Update 7-14-09

Hi,

A series of notes and a joke.

First, from Emily Kleinman Schreiber:   Hello, everyone.  Next month, Irving Saffrin, our former South science teacher (my favorite), will be celebrating his 90th birthday.  I'm thrilled that I've been invited to the party, and I'd like to bring him something special from South's alumni.
        I hope many of you will be willing to send me a sentence, or a few, in which you might express a special thought or memory.  Since I'll have to put it all together, I need time to do that.  Therefore, please respond to this message no later than Saturday, August 1st.  My e-mail address is:  cre8em@aol.com
        On another note, the class of '69's 40th reunion will be held on August 29th at the Mill River Manor in Rockville Centre, from 8:00 PM to midnight.  For further information, please contact either Val Manzo at:  valmanzo@aol.com or at:  516-456-4672 or contact Lynda Bandes Fitz at:  Mom4Fitz@yahoo.com or at:  631-286-1018,
        PS:  There are pictures from Booker Gibson Night on the Facebook site.  They'll also be posted at the Alumni Association web site.
        That's all for now.
   
    Similarly, from Barbara Blitfield Pech:  Per an online conversation with a former Jasmine Lane neighbor kid from the class of 69 -- he advises that they are having a reunion in August, and the information is updated on Reunions of America's Valley Stream South '69 page.
   
    From Booker Gibson:  Ralph Foster always reminded me of a General George Patton style, but he had a wonderful smile as we had coffee.  That was just Ralph.
   
    From Irene Saunders Goldstein:  Thanks to Judy Hartstone for posting the Temple Emanu-El confirmation class photo.  I was a part of that group, too, in the row above Rabbi Saperstein and just to the left.  By the way, GI Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation by Deborah Dash Moore includes the story of the rabbi's war experiences as a chaplain.  I highly recommend this book to anyone as it tells a story we didn't learn in the 45 minutes we studied World War II on the next-to-last day of school.
   
    [Rich -- So it wasn't my imagination or faulty memory that sensed we never got much past WW I in high school history -- though I do remember discussing current events.  But I didn't understand WW II in the Pacific until after college, when I got out some books, and, especially, some maps.]
   
    From Robin Singer Taylor:  I'm glad to find out that people are interested in meeting for lunch in Los Angeles.  I'm arriving on Wednesday, July 29th at 11:00 AM if all goes well.  We could plan that I just come from the airport to wherever it is we plan to meet.  Otherwise, as I said, Thursday or Friday would work, too.
        I'll be staying in Mar Vista or Culver City.  Does that help with a location?
   
    [Rich -- I can make Wednesday, the 29th, but I'd prefer Thursday or Friday.  And I suspect the west side would be most convenient.  Any thoughts?]
   
    From Robert Fiveson:  I just found the June 23rd update buried on my in-box, which explains why I was so confused about the later references to anti-Semitism.  I experienced that at my job at King Cullen, when the manager told me that he had just found out I was a Jew and that had he known "I would never have been hired."  But I write to address the reference to bad guidance.
        I think I've asked this before, but does anyone remember Mr. Willard?  He was my guidance counselor, and, here, I'll cut to the chase:  I was yanked from class one day and told that the school district was instituting a new psychologist.  I was then asked if I would like to see her (imagine that!)  My response was that if I could get out of study hall -- yes!
        The psychologist tested me to see if I had any intelligence quotient, and I tested high.  Real high.  But Willard told me not to bother applying to college because, "Frankly, Bob, you're not college material."
        Good thing my basic attitude then, as now, was, "Oh, really, I can't?"
        Despite Willard's prophecy, I graduated from undergrad school with a BA in English Lit and a minor in Spanish, having made Dean's list every semester. My MFA from USC Cinema was with a cumulative average of 3.92.  If he's not already gone, I wish Willard a spiny death -- and don't you dare edit this statement, Mr. Eisbrouch.
   
    [Rich -- I liked Ken Willard.  I also liked Ralph Foster.  And I liked Clara Hoogenboom.  And let's not even talk about Janet Porter -- as I've mentioned before, that was the stuff of teenage fantasies, plus she taught me to write.  There were teachers I didn't like, but I can't remember any of them right now.  And I'm sure I mainly tormented them by writing notes in code to Nancy Garfield during their classes.  Or doing crossword puzzles.  Or talking.  Rumor has it I talked a lot.]
   
    Finally, the joke, from Allan Bendel.  He dedicates this to the high-flying Robert Fiveson:
        Morris and his wife Esther went to the state fair every year, and every year Morris would say, "Esther, I'd like to ride in that helicopter."
        Esther always replied, "I know Morris, but that helicopter ride is fifty dollars, and fifty dollars is fifty dollars"   
        One year, Esther and Morris went to the fair, and Morris said, "Esther, I'm 85 years old, and if I don't ride that helicopter now, I might not get another chance."
        Esther replied, "Morris that helicopter ride is fifty dollars, and fifty dollars is fifty dollars."
        The pilot overheard the couple and said, "Folks I'll make you a deal.  I'll take the both of you for a ride, and if you can stay quiet for the entire time and not say a word, I won't charge you.  But if you say one word, it's fifty dollars."
        Morris and Esther agreed, and up they went.  The pilot did all kinds of fancy maneuvers, but not one word was heard.  He did his daredevil tricks over-and-over, but still got nothing but silence.   Finally, he landed, and he turned to Morris.  "By golly," he said.  "I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I'm impressed!"
        Morris replied, "Well, to tell you the truth, I almost said something when Esther fell out.  But you know, 'Fifty dollars is fifty dollars!' "
   
    The South '65 e-mail addresses:  reunionclass65.blogspot.com
   
   
    Rich