Update 6-15-04


Well,

It turns out the Oscars and Tonys have nothing in length to rival South's annual academic fiesta. According to Linda Cohen Greenseid, the only funny thing said in this long haul of an evening was Robert Fiveson cracking, "Even the Geneva Convention insists award shows have bathroom breaks after two hours." Some other reports:

Linda phoned hers in, because, she insists, she's a lousy typist, so this is a paraphrase. But she's one of the few people who has perspective on these ceremonies, having been to two others -- when her daughter and son graduated from South in '88 and '91. "They used to be shorter," Linda reports. "And that was before they divided the awards." (The actual academic awards are given in a school assembly, during the day. Only the special achievement awards are given at night.) "And the kids used to be really excited. Now they smile when their pictures are taken, but maybe five hours of awards in one day beats the energy out of them. Still, it was great to be there, especially with my brother Steve and my daughter Jennifer."

Other people reported similarly. From Jay Berliner: I was able to attend the South High Awards Wednesday night to support Mr. Gibson for the first annual award. I would have thought that someone would have presented the award and would have had Mr. Gibson say a few words. Actually, Mr. Gibson presented the award himself. The good news was that he was smiling all night.
     The awards ceremony lasted until about 10 PM, and, truthfully, it was quite boring. I arrived a few minutes after it started and sat alone for two hours on a very uncomfortable chair. It brought back memories of lunch. Still, it was well worth it to watch Mr. Gibson on stage. He really couldn’t stop smiling.
     Just a bit of information shared by the current principal: Since the inception of South, there have only been four principals. This one, Stephen Lando, has been at the school for 6 years, I think, and he seemed quite personable. That’s an amazing statement for me to make about a principal. And, yes, he said fights still take place by the bridge. The school looked the same to me, at least, from the portion I saw at night. But not quite as large.

To balance things a bit, from Robin Feit Baker: I enjoyed attending the awards ceremony Wednesday, and naturally a melange of memories took over as we set foot into the building. Remarkably, the changes at South are few, which was comforting. It doesn't seem possible that so many years could have passed since we were a similar age, full of idealism, hopes, and dreams.
     The students were an accomplished, well-rounded group of young people -- a tribute to their teachers and supportive parents. Overall, it was very nice indeed!

From one of our presenters, Robert Fiveson, his Report from the Front: The evening was great. Dr. Lando, the current principal, is an extremely well-spoken man who has a huge, obvious, and unreserved pride for South. The school looked essentially the same to me. They have extended the apron of the stage a few critical feet and moved the cafeteria, but otherwise, it looked the same! They had prepared statements for the presenters to read and to a man everyone seemed to, but I didn't. What they had written was inadequate, so I enhanced it.
     I was very emotionally moved, being on the stage where I spent so many happy hours 39+ years ago, and I commented about it. Then I used that reminiscence to segue into how Vincent Tampio was so very influential in the lives of so many South High students, well beyond the 12 professionals in stage, television, and film he helped inspire. I also addressed the students directly, telling them to treasure their friends and the time they spent at South, as these would become some of their most precious friendships and memories.
     Mr. Gibson was great, and his asides while we sat onstage for two-and-a-half hours -- on a folding chair -- reminded me that his dry and prolific wit has never flagged. There had to have been at least 50 awards, and many of the presenters had very, very sad reasons for being there, mostly involving lives cut short by drunk drivers. I am quite sure that I was not the only parent there to have tears welling more than once.
     The presentation was staged very nicely: as each award was being read, a slide was projected on a large screen behind us, showing the name of the award and a photo of the person it was named for when this was applicable. The 'reveal' of the award recipient was timed so that no one knew until the name was actually read, and then the screen switched over, via video, to the recipient's reaction and walk to the podium for a grip and grin. The staging was just like the Academy Awards and very well done.
     Of the folks I knew in attendance, Robin Feit was as mystifyingly young and dazzling as ever, Jay Berliner looking hale, hearty, and of good cheer, Linda Cohen was as warm and delicious as we know her to be, her daughter was lovely, and Steve Cohen, Linda's brother, looked dapper and energized by the evening. I can honestly say that while it was long, it was also an extremely moving and nostalgic experience, one that exhibited a heart-warming degree of solid community spirit and obvious love for South High. Oh, one last thing: Dr. Lando told me that after Andy Dolich was honored for being a distinguished alumni, he sent the principal a bobblehead doll of himself, which Mr. Lando has on his desk. At that point, Dr. Lando and I just looked at each other blankly.

Robert later added: Actually, the chairs were murder. I had a back operation two years ago, and I was in spasms, literally, by the end of the night. Your suggestion of sending a "GI Joe" version of me for the principal would be very good, but something with me sitting on the detention bench would be more apt.
     Still, I cannot convey to you how moved I was to be on that stage and repping us. I actually did lose it for a moment up there -- I muffed a line -- but I covered. I must be getting old and soft.
     Also, my photos suck. Too far away, too dim, and fuzzy. Better ask the school for copies of the ones taken by the professional. He got every award!

From Liz King Giordano, Stephen Lando's secretary and, seemingly, the organizer of the event: Today is the last day of classes, and things are hectic, but I did not want to end this day without dropping you a note about Awards Night. Everything went extremely well! Booker Gibson and his wife came to present the music award. Bob Fiveson came to present the theater award, and class members from Toronto and Long Island were also here. The evening was very long, but two-and-a-half hours is shorter than usual, since we moved the departmental awards to the morning. Bob Fiveson suggested during his speech that we fit in a "bathroom break." The winners, Paul Ianniello and Vanessa Spica, were very excited about their awards. I'll be speaking with them today and will mail the information you need for your home page next week.

Finally, from our honored presenter, Booker: I've been trying to get my thoughts together about the June 9th return to South High. As my wife and I entered the Jedwood Place side of the school, I saw Bob Fiveson and Robin Feit. That made me feel good, to recognize someone. Also, Linda Cohen and Steven Cohen were there, and two young ladies from the class of '81 drove from New Jersey -- amazing! My wife and I were early, so we browsed around South Hall, full of red chairs as usual, but now it's air-conditioned! By the way, there are many, many plaques on the corridor walls, so a lot of history has happened there.
     The principal's secretary, Liz, seemed to be in complete control -- highly organized. All of us, about 40 "presenters," were given our material, which mainly was a typewritten statement about the award and the student who was to receive it. With a very long night, I guess that was the best way to move it along.
     First, a very fine student singing group called "The Long Island Connection" came on stage and sang a couple of fine selections. I started this group about 1978, based on "The Manhattan Transfer" jazz group. Then they sang the national anthem, perfectly, and all of us "presenters" were walked up on stage to our chairs. Bob and I sat next to each other so we had someone to talk with. Many awards were memorials, so they flashed pictures on a screen, such as Vince Benevento, the math teacher, and Margaret Burak, the business teacher. Most of the memorials seemed to be students killed by drunken drivers. There were also many, many scholarship awards. We had so much time that Bob and I arrived at the same conclusion -- that most of the girls coming up on stage were chewing gum. Times haven't really changed too much.
     When it finally got to Vince Tampio's award, near the end, Bob did a good job. Before reading the written statement, he mentioned what Vince had taught, and what he meant to people, both in their student lives and later, when he'd inspired as many as twelve of them to gain professional positions in the movie and TV industry. After Bob gave the award to the boy, I was next, waiting for somebody to introduce me.
     I wasn't really introduced, so I wasn't really sure whether the kids knew why I'd been sitting up there on stage all that time. Before reading the brief statement, I felt I had to say something about the Class of '65, what they had done, and "What an honor it was for me to be there." Then I read the statement and posed with the young lady.
     It's somewhat ironic that the introduction I needed came from a late arrival, Jay Bergen, James Bergen's son. Jay used to be a lawyer for people such as John Lennon and other rock notables. He saw me and said something like, "I'm glad to see Booker's here! My father used to talk all the time about what a great teacher he was -- and he could play a mean piano!" Suddenly, I received a welcome. Years ago, Jay used to stop in and hear me play piano at a lounge.
     I'm still gathering my thoughts. Last night was an overall success, and I'll never be able to thank you all enough. All of my adult friends who've heard about the award are in total awe over what you're doing, and they feel kind of guilty for never having done it themselves. Maybe that 40-year perspective gives the Class of '65 a better look than the other students.
     Finally, do any of you remember that Vince and I wrote some songs together? Perhaps you were even in school productions using some of them. The only one I can find is a more mature song called "Even In A Crowd (I Feel All Alone)." Vinnie wrote the lyrics, and I wrote the music. That was about 1968. Girls with good voices always loved the song, and Vince said that when he first got to CBS in Los Angeles, he got the song as far as "The Andy William's Show." But it was never used. Two "girls" recently asked me for a copy of it, one from '68 and the other from about '78. I'm scanning it and sending it to you separately. If you liked Eva Cassidy, you'll like it.
     Thanks again, everyone.

[Rich -- There are other letters, about other things, but they'll have to wait till next week. Meanwhile, four of Robert's salvageable photos are on the home page. First, click on Photos, then on June 9, 2004 South High Awards. With luck, better shots will follow. Until then, here are Vince's lyrics. Sorry I can't include Booker's music.]


By Vince Tampio:
     Even in a crowd, I feel all alone.
     No one knows the feeling I'm feeling inside me.
     Still, I try so very hard not to think with my heart.
     There's nothing left, not even my pride.
     I know for each one, there's someone.
     I hope someday they'll come one,
     Who'll recognize a love that's never wakened.
     So until the day that my love comes to call,
     Each new day means nothing at all.

The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65






Rich