WHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PLANNING COMMITTEE THE SWEET LEGACY OF WEEQUAHIC Co-Presidents: It was not from our differences, but from the Harold Braff ‘52 traditions that we have in common, that gave birth to the Kim Gaddy ‘82 Weequahic High School Alumni Association in 1997 Treasurer: Editorial by Hal Braff, Class of 1952 Yvonne Causbey ’77 Secretary: In his fascinating reflection on Newark in the Our goals are profound: Lois Attles-Wyatt first half of the 20th century, William B. y To recapture the spirit and memories of Helmreich in his book The Enduring Weequahic High School that were so Committee Chairs: Community reminds us that: “Weequahic’s meaningful to many of us. Membership: primary claim to fame, and justifiably so, was Sheldon Bross ’55 its student body and its faculty. It achieved a y To transcend the generational and cultural Adilah Thomas Quddus ‘71 reputation as one of the best high schools in differences spanning seven decades from the country...” 1932 to the present by bringing together Events: our graduates, teachers, administrators and Faith Howard ‘82 Our school - our neighborhood! No matter friends for reunions and special events. where we now live or what we’ve Newsletter & y To remember and honor those Weequahic Tutoring / Mentoring: accomplished, we are, all of us, Newarkers - products of that special place and time. High School graduates and staff who have Phil Yourish ‘64 made important contributions to the school Committee Members Weequahic High School, age 67, is still the and our larger community. Rita Adams ‘73 grand Wigwam on the Hill, stately and aging y To utilize the resources of our alumni to Edna Bailey, (WHS Principal) remarkably well, although an eyewitness to support the current students at Weequahic Marshall Cooper ‘69 the dramatic shift in cultures and economics High School through scholarships, Nona Davis ‘77 that has taken place over the years. Joseph Foushee tutoring, mentoring, job opportunities and Lois Blumenfeld Gilbert ‘60 cultural events. Gerry Greenspan ‘59 For the first half of its life, it housed an Eugene Lawson ‘70 overwhelmingly Jewish student body. Today With the Alumni Association we re-form and Myra Lawson ‘70 the same seats in the auditorium, the same join with those who followed us through the David Lieberfarb ‘65 halls of Weequahic to preserve our history, to Aileen Marcus ‘68 apartments and houses we lived in, and the Charles Meadows, (Ex-Principal) same streets where we played are now build new friendships and to rebuild the trust Denise Muhammad ‘72 occupied by African-Americans. so essential to a healthy society. Vanessa Pressley-Napier ‘76 Kevin Scindian ‘98 With you added to our membership list we Charles Talley ‘66 It was not from our differences, but from the can provide educational grants to some Sam Weinstock ‘55 traditions that we have in common, that gave wonderful young men and women who lack Lorraine White ‘64 birth to the Weequahic High School Alumni only financial aid to be able to attend college. Association in 1997 - a unique opportunity to bring people together - people who seemed so In 1998 the Alumni Association presented far apart yet who have shared something four scholarships at the June graduation. We significant and precious: their lives were made a difference in those four lives. shaped in their Weequahic years. We urge you to join with us. You have very little to lose and, I assure you, we all have a Our motivation was to tap into both the vast great deal to gain. energy which brings so many of us back to reunions and the warm nostalgic pleasure we Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar feel whenever we see, anywhere, orange and All those for Weequahic brown things together. Stand up and holler WEEQUAHIC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ALUMNI 1998 SCHOLARSHIP A CHRONOLOGY CALUMET RECIPIENTS OF WEEQUAHIC STAFF ALUMNI EVENTS Editor Phil Yourish ‘64 SEPTEMBER 1997 Contributors ~ 1st Alumni Affair at The Newark Rita Adams ‘73 Public Library Hal Braff ’52 ~ Alumni Basketball Game Sheldon Bross ‘55 Les Fein MAURICE CRAWFORD ~ Honored Al Attles, former Weequahic Lois Gilbert ‘60 NJ Institute of Technology All-State basketball player and current Faith Howard ‘82 Vice President of the Golden State Dave Lieberfarb ’65 JORDAN KPELI Warriors NBA basketball team. Sherry Ortner ‘58 Adilah Quddus ‘71 Ramapo College ~ Homecoming Dinner and Dance Jacob Toporek ’63 Star-Ledger Photos KEVIN SCINDIAN MAY 1998 Essex County College ~ Weequahic & South Side (Shabazz) Alumni Basketball Game VICTOR SEBRES WE’RE ON OUR WAY Seton Hall University JUNE 1998 TO MEET THE FOE THIS IS THE DAY ~ Alumni scholarships at graduation FOR US TO GO ceremony AND WITH OUR BANNERS FLYING Let no one put a OH, SO HIGH OCTOBER 1998 AND WITH SPIRITS limit on what you can SOARING TO THE SKY achieve or a label on who ~ 2nd Alumni Affair at the NOW HEAR OUR Newark Museum ROUSING CRY you are. You all possess RAH, RAH, RAH immeasurable talent and ~ Weequahic & West Essex WHEN WE COME BACK Homecoming Football Game YOU’RE SURE TO SEE unlimited potential. THAT WE HAVE WON ~ Tour of Weequahic High School OUR VICTORY The words of Johnny Turner CHEERS RING from his valedictorian speech at ~ Honored Les Fein, Former Weequahic WE BRING the 1998 graduation. He is Basketball Coach and Teacher MORE HONOR currently a student at the NJ TO WEEQUAHIC HIGH Institute of Technology and a FEBRUARY 1999 volunteer reading tutor with the Newark America READS ~ At WHS - Rabbi Israel Dresner: Partnership. Marching With Dr. King ~ At WHS - Jayson Williams, NJ Nets Basketball Player MARCH 1999 ~ At WHS - Teresa Weatherspoon, NY Liberty Basketball Player At left: Weequahic Alumni Association Committee at the Newark Museum: Sheldon Bross, Adilah Qudduss, Yvonne Causbey, Kim Gaddy, Hall Braff, Faith Howard, Kevin Scindian, Phil Yourish, Lorraine White, Sam Weinstock, and Marshall Cooper. Alumni Association the Library’s majestic atrium? Who special high school. It was a could know what to expect? Why spectacular evening of togetherness, Debuts at The Newark would people come? With all of our pride and love. We were all classmates enthusiasm and sanguinity, we just once again, brothers and sisters united Public Library didn’t know. in the folklore of Weequahic. By Faith Howard Class of 1982 The scene at the Library on Friday In a spare moment, standing in the evening was hard to believe. The atrium, I gazed at the stained glass As the Chairperson of the Events anxiety of many months disappeared dome above. It was just celestial. Committee, I helped to organize the almost immediately. The doubts just Below the dome, the balconies were first Weequahic High School Alumni melted away. Gushing optimism overflowing with alumni enjoying each Association affair at The Newark replaced all of the uncertainty. others’ company. And I thought - The Public Library in October of 1997. Newark Public Library - what a When you’re planning a special event, THEY CAME! More than we could beautiful building to host our first you “hope” and “pray” that’s it’s going have anticipated. The numbers alumni reception. to be successful, especially when you surpassed all of our expectations. Too put in a tremendous amount of effort in many people to count. So many people How nice it was to see some special contacting people, sending out mail, that it was difficult to get around. people like Ben Epstein, Les Fein, putting up posters, and getting articles Elbows touching elbows. Faces with Elizabeth Birnbaum, Al Attles, and in the newspaper. But there is no way perpetual smiles. Hands hurting from Swede Mason. to guarantee results. all of the shaking. Voices parroting similar sentiments. Laughter heard Why did 400 alumni come? Probably, As we moved closer to the date of the everywhere. Alumni catching up on for many different reasons. Will they event, the questions became more old times with conversations beginning return again? We sure hope so, but vexing. Would our alumni respond? with “Do you remember” echoing who knows? However, for just a few Would they come to downtown throughout the large assemblage. hours on a Friday night in September, Newark at night? Would the concept the spirit of Orange and Brown of an alumni association interest Weequahic alumni from the 30’s to the returned and stirred emotions in many enough people? Would the memories, 90’s. Oldtimers and newcomers, from of us that had been packed away too bonds, and friendships from the past be New Jersey and beyond. Generations many years ago. enough? Would curiosity capture their transcended - a gathering of different imagination? Would the Weequahic cultures, dreams, and life stories. We now know that the legacy of mystique magically draw people into Friends, acquaintances, and strangers Weequahic continues. with a common affection for their very Dr. Benjamin Epstein, former Principal of Weequahic and former Newark Assistant Superintendent of Alumni committee members Faith Howard, Sheldon Bross, Adilah Quddus, Secondary Schools, speaking at the Kim Gaddy (Co-President) and Keith Reid look at an old Weequahic yearbook in October 1998 alumni affair at the front of the high school. Newark Museum. Coach Fein’s Memories Of Weequahic Weequahic ranked very high in the country for achieving scholarships Hardly a day goes by that some thought or reference to and awards in science, math, language Weequahic doesn’t come to mind... You just can’t know where and English. The sound and sight of or when Weequahic will find its way back into your life. the marching band, the dynamic antics of the cheerleaders, and the loyal have fared well and in a sense have student body built a sense of pride and become friends.