Update 7-30-13
Hi,
A couple of quick corrections to last week's newsletter, from Amy Miller Cohen: The photo of Toby Cogen's birthday party is from 1955, and I was in the class of '63 at South. That's the reunion I'm helping to coordinate.
[Rich -- As I wrote Amy: I thought you'd decided that the birthday party photo was from 1956. Sorry. Miscommunication. And, of course, you were in the class of '63. That was mistyping and bad proofreading. In fact, as I was sending the newsletters, I was listening to CD you sent me of your husband, Bob, singing, and I wondered if you'd introduced him to "Yesterday I Loved You" and if you'd first heard it at South. So I knew you were in the class of '63 because so was a lot of the cast of Once Upon A Mattress.
Amy replied: I had to do some detective work after I sent the birthday photo. Karen Hart's move to Green Acres was the important clue. I thought she came in fifth grade, but in fact she told me last week that she arrived in March of fourth grade. That was 1955, and we were ten in the photo
And, yes, I saw and loved Once Upon a Mattress at South, but I first saw it in the city as my cousin was in the show on Broadway. She played one of the many ladies in waiting. As gifts, Carol Burnett gave the women in the cast necklaces with one pea-like pearl.
And my husband, Bob, is so familiar with all things vocal, since he's been in choirs since he was a child, that perhaps the only two songs he didn't know before meeting me were "Side by Side Marching Together" and "Like Valiant Falcons Winging."
From Steve Cahn, reminded by the mention of Toby Cogen: I'm trying to find Andrew and Fred Cagan, former neighbors of mine in Green Acres. Andrew may have been in the class of '60, and Fred in the class of '63, but I'm guessing on both of those. Obviously, they were older than I was, since I graduated in the class of '70. Can you ask in the newsletter if anyone has any contact information for them? Thanks, and have a great summer, at least, what's left of it.
[Rich -- If anyone has information about the Cagan brothers, you can write Steve directly at: Genghisaha @ aol . com and if it turns out that Fred Cagan was in the class of '63, you might also want to write Amy Miller Cohen, so she can contact him about the reunion. Her address is: YmaRellim @ aol . com (please remove the spaces in both addresses).
From Barbara Blitfield Pech: You might want to check out "The Rise and Fall of the Borscht Belt" from CBS Sunday Morning, 2-17-13. It's online at: youtube . com / watch?v=pnm1QNIceAA (again, remove the spaces).
From Amy Lieberman: For those of you in Los Angeles, Billy Valentine -- perhaps best known nationally for his music on Boston Legal -- will be back at the Cafe Cordiale, and this time the great Tree People band he's had for the past two years will be with him. This will be on Friday, August 23rd, and the cafe is at 14015 Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. The first set is at 10 PM, and Billy will be there till 1 AM. Reservations for dinner are necessary if you want an actual seat.
And today's Naomi Stein Miller's birthday, and yesterday was Jeff Levin's. They're both doing fine.
[Rich -- Finally, parts of several notes written recently by my family. My sister, Marilyn, and I moved to Green Acres in 1953, but my brothers Michael and David were practically born there, in 1958 and 1960. And we all went to Forest Road School and South.]
From my brother David: Goodbye to 7 Forest Road and many great memories. I've debated about taking Mom over there before the closing but probably won't for several reasons. Dad was such a fixture and a strong presence in the house. It never seemed to be the same after he left us. Howard would always be in charge of the house without making too many waves along the way. But when he had something to say, he would make sure everyone heard it. He was a gentle man at most times, who could command an immediate audience. But it was his smile that I remember most about the man, the father, and the husband. He's been described as a gentle giant... a good man with a very good heart. I learned many lessons from him, some of which I can't describe but are carried with me inside every day. He taught me to keep my feet on the ground and become responsible for my actions. He left us too soon, with many questions unanswered and stories untold.
And from my brother Michael: Ditto on the feelings for Dad's special qualities that he passed along to all of us. I also have many of them instilled in me that I try to use in my daily life, both personally and in business. I like to think that they have made me a better husband, father, and generally a more caring and understanding human being. There are a lot of old memories stored in the back of my mind, and getting older, it's not as easy to remember them all any more. But many good times were had at 7 Forest Road. I remember when we were kids, and David and I used to build a fort under the round coffee table in the living room and play there for hours. And the times when Rich would come home from college to visit, and we would find the Phantom messages and drawings hanging from the chandelier in the dining room. I would always go looking for them. And David's toga party in the basement. I was busy upstairs in my bedroom while it was going on. I miss Dad very much and would give a lot to be able to spend one more day with him. It's sad to think that 7 Forest Road will no longer be the Eisbrouch home, but it will live in our memories as long as we live.
From my sister, Marilyn: Our house, our home, was certainly a web of intricacies -- as have probably been most childhood homes in every previous generation. But this one is our story, our beginning, our life.
[Rich -- I've already written about my last stay in Green Acres. And my mother, who seems to have kept far more than we realized, kept those Phantom drawings. Though most of the ones that preceded them, from the mysterious Black Fang, are gone.]
The South '65 e-mail addresses: reunionclass65 . blogspot . com
The South '65 photo site: picasaweb . google . com / SouthHS65
Rich
No comments:
Post a Comment