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Learning more of teachers:
Dennis Estes (65)
Hellen Metzger Schoenblum’s (6/57) reference to Mr. Seltzer caused me to respond that Mr. Seltzer, the teacher, had a son, George Seltzer, who was a judge in Atlantic County for many years and became a mediator upon retirement. He is a very nice man and obviously takes after his father. Dennis
Berthe Weissman Nathanson (6/59)
To Janice Misurell (6/63), there was a French teacher at Weequahic with the same name as yours, though I’m not sure if the spelling was the same. Was she a relative of yours? I loved French, and enjoyed her class as well as the other French teachers I had at Weequahic.
In fact, I was a French minor in college; I was a German major and taught both German and French. I also remember joining the French Singing Club at WHS and many of the songs we learned. I don’t remember which French teacher ran the singing club, however.
Many years later, around 2000, I had an accident while in Florida, and ended up spending a month in a rehab facility in that state. While there, I heard a nurse walking in the hall singing a song in French which I recognized. I got her attention, and told her I knew the song. From then on till I left the rehab, we continued to enjoy singing French songs together. In fact, when I left, she gave me several tapes of Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour singing French songs. Berthe
Janice Misurell (6/63)
Responding to Berth, your email about your classes with my mother and the inspiration you received from her teaching and that of the others in that amazing department was tremendously gratifying to me! The person who ignited this was Morris Brenman, who, according to my mother, had wanted to be a music teacher when he was younger. When he became Foreign Language Department Chair, he instituted all this music!
Whenever I speak about our times learning languages at Weequahic, people are amazed at the range of music we learned. I still can get through a couple of operatic arias and a few French folk songs after almost 60 years! Your story about your time in rehab would have been absolutely heart-warming to my mother.
She led a good life, making several trips to Europe and getting to use her languages. She passed at 97 in 2009 and was the “Doyenne” of the family, much-beloved by children and grandchildren. Her last four years were at Seabrook, a retirement facility in southern Jersey. There she took a Shakespeare class, reading all the plays twice, got into meditation, a Yiddish "vinkel" (corner), opera and she had a huge number of friends. Her memory continued to be great. She passed away from injuries in a fall on Rosh Hashanah, which I gather had some special meaning. We miss her every day! Again, I really appreciated hearing about her. Janice
Chiming in as to Weequahic time:
Bill Pollak (1/53)
I remember Megdal’s Bakery on Bergen Street. It was on a corner, one block from
Renner Avenue (Sheerer Ave?) and, by far, the best bakery that I have ever been to. Better even than The Tavern or the Claremont Diner.
I also want to thank Roberta Blake Abramson (1/54) for remembering my touchdown, since linemen don't get to score very often. Somebody also wrote about a shoemaker on Bergen Street, hat was Mr. Zupko, the father of Andy who was one of the all-time great football players to come out of Newark. Back then, we all played sports all day long and if there was a light source handy, we would continue to play at night. Stick ball, box ball basketball (where, sometimes, the hoop was a peach basket), stoop ball etc. Great times and memories.
The playgrounds provided leagues for us to compete in. Teams like the Indians, Jokers, Marshall DeWitts, Flashes, Greyhounds, Marauders, Redskins, etc. competed for the neighborhood championships. Mr. Harris ran the leagues and playground at Chancellor Avenue Schoolyard. He ruled with an iron hand doing a really great job of keeping us in line. He had good assistants, Mr. Drexel and Mr. Barone.
Somebody mentioned a drink ay Syd’s called the Cucamonga. Here is the story of how if got its name. Morty Bradder, owner of Syd’s, used to have a vast array of flavored syrups to mix drinks. One that he concocted was a mix of orange and grape (I think) and it was very popular. Somebody asked what it was called. He glanced into the back room of the store and saw box of tomatoes from Cucamonga California and said that that the drink was called a Cucamonga. From then on, that was the name. That is the story from his lips. Bill
Andy Weintraub (6/57)
I believe that Wilma Bernhaut Pitman (6/57), on whom I had a major crush during our grammar school years at Hawthorne Avenue School, and whom I hesitate to correct to this day, is not quite right about our senior prom. It was at the Essex House, an elegant hotel in downtown Newark. Andy
Rich Kaplan (1/61)
As a little kid, I attended the “Junior Frolics” cartoon television program at the Mosque Theater. The sponsor was Dad's Old-Fashioned Root Beer. Attendees received a cap adorned with Dad's bottle caps. Rich
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