Diana Strayer Sample

Posted on: Jul 06, 2018 at 4:33 AM

When I first came to Hastings in fourth grade, I had to adjust to a new school, had to leave all my  friends behind, and I was so painfully shy that I didn't know how to make new ones. Elaine was so nice to me and tried to include me in activities every day at recess so I wouldn't be by myself. Even at the age of 9, she was kind and caring about the "new kid" and I've never forgotten her for it. When I first found her on Facebook, I reminded her of how much that meant to me. She didn't remember it, but I sure did. So terribly sorry to hear of her passing. The world has lost a wonderful person. 

Happy early birthday, Diana!!!! Hope it will be wonderful for you!

Posted on: May 25, 2016 at 7:29 AM

The day of the Kennedy assassination, I recall that we were quietly taking a Chemistry test in Mr. Pressley's (?) class and a teacher came in and whispered something in his ear. I'll never forget the expression of shock and horror on his face, as we continued to take the exam. For some reason, I don't remember the assembly and don't know how to reconcile the timing with my recollection of the chemistry test.

Posted on: May 24, 2016 at 1:36 PM

Since the Baby Boomer generation break seems to be defined by whether or not you remember the Kennedy assassination, I was wondering if anyone had memories of that day in 1963. On November 22, 2013, I was checking out at Petsmart and asked the girl behind the cash register if she knew it was the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. She gave me a blank look...I don't think she had any idea of what I was talking about.
We had an assembly that morning (10th grade) with a guest speaker and Joe Belarge was sitting in front of me with a transistor radio to his ear. I figured once Dr. Ross or someone caught him, it might be good for some drama, but he kept crouching down and listening to the radio. As the assembly was getting underway, Joe stood up and announced that President Kennedy had been shot and had died in a hospital in Dallas. Dr. Ross kept trying to keep us quiet and in our seats, but nobody paid any attention to him and we swarmed out of the auditorium.
They let us go home and I remember waiting for the Yonkers/Hastings bus feeling completely numb. When I got home, my grandmother was sitting alone in the living room reading and I told her what had happened. As I turned on the TV, she said, "I remember the day McKinley was shot." I've always wondered why I never asked her to tell me more about that, but I had about as much interest as the clerk in Petsmart had when I brought up the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination.

Posted on: May 11, 2016 at 6:37 PM

Miss Jones' tenth grade English class. We're all watching the clock tick the minutes away, moving much too slowly. The blackboard is covered with diagrammed sentences, but there's enough time for yet another lesson on the DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM!! And a voice or a groan or a growl comes from the back of the room. "Mr. Ballofet," says Miss Jones, "do you have a PROBLEM with the Dewey Decimal System?" Well, Mr. Ballofet did and he never backed down...he argued with Miss Jones for the rest of the class about how much time we were going to waste in life learning the Dewey Decimal System and how many YEARS we'd already devoted to studying it. I almost stood up and applauded.

Posted on: May 01, 2016 at 4:41 PM

Hi, Kathy! I don't know why we didn't get together after we discovered we both lived in Bethel! Yeah, many memories for me, too. Remember Mike Cestone and the Valley Cottage guys? I think it was Pattie O'Brien that got us involved with them, wasn't it?

I had some very negative dealings with Allstate Insurance a few days ago and thought of you!! Riding to work with "Summer in the City" playing on the radio and filing, filing, filing!! All for what...$50 a week?

Posted on: Mar 08, 2016 at 12:07 PM

What a cheerful little Brownie you were! Someone steal your arts and crafts project?
I think the Karen ? was Karen Burger or Berger. I knew it would drive me crazy if I didn't remember it, but it finally came to me. I have an incredible memory for people and events in the past, but can't remember what time a doctor's appointment is tomorrow or where I put my glasses.