Rockefeller  Center  comes  to  Patterson,  1960

This is a "boy's story" that needs to be told.  Nearly 175 "boys", young men graduated from our class in 1961.  I am sure that many of my classmates have their own boy's stories to tell;  in fact, since getting on this site, I have already read / heard several very funny stories via email or telephone calls.  Give a sixteen or seventeen year old boy an idle half-hour and a roll of toilet paper and he will create magic.  Give several boys of the same age an idle hour and several rolls of toilet paper and they will create a "masterpiece"!

The Art Service Club met after school in Mr. William's classroom.  Members, probably about 20 art students, provided all sorts of service to Patterson, including advertising posters, program covers, stage scenery design for the Thespian Society plays, bulletin boards for various school organizations and teachers, etc.  I still remember the beautiful paper sculpture bulletin boards that Barbara Seidewitz created.  Harry Maistros was very good at figure drawing.  I was pretty good at calligraphy and Estelle Oberlander (63') and Larry Pokrywka were our "social directors."  In 1960, Paul Trattner was our President and Betty Michalski (62') was our Vice President.

The art room was just around the corner from the boy's lavatory.  The lavatory was large, with high ceilings, open toilet stalls (no doors), with the usual urinals on both sides of the room, sinks, etc.  The room was all too typical of a boy's lavatory or a men's room, i.e., somewhat rough and clammy, faint smell of cigarette smoke, with occasional rust spots on the old linoleum floor, etc.  Obviously, the lavatory needed an upgrade - and perhaps a little "redecorating".  We, the gang of three "decorators", decided on the latter.

Several of us had been to New York City for Christmas - and while there we ice skated for the first time in Rockefeller Center.  One afternoon, during the drears of February, 1960, the inspiration came to us...  we would convert the boy's lavatory into our own Rockefeller Center (and a winter wonderland).  We asked several of the girls, that afternoon, to try to keep Mr. Williams occupied until we completed our renaissance masterpiece.

After 15-20 rolls of toilet paper (which sat in a box, invitingly near the door), were wrapped, curled, and hung from every stall, urinal, sink and from the side walls to the door - our task was complete.  We were pleased with our creation although our bodies were sore from all the laughter.  "Rockefeller Center", in a weird sort of way - came to Patterson during the winter of 1960!  We had experienced our first "happening" although in East Baltimore at the time - we just called it "fun"!

The laughter stopped when Mr. Williams walked through the door.  He was not a happy man.  Of course we had to dismantle the decorating and we were all suspended from the Art Service Club for two weeks.  Paul Trattner had no part in this - and I shan't reveal the names of my compatriots and our backers - who enthusiastically applauded our efforts!

Christopher Newman                      April 28,  2011