The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 103

And the Hits Just Keep on Coming

ARTHUR ENGORON April 10,2023

 

Dear Wheatley Wildcats and Other Interested Persons,

Welcome to The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 103.

According to Substack, in the first 24 hours after publication Newsletter # 102 was viewed 5,252 times, was “liked” 19 times, and received 1 (positive) comment. In all, 4,648 email addresses receive the Newsletter. Some of you are checking it out more than once!

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

The Usual Words of Wisdom

Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first 102 Newsletters (and much other Wheatley data and arcana) at

Wheatley School Alumni Association Website

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

I edit all submissions, even material in quotes, for clarity and concision, without any indication thereof.  I do not vouch for the accuracy of what people tell me.

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 and/or studied there. Art Engoron, Class of 1967

Bay Area Bash

Writes Larry Rosenthal (1965) - “Art, based on its predecessor’s roaring success a mere 3 ½ years ago, I’m pleased to announce The Second Annual (?) Unofficial San Francisco Bay Area Wheatley Reunion Potluck (TSA(?)USFBAWRP), to be held Sunday May 14, 2023, noon - 4pm, in my Berkeley CA back yard. Once again, fellow Berkeleyan Peter Siegel (’66) will be there, along with Roy Nierenberg (’63) from neighboring El Cerrito. And just so everyone feels comfortable, I’m asking that attendees take an antigen test that morning. Interested Wildcats, please email me at larros99@gmail.com. Best, Larry”

Wheatley Football - Correction!!!

Writes George Gettinger (1968) - “Hello Arthur, I just read Issue # 102 and saw the below photo. I don't remember building this pyramid and the taking of this photo, but I do remember what I look like! Unless Richard Frankfort (1969) begs to differ, the person in the lower right position is me, George Gettinger, Class of 1968.”

Wheatley Football - Told by Paul Giarmo

Writes Paul (1976) - Dear Art (aka ‘a Wheatley student picked at random’),

I loved Issue # 101 on Wheatley Football and the recollections of some of our ‘gridiron greats.’ The issue motivated me to look through all my notes on our storied past, and I respectfully offer the following (hopefully) brief comments:

1) First of all, a shout out to my classmate and football teammate Ted Lipsky, who submitted two pictures of our 1974 team in action. That year, we went 6-1 with 3 shut-outs as a hybrid junior varsity/varsity team as juniors. The following summer, 1975, found us upstate in football camp for a week to prepare ourselves for the first Wheatley Varsity season since 1972. There were no varsity teams in 1973 and 1974, as we rebuilt the program at the j.v. level, with my class, 1976, and the 1977 class. Our '75 varsity football team finished with a record of 4 wins, 3 losses and 1 tie. There is a Newsday article dated Sunday, September 28th, 1975 that details our 19-0 victory over Horace Mann and the return of varsity football to our school. I guess those two-a-day practices in camp against Chaminade, a perennial Catholic Football League powerhouse, paid off. 

Teddy mentioned our game against Floral Park, and I would note that this game against the Knights took place at Wheatley on Saturday,  Nov. 15th, 1975 in our senior year, and was our last game of the season. 

Jeffrey Carduner (1963) mentioned that the 1962 team finished 4-4 in North Shore Division 4, and he is correct. What the humble Mr. Carduner did not mention, however, is that he blocked the Frogs' tying extra point in Wheatley's 13-12  victory over Carle Place. He also blocked a 30 yard field goal attempt by Carle Place later in the game. This huge upset against the Conference 4 Champs represented the only victory Wheatley recorded against the Frogs in 8 games played between 1959 and 1972. The Newsday article of Monday, October 29th, 1962, misspelled Jeff's last name as ‘Carduna,’ which sounds like an Italian vegetable to me.

Anthony Napoli (1965) also mentions the Carle Place game, but uses 1963 as the date. We didn't win that one, however, losing 21-0 on November 5th, 1963. Tony also mentioned playing Roslyn at home, and winning by the score of 19-6. That would be the Saturday, September 22nd, 1962 opening game. But as a senior during the 1964 season, Wheatley again defeated Roslyn at home, this time by the score of 26-12 on Saturday,  September 26th, 1964. As a side note, he refers to Roslyn as the ‘Highlanders.’ Well, not quite. That would be the ‘Herricks Highlanders.’ Roslyn was originally known as the ‘Hilltoppers’ but long-ago changed their name to the ‘Bulldogs.’ And they have never quite lived up to their canine-derived reputation for ferocity. (We beat them three times in a row in the '70's, including a 15-0 shut-out in 1974).

BTW, can the historians out there please explain to me how Roslyn became our ‘arch-enemy’? Didn't our school derive from Mineola AND Roslyn? And where did the school district borders begin and end between Mineola and Roslyn before Wheatley was formed? Just asking.

Mitchell Laskey (1968) mentioned our victory over Eastern Military Academy. That game was played on Saturday, September 30th, 1967 at EMA and resulted in a 32-7 ✌️ victory for the then-Metropolitan Athletic Association of Private Schools ("Met League” or “MAAPS") Wildcats. The team finished with a 2-6 record in 1967. 

MAAPS was created in the 1960's. I don't know how long it was in existence, but Wheatley was briefly a member in the late '60's after leaving the North Shore Athletic Association Conference League 4, after the dismal results of the 1965 and 1966 seasons. That was Cat Davis' decision in order to rebuild the football program. I have the Newsday article where Cat talks about the decision to leave North Shore 4. We probably should have stayed in the MAAPS a little longer, because when Wheatley returned to NS 4 in 1969 and 1970 it was more ‘bad news,’ shall we say. 

As a final note, we haven't heard from the successful 1979 team, which finished the season at 5-3; or the 1987 team, which finished with a final record of 3-3-1. Both teams were under Head coach Dan Walsh and competed in the Island Football Conference. 

As a final, final note; back in 2016, when the combined Carle Place/Wheatley Wildfrogs played for the Conference 4 County Championship game at Hofstra, on former principal Sean Feeney's web site appeared a brief video of the 1957 Wheatley championship team pummeling the Seaford Vikings to finish 8-0. It's a short clip and illustrated the power and pride of that spectacular team; back when ‘we had it.’ I would love to see that movie clip reappear on this alumni website.

 I'm ‘kinda’ interested in the subject of Wheatley Football……..lol.

Paul (‘Spirit of '76’) Giarmo” 

Wheatley Football - By Jack Lipsky

“A special word of thanks to the two best coaches I ever had: Bill Lawson and Irwin August. One further note about Wheatley Football, I fondly remember my Father taking my brothers and myself to see many of the team’s home games in the early 1960's. It seems like only yesterday that we heard the cheerleaders shouting, "Murphy, Murphy, he's our man, if he can't do it, Manniello can".  Thanks for the memories! Jack Lipsky 1969

‘Hood Housing

Writes SuZanne Zenker Gilbride (1974) - Dear Judith Oppenheim Darrah (1972), Thank You for the memories.…..OMG, I remember your name and family name……Joe Orr is a name I hadn’t heard in years, and yes, he was the man that fixed all the breaks in the floors, like new……I was wondering if we are talking about the same small magazine; here’s another page of our Jetson / Brady Bunch style home LOL

Administration

L-R - 1967 Graduate Art Engoron, Current Principal Joseph Wiener - Career Day 2023

Faculty

Irwin August - Appreciated

Writes Rick Lowenthal (1970) - “With the various references to the Cross Country team, et al. - not long ago I contacted the funeral home in Madison, Connecticut that handled Dr. August's service. I thought I would pay my respects and visit his grave site. I was told there was no burial/grave site info.  I'm assuming his ashes were spread somewhere.  I would have attended his funeral, but I only learned of his passing years later.  I did find a truly beautiful letter he had written to me on October 29, 1969.  It's really quite personal and it illustrates what kind of guy Coach August was.”

David Israel - Appreciated

Writes Jeff Asquith (1972) - “Hi Art, I missed out on the accolades to David Israel!  Mr. Israel (I'll never be able to call him anything else) had a huge impact on my life!  I loved his class and his exquisite way of making me think (and our many discussions) that made English my major in college.  I never did become the English teacher I wanted to be, but my daughter followed the influence on English in my life and today is an exceptional High School English Teacher!  Thank you, Mr Israel, for the wonderful influence you always had on my life!

Graduates

1965 - Hank Alpert and Mitch Ditkoff - Buddies and a Book

Writes Mitch - “Two weeks ago I got together with Hank Alpert -- someone I went to school with from 1st Grade (Willets Road) and also junior high and high school (and summer camp). We hadn't seen each other in 55 years!  It was as if no time had passed. Such a beautiful reunion -- and one that will continue in the months and years to come.”

Also, I am happy to announce that my new poetry book website ("Unspoken Word: Love, Longing & Letting Go")  is now live! Whoo hoo! Click on the link below to check it out. 

Designed by Larry Lefkowitz, it includes some spoken word, music, downloadable excerpts, plus Tim Hain and Stuart Hoffman each singing their favorite poem from the book, which will be available, on Amazon, in a few weeks. 

If you want to receive an email alert when it comes out, simply enter your info in the space provided on the website. 

And if you know anyone who might be interested, please feel free to forward them the link. Thanks! Much love, Mitch

1965 - Robert Stern - Birdland Gig

Writes Bob - “I'm returning to play violin at NYC's Birdland Jazz Club (315 W44th St) on May 19-21, 2023 with amazing Mexican guitarist Gil Gutierrez.  Here are the details: https://birdlandjazz.com/event/gil-gutierrez-trio-in-the-theater/

Would be wonderful to see Wheatleyites there.  Some members of the Class of 1965 have already gotten their tickets.

Birdland, is a world famous jazz venue.  We played 3 years running at the late, great (before Covid) Jazz Standard in NYC -- we were thrilled that Birdland survived the pandemic and booked us for a May weekend in 2022. The owner, Gianni Valenti, liked what we did so much last year that he immediately booked us again for 2023.  

Best, Bob Stern, Class of 1965 and a proud Wheatley Orchestra alum.

PS:  Here's a Youtube video of a tune a few years back at The Jazz Standard.   

1967 - Three Amigos

L-R - Art Engoron, Mitch Stephens, Richard Friedman (all 1967) on the occasion of Mitch Stephens’s Retirement Party after teaching and administrating Journalism at New York University for 46 years.

1967 - Art Engoron - Inside Wheatley with the Other Career Day Presenters

The only person that I can ID is the guy toward the middle with the red tie. 3/31/2023

1968 - Sheli Nan (Hershcopf) - Composer and Concert Giver

Writes Sheli - Dear Wheatleyites, Thanks so much to those of you who attended my concert. And thank you, Artie, for publishing the information about it.

I offer it to our community via this link for those of you that could not attend and/or are curious about the piece.

Sincerely- Sheli Nan

The video for the premiere performance of American Promise is now posted on YouTube. Here is the link to it…

  Sheli Nan

Composer, Performer, Teacher, Author, Shelinan.muse@gmail.com

www.SheliNan.com

The American Prize

1968 - Lisa Mintz Harris - Teaching and Writing

Writes Lisa - Reading the newsletter brings back memories of people I used to know. The letter from Ellen Frey Wineman made me think of Pierce Country Day School, where we worked together. Her husband, Andy, was my first group leader when we worked with 4-year-old boys. We worked together for a few years, and I still remember working with them and knowing these kids someday might be parents themselves. One of them was Gary Fallows, whom I remember dressing as Superman. Who knows, maybe he became a doctor, like his father.

Now I have a 5-year-old granddaughter; she is the same age as the first kids I worked with back then. How many of you also worked at Pierce? Years later, I worked as an art specialist with assistants at other various camps, but Pierce was my very first job other than working as a babysitter.

It is strange the things you remember even from back then. Since then I have been a teacher with the mentally challenged and, also, a caseworker. I also have written books. The first, called The Outside In Book, is written as if I was a ten-year-old girl who learns that even her teachers have to overcome their disabilities. It can be read by kids and teachers alike. Each chapter is about different teachers and their difficulties. I felt I could relate to them all, as they were part of me or people I knew, especially the art teacher, who, I found out later in life, figured out that I was not a slow learner, but that I had dyslexia and needed to learn in a different way. That is how I also became a photographer, and since than I have given lectures and been involved in many art shows.

I would like to hear back if you have any comments you would like to share. If anyone would like to get a copy of the book or share it with their students, let me know:

LILEIGH@OPTONLINE.NET

1968 - John Mok - Writes John - “I empathize with Neal Kirby (1966) and his plight.  When my family and I lived in TX, it was too hot and too dry most of the year, but we were not threatened by wildfires.  Living a stone's throw from tornado alley, twisters were our major concern, and their severity has steadily increased due to climate change.  All the more reason why we now consider ourselves fortunate to live adjacent to the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system on the planet.

Alas, we may all be destined to become alter kakers.  If so, my vocabulary remains infused with Yiddish words that I picked up during my formative years at Wheatley to fulfill that role.  Words that my colleagues in Hong Kong, Texas and Kentucky did not understand, but are right at home with my neighbors in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Cheers, John”

1969 - William Kirchick - Writes Bill - “Hi Art—recently my son Jamie made his third appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. He appeared with Winsome Earle-Sears, Lt. Governor of Virginia, and Chris Sununu, Governor of New Hampshire. His book, Secret City, The Hidden History of Gay Washington, has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list.”

1969 - Paul Ingrassia and Jack Lipsky - Paul Out Front

Writes Jack - Dear Art: A shout-out to Paul (“Flea”) Ingrassia. I had the distinct privilege of running Track with Paul for 4 years and cross country for one. Suffice it to say that I always could see the number on the back of his jersey in every race. A truly awesome competitor!".  Thanks for the memories!

Jack Lipsky 1969

1983 - Mark Horowitz - Gym Buddies

L-R - Art Engoron (1967), Mark Horowitz (1983)

1983 - Bernadette McCrave Quinn - Helping Wheatley Athletes and Athletics

Writes Bernadette - “Art, the Wildcat Athletic Foundation collected 1,625 pairs of shoes as a fundraising effort for Wildcat Athletes! Helps with homecoming and a new mascot and offsets some costs if the sports teams needs any equipment, etc!”

1997 - Krishma Tuli Arora - Author

I received the following email “out of the blue.” “Hello Wheatley Alumni Team,

We wanted to alert you to the forthcoming release of alumna Krishma Tuli Arora's novel From Ash To Ashes, publishing May 23, 2023 by Apprentice House Press ("A complex depiction of a family in turmoil" — Kirkus Reviews). Krishma attended The Wheatley School for grades 8-12 and graduated in 1997.

Krishma immigrated to the United States from India when she was five years old, and like Mira, the protagonist in her novel, grew up on Long Island and then attended NYU. She is a poet, writer, and public speaker. For a few years, she was the author of “Free Spirit,” a monthly column in her hometown magazine, Brookville Living. 

She lives in New York with her husband and four children, and began writing From Ash to Ashes seventeen years ago, after the death of her first child. His loss was the inspiration for her book, and she has dedicated it to his memory. In addition to From Ash to Ashes, she is also writing a collection of essays on womanhood and motherhood as seen through the eyes of a woman of color.

We would love to see news of Krishma's debut novel published in the alumni newsletter. If you would like any further information, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Sincerely, Emily Keough, Mindbuck Media Book Publicity

Fan Mail

Administration (Principal Joseph Wiener) - ❤️

Faculty (Robert Brandt) - ❤️

1960 (Joanne Festa Lemanis) - ❤️

1960 (Ken Martin) - “Some vacation - some respite. I thought I heard ‘twas August for the next publication. No rest for the weary! Be well. Ken

1960 (Donna Maxfield Chimera) - ❤️

1962 (John Vedder) - ❤️

1963 (Keith Aufhauser) - “Prodigious, prestigious, promethean.”

1965 (Mitch Ditkoff) - “Thanks for all you have done and are doing to produce the Wheatley Newsletter. Much appreciated!”

1965 (Karen Kaduson Calloway) - ❤️

1965 (Ronnie Moore) - ❤️

1965 (Sharon Neely Halm) - ❤️

1965 (Laurel Osrow) - ❤️

1967 (Ellen Frey Wineman) - “Thanks and keep up the good work. I am always impressed with the newsletter. I know it must be a large amount of work for you.”

1967 (Jill Simon Forte) - “Love as always ❤️☮️”

1967 (Barbara Smith Stanisic) - “As always, a great job, Art.” ❤️

1968 (George Gettinger) - "Keep up the great work.”

1968 (John Mok) - “Hi Art, Another wonderful newsletter.”

1970 (Maria Giordano Gittleman) - ❤️

1970 (Rick Lowenthal) - “Art, As always, many thanks for your newsletters.  It's mostly your 'fault' that many of us have been reconnecting with people we thought we'd never see or hear from again. It's actually been quite a lot of fun.”

1971 (Carolyn Braun-Evans) - ❤️

1971 (Mitch Mudick) - “Just read and enjoyed (as always) the latest newsletter.”

1971 (Merrie Sesskin) - ❤️

1972 (Suellyn Karben Giserman) - ❤️

1972 (Jeffrey Kargman) - ❤️

1972 (Sheri Nathan Risolia) - ❤️

1973 (Edward Ryder) - “Thanks, Art.”

1976 (Paul Giarmo) - “Thanks very much for everything you do for us. I still don't know how you have all the energy.”

1977 (Peter Fitzpatrick) - ❤️

1977 (Wendy Wise Kilpatrick) - ❤️

1986 (Diane Knowles) - ❤️

Closing

That’s it for The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 103.  Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.

Art

Arthur Fredericks Engoron, Class of 1967

WHEATLEYALUMNI@AOL.COM

ARTENGORON@GMAIL.COM

WWW.WHEATLEYALUMNI.ORG

646-872-4833