Update 7-11-06

Hi,

A half-dozen notes and the latest Alumni Association minutes.  But first, some serious thoughts from Jerry Bittman.
   
    From Jerry, unedited:  I debated whether to send this or not- because as in the past things have been edited or not printed at all.
      You have done a fantastic, marvelous job of sending out this letter.  There have been times when you wrote that sometimes you wish that somebody else would do this instead of you.
      Rich- the time has come.  Unfortunately, there is something called an ending.  When this newsletter first appeared it was very exciting.  It was real interesting to learn about friends and acquaintances from high school.
      However, after 5 years the overwhelming majority of the print is sent in by people most of us don't even know.
      After the reunion when old friendships were rekindled and new friendships were born; the majority of the people involved have stayed in contact via their own means and not by the newsletter.
      This forum has gone steadily downhill. Some people will disagree but they are in the minority.  Even at its peak there were only about a dozen classmates (if that many) who contributed.  When the editor of this forum began to put in "junk information" about 2 years; that was the beginning of the end.
      I was and always will be receptive to hear news about my classmates.  But, when weekly updates are provided about somebody's relative who was living in outer Mongolia or whatever; well that was a sign.
      I personally would like to thank you for the amazing and great job that you accomplished.  I know it wasn't easy and I'm positive that nobody could have done it any better.
      And, I would like to respond to the nay-sayers out there.  Why haven't the majority of you contributed to this once great forum?  And please don't say that you just enjoy reading the newsletter and don't want to take the time to post some comments about your life.
      Thanks again Rich and you did a fantastic job.  Hopefully now you will have more free time to enjoy life.
   
    [Rich -- It's true that over the past year, since the Alumni Association was established, the update has shifted to being more of a bulletin board for the mingled classes of the late fifties and early sixties and less about our class.  And some weeks the news is more interesting than others.  But the update was started as a free contact list to bypass Classmates.com, and it still does that.  And that's why I'm keeping it in place.  As before, please let me know when you want to be taken off the weekly mailing list.  Thanks.]
   
    From Amy Bentley:  I ordered the Memory Book, and I am curious to read it.  Also, I was in Valley Stream last weekend.  Does anyone remember the long barn in the field next to Harbor Road?  There was a house in front of it, a very old house.  I was curious as to whether the barn was still there.
        It is.  I took a picture.  I believe it was part of a working farm at one time, and I'd love to know the history of the barn and when it was built.  I also took a few pictures of the park in the old section of Green Acres, now Mill Brook.  Believe it or not, the over fifty-year-old jungle gym is still there.  It's magnificent, smoothly rusted to a beautiful red patina.  I think my grandma took us there in the early years.  We'd push the carriage of my baby sister.  I'm happy it wasn't a "teardown."  They have some beautiful meandering paths back there as well.
   
    From Liz King Giordano:  As you know, this year's winner of the Booker Gibson Award is Abigail Fabro, and the winner of the Vince Tampio Award is Jenny Weinbloom.  I'm enclosing a copy of the Senior High Awards program, the guidance department recommendations for the two winners who were selected by our awards committee, and a personal note from each of them.  Have a wonderful summer.
   
    [Rich -- The notes and recommendations will be here next week.]
   
    From Zelda White Nichols:  I know I haven't written in a long time.  Since opening the gallery in April, I have been too busy and half the time too tired to even look at e-mails.  Also, my computer crashed and burned, and it took a while until I got a new one.  But I do remember summer concerts on Long Island, including some really good ones at Nathan's in Oceanside.  Pete Seeger was among the notables at the time.  Is Nathan's still in existence there I wonder?  Everyone went for the hot dogs, but the shrimp-burgers were delicious, too.  My mouth is watering just thinking about them.
   
    From Barbara Blitfield Pech, part of an Internet riddle called, "How Old Is Grandma?
        "Grandma" was born before:  television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox copies, contact lenses, Frisbees, birth control pills, radar, credit cards, laser beams, ball-point pens, pantyhose, home air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
        And "Grandma" would be only fifty-eight-years-old today.
   

From Emily Kleinman Schreiber:  Hello, Everyone!  As promised, here are the Alumni Association minutes from our June meeting.  Also, our summer meeting will be on August 3rd at 7:15 PM in South's library, unless the custodians say "nay."  I'll let you know.  And remember, everyone's always welcome.

The highlights from the June 15th minutes, respectfully submitted by Roberta Brill Birnel:          Tonight's meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.  In attendance:  Joseph Anfora, Roberta Brill Birnel, Booker Gibson, Karen Grimm, Linda Tobin Kettering, Irwin Kotcher, Arlene Lynn, Edie Mandel, Enid Koss Parness, Claire Brush Reinhardt, Ray Richford, Emily Kleinman Schreiber, Dennis Shapiro, Mindy Dickler Sherman, Eric Spinner, Ken Ulric, and Laura Waxman Ulric.
    Irwin Kotcher began by introducing South student Chris McCann, who told members about the Fundraising Golf Outing to be held at the Lido Country Club on Thursday, July 6th, beginning at 7:30 AM.  Money raised will go to South High’s boys’ and ggirls’ soccer teams.  Fliers were distributed.
    In answer to a question we asked last month, we were told that after school business for the year was over, math teacher Ross Lipsky would resume production of the March 11th DVD, the one being created from videotaped footage taken during the 50th Year Celebration.
    Emily Schreiber thanked several people:  First, Joe Anfora, for donating five hundred dollars and presenting the Reactivated Alumni Association Award to Melanie Shuldiner at South’s Senior High Awards Ceremony on June 7th.  Joe told the members that he wanted to give something back to the school since receiving a PTA Scholarship when he graduated made a big difference for him.
    Next, Emily thanked Robbie Brill Birnel and Dennis Shapiro for meeting with her twice to work on the by-laws for the Alumni Association.  Emily also thanked Robbie for sending Thank You notes to various staff members at South for their March 11th participation.
    Fourth, Emily thanked Linda Kettering for checking into the cost of insurance for the Association.  There are two companies that handle insurance for non-profit organizations, Admiral Insurance Company and Axis Insurance Company.  Insurance from either of them would cost about fifteen hundred dollars per year.  Linda will bring applications to the next meeting so we can review the data the companies need in case we decide to proceed.  Other options have to be explored.
    Emily added that Baldwin High School’s Alumni Association spends about seven hundred dollars a year for insurance, but it was agreed that we need more information before comparisons can be made.  In the past, Dr. Lando has suggested that we contact local insurance brokers for information.  We will need our own policy, with the Valley Stream Central High School District named as the co-insured.
    Prior to this meeting, Emily met with Dr. Lando.  She got information about the “Alumni Association Directory” published for North High by the Harris Company.  A representative of the company would like to meet with our group.  We would need to gather data for the company.  Central High School also used this company and their representatives said it did good work, but that the directory also involved a great deal of work for association members.  The prices are about seventy dollars for a soft cover copy and eighty dollars for a hard cover version.  The consensus of members present tonight is that we should wait and see.  We need a broader alumni database in order for the book to be worthwhile.
    The Parents’ Association will not sell the bricks that were originally going to be sold for the March 11th event.  Our association can now consider selling engraved bricks to be used in a walkway.  We need an architect's or artist’s rendering of the location and design in order to get permission to proceed with this project.  Laura Ulric has said that she will do the rendering if Mr. Lee , one of South's art teachers, cannot do it, though Mr. Lee still has to be contacted.  The two locations under consideration for this walkway are the side entrance to the gym and the inside courtyard.  The consensus was that the bricks should be placed at the entrance to the building where they would be most visible.  Irwin Kotcher will research companies that manufacture and lay the bricks.
    Also discussed was the beautification project now underway in the courtyard.  It was decided that we should purchase a tree, along with an engraved plaque.  Emily has since found out that we can have a tree donated for us if we agree to do the planting.  This is tentatively planned for the afternoon before the August 3rd meeting.  Details will be announced.
    There was a request by Bernie O’Brien to retire Chuck Drimal’s football jersey because he won the Thorpe Award.  Dr. Lando has said that he will pass the request on to the Central administration since no guidelines for such a request have ever been established.  The members present felt that this falls under the auspices of the South's Athletic Department.  Emily will let Bernie know of our decision not to get involved.  During our discussion, Booker Gibson told an anecdote illustrating the fine character of Chuck Drimal.
    At the Central High District forum attended by Emily on May 11th, Dr. Bernstein talked about “Acts of Kindness,” inspired by Columbine victim Rachel Scott.  We discussed sponsoring a contest to create an artistic project with kindness as the theme.  A committee to research this was established, with members Laura Ulric, Enid Koss, Edie Mandell, and Claire Reinhardt agreeing to serve.
    An association newsletter and accompanying application has been sent to 274 members and more than 300 non-members.  We hope to receive responses from many new people.  In addition, the Memory Journal has now been sent to all members who did not receive theirs at the March 11th Celebration.  For the information of anyone visiting South High, there are photos of the March 11th events displayed on two bulletin boards near South Hall.
    A congratulatory letter has been sent to the South High School Class of 2006, along with application forms to join the Alumni Association at no cost for the first year.  These were given out to the graduates at their graduation rehearsal.
    Dennis Shapiro presented the treasurer’s report.  We have $4438.28 and 274 members.  One new member included a donation in memory of a deceased 1962 classmate.
    It was decided that there would be one summer meeting of the Association in August rather than one in July as well.  A number of suggestions were made for fundraising and social activities:  a theater party; a bowling party; and a dinner with music at the club at which Booker Gibson entertains.  Emily made note of the honor paid to member Ken Ulric by the students at Farmingdale High School, the school where he had taught and from which he retired.  Ken suggested donating copies of the Memory Journal to South's school library, to the Valley Stream Public Library, and to the Historical Society.
    Our tentative meetings for the fall and for next year are as follows.  All are Thursdays. 
August 3rd.  September 28th.  October 19th.  November 16th.  January 18th, 2007.  February 15th.  March 15th.  April 19th.  May 17th.  And June 21st.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM.