The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 237

Holocaust Survivor Interviews; Mr. Wathey; Piano Performances; Name Changes; Banner Day; Before and After Photos; 2016 Anniversary Celebration Photos ; and More

Welcome to The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 237.

Wheatley Students Interview Holocaust Survivors

The April 2025 issue of the Tower Times, a newspaper published within and for North Shore Towers, there is an article about Wheatley students interviewing Holocaust survivors. A user-friendly recap is printed below.

“The Wheatley School interviews NST Holocaust Survivors”

Photo caption on the left - “Eva Kessner and Suzanne Chemtob With a Wheatley School Student”

Photo caption on the right - “Vera Frankel with students from The Wheatley School”

Photo caption on the bottom - “Students learn the stories of the Holocaust”

Article - “Who will tell ‘The Never Again Stories’ when the last Holocaust Survivor is gone? The new generations who are exhibiting an interest are listening to them now.

NST residents Julie Jacobson and Marcia Truland, both former educators, ran a Hadassah event, hosting a group of students and teachers from the Wheatley School in Old Westbury. The students came to the Coleridge Lounge to interview ten of the Holocaust survivors living at North Shore Towers. The school provided a bagel lunch, which everyone enjoyed together. Students had the opportunity to interview the survivors and create posters to take back to their school for display.

On the bus ride back to school, the students were sharing with each other the stories they had learned. Both students and Holocaust survivors found it to be a rewarding and important educational experience.

The North Shore Towers participating survivors were Suzanne Chemtob, Vera Frankel, Peri Hirsch, Gustave Hirschhorn, Celia Kener, Kristine Karen, Eva Kessner, Rose Koren, Daisy Nass, and Rosalie Simon. The Migdal Chapter of Hadassah thanks Julie and Marsha for making this event a memorable, rewarding experience for everyone involved. (Photos by Julie Jacobson)

Administration

Beth Davidson (1959) Writes - “I love reading all the stories about Mr. Wathey. He was the Assistant Principal when I was a student at Wheatley. Dr. Norman Boyan was the Principal when the school opened. We were such a small school, and the administration was directly involved with the student body, which was wonderful. I was involved in the formation of the student government, which was so much fun. I feel so grateful to have had the experience of attending Wheatley, particularly because of the fact that I attended it when it was brand spanking new. The experience of choosing the school colors and choosing the school mascot and hearing the school Alma Mater for the first time (I can still sing it, word for word) are experiences. I will never forget.”

Elvira “Vivi” Cilmi Kunz (1964) Writes - “Before he was our Principal at Wheatley, Mr. Wathey was our principal at North Side. In this smaller setting, he was even more personable and caring. I often assisted in after-school activities, and he was always there to direct and make whatever we were doing fun. Collating papers in the office or cleaning out classroom turtle bowls (before those cute little critters were deemed bacteria pods) were often our tasks.....and he was always right there to cheer us on. I especially remember his gentle smile as he encouraged us to do the jobs.

When I got to Wheatley, I again assisted in office work (mostly during the summers), and again he would be present and helpful. I never heard him raise his voice to anyone, and that made being with him so very inspiring. Because his example was so strong, I looked toward a future in education. I retired at 75 after almost 50 years, and his memory as I taught and administered was always strong. He was a great example of a respected and respectful educator.”

Malcolm McNeill (1965) Writes - “Further about Wes Wathey: Early in our senior year, Mr. Wathey was driving our prom committee to various potential sites for consideration. That was about the time a movie about D-Day called “The Longest Day” hit the theaters. I mentioned to him that I had seen the movie and thought it was very realistic. He then mentioned to me that he was actually there, on June 6, 1944, on Omaha Beach! We were very lucky to have him as a mentor, friend and principal.”

Claude Levy (1966) Writes - “I was impressed that I had a chance to meet with Mr. Wathey (I wouldn’t have dared think of him as ‘Wes’) as an American Field Service (“AFS”) foreign exchange student. I enjoyed reading several recent stories about him. Thanks.”

Jill Simon Forte (1967) Writes - “I loved hearing the backstory of Mr. Wathey ……and nice to know that he was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, just as my husband, Bob Forte (1965), was back then.

Sara Beth Kalb (1971) Writes - “Walter Wathey was my hero. In 1971, it was not ‘cool’ to go to your senior prom, and none of my close friends were going. Nevertheless, I decided that when I looked back on my life, I would want to be able to say that I had gone to my senior prom. I let it be known through the Wheatley grapevine that I wanted to attend and fortunately, the president of the class, David Kurman, was looking for a date. (I think presidents of their class were expected to attend.) David and I were not good friends, but we knew each other, and he invited me to the prom. He picked me up with a lovely orchid corsage in hand, and off we went. When we got to the venue, much to my chagrin, I was the only girl wearing a short dress. Literally, the only one. I do remember the dress was yellow. Needless to say, I felt quite awkward. I’m not sure how David felt. Mr. Wathey, sensing my discomfort, decided that he should ask me to dance very early on in the evening, and we did. He broke the ice for me. Thereafter, David and I had a glorious evening of dancing and just having a wonderful time together along with our classmates who felt it ‘cool’ enough to attend. David and I spoke from time to time thereafter, but we never became good friends. It was a magical moment in time. Mr. Wathey opened the door and made me feel included, and the evening remains a great memory. Many thanks to Mr. Wathey and, of course, to David.”

Amy Brumer (1977) Writes - “Hi Art, When I graduated in 1977, Mr. Wathey and Mr. Nixon were there. Mr. Wathey did so much for Wheatley; thanks for mentioning him. I didn’t know that he passed away. My condolences. Best, Amy Brumer”

UPCOMING WILDCAT PERFORMANCES

If you would like more joy in your life (and who doesn’t ), Takemi Ueno 1983 will play Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (with its famous “Ode to Joy”) with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra on Fri., Nov. 14, at 8 pm, at Symphony Space (Broadway & 95^th St.). You can get general admission tickets (there is no assigned seating) for $27 instead of $32 at the orchestra’s website (nasorch.org) until 3 pm the day of the concert. Seniors and students can purchase $25 tickets at Symphony Space’s box office.

Takemi will also perform with the Doctors’ Orchestra on Thu., Dec. 18, at 7:30 PM, at the High School for the Fashion Industries, 225 W. 24^th St. (between Seventh and Eighth Avenues). The Doctors’ Orchestra will play Tchaikovsky’s Festival Overture, which is based on the Danish National Anthem (composed because a Danish princess married an heir to the Russian throne); Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s trumpet concerto (the soloist is principal trumpet at the Baltimore Symphony); and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (orchestrated by Ravel). Free admission (no tickets required), although donations are much appreciated.

Graduates

1965 - Liz Zoob - “I have a bone to pick: the person my classmates knew as ‘Gibb Geery’ changed his name to ‘Saleem Pernath.’ He was never “Gibb ‘Saleen Pernath’ Geery,” which makes it sound like ‘Saleem Pernath’ was merely a nickname of some sort, similar to, for example, Ellen “Ellie” Senft, or Ilene “Cookie” Levine.”

Art Engoron Responds - Liz is correct; the person known as “Gibb Geery” at Wheatley changed his name to “Saleem Pernath.” Many Wildcats change their names after graduation. In such instances, my foremost goal is to use a name that classmates and other Wheatley graduates will recognize. But I should not have trivialized Saleem’s new name. I invite Liz and anyone/everyone to suggest how I should have handled this and future instances. “Saleem Pernath, formerly known as ‘Gibb Geery.’”? Saleem died in or about 2023. Incidentally, years ago, I correctly guessed that “Gibb” was his mother’s surname at her birth.

Liz Zoob Replies - “I agree that ‘Saleem Pernath, formerly known as ‘Gibb Geery,’ would have been appropriate.”

1967 - Jill Simon Forte - “In a recent Newsletter photo, Bob Forte (1965) recognized the people from his graduation year …… and he told me who he remembered as nice guys 😉. BTW, after reading about your daredevil rides on a motorcycle, Art, I’m glad that I never went on one with you 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😁💙☮️.”

1967 - Art Engoron, Ben Ross, Dan Silver, and Mitch Stephens - Banner Day Winners

Art (with everyone’s help) Writes - In August of 1964, in the midst of that summer’s presidential campaigns, Ben Ross brilliantly one-upped the Republican nominee, Barry Goldwater, parodying his famous (or infamous) July convention speech with the slogan, “Extremism in Defense of the Mets is No Vice.” He, Dan, and Mitch painted it on a shower curtain liner (lovingly donated by Dan’s mother) so huge that it took three people (Dan, Mitch and Art) to parade it unfurled around the field at Shea Stadium for the New York Mets’s Second “Banner Day” (which was possibly the Second “Banner Day” anywhere). They won the grand prize, portable black and white General Electric television sets retailing for $100 for each of them.

Emerging math geniuses that these callow youths were, and eager to share the loot with the author, who could not be present that fateful day, Dan, Ben, and Mitch each kept a TV set and paid Art $25. Ben claimed that a $100 TV set was not worth $100 to him, as he was not about to purchase a TV set; but Art pointed out that these were not ordinary TV sets, they were “Banner Day TV Sets” Art’s argument carried the day, and Ben eventually ponied up.

Recently, journalist Josh Levin turned the saga into the first of two related topics of his inaugural sports and history podcast (the other being the enigmatic tale of Wilbur Huckle’s baseball and political careers). Mitch and Art add spicy commentary.

Banner Day Winners Podcast

Newsday’s Stan Isaac’s Banner Day Article

The History of Mets “Banner Day”

Ben Ross Responds to the last link - “I don’t think that history is correct at all. Banners were not banned from Mets games (maybe for a very short time, I might have forgotten that). I recall lots of banners at every game.

Art Replies - As the son of a son of the Bronx, thus a Yankee fan like my dad, I never followed the Mets that closely, so I can’t say whether Ben is correct. Maybe so. But the photos in that article are not to be missed.

1971 - Sara Beth Kalb and David Kurman (see above under “Administration”)

1972 - Judith Oppenheim Darrah - “After seeing our class photograph from 2016, at Wheatley’s 60th Year Reunion (see below), I thought it would be a great time to update everyone on two big events in my life.

1-After a lot of work, I have finally returned to my high school weight of 120 pounds. It’s been a loss of 105 pounds! I feel fantastic and my health is excellent.

Judith in 2018

Judith Now (2025)

2-With newly found confidence, I did something that I had always secretly wanted to try: I auditioned for a movie role. It’s for a part in a very small, locally produced Canadian film. The audition was so much fun, and I was so proud of myself. What a shock when I was offered the role! Shooting begins in November, my scenes won’t be shot 2016until 2026. The role is a lot bigger than I expected, but the table read and rehearsals are going great. I play a 60-ish churchgoing, grandmotherly type (not typecast at all!). I will keep you updated.”

From the Archives - Miscellaneous Classes in 2016 - Help Wanted

L-R - Floor - Marcia Friedman Mayer (1963), Leslie Schiller Fisher (1963), Marianne Lamitola Downey (1963) (?), ???, Jeanne Messing (1961), ???, ???, ???

Chairs - ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, Carol Jalonack Blum (1961), ???, ???

Standing - Donna Kenton (1963), ???, ???, ???, Jerry Mintz (1961) (?), ???, Tim Jerome (1961) (?), ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, Liz Stone (1963), ???, ???, ???

From the Archives - Class of ‘65 In 2016 - New Names Added in Bold

L-R - Sitting - Louise Kampa Triano, Donna Hegyi Gillman, Sally Jablon, Ellen “Ellie” Senft Kochek, Jane Goldenberg Fire

Standing - ???, Saleem Pernath (then known as “Gibb Geery”), ???, ???, Neil Firetog, ???, Norman Resnicow, ???, Lanning “Lanny” Schiller, Ken Katz

From the Archives - Class of ‘72 in 2016 - Updated

Recent additions in bold.

Front Row - Elizabeth Diamond, Donna Filler-Wilensky, Pam Arcuri, Arlene “Ally” Acker, Jean Walsh, Richard Frishman, Bonnie Greenberg, Gloria Zibaida, Ellen Kandell

Back Row - Paul Celella, Judy Oppenheim Darrah, Jo Ann Bregman Miles, David Resnicow, Jill Gaines, Maris Dobrow, Seth Katz, Ilene Kent, James Vincze, Richard Weissman, Phil Wild, Patricia “Tricia” Chock, Steven Krakauer

From the Archives - Class of ‘76 in 2016 - Identifications Needed

L-R Standing - ???, Lori Paisner(?), ???, Larry Copeland, ???, Charley Cassely(?), Bruce King, Robin Firetog Glanzberg, ???

Seated - ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???

From the Archives - Class of ‘79 in 2016 - Identifications Needed

L-R - Floor - ???, Barbara Silber Signorelli, Janette Knowles

Sitting - Audrey Krafchick, Wendy McClure, ???, ???, ???, Amy Gould, Eileen Weiss, ???, ???

Standing - ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, David Sigman, ???, Adam Abeshouse, ???, ???, ???, ???

Fan Mail

Faculty (Stephen Ehre) - ❤️

1960 (Jane Brody Baker) - ❤️

1960 (Raymond Roller) - ❤️❤️

1962 (Lois Kass Kleinberg) - ❤️

1963 (Mark Bond) - ❤️

1963 (Janet Dubin Ruyack) - ❤️

1963 (Marcia Friedman Mayer) - ❤️

1963 (Debby Krane Crane) - “Thank you, Art, for another excellent Newsletter. Your story about your friendship with Mr. Walthey is very touching. Both of you have given so much to our wonderful school. I am grateful. ❤️” [[[Thanks, but I greatly pale in comparison to Mr. Wathey - Art]]]

1964 (Jerome Brownstein) - ❤️

1965 (Elvira “Vivi” Cilmi Kunz) - “Thanks for your work and time.”

1964 (Richard Ilsley) - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

1964 (Steven Morris) - “Hi Art - thanks for the tremendous job you do in bringing back so many good memories of our Wheatley years. Keep up the great work.”

1965 (Louise Kampa Triano) - ❤️❤️

1965 (Sharon Neely Halm) - ❤️❤️

1965 (Jeffrey Orling) - ❤️❤️

1965 (Liz Zoob) - “Hi to all, and Art, thanks for all your ongoing labor!”

1966 (Claude Levy) - ❤️❤️❤️

1966 (Suzanne Stone) - ❤️

1966 (Karen Watell Arenson) - ❤️

1967 (Linda Caterino Kulhavy) - ❤️

1967 (Jill Simon Forte) - “I love the photos. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰💙☮️”

1969 (Shelley “Sheli Nan” Hershcopf) - ❤️

1969 (Lynn Greenbaum) - ❤️

1969 (Jay Hack) - ❤️

1969 (Jo Anne Newman Abraskin) - “The photographs of the 1965 Reunion (my sister, Marjorie Newman’s, class) are awesome.”

1969 (Debra Segall) - ❤️

1969 (Ronni Seltzer) - ❤️

1970 (Jane Madison) - ❤️

1971 (Caroline “Cakky” Braun) - ❤️

1971 (Nancy “Nanci” Grindlinger Stone) - ❤️

1971 (Merrie Sesskin) - ❤️

1971 (David Shapiro) - ❤️

1972 (Arlene “Ally” Acker) - ❤️

1972 (Paul Celella) - ❤️

1972 (Jeffrey Kargman) - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

1972 (Lillian Marazzo Anderson) - ❤️

1972 (Robert Stevens) - “I continue to be amazed and delighted to be one of the many beneficiaries of your tireless and joyful contributions to the lives of Wheatley Alumni.”

1973 (William Farrington) - ❤️

1974 (Ellen Barnett Diana) - ❤️

1974 (Gail LaPasta Gannotti) - ❤️

1975 (Susie Lehrer Kartzmer) - “How much you enrich the Wheatley community is simply astonishing!”

1975 (Daryl Rothman Malter (1975) - ❤️

1977 (Amy Brumer) - “Thank you for all that you do!”

1978 (Steven Kargman) - “Thanks very much for all of your great work keeping the Wheatley community connected.”

1980 (Adam Goldstein) - ❤️

1981 (Stephen Bertalli) - ❤️

1982 (Paul Doliner) - ❤️

1985 (Melissa Caggiano Wright) - ❤️

1985 (Joanne Meltzer) - ❤️

1992 (Christine D’Elia Staricka) - ❤️

2004 (Faiza Mallick) - ❤️❤️

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.

October Statistics - 4,795 subscribers; 38,000 post reads.

The Usual Words of Wisdom

Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first 236 Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletters (and much other Wheatley data and arcana) at

The 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, 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 New Yorker type 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 # 237. Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.

Art

Arthur Fredericks Engoron, Class of 1967

ARTENGORON@GMAIL.COM

WWW.WHEATLEYALUMNI.ORG

646-872-4833