Letter #
Letter #
Jan 21, 2004
I wanted to say a special greeting to Kathy Scioscia-Twardy who was in my class in 1971 & 1972 and later moved to Union prior to graduation. I want to thank you Kathy for your recent comments and complements you gave me on November 15th 2003 when you said,
" Oh Alvaro, you were the popular guy, huh? I know you don't remember me, but oh do I remember you! You were my first huge crush and you will always have a piece of my heart! I've thought about you often over the years."
Wow! I am honored by your warm thoughts and your very kind and sincere words. Please accept my apology that I did not respond in a timely basis as I just found your message today. I will be in touch I encourage you to post on the class of 1972.
Ted, I wanted to thank you for having the brains and extreme ingenuity to execute and support this web site which is bringing a lot of people closer together were before that was not possible. Ted. It would be a good idea if perhaps there was a space for were the participants could have an option to include were they reside now if possible in terms of town/city and state.
To Marian, you have a great Dad to drive those young Walsh and Lyons kids to school on his way to work, quite admirable. It appears to me that many OLAS classmates over the years have been relating to the same family siblings and perhaps only the parents and older brothers and sisters have been aware of the coincidence that is being exposed here in Tedís site by all of you.
Betsy, I never saw pretzels before in my life before since I had live in the beautiful blue waters of eastern Venezuela before 1971. I remember the nuns selling pretzels to us at OLAS for fund raising activities ext. Sr. Marie De Sales sounds really familiar, the Nun was a bit out of control administering discipline through out. I think you may be right about her bad attitude of picking a weak individuals and taking the whip on them, poor souls.
Patty, those Nuns did really pick on you a lot did they? They did not try too much with me I was not a big believer of the world being created in 7 days ext.. Since I was more convinced in the science and evolution they skip me for their test.
Hey, Patty you asked my to write you directly via email and I did quite some time ago. I have not received a reply and was wondering what happened? Did I scare you again as you indicated I did in 8th grade 1972?
Sunny Mesa, Arizona
Alvaro Vallecilla, Class of 1972
Wow, so many memories
Jan 23, 2004
Hi Madelyne and Betsy........you guys seem to be the only classmates that write on here. I was just reading the memories board because my younger brother Gary Crane died this January. My sis Laura and brother Bill were having a huge road down memory lane about OLAS. Some we are going to see at Gary's funeral on Sunday. I was very sad to hear that Joe Morano died. I had such a huge crush on him and always wanted him to invite me to the Columbia Park carnivals. I also see that Joey Larussa died too. I knew Rod and did not know he died in the WTC. That makes 3 people I know who did. Does anyone know what happened to Elaine Mihal? Amalia Watson? Well I will keep this page on my favorite list but I have to wait till I get back to Kansas City.That's where I live now with my two boys Travis an Tyler..........till next time.
Deborah Crane Nowlin, Class of 1969
e-mail: <debjets@yahoo.com>
Jan 25, 2004
Debbie,
I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your brother. My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Madelynne Vackner Sansevere, Class of 1969
e-mail: shpawike@comcast.net
Jan 26, 2004
Alvaro and Fiona, Is it REALLY snowing in Arizona? Must bring back memories! :)
Patty Walsh-Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Jan 28, 2004
I am so sorry to read of Gary Crane's passing. He, and his brother Billy were great guys. Alvaro, did you know them?
Patty Walsh-Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Feb 17, 2004
Ted
This is the longest without ANY news.. ! Anything wrong ? Bob
Bob Manning, Class of 1950
e-mail: manningbob@att.net
Feb 17, 2004
There are new messages in Class of 66 and 67 today, Bob. Nothing is wrong on this end. Regards,
Ted Mooney, Class of 1959
e-mail: mooney@finishing.com
Feb 19, 2004
In response to Ginny Holland Clementi, and others, about 165 N. 18th St.
As I searched my memory, I recalled my dad sold it before the end of the school year, so we moved to 155 Park Ave for a few months, where I came down with the mumps. Remember those!
At 165, the kids across the street were Curtis and Johnny Youngdahl and their little sister, whose name escapes me.
I don't remember a mean older couple, unless you mean the Chronums (sp) who lived next door to the south. There was also an old man who drove an old prewar packard who lived toward Park Avenue.
Do you remember the "RED" living room on the third floor? My dad painted it for me to use as a club house for the scouts and the YMCA group.(We lived on the second floor and rented out the first)
I do remember the big set-back house, but those kids were "little kids" to me, so I paid little attention to them.
Good health to all and have a joyous and prosperous new year.
Bob George, Class of "1956"
e-mail: rgeorge942@aol.com
Mar 4, 2004
I miss you all. Will be back soon.
M.A.
Marian Smeraldo Allegrino, Class of 1968
e-mail: allegrino2002@yahoo.com
Mar 8, 2004
Folks
Trying to locate Miriam Freeman from the class of 1951..I am working on the Montclair Immaculate 50th HS reunion
Understand her marriage name is Nelson
Thanks
Bob Manning, Class of 1950
e-mail: manningbob@att.net
Mar 13, 2004
Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Ginny, how did you like the Daytona 500? Did you go?
Patty, Class of Walsh-Robinson
e-mail: 1973
Mar 13, 2004
Okay, Where'd everybody go? I remember wishing you all a Merry and a Happy, so that must have been way back in December!
Bob George, don't remember the red living room, but do remember some God awful purple wallpaper with giant white flowers ... Yuk! Loved the little "storage room", once climbed up into the dormer and struck gold. Lots of Edison phonograph cylinders and two gorgeous Tiffany chandeliers! Wish I had them now, but couldn't keep them ... my Mom passed all onto my Uncle Joe Scioscia who owned the house at the time. I'm pretty sure he donated everything to the Edison House. Cool, huh?
Speaking of Scioscia's ... Where's my HELLO cousin Kathy?
And speaking of Kathy's, Kathy Washington Tompkins ... we have to get together more often. Charlie and I had a great weekend with you and Mike, a couple of weeks ago ... get on over to the East Coast of FL, soon!
Come on race fans ... lets hear about the new points system and all the rest of the "stuff" NEXTEL has to offer! And, Patty, hide those peanuts ... Rusty needs a win!
Hey female participants ... guess who got Ben Affleck's autograph at the Daytona 500? That's right, ME! Boy is he old-fashioned movie star handsome!
Mike Giblin, how goes the fantasy racing so far?
Marian, Marian, come out, come out whereever you are! Lets get this deal rolling again. We need to keep Ted busy!
Hope to see lots of postings, soon.
Virginia Holland Clementi, Class of 1958
e-mail: Auntiegin2@aol.com
Mar 13, 2004
Right, keep me busy. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop"--haven't heard that almost since Sister Rita days.
Ted Mooney, Class of 1959
e-mail: mooney@finishing.com
Mar 16, 2004
Hi all, Alvaro, I never got your e-mail. Please write again. Check your spelling. Some people write "Frederico" not Federico", or maybe someone sent me a large joke with a picture and it filled up my mailbox. I cleaned it out, so please, do try again.
OH Ginny, Ben's autograph? Where are your seats? Right with the celebs, I guess. Did you see Pres. Bush? I had no idea he was coming. Thankfully, I re-set my tape. He took up soo much time. "peanuts". Sorry about that. My husband's own racing program has just re-started(Drag racing, Englishtown and Atco NJ) and when I got up to watch the race ,he had put a snack table in front of the TV with "Mr Peanut" waving at Rusty. Such a nut! He truely dislikes Rusty. I am sure you loved the Atlanta race. I hate the new points system. I know Junior will be no.1, and then that stupid playoff crap will come and he will lose. Why can't they just leave it alone?
Almost Seaside time, Ted. Not that you could tell by all the snow we are having. Ever go to "Klees"? I am sure you must have. Nice place.
Nobody drink too much green beer, ya hear! :)
Patty Walsh- Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Mar 18, 2004
Virginia Holland Clementi, I had forgotten that wallpaper. Purple was a favorite of my mother. About the treasure trove in the storage room. I presume you mean the one facing the front of the house on the third floor. I have the "Edison" wax cylinder phonograph, which has been restored. No wax cylinders though. I'm glad they made their way back to Menlo Park (Edison House)..Very cool.
Did the "Good Humor" truck driver still ply his wares during the evening hours in the summertime? How about "Sams" candy store on the corner of 18th and 4th Ave, across from Ampere Drug. Used to spend a lot (relatively speaking) of money there. Comics, magazines and model airplanes!
Happy memories, made golden by the forgetfulness of those things not so good.
Bob George, Class of ""1956""
e-mail: rgeorge942@aol.com
Mar 31, 2004
Well we are all back in the saddle again with the fifth episode of OLAS! Thanks Ted for turning back the light.
Patty, yes it does snow in Arizona especially in the winter months but only in high elevations around 5000 feet plus. Flagstaff, AZ at 7000 feet altitude has similar weather to NJ with the exception of humidity and rainfall.
A few weeks ago week we experienced a hailstorm with 1-inch size hail in the Phoenix metropolitan area, quite unusual. Phoenix and Tucson never gets snow due to its warm and dry climate at around 1000 plus feet elevation.
Fiona, class of 1972 who lives in Tucson is able to drive maybe 45-60 minutes to the Catalina Mountains to go skiing in the morning and later return to Tucson and go swimming at an outdoor pool, quite remarkable.
Alvaro, Class of 1972
e-mail: alvarov8@cox.net
Mar 31, 2004
I recently visited the islands of Hawaii including; Oahu, the big island of Hawaii and Kauai. Oahu ì the gathering place in Hawaiiî is were Honolulu, Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor is located. Oahu has some of the most spectacular beaches for swimming, snorkeling, surfing with stunning romantic sunsets in the world.
The big Island is like a small country with a vast variety of climate, fauna, birds, waterfalls and beaches of many colors. The Volcano National Park is exhilarating due to its activity of fumes and lava, which sometimes flows into the ocean. Kilauea crater has a very convenient road around the crater that allows easy access to experience an active volcano in real action. The best snorkeling and scuba diving is at Captain Cookís point a few miles South of Kona. The visibility was well over 75 feet with the most spectacular fish, coral formations and underwater caves I have ever seen since I visited the US Virgin Islands.
While visiting a small island of the coast of Kauai I found out its history, which may have some interesting relevance to Patricia Walsh Robinson, class 1973.
When Scottish-born Elisa Sinclair was sailing in the islands of Hawaii with her family in 1863. King Kamehameha offered to sell the island of of Niîihau for US$10,000.00. What a bargain! The Sinclairs later started buying thousands of acres of land in the larger island of Kauai for raising cattle. The Robinsons who are the direct descendants of the Sinclairs are the largest landowners of Niíihua and Kauai with a land value of one billion in todays dollars.
Ironically, every time a land-owning relative of the Robinson's dies, the government takes a huge massive bite out of the family in inheritance taxes. After 150 years the Robinsons had enough with the feds and hired a tax advisor to mitigate their tax problems. The family is currently in talks with mayor tourist developers and hotel chains to raise badly needed cash to meet expenses. Gee, there are problems in paradise too!
Patty, are these your family descendants?
Wishing you all a happy spring back East!
Alvaro Vallecilla, Class of 1972
e-mail: alvarov8@cox.net
Apr 1, 2004
I am not really sure of my graduation year since they made me sit out because someone ratted on me that I was playing hooky...one day on one day off!
Never trust a rat.
Well, I miss everyone. Had a great time.
My first secret crush left years earlier...Rowena Lopez, whom I believe was prettier than JaLo.
email me: ross_elliott@harvard.edu or ross@helix.nih.gov
Those were the days my "Friends" (for real)
How I wish I were young again. Man we lived free back in those days. Walking to school when we were 5 yrs old, going HOME for lunch, and playing games...man, we were the sports gods! I miss everyone. We should do a reunion of the 1970's classes. Since I had so many brothers and sisters, plus kicked butt against you older kids in sports, I knew many of you from previous years as well.
I will write a more extensive "life experience" OLAS provided me in a few weeks.
Bye for now,
Ross
Ross Elliott Turner, Class of 1976
e-mail: ross_turner@dfci.harvard.edu
(Finding Miriam Freeman)
Apr 3, 2004
For Bob Manning. If you find Miriam Freeman, I was wondering if she the young lady that lived next door to me on North 15th street. I lived at 215 North 15th and she lived in the house north of mine.
George ( Edward ) Martin, Class of 1951
e-mail: <mmartin302@aol.com>
Apr 5, 2004
Debbie Crane Nowlin: It was nice to hear from you, but I am very sorry about your brother. I seldom get a chance to check this website, but it is always alot of fun to read. I remember you being a big Mets fan. Am I right? Also, didn't you live on Park Avenue? Again, great to hear from you. Betsy Malia
Betsy Malia Mroz, Class of 1969
e-mail: bladyone@aol.com
Apr 5, 2004
Alvaro,
If ANYONE I knew had land in Hawaii, let alone family, rest assured my butt would be planted on that beach. I guess me and Smokey are beat!
Thanks for the info on AZ. I thought it was super hot all the time.
Patty Walsh - Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Apr 5, 2004
Sorry Ted ... seems the ball is rolling, again! Hey, Bob Manning, think my Mom must have loved the purple paper, too. We had it up for years and it was not a good match to the brown and red (very itchy) colonial living room set from Wilderoders. Not sure of that spelling, but sure it was a great, inexpensive furniture store! How wonderful that you have the phonograph! What a treasure! This is a good hint for all of us ... be sure to search every nook and craney when you move!
Patty! Don't tell your hubby, but I think I've found the Mr. Peanut antidote! Hated that Rusty got "Buschwhacked" at Bristol, but loved the fifth place at Texas! Your husband sounds like my kind of "crazy" race fan. We'd be something watching one together! Got Ben's autograph by being in the right place at the right time and, more importantly, having my gorgeous daughter standing next to me. Seriously, he approached her! We had race day pit passes, and trust me on this, George didn't do himself a bit of good with "The Bubba Vote" by showing up and having thousands of us herded off the field an hour early. We paid to see the pre-race show ... but thanks to old Dubya ... we were, literally, thrown off the field! Some rent-a-cop started pushing me toward an exit at around 10:30 a.m. Trust me, I was the last 50-something woman he put his hands on that day! I had four Marines escort him off the field! He didn't come back either, cause those Marines were Dubya's Honor Guard!
Ross Turner, how right you are about the wonder of our childhood! Just today, I read a letter to the editor in which someone told of reporting her neighbor to a child welfare agency for letting her 6-year-old walk home from school, alone! As Bob Dylan said, "The times they are a changin", I just wish it were for the better!
Hey, Webmaster Ted, how's the weather in Seaside? Thinking about heading north to help my daughter get her business set, but don't want to freeze my spoiled FL butt! Trust me, she'll tell me it's great up there! Oh, I, for one, don't even trust the weather channel's reporting any more.
Regards to all. Marian ... still waiting on you ... hope all is well.
Patty, if you are a member of the Hawaiin Robinson's, better keep it to yourself ... cause I know I'd be wanting to come visit you on one of your islands ... and so would everyone else from OLAS!
Virginia Holland Clementi, Class of 1958
e-mail: Auntiegin2@aol.com
Apr 6, 2004
It's a better week for "thinking about heading north" to Seaside than for actually doing it, Ginny :-)
It's been a cold spring, and last weekend was in the thirties. But today was better and it will be great weather very soon now. Florida is beautiful, and so is Hawaii, but having to pack the fun & sunny days into a short season is what gives the Jersey Shore vibrance and life. The Seaside and Point Pleasant boardwalks are swarming with carpenters getting them ready.
Ted Mooney, Class of 1959
e-mail: mooney@finishing.com
Apr 8, 2004
Well, Ginny, NOW we know what happened to "Bennifer".
Antidote? NO! Evil hubs will kill me for spilling the beans, I mean nuts! I still haven't told you about my Sterling Marlin curse,and we know That's working quite well. Please, if ever up Seaside way, come over and watch a race with us. You too, Master Ted, Should be a really ,truelly, interesting time. Some one should whack Busch. Pardon my Soprano-ism. :) Was that your daughter who has a shop on the boardwalk? What was the name again?
I really must confer with Smokey (Robinson) about our inheritance. I think we deserve at LEAST a towel spot!
Happy Easter, All!
Aloha, P
Patty - Walsh Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Oct 8, 2004
It seems that the music has slowed considerable since last posting made by the Hawaii Scottish princess, Patty Walsh Robinson. So Patty when will you be claiming your right to that paradise island you own? The Historical records say the Robinson bought the Island. I will sure rent a cabin as long as there is a beachfront with palm trees with Hawaiian plumera trees and their intoxicating romantic perfume flowers.
Patty, thanks for putting me in contact with Rosa, with have been exchanging emails and pics. I will meet Rosa and her daughters soon.
I was finally heading to Newark airport after being on hold on a runway in Chicago for 4 hours due to all airports in the NYC metro being shut down with Ivan the terrible. Since I was on the beginning of the South Beach diet there was no possibility of having any beers or drinks. However, many passengers decided to have a huge party on board, because the captain offered free drinks to passengers that were starting to get extremely irritated. My Passenger shoulder to me was an interesting lady with big olive eyes and a warm smile from New Orleans who plans to make it in NY as a comedian. By the time we were flying over Giants stadium the plane took a 45-degree bank and approximately 18 cans of empty beers were rolling from underneath and around her seat. She had recited some of the following jokes that were compelling:
You can't have every thing, were would you put it?
I took an IQ test and the results were negative.
We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.
Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home.
I just let my mind wander, and it didn˜t come back
Ted how was the Jersey shore tell us the whole story in detail if you could.. Last time we heard from you was in April that was cold then. What happen this summer. Well, I have been to the NJ shore in the winter and have enjoy it with out the big crowds, noise, ext, just the ocean, birds, wind and good conversation with partner/friend.
Virginia, like the way you write please tells us more especially about you and your activities in life so that we can read and write more. Lets keep Ted lot busier with postings here.
Betsy, so if you did not live in Park Ave were did you live and what were your impressions at that time? We all want to know
Ross, you are right we should all help to organize reunions as often as possible and promote the idea of these meetings to expand our history, pass and the interaction. So how are the sports today with you and your kids? Please write back«
Bob George, purple is also my favorite color as your Mom˜s. Wow, I was impressed with the "Edison" wax cylinder phonograph, which has been restored, I guess getting cylinders is tough to get? Were do you live? Don˜t say Edison NJ«
Virginia, very confidentially, I will tell you that your idol "Ben Affleck" golfs and spends a lot of time here in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona. You are right Ben is down to earth, mellow no pretentious and not a shallow superficial guy. Bob Manning, hope you find Miriam Freeman class of 1951 she does not seem to live here in Phoenix, Scottsdale or even Tucson, Arizona but you may want to try the search engines and locating sites, which, seem to work. One of my best friends found his sweetheart love from grammar school and decided to get married, now living in Florida and are really happy. Hope you all the best and I wishing that we could meet for a meeting or dinner soon.
Alvaro from Sunny Arizona we all well come you!
Alvaro Vallecilla, Class of 1972
e-mail: alvarov8@cox.net
Nov 20, 2004
Hello all,
It is wonderful to relive "hot-dog days" and 5-cent pretzels with you. How about memories of Miss Bonnell the church organist! Mr. Miller was one janitor, but who was the older gentleman with the remarkably smiling face? My favorite site in East Orange would have to be Roosevelt and the big trees forming a tunnel-like welcome...and who didn't cut through the Walsh yard to walk northbound on Roosevelt? Fiona, Tucson, Arizona (formerly Lafayette Avenue)
Fiona Klauss, (nee: O'Donnell), Class of 73
e-mail: FionaSum1@msn.com
Dec 23, 2004
Hi Fi,
Roosevelt certainly was beautiful. I remember when they did a TV special on EO many years ago that it started with a film taken from a car/truck riding beneath those elm trees.
Your old homestead on Lafayette looked pretty good the last time I saw it. In fact, that whole section of town hasn't changed too much.
The name you are trying to remember is Fitzsimmons. He was a sweet old man and the caretaker of the church (while Mr. Wally Miller did the school). He was always very kind to the altar boys.
Hope all is well with you!
Bill
Bill Hart, Class of 1970
e-mail: whart@bankofny.com
Dec 26, 2004
Merry Christmas to all - I was just reading the Sunday Star Ledger today- Guess what - EO is in the "County" section of the paper.
It brought back memories of some very high end restaurants that once were in the city. I had almost forgotten about Paris in the Sky, etc.. The article states that they are trying to bring some better sit-down restaurants to the city - too many fast food ones are there now. Supposedly the town is trying to do some renovating and try to change it . Well it would be nice to see EO back to what it was 40 years ago. Everyone say some prayers = maybe we will once again be able to go back home w/o fear of danger.! Happy New Year to all.
Grace D'Amore Campanaro, Class of 1960
e-mail: gcampo3@msn.com
Jan 4, 2005
Happy New Year to all! I had intended to post a message around Christmas but the inevitable hustle and bustle of the season got the better of me.
Christmas is, inevitably, that time of year when I tend to think back about East Orange most frequently. I suspect that has less to do with E.O. than it does with Christmas itself. A time for remembering.
So, here are some memories.
Snow! Lots and lots of snow! As Christmas approached this year, I found myself thinking "I've had it with balmy Decembers in California... I'm going back to Jersey next year!" Then my wife, Emily, and I had a week of vacation in Carmel just before Christmas day. Lying by the pool, I found myself thinking "Jersey, I must be nuts... I'm going to Baja next year!" Okay, so next year it's either Jersey or Baja.
Snowdrifts piled up against trees and lampposts and cars and everything else. Snow on the limbs of the Colorado Blue Spruce trees that my grandfather planted in our yard. Snow piled high on the frozen birdbath (that's how we unofficially measured snowfall at our house). Making a snowman. Making a snow fort (this might be a boy thing... the obsession with turning any available material into a "fort"). Listening to the radio, waiting, hoping, oh please oh please oh please, that school would be closed!
Related to snow, ice. The look of glistening icicles hanging everywhere. Sucking on them (carefully selected... no sucking on dirty icicles). They actually tasted good.
And let's not forget slush. Ooh... the feel of slush as it soaked through my shoes on those days when I managed to avoid wearing galoshes (so uncool, galoshes... best to avoid them... rubbers, oh please, even worse). And how slushballs were forbidden in snowball fights. You want to pelt someone with a snowball? Fine. But don't go mixing any slush with the snow, much less making 100% slushballs. No fair. They really hurt! (Similarly, no chestnuts allowed in acorn fights come Summer. I explained this to my wife as we hiked the hills around Carmel, noting the forest floor was covered with chestnuts).
Snowsuits. Aarrgghh, snowsuits. Are those things still made? Do people still bundle their kids in them? The polyester swish swish swish of one's little thighs wrapped in a snowsuit. Inside, I'm sweating like it's a sunny Summer day in Brazil. With Herculean effort, I can actually move my arms.
Skating at Columbian playground in the flooded/iced over "little kids'" basketball court (not to be confused with the big kids' basketball court). Crack the whip! Remember crack the whip? We formed long lines, held hands, and turned circles (innermost kid stands in one place and pivots while other kids skate larger and larger circles depending on their place in the line). The poor kid on the end of the line, of course, felt the result of all that centrifugal force... and is lucky to be alive today. Watch out for that pole!
Sledding. There was sledding around the neighborhood. Boring. And then there was sledding on an honest to god hill. What was the name of that place? Cannot remember. Runyon Hill? (Not to be confused with Arlington hill, that was for bicycles come Summer). Sleds gave way to saucers. Sledding wasn't sufficiently dangerous, I guess. We needed a vehicle that would turn circles and send us down the hillside bassackwards. Again, how exactly did we survive childhood?
Hot chestnuts. Ooh... hot chestnuts. Not the "horse chestnuts" that one found all around E.O. (much less in forests around Carmel, California... chestnuts appear to be an emerging theme in this post). We called them "Italian chestnuts." I don't recall at all their being sold in/around E.O. We got them from street vendors in NYC. I remain a huge fan of hot chestnuts to this day. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area they're often sold in Asian marketplaces. Typically, the shells are flavored with five spice mix/similar. Very tasty.
And thinking of trips to NYC... were any of you similarly addicted, as was my entire family, to (1) the baked beans and (2) the hot chocolate at Horn & Hardart's? What exactly was it that was so exciting about getting food out of a wall? They called it an "automat." Automat? People on one side of a wall put food into the wall while people on the other side of the wall put nickels into slots to retrieve the food. This is somehow "automated?" A long way, that was, from 21st century advances in nanotechnology.
The church. I am, today, more or less as far as one can get from "religious." Still, I fondly remember the decorations in the church. The manger. The thrill of getting to be altar boy on Christmas day. And midnight Mass. Would have to check church history to be sure, but I recall that as a kind of new invention at some point in my childhood. All of a sudden, there was this thing called midnight Mass, and it was somehow special. Beat(s) me why.
More personal stuff, not necessarily E.O. memories. For example, my grandmother, Leonie Vonthron, made a rum cake for the nuns every Christmas. We would dutifully deliver it to the convent after Mass. This cake, floating in a bowl of syrupy rum, could get you seriously looped. It was received warmly each year.
And my grandfather, Frank Vonthron, stringing the Christmas lights on the Blue Spruce tree in front of our house. Lights were red, green, and gold. Got that? Red, green, and gold. No blue or white. My grandfather had A Very Serious Rule that Christmas lights could not be blue or white. Blue and white were colors associated with Mary, and were for Mary type holidays (somehow Christmas wasn't a Mary type holiday... I guess it was the whole virgin birth thing that relegated her to mama non grata on Christmas... and Joseph?... Joseph to the best of my knowledge didn't even have colors). So, again, for those of you who are writing this down: red, green, and gold. As the years went by, he very very very begrudgingly accepted displays of white... white and white only. This sole exception to red, green, and gold was explained as "They look like stars." Okay to do displays that look like stars. Not okay to do displays that look like Mary. Forget Joseph. Don't get him sta! rted on Frosty the Snowman and all that other silliness. Forget Frosty.
Well, there's more, there's always more, but that will have to do. Must go fetch the groceries. I do believe that I will barbecue tonight. Barbecue in January, go figure. I live in Disneyland now, which is pretty nice, but I liked E.O. way back when just as well.
Paul Klein, Class of 1967
e-mail: rovenorth@yahoo.com
Jan 5, 2005
Oh Paul, your memories were fantastic!
What were those nuts with the outer coating of spikes? Were they chestnuts? I think so. There was a tree in E.O on Roosevelt in the Barry's yard. You could do serious damage to your opponent. I remember skating at Columbian with the Decker's and Margee Decker falling and having someone skate over her arm. Michael dragged her home by that arm! The next day we found out she broke it!
We sledded down Grant Ave. Marian, remember Susan's toboggan?
We had one of the best snow forts ever. It had a tunnel thru the middle of it! Corner of Rutledge and Roosevelt. Smart locale...................Patty
P.S You are welcome Alvaro. I am glad you and Rosa are e-mailing. :)
Patty Walsh-Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Jan 19, 2005
Patty, you've got me reconsidering gender stereotypes! You mean *girls* had acorn/chestnut fights? And built snow forts too? Who'd have thought it?!
Yes, those spiky things are the outermost layer of the hull of the horse chestnut. While OLAS nuns may have been shaky at best on the topic of Darwin, I'm guessing nearly half a century later that the spikes are an evolutionary advantage, as in "don't eat me, I'm reproducing." To the best of my recollection, we boys never even considered throwing chestnuts at someone with the spiky hull still attached. Girls did that? Wow, you were tough! The boys' rule (actually, more like a "guideline" than a rule) was that you couldn't throw chestnuts at all (sans spiky hull). If you threw one, it opened you up to return fire of chestnuts. Not good.
Thinking of the above, it reminds me of the location of the most chestnuts per square foot in my neighborhood. That was a row of trees along the lane from the Springdale Avenue entrance to Columbian Playground to what we used to call "the fieldhouse." That also happens to be the location of my more or less earliest childhood memory!
The occasion was that my sister, Michele, had started school at OLAS. My brother, John, had started three or so years prior. I was three or so years behind Michele, which means I must have been two or so years old. After Michele started school, my mother and I used to have picnic lunches under those chestnut trees. There was a picnic table (or maybe just benches) to the right, at roughly the midpoint between the Springdale Avenue gate and the fieldhouse. Peanut butter and grape (always grape) jelly sandwiches, and chocolate milk in a jar.
Other interesting stuff that you could pick off the ground in that same location... remember those seed pods? I believe they were from maple trees. Shaped like a Y. They spun to the ground like little helicopters if the breeze was just right. Really cool kids could blow across them and make a piercing whistle sound. This is among the many things that really cool kids could do but I could not. You could also split them at the base of the Y, lick them (they had kind of sticky sap), and attach them to your nose. This was not exactly cool, but what the heck.
I (genuinely) wonder whether all that interesting stuff you could find on the ground led me to become an adult who still finds all kinds of stuff on the ground interesting. My wife, Emily, says that if I bring home one more bit of "interesting" driftwood, twig, cone, seed, moss, leaf, stalk, flower, pebble, etc... we're through! An empty threat, I'm pretty sure. Besides, the dogs love it. Nice to have a stick/whatever handy for that late night game of fetch in the living room.
I remember, too, collecting leaves on the campus of Upsala College. I pressed them and put them in a binder page by page, and wrote the botanical name of each leaf on each page. Alas, this also reminds me of my first bit of heartbreak. There was a girl, I have utterly no recollection of her name but I can see her face plain as can be, with whom I was secretly and ever so desperately in love. One day, collecting leaves at Upsala, I saw her sitting under a tree, holding hands with a boy. That was the end of my binder of leaves.
The tree was a Ginko biloba. Ginkos are an interesting tree. They line the street where I now live. My wife again says, however, no more leaves in the house. But she eats peanut butter and *any* flavor jelly sandwiches, so with that kind of clearly impaired judgement, I don't really pay attention. Besides, the dogs secretly and ever so desperately love an occasional Ginko branch.
Paul Klein
Class of 1967
rovenorth@yahoo.com
Paul Klein, Class of 1967
e-mail: rovenorth@yahoo.com
Jan 21, 2005
HI,
Thank you Paul for the enormous chuckle you gave me! I needed that..
At Christmas we put candles in the windows. red. I guess we were OK, then.
Where I now live (down the shore) we have a red Japanese Maple in the front yard. One time my Husband was raking and I noticed all the seed pods. "Ah, helicopters! " I said. He gave me a strange look. Remember , these are smaller than the green ones so I fit about 4 on my nose. He looked at me and said"What are you doing?" I said "You never did this?". He said "you people from E.O are seriously disturbed". About that time I was wishing we had a spiky chestnut tree. Wonder if I can plant one?
Bet you won the science fair with that leaf book!
I can see in my mind exactly where you and your Mom had your picnics! So you are a PPand GJ guy, eh? We were Tuna fish kids. Bologna sometimes. All thru my school years I ate the same lunch everyday. Except for "Hot Dog Day' of course. Every summer I grow Jersey Tomatoes. Nothing better that a tomatoe and bologna sandwich!
Hey all you snowbirds.... It appears we are due for a couple feet of snow this weekend........Maybe I will build a fort :) Patty
Patty Walsh - Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
Mar 10, 2005
Hi we are the daughters of Jim Varetoni and Susan Varetoni is our aunt. We just wandered along this page and wanted to say hello and say that our dad remembers you and a lot of what you wrote about east orange. Just wanted to say hello.
From Elizabeth and Candice Varetoni
Elizabeth Varetoni, classof 1974
email: littleliz1437@yahoo.com
Mar 24, 2005
message: HI!,
What a surprise! Jimmy's daughters! Say HI to Jimmy for me...I think I met your Mother once. I was about 15 and visiting Ridgewood and Susan and your Aunt Kathy were friends..I think I met her then..Liz....Anyway, how is your family doing? E-mail me at my address if you like . I'd love to hear from your Dad. I talk to Susan sometimes..
It was nice of you to write. Ask Dad to tell you some East Orange stories....THE GOOD ONES!........To all, HAPPY EASTER!..............Patty
Patty - Walsh - Robinson, classof: 1973
email: federicolady@hotmail.com
Jun 26, 2005
Hi,
I just wanted to mention to all that you have changed the site so the threads don't run all on the same page....I didn't even realize you posted my "Weird NJ" til Marian pointed it out. I just didn't scroll down far enough. I thought maybe others were having the same problem...... Hope to see you Ted at Bill and Franks? ( I may have the wrong name, on tooth extraction meds) :) on the boardwalk soon.....Patty
Patty Walsh- Robinson, class of 1973
federicolady@hotmail.com
It's Jack & Bills, and I'm very familiar with that tooth extraction and Percodan stuff. Yes, there are other threads than this one; the list is here. -- Ted
Nov 17, 2005
Wow, it's been so long, I forgot how to post. Hope everyone is well and thought you might enjoy seeing this article. Jim Suell is Mary Mooney's husband and a terrific guy. Should have run for Governor. Have a great Thanksgiving!
More From The Star Ledger --
Democrats gain control in Millburn, but Caldwell race is a cliffhanger
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
BY ELIZABETH MOORE
Star-Ledger Staff
Democrats gained a majority in Millburn, Republicans gained in Roseland, but the Caldwell results were up in the air last night when a Republican councilman trailing by 13 votes refused to concede.
Bolstered by winning a seat on the township council last year, Millburn Democrats scored two victories last night as Jim Suell and Ellen Steinberg were elected to council. They unseated two Republicans and gave Democrats their first majority in Millburn in decades.
Steinberg was the top vote-getter, followed by Suell. Deputy Mayor Sal Bate, a 10-year council veteran, came in third, followed by planning board member Jeff Dahlman.
"It was a tough race," Suell said. "This is a big change."
Earlier in the day, Suell told police he discovered 15 of his campaign signs in Bate's car while walking on his way to vote at the South Mountain School. Suell said he spotted the ripped lawn signs in Bate's Acura, though Bate told police he'd discovered the ripped signs on the roadway and decided to scoop up the litter.
Marian (Smeraldo) Allegrino, Class of
1968
<allegrino2002@yahoo.com>
27 Nov 2005
Just saying Hi
I just happened to Google OLAS, a what do ya know, we're still here. My old computer crashed a while ago and I haven't been on here in a long time.
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I had a nice weekend. Turkey dinner at my brother Tom's, and then on Friday attended my brother Phil's sons wedding. I had a ball. I danced like I was 16 again (or at least I thought I did... Ha Ha)
Bye for now,
Sally
Sally Malia Yoder, Class of 1962
<Sallyayoder@yahoo.com>
Dec 4, 2005
Thanks for keeping us up to date with OLAS alumni happenings.
All is well in Sunny Savannah and wishing all of my East Orange buddies a very happy and health Holiday season.
Sincere gratitude for Ted Mooney for keeping this site going. All the best to his family.
Melba
Mary Robinson-Rossetti, Class of 1961
<jerzey@bellsouth.net>
There have been few messages lately, Melba, and I've been hopelessly late posting those that there have been. But Merry Christmas!
November 4, 2006
I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS WEB SITE FROM MY SISTER PAULA
SHE TOLD ME THAT FRIENDS OF MINE WERE ON SO I DECIDED TO LOOK IT UP. BETSEY, VISCO'S SPORTING GOODS WAS OWNED BY FRANK AND OBILOU VISCO, COUSINS OF MINE. LINDA VISCO WAS NO RELATION AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SPORTING GOODS STORE.
I GOT MARRIED IN 1975 AND HAVE THREE SONS, BRIAN, DANIEL AND MICHAEL. BRIAN IS 28 AND DESIGNS KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS, DANIEL IS A MECHANIC AND IS 25, AND MICHAEL IS 21 HE IS GRADUATING FROM THE CULININARY INST. OF AMERICA IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR 2006.
IT WAS NICE READING ABOUT OLAS AND SOME OF THE MEMORIES. I ALSO REMEMBER CLEANING THE NUNS CONVENT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, FOR DOING ONE THING OR SAYING SOMETHING TO AGGREVATE THEM. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD TO TAKE THE CHRISTMAS DEC. DOWN FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE NEW BUILDING AND WHEN WE ASKED WHAT TO DO WITH THEM THEY SAID TO THROW THEM OUT AND WE DID? THEN WHEN THE NUNS GOT MAD AT US WHEN WE TOLD THEM WE THREW THEM OUT. WELL THAT WAS A CONVENT CLEANING WEEK. DO YOU REMEMBER THE RM ELASTIC BAND WE USED TO SHOOT AROUND IN 8TH GRADE NAMED AFTER ROBERT MOLANO?
ARTHURETTE VISCO LEPAGE, Class of: 1969
e-mail: ARTEELEPAGE@YAHOO.COM
November 4, 2006
THE P0LICE OFFICER ON 4TH AVE AND GROVE ST. WAS JIM CARPINI
HE MOVED OUT OF EAST ORANGE AND TO BLOOMFIELD AFTER HE RETIRED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO.
ARTHURETTE VISCO LEPAGE, Class of: 1969
e-mail: ARTEELEPAGE@YAHOO.COM
February 7, 2007
Hi, I didn't live in East Orange, I lived in Orange then. I remember going to Muir's dept. store in the 50's with my Mother and Aunt, it was cool , even as a ten year old I noticed the great service and the elagance. East Orange was cool, Harris Diner , Palace theater , Main street ,
I lived in East Orange in the 70's , The Prospect Tower's at 275 Prospect Street, Eddie Rabbit lived next to me, Altheia Gibson lived there, I remember riding down the elavator one morning , the elavator stopped on a floor, two people entered the car, one introduced himself as the new owner and asked me if I was satisfied with the service in the building, we chatted and as he left the car he asked my name and my floor and told me his name, a guy my age , Donald Trump.
I remember in 1960 as a freshman at OHS, we played EO the 7th game, we were undeafeated, EO picked us off 20 to 19, a heartbreaking loss. I remember the best football team's came out of EO , Montclair, Clifton,and Orange. How about the Howard Johnson's across from the EOGH, great sundae's for 50 cent's. as a teen my every waking hour was a pledge to myself, to get an education a great profession and to leave the Orange's never to return, now I miss those day's. Bill Bohaboy sunny Las Vegas
Bill Bohaboy, Class of: 1964
e-mail: will_e_yum@hotmail.com
May 17, 2007
I heard the news today Oh, Boy about the lucky kid that made the grade... well, that about sums it up for me and my generation. I recently heard that my old house 181 n. 17th Street (between 4th and Park Avenue) had been torn down and was now part of a parking lot ... perhaps I should have used the song ... they paved paradise to put up a parking lot... anyway if anyone has any old photos (or recent ones) of that area I would like to see them. I live in California now but still think of my long walk through the rain and snow down 4th Avenue past Caruso's and Friedman's Drugstore to OLAS. I used to think it was miles and miles ( bearly 1/2 mile). I use to spend time in the 5&10 Cent store on 4th until Mel yelled at me to buy something or go. I remember Vera's and Jones' Hardware Store on 4th between 17th and 16th Streets. And who can forget Wards ! Ah, the sweet smells on a Saturday morning...
VITO BERTUGLIA, Class of 1963
e-mail: BERTVITO@YAHOO.COM
May 23, 2007
My family were members of OLAS and I was married there in 1962 by father Byrnes. I attended EOHS from 53 thru 59. moved to arizona in 1979. ran across this site by accident and love reading all of your stories. I hope that you all keep in touch with each other for I have lost contact with all my friends and all I have is just the memories and no one to share our fun times a youths. I visit each year to see my family and the city and it breaks my heart. they may rebuild it, but they can not get back that in which we loved.
Fred Powell, resident of east orange from 1953-1979
email: fandgpowell@cox.net
July 23, 2007
There is only one Arthurette that I know. Can you be my baby sister's girlfriend? I'm Sally Malia, and my sister is Betsy.
Do you remember our trip to NYC? We had dinner, and I let you girls have wine even though you were under age. Then we went to see the
"Excorist". I was afraid you two were going to throw up in the theater.
We checked out all the store fronts because it was Christmas time. Sax 5th ave, Burgdoff Goodmans, etc.
Then we topped off our evening ice skating at Rockefeller Center! What FUN we had.
I hope you remember that.Its one of my favorite memories.
Love, Sally
Sally Yoder, Class of: 1961
e-mail: Sallyayoder@yahoo.com
July 24, 2007
Just this summer I have wished several times that my memory was better. I wanted to teach my grandchildren how to play "Roley Poley", but I couldn't remember. Does anyone out there remember?
My niece was kind and gave my grandson her old HOOLA HOOP. I used to be quite good at it, but for the life of me, I could not make that thing stay up beyond 2 rotations! (maybe the waist is too large?)
What would I be doing on these beautiful summer days if it was, say,
1957......
I would have a skate key hanging from a string around my neck. The skates would either be on my feet or tied together and thrown over my shoulder. I used to love to put on the skates and put my dog, Bucky, on his leash and let him pull me along 4th. Ave.
I would sit out on the stoop on 4th. Ave. and wait for the mailman. I'd walk with him for blocks. (bet he loved that)
Now I supervise letter carriers (destiny)
I would put my dolls in my carriage and walk to Dee's house, she'd get her carriage and dolls and we would head up to Columbian Park and play for hours at the brick fireplace. It made a neat playhouse.
Maybe my family would be heading out for a picnic at Forest Hills Lake where we'd swim all day.
Ah....the good old days.
Sally
Sally Malia Yoder, Class of: 1961
e-mail: Sallyayoder@yahoo.com
August 2, 2007
Iwent to OLAS from kindergarten through 8th grade. Me and my sister Ruth Ann, she was class of 1966. We moved up to Dover after I graduated in 1963 after spending 2 mnths on eastern parkway and my sister and me taking the bus to OLAS, two little girls on a bus from Irvington to East Orange, unreal when you think of it today. I learned about this web site from Bob Mooney, Ted's brother, as we have kept in touch since we organized a class reunion back in 1983. I also still keep in touch with Kathy Byrne Groth and Gary Lang. We had a blast at that reunion 24 yrs ago and really should try it again. I loved reading all these messages and reconnecting with my childhood memories. True friends, our childhood friends, never forgotten no matter how far away from each other we are.
Ironically I hired a lady who looked so familiar to me in he interview and found out to went to OLAS in my sisters class 1966, Peggy Addonizio, we still work together.
My parents were the leaders of the girl scout troop, we had such fun and went on so many great trips. Mom and Dad are still with us thank God and live down the street from my husband and me, as I married the boy around the corner almost 38 years ago. We live in Wharton NJ up past Dover near Lake Hopatcong. I hope to hear from you...
paula pekarovich stafford, Class of: 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@ahsys.org
Hi,
I saw your blog on the Lady of All Souls website. I was searching for any reference to Bond's Ice Cream and that website popped up. There is going to be a Plaque dedicated to Bond's Ice Cream at 2 P.M on Sat. Oct. 6th in Upper Montclair. It is going to be at the Valley Road site where the main store used to be located. There is a Bank of America located there now. There will be T-shirts for sale with the Bond's Ice Cream logo on the front and an Awful Awful cup on the back of it. There will also be Bond's keychains for sale.
There was a good article about Bond's Ice Cream in last week's Montclair Times. Go to: www.montclairtimes.com. When the website opens there will be a list of departments on the left side. You need to click on "community". That will open a new window and scroll down to the article titled "Shaking Up Memories of Montclair". It will bring back memories of all the Bond's stores.
My name is Susan Bond Butsch and my Father was Bob Bond. I grew up in Montclair and moved to Texas after my sophomore year of high school in 1964. I have such wonderful memories of my family's business. I used to go with my Father to check on all the stores. I am traveling from Texas to Montclair for the Plaque Dedication Ceremony. If you can spread the word about the Ceremony that would be great.
Come and join us and remember all the fun times of growing up in Northern New Jersey.
Susan Bond Butsch
schond@juno.com
November 14, 2007
To Vito B of N. 17th Street - Hello! I was in your Joey's class. How is your family doing? I heard with regret that your Dad passed away. Does your Mom, Laura, still live in Las Vegas? Ginger Daire at 185 North 17th Street (my sisters were Maureen, Yvonne and Judi and Karen. My brother was Robbie) Our house burned down many, many years ago.
Ginger Daire, Class of: 1960
e-mail: gingeralicedaire@yahoo.com
November 27, 2007
I think my brother, Jack Walsh dated Judy , your sister....I remember answering the phone , as little sisters do, as " Jackie, Judy's on the phone, smooch, smooch!........Patty
Patty Walsh - Robinson, Class of: 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
April 15, 2008
HI ALL;
I am planning a trip to NJ and EO next month, May 2008. It will be right after Mother's Day. I would like to take some photos and videos of the old neighborhood. Any things that I should know before I go. Anyone interested in joining the expedition?
VITO, Class of: 1963
e-mail: BERTVITO@YAHOO.COM
April 15, 2008
I have new e mail addess and thought I would pass it along just in case anyone is looking for me
George Edward Martin, Class of: 1951
e-mail: mmartin1@rap.midco.net
September 15, 2008
I have enjoyed reading all of the posts on this thread! Hi to Patty Walsh and everyone from East Orange. The memories are never ending.
The 7 Duffy kids(and my dad) all went to Our Lady of All Souls: class of 1964 to 1982. We lived on North Maple Avenue then moved to Roosevelt Avenue in 1965. Yes, Roosevelt Avenue was a beautiful street.
Just like many others on this thread, we lived in Columbian playground during the summers. I can remember every detail of the park. The huge gates on 4th Avenue - it seemed like such a long walk from the gates to the field house. Ice skating was fun after school. We would get warmed by the fire, sitting on rocks and tell jokes. I remember playing donkey against the brick wall of the field house, I loved playing paddle tennis, arts & crafts, the soda machine in the shed, the carnival, Izzy's on the corner for bubble gum, the chestnuts on Grove Street (yes, we used to have chestnut wars, too .
. . ). I remember watching the boys play "hot soup" on the wooden boat. They would hide a belt on the boat and whoever found it would yell "hot soup" and everyone else had to run as fast as possible to the tree stump (home base) or suffer the consequence (being hit with the belt) . . . Glad I just watched.
I remember the slide with the rounded bar at the top and how cool we felt when we were able to hold on, spin ourselves over it, and go down the slide. The merry-go-round was large and fun!
My brothers and sisters and I used to be in the shows that Columbian put on. I can remember wearing a white blouse and green shamrocks and singing "Hello, Patsy Fagen" - I still remember the lyrics.
Patty Walsh . . . please say hi to your brother Jack for me. The last time I saw him was at the Our Lady of All Souls reunion - what a wonderful time that was! Monica Schroeder, Mary Ann Schroeder, Tommy Ghirlanda, Timmy Byrnes, my sister Patty and I piled in my car afterward. We were referring to each other as "Miss" and "Master". We lost Master Byrnes but drove back to get him! We were all singing
"Time, is On My Side" (Rolling Stones) along with the radio.
Thanks for listening! It was great remembering how much fun we had in East Orange!
Colleen Duffy Young, Class of 1966
e-mail: Duffy104@aol.com
September 27, 2008
Hey Colleen!....How cool!..I will certainly tell Jack you said hello...How is the rest of the family?...Let me think....You, Lorraine, George, Jean, Patty and Betty -anne!...Right?..How are your parents?...Patty
Patty Walsh- Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
January 20, 2008
I moved to Matawan, NJ in the fall of 1963, just before I would have started my 4th year at OLAS. My sisters and brothers also went to OLAS. Mark, left to go to Essex Catholic, Sharon was next, then me, Donna, Jamie was the last to attend OLAS. Was wondering if anyone remembers the Maidments? I would love to hear from someone who I would remember? I remember Sister Anna Rose and Sister Maria who would always play jump rope with us at lunchtime.
Joanne Maidment, Class of 1968?
e-mail: priss1@optonline.net
January 10, 2009
Tonight I saw the movie Doubt....brought back so many memories of the nuns at OLAS....When my children were little, they'd clamor for stories from sr. theresa Michael's 7th grade instead of fairy tales (the Dennis Delanno jumping out of the window story is a classic)---can't believe this website! so glad to see my next door neighbors from Warrington Place, the Harts on it---Maureen and I logged a lot of cleaning time at that convent and church--
donna de capua byrnes, Class of 1967
e-mail: dbyrnes@greenwichacademy.org
January 14, 2009
Paul Klein!
Remember me?
We may have been each other's first loves!
We got in trouble w/ Sr. Mary Kenneth for being seen, are you ready?... HOLDING HANDS on the way home for lunch. She was brutal. You were actually an 'older man' as I was a year younger...
Your family lived down the street from my cousins the Roth's: SallyAnn, JoAnn, Lynn, Karen and David. We moved to Grove Street.
I came to OLAS in 7th grade so I didn't know everyone. My parents got divorced in NY and we had to move. Not a big deal today but huge in
68...I really had a hard time and remember so fondly the kids who were nice to me.
This site is terrific. Thanks to all who made it possible.
Gail Diaz Quinnan
Gail DIAZ Quinnan, Class of 1968
e-mail: gquinnan@gmail.com
January 19, 2009
I've not looked at this website for quite sometime but did so this morning because my mother (in Colorado now) and I just happened to chat on the phone yesterday, and took a stroll together down memory lane. What a rather astonishing surprise, then, to find a message from - yes, it's true! - my "first love."
Remember you, Gail? Of course I do. It was just yesterday, and I thought you were the prettiest girl in the world.
I also remember the cousin with whom you were close. Was that SallyAnn? She was funny and liked to laugh, and had wonderfully curly hair if memory serves. Do you and she still share a great dislike of Robert Goulet? You had some special name for him (and/or all people like him), indicating how intensely creepy you thought he was. I remember being completely mystified by that: "Okay, I'm not even sure who Robert Goulet is, but I'd better pretend I do." It was just another in the long line of steps I'd take (and, no doubt, more or less everyone takes) to understand the opposite gender. I'm still working on it.
Funny, I've been thinking of East Orange quite a bit lately. I think it's Christmas that always does it. I cannot help but be reminded of those years so long ago. Profoundly happy memories.
Best wishes to you, Gail, and to all who happen to drop by this message board.
Paul
Paul Klein, Class of 1967
e-mail: rovenorth@yahoo.com
April 22, 2009
HI ALL;
I am planning a trip to NJ and EO next month, May 2009. ( I know, I planned this last year and it did not work out but this year I have tickets and reservations!) It will be right after Mother's Day. I would like to take some photos and videos of the old neighborhood. Any things that I should know before I go. Anyone interested in joining the expedition?
VITO, Class of 1963
e-mail: bertvito@yahoo.com
April 27, 2011
Just wanted to express my thanks for all those that brought back so many wonderful, joyful memories~
Frank Fehn, Class of Stayed back too many times to remember
e-mail: frankfehn@yahoo.com
July 7, 2011
SHOUT OUT TO FRANK FEHN I REMEMBER AS A KID THINKING YOU WERE A COOL GUY ALWAYS NICE TO THE YOUNGER KIDS AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY A LADY'S MAN LOL PROBABLY DONT REMEMBER ME I LOOKED LIKE ALFRED E NEWMAN FROM MAD MAG, THEN WENT TO BEAVER CLEVER ON TO CHARLES MANSION JOHN TRAVOLTA THEN JOHN CANDY NOW I LOOK LIKE BRUCE JENNER HOPE THINGS ARE GOOD . BE WELL MOGGIE SCHWARTZ
MOGGIE schwartz, Class of COLUMBIAN JR HIGH
e-mail: Billynmaria21@yahoo.com
October 11, 2011
MOOGIE!!!...I am a bit younger than you but all the girls were after YOU!!!!!!!...Patty Walsh Robinson
Patty Walsh Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
January 9, 2012
hey moggie. don't know if you remember me. I lived on 21st st. you were no. 4th ave right I still live in jersey in toms river and I work in the east orange fire dept. as a fire capt.
bernie kircher, Class of 1969 columbian
e-mail: bkircher@hotmail.com
November 26, 2013
Here's something I've figured out: the world has changed since 1967.* I wonder whether Thanksgiving in EO now features ...
Organic, free range, heritage breed turkey basted with bottled spring water ...
Localvore veggies, none grown farther away than Bloomfield ...
No end of tweeting at the dinner table ...
And, of course, warm gatherings around a gigantic television, watching some "reality" show.
I hope not.
I might have been thinking more than usual about the 60s in East Orange this past week, in light of the fifty years that have passed since the assassination of JFK. Some of my memories of the event are fuzzy, others clearer. Did Sister John announce the event on the school intercom? So say my brain cells.
Happier memories are made of leaves. I now live on some acreage in Western Washington, and have been spending a whole lot of time raking endless piles of alder, apple, birch, cottonwood, filbert, hawthorn, and oak leaves. Phew! The sight and scent of piles of leaves almost invariably reminds me of Fall in New Jersey.
Happy Turkey Day to all, please no phones/computers/etc at the table ...
*Then again, I just as often think it hasn't changed at all.
Paul Klein, Class of 1967
e-mail: rovenorth@yahoo.com
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