The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 166
Performances, Sports, the Dead, JFK, and Photos Galore
Welcome to The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 166.
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In its first 24 hours of existence, Newsletter # 165 was viewed 2,937 times, was liked eight times, and was commented on four times. In all, 4,723 email addresses received Newsletter # 165.
The Usual Words of Wisdom
Thanks to our fabulous Webmaster, Keith Aufhauser (Class of 1963), you can regale yourself with the first 165 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 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
Susan Pereira (1973) and Sabor Brasil at The Jazz Forum Sunday, July 21st, 2024
Susan Writes - Dear friends,
I hope that summer's off to a great start for everyone!
I'm so pleased to announce that Sabor Brasil will be performing at the Jazz Forum on Sunday, July 21st. We'll be playing new interpretations of music from Brazil's greatest composers, as well as some of my original compositions, and we can't wait to share it all with you at this very cool, intimate club. Hope to see you there!
SABOR BRASIL
Susan Pereira - voice, percussion, (some) piano
Noah Bless - trombone
Steve Sandberg - piano
Leo Traversa - bass
Vanderlei Pereira - drums
SETS AT 4:00 PM AND 6:00 PM
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
$20 COVER/$10 MINIMUM
*Full dinner and drink menu available.*
JAZZ FORUM
1 Dixon Lane
Tarrytown, NY 10591
(914) 631-1000
https://jazzforumarts.org/
The Jazz Forum is just a ten-minute walk from the Tarrytown Metro North Station, just two blocks from Main Street in Tarrytown.
An Evening With Carol Leifer (1974) at Temple Emanuel, Winston-Salem, North Carolina on September 21, 2024, 7:00 PM
Takemi Ueno (1983) Piano Performance
Takemi Ueno, Class of 1983, will perform with the Litha Symphony Orchestra on Sat., July 27, at 7 pm, at the Church of the Holy Apostles (296 Ninth Ave., at 28th St.). The program consists of the overture to Mozart's "Don Giovanni"; "Experience" by Ludovico Einaudi; Sibelius's "Pelleas et Melisande"; and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony. Tickets (available at The Sounds of Destiny: The Paths of Fate) are $25.
The Wheatley School - Positive Feedback
Matt Sanzone (1959) Writes - “Arthur, The stories in the Newsletters are amazing. The impact that ‘Wheatley High’ graduates have made on our ‘world’ is inspiring. The teachers, administrators and coaches from Day One, in 1956, can never be given enough credit for the way they inspired us.”
Newsletter # 165 - Positive Feedback
Scott Frishman (1967) writes - “Hey Art, The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 165 may have been the best ever!
Paul Stanton’s (1970) movies of the football team were fascinating. I think he filmed them to showcase his sister, Merrill Stanton, 1967, Captain of the Cheerleaders. I probably attended both games, as I hardly missed any of them. Remember, we were defeated in every game of the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
There were stories about Colin Bentley, a good guy, with Messrs. Wilner, Nagel, Greenbaum, and Gallard.
Arthur Brown told the story about his relationship with Dr. Wills.
There was the fascinating story about Ned Lagin.
Of course, I loved the photographs of our classmates Amy Pastarnack Hughes and family with Scott Geery in Montauk.
Throughout all these years, my recollection of November 22, 1963, may have been slightly wrong. I thought that we were in the auditorium when it was announced that President Kennedy was shot, and that we were in our homerooms when it was announced that he was dead.
I do remember going to the bus circle, where Barbara Gelberg and I decided to walk home along Bacon Rd and onward to Clover and Pebble Lanes, respectively.
We still talk about that to this day.
Finally the story about Shawn Swift is amazing and so sad. Almost brought tears to my eyes.”
John Fitzgerald Kennedy - November 22, 1963
Howard Klepper (1965) - Writes - “Hi Art, My memory of the assembly on November 22, 1963 is both clear and different in a few significant particulars from Lee Nagel’s. The program was not a police officer talking about drugs. It was an official from a nearby city government—a judge, I believe. I cannot recall the subject, or a word of it, other than that he was dull and somewhat pompous, and no one was paying any attention. The interruption that came about 2/3 of the way through the hour was not from Mr. Bentley; neither was it from the stage. A few of the most senior members of the faculty entered from the rear of the auditorium through the door closest to the school’s main entrance. Among them were Mr. Doig and Mr. Wells, the white-haired English teacher. Mr. Wells walked to about the middle of that aisle, and interrupted by saying, “Mr. Speaker,” which he repeated once. He then, after apologizing for the interruption, announced very bluntly, “The President is dead,” and went on to tell us that the remainder of the school day was cancelled, and that we were to go the the bus circle to be taken home. The guest speaker uttered a few bland words intended to be encouraging before leaving the stage. No one was listening.
I’ve always thought that Mr. Wells was chosen because he was the eldest among the faculty, and had about him old-fashioned politeness and an appropriate gravitas.
I had spent the previous period hanging out in the Radio Room with Joel Goldberger (1964). Part way though the period there was a knock on the door. A female student that I didn’t know asked if we had a radio. Not having any idea what was going on, Joel and I began to goof on her, saying, “Radio? This the Radio Room. Why would we have a radio here?” She walked away without saying any more. The reason she asked became clear to us as soon as we left the room at the period break. I feel badly about how flippantly we treated her. On the other hand, she could have said what was happening. And we didn’t have a radio.
Should any of my Wheatley friends wish to contact me, I am easy to find.”
Laurie Schiller (1968) Writes - “Dear Art – Carl Wirth was exactly correct in his memory of the day JFK was killed. I was in 8th grade, and I remembered that we were walking down the hall to our homerooms after an assembly. I did not remember what the assembly was about, but what I do remember was that the rumor that the President had been shot was flying down the hall. The person in front of me turned to tell me and my response was, ‘yeah right, and that’s not funny.’ Unfortunately, it was true.
I also remember that we sat in homeroom for some time when our homeroom teacher (I wish I could remember who) sent me to the AV room to see if there was any news. That was the one TV in school. I got down there and had only watched for a couple of minutes when Walter Cronkite, with tears in his eyes, reported that the President was dead. I went back to homeroom with the news and then it came over the PA. As Carl said, we were all sent home after that. A few days later, I was watching when Jack Ruby was shot on live TV. It is weird to think I saw both of those seminal moments live.
For our generation, it was our Pearl Harbor moment. It was a tough day and, in many ways, the true beginning of the turbulent ‘60s.”
The Wheatley School Alumni Public Directory - Recently Updated
The Wheatley Alumni Public Directory
The Sports Section
Carl Wirth (1967) Writes - “About Paul Stanton’s (1970) football films……Ah, I remember the ’66-’67 football season well……I was a senior but not a member of the football team. It was a another season without a victory, but at least the team scored more than one touchdown. My role in all of this was that the year before I had gone out for the team as a junior, but to tell you how bad of an athlete I was, Coach Davis came to me and asked whether if I was cut from the team I would consider being the student manager. I replied that any way I could help I would. Sure enough, the next thing I knew, Coach Davis announced that I had been cut and would be the new student manager. So you have to realize, a team goes 0-16 my junior and senior years, but I was so bad I was cut to be the student manager. But those guys, my classmates, were great guys……Frank Vedder, Doug Martin, Jeff Carroll, Dominick Foresto, John Stedman, Kenny Janowitz, Scott Geery, Kevin Reilly, John Telfeyan. They were the guys that built, by hand, Wheatley’s first large scoreboard.
I enjoyed the football films. Seeing Merrill Stanton was great; she was one of the sweetest girls in our class. I hope life turned out well for her, as she tried so hard to cheer our classmates on to victory.
Paul Giarmo (1976) Writes - “Hey Art, I found Paul Stanton's (1970) football films fascinating (and not just for the cheerleaders). From what I can determine, that game was played at Wheatley on Saturday, November 12, 1966, against the St. Dominic's Bayhawks, based on their uniform colors of black or dark navy blue. For the record, we lost 35-0. Sigh.
It's worth noting that that same area today looks nothing like it did in the video. The former farm field is the current 'Wheatley Woods' and is completely covered with trees.
But it was so nice to see our red-helmeted Wildcats in action from all those years ago. I would love to see more videos like this in the Newsletter.
Paul 'Spirit of '76' Giarmo
Wheatley Football Game - 1966 - One
Wheatley Football Game - 1966 - Two
The Grateful Dead
Theodore Rothstein (1964) Writes - “Arthur: I loved the info about Ned Lagin (1966) playing keyboards with the Grateful Dead. I may have connected with him while he was with The Dead, as I did sound for the band in 1976, but I never realized that he was from Wheatley.
The Dead had their Wall of Sound, but in 1976 they wanted to tour in a different city every few days, and that large wall of sound system could not be broken down and set up fast enough for such a tour. So the DEAD researched all the big-time road sound systems out there for something that sounded as close as possible to their great system, but could travel easily. They ended up selecting a sound system that I had custom designed and built for Bearsville Sound in Woodstock, where I was chief engineer since 1973, when Albert Grossman found me working at the Jimmy Hendrix Electric Lady Studio in Greenwich Village and then got me to move to Woodstock. I designed that system, right down to the transistor, circuitry and speaker cabinets, primarily for Todd Rundgren, and we toured with Todd around the USA and Europe for years. I think the DEAD were the first to use it other than Todd, who, by the way, is playing in NYC this October, and I will be there.
Search for “Ted Rothstein” on this page:
http://jerrygarciasbrokendownpalaces.blogspot.com/2012/11/bearsville-studios-speare-road.html
When you find my name, that link takes you to the bio on my website, and there’s mention of the Grateful Dead there too:
https://www.trtek.com/Information/TedBio-Frame.htm
I’ve worked with many great musicians over the years, using my engineering expertise to advance music sound quality.
Here’s one other notable example:
https://www.trtek.com/clients/5150.htm
That’s me holding a friend’s Oscar Award in the Gramercy Tavern, NYC
Most of the time I'm at my upstate home in Rhinebeck, NY. My wife, Janice, is a cathedral organist & choir conductor, and she works at a beautiful church in Poughkeepsie early Sunday mornings.
TED
Jeffrey Mester (1980) Writes - “I believe that you correctly identified the fellas from the Grateful Dead: Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir. There is a drum kit behind Weir at which Mickey Hart presumably is sitting.
I am turning in my Deadhead fan club card because despite literally hundreds of shows in all their various lineups (mostly with Jerry), I never knew that Ned Lagin was a Wheatley Wildcat. I would love to hear Ned jam out to the Wheatley Alma Mater. Maybe have Dead bassist Phil Lesh sing a la Unbroken Chain.”
The Administration
Sheli Nan (1968) Writes - “Now I must add my Mr. Bentley story to those already told.
By 9th grade I had already gotten a reputation as a disruptive student. I constantly challenged my teachers about the supposed facts that they taught us, and I spoke out of turn at times with annoying self-righteousness.
(I was very well read, you see!)
As a result, I was (constantly) sent to “the office.” Mr. Bentley would say, ‘Hershcopf! Not you again! What do you want, an essay or detention?’
And now Mrs. Schmerzler - she taught Spanish. I may have been in 10th grade. Someone came to school with a small tape recorder, one of the first models, and we recorded, ‘Mrs. Schmerzler, Mrs. Schmerzler.’ We placed the tape recording in a locker near her door. She continuously ran outside the door looking for whomever was calling her.
We also planned, ‘Everybody drop their pencils at 11:20, cough at 11:20, etc.’ We were awful and awfully funny!”
The Graduates
1964 - Sydell Horowitz Weiner and Wendy Wolf - Out West
Writes Sydell - “On July 13, 2024, Wendy Wolf and Sydell Horowitz Weiner, both 1964, had lunch together in Santa Monica, California.”
1964, 1965, 1972, 1976 - Theodore, Jeffrey, Michael and Alan Rothstein
L-R - Alan, Michael, Jeffrey and Theodore Rothstein, June 2024
L-R - Ted, Jeff, Michael and Alan Rothstein, summer 2023, Washington Square Park, Manhattan, New York City
Ted Rothstein (1964) Writes - My closest friends in my Wheatley class were neighbors Robert Orloff and Mark Mann, and Steve Dana, John Corwin, and Victor Russek. I had a jazz trio with two Class of 1965 students, Andy Zoob & Ike Evans. I hooked us up way back then to actually play at the famous Birdland jazz club! Victor & Andy are gone. The last time I saw John Corwin was 10 years ago at the last reunion. He showed me the wedding photo that he still carries in his wallet, which is a picture I took, developed and printed in my dark room. I maintain contact with Steve Dana, and last month we did a Zoom wine tasting together on the date of the 1964 graduation.
L-R - Lionel Orloff, Jeffrey Rothstein, Woody Mann and, eating watermelon, Robert Orloff and Mark Mann
Robert Orloff holding Alan Scheffles (1962) in the backyard of the Rothstein’s house. Alan and I did magic shows as a team of magicians.
In the early 1960s I (and I think my brother Jeff) studied classical piano with Ouida Mintz, mother of Jerry (1961), William (1964), and Lisa Mintz Harris (1966). I may have been one of her first students. The link below is to a PDF that includes a photo of Ouida with Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein (and another fellow) The text (3rd page, Chapter 19) mentions her teaching 10 families who lived on Bengeyfield Drive (although she lived on Roslyn Road in Roslyn Heights). The last page shows the piano and room where my lessons, and the recitals, took place.
www.trtek.com/ew/MyFriendLenny.pdf
1966 - Ned Lagin - Andy Summers (1967) Writes - “Art, in Newsletter # 165 you asked about Bill Kreutzmann, the Grateful Dead, and Ned Lagin. Well, I forwarded your query to my nephew Benjy Eisen, who is a close friend of Bill Kreutzmann and wrote a book with him in 2015, "Deal: My three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with the Grateful Dead.” Benjy writes for the music scene and was an editor of Rolling Stone Magazine. He wrote back the following:
‘Art Engoron is 100% correct that the three guys playing fretted instruments up front, with microphones, are, L-R, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir, and that the drummer on the left is Bill Kreutzmann.
Ned Lagin was never considered a member of the Dead, but he did play with them during that short run of shows during a transitional time for the band -- and he performed ahead-of-its-time electronic music during the Dead's set breaks, accompanied by bassist Phil Lesh and often with other members of the Dead sitting in, including Jerry Garcia. The setbreak music he performed was called ‘Seastones.’”
Bette Spiro (1966) Writes - “Amy Gruskin’s story of her ride with Gale Greenberg to HoJos brought back memories of a great day I remember with Gale and pals.
Gale drove a few of us in a convertible - top down - heading to West End 2 for a perfect beach day. We blew a tire on the parkway and pulled over. A young State Trooper stopped…..saw Gale in bikini reading aloud to us from the cars owner’s manual, ready to organize our first ever tire change. He changed the tire……against regulation, he said. We all stood around him so as to block the view of oncoming cars. It was a party before we got to the party.”
1967 - Scott Geery and Amy Pastarnack - Nicole “Nicky” Pastarnack (1974) Writes - “I love seeing the photos of my sister Amy & Scott Geery. I remember those two dating while Amy was in 11th & 12th grade. Scott used to come over to our house all the time. Great guy! Remembering those days living in Roslyn Heights is always a pleasure. Amy & Scott used to take me to the Roslyn Duck Pond. It was the highlight of my week (I was approximately nine-years-old at the time).
1967 - Scott Frishman - Master Chef
Writes Scott - “That’s me with my new friends, the chefs in the Rijksmuseum Michelin Star Restaurant in Amsterdam, teaching them how to cook!”
That’s me in Normandy, France, at Omaha Beach, the location of fierce fighting on D-Day, standing by the grave of a Jewish soldier.
I am in the foreground; graves are in the background.
I am seventh from the left, with a blue baseball cap with white stripes, in a group standing in front of Mont-Saint-Michel.
1967 - Ken Janowitz and Jeff Kraman - Scandinavian Connection
Writes Ken - “Art, file this under surprise encounters - My wife, Jan, and I were traveling with a tour group to Scandinavia. On the first night, the tour hosts a get-to-know-each-other welcome dinner. We were sitting with several other couples going around introducing ourselves. After I introduced Jan and myself, I heard “Kenny Janowitz, your father made coleslaw” from one of the other couples. Surprised, I asked how he knew me. It turns out he lived on Barnyard Lane, whereas I lived on Horseshoe Lane. We both went to the Willets Road School and then to Wheatley. Jeff Kraman and I spent the rest of dinner sharing stories about friends we had in common, the Country Club, and changes in the community since we moved away. Reconnecting was wonderful. Who would ever have thought that you had to travel to another continent to find someone from your own backyard.”
L-R - Ken Janowitz and Jeff Kraman in Norway
1967 - Ilene Kornblath - Writes Classmate Steve Presti - “Art, Ilene owned a 1967 Red Mustang Convertible, which surely was the car in which she drove you home from your hitchhiking. She was a special person. I’m sorry to hear about her passing. We were great friends at Wheatley. She dated one of my buddies, Mike Wezwick, from Mineola High School, with whom I am still close.”
1967 - Jill Simon Forte Writes - “I LOVED seeing the photos of my classmates Amy Pastarnack Hughes and Scott Geery 🤣🤣🤣! They were a couple in high school, after which Amy went on to marry the fantastic John Hughes. My husband (Bob Forte, 1965) and I were good friends with them and still are great friends with Amy. They have wonderful offspring: kids and grandkids!”
1968 - Sheli Nan (Hershcopf) and Sam Tabachnik celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in India.
Fan Mail
Faculty (Georgette Macrina) - “Great job, as always.”
1960 (Judah Ginsberg) - “Thanks for doing the Newsletter.”
1964 - Steven Morris - “Hi, Art - As usual, your alumni Newsletters are chock full of wonderful recollections! What you do is much appreciated!!”
1967 (Scott Frishman) - “Thanks for everything you do.”
1967 (Steve Presti) - “Keep up the good work.”
1967 (Barbara Smith Stanisic) - “Great job. Thanks for your hard work.”
1967 (Andy Summers) - “I love the newsletters, keep them coming.”
1968 (Sheli Nan) - “Thanks for the memories Artie!”
1973 (Susan Davis Pereira) - “Thanks SO much for the latest edition of your amazing Newsletter!”
1973 (Richard A. Fusey) - “Thank you for maintaining the website.”
1974 (Nicole “Nicky” Pastarnack) - “Thank you, Art. Keep those Newsletters coming.”
1978 (Scott Satalino) - “I love that this Newsletter exists. I read most of nearly every issue. Thanks, Art 🙂”
1979 (Mary Hopkins Burke) - “The newsletter is awesome. I love reading it.”
Closing
That’s it for The Wheatley School Alumni Association Newsletter # 166. Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary.
Art
Arthur Fredericks Engoron, Class of 1967
646-872-4833
I guess all you Trump haters are disappointed that God saved him.