Music Is Her Passion WEEQUAHIC HIGH SCHOOL Myrna Weissman, class of Jan. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 1953 and Treasurer of the WHS Alumni Association, has an eclectic taste in music. As she rides to work each day, her Celebrates its satellite radio allows her to hear all of her favorite tunes from the 15th Anniversary 50’s through the 70’s. She loves Frankie Valli, has seen with a fundraising event Jersey Boys seven times, adores Neil Diamond, is an avid fan of featuring rock and roll hall of famer Bruce Springsteen, and is a good friend of Dave Mason - our headline performer for our up- coming fundraising event. Dave Mason So if you’re wondering how Weequahic and Dave became a tandem - it’s Myrna’s musical magic.
ABOUT DAVE
At age 18, the Worcester, England, native teamed up with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood to form the legendary band TRAFFIC, whose profound influence over rock music remains unques- tioned even today. At 19, Mason penned the song “Feelin' Alright.” First record- ed by Traffic, this song has since become a rock and roll anthem and has been recorded by dozens of artists, including Joe Cocker, who had a major hit with the song in 1969. at the South Orange Mason departed from the group after their second album. In Performing Arts Center 1969, he headed for the USA to pursue a solo career. A prolific artist, Mason has penned over Wednesday, 7 p.m. 100 songs. He struck gold with the album “Alone Together,” November 28, 2012 which has become a rock classic. This was followed by five albums for CBS/Sony including Dessert reception with Dave to follow “Dave Mason” and “Mariposa De Oro,” four of which received $125.00 for performance / $140.00 with reception gold albums. “Let It Flow,” which has gone well over plati- Tickets can be purchased at the SOPAC num, contained the classic “We Box Office (973-313-2787) or at their web site Just Disagree,” a top-ten single! (Continued on page 2) MASON (Continued from page 1 NEW BOARD MEMBERS ALUMNI CALUMET In addition to performing to sold-out is a publication of the audiences, Mason performed on a num- BRIAN LOGAN, 1982: WHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ber of albums such as: The Rolling Current Head Football Stones' “Beggars's Banquet,” George Coach at Weequahic High Editor, Layout & Design: Harrison's “All Things Must Pass,” Paul School. Won the North Phil Yourish, 1964 McCartney's “Listen to What the Man Jersey, Section II, Group Said,” and Jimi Hendrix's “Electric III State Championship as Proofreading: Ladyland.” head football coach at Dave Lieberfarb, Hal Braff, One of the songs West Side High School in Myrna Jelling Weissman, from the “Electric 2007 and was the NJ Football Coach of Marc Little, Zaundria Ladyland” album, the Year. Newark Police Officer since Mapson-Little “All Along the 1991. Newark South Ward District Watchtower,” Leader. Graduate of Kean University. Our thanks for articles and featured Dave He resides in Weequahic with his wife, photos from The Star-Ledger, playing acoustic Shawn. They have two adult children. NJ.com, NJ Jewish News, and guitar. This song, our WHS alumni and friends. written by Bob MARC TARABOUR, 1963: Dylan, remains a U.S. Marine Corps from CONTACT US big favorite in 1964 to 1968. Founder WHS Alumni Association Dave's live show! and owner of REM Securi- P.O. Box 494, His solo career is ty Systems from 1970 to Newark, NJ 07101 linked with many members of rock and 1985. National sales man- ager for Radionics Corpo- (973) 923-3133 roll elite, including Jimi Hendrix, Fleet- (973) 303-5294 wood Mac, George Harrison, Paul ration and CEO of NY Alarm Response Corp. Founder of the [email protected] McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Michael www.weequahicalumni.org Jackson, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Yogi Berra and the NY Giants Celebrity Rita Coolidge, Delaney & Bonnie, Leon Golf Classics. Graduate of Bergen Com- Our office is at Weequahic High School, 279 Chancellor Avenue in Russell, Ron Wood, and Eric Clapton. munity College. He resides in Living- ston with his wife, Sheila. They have Newark in the Library/Media Dave Mason's career spans nearly 50 two adult children. Center on the 3rd floor. Come years and has encompassed producing, and visit. performing and song writing, not to men- VAUGHN CROWE, 1998: tion being one of rock's great guitar play- Is the Alumni ers! He was inducted into the Rock and Senior Program Director for the MCJ Amelior Calumet getting Foundation. Previously, Marketing Manager at fatter? Chubb Group of Insur- You may have noticed that the ance Companies. Mem- time between newsletters has ber of the Board of Trus- been getting longer. With so tees of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark much alumni stuff to do, it is more difficult to get the newsletter to and the Brick City Development Corpo- you in a timely manner. To com- ration. Graduate of Colgate University pensate for this, we have added and enrolled in an executive education more pages to the last two issues - program at Harvard Business School. He 24 for the winter edition and 28 for lives in Newark with his wife, Tyra. the summer edition. We hope you enjoy the extra content and we will Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member KEITH SALTERS, 1985: continue to do better. of the group Traffic (pic is above), and is considered an important figure in Ameri- An inspirational leader in the Weequahic can music history. Fans and critics alike community where he resides. Newark What happened to hail Mason as one of the most talented Police Officer and Detective since 1991. songwriters and guitarists in the world. Sponsors with his brother Anthony - a our web site? Shabazz HS grad - an annual dinner for We are working on developing a When Dave is not touring, you can find the Weequahic and Shabazz football new state-of-the art alumni web him writing and producing new music in teams. He attended Montclair State Uni- site. Currently, the web site is his home studio, as well as supporting versity and volunteers with the Clearview under construction. We will philanthropic causes near to his heart, Baptist Church. He is the proud father of notify you when it is once again including Work Vessels for Vets, Yoga available for alumni visits. daughters. Blue, and Kids.
2 Four new college grads who 15 Glorious Years Together received alumni scholarships
By Hal Braff, 1952, Co-Founder and Co-President of the Weequahic High School Alumni Association Dominick Brown WHS Class of 2007 On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Weequahic High School Alumni Association, William Paterson University please know how very grateful we are to you whose contributions and support I am a recent graduate of have created an amazingly successful and William Paterson University, widelyrenowned organization, which, for and I have been a Weequahic fifteen years hasprovided scholarshipsand alumnus since 2007. During the opportunities for youngsters who followed time I spent at William our footsteps into the Wigwam on the Chan- Paterson, I used many of the cellor Avenue hill. skills that I learned as a Weequa- hic Indian. The first of which But for the funds you have provided was the hard work and dedica- through your membership and donations tion I displayed while playing literally dozens of terrific kids might not for the William Paterson have been able to afford to even begin college. You may not know University football team. them individually but you have blessed them. Our students know that Weequahic alumni are unique in their fondness for the memories of the The leadership that I gained from being the captain of community in which we grew up and the experiences we shared in and the Weequahic High robotics team made me yearn for for the school. And they deeply appreciate how those emotions have more leadership responsibility, so I became the presi- brought benefit to them. dent of a club called, Brothers for Awareness. My next leadership role was as the President of my fraternity It is not a secret that economic circumstances in which today's and I was also elected President of the Greek senate. Newark kids grow up are very different - much worse - than when we walked the same streets, the same hallways. It is not a secret that about I accomplished many things at William Paterson, but one quarter of New Jersey's population lives at or beneath the none of them could have been accomplished without poverty line. the help of the Weequahic High Alumni Association. It was of great financial assistance during my years at For every other inner city school's kids no volunteer organization exists college. There were many semesters when I wasn’t to offer scholarship funds, trips to France or to Washington, and summer sure whether or not I would be able to pay the tuition, sportstraining. Our Board of Trusteescanbe found cheering at both home but one call to Mr. Yourish and I was bailed out again. and away games and working closely with Principal John Tonero and the faculty to provide assistance wherever and whenever needed. Currently, I am a Special Education teacher developing young minds using what I learned during my high Please continue to support us. Renew your membership each year. Start school and college years. I am also looking forward to a Scholarship Fund in the name of your graduating class and donate moving back to Newark and working with youth, as proceeds from your reunion to it. Remember beloved family mem- well as being active with the Alumni Association. I bers, friends and faculty with contributions in their names. Come would like to say thank you to all those alumni who back to the school with your family. Show them where you grew up. contributed to the scholarship fund, because without it, See the marvelous new Ronald G. Stone Community Gymnasium and the I don’t know if I would have graduated. basketball arena named in memory of legendary Coach Les Fein - and the beautified Untermann Field. Join us at a game. (Continued on page 4) We know that there are many demands and pulls on each of you for donations to worthy causes. Here, we are the only source of funds for Weequahic kids. No one is competing with us. On this page and the next couple of pages, you will see the benefits INVEST IN of our alumni scholarships as four new college graduates are featured in this issue. What could be more gratifying! WEEQUAHIC’S May this find you all blessed with good health, joy and zest in your lives and love in your hearts. FUTURE
3 During her time at Rider, Dennis also In acknowledgment of her exceptional GRADS (Continued from page 3) served as treasurer of the Sociology Club leadership abilities and academic excel- and mentored international students. She lence, she has received numerous schol- was the recipient of the Sociology Award arships, awards, and honors including: Syntyche Dennis for Social Commitment, in memory of John Clemons, at Rider’s annual Student The first recipient of the Ophelia J. Berry WHS Class of 2008 Awards Banquet on April 28th. Award, recognizing high school seniors who overcome obstacles with determina- Syntyche states: “It was such a great tion, empathy, active concern and caring Rider University honor to be a recipient of the Weequahic for others and a commitment to excel- High Alumni Association scholarship. I lence; CSE Presidential Scholarship; and would like to take this opportunity to a member of the Honor Program at CSE thank you for your generosity. I would for four years. not have gone this far without your help.” Upon graduation, LaTisha will pursue a law degree in hopes to better her community.
LaTisha Prophete Latisha states: I want to first show deep gratitude for the faith that the Alumni WHS Class of 2008 Association had in me. The Association supported my growth mentally and finan- College of cially. Collectively, the Alumni Associa- tion was my second family and all I can Saint Elizabeth say is thank you.
Syntyche Dennis, WHS class of 2008 and a Weequahic High School Alumni Antwan Hill Association Scholarship recipient, recent- ly graduated from Rider University. She WHS Class of 2008 believes her calling is in the field of soci- ology, where she has gained valuable experiences through internships and be- Rutgers University ing a Rider Bonner Community Scholar.
Bonner Scholars participate in a commu- nity service leadership development pro- gram that exposes them to social justice issues while providing them with hands-on experience that impacts their community. LaTisha Prophete earned her bachelors A native of Ghana, Syntyche now resides degree in Justice Studies and Philosophy in Irvington. She said when choosing a from the College of Saint Elizabeth on university, she was drawn to Rider be- May 12, 2012. cause of the Equal Opportunity Program and small class size. “When I got there, She was also the commencement speaker it was a really nice and warm for the undergraduate class with her atmosphere.” speech entitled, “Still Standing,” which was about working together to achieve My college journey began at Tuskegee Syntyche, a Sociology major with a mi- goals while also standing tall with diver- University in Alabama. I was thrilled nor in Law and Justice, said she has al- sity, confidence, leadership, and spirit. about my acceptance into this school be- ways wanted to go to law school and in cause it was my top choice. Unfortunate- the future hopes to attain that dream. She On campus, LaTisha has been involved in ly, I only stayed there for a year and a interned with Habitat for Humanity, was the Student Government Association as a half due to the challenges I faced paying a case manager for the Children’s Home recording secretary and as vice-president tuition for a school that was not only out- Society of New Jersey, worked with the of Women United in Color. She was of-state, but private. So I transferred to YMCA afterschool program, and at treasurer of the National Criminal Justice Rutgers University in Newark where I Homefront, she was involved with caring Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma Lambda was accepted into to the Clinical Labora- for young children. Pi and served as CSE Student Ambassa- tory Science program which is offered dor since 2009 and as an Equal Oppor- tunity Fund Peer Leader/Tutor. (Continued on page 5)
4 GRADS (Continued from page 4) 1968 KINGS CLUB GATHERING By Bill Jacobowitz, 1968 jointly with UMDNJ. I learned to The weekend of May 18-20 was a spe- drove through the old neighborhood. It perform the tests that help with the cial one for ten 1968 Weequahic High appears that the houses have gotten diagnosis of diseases in hospitals. I School graduates. The Kings Club much smaller over the years. chose this program because I wanted held its first reunion. The Kings met We had lunch in Union at the Huck Finn weekly at the YMHA on Chancellor a career in health care and I always Diner (formally the Peter Pan when we had an interest in science. Ave. throughout our high school years. were kids), and had a visit from fellow '68 graduate Marcia Hell- Furthering my education is my next ring Tabakin, who amaz- goal. I’m considering applying to ingly still looks the same medical school or a graduate program after forty plus years. sometime in the near future. The guys returned to my I would like to thank all of my teach- house after lunch and Ilana ers at Weequahic for encouraging me Segall Tenenbaum (my to work hard and to go beyond some sister-in-law and also a '68 of those limitations presented in my Weequahic grad) dropped community. I feel so proud to be a by to say hello. The rest of Weequahic alumnus because my ex- the weekend was spent periences at Weequahic molded me reminiscing and laughing a into who I am today. I wouldn’t lot. Even though some of us have added a few pounds and lost a trade it for anything. We ran dances, played basketball couple of hairs, the Kings were back. against teams from other centers and I would also like to send a special We won't wait another forty years to get were involved in charitable activities. thanks to the WHS Alumni Associa- together again. One of my favorite recollections was tion for all their support. When I when we had a father-son softball game The only downside of the reunion was needed help they never hesitated. I and got destroyed by our over-the–hill that Mel Narol was not there. Mel, who feel as though this is not only my was an integral part of the Kings, passed accomplishment, but it’s an accom- fathers. away more than ten years ago. Mel was plishment of the WHS Alumni Asso- On May 18, we got together as a group a prominent attorney who was President- ciation as well. for the first time in more than forty Elect of the New Jersey Bar Association years. Members Bob Feinberg, Steve when he passed away. Fischbein, Jim Wolf, Mike Wigdor, Sandy Greenberg, Congratulations Stuart Guterman, Harry Rosengart, Steve Schwartz, Terrell Hearns Jeff Rudin and my- Anniyah Smith, self spent the week- end talking about the and Tiffany Hill, good old days in from the class of 2008, Newark. on receiving their On Friday night we Associate Degree from had dinner at Irving's Essex County College. Deli in Livingston. After dinner we went to my home to The guys decided to start a scholarship play poker as we had done on many Fri- In September, Terrell fund in his name to be used for future day nights in the 1960's. My wife Dalia Weequahic grads who have an interest (Weequahic 1965-68) recognized every- will be attending NJ in law related areas. So far we have one immediately. Institute of Technology, raised close to a thousand dollars. Anniyah will be at New Saturday morning, Alumni Association Anyone who would like to make a con- Jersey City University, Director, Phil Yourish, hosted us on a tribution to the fund can mail a check and Tiffany will be tour of the high school. We were struck made out to WHSAA to the Weequahic by how much many things have not going to Rutgers High School Alumni Association, P.O. changed, such as the auditorium and Box 494, Newark, N.J. 07101. Write University-Newark. hallways. The new basketball arena is Mel Narol Scholarship Fund on the amazing. Untermann Field also looks notation line. great. After we left the high school, we 5 Weequahic’s Adonis difference in Newark by stopping by Pop Warner games on breaks from school, or Thomas has NFL hosting neighborhood kids at his mom’s aspirations and hopes house and stressing the importance of to represent Newark school. The kids already look up to Thomas, a player they’ve seen scoring By Matthew Stanmyre, The Star-Ledger touchdowns on ESPN. (April 25, 2012) He continued his jaunt through the halls, slapping hands with students before stop- Adonis Thomas could have worked out in ping by Bashir Akinyele’s history class nicer places last Friday, but he was much on the second floor. The 10 students more comfortable making the familiar slumped behind their desks looked on walk down Aldine Street in Newark’s with curious gazes. South Ward, strolling over the broken sidewalk stones and pockets of dandeli- the No. 22-rated ons jutting through the cracks, the midday running back in “Listen up!” Akinyele told his students. sun spilling over his shoulders. the draft pool, “This is Adonis Thomas. There’s a according to the strong possibility that he will be drafted into the NFL. This is a brother who After two quick blocks, he made it from National Football Post - says he has been came right from Weequahic High School. his house to Weequahic High School and training for the draft with the weight of Right from the Bricks. Right from the slipped through the heavy double doors Newark on his back. “I want to put my- ’hood.” out front, where a security guard stopped self in a position so other people can be him. The guard hesitated to let him pass. like, ‘He made it. Why can’t I?’ ” Thomas said. Akinyele turned the floor over to Thom- as, who cleared his throat and stood up “That’s me right there,” Thomas said, straight. He scanned the young faces pointing over the guard’s shoulder to a TRAGEDY AS A CONSTANT looking back at him. “A lot of y’all real- glass trophy case that held a picture of After popping into the main office and ly don’t think about college,” Thomas him from Weequahic’s 2006 state foot- greeting administrators with hugs, Thom- said. “Life after high school - I’m telling ball championship season. The guard as and four of his friends and current you - college is the way to go. A lot of smiled and waved him along. football players at Kean University people I went to high school with are roamed Weequahic’s narrow, pale brown either dead or in jail. If I can help one of Thomas came back to Weequahic to train hallways, stopping when they saw famil- y’all in this room, or if I can help any- in preparation for the 2012 National Foot- iar faces. body in this building, I feel like I’ve done ball League Draft, which runs Thursday my job. Keep your heads in the books through Saturday and could result in “We’re all rooting for you,” English and make smart decisions.” Thomas’ name being called. But before teacher Robert Hylton said as Thomas he headed to the field out back for sprints walked by his classroom. “We’re proud WORLD-CLASS SPEED and passes with four friends, he wanted to of you.” see some of his former teachers and talk After the impromptu trek through the to some of the students. school, Thomas and his friends walked A muscular 5-9 and 185 pounds, Thomas over to the football field to run wind strode through the halls remembering the sprints in the 75-degree heat. He has a In a city where role models can be hard to students he once shared them with. He shot at getting drafted because his fastest find, Thomas is embracing the chance to winced at the memories. “Everybody time in the 40-yard dash is 4.39 seconds - be seen and heard. A 2007 graduate of don’t make it out of here,” he said. Two elite speed even for the NFL. He’s Weequahic and a 1,000-yard rusher at teammates from the 2006 championship worked out for the Jets and Giants and Toledo, Thomas is hoping to earn a spot team - a landmark squad that became the said he’s received interest from the Colts, on an NFL roster - something no one first Newark public school to win a state Buccaneers, Jaguars, Rams, Broncos and born and raised in Newark can currently title since 1975 - have been killed, Eagles. claim. Thomas navigated the turmoil surround- A scatback with a deft ability to elude “I want to be the person that inspires ing him thanks to the strength of his tacklers, Thomas rushed for more than other people,” Thomas said. “I want to mother and older sister, who monitored 1,000 yards in each of his last two sea- be the person that everybody - a teacher his every move when he was a kid and sons at Toledo, earning second-team all- or somebody in the neighborhood - uses never allowed him to get off track. conference honors each year. as an example of somebody who made it That’s why he knows the importance of out. I want to be that example.” role models coming up in Newark. “He’s so close,” his mother said. “He’s so close to reaching his ultimate goal.” He understands there’s a chance he will With a huge smile and big brown eyes, not be drafted and he may not make an Thomas has already started making a NFL roster as a free agent. But Thomas - (Continued on page 7) 6 THOMAS (Continued from page 6) ed from St. Benedict Elementary School BURNEY ADAMS and St. Pius X High School. Because St. Thomas, 23, will succeed whether he’s Pius X High School did not have a football drafted or not, those close to him say. Weequahic’s legendary team, Burney played football for Tomp- After all, the same kid who failed to football coach to be feted by kins High School in Savannah under the qualify academically out of high school the high school’s Fathers Club famed, legendary coach, the late Joseph went on to graduate from Toledo cum James Turner. laude with a degree in psychology and counseling. He said his grade-point av- After high school he served 27 months in erage never dipped below a 3.1. the US Military in Germany as a para- trooper and played football for the 11th “If he plays professional football or not, Airborne. He received an honorable dis- he will always be a successful young charge in May 1958 and returned home to man in my book,” said Altarik White, Savannah for a very brief period before Thomas’ coach at Weequahic. going to Florida A&M University (FAMU), in August 1958 for a one- week tryout as a walk-on for the football After the workout, Thomas and his team. FAMU's world renowned football friends packed up and left the field. He coach, the late Jake Gaither, told Burney walked up and down Chancellor Ave- he had just one chance for a scholarship - nue, stopping to talk to students and that chance was to make the team or he friends from the neighborhood. The would be sent back home to Savannah. streets were alive with people coming and going, the Friday afternoon traffic Burney not only made the team, he buzzing. Thomas soaked in the atmos- On Friday evening, November 23rd, made the varsity. Of the 61 freshmen phere. former longtime football coach, Coach who received scholarships that year, Burney Lee Adams, is being honored by Burney was one of only three to make the Weequahic High School Father’s Club “I would always say to him, ‘There are the esteemed varsity travelling squad. with a dinner in the Coach Les Fein Arena so many kids that are watching. You He was so fierce on the football field, his in Weequahic’s beautiful new Ronald G. have to set an example,’ ” his mother teammates nicknamed him "Killer Boy,"a Stone Community Gymnasium. The Field said. “There are a lot of kids with a lot name that stuck with him even to this House at Untermann Field will, thereafter, of dreams. If he can make it, so can day. bear his name. they.” He was a member of the 1959 and 1962 Tickets are $100 and proceeds will go to undefeated Rattler football teams and the Father’s Club for the benefit of the served as team captain in 1962, his senior kids on the current football team. Please year. He was the join us in paying trib- 1962 Lineman of the ute to this wonderful Year, made the 1962 man. 26 Years As Southern Interscho- Over a 34-year Weequahic High’s lastic Athletic Con- coaching career, Head Football Coach ference 1st Team, Coach Adams built a and was a 1962 All - remarkable football Testimonial Dinner American Nominee. program at Weequa- on November 23rd Burney graduated hic and through it from FAMU in 1962 raised the aspirations with a Bachelor of and self confidence of Science degree in Industrial Arts Educa- countless young men. tion. (The University is inducting him For them, he served, not only as football into its Hall of Fame next month.) He coach, but also as a mentor, surrogate par- then signed to play professional football ent, and life counselor. When needed, he for the Hamilton Tigercats in the Canadi- worked hard at obtaining scholarships and an Football League. An injury ended his financial assistance for his players. professional football career and the Tiger- cats released him in 1963. After leaving Below is Burney’s Compelling Story: Al “Bubba” Baker, one of Burney’s Canada, Burney was on his way to football players at Weequahic, had a Burney Lee Adams is the youngest child Miami, Florida, to take a teaching and 12-year NFL career with the Browns, of William Bradford Adams, Sr., and football coaching position when he Cardinals, Vikings, and Lions; was the Louise (Hilton) Adams. He was born in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in Charleston, South Carolina, and grew up (Continued on page 8) 1978; and made the Pro Bowl three in Savannah, Georgia, where he graduat- times. 7 the WHS Father's Club (originally known For his entire 34-plus years of coaching, ADAMS (Continued from page 7) as the WHS Father & Son Club). The Coach Adams had a lasting impact on the Booster Club was established to support lives of thousands of youngsters. He was accepted his brother's invitation to stop the football program through activities dedicated and devoted not only to the over in Newark for a brief visit. Needless such as fundraising and a nutrition pro- players on the field, but to the youth of to say, that brief visit lasted over 44 years. gram - providing a nutritious meal to the Newark and surrounding areas. team on game day. In 1963, soon after he arrived in Newark, His mission as a head coach was to use Burney was offered and accepted a teach- Coach Adams, several community leaders football as a tool to propel youngsters on ing and football coaching position with and many committed parents, devoted to higher aspirations. He understood early the Newark Public Schools. thousands of hours of volunteer time to on that he needed to hone their unhar- the Father & Son Club, which provided nessed talents if they were going to excel Over a 34-year period of coaching much needed mentoring and support for on the football field and in life. To all of (8 years as an Assistant Football Coach the players. them he was their coach, teacher and 26 years as Head Football and mentor. Coach), Burney, Weequahic High School's longest serving minority Coach Adams envisioned and in- head football coach, developed a high stilled in his students that they were school football program at Weequa- ambitious enough to be anything hic second to none. they wanted to be, including engi- neers, computer scientists, robotics Coach Adams was modest and never specialists, bankers, administrators, sought attention for his work with law enforcement officials, educators, young people, but he was never professional athletes, medical doc- afraid to take a stand for equality and tors, dentists, etc. fairness for his players, both on and off the field. He will long be recog- Since 1963, Coach Adams has been nized in the community as a great steadfastly instrumental in obtaining motivator of young people - someone college scholarships and financial who commanded their respect and assistance for well over 1,200 minor- admiration, and in so doing, achieved ity students. He has never turned the support of their parents. away youngsters who sought his assistance. More than 95% of those He was a pioneer - an innovative graduates went on to fulfill their am- coach, who brought new ideas to the bition to pursue successful careers in Weequahic High School football every area imaginable. program. In the early 1970's he in- corporated features that were way Burney received a Masters Degree ahead of the their time, and made in Education Administration & Su- history when he hired NJ's first certi- pervision from Rutgers University, fied, on the field female assistant and completed certified PhD equiva- coach, Ms. Loraine White. lency hours and coursework, in Edu- cation, at Jersey City State Universi- Because of its success, the WHS Coach Adams was also the visionary and ty. Additionally, he completed and re- football program was featured in both the founder of "The Soul Bowl,"- the annual ceived several post-graduate certifica- NY Times and The Star-Ledger in the Thanksgiving Day Game between tions from Montclair State University, early 70's, and, during the 70's, 80's and Weequahic and South Side (now Malcolm Kean University, and Jersey City State 90's, schools in the tri-state area modeled X. Shabazz ) high schools, the South University. their football program after Weequahic. Ward's two high school football teams - In 2002, Burney Adams retired Two major components of the football an annual tradition was started. from coaching. program were the WHS Booster Club and
The WHS Alumni Association received approval from The Newark Public Schools to name the basketball arena in the new Ronald G. Stone Community Gymnasium after Weequahic’s legendary basketball coach, Les Fein, and contracted to have the above signage installed.
8 Advisory Board, was the keynote along with academic support throughout AT THE speaker. In attendance were the scholar- their college careers. The Gates Millen- ship recipients, their parents or other nium Scholars Program, established in WIGWAM family members, WHS faculty, and 1999, was initially funded by a $1 billion WHSAA Board of Trustee members. grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates ON THE HILL Foundation. The Alumni Scholarship Committee, made up of Arthur Lutzke, Chair, STUDENTS AS TEACHERS Myrna Weissman, Harold Edwards, Pamela Threets, and David Schechner, selected the following students:
Tiana Anthony, Lindiwe Beckles, Aquil Bethea, Nyasia Blanton, Frederick Brefo-kesse, Davinah Bryan, Antoinette Butler, Brandi Byrd, Jumaanah Chase, Tyshanna Cohen, 33 ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIPS Mariatu Conteh, Laquan Ferguson, Regilio Gibson, Shenique Frett, AWARDED FOR NEARLY $50,000 Essence Habibulla, Shaquille Henry, During this past Spring semester, 10 sen- Alkhadir Johnson, Jaleel Johnson, iors were trained as tutors to work with Rashawn McDaniel, Zakeyah McFad- 20 first grade students at the Chancellor den, Rasheeka Palmer, Isaac Parker, Avenue Annex (former YM-WYHA Ashley Payne, Samuel Rivera, Jasmine Building) in an afterschool program us- Roberts, Drusilla Sefa, Sharod Selph, ing a multifaceted teaching approach Katelynn Simmons, Rebecca Stricklin, called Fletcher’s Place. The basis of the Eletah Tuah, Bianca Turner, Amenze program is to focus on the total involve- Uhunmwangho, Regina Williams. ment of the learner using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities that reinforce ISAAC PARKER CHOSEN AS A language understanding and retention. GATES MILLENNIUM SCHOLAR The Weequahic tutors reported that their Isaac Parker, the students observed significant growth and valedictorian of the they all felt that the experience offered 2012 senior class, was them the opportunity to discover more Antoinette Baskerville-Richardson awarded the prestig- about teaching and learning, as well as with Rashawn McDaniel ious Gates Millenni- creating strong emotional bonds with um Scholarship. One The Weequahic High School Alumni “our little ones across the street.” thousand talented stu- Association awarded 33 scholarships at dents are selected na- its Scholarship Celebration Dinner The tutoring was a project of the high tionwide annually to held at the Solid Rock Baptist Church on school’s National Honor Society. Mr. receive a good- Justin Snead was the faculty advisor and Thursday, June 19th. through-graduation scholarship to use at the tutors were Isaac Parker, Drusilla Antoinette Baskerville-Richardson, a any college or university of their choice. Sefa, Mariatu Conteh, Regina 1970 WHS grad, an educator in the New- Williams, Samuel Rivera, The Scholarship also provides students ark school system, and the Chairperson with personal and professional develop- of the elected Newark Public Schools (Continued on page 6) ment through their leadership programs,
2012 WEEQUAHIC ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS 9 WIGWAM (Continued from page 9) SAUNDERS DAVIS SCHOLARSHIP TEAM SPORTS
Tyshanna Cohen, Rashawn McDaniel, Most people in the Cross Country: Laquan Ferguson, Zakeyah McFadden, Weequahic High 1st in City Championship; 1st in Super and Tiana Anthony. community remem- Essex - Colonial Division; ber Saunders Davis Football Team: 9-3 WEEQUAHIC HIGH GOES GREEN as a music teacher and guidance coun- 1st in Super Essex - Colonial Division; WITH ROCKET COMPOSTER selor. However, he 2nd in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 was also the co- Championship Game. founder of the New- Soccer: 10-5 ark Community Cen- ter of the Arts, located at Lincoln Park. Girls Basketball: 15-10 In May, this organization sponsored a Boys Basketball: 12-13 concert in his memory and established a Girls Softball: 12-11 scholarship for Weequahic students in his name. Mr. Davis passed away in 2008. Outdoor Track & Field: Boys: 1st in City Championship; 1st in Saunders Davis graduated from Montclair Super Essex Independence Division; 1st When school opens in September, High School, was an Army veteran, spe- in Central Jersey, Section 2, Weequahic High School will be the first cialist 3rd class, and earned a BA degree Group 1. of Newark's schools to recycle its own from Northwestern University and a MA food waste. The school will be using its degree from Seton Hall University. He Girls: 1st in City Championship; 1st in recently unveiled Rocket Composter, a was employed by the Newark Board of Super Essex Independence Division; 2nd renewable-technology device that Education for 35 years, retiring in 2000. in Central Jersey, Section 2, Group 1. processes food waste into compost. Having worked first-hand and having the ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SUPPORT According to Peter Marcalus of NATH the opportunity to witness the poverty, Sustainable Solutions, the Rocket Com- dreams and talent of inner-city children who Student Council poster is an on-site aerobic system that had no direction or venue to develop their Thanksgiving Turkey Donations will recycle Weequahic's food waste into special skills, he was instrumental in start- Weequahic-Shabazz compost that can be used for landscaping, ing a community center in Newark to serve Football Dinner horticultural needs and as a hands-on sci- this purpose. Now almost 45 years old, that ence learning tool. It will also reduce the community center has become one of the Football Team finest schools of art in the country. cost of disposing food waste. Celebration Lunch “As one of the largest school districts that ANNUAL SKI TRIP Ski Trip to Shawnee, PA produces large amounts of food waste, it is important for us to explore alternatives Vivian Simons, 1959, a former Board Signage for the to traditional disposal,” said Steve member of the Alumni Association, once new Gymnasium Morlino, executive director of facilities again organized an exciting ski trip for Lunch for HESPA students and plant operations for the Newark about 40 students at the Shawnee Ski School District. Center in the Pocono Mountains of Project Alpha Pennsylvania. After initially slipping, Men’s Day Activities TWO STUDENTS WRITE ABOUT flopping and falling, some students be- THE HOLOCAUST came adept at skiing and snowboarding. Women’s Day Activities In the Spring, students from Ms. Poole’s Holocaust Survivors Genocide and Holocaust Studies class Luncheon attended the Holocaust Survivors Lunch- National Honor Society eon, sponsored by the Holocaust Council Induction Ceremony of the Jewish Federation of MetroWest. At the luncheon, students had the oppor- Tutoring Program tunity to meet and hear first-hand the sto- Celebration ries of the Holocaust survivors who were Scholarship present. Afterwards, Hal Braff, Co- Celebration Dinner President of the WHS Alumni Associa- tion established an essay contest which Girls Basketball Team provided a monetary award for the best Summer Camp essay on the Holocaust. The essays of two students, Mose McNair May and Football Team Michael Laurel, were selected. Summer Camp
10 Two Kids From Newark Win World War II
By Evanne Schreiber Geltzeiler, WHS 1952
Shared values, “One Nation Under God, Indivisible,” was absolutely ubiquitous during World War II and my brother Dickie and I were in it, all the way.
Ambitious and self-confident, Dickie Dickie’s Plan – Part One: Empowering The Home Front also wanted us to be famous. We imagined cheering and headlines in First, a lemonade stand – 2 cents a glass – that’s how Dickie and The Newark Evening News and even I earned the money needed to buy seeds for our Victory Garden. a photo of President Roosevelt pin- We were ecstatic when the superintendent of our apartment ning medals on us. We might even, building acquiesced to our urgent request to use part of the we imagined, make The Jewish backyard to grow vegetables for our war effort. Dickie did the News. Confidence in our power to discharge our planned as- digging and I planted and watered the seeds. sault never wavered and the warm and precious memories there- of are described herein: To our fabulously good fortune, many entrepreneurs brought their wares to the neighborhood in a horse-drawn wagon stocked Our parents hushed us to silence while the radio was reporting with fresh fruits and vegetables. At the sound of a bell tinkling, that Hitler’s armies were rolling over most of Europe. Dickie every lady in the apartments would drop her mop, put some and I vowed that we would never let Hitler tear to pieces, our coins in the pocket of her apron and hurry out to the curb to se- beloved Newark. lect, from the wagon, fruits and vegetables that would last for a couple of days. Preservatives weren’t invented yet and it was Every war has its heroes and when Dickie, eight years old and I, necessary to replenish with frequency, as food spoiled in two to seven, would single handedly wipe out The German Army, that three days. feat would bring us fame. When Hitler and his troops advanced on Belmont Avenue, Dickie and I would be ready. Systematically, and for several days, we combed the streets, Dickie with dust pan in hand and I, holding the brown bag for Glorious Patriotism the droppings of horses. Our objective – to nourish the seeds in our garden and thus help with the food shortage that necessitated The handprints of our Uncle Sam were powerfully absorbed by wartime rationing, via little booklets with ration stamps. Dickie and me. Devotion to our country was absolutely total and henceforth, our robust engagements were imaginative, dra- Dickie’s Plan – Part Two matic and labor intensive. The preparation commenced with our Breyers Dixie Cups, a My genius brother, Dickie, carefully devised our plans and thus shared bottle of coke, and an animated urgency. With the full empowered by his stupendous ideas I, his avid and adoring col- force of our genetic chutzpah, “Don’t tell mommy or she’ll kill laborator, shared his unquenchable enthusiasm and dedication to us,” I admonished as Dickie broke the empty coke bottles into carry them out. shards, the main ingredient of our meal for the enemy. “We’re not PLAYING with glass,” Dickie asserted. My concerns relieved, I mixed the water and dirt to prepare the “chocolate.” Courage and perseverance prevailed as we carefully inserted the forbidden glass into the Breyers ice cream Dixie Cup “pies” that would enable our skillful foil.
The coal bin in the basement of our apartment building was our factory and there, with passionate aggression and inflexible pur- pose, we daily reconstituted and increased our Breyers arsenal. Of course, we saved the lids to add to our collection of baseball players and movie stars displayed thereon.
Our carefully planned attack would be very close range and in front of our apartment at 375 Belmont Avenue. Our ability to carry this off was never in question. Courage and determination
(Continued on page 13)
11 little blood. Then we’d run Philip Roth into the water screaming.” WHS Jan. 1950 And when they came out, they’d run across the scorch- AMERICA’S LION ing sand to buy hot dogs at Mike and Lou’s on Ocean As he turns 79, author Ave. “We’d run on the hot reflects on his life, his boardwalk, buy half a dozen writings and his Jersey roots hot dogs, then run back to the beach.” By Amy Ellis Nutt, The Star-Ledger On weekends in Newark Philip Roth laughs. It’s not a belly- there were baseball, softball shaking guffaw - the lanky novelist or stickball games to play on couldn’t do that even if he wanted to - the field behind the Chancel- rather, it’s a head-thrown-back chuckle, lor Avenue Elementary the kind of mirth that comes at the end of School - “I still have a bad a good punch line. In this case, though, arm from throwing a Spal- the joke is actually about him. deen against the brick wall,” Roth says. On the eve of his birthday, Roth has spent considerable time over the past few On Saturday nights, he and months fielding calls about a public cele- “the boys” would take their dates to a Thirty-one novels and more than six dec- bration. The party, however, isn’t tomor- movie, drop them home, then meet up ades removed from that youthful summer, row, he explains to a puzzled reporter. again at the Weequahic Diner for hot pas- Roth summons his memories, especially It’s next March when he turns 80. trami sandwiches. And if it was too those of his Weequahic neighborhood, crowded at the diner, they’d duck across with Proustian ease. “I just got a call about the catering,” he the street for burgers at the White Castle. says, with a bemused smile. The call, in “Well, if it was the summer, there was no fact, was from Liz Del Tufo, president of “We liked to have fun,” says one of air conditioning. I’m hot. All the win- the Newark Landmarks and Historic Roth’s childhood friends, Howard Silver, dows are wide open. The radios are on. Preservation Committee, who is spear- a retired dentist now living in Florida. You hear Walter Winchell, Fred Allen, heading the 2013 two-day birthday bash “We wanted to be with girls all the time. Jack Benny. You hear people talking in for Newark’s hometown hero, now just Sports was very important. It was a very the alley ways. They’d have beach chairs 366 days away. close-knit group.” in the driveway, so you’d hear laughter and radios. I’d put the ball game on, the “We did want to start well in advance,” Many of his friends ended up in his fic- Dodgers. … Red Barber was the voice of Del Tufo says. "He’s so funny. Every tion, but Roth says he didn’t even think the Dodgers.” time I call him, he picks up the phone and about becoming a writer until he was an says, ‘Am I 80 yet?’” upperclassman at Bucknell University. ‘PHILIP ROTH HOME’ But first, he was inspired by the novels of Not quite, of course, but Del Tufo, along Roth shared a bedroom on the second Thomas Wolfe, especially “Look Home- with the Philip Roth Society, which is co- floor of the small clapboard house at 81 ward, Angel,” which he read during his sponsoring next year’s mini-fest, is not Summit Ave. with his beloved older junior year in high school. wasting any time prepping for the big brother, Sandy, who died in 2009. To- party. It’s all a little bit embarrassing for day, the house bears a plaque inscribed “I was exhilarated. It was the greatest the man many critics regard as America’s “Historic Site: Philip Roth Home” and explosion of my young life,” Roth says, most important living literary treasure, the corner of Summit and Keer avenues referring to Wolfe’s “gushing prose” and but he appears to be taking it in stride. bears a third street sign, “Philip Roth the “feverishness of his imagination.” Last Wednesday, still five days short of Plaza.” “You can’t get enough gush at 16. He’s 79, the author leaned back in an armchair so full of appetite. He was a great teach- in his sun-swept Manhattan apartment But for the man whose novels often draw er to me.” and reflected on his past. He is as trim on New Jersey, the past is not only pre- and fit as he was at 17 when he was a sent, it’s palpable. “It was delicious,” he Roth credits Weequahic High School lanky summer camp counselor in the Po- says of summer vacations at Bradley with instilling his love of language, and conos. (In a photo, reprinted in a German Beach, which Roth spent with family and he can still rattle off the names of the magazine sitting on Roth’s coffee table, friends from Newark. “We played a poems he was required to memorize: he is, in fact, a tanned, preternaturally game called ‘Buzz,’ and the object was to suave teenager in tennis shorts, white tear the limbs off your opponent. … It socks and loafers.) was a great game. There was always a (Continued on page 13)
12 ROTH (Continued from page 12) GELTZEILER (Continued from page 11) Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” Shelley’s “To a Skylark,” Keats’ “Ode on a would triumph with a magnitude of Grecian Urn.” patriotism gloriously exercised with all the unfettered imagination and “People say it’s just memorizing, but we strength we possessed. We felt in- got the language in our heads,” Roth says. vincible. Hitler and his army would By way of proof, he recites, in lilting Mid- meet their end as they hungrily con- dle English, the first few lines of the Gen- sumed our homemade chocolate eral Prologue to Chaucer’s “Canterbury pies. Tales”: Whan that aprill with his shoures soote May 8, 1945 – V-E Day The droghte of march hath perced to the Our bold endeavors collided, head- roote, on, with the fantastic announcement And bathed every veyne in swich licour of V-E Day. Tears, prayers and Of which vertu engendred is the flour... “What is so great is he creates a whole ecstasy prevailed. The war in Eu- hello, fame world in his novels in which you can lose rope was over. yourself, and yet the books are also highly HELLO, FAME relevant to today … the idea that America How is it that a couple of kids be- was founded on freedom and individualism, lieved that they could stand up Roth’s first fiction book, “Goodbye, Co- and the value of hard work.” against a formidable and powerful lumbus,” appeared in 1959, a month after enemy? The priceless power of he turned 26, but in 1969 it was his relent- Roth is both storyteller and intellect, ac- PATRIOTISM – the warm and lessly salacious comic novel “Portnoy’s cording to Pozorski, and “he appeals be- wonderful feeling that we were Complaint” that catapulted him into public cause he just writes beautiful sentences.I Americans, all in it together – and consciousness - and public controversy. think this is why he earns the title greatest with our novel stratagem, outland- living American novelist.” Roth weathered both the outrage and the ishly treacherous, would defend it on Belmont Avenue. acclaim, spinning out best-sellers at an Despite his success, Roth remains oddly astonishing clip. In the process, he won a ambivalent about his chosen profession. “I slew of literary accolades, from the 1960 That is, to my untarnished recollec- find writing is largely an ordeal I have to tion, what we were trying to do and National Book Award for his first major face every day,” he says. “It’s a strange work, “Goodbye, Columbus,” to a 1995 had victory not prevailed as it did, I occupation. You are on your own. There is am absolutely certain that Dickie National Book Award for “Sabbath’s Thea- no rule book, no casebook. Nothing. …I and I, with loyalties and patriotism ter,” three PEN/Faulkner awards and the guess that’s what I wanted.” 1998 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for so strong, would have somehow pulled it off. “American Pastoral.” In “Amerian Pastoral,” Nathan Zuckerman, one of Roth’s many alter egos, talks about He is only the third writer to have the the double life of a novelist as both object Library of America publish a special edition and observer - roles that leave man and of his life’s work while he was still alive. author open to error, but the reader open to (The others were Eudora Welty and Saul understanding. Bellow.) The only major honor missing from his literary résumé is a Nobel Prize. (G)etting people right is not what living is all about anyway. It’s getting them wrong Novelist, poet and journalist Michael that is living, getting them wrong and Bourne wanted to remedy that when he wrong and wrong and then, on careful re- wrote an open letter to the Swedish Acade- consideration, getting them wrong again. my last September: “Can we please stop That’s how we know we’re alive: we’re the nonsense and give Philip Roth a Nobel wrong. Prize for Literature before he dies?” Bourne’s entreaty went unheeded, at least Maybe the best thing would be to forget for the time being. about being right or wrong about people and just go along for the ride. But if you “Roth can stand the test of time,” says can do that - well, lucky you. Aimee Pozorski, who teaches English at Central Connecticut State University and is No, lucky us. a member of the Philip Roth Society.
13 Irwin Brody, WHS 1944 Reflections on a pioneering dad By his son, Bob Brody. Reprinted from The Star-Ledger
The baby who became my father was born almost completely deaf, able to discern only about 10 percent of all sounds. Early on, he had a hard time understanding anyone who talked to him, and equal difficulty making himself understood.
In the face of a society that often regarded the deaf largely as dumb, several physicians misdiagnosed him as mentally disa- bled. That was how the world generally saw deaf people. His hearing loss frustrated everyone he knew, most of all himself. He lived with his parents and two sisters on the second floor of a small house on Leslie Street in the Weequahic section of New- ark. He was bright and, by all accounts, also absent-minded, a daydreamer, his head in the clouds.
His father had come to New Jersey from Austria at 12, alone - no money, barely any education and little English - to live with an aunt and uncle he had never met. He ran a tavern, working In 1969, my father founded a nonprofit organization, his dream seven days a week and coming home only to eat and sleep. He to establish a network that for the first time would enable the saved almost every penny he earned - enough, eventually, to deaf to communicate with one another and everyone else by bring his mother, father and six brothers and sisters to America. phone. He bought, stored, adapted and distributed old teletype- writers, or TTYs, all from a closet with a foldout desk in our He also saved enough money to send his hard-of-hearing son, home in Fair Lawn. then only 5 years old, on an odyssey of his own, to the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis. He took him to Newark’s Soon, he rented a vast warehouse in Hackensack. Within only a Penn Station in 1931 to board him on a train headed 886 miles few years, the devices, now outfitted with special modems to tie west. Nobody on that train except the porter assigned to his care into regular phone lines, cropped up in homes, schools, hospi- knew anything about the boy, neither his name nor his disability, tals, libraries, and local police, fire and emergency call depart- much less how much he would go on to accomplish. ments, first in New York and New Jersey, then nationwide. He even created the world’s first Braille TTY for deaf-blind people. The boy stayed at the school for the next 10 years, studying hard. He learned to speak without relying on sign language, to The deaf community honored him with awards for his public listen and to read, to function as well as most any hearing per- service. In 1975, Bell Telephone accepted him in the Telephone son, to make do with the little hearing he possessed - learned, in Pioneers of America, only the 29th member since Alexander effect, how to hear. Graham Bell in 1911. He received a letter on White House sta- tionery, congratulations on his accomplishments from President His father financed this expensive special education in the bow- Ronald Reagan. els of the Great Depression. Tuition plus room and board cost more than later putting all three of his children through college. Irwin Lee Brody died in 1997. The Stevens Institute of Technol- My grandmother went years wearing the same dress. ogy held a memorial service for him and 500 people showed up to pay tribute. Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., Once back home in Newark, attending Weequahic High School, named a scholarship after him. he demonstrated a scientific, creative turn of mind. He tinkered with telegraph machines and experimented with chemicals in a As it happened, my father wound up connecting with everyone homemade basement laboratory. His first invention, as a teenag- except his own family. He worked almost all the time. His ded- er, was an alarm clock rigged to shine a bright light in his face. ication to the TTY dominated his life and mine. I grew up feel- ing wronged. Only now, all these years later, have I come to He was among the first students with hearing loss ever accepted accept the injustice. My father influenced all of American deaf at Washington University and graduated from Rutgers. His taste culture for the better. From the children of geniuses, and espe- for technology and innovation grew sharper. As a new father, he cially if the genius is also a hero, certain compromises are to be fastened a microphone over my crib to capture my crying in the expected. middle of the night and signal my mother with a flashing light. He could take apart almost anything, whether a clock or a wash- Bob Brody, who grew up in Fair Lawn, is an executive and es- ing machine, and put it back together again, only better than sayist in New York City. He blogs at letterstomykids.org and before. has contributed to the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, among other publications.
14 Midst. A mass communications veteran, he is WEEQUAHIC now a published spiritual author, inspirational Walter Townes & Barry Cohen - speaker and social media evangelist, though he son of Aaron Cohen, 1944 WRITERS still does play-by-play sports, and public ad- dress sports announcing from time to time. Marc also is a former Board member and staff Marc Curtis Little, 1969 person for the Weequahic High School Alumni Association.
Dan Zevin, son of Dr. Ronald Zevin, 1953
Born and raised in the projects of Newark, NJ, Willie Joe Cunningham aspires to become a professional basketball player. Surrounded by everything from race riots to drug and alcohol abuse, Willie Joe The racial unrest in the United States dur- manages to rise above his humble begin- ing the 1960s changed this country and its nings. people forever. Those six days of rioting in Newark, NJ in 1967 not only left neigh- Guided early by a few caring mentors, he borhoods destroyed and lives lost or in- now has to confront the issues of race and delibly altered, but also highlighted the The least hip citizen of Brooklyn, Dan politics. After qualifying for a spot on a cultural, social and economic status of Zevin has a working wife, two small chil- professional basketball team, he suffers an African-Americans at that time. dren, a mother who visits each week to injury and a career setback. Willie Joe “help,” and an obese Labrador mutt who overcomes his injury, marries his college During his high school years in Newark in prefers to be driven rather than walked. sweetheart and becomes a successful col- the sixties, Desmond Anderson was an How he got to this point is a bit of a blur. lege basketball coach. He settles in honor student and a nationally recognized There was a wedding, and then there was suburbia. four-sport athlete seeking a promising a puppy. A home was purchased in New His perfect world is unsettled by the ap- future. However, in his first year in col- England. A wife was promoted and trans- pearance of a former teammate, who im- lege, his plans were derailed by an accu- ferred to New York. A town house. A plores him to come home and help the sation that had paramount implications. new baby boy. A new baby girl. A stay- youth of his native city of Newark. Torn Desmond was sentenced to spend the next at-home dad was born. A prescription for between two worlds, he finds major obsta- forty years in a Georgia prison for a crime Xanax was filled. Gray hairs appeared; cles that include a wanting wife and an that he did not commit. He endured gray hairs fell out. Six years passed in six even more wanting ex-lover. Willie Joe's prison life in the South with a yearning to seconds. And then came the minivan… return to his hometown. story concerns the search for one's own moral compass. It is everyone's story, Dan has written three other books: The Day I This compelling, suspenseful novel focus- Turned Uncool, a finalist for the Thurber Prize regardless of his or her circumstances. es on Desmond’s determination to use his for American Humor, Entry-Level Life, and experiences to change the fortune and The Nearly-wed Handbook. He has been a Comin' Home is Walter Townes’ semi- future of this city of his youth. For him, comic correspondent for National Public Ra- autobiographical story of overcoming adversi- the Newark riots did not begin and end in dio’s WBUR, the humor columnist for Boston ty. A graduate of Clark University, he par- 1967. It formed the roots of his personal Magazine and the Boston Phoenix, and a con- layed his love for sports into a 25-year career as a college basketball coach. He is currently mission for his entire life. Upon his re- tributor to national publications including Rolling Stone, Maxim, Details, TheNewYork- the Athletic Director of the Knox School in lease from prison, Desmond returns to NY. To help him shape his vision and add Newark, and his strengthened compassion er.com, and Parents. He also wrote an original sitcom pilot for CBS and Warner Brothers. depth and realism to his story, Townes enlisted for humanity fuels his efforts to make His latest project is Star Vehicle, a YouTube the aid of Barry Cohen, a serial author, book positive changes for the people and lives talk show he hosts inside his minivan. editor and contributing writer to a variety of that are dear to him. publications. Cohen, born in Newark, devel- Dan lives with his wife, kids, and pet rabbit in oped the back story for Comin’ Home, drawing Marc has written two other books: Don’t the suburbs of New York, where he has be- on his personal knowledge of the history and Blink When God Calls and its sequel, the Indie come an active member of his local Costco. diversity of Newark. Excellence Award-winning Angels in the
15 tor, advisor, dedicated educator, surrogate School as Principal in 1960, a position Bob Fishbein, mother, and a respected member of her she held for 20 years. community. a 1964 WHS grad and Newark It is here in this job that her skill level educator, writes about a She lives by the statements “you must be exploded. She amazed everyone, who remarkable woman who accountable, kids come as is, and don’t knew the reputation of Montgomery as a ever mess with my kids.” She has never became his supervisor, very difficult school, by turning it into a stopped giving and is the poster model for highly respectable educational setting mentor and good friend every person that says, “You must give within a short period of time. Students back to your community.” This giving loved and appreciated her. Staff enjoyed brings so much joy to her life, it probably working with her, knowing that her com- is the best medicine she could ever get on mitment was genuine in providing the a daily basis. best teachers and learning environment for the betterment of students with Still sought after as a speaker and consult- special needs. ant in the community, her phone rings constantly with questions, concerns, and a In 1980 she became the Executive Assis- desire to get her to relate her fascinating tant Superintendent of Pupil Services for memories of years gone by. Although her the Newark School System, and her staff vision has diminished greatly, her brain and schools learned why this woman was gets more exercise than her body now as held in such high esteem. she repeats many of her experiences as if they just happened yesterday. Even at Today, if Dot were a candidate in line for age 90, she is wonderful example of keep- Superintendent of Schools, she would Bob teaching at Montgomery ing the mind functioning at a consistently have a problem with the P word. Politics high level. had no place in Dorothy’s vocabulary or in her makeup. There was no compro- Below is the story of If awesome was as popular a word in her mise and no questions if you were going day as it is today, she would epitomize to mess with kids’ lives. Dorothy Gould that word. She indeed is one of a kind a 70-year Newark educator who and her mold will never be duplicated. Before a packed house at the Robert Treat turned 90 years old this year She has positively affected tens of thou- Hotel in 1986, Dot retired. Attendees sands of lives in the Newark community included teachers, parents, friends, digni- and it appears there is no end to this taries from Newark and Trenton, and special gift that the good Lord has most important her family and extended brought us. family. The sign on the podium read 43 years of dedicated service and “Kids Dorothy is all about Newark. She attend- come as is.” ed Charlton Street School from kindergar- ten to grade eight and South Side High In addition to all of her local work, Dot School through grade twelve. She gradu- has traveled internationally during her ated from Upsala College in East Orange summers and loves to spend time helping with an undergraduate degree in English others. But she has never shut down her in 1943 and received her teaching certifi- engines. cation the next year. She then became the first black teacher to teach at Cleveland Dot, who continues to live in Newark’s Junior High School at a salary of $144 Weequahic section on Keer Avenue, is a month. the lone survivor of six siblings and her dear parents. Today her residential com- Dorothy as Principal at Montgomery In the years to follow, she received her panion is Michalene Bowman, who Dot Master’s Degree in Mathematics from has known since infancy and who was a Only in rare instances do you come across Montclair State College and a certifica- former Brownie and Girl Scout under an individual who is so unique as is Ms. tion in Special Education in 1950. For Dot’s leadership at the Friendly Neigh- Dorothy “Dot” Gould. Having spent 43 the next six years, she taught at Mont- borhood House. years as an educator in the Newark school gomery Street School. system, Dot has continued to educate out Michalene has provided an incredible In 1956, she became “Title One Coordi- of her home in Newark, for the past 27 house setting for Dot and encourages her nator” at Wickloff Street School and two years. She is indeed a Newark legend. to function to her maximum abilities. years later was appointed Principal at She is in awe of this unique opportunity You see Ms. Gould is the best kept secret Alyea Street School for severely dis- to have a significant role at this time in in Newark to most people and to a select turbed children. To complete the circle, Dot’s life. number of lucky ones she remains a men- Dot returned to Montgomery Street (Continued on page 17)
16 GOULD (Continued from page 16) First Annual NJ Weequahic Golf Fundraiser
So, what about the 26 years since her retirement? She became a founding-member and Treasurer Emeritus of Saint Philips Academy in Newark, a private school, start- ing from one classroom in the Cathedral House to a new building on Central Avenue. The school has received national recognition.
She has served on the Board of Friendly Fuld Neighborhood House for over 50 years, is a life- time member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and was President of their North Jersey Alumnus Chapter for 8 years. Moreover, The above golf fundraising event was organized by Charles Talley and Harold Ed- she received a Newark Legends wards from the Class of 1966. Members of their Committee were: Myrna Weiss- Tribute from NJPAC. man, 1953; Pamela Scott Threats, 1966; Adilah Quddus, 1971, and Cheryl D. Bush. Co-Chairs were: J. Barry Washington, CEO of Custom Digital Network and Penny Her home has an open door policy Jones-Joseph, Director of Corp. Outreach Programs for Panasonic of North America. just like her school offices were for Cory Booker, Mayor of the City of Newark, was Honorary Chairman. visitors, representatives of neigh- borhood organizations, friends, and "We would like to thank all supporters of our First Annual Weequahic Golf Fundraiser" parents of children in the school. held at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth in New Jersey. Please mark your With her problem solving exper- calendars and save the date of Monday, June 17th, 2013 for our 2nd Annual Golf tise, you would almost believe she Event. could still run circles around many current school administrators. For people like me who have been 30TH REUNION - CLASSES of 1981 & 1982 privileged to know her, work with her, and frequently seek advice from her, I continue to see her flourishing, thriving on the memo- ries of people and events that have touched her life over the past 90 years. I make it a point to visit her on yearly trips to New Jersey and call her on a regular basis.
Sometimes I try to trick her and remind her of what she said to me when she interviewed me 43 years ago at Alyea Street School for a position at Montgomery. She remembers every word of what she said to me and it assures me that she hasn’t lost a beat. The reunion took place on the weekend of August 17th. Alumni stayed at the I plan to write a book about her Embassy Suites in Secaucus and the Reunion Dinner Cruise was on the “Spirit of New experiences and her lifetime of Jersey” in Weehawken. giving. If any of our alumni and The committee consisted of chairpersons Faith Howard-Johnson, 1982, and James friends have any stories and lasting Little, 1981, Reggie Price, 1981, Phyllis Vanover, 1982, Yolanda Newsome, 1982, memories about Dot, you may and Al Howard, 1982 (tee shirt design). Assistance with the Web Page and contact me, Bob Fishbein, at Facebook was provided by Yvonne Causbey, 1977. [email protected].
17 Lonnie was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the National Basketball Asso- NEWARK NEWS ciation, but signed as a safety with the Denver Broncos of the American Foot- Lonnie Wright, one of Newark’s ball League and played for 2 years. greatest athletes, passes away Switching sports in 1968, he joined the Denver Rockets (now the Denver Nuggets) of the American Basketball Association and remained with them for four years, scoring a season best 16.4 points a game for the 1968-69 season. He was only the 3rd professional athlete to have careers in both football and basketball during the same year. Once he retired from professional sports in 1972, Lonnie returned to Newark and became the Assistant Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and then became the Director of Students at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, a position he held for 36 years when he retired in 2010. He was a resident of A monument for Althea Gibson South Orange with his wife Johanna, who is the head basketball coach at Columbia Fifty-five years ago, tennis great Althea High School, and their three children. Gibson was showered with ticker tape in the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Man- In the Newark Patch, Scott Egelberg Anheuser-Busch eagle flies again hattan by thousands of admirers who writes: How many men could say they lined the parade route to celebrate her intercepted a pass from Joe Namath or history-making accomplishment as the scored over Julius Erving? And then how first African-American to win a many can say they helped 2,000 minority Wimbledon title. youths in New Jersey from underprivi- In May, under a tent at Branch Brook leged backgrounds become medical doc- Park, 150 people, including Gov. Chris tors. Lonnie Wright could say he did all Christie and other state, county and local that and more in his illustrious life. officials, as well as tennis legend Billie Lonnie Wright, perhaps the greatest all- Jean King, assembled for the unveiling of around athlete Newark has ever pro- a bronze statue of Gibson, not far from duced, passed away in March at age 67 of the Althea Gibson Tennis Court Com- congestive heart failure. plex, previously named in her memory. Branch Brook Park’s Born in Newark and a 1962 graduate of The glowing flying eagle is back. South Side High School, Lonnie earned Repairmen have fixed the Anheuser- new Concert Grove All-City, All-County, All-State and All- Busch plant’s neon sign that stands above American honors in basketball and foot- Route 1 & 9 in Newark, giving drivers, ball. He also excelled in track and field pilots and airline passengers back a bright and baseball. He was inducted into the landmark. The fix is a relief for those Newark Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 who use the eagle as a beacon. Air traffic and into the New Jersey State Interscho- controllers tell helicopter pilots to look lastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame out for the eagle as they approach in 1997. Lonnie led South Side to the Newark Liberty International Airport. Group III basketball championship in 1962. The 15-ton rotating sign was mounted in After four decades, music will be heard 2001 to celebrate the brewery’s 50th again at Branch Brook Park. A four- Following high school, he attended Colo- birthday. The sign is 34 feet wide and six million,18-month project to revamp the rado State University where he played feet deep, with 4,500 feet of neon tubing lakefront area in the park’s southern end basketball and set the school’s shot put and 2,000 incandescent light bulbs. The has been completed. The work included record. He scored 1,246 points in his “flying eagle” effect is achieved by laying bricks and stone flooring, college basketball career and was a mem- flashing the six layers of neon on and off ber of two NCAA basketball tournament sequentially. teams. He was also inducted into their (Continued on page 19) Hall of Fame in 1989.
18 support his family after his father’s narrator. To complete the film, more NEWARK NEWS death in 1918, he eventually became funding is being sought. (Continued from page 18) involved in the numbers racket before graduating to bootlegging during “America’s Got Talent” at the installing two Prohibition, importing liquor through NJ Performing Arts Center replicas of the Canada, and earning the nickname “the original Pruden- Jewish Al Capone.” tial limestone Co-producers Michael Weissman and lions, restoring Matthew Miele have spent the last seven the ornamental years working on a documentary with stone railing, the working title, Gentleman Gangster: refurbishing two The Longie Zwillman Story, which tells small historic the story of this man of contradictions. buildings (a public meeting “He was part of the ‘Big Six’ - Bugsy building and Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, restrooms), and Joey Adonis, and Frank Costello - three adding lighting Jews and Three Italians,” said and landscaping. Weissman, putting Zwillman in context The popular NBC series "America’s with his criminal contemporaries. Got Talent" has made its home this It’s been 40 years since musical perfor- summer at the New Jersey Performing mances graced Branch Brook’s water- He adds, “They were all partners. They Arts Center, broadcasting two nights a front area. But, at the dedication, divided up the Northeast part of the week since July, NJPAC officials told classical melodies floated through the country. Our argument is that Longie The Star-Ledger. air as a crowd of more than 150 was bigger than all these guys because community leaders, county officials, and he was into more things” including The move from a Burbank, Calif., studio distinguished guests gathered in the park bootlegging, gambling, casinos, hotels, to Newark’s 2,200-seat Prudential Hall to mark the project’s completion. and the film industry, among other is a concession to the schedule of new nefarious activities. judge Howard Stern, who agreed to join Funding came through the Prudential the show if it originated from the New Like many anti-heroes, Zwillman had a Insurance Company and the Branch York-New Jersey metro area, according Brook Alliance. The restored original certain charisma and charm. “He was a to NJPAC CEO John Schreiber. lions have been moved to the entrance hero to the Jewish people in Newark and of the Hall of Records building. Irvington because he formed this group of Stern, Howie Mandel and Sharon Jewish boxers who would throw stink Osbourne are the judges for the seventh A film on Longie Zwillman bombs in the meetings of the Bund - the season, which kicked off with two two- German-American pro-Nazi movement - hour episodes May 14 and May 15. The and wait for them to run outside and then production has been in Newark since hit them with bats, sticks, and fists and July for the final 10 weeks. beat the crap out of them.” Its selection as host venue of a major Zwillman was also a Zionist sympathizer, and helped ship arms to Israel during its network series is a groundbreaking fight for independence. opportunity for the 14-year-old arts center and for the city of Newark. He had friends in high places, too. “He Schreiber said both will benefit from the had everyone from the cop on the beat exposure "America’s Got Talent"will all the way up to the governor in his generate and the economic activity it back pocket - he had the Mayor of will spark. Newark over for brunch every weekend.” The production’s benefits will extend beyond the arts center’s bottom line. Zwillman died under mysterious Some 75 people were transplanted from circumstances in 1959 at the age of 54. California to Newark for the summer, Abner “Longie” Zwillman has been Some say he committed suicide brought and that will mean additional hotel gone for more than 50 years, but the on by the stress of a tax evasion trial; idea of Jewish gangster with a love for nights, food, drink and parking. others say he was bumped off. his people and the fledgling State of Schreiber said, “It shines a light on Israel still manages to hold interest and The initial money for the documentary Newark. It’s an unexpected windfall evoke some grudging credit. came from Zwillman’s stepson, John for all of us. This is a wonderful Steinbach, and a few colleagues. Part of opportunity for the city to put our best A native Newarker born in 1904, it went to engage Richard Dreyfuss as foot forward.” Zwillman was forced to quit school to
19 WEEQUAHIC ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBIT Bob Goldberg (1955) is organizing an Arts and Crafts Waldo Winchester exhibit planned for next spring that will feature "senior" graduate artists and craft persons of Weequahic High This popular column first ap- School. The exhibit will take place at The Jewish peared in the CALUMET in 1950 Museum of New Jersey and possibly at the JCC. He is seeking the names and info of Weequahic alumni who have produced works of high quality in the areas Congratulations to Irwin Horowitz, 1955, on of painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, etc. being named NJ Biz’s General Counsel of the If you or someone you know might qualify, please con- Year. For more than 25 years, Irwin’s leadership tact Bob at [email protected]. Many of our senior has created business opportunities for Hartz graduates have produce outstanding works. Bob him- Mountain Industries, Inc., and positioned the self is a potter and his wife, Jarrett (Scaratowsky) company to succeed. Goldberg (1955), a sculptor.
The Newark History Society WHS ALUMNI WEDDING celebrated its 10th anniver- Buddy Freedman, 1952, sent a picture of Weequahic sary in May at The Newark grads from 1944 through 1952 who attended the re- Public Library. Warren cent wedding of Sondra Green, June 1952, and John Grover, 1955, is the co- Weissman, June 1947 at John’s home in Orange, CA. founder of the organization, which organizes public pro- Not only was it a beautiful ceremony and a delightful grams about Newark on a reception, but it also turned out to be a wonderful Mini- regular basis. Reunion for thirteen Weequahic people!
Gail Malmgreen, 1960, is the Project Director for the Newark Archives Project, (initiated by the Newark History Society in 2009) which will provide a com- prehensive online source of information about primary materials for Newark history through a survey of collections located in Newark, in the New Jersey-New York area, and ultimately throughout the U.S. Left to right, sitting: Lenore Ganek Popick (6/52); Rhoda Gold Rozalsky (6/52); Felice Lefkowitz Blank (6/52); standing: Burt Unger (6/50); Judy Petchesky Unger Jane Mendlowitch Statlander Slote, (6/52); Tina Centuori Freedman (6/52); Carol Oelbaum 1961, is making a documentary on Philip Roth, Tendler (WHS/Columbia High 6/52); John Weissman entitled, "Out of Newark: The Life and Work of (6/47); Sondra Green Weissman (6/52); Mort Henig Philip Roth." During the week of March 15-19, (1/46); Howard Rozalsky (6/51); Bud Freedman (6/52); 2013, it will premiere in Newark at a joint New- Gene Tendler (6/44) ark Public Library/Newark Museum showing; with another lecture and showing by the Jewish Historical Society of NJ. Jane has been publishing poetry, literary criticism, and theater and film reviews since her teens. She is the author of “What Philip Roth Never Told You...The (True) Story of a Newark Girl.”
Cynthia Plishtin, who attended Weequahic for two years in the late 40’s was honored at the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey’s 2012 Lasting Impressions Gala as a Women of Valor for her volunteer work for the MetroWest Federation and the United Jewish Appeal.
20 WHS 1967 - IRA DECTER’S 3-D DEPICTION of NEWARK and WEEQUAHIC
During the 1950’s and 60’s, I had the privilege of attending This limited edition picture was created by an artist exclusively Chancellor Avenue School and continuing on to Weequahic for me in 3-D. It has two distinctive layers of items, making it High. As with my family before me, we lived and breathed a true three-dimensional representation. The finished product everything Newark, and still do to this day. I see on the WHS is double matted and framed with the traditional colors of alumni weekly newsletter that thousands of others from this Weequahic. It is a memorable keepsake that can be cherished area feel the same way. for many years to come, and would also make a great gift. My wife Joan has heard the same conversations about the old Let’s see how much you can remember from your days in the days in Newark every time we are together with friends and Weequahic section, the greatest neighborhood in the world to family; “Don’t you miss this, don’t you wish we could still go have grown up. How many places can you relate to? here and how I wish I could eat at this place again“. She sug- I can be contacted directly to exhibit at reunions. I would gested I create a 3-D picture showing all aspects of the neigh- donate a portion of the proceeds to either the reunion commit- borhood. What a great idea! tees and/or the WHS Alumni Association. You can contact After writing down my recollections, and sifting through the me at [email protected] and please visit my popular places from earlier years in the weekly WHS newslet- website at: ter, I came up with what I believe to be a representative depic- tion of our neighborhood. It was not an easy task. I had to www.weequahicmemories.com limit it to about 100 items. To accomplish this, I had to elimi- nate almost 250 items from my original compilation.
In June, the Class of 1939 celebrated its 73rd Reunion at Pal’s Cabin in West Orange.
The Class of 1952, which just celebrated its 60th Reunion has established a Scholarship Fund in its name. Contact Hal Braff at [email protected] to make a contribution.
21 ‘63 Grad Barbara Kruger twice, thrice about clichés and catch- phrases, introducing ironies into cultural Artwork Speaks idioms and the conventional wisdom they Truth To Power embed in our brains. A woman’s face in a mirror shattered by a Excerpts from an article bullet hole, a mirror on which the phrase By Ron Rosenbaum, “You are not yourself” is superimposed Smithsonian Magazine to destabilize us, at least momentarily. (Not myself! Who am I?). Her apho- risms range from the overtly political (Your body is a battleground) to the cul- turally acidic (Charisma is the perfume of your gods) to the challengingly metaphys- ical (Who do you think you are?).
Kruger grew up middle class in Newark, New Jersey, and her first job was as a page designer at Mademoiselle. She turned out to be a master at using type seductively to frame and foreground the image and lure the reader to the text.
The dream-machine magazine empire of Barbara Kruger is heading to Washington Condé Nast (which also publishes Vogue, bearing the single word that has the power Vanity Fair and Glamour) - the dizzying- to shake the seat of government to its ly seductive and powerful fusion of fash- roots and cleave its sclerotic, deep-frozen ion, class, money, image and status - rep- deadlock. resented both an inspiration and an invit- ing target. What is the word? Well, first let me in- troduce Barbara Kruger. If you don’t The fantasy-fueled appetite to consume know her name, you’ve probably seen her became Kruger’s enduring subject when work in art galleries, on magazine covers she left for the downtown art world, or in giant installations that cover walls, where many of her early pieces were for- billboards, buildings, buses, trains and mal verbal defacements of glossy maga- tram lines all over the world. zine pages, glamorous graffiti. One of her most famous works proclaimed, “I shop Her new installation at the Hirshhorn therefore I am.” Museum in Washington, D.C., that opened August 20th - the one that focuses Christopher Ricks, a former Oxford pro- on that powerful, power-zapping word fessor of poetry, once told me the sim- (yes, I will tell you what it is) - was plest way to recognize value in art: It is visible from two floors of public space, “that which continues to repay atten- filling the entire lower lobby area, also tion.” And Barbara Kruger’s words not covering the sides and undersides of the only repay but demand attention from us. escalators. And when I say floors, I mean that literally. Visitors will walk upon her ...All of which brings us to her upcoming words, be surrounded by walls of her installation invasion of Washington and words, ride on escalators covered with that potent, verboten word she wants to her words. bring to Washington’s attention. The magic word with the secret power that is What’s the best way to describe her like garlic to Dracula in a town full of work? You know abstract expressionism, partisans. The word is “DOUBT.” right? Well, think of Kruger’s art as “extract expressionism.” She takes Krueger states: “I’m interested in notions images from the mass media and pastes of power, control and love and money and words over them, big, bold extracts of text death and pleasure and pain. So I’m - aphorisms, questions, slogans. Short looking forward to bringing up these is- machine-gun bursts of words that when sues of belief, power and doubt.” isolated, and framed by Kruger’s gaze, linger in your mind, forcing you to think
22 Jewish Museum of New Jersey to offer CLASS OF 1987 - 25th REUNION exhibit: “Memoria: Assisi and the Jews, 1943-44” - and a fabulous trip to Italy On Sunday, October 14th at 2:00 in the afternoon, a remarkable exhibition about the history of Italian Jews will open at the Jew- ish Museum of New Jersey, located at historic Congregation Ahavas Sholom at 145 Broadway in Newark. The exhibition, entitled “Memoria: Assisi and the Jews, 1943-44,” explores the heroic efforts made by the citizens of Assisi to conceal their Jewish neighbors from Italian fascists and German occupi- ers. Jews were hidden in monasteries and convents through the efforts of a priest named Don Aldo Brunacci and a number The reunion was on the weekend of August 10th at the Chateau Resort and Conference Center in Tannersville, of fearless citizens. Pennsylvania. Organizers were: Alisia Hughes, Monica Panel discussions, films, and a variety of & Sam Bearfield, Robin Whittington-Easter, Mecca events are also planned to tell this story. Abdur- Rahim, Yolanda Butler, and Cleveland Small. For information, call (973) 485-2609 or visit the Museum website at www.jewishmuseumnj.org . CLASS OF 1952 - 60TH REUNION Tour Tuscany, Umbria and Rome in May, 2013 The reunion took place on Sunday, May 20th at the Marriott Hotel at Newark Liberty International Airport This tour created for the Jewish Museum by industry leader General Tours World Traveler, will include special guides who will open the doors to synagogues, neigh- borhoods, and sites that reveal the rich lega- cy of Jewish life in Italy. Assisi, Florence, Siena, and Rome are on the itinerary, as are smaller hill towns that are rich with Jewish history. For more information, visit GeneralTours.com or speak with a dedicated agent for the Jewish Legacy tour Stella Goldberg Geller, Marvin and Diane Dinetz at (800) - 223-0266. Ina Mae Weber Kirsch, and Paula Sarbone Mont Rabbi Joachim Prinz Documentary Two Maplewood filmmakers, Rachel Pasternak, the daughter of Claire Mayers Nierenberg, 1958, and Rachel Fisher, are working on completing a documentary about an outspoken and courageous rabbi, Joachim Prinz. The one-hour work is scheduled to be released in 2013 in honor of the 50th Don Shachat, Howard Hart, Tina Centuori Freedman, anniversary of the March on Washing- Hal Braff, Milt Westrich, and Bud Freedman ton and will be broadcast by PBS after visiting Weequahic High School affiliates in New York and New Jersey. The story follows Prinz as a young rabbi in Berlin, where he defied the Nazis to speak out against Hitler. Three decades later, as a religious leader of Temple B’nai Abraham in Newark, Sandy Bodner, he stood beside the Rev. Martin Luther King at the March on Bud Freedman, Washington. The two filmmakers have raised over $16,000 to and Allen Siegel complete the project they have been working on for four years.
23 As a child, ten or so, through Lou, I met to my daugh- Marc Zimetbaum, Esteban Vicente and visited both his and ter, Erica. I Jimmy Rosati's studios on East 10th paid a big WHS 1961, shares Street, NYC. I was so taken with their price for start- studios and so impressed with them as ing the school. his story as an artist men that I decided that they were what I My wife, would become someday. Nancy, left me and moved to After graduating from Weequahic in Maine with 1961, I went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn my daughter. to study art. It was there that I met Mercedes Matter, who was my drawing This was a instructor during my junior year in 1963. very painful A group of students in my class were very period in my unhappy because too little time was spent life, yet I have in the studio (15 hours a week) and too never regretted it because we achieved much time in degree-required classes. something so extraordinary - creating a real art school where none had existed That September, Art News published an before. It was a dream turned into a article by Mrs. Matter entitled "What's reality through hard work, the right mix Wrong with U.S. Art Schools"which was of both visionary students and faculty, an extremely articulate and passionate most especially Mercedes Matter. diatribe that echoed our dissatisfaction with Pratt. We decided the best way to I have always worked from the model, receive the training we wanted was to both in clay and drawing. For the last 10 start our own school. When we years I have taught figure sculpture at the approached Mrs. Matter with our idea, Chautauqua School of Art in western she embraced it. Out of this the New New York State. I currently have orga- York Studio School of Drawing, Painting nized an open figure sculpture workshop I was born in Newark on May 19,1943 to & Sculpture was born. a middle class Jewish family. My sister at Wagner College on Staten Island and Lisa (WHS 1964) and I both graduated During the next 3 years, 1964-1967, I for the last 9 years have exhibited with from Weequahic. My father, Raymond, studied at the school which was then lo- Friends of Fire, a craft guild on Staten was an intellectual who was very in- cated in a large loft at 646 Broadway, Island. volved in the NYC art world and became NYC. I continued drawing with Mer- friendly with Lou Pollack, owner of the cedes Matter, studied painting with Peridot Gallery on East 12th Street. Esteban Vicente, Charles Cajori and Leland Bell, and studied sculpture with Lou was the first dealer, starting in the Sidney Geist and most importantly late 1940's, who showed many of the Giorgio Spaventa, who had a profound breakthrough abstract expressionists early impact on me. on. These included Philip Guston, Jack- son Pollock, Esteban Vicente, Louise At that time I had a loft on Great Jones Bourgeois, James Brooks, and Jimmy Street, around the corner from the school Rosati. He was the first American dealer and often opened the school at 8:30 a.m. to rediscover the work of Medardo Rosso and was there until 11 p.m. I was also and bring it to NYC. very involved in the administration of the school, first as leader of the student body and later as director of the school in 1966.
I was obsessed with making the dream of I am also writing a history of the found- the school a reality and basically burned ing of the New York Studio School for out, soon thereafter had a breakdown, and which I have received a grant from the wound up in a mental hospital in West- Harriet & Esteban Vicente Trust. I am port, Connecticut. After my release, six also the subject of a feature length docu- weeks later, I walked away from the mentary entitled “Marc Zimetbaum - school too embarrassed to face my friends Journey of an American Artist” that was and colleagues and went into a tremen- made in 2006 by Eric Emerick and Mark dous depression which lasted for several Oz. It premiered at Chautauqua in 2007 years. and is available for sale on Amazon and While all this was going on, I was both there are three clips that can be viewed on newly married and became a new father, You Tube.
24 The double album from that performance, Arthur Brody, In Loving Memory “Judy at Carnegie Hall,” with Mr. Lind- sey leading the orchestra, was No. 1 on Class of Jan. 1939 Mort Lindsey, the Billboard chart for 13 weeks that year Businessman, and won four Grammy Awards. Entrepreneur, and Jan. 1940 WHS Grad, Ms. Streisand said in a statement that TV Bandleader she had dreamed of working with Philanthropist and Accompanist to Mr. Lindsey. “I first saw him when I was a teenager and got to attend a free Judy Stars, Dies at 89 Garland concert,” she said. “Mort was onstage conducting for Judy, and I could Reprinted from the NY Times sense how safe she felt with his judg- ments and encouragements.” In January 1971, when Mr. Griffin devot- ed two nights of his show to bandleaders If you’ve ever like Les Brown, Lawrence Welk and borrowed a library Vaughn Monroe, it was Mr. Lindsey who book and accidentally reprised their harmonies. knocked a cup of coffee “The hero of Griffin’s two-part pro- onto the cover, you gram,” Jack Gould wrote in The New may have Arthur Brody York Times, “was his own regular or- to thank for not having chestra conductor, Mort Lindsey, the to replace it. As an pianist, who with amazing accuracy and electrical engineering student at Colum- musicianship led his band through all the bia University, Arthur figured out a way different styles and arrangements associ- to turn clear photographic film into a ated with the guests of honor. To shift protective cover that was so superior to Mort Lindsey, who led effortlessly from the Champagne horn of the brown paper versions his classmates Merv Griffin’s televi- Lawrence Welk to the Dixieland beat of used. sion orchestra, accom- Bob Crosby left no doubt of Mr. Lind- Arthur Brody passed away at age 91 on panied Barbra Streisand on the piano in sey’s versatility.” May 10, 2012, following a brief illness. Central Park and played with Judy Gar- land in her celebrated comeback concert Born Morton Lippman in Newark on Arthur’s commitment to serving the at Carnegie Hall, died on May 4 at his March 21, 1923 (he changed his name library community began inside a small home in Malibu, Calif. He was 89. early in his ca- lending library on Bergen Street in New- reer), Mr. Lind- ark, called the Bro Delle Book Shoppe, Mr. Lindsey was musical director for sey was one of owned by his parents, Samuel and Ruth. “The Merv Griffin Show” from 1962 to two children of 1986, during a six-decade career in which immigrants By the time he graduated from Columbia, he brought his big-band finesse to jazz, from Russia. he had eight employees turning out his swing, pop, country and rock in perfor- Classically invention. The simple clear plastic jacket mances and recordings with a diverse trained as a remains in great demand and is used by array of artists. Among them were Pat pianist as a libraries worldwide and this accomplish- Boone, Eddie Fisher, Liza Minnelli, El- child, he earned ment is still evident in libraries today. ton John, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in Granted a patent for his book jackets and Chris Botti and Michael Bublé. music education from Columbia. using a small personal savings, he started Mr. Lindsey won an Emmy in 1969 for the Library Service business. Following his musical direction of Ms. Streisand’s In 1955 he married Betty Bonney, who in his participation in World War II, he CBS concert special, “A Happening in 1941, performing with Les Brown’s Band changed the name of his company to Central Park.” The show led to an al- of Renown, recorded the hit song “Joltin’ Brodart in 1946. The name was chosen bum of the same name. Joe DiMaggio.” through an employee contest where the winner suggested using Art’s first and For Mr. Lindsey, however, his perfor- Besides his wife (who changed her name last names turned inside out. mance of a lifetime occurred on April 23, to Judy) and his son Steve, a record pro- 1961, when Ms. Garland - at 38 and ducer, Mr. Lindsey’s survivors include Through the years he positioned Brodart trying to resuscitate her career after two other sons, Trevor and David; three as the company to supply all things bouts with alcohol and pill addictions - daughters, Bonney Dunn, Deborah Mor- required to run a library from filing performed before a full house at ris and Judy Grant; and a sister, Janet. systems to furniture. His instinct for Carnegie Hall. business is illustrated through the many (Continued on page 27)
25 MEMBERSHIP / MERCHANDISE / SCHOLARSHIP FORM
Mail: WHS Alumni Association, P.O. Box 494, Newark, NJ 07101 / Call: (973) 923-3133
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8 MERCHANDISE CHOICES: (add $5.00 for shipping & handling / Circle your size and color / Larger sizes can be special ordered)
___ $5.00 ALUMNI PIN: - (in orange & brown in the shape of the WHS logo)
___$5.00 TOTE BAG: - (in orange or brown with logo)
___ $10.00 KNIT CAP: - (one size fits all in orange with brown “W” on front)
___ $12.00 T-SHIRT: - (sizes S, M, L, XL, 2XL - (dark brown or orange with WHS logo)
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___ $20.00 GOLF SHIRT: - (sizes S, M, L, XL, 2XL - orange with Indian Head WHS alumni lettering)
___ $40.00 HOODED SWEATSHIRTS: - (sizes M, L, XL, 2XL - dark brown or orange with WHS logo)
26 SCHOLARSHIP CHOICES: 11. $__ MiriamHample Fund * 22. $ __ Carolyn Parm Fund * 12. $__ Walter Hastreiter Fund * 23. $ __ Leo Pearl Fund * 1. $__ Alvin Attles Fund 13. $__ General Alumni Fund 24. $ __ Richard Roberts Fund 2. $__ Maxine Boatwright Fund * 3. $__ Morey Bobrow Fund * 14. $__ Reada & Harry Jellinek Fund* 25. $ __ Sadie Rous Fund * 4. $__ Sharon Nicely Boose Fund * 15. $__ Phyllis & Donald Kalfus Fund 26. $ __ Linda Marcia Small Fund * 5. $__ Class of 1952 Fund 16. $ __ Hannah Litzky Fund * 27. $ __ Ronald G. Stone Fund * 6. $__ Class of June 1960 Fund 17. $ __ Bert Manhoff Fund * * In Memory 7. $__ Class of 1963 Fund 18. $ __ Seymour Swede Masin Fund * 8. $__ Class of 1964 Fund 19. $ __ Edwin McLucas Fund Non-Scholarship Funds 9. $__ Dena Gittleman Greenstein Fund 20. $___Melvin Narol Fund * $__ Les & Ceil Fein Fund 10. $__ Ronald Griffin Fund * 21. $ __ Marie O’Connor Fund * $__ Class of 1945 Fund
26 His greatest achievement will be his phil- Predeceased by her husband, John, she is BRODY (Continued from page 25) anthropic legacy created through serving survived by her brother Sanford Epstein; as the President of the Sophie and Arthur a daughter, Bonnie Sacks; and sons, Mi- firsts highlighting a career populated by Brody Foundation. His success in busi- chael and Perry Schwartz. Her grandchil- the perfect blend of inventiveness, good ness afforded him the opportunity to give dren include Justine, Robyn, and Jenna timing, and calculated risks. By the back to the communities he loved both far Sacks, as well as Jonathan, Jordan, Jared 1970s, Brodart had more than 1,500 and wide by donating generously to a host and Joshua Schwartz. employees. of causes important to him and his family. Arthur lent his creative mind to many Arthur was predeceased by his wife of 60 ideas and had a hand in recognizable in- years, Sophie. He is survived by his com- In Loving Memory dustry names of today. He was involved panion of the last seven years, Phyllis in experimenting with a formula for a Cohn, his daughter, Janice Brody (Bruce Janet Sprei Balicer, 1945 new adhesive to replace library paste, Rule), his son Donald Brody (Toby Mick- Suzanne Debow Benjamin, 1961 Edward Berman, 1948 which later became “Elmer’s” glue. elson), and his five grandsons. Marvin Bromberg, 1948 His idea for “Magic Mending” tape Aaron Cohen, 1944 would be picked up by Minnesota Mining Esther Epstein Schwartz William Cohen, 1950 & Manufacturing better known as 3M. Class of Jan. 1951 Edward Denholtz, 1938 Sylvia Sine Edelman, 1941 Some of the many patents credited to him Marvin Eisler, 1943 throughout his lifetime include the book Former Councilwoman Marvin Facher, 1937 jacket and book pockets, plus the machin- in Irvington Rita Levine Gaber, 1945 ery to produce them, tabs for ring binders Sheldon Geller and systems for recording library transac- Former South Ward Councilwoman Es- Lewis Geltzeiler, 1949 tions are among the products he devel- ther D. Schwartz, 79, of Irvington, passed Judy Girion Gerstein, 1960 oped for library use. away on July 29, 2012. Born in Newark, she resided in Irvington for 46 years. Her Irene Martoccio Graham, 1956 Although he was involved in varied busi- education from Rutgers University in- Robert Greenbaum, 1939 ness ventures, serving the total needs of cluded an associate’s degree in account- Irwin Helfgott, 1953 libraries was his main focus. He made it ing and business administration. William Karlen possible for libraries to begin with an Bernard Kass, 1951 empty building and become a fully fur- Esther attended the Jewish Theological Michael Kaufman, 1964 Evelyn Saperstein Mullman Kramer, 1944 nished library, supplying shelving, cata- Seminary and taught primary grades at Alma Weinberg Klausner, 1939 log card files, seating, tables, and comput- Congregation Oheb Sholom in South Or- Harold Knox, 1965 er workstations, book carts, spinner racks ange. During her lifetime, she devoted Gilda Konwiser Kress for all types of material, database man- herself to the community, the state of Anthony Kurz, 1962 agement software, and scanners. New Jersey, and to many organizations Gilda Konwiser Kress for the benefit of children, the hungry, the In 1982, Arthur relocated to Ranch Sante Calvin Leichtling, 1939 disabled, and the needy. Fe, near San Diego, California and offi- J. Donald London, 1938 cially retired in 2004 after 65 years in an Jason Darian Lowther, 2000 She was the founder of the American industry he remained passionate about Stanley W. Levy, 1940 Hope Association for the homeless in the and very much enjoyed. Minna Mandelbaum late 80’s, and was instrumental in getting Ruth Cohen Martin, 1945 Arthur’s accomplishments in the business food subsidies through Mt. Carmel Guild Arnold Miller, 1963 world are only part of his amazing legacy. in Newark. Esther was responsible for Sandy Rachmiel He was listed in Who’s Who for more Head Start in Irvington for middle income Linda Whittle Reininger, 1963 than two decades. Serving on a number and needy families, and served as the Mat Rice, 1956 of civic and not for profit boards, he President of the Webster Women’s Club Gail Silverstein Ritz, 1962 contributed time and money to many local for several years, bringing Neighborhood Rhoda Rosenfeld, 1945 and national charities. Watch to the area. Ronald Schnack, 1964 Arthur was president of Friends of New Lenny Schneider, 1960 Through her efforts, she was able to Jersey libraries, an executive board mem- Claire Bernstein Shulman, 1949 spearhead the drive to raise the drinking ber and council member at large for the Timothy Screven, 1963 age from 18 to 21 under the Governor Robert Treat Council of Boy Scouts of Etroy Sherman, 1960 Brendan Byrne administration. Her polit- America, a Mason and a Shriner, and a Ellen Mandelbaum Sillman, 1962 ical career began in 1976 when she was past president and trustee of Newark Beatrice Denburg Talbert, 1938 elected to the Irvington Municipal Coun- Symphony Hall. He also served on the Jack Tessel, 1962 cil as South Ward councilwoman, and boards of the Rady School of Manage- Aron Wallad, 1965 ment, the San Diego Symphony, Seacrest was re-elected again in 1980 and 1984, William Weinstein, 1948 Retirement Village and the Sanford serving 12 years. In 1985, Esther was Clifford Wooden, 1965 Burnham Cancer Institute. appointed as the director of the Essex Marlene Schapiro Wilks, 1952 County Division of Consumer Affairs.
27 2012 REUNIONS Weequahic High School Alumni Association P.O. Box 494, Newark, N.J. 07101 Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 Class of 1962 50th Reunion, 6 p.m. Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, Woodbridge, NJ Contact: Marty Powers at [email protected] or (732) 536-2023
Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 ALUMNI STORE WHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Class of June 1957 The WHS Alumni Association is T-SHIRTS, TOTE BAGS a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization 55th Reunion, 12 p.m. incorporated in New Jersey in 2001 GOLF STYLE SHIRTS Cedar Hill Country Club Phil Yourish, 1964, Executive Director Livingston, NJ REGULAR SWEATSHIRTS Board of Trustees: Contacts: Miriam Perlman HOODED SWEATSHIRTS Feldmar - [email protected] Hal Braff, 1952, Co-President ALUMNI HAT, KNIT HAT and Ruth Lerner Smith at Mary Brown Dawkins, 1971, Co-President [email protected] ALUMNI PIN Myrna Jelling Weissman, 1953, Treasurer Order e 26 Tharien Karim Arnold, 1984, Secretary on pag More Scholarship Ruby Baskerville, 1961 Adilah Quddus, 1971 Celebration Dinner Snaps OUR LOCAL VENDORS: Judy Bennett, 1972 Gerald Russell, 1974 Sheldon Bross, 1955 Keith Salter, 1985 All Star Sporting Goods - West Orange Vaughn Crowe, 1998 David Schechner, 1946 Awards Trophy - Hillside Marshall Cooper, 1969 Charles Talley, 1966 Bragman’s Deli - Newark Budget Print Center - Bloomfield Harold Edwards, 1966 Marc Tarabour, 1963 Dominick’s Pizza - Hillside Arnold Keller, 1952 Pamela Scott Threets, FYI Food Service - East Rutherford Brian Logan, 1982 1966 Hobby’s Deli - Newark Arthur Lutzke, 1963 John Tonero, Principal MPI Mailing Service - Belleville Printing Delight - East Orange Robert L. Horn Accounting - Clark High School to Board Liaison Schechner Lifson Insurance - Summit Yolanda Cassidy-Bogan, 1987 - Counselor
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