Weequahic Captures 1st State Football Title By Mike Kinney, Star-Ledger scrappy Raritan, 6-0, in the Kamara, who had 12 tackles NJSIAA/Gatorade Central and a sack, tackle Dominick Weequahic was gritty and Jersey, Group II championship Brown and end Obadiah resourceful, it was rugged and game at Rutgers Stadium in Dykes. Brown and Dykes had unyielding. Its execution was Piscataway. seven tackles each and kept not especially pretty in spots, constant pressure on Raritan but there were enough pleasant It was not only the first crown quarterback Brian Kalarjian. little surprises to keep the for Weequahic, which earned mission intact. its 11th straight victory, but "It was all about not giving up also the first for a Newark team any kind of big play. No How fitting that Weequahic's since Barringer won in 1975. matter what, we were going to first state sectional title would "We knew if we scored once we keep fighting," Kamara said. be claimed with a performance were going to win the game Weequahic had no alternative that bore a striking resem- because we weren't going to let because Raritan wasn't giving blance to the city it represents. them score," senior quarter- anything away for cheap. back Jamaal Perry said. "Our Linebacker Chris Mooney Lineman Phillip Smalls defense is real strong." (11 tackles) and tackle Jerome pounced on a fumble in the end Dean anchored a defensive unit zone to cap the opening drive, Perry, also a safety, had an that was well-prepared and then linebacker Amara Kamara interception to help keep brimming with confidence. and the hard-hitting defensive Raritan's offense at bay. But corps carried the rest of the day the Monmouth County school's Continued on page 14 as Weequahic, No. 17 in The most troublesome figures were Star-Ledger Top 20, edged no doubt the omnipresent Please Contribute To Our Second "French Class Trip to Paris Fund" Help us support this exceptionally significant project. Mail your check payable to WHSAA to Weequahic HS Alumni Association, P.O. Box 494, Newark, NJ 07101 (indicate French Trip on the check) FROM THE HIGH The ALUMNI CALUMET is a publication of the SCHOOL ON THE HILL Alumni Gatherings WHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Editor, Layout & Design: WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE Class of 1976 Reunion Donation: Phil Yourish The class of 1976 had a fabulous 30th Proofreading: Reunion at the Marriott Hotel at Newark 2nd French Class Dave Lieberfarb, Hal Braff, Liberty International Airport in late Myrna Jelling Weissman Trip to Paris November. Alumni Director Phil Yourish was invited to speak about the alumni Our thanks for articles from Two years ago, French teacher Lavinia association and the class presented him with the Star-Ledger, NY TImes and Rogers organized a trip to Paris for 13 of her a generous $500.00 donation for the Alumni our WHS alumni. Football students. Funds for that excursion were Scholarship Fund. photos from the Star-Ledger raised by the participating students and the and James Giles, Allpropix. WHS Alumni Association which donated Alumni Board Celebration: Printing: more than $23,000. Each of those students are now in college. On Sunday, January 14th, Alumni Board Village Press of Orange, NJ member Arnold Keller, 1952, hosted a party For the Spring of 2007, Ms. Rogers is for more than 50 people at Ristorante de planning another trip to Paris for 10 Benito in Union to celebrate last September's CONTACT US deserving students. Fund raising projects are successful Scholarship Fund Raising Dinner Weequahic High School taking place at the school and in the honoring Alvin Attles and the unique Alumni Association community. accomplishments of the alumni association during the past 10 years. P.O. Box 494 As we did so generously in the past, let's Newark, NJ 07101 support this worthwhile endeavor through Somerset Run, New Jersey (973) 923-3133 alumni contributions. Make out your check Alumnus Norman Siminoff organized a payable to WHSAA and mail it to the WHS luncheon at Somerset Run for the 55 and [email protected] Alumni Association, P.O. Box 494, Newark, over crowd. Alumni were invited from www.weequahicalumni.org NJ 07101 (write French Trip in the memo Canal Walk and Renaissance to celebrate the area) or use your credit card by filling out classes from 1943 to 1966. Arnold Keller, the form on page 18 and mailing it to us. HELP WRITE a Board member of the Alumni Association, THE NEXT ISSUE spoke of the importance of supporting the Mural Restoration current students at the high school. Send us letters, articles, stories, memories, poems, Weequahic High School is home to one of Delray Beach, Florida recipes, photos, cartoons, the most important installations of public art trivia, obituaries, reunion An alumni breakfast for 130 men took place in New Jersey: the "Enlightenment of Man," information, etc. Sunday, January 14 at Gleneagles Country a New Deal-era mural painted by Michael Club in Delray Beach, Florida. Ray Lenson, who was the director of NJ mural Kirschbaum, 1946 and Daniel Stacher, activities for the Federal Art Project of the SEND US YOUR 1946, were the organizers. Works Progress Administration. WEEQUAHIC / NEWARK MEMORABILIA After 67 years the mural is seriously in need Boca Raton, Florida We are creating an archive of repairs. The estimate to restore the murals 1946 grad Marty Edelson hosted an alumni of all items relating to is $45,000. We urge you to begin making luncheon for 270 people on Saturday, Weequahic and Newark for exhibitions at our events. donations NOW so that we can raise the January 13 at the Marriott Hotel in Boca funds that are needed for this restoration. Raton, Florida. If you have old photos, When the work is done, we plan to apply for newspaper articles, year- local and state historic landmark status. Tampa Bay, Florida books, films, Calumets, Ergo Help us accomplish our goal. magazines, books, schedules, WHS grads Mike Warner, 1953, and Rita rosters, certificates, letters, Make out your check payable to WHSAA Bech Ehrenpreis, 1954, residents of the hats, jackets, sweaters, WHS athletic equipment and and mail it to the WHS Alumni Association, Tamp Bay area, are interested in organizing uniforms, or any other P.O. Box 494, Newark, NJ 07101 (write a Weequahic reunion for those who live on interesting memorabilia, Mural Restoration in the memo area) or use Florida's Gulf Coast. For more information, please call us before you your credit card by filling out the form on contact Rita at [email protected] discard any of these items. page 18 and mailing it to us. In recent years, the Alumni Association disciplined and able to accomplish Weequahic begins has raised hundreds of thousands of something, and that opens possibilities," dollars for everything from new band Braff said. "Show the kids the to soar again uniforms and instruments to a trip to Paris possibilities. Now we just have to work for the French class to college scholarships real hard to get all the kids to see that the Sectional championship for deserving students. culture can change, and that education can help them and that feeling good about signals triumph for the entire Perhaps more importantly, according to yourself is possible." Weequahic community - Bill Belfer, it has present and past helped bring together two groups of people whose only common Excerpts from two articles by Bridget reality was the name Wentworth, Star-Ledger, 12/04/06 of their high school. Belfer, who lives in The brown football-shaped balloon, meant Holmdel, attended the to signify "the Weequahic party is here," game with other had taken off into the sky, and Hal Braff graduates of the class was worried people might not be able to of 1963. "The com- find his tailgate get-together in the parking munities after the late lot outside Rutgers Stadium. But soon '60s were divided," enough, fans began gathering, wearing the Belfer said. "Today, orange and brown of the Weequahic there is more Indians. Black and white, young and old, involvement and they greeted each other warmly, and attachment, and a sampled the coffee, donuts and bagels willingness to help Braff and his wife, Elaine, had set out on a and a willingness to table next to their car. Just another accept the help. The successful outing for the Weequahic High people from my generation still have a A QUARTERBACK'S School Alumni Association. profound attachment to Weequahic High REDEMPTION School and the city of Newark. It's great When the Indians defeated Raritan, 6-0, in to be able to have the opportunity to give Jamaal Perry's lost week seems like the Central Jersey, Group 2 football state back and be accepted, even though we ancient times. The Indians' starting championship game to earn their first-ever come from different communities now." quarterback grew up in his grandmother's title and the first in 31 years for a Newark apartment in Felix Fuld Court, a Newark school, it was a triumph not just for the Sandy Scheps, another member of the housing project controlled by the Bloods team itself but for the larger school class of 1963 who also lives in Holmdel, is and beset by the drug trade. community. the vice president of alumni at Bloomfield College, which gets its share of today's The three-story brick apartment buildings, The Alumni Association is a major part of Weequahic graduates. He's begun to hear known as "Li'l Bricks," cover one block in that. Braff, a 1952 graduate and the co- of the turnaround at the school. "At first, it a blighted area of the Central Ward.