Update 7-1-14

 

Hi,

I'm traveling west tomorrow, so I'm sending this early.

First, a good question from Martha Morenstein:  I am seeking clarification about the Saturday night reunion gathering.  Am I correct that we won't be having our own private room?  Therefore, however many people show up, all of us will be gathered in the bar cum restaurant?   I'm just wondering how non-valiant falcons will react to a large (I'm assuming) group of people in 50th high school reunion mode.  I presume the registration clerk you spoke with gave your queries her/his/the hotel's stamp of approval.

[Rich -- As I wrote Martha:  We don't really know yet what the Saturday night arrangements will be and probably won't know till next January/February, when we see how many people are planning to come for some part of the weekend.

     If it turns out there are 40 or more, we may have to go to a more traditional approach of reserving a room for Saturday night, figuring out the cost per person, and collecting money well in advance.  We're presently avoiding that because of the financial difficulty we almost got into with the 40th reunion.

     If it costs $60 or $75 per person, that price may keep some people away, and we're trying to gather as many as possible.  As I mentioned last week, the Hyatt restaurant/bar is large enough for our group and plenty of other people, even if we suddenly zoomed to 100.  And the area was very active at 10:00 the night I was there, with several different groups of people in for conferences happily mingling, so our group shouldn't be a problem.  And asking these questions is great because it reminds me what I need to explain more clearly.]

 

Related to reunions, from Tom McPartland, one of the organizers of the class of '64 party this coming October: 

    I have put together 2 reunions for my high school class and countless reunions for the company I worked for.  Here's my basic rule of thumb.  I surveyed the group last year and had over 90 positive responses.  To get a room large enough to hold the group, I estimated 2/3s of the 90 (the 2/3s would not include a classmate's spouse).  2/3s of 90 is 60, plus some spouses, so my 60 estimate to secure the room was very conservative.  In the past, the payments came in pretty well, and I think the last time, I only had a handful of people paying at the door.  By that time, I had enough people to pay the downpayment, and the hotel was comfortable handling the last minute overflow.

    This time, the checks are arriving more slowly, and the downpayment is coming due.  Over 50 people who've said they're interested haven't sent in payments.  As of Friday, 38 people have paid, but we need that minimum of 60.   So I keep encouraging people to send in their checks.

        On an easier matter -- golf -- I checked with the Pro Shop.  It rents clubs at $50 per set, left and right handed, first come, first served.  Of course, renting clubs doesn't guarantee a golf course reservation.  That has to be made separately.  I hope all this information helps.

 

From Valerie Nelson Gillen:  Sometimes, the music is too loud to enjoy a conversation.  So for me, I'm just as happy without a DJ.  The current plan sounds good.

 

From Barnet Kellman:  Look what I found.

 

[Rich -- Attached to Barnet's note was a photo of a mug from the class of '65's Senior Prom.  Barnet said I could send the picture to Stu Borman for posting on the class photo site, but I need to be home first to do that.]

 

From Emily Kleinman Schreiber:  Could you please send me a brief piece about your upcoming reunion for the Alumni Association Bulletin?  Thanks.

 

[Rich -- Next April's reunion seems a long way off, but I'll write something when I get home.  Also, several people have written that they intend to come to the reunion, but it's way too soon to make definite plans.  There also seems to be a group that will mainly be coming on Saturday night.

    On a different matter, which might only interest the people who went to Forest Road School in the 50s, my brother Michael sent me the following.  I'm not sure where he got it, it might have been posted on Facebook, but I haven't checked that site for the two weeks I've been away.]

    

From Mike:  Mildred Dikeman.  Born in Dunkirk, New York, Mildred was graduated from local schools and Fredonia Normal School.   Her first teaching assignment was in Island Park in 1931 where she served until 1946.   An accomplished musician, Mildred played the organ in the church she attended.   A member of the Nassau County Glee Club, she played the cello in the school orchestra, piano and vibra harp.  During the summer, she directed the primary group in the daily vacation Bible School.

    Hofstra awarded Mildred a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1945, and in 1946, she joined District Thirty Public Schools and taught in Clear Stream Avenue until 1953; Forest Road 1953-58; Shaw Avenue 1958-present.  A long time member of the Parent Teacher Associations, Mildred also held membership in local, state, and national professional organizations.  For many years she served as organist in the Windsor Avenue Bible Church in Oceanside, New York, where she was active in church affairs.  On retiring from District Thirty, Mildred Dikeman will long be remembered by the children she taught, parents and co-workers as a sincere, dedicated teacher and true professional.

 

[Rich -- I wrote Mike back that, no, our babysitter's name was Mrs. Dignan, or a spelling near that.  My sister, Marilyn, confirmed that and added the following.]

 

From Marilyn:  No, we had a very sweet babysitter who in looks reminded us of Mildred Dikeman.  Miss or Mrs. Dikeman seemed to be the oldest teacher when I went to Forest.  The school was new, and it seemed all the teachers were, too, except for Mrs. D.  (Well, Mrs. Agree, the librarian, and Mrs. Salerno, the nurse, weren't young, either, but Mrs. D seemed ancient and old-fashioned.)  Fortunately, I didn't have her, but tales from Jerry Zimmerman and, I think, Harvey Bilik were "horrific."  Jerry said she was extremely strict, and I can't confirm this, but apparently she was fond of putting kids in the supply closet as punishment.  I would liken Mrs. D to the principal/owner of the school in the movie, Matilda.

    Do you know where this write-up came from?  I ask because it has her listed as going to Shaw in 1958, and it says "to the present."  So it can't be a recent obit.  But she could have lived to over 100.

 

[Rich -- As indicated, I know nothing about this.  But if anyone else had Miss or Mrs. Dikeman as a teacher, it would be good to deny or confirm my sister's relayed impressions.]

 

Meanwhile, the repeating upcoming reunion information:

 

The class of '64 reunion: Friday, October 10, 2014, 6 to 11 PM. $70 per person, cash bar. Hyatt Regency, Hauppague, New York. Committee phone numbers: Tom McPartland 570-223-2577. Ken Silver: 631-463-2217. Bette Silver: 631-463-2216.

 

The class of '65 50th Reunion: April 24 through April 26, 2015, Hyatt Regency, Hauppauge.

 

The South '65 e-mail addresses: reunionclass65 . blogspot . com (remove the spaces)

 

The South '65 photo site: picasaweb . google . com/SouthHS65 (ditto)

 

 

Rich