A look a Rockaway's past courtesy of HBO Video and Woody Allen's Radio Days
Edith
Fox Newman, Class of 1943, joins us from Petaluma,
California and writes the following:
I'm Edith Fox Newman class of '43. Have you heard from other 40's graduates? I have lost touch and would like to meet them again. I live at 386 Park Place Drive, in Petaluma, CA. 94954. What have you heard about the 100th birthday reunion of FRHS for all alumni to be held in September? I enjoyed reading your page immensely.
Edith can be reached at the above mailing address or by e-mail at fields@rpnet.net
Thanks to Edith for writing. You are the first 40's graduate I have heard from. If you can, send me a few memories you have of Rockaway and maybe even a photo. Check the Reunion page on this web site for information about the 100th year celebration. I have included the names and e-mail addresses of those individuals who are actively planning the event.
Here I am again - Edith Fox Newman. I was born and raised in Far Rockaway. My father Morris Fox owned and operated a kosher butcher shop on Mott Avenue for 40 years. He also had a summer store on Beach 14th Street for many summers. It was a wonderful small town to grow up in in those days. My sister, Marilyn and brother Martin and I all went to P.S. 39 in Queens. Before the high school was built, P.S. 39 was a combination high school and elementary school with Miss Brain as principal. I also remember living in an apartment house next door to the police station until we moved to 1229 Caffrey Avenue. We were living in that house when I graduated from FRHS in 1943. I will hunt up the picture I took in front of the house and send it on to you soon.
After I was married I lived in that house for a number of years before my husband and I bought a house in Woodmere and lived there until our move to California. I lost my yearbook and would like to locate some of my classmates, if possible. Betty Glantz Dickoff, Beverly Greenberg, Elaine Greenberg, Audrey Rifkin. Then there were friends who graduated before me - Herbert (Bibbs) Bellings, Carl Rosenthal, etc. I wish I could remember all the people I graduated with.
I do remember that when I entered FRHS as a freshman in 1939, Monica D. Ryan was principal. The football team won its first game in 4 years and the town (Central Avenue) was torn up by the students. Then Monica D. Ryan said "no more football!" What a catastrophe!
I remember a few hurricanes and of course the blizzard of 1946. If there is a 1943 yearbook around, could you send me pictures from it? After visiting Far Rockaway in 1995, are you sure that the celebration will be in Far Rockaway? I know you've been there recently. I can't imagine a parade there. The place looks like a bombed out city.
This is great getting to know others from good old Far Rockaway High School. Keep up the good work and keep in touch.
Thanks so much Edith for your memories of Far Rockaway. I can't believe that Ms. Ryan was principal for so many years. She was principal when I graduated in 1963. I only saw her once; at graduation. I wonder when she retired????? I suggest you contact Barbara Tashoff Saber, Class of 1963 at Zaydas@aol.com. Barbara is on the reunion committee and also presently works at Far Rockaway High School. She may be able to find a 1943 yearbook in the school library.
After only an hour of the above posting, Bob Natt, Class of 1965 writes to say the following:
"I saw Edith Fox Newman's question (Class of 43) regarding Monica Ryan. My 1965 yearbook is dedicated to Monica Ryan and notes that she has retired after 23 years as principal. I assume she retired during the 1964/65 school year. There are also some great photos of her, Mr. Seiden, Mrs. Nevins, guidance coordinator and Miss Craft, College Advisor. Are you interested in these? Bob."
You've got to love this technology!!! Where else could you get such a quick reply???? Hey Bob, how about the next week's Lotto numbers................
I would love any and all photos you can send along of the above individuals. Was Mr. Teitz (not sure I spelled it correctly) still there in 65. Jerry Shapiro, Class of 1963, has challenged all of you to be brave enough to send your graduation photos from the yearbook. It's not fair that only 2 of us have done so. By the way, Jerry said that his photo will be in the mail this week. Just photo copy them and mail them to me.............
Rosalind Koss Schacknow, Class of 1942, joins us from Boca
Raton,
Florida and writes the following.
I am #1265 who found your web site, otherwise known as Roz Koss Schacknow, Class of June 42. I was Secretary of the Senior Class and otherwise known as the Dinah Shore of Rose Street Mr Ludwig was principal when I entered and Monica Ryan was there at our graduation during the dark days of World War II. Our prom was held in the gym....Blackout curtains and all. But we all went to New York City when the ball was over and had a great time.
Anybody out there remember the so-called good old days?
Mr Zizowitz was the best English teacher...head of the Theater Club and in general loved by all and then he went and left us for Forest Hills High. Mr Tietze taught us economics....Ms Wilmot was a terrific Spanish teacher. Of course there was Matza Schwartz the football hero and heart throb...he is now a physician in Far Rockaway....that is if he hasnt retired.
Anyhow I will look around for some old pictures. Let's hear it for FRHS!!!!
Rschacknow@juno.com
Roz can be reached at Rschacknow@juno.com
Thanks to Roz for writing. I look forward to receiving and posting any photos you may send. It looks as if Mrs. Ryan and Mr. Tietze bridged many generations. Thanks for your memories of FRHS. Did you know Edith Newman, Class of 1943 who also found this web site?
Harold Berkowitz, Class of
1945, joins us from Lake Worth, Florida and writes
the following.
Dear Skip,
First let me congratulate you on the great job that you are doing with this website. I have really enjoyed reading all of the information that has been appearing and it has brought so many memories back to me of things that happened while I was growing up in Far Rockaway that I would like to share some of them with you. I am surprised that there are so few entries from people who attended F.R.H.S. during the forties.
I was born in the old St. Joseph's Hospital which was on Beach 19th Street. I attended P.S. 39 which was then on Nameoke Street. Anyone who went there surely remembers Miss Brain, the stately principal who always wore a corsage and everybody stood up for when she entered the classroom. Far Rockaway was a great and beautiful place to grow up in. The beaches were a big drawing card during the summer and there were some beautiful hotels along Seagirt Avenue and adjoining streets. The Ostend Hotel was right on the water adjacent to the Ostend and Shore Club Beaches. There was also the Arnold Hotel, Borensteins, The Sonneborn and many more, even the ruins of the old Tackapusha Hotel. The Ostend Hotel was destroyed by fire sometime during the forties and the others just faded away. Also, along Seagirt Avenue across from Roche's Beach were four or five beautiful mansions one of which used to be occupied by Al Smith during the summer months.
Far Rockaway in those days had places like Berger's Delicatessen where on a Sunday nite the line would go around the block. Also, there was the Ocean Pastry Shop, also on Mott Avenue, which had the first ice cream cakes in the area. Saturday afternoon the treat was to eat lunch at the Far Rockaway Palace restaurant where you were greeted by Jimmy and have a great lunch for thirty five cents and leave a ten cent tip like a sport. After this it was off to either the Columbia Theatre (where you bought a ticket from Mae who knew everybody in town) or to the Strand (the Gem came later on). There was the greatest toy store, Neveloff's, where we all ran to buy things when we had extra money, and Ida May Choclate shoppe which was full of great candies. Anyone remember Frank, the operatic shoemaker across from the police station who was always happy?
Summers were great and the population swelled with the arrival of "The City People". Every year there was a Dollar Day during August and Central Avenue used to overflow with people looking for bargains. The winters were cold but I remember the sleigh riding at the golf links ( Ocean Country Club) and the iceskating at Rock Hall. How could anyone forget these things!!!!!
My four years at F.R.H.S. were spent during World War II and the school was on a wartime footing. some of the memorable teachers that I remember are as follows: Mr. Zisowitz, who taught me english as a freshman (who could forget him?) David Sessler who was a great biology teacher, Mrs. Griffin, who taught me social studies and whose classroom it was a pleasure to be in, Hildegarde Liebich who also taught social studies and was the guiding light of Arista, and of course Senorita Gussow who was a little intimidating at first but was an excellent spanish teacher. There are a few more such as my nemesis Mr. Irvington R. Berlage, who tried to teach me algebra, Dr. Greiff who taught chemistry and Mr. Dann who taught social studies and must have been seven feet tall, and Marion Cohen who taught me to type, which skill I am still using. Also the greatest european history teacher ever, Miss Dahlberg, and that staunch disciplinarian and social studies teacher, Mr. Wollrab who ran the great attendance office that everybody wanted to work in.
After graduating from high school I attended Bucknell University and then New York University College of Dentistry. In 1950 I married a great gal from Rockville Centre and after a two year stint in the U.S.Navy Dental Corp we settled in Glen Cove where I practiced Dentistry until 1987 when I retired and we moved to Florida. We raised three terrific children and now also have 3 grandchildren. While living in Glencove we found other F.R.H.S. alumni. "Red" Seymour Steiger and his sister Mae, Kenneth Stark (who passed away not long ago) and Barbara Cooper Goodman. In addition I had a patient by the name of Bill Rose who taught Physical Education at F.R.H.S. and used to tell me of what was happening there. Since moving to Florida I have been using a dentist by the name of Ronal Kertes who also graduated from F.R.H.S.
After being retired for two years I started a second career and became Director of Dental Operations at a Corning Pharmaceutical Research Company and at the present time I am Clinical Coordinator at Dental Products Testing, Inc., of Lake Worth, Florida. I guess this communication is long enough. My sister and I hope to attend the reunion reception and to renew old times.
Harold can be reached at JBerkyBoy@aol.com
Thanks Harold for writing. I truly enjoyed your memories of Rockaway and the wonderful details you gave as you painted a picture of a wonderful place to grow up. I moved to Rockaway just a bit after the hotels and mansions gave way to Wavecrest Gardens and other housing. The house I lived in for 25 years was sliced in half to make way for that super highway known as Seagirt Blvd. Please write again.
A response to your letter.
Hi, Harold!
My name is Carol Marston (nee Solomon,) and I'm a graduate of FRHS (class of '56). I read your lovely tribute to Far Rockaway on Skip's page and boy, did that bring back memories. I left Far Rock the night I graduated. My dad had been working for PaperMate as Advertising Manager and they'd been bought by Gillette, which had headquarters in Chicago. My parents were just waiting for me to graduate to make the final move. (I left kicking and screaming, by the way!)
I now live in Phoenix, AZ and have been here for 36 years. I feel I never did have "closure" as far as saying goodbye to Far Rockaway, so this upcoming reunion is terribly important to me!
I loved growing up in Far Rockaway, especially in that era! I remember the wonderful days spent at Roche's Beach, adjoining Merry-Go-Round and bumper cars. The best summer taste still remains the memory of chocolate ice-cream cones from the Pavillion at Roche's. I was raised in Bayswater and went to P.S. 104. I remember the "Bayswater bus" which cost $.05, and we took it home after going to the movies on Saturday afternoon and staying until dark! Before the movie started, we'd visited either the Palace or the Central Deli for hot dogs. My dad used to take me into Berger's for corned beef sandwiches, and he'd order a "yes" corned beef, which was the clue to make it HUGE. I'd get $.20 a week allowance and go to Mintz's candy store (Beach Channel Dr. & Mott Ave.) to get my weekly purchase of a chocolate ice-cream cone (Breyer's, of course) and a comic book (usually the grossest horror comic I could find) and I remember on those days I felt life couldn't get any better! I also ice-skated at Rock Hall! There were so many "mysterious" places to explore, as I recall. My Schwinn and I explored every nook and cranny of Bayswater, which was delightful!
Far Rockaway was unique in that we basically had an almost country-type
life back then, but the closeness of the city let us absorb culture. I
still love the opera...my first experience was seeing "Aida" on a field
trip with my 4th grade class. Not exactly kid's fare, but I loved it. My
parents took me to Radio City Music Hall every time the show changed. One
of the most soothing sounds still remains the clickety-clack of the LIRR as
we would come home from the city and I'd doze off (after changing trains at
Jamaica, which used to scare me to death when I was very little...I think
it had something to do with all those tracks...it seemed like they went on
forever!)
Sincerely,
Carol Marston, Class of 1956
Hi Skip,
Thanks for all the effort you put into the FRHS pages. Great work.
I posted the following in the guest book and it may help for it to also go
on the "Lost Classmates" page.
Hello to all '48ers , and thereabouters. It's been full cycle for
me....back to the beach again. From the NY coast to the Gulf Coast. Would
love to hear from fellow classmates to catch up with our doings for close
to 50 years . A sample of those "missing" are:
Roberta Donsky - Jacqueline Cohen - Buddy Kantor - Ira Rothfield - Lennie
Fleischner - Joey Friedman - Arnie Bornstein Murray Friedman - Marvin
Goldsmith - Larry Gollomp - Marty Greenwald - Rita Hauser - Larry Katz -
Chuck Levy - Arnie Mays - Morty Ray - Lilyan Reese - Judy Rivkin - Harvey
Rose - Larry Ross - - Bernie Sarn - Debbie Slotkin - Stan Sonn - Harvey
Tarshis - Gladys Weinberg.
Please e-mail me if you know the whereabouts of any of the Class of 1948.
Thanks again.
Herb can be reached at hekan@job4u.com
Thanks Herb for writing. I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to post your letter.
I hope you can locate your former classmates. Hi Skip,
Your Far Rockaway HS web pages are great. I only recently received the
notice of the reunion and am sorry that I will be unable to attend.
I graduated in 1946 as an absentee. My graduation was supposed to be in 1945
but I went into the US Coast Guard in 1945 where I earned the credit I
needed for graduation. A few years after I got out of the service I attended
Pace Collage and received a degree in accounting. I went to work for NY
Telephone, then AT&T, Bell Labortories, Bell Communications Research, and
then back to NYNEX where I retired in 1991.
I am still in contact with some FRHS graduates whom I still see from time to
time. They are Bob Boyland, Ken Altman, Al Ott and a few others - I can't
think of their names at the moment.
Most of my time at FRHS was spent on the swimming team and attempting to
avoid classes as much as possible. Richie Sierer was our coach and he also
was the coach for the rifle team. One thing I hated was having to go into
the pool on Monday mornings in the winter as the pool water was freezing due
to the heat being shut off all weekend.
Hopefully some of my FRHS friends will see this and contact me.
Sincerely
Bob McAleese
Bob can be reached at bobmar@pcfl.net
Thanks Bob for your letter and memories of Far Rockaway High School.
Dear Skip:
Here we are, 49 and 51 years later (classes of 1945 and 1948), both in
good health, retired and hoping to hear fom a classmate or two somewhere out there who might
read this email. Judy Pollins nee Lovin, class of 1948
and Harry Pollins, class of 1945.
We learned about the recent class reunion during August of this year. It
was too late for us to join in because we had a trip planned toYellowstone, with reservations
made a year in advance. However, we did find and visit the very colorful and marvelous Far
Rockaway websites and are now hoping someone from the past might dig out their
copy of "The Dolphin", scan the faces and descriptions of each, remembering those years and
drop us a line at hpollins@ameri-com.com
Our physical address is 25 Evergreen Springs Drive, Lakewood , NJ 08701. Our phone number
is 732-920-8317. We also have a fax number which is 732-920-2560
Judy and Harry can be reached at hpollins@ameri-com.com
Thanks so much for writing. I'm sorry it has taken so long to get this posted for you. I
hope you can find some long lost friends.
Dear Skip: I graduated in June of 1948. My maiden name was Pollack. Someone told me about
this web site. It is interesting. Are we older graduates dinosaurs? I haven't
found much about my generation. When I scroll graduates of 1940's the screen
always freezes.
I lived in Arverne until 1941 and then moved to Wavecrest. I graduated from
Brooklyn College in 1952.
Leila can be reached at Joeila@aol.com
Herb Kandel, Class of 1948, joins us from the Gulf Coast and
writes the following. Robert "Bob" McAleese, Class of 1946, joins us from Palm
Coast, Florida and
writes the following. Judy Pollins nee Lovin, class of 1948 and Harry Pollins, class of 1945,
join us from Lakewood, New Jersey and write the following. Leila Pollack Schneider, class of 1948 joins
us and writes the following. Send me your
"stuff"!!!!!!
