Wheatley Alumni Newsletter:  Number 23:  October 9, 2018

Dear Wildcats and Other Interested Persons,

Welcome to The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 23.

Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (1963), you can regale yourself with the first twenty-two newsletters (and other Wheatley data and arcana) at http://www.wheatleyalumni.org/  Alternatively, if you are completely uninterested in Wheatley matters, please don't hesitate to ask me to remove you from my general distribution list.

Once again, I have allowed myself the liberty of editing all submissions, even material in quotes, for clarity and concision, without any indication thereof.

Public Service Announcement – Help Wanted
Changing Lives One Bike at a Time

Since 1999, The Wheatley Afri-Bike Coalition (WABC) and Environmental Action Committee (EAC) have been collecting donations of used bicycles and shipping them across the Atlantic Ocean to poor villagers in Ghana West Africa for sustainable transportation.  Making a dollar or two a day, workers often spend half their income just to get to and from work.  Kids whose parents can't afford 20 cents a day for a bus to school stay home and remain illiterate.  A bicycle is a sustainable, appropriate form of transportation technology available to all people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and income levels that requires little to nothing in terms of gas, oil, tools, parts, or professional maintenance.  Studies have shown health care workers in such developing countries to be 12 times more productive than without a bicycle.  When I personally delivered our first shipment in 2000 to a school in Kopeyia, Ghana, I saw first-hand many examples of the potential power of a bicycle to transform lives.

Since 1999, WABC and EAC have collected, processed, loaded, and shipped 3,000 bikes.  On October 17, as part of Wheatley's annual Day of Service, we will again be collaborating with two not-for-profit organizations - The Village Bicycle Project and Bikes For The World- shipping another 500 bicycles, plus parts, tools, and accessories, as well as working sewing machines. 

This year we have also acquired a 40-foot shipping container which will remain on campus.  This will transform our operation, enabling us to more easily collect and store bikes on a consistent and ongoing basis and to keep bikes rust free until shipment.   In addition to loading and shipping bikes on the Day of Service, we will be painting this container with a coat of primer, preparing it as a canvas for a mural that many artistically talented Wheatley students will create this spring.

This is just one aspect of the many environmental initiatives in which EAC is involved, including prairie restoration in Wheatley Woods, weekly recycling of the school's cans and bottles, and more.  

Would you like to help?  The priming and painting of the container will cost approximately $500 in paint and supplies; the shipping of the bikes costs between $5,000 and $6,000.  If you would like to make a financial contribution to help defray these costs, please send a check payable to Wheatley EAC (write Afri-Bike as a memo) and send it to The Wheatley School, 11 Bacon Road, Old Westbury NY 11568  Att: EAC

Or perhaps you prefer to donate sweat equity?  If you are free on October 17 and feel like assisting in painting the container or pulling up weeds from our prairie restoration site at Wheatley, or if you are interested in helping to load the bikes out in Bohemia Long Island, please contact me at :
finkelsteins@ewsdonline.org.  
Your help would be welcome.    After all, these are perhaps the greatest lessons Wheatley students learn when involved in such worthy causes: giving with no expectation of thanks or rewards, and actually getting their hands dirty!

For the Earth,
Steve Finkelstein, Wheatley Science Teacher and Faculty Advisor for EAC and WABC

Faculty:

Robert J. Bernstein – Wheatley Luminary
Writes the Hofstra University Alumni Magazine – “Bob graduated from Hofstra with a BA in history.  He went on to earn an MA from Columbia University.  He was recently chosen by the Nassau County Bar Association to receive its Liberty Bell Award, a prestigious award presented annually to a nonlawyer or organization in recognition of outstanding community service that has contributed significantly to the furtherance of law and justice.  He has demonstrated commitment throughout a lengthy career devoted to teaching young people the importance of understanding our judicial system and the valuable place it holds in ensuring the fair and just application of law for all.  Additionally, he has dedicated over 15 years to volunteering for the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, now known as The Safe Center LI.

Bob has taught at many schools on Long Island, including Levittown Memorial High School, Mineola High School, and The Wheatley School.  He was also History Chairperson of the American School of Paris in Paris, France.  In 1972 Bob started the law program for seniors at The Wheatley School.  The program dealt with student rights and responsibilities.  In 1984 he initiated a Mock Trial Tournament at Wheatley, which included teams from other Long Island schools.  The tournament recently celebrated its 31st year in existence.  Additionally, in 1977 Bob coached the Wheatley team in the inaugural Nassau County Mock Trial Tournament; he is still coaching the team more than 40 years later.  Bob has received numerous honors and awards, including Wheatley Teacher of the Year, Hofstra Veteran of the Year, Volunteer of the Year on behalf of the Hofstra Alumni Organization, Hofstra Lifetime Achievement Award, etc.  During his time at Hofstra, Bob was president of the Hofstra University Pride Club, a member of various honor societies, sports editor of the Hofstra Chronicle, and manager of the track team.”  [Whew!]

Bob Brandt – An Appreciation
Writes Felice Greenbaum Berger (1976) – “Probably not many Wheatley graduates know this, but Bob was raised in Tanzania by missionary parents, and he became a deacon in his church.  As a nice Jewish girl, all of  this intrigued me, as my mom was raised in Cuba and my dad was born in Poland.  Bob was a fabulous teacher and demonstrated how diversity makes this world a better place; the values and lessons that he taught us mattered to me, and I still play them forward where I can.  I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve referenced Bob’s lesson about strategy and risk, which he based on studying World War I alliances.  I also still talk about his personality, diverse background, and looks, which always reminded me of Czar Nicholas II.

Carol Busch Vogt – We Are Everywhere
Writes Carol – “After teaching in several other places, I moved to Long Island and taught Social Studies at Wheatley from 1983 to 2003.  I loved every minute of teaching, right up to the last day, but wanted time to attend to something of a “bucket list” I’d compiled the last year I was working.  Most recently, I became a member of the Board of Directors of Friends of Cedarmere and work with my colleagues to preserve and restore William Cullen Bryant’s estate in Roslyn.  Once on the Board, I found out that one of the other Board members, Kevin Angliss, is a 1968 Wheatley graduate.  

That was the first Wheatley connection.  Then, a few months ago, I responded to an inquiry to hold a high school reunion event at Cedarmere the first weekend in October.  When I called the applicant I found out that it was the 55th-year reunion of the  Wheatley Class of ’63.  They have scheduled a Cedarmere tour as one of the weekend activities….and Kevin Angliss, the ’68 grad, will be the tour guide.

So a group of Wheatley Class of 1963 alumni will have a tour with a Wheatley ’68 grad arranged by a Wheatley retired teacher!  Not sure whether this would be interesting to anyone reading the Newsletter, but I thought I’d let you know about it.”

Graduates:

1958 – Edward Brown – Ed’s model train set
Writes David Caine (1974) – “As I was growing up Edward had the most amazing Lionel train layout a kid could ever imagine. There were not just various locomotives and specialty cars but an intricate layout that included tunnels, light houses, gate crossings, and an elaborate landscaping.  It was a most memorable and joyous time for me to visit this artistry.”

Responds Edward Brown -  As for the train set, yes indeed, it really was fantastic.  However, when I left home and moved on in life, I left it to my brother Arthur (Brown, 1967) who played with it until he left home to continue his life.  And then when my mother eventually had to give up the house and move down to Atlanta to be with Arthur, we broke down the set and boxed up the various cars, engines, lights, switches, etc.  Had they been in mint condition and in their original packaging, today they would be worth a fortune!  However, they all currently reside in a few packing crates in a storage shed that my brother maintains down in Atlanta.  And like so many things like that these days, when my brother and I are both gone, the trains will undoubtedly end up in a dumpster.

1958 – Steve Nelson – More on ‘Nam
I’ve been reluctant to wade into the debate between Hal Whack (1966) and Paul Giarmo (1976) about the Vietnam War; but this hits home for me, because I was a casualty of the war, not from fighting in Vietnam, but from fighting the U.S. government’s conduct of the war.

U.S. intervention in a civil war in Vietnam was a huge mistake based on a phony legal pretext called the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (later repealed by Congress, but only after the damage was done).  Those who were wounded and died in Vietnam were victims of this ill-conceived policy.  The troops there were largely fighting to save themselves and their buddies, not for the corrupt South Vietnamese government.  It’s no wonder that as they grew weary of the war, many of the troops smoked dope, wrote peace signs on their helmets, and adopted as their anthem the hit single by The Animals, “We Gotta Get out of This Place.” 

Paul objects to anti-war protesters burning the American flag.  This act (upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court as a constitutional expression of free speech under the First Amendment) was directed at the government and its policies, not the troops.  And stories about returning vets being spat upon have largely been debunked. See https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/13/opinion/myth-spitting-vietnam-protester.html.

Back home, the war disrupted the lives of many Americans, both relatives and friends of the troops, and the activists, men and women, who opposed the war.  For me it meant standing up to the Selective Service System and in good conscience refusing to serve.  For a first-person account of the painful and lasting consequences of doing so, read my memoir: www.gettinhome.com

1960 – Neill and Norman Coffey – And Still More on ‘Nam
Art, as you sometimes edit the submissions, please take out the admissions by some alumni that they are proud of the fact that they “got out of going to Nam.”   I consider it a slap in the face to ALL of our alumni who are proud Vietnam Vets.  Norman & Neill Coffey (both 1960).

[Art responds - As I say in every newsletter, I edit “for clarity and concision.”  I never edit (i.e., censor), and I never not publish, for or based on content.  I have published opinions on both sides of the Vietnam debate……but mostly “pro-war,” or at least “pro-veteran,” as that is mostly what I have received.]

1961 – Patricia Kirk Hefferan – Holding Hands
I loved Mr. Doig because I loved history and still do.  Also, he was an outstanding teacher, as were Mr. Loring and Mr. Hanson, the latter of whom wrote in my yearbook, "Dear Patty - To someone who will never be a mere housewife."  I always remember those words. He was an erudite and wonderfully inspiring teacher.  I also had an outstanding Algebra teacher who showed me that I could actually comprehend math.  Mr. Fradkin taught me Latin.  At the time, I didn't appreciate all that he was as a teacher; but I do now, as I sing sacred hymns with a large community choir, and they are all in Latin.
  

1961 – Cornelius (“Neil”) Tiebout – Deceased

Neil grew up on Orchard Meadow Road in East Williston and settled in Napa, CA.  He studied psychology in college and worked for AT&T for several decades.

Writes sister-in-law Ellen Neely Goodwillie (1967) – “Neil passed away on Sunday Morning, 9/2/18.  He and Claudia Neely Wainwright Tiebout (my sister) had just moved from Napa, CA to Christiansburg, VA on April 16th of this year to be near Claudia's daughter Alison Wainwright Davitt, of Blacksburg, VA and her granddaughters Lily and Emilie.  Neil had another step-granddaughter, Reka Wainwright, who lives in London, UK with her dad (Claudia’s Son), Jonathan Wainwright and her mom Eszter Wainwright.  Neil leaves a son Cory (Cornelius Tiebout), of Napa, CA, and daughter Candi (Candace) Emerson, of Plano, Texas, along with son-in-law Todd Emerson, and 4 grandsons - CJ & Cameron Tiebout and Jack & Neil Emerson.  Neil was predeceased by his 1st wife, MaryAnn Tiebout.  He passed away peacefully with Claudia by his side.

1965 – Ronald Judkoff – Saving the World
Write’s Ron - I’m still working at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in Golden, CO, but only half time these days. Just enough to mentor the new crop of building-energy scientists and to pursue a couple of ideas I have to help save the world from climate change.

Buildings account for 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. My career has been researching how to reduce energy use and associated carbon emissions in the world’s building stock. We have come far enough in this work that California recently enacted laws that all new residential buildings be “zero energy” by 2020 and commercial buildings by 2030.  Most of the increased stringency in building energy codes has been based on our work showing how cost-effectively to reduce energy use in buildings without sacrificing comfort or functionality.  Currently, I’m working on a new kind of air conditioning that works on water and a salt solution that is 50% to 80% (depending on local climate) more efficient than vapor compression systems.

1967 – Laura Rand Davis – Admiration
Writes Carl Wirth (1967) – “I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of our classmate Laura Davis Rand.  Laura was my ‘high school sweetheart,’ as we dated all of our senior year and part of my freshman year of college.  Unfortunately, with her in Nursing School in Queens and me in college in Wahoo, Nebraska, we knew it was best to say, ‘good-bye.’  Laura stood all of 5 foot tall…..in heels.  There is a great picture of her with Richard Abbott, whom she dated junior year, in the 1966 yearbook.  Laura came to Wheatley her sophomore year, and we became fast friends long before we dated.  Laura was the goalie for the Field Hockey Team and played basketball when a high scoring game might be 22-16.  She was the star catcher for our softball team…… I wrote about girls’ sports for The Wildcat as “Carol Wirth.”  Laura also was one of the two girls that played for the Trolleycarls, my softball team (the other was Melissa Jean Davis).  Laura worked at the Century movie theatre, along with a bunch of us guys from our class.  She and I once got docked a day's pay when the manager caught us making out in the balcony during our break.  She and I doubled dated with Corrine Zebrowski and Frank Vedder for our senior prom.  Laura and I went to many Broadway shows together (my grandmother cleaned theatres for a living, so I got a lot of free tickets), and we loved going to the Village to hear the latest music.  While in Nursing School she met Charlie Rand, a lovable big old guy (but everybody was big next to Laura).  They married on June 26, 1971.  They had two kids, Kelly and Shaemus.  Laura was a wonderful person, with reddish brown hair, freckles and a laugh to melt your heart.  Rest in peace, sweetheart.”

Writes Kathy Little Cryder (1977) - I was sad to hear of the passing of Laura Davis.  Her sister Barbara Davis Finch (1970) and my sister Joan Little (1970) were great friends. I believe they attended Corpus Christi together. 

1967 – Carl Wirth – Latest Doings
I have been invited to share my ideas for change and reform in the Archdiocese of Omaha with the archbishop here on the impact of the priest sex scandal here.  Nebraska is one of the states (like New York) where the Attorney General has sued for all past records.  I strongly believe more needs to be done to hold to account past and present bishops who have covered up these crimes.  I am calling for the appointment here of a Vice Chancellor of our archdiocese that must either be a lay woman or a religious woman (the nuns here are way more liberal than any of the priests).  On the midterm political news, my dear wife and I have met with both the Democratic candidates for US Senate and Governor of Nebraska.  My wife just retired last month after teaching Pharmacy at Creighton University for 31 years.  She is leading the effort to Expand Medicare, and I am working for legislation for debt forgiveness for college grads who agree to teach in the inner city (like I did).  Nebraska is one of the Reddest states in the union, but in 2008 we did gain one electoral vote for Obama, so watch the map election night.

1968 – Todd Strasser – Prolific Author
I return to Wheatley every January to participate in the Mid-Term Experience, at which creatives and media types share their experiences and conduct workshops with students.  Because I attended Wheatley during the late 1960s, when public sentiment was starting to turn strongly against the war in Vietnam, I was greatly influenced by the attitudes of my teachers and fellow students.  It took a few years -- well, actually, more like half a century -- to find a story in which I could express those antiwar feelings engendered so long ago. Published in July, Price of Duty is my 103rd novel for young adults.  As you can see from the snippets below, the book is being quite well received and has already gone into its second printing.

1970 – Barbara Ann Davis Finch - Deceased
Shortly after noting (Newsletter # 22) the September 3, 2018 death of Laura Davis Rand (1967), I learned that her sister Barbara Ann Davis Finch, of Ames, IA, had predeceased her on December 17, 2008, near Albert Lea, MN, of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.  Here’s a local obituary and a link to it:
Barbara was born Nov. 17, 1952, in New York City to James and Ruth Davis.  On Jan. 17, 1981, she was united in marriage to Robert Finch, and they had three children.
Barbara was a former Republican Iowa State Representative from House District 62 and was working at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames.  She was a member of the Story County Farm Bureau and served on the Governor's Task Force for Sustainable Agriculture.  She was active in the Ballard school system, participating in the Booster Club and serving as a member of the school board and as its president.
Barbara was devoted to the love and happiness of her husband, children, family and many dear friends.  She loved public service and the opportunity it brought to meet and visit with people.
Barbara leaves behind her loving husband of 28 years, Bob Finch; and her children, Heath, Erin, and Matthew Finch, all of Ames; her brother, Frank (Sue) Davis, of New York; and her sister Laura (Charles) Rand, also of New York.  Her parents predeceased her.
http://iagenweb.org/boards/story/obituaries/index.cgi?read=214069

1970 – Joan Little - Deceased
Writes sister Kate Little Cryder (1977) – “Sadly, my sister passed on January 15, 2018.  She suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1992, days before the birth of my son.  It was a difficult 25 years.  She was a very shy person in high school, and I doubt many will remember her, but she was funny and brilliant and my big sister, so I share this in hopes that someone will remember her fondly, as I do.”

1970 – Luis E. Rios – Beach Boy

Writes Luis – “Reading about Wheatley Alumni is great.   All is well here in Raleigh, North Carolina.  I’ve been blessed……and I hope all my 1970 classmates have been, too.”

1974 – Susan Chan Beaver – Climbing Everest
Writes sister Patricia Chan Lambuth, 1976 – “I'm sure my sister, Susan Chan Beaver '74, wouldn't say anything, but she, her daughter, and 8 women friends are currently hiking to Everest base camp. I am very proud of her.”

1976 – Felice Greenbaum Berger – Assessing Risk
Years ago I worked at the NY Mercantile Exchange as a Project Manager implementing financial systems, training staff, negotiating vendor contracts, and supporting mergers and acquisitions activities.  For the last 20 years I’ve been working at The Bank of New York Mellon.  The first ten years were in Finance, during which I helped implement an employee engagement program that hired summer interns, college students, and up and coming millennials.

Since then I’ve been doing risk strategy, realignment of services, business continuity, HR, and Finance functions, as well as technology project risk assessments.  I look at enterprise risks in various ways: Country risk, regulatory risk, third-party risks, and technology risks.  I use two board games, Risk and Stratego, to teach teamwork to my college-student mentees and my young staff and as part of an exercise to work on their risk and customer service/partnering skills.  Instant gratification doesn’t always happen in business, and these traits need to be instilled early in one’s career.  My parents always taught my brother Glen (1966) and sister Lynn (1969) and me to appreciate all cultures, and that continues in my office today with a global, diverse workforce.

1977 – Katherine (“Kate”) Litte Cryder – Life is Good!
My family owned Little’s, the bar that is now TR's, on Hillside Avenue in Williston Park.  I presently live in Deep River, CT, where I am the Tax Collector.  Life is good!

1978 – John Mazlish – Encore Gig
Hey Gang, the Metropolitan Bistro (39 Roslyn Avenue, Sea Cliff, NY 11579, 516-801-4500) liked us so much, we played there again on September 20, 2018.  High school buddies that came last time included Seth Kaplan and Bruno Giufurta.  Seeing them was awesome!!  Hoping for more familiar faces next time!!

1979 – Gwendolyn (“Wendy”) McClure
My Mom and Lois Faruolo (mother of Frank Faruolo, Jr., 1970; Donna Faruolo Gillen, 1971; Thomas Faruolo, 1972; John Faruolo, 1979; and Edward (now “Edison”) Faruolo, 1981) worked at New York Hospital together in the '50's.  In 1970 our family bought and moved into the house of Lillian Jerome (mother of Timothy Jerome, 1961; and Kyle Jerome, 1971) at 453 Roslyn Road, East Williston.  When Lillian announced to her ballet class, which she taught in our "playroom" (with ballet bars to boot), that she was selling her home to the McClure's, Lois, who lived around the corner at 17 Post Avenue and who was in Lillian’s class, asked if it was Muriel and Richard McClure, and Lillian said YES!  So my Mom and Lois were one block away and reunited after they had parted over a decade before! I LOVED LOIS SO MUCH!  (Lois passed away very recently.)

Fan Mail:

Administrator (Norman Boyan, Wheatley’s First Principal) - Art, Thanks so much, again and again, for keeping me posted on Wheatley, past and present.  You do a wonderful service for the School.

Faculty (Carol Busch Vogt) - Thanks for all the work you do…..I look forward to and enjoy reading the newsletters.

1958 (Audrey Warde Muccio) - Thanks again for the newsletter.  Kudos to Paul Giarmo and recognition to those who thanklessly served in Vietnam.  And thanks to classmate Ed Brown for the bio.

1960 (Elaine Kent Abrams) - I enjoy reading all the updates in the newsletter.  Thanks for all your hard work.

1960 (Michael Mondshein) - Thanks again.  It is with great anticipation that I look forward to reading about the wonderful accomplishments of my fellow Wheatley Wildcats!  Being a part of such a great heritage is truly amazing.  I’m alive and well and living back in South Florida to be near my children and grandchildren.

1961 (Ed Roman) - Art, thank you for the frequent updates.  The older I get, the more I tend to look back at the old, carefree (may not have thought so at the time) days of high school.  Your newsletters bring back refreshing fond memories of a wonderful time of my life.  Thanks.

1962 (John Cilmi) - Great job, Art!  Keep them coming.  I look forward to every issue.

1965 (Ray Christian) - Good job, as always.  Glad you take the time to do this Newsletter.  I enjoy reading it.  Be well, be happy!

1965 (Barry Gordon) - An outstanding newsletter.  Thanks!  BTW, I e-mailed Jeff Leeson after reading his remarkable story.

1965 (Martha Weissberg) – Newsletter # 22 was fascinating.  Jeffrey Leeson???  Oh. my.

1966 (Suzanne Stone) - Congrats again and thanks!

1968 (Carol Chock) - Wow, we are an interesting bunch!  Thanks for continuing to keep us all in touch.

1968 (Sue Mittenthal) - Always interesting.  Thanks for catching us up.

1968 (Todd Strasser) - Thanks for all you do.

1969 (Gerald Gersh) - Hey Art, good edition!  Your edits and all!  Hope you’re well ;) Gerry

1971 (Merraine Sesskin) - I enjoy all of your writings and updates.  Keep up the great work!

1972 (Robin Freier Edwards) - Thanks so much for keeping up with this newsletter, Art.  I always look forward to reading it and seeing familiar names.  We were so fortunate to grow up in such a wonderful place.

1974 (Vicki Abbott Pitcavage) - Good job on the newsletter, as always.

1975 (Steve Nathan) – Thanks so much for your interesting/fun newsletters.  I enjoy reading these and catching-up thru bios and news.  Great job!

1975 (Amy Rothbaum Patalano) -  Thank you, Arthur!  We appreciate all you do.

1977 (Kate Little Cryder) - Thanks for all you do to keep us Alum up to date. 

1979 (John Faruolo) - Thank you for your efforts in keeping Wheatley people connected.  I enjoy reading the updates. 

1979 (Gwendolyn [“Wendy”] McClure) - Thank you, Arthur!  Always fascinating to read about the lives of Wheatley classmates and faculty.

1990 (Ian Solomon) - Art, Thank you for doing this.  I really enjoyed reading it.  What a treat.  I appreciate all your efforts.

2001 – (Christine Bashian Murphy) - Thanks so much for keeping all us Wildcats up to date.

2009 (Amanda Hartman) - Great newsletter, Art!  I absolutely love Carl Wirth's tribute to Laura Davis Rand, who lived in the house right at the end of my block.

Closing:
That’s it for the Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 23.  Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.
Art

Keep in touch!