Research Subjects Wanted

Visit The Museum of Chinese in America Free of Charge and Help a Researcher!

A researcher who is studying at Columbia Teachers' College is looking for volunteers to visit the Museum of Chinese in America with her and give her feedback on how well the museum teaches Asian-American history. If you are interested, here is the link to sign up: https://forms.gle/X7av9QZ8yngj5wNm9

Submitted by Takemi Ueno, Class of 1983

The Museum of Chinese in America Wikipedia Entry

Wheatley Fencing - More Lore

Steven Amerikaner (1965) Writes - “Art: Here's a little story to add to the Wheatley lore about fencing.

1970s Fencers Having Fun

First Row - L-R - Ruth Rotholz (1974), Rachel Friis (1974), Robert Kalb (1974), Susan Rotholz (1975)

Second Row - Mark Mason (1976), Michael Aranoff (1976), Steven Schneider (1975), Jonathan Abby (1975), Bernard “Bernie” Hintz (faculty-coach)

Third Row - Steven Solow (1976), Timothy Clarke (1973), William Wolff (1974)

Clifford Struhl (1974) Writes - “I, too, was on the fencing team for a number of years, and I remember fondly how terrible we were, although we tried hard and had fun. Going out east to compete against Centereach was never fun, because somehow they were stronger, faster and more skilled, which meant we never won even when we gave our best. Oyster Bay was easier and we competed in the elementary school there. Somehow, Suffolk was always tougher than Nassau schools, and as there were not a lot of Nassau schools with fencing teams, we spent a lot of time with the Suffolk teams.

I never went far with fencing; I tried my hand at it several years ago but did not have the flexibility to perform well, so I took up Capoeira (a system of physical discipline and movement originating among Brazilian slaves, treated as a martial art and dance form), with which I still continue. I wish that Wheatley had had this, to teach focus, strategy, movement and control.”

Wheatley Football

Gene Razzetti (1961) writes: “Art, glad we are finally allowing Mr. Ouchi to rest in peace. When it comes to the football team, suffice it to say (as a really bad player myself) that the players that I remember were great guys on the field, but greater guys off the field. The best of them traded football uniforms for the uniforms of the Armed Services. Best to all, Gene."

Faculty

Peter Nelson (1961) Writes - “Hi Art: Peg Meisel, who was my English teacher during my last two years at Wheatley, introduced me to many wonderful writers, including Samuel Beckett. In fact, she and her husband took me to an off-Broadway production of “Krapp’s Last Tape” in 1960, which opened my eyes to the absurd always present in human life.

Reading Peter Calderon’s (1961) last missive, looking back at his romantic-erotic moments from his school years, reminded me of Krapp listening to the tape recordings of his youthful encounters. I had a similar sense of the absurd reading his recollections in the Wheatley Newsletter, as when, all those years ago, I witnessed the off-Broadway production of Beckett’s work. Thanks for the replay.

Graduates

“Hi Art, I hope this email finds you well. One of the many joys of living in Paris is the easy access to so many cities that are less than three hours away by train, enabling quick visits to interesting exhibitions and even lunches with old friends.
Brussels, London, Cologne, and Basel are all less than three hours away; Amsterdam, Geneva and Milan not much longer.

London’s National Gallery is hosting an incredible exhibition of the art of Sienna from 1500 to 1550, one of the principal catalysts for the development of the modern era of European painting. It was well worth the trip, especially when I could combine it with a visit to the Garrick Club, where I’m privileged to be one of the few American members. That’s the Garrick tie I’m wearing. Next month, I’ll be meeting one of my Harvard classmates in Brussels for lunch and will be back home by 6:00 the same day.

For anyone traveling to this side of the Atlantic, the Foundation Louis Vuitton is hosting a major exhibition of David Hockney’s works, which is worth a detour if you weren’t planning on visiting Paris. It’s on through July.
The other great luxury of living abroad is the escape from the 24-hour BREAKING NEWS cycle that seems to dominate many people’s lives these days. It’s a so much better to be able to access news how and when I want it.
Warmest regards from Paris,
Michael”

1964 - Jesse Samberg - “I recently reread George Orwell’s 1984, and it got me thinking: what was the discussion about it at Wheatley? Of course, Big Brother, and "He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future." In my memory, it was all plot, but it is actually mostly detailed descriptions of thought control - of the elite of all things. In 1963 or 1964, it must have seemed like a dystopian technology fantasy. I vaguely remember that there was a 1984 Day. I probably had an attitude about it and have blocked it out. Who remembers the classes on 1984, and 1984 Day?”

1972 - Beth Stephens - Out West - “On a West Coast trip, I visited Nancy Drummond Davis (1972) and her husband, Jack Davis, in Seattle.

After that, I visited Susan McGovern (1972) in Troy, Idaho, along with a mutual friend .

Steven Struhl (1976) Writes - “I’m very proud of my brother Gary (1972) and his wife and collaborator, Iva Greenwald, for winning a Canada Gairdner International Award, for research into a fundamental system of intercellular signaling in animal development. Their discoveries address the basic role and mechanisms of this system, which have increasingly important implications for the treatment of disease (especially cancers) as well as stem cell and regenerative medicine. This award is thought of as a stepping stool to the big one…..a Nobel Prize! Fully 25% of the winners of this award eventually get a Nobel!

The following link contains a further link to a video with a 10 minute segment on the research (around 12 minutes into the video), and another 10 minute segment from the news conference announcing the award, in which both he and Iva answer questions about the work (beginning around 53 minutes into the video).”

L-R - Alex Tisch (1989) and Art Engoron (1967) - At The View at Battery Park, Manhattan, NY, May 29, 2025 (with the Statue of Liberty way off in the background).

L-R - Art Engoron (1967) and Joseph Nejathaim (2012) - Cipriani Wall Street - 5/28/2025

Fan Mail

1964 (Michael Garin) - “I continue to enjoy the Wheatley Alumni Newsletter, and I appreciate all of the hard work that you put into it to make it possible.”

1967 (Jill Simon Forte) - “Thanks again for giving me a glimpse backwards. Memories of Wheatley are hazy , but it did have its big highlight: Meeting Bob Forte (1965) 😆”

The Official Notices

All underlined text is a link-to-a-link or a link-to-an-email-address. Clicking anywhere on underlined text, and then clicking on the text that pops up, will get you to your on-line destination or will address an email.

In the first 24 or so hours after publication, Wheatley Alumni Newsletter # 206 was viewed 3,739 times and was liked five times. In all, 4,755 email addresses received Newsletter # 206.

The Usual Words of Wisdom

Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first 206 Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletters (and much other Wheatley data and arcana) at

Also thanks to Keith is our search engine, prominently displayed on our home page: type in a word or phrase and, wow!, you’ll find every place it exists in all previous Newsletters and other on-site material.

I edit all submissions, even material in quotes, for clarity and concision, without any indication thereof. I cannot and do not vouch for the accuracy of what people tell me, as TWSAA does not have a fact-checking department.

We welcome any and all text and photos relevant to The Wheatley School, 11 Bacon Road, Old Westbury, NY 11568, and the people who administered, taught, worked, and/or studied there. Art Engoron, Class of 1967

Closing

That’s it for The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 207. Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.