this class as I was younger than everyone else. I’m standing next to my good friend Sheila Statman who lived in the suburbs of Newark at that time. My hair is in a pony tail and I’m middle right. 

Sheila’s father was in the wholesale potato chip and pretzel business. He supplied bars and restaurants, I believe. We always had had a huge tin of each in our basement rec room. Sheila was a talented violinist. Last I saw her, she was a music teacher in NJ public schools. Jackie

Bonnie Bunin Danetz (1/64)

I was in second row 6th from the right. Thanks for the memory! Bonnie

Helen Lippman (65) notes Bragaw Avenue School, “still on my mind:”

Sorry to be late to the game about the correspondence a while back about Bragaw Avene School (I attended from 4th-6th grade), and which sparked a couple of teacher memories. Mrs. Mullin, my 5th grade teacher (57-58), wore solid black virtually every day, presumably because she was in mourning. Then one day late in the year, she shocked everyone by showing up in a bright red dress. To the best of my recollection, we students never knew why.  

I wonder, too, if anyone else shares my vivid memory of Mrs. Mullin ordering students who left a trail of tissues behind to "pick up the tish." I can still hear her!

A story about my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. London, is also seared in my memory. One day, she meant to write "horse" on the board, but inadvertently left out the "s." This prompted one of the boys to raise his hand to announce to the teacher that she wrote “hore” on the board instead of horse. The class erupted in laughter, although I very much doubt that I was the only one who had no idea of what “hore” (whore) meant. When the boys went off to gym, Mrs. London gave the girls quite a lecture, insisting that "nice girls do not laugh at things like that!" Wonder how that would go down nowadays! Helen

Tom Boose (59) continues discussion on “skipping” and “staying back:”

A View from Another Bridge! One of the saddest, heart-wrenching and probably cruelest experiences I ever witnessed was in grammar school. Previous articles describing skipping or staying back brought back to mind a staying back occurrence! To set the stage, it happened at Bergen Street School (a feeder grammar school for Weequahic) in February, 1954. 

As mentioned in the newsletter before, the school district graduation policy had two graduations per annum. The rising eighth graders were to report back to their seventh-grade homeroom class. Then, at the reported time line-up in the front and side of their classroom, with their teacher at the head of the line, students were to walk to their new eighth grade classroom. 

We lined up, about 20+ of us. There, remaining in her seat was the only student who had stayed back! She was dressed in a white blouse and a black skirt! Her face was blushed with tears uncontrollably cascading down her puffy cheeks!

Her head was somewhat bowed, but not completely in her folded arms! She was sobbing almost uncontrollably! My heartfelt thoughts shot through my mind that this could have been handled in a more compassionate manner! She could have been sent on a school related errand, etc., during this time! Anything would have been better than how it actually played out. As we marched out of the classroom all eyes were fixated on this poor, sympathetic child! Tom

More lore of Weequahic yore:  

Herman Rosenfeld (67)

I just want to say that I was thrilled to see the newsletter entry from Herbie Siegel (59) a few weeks back. I knew him in the 1950s in the South Ward Boys Club going to wrestling shows featuring Haystacks Calhoun and others. Later, in the 1960s, Herbie worked at Marsh's Leather Shop where my mom was the bookkeeper. He was an engaging character, often around Weequahic activities over the years, and someone who knew a lot about sports. I always wondered what happened to him and felt great to read his note in the “WHS Note.” Herman

Fran Letzter Malkin (1/57)

We moved to 50 Dewey Street at the start of my eighth grade and I went to Bragaw Avenue School. To this day, I always remember the teachers who treated me so cruel from my first day; Ms. Golden and Ms. Neumann? I found it very encouraging to read the comments about Bragaw. It’s something that has stayed with me all these years later and it still hurts. Reading others who felt they were treated poorly by their teachers made it feel a little redeeming. Fran

Mel Lissner (53)

I hear mention in our weekly newsletter of high school clubs. We were the “Panthers,” mostly grads from Peshine Elementary School. More than sports, the success after college among our members was prideful. Yes, those club jackets were from Andy’s and Banner sporting goods stores. Mel

Hal Lipton (1/55)

Enid Hinke's (60) writing about heroes reminds me that Norman Hinkes (her late brother) was one of them. He led WHS to the City Championship in football, the first time that happened. Yes, Lubetkin was a star running back and defensive player, but Norman was the QB that held the team together. Hey, he was also a track star, throwing the javelin and running the quarter mile. Hal

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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