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Merrill De Witt

I got to see them at Forest Hills tennis stadium. See them I could not hear them

Lainey Drucker (Zwibel)

Me/ Ward Delp at a blackboard?  Guess art class was not my only interest.

So Ward- the blackboard was for what class?
 

Susan Fauer

THE GREAT NORTHEAST BLACKOUT

After my classes, I was at fencing practice for a few hours that afternoon. (I was the co-captain of the women's fencing team at Rutgers Newark.) After practice, I walked to the parking lot where my little red tuna-fish can was parked (a Simca!!). New Jersey had not lost power. So I just drove home as I usually did, but this time, the drive home was un-nerving....I couldn't get any radio stations at all. I had no idea what was going on. When I reached home, my mom told me that something was wrong with TV transmission. No TV channels were broadcasting. We realized that New York had been affected by something big, and found out exactly what the next day.

David Belfiore

On that day I was working at a New Jersey Bell central office in Dover, NJ. The power went out at that location and we had to scramble to get an emergency generator in place to get power restored to the generators that charged the batteries that ran all the equipment that made the phones work. After working all day getting the cables connected to get the office back on line I left for home. The wierdest part of the day was riding down route 10 toward WO I could see the NY skyline and it was completely dark, very eerie!!!!

Bev Friedman (Engel)

Great Northeast Blackout:  It was sophomore year at Syracuse University.  In the dining hall  (yum!), the lights went out.  I scrambled back to my dorm room because I knew I had a flashlight.  Aha...found it!  Turns out I was one of only about 4or 5  girls in our huge dorm of several hundred residents whose parents made sure she had a flashlight. It felt good to be "lit".  Within about an hour I found my way to a hallway phone (no room phones in those days), called Jerry whom I had met exactly one month earlier and asked him to come and get me.  So off I went to his place, taking my trusty flashlight with me...and leaving all the girls on my floor of the dorm without so much as a drop of light.  Ahhhh, romance wins again.  It makes a good story now that Jerry and I have been married 47 years.  And oh yes, we sent both of our kids to college with working flashlights! 
 

Ken Rich

The Great Northeast Blackout. The lights went out about the same time as I came out of the Holland tunnel into Manhattan, on my way to a night class at Brooklyn Polytechnic. It took a few blocks before I realized what had happened. Having spent a lot of time in the city, seeing it without lights my thought was, "Wow, this is cool." Instead of turning around and heading home, I decided to continue on to Brooklyn. Heading for the Brooklyn Bridge, there were already some brave souls standing in the middle of intersections helping to direct traffic. Just before I reached the bridge, someone knocked on my window and asked if I could take him across the bridge. We called out to a few more people and quickly filled up the car. After letting everyone off on the other side of the bridge, I continued on to Brooklyn Poly. Brooklyn was just as dark as Manhattan. I headed back to the bridge and again filled up the car with people. Back in Manhattan, I had dropped everyone off at Broadway and Canal Street except for one man. He asked me if I could drop him off near the entrance to the Holland tunnel. "Where are you going?" I'm trying to get to New Jersey", he replied. "I'm going to New Jersey. Where do you live?" "West Orange", he replied. I looked at him, smiled and said, "This is your lucky day." And I took him home. A great night.

Happy New Year to all.

Ken

Maxine Youin (Kleiman)

I went to NYU and commuted from West Orange to the city.  On that day I had two early classes and was back in West Orange before the blackout.  I was somewhat annoyed at myself  for missing all the drama until an acquaintance in one of my classes mentioned that she was one of those stuck on a subway underground for several hours.  Glad I was home instead.  Sometimes it is OK to miss some drama.  I was one of the few in my classes that had no good stories to tell.

Happy New Year!

Regards, Maxine

David Belfiore

That's a good story!!

Maxine Youin (Kleiman)

Thank you Myles for coming up with this new and relevant forum on retirement.  My husband and I are exactly at that stage of what now? or when? or if? He is in a solo practice and due to my disability I can no longer work. I don't walk all that well even on dry pavement so snow and ice and NJ winters are really not for me.  Yes, my children and grandchildren live in the New Jersey, New York area so do I want to move to Florida permanently?  I do have some friends and relatives in Florida and really enjoy it there but am I ready or not? New Jersey is not the most friendly of states for retirees as we all know.

Further complication in my life is that I fortunately still have my mother who does not live with me but lives close by and she does not want to move anywhere.

So, I'm confused.  Would love some thoughts, comments, empathy, sympathy, commiseration.  Thanks again Myles for bringing people together.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy New Year and a great 2015!

Regards, Maxine

Linda Schoenwetter (Wasserman)

Maxine - I can understand your concerns.  My mother and her two siblings had MS. My wonderful aunt is still with us. They all moved to Florida, but after a number of years, my aunt moved BACK to NJ first for the summers, then permanently.  Research and her experience indicates that people with MS seem to do better in cooler climates.  BTW, nearby Pennsylvania is very retiree friendly: no state or local taxes on any pension income. Hope this helps. Good luck. 

Gary Caronia

hey maxine,i envy you at the reunion for being there & having fun under the circumstances.you are a

real trooper & i know about your disability working in the field of physical therapy for the past 42 years

at the va hospital.i've seen alot thru the years and you keep a very good attitude.that helps.i also give your

husband credit to stay by you.florida heat is not good for ms but i understand thecold up here.i also get tired of it.i live in pa & as stated i do not pay state taxes.it helps.it was nice seeing you in june along with

everyone else.these reunions become more precious as we age.

stay strong.

gary caronia

Debby Timins (Snowman)

my opinion is that all of you should come down to florida part time/full time whatever..  With all our aches and pains it is still much easier to get around and keep yourself busy...............Maxine, you come on down and I will gladly push you around (in a nice way).    You are a trouper like Gary says and I think I can speak for our other classmates in saying you have shown us how to deal with what life throws at you with humor and a stength we only wish to have,     love you..............please come visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   deb

I also want to take the time to wish all of you a Very Happy New Year.  

Myles you are one fantastic guy!!! Thanks for doing all of this and keeping the class together.  sharing life stories, memories etc,  you definetely get a hug for that.

Norman Moscowitz

I agree with Deb; we've lived here since 1982.  Although, in the interest of full disclosure, anyone considering the move should watch Jon Stewart's "tribute" to our great State.

http://tbo.com/entertainment/blogs/pop-rocks/jon-stewart-trashes-florida-in-daily-show-segment-to-welcome-rubio-20150114/

Allen Horn

As of 1/1/15, I am now no longer working full time for Dentsply International.

Now I have assumed a part time consulting position, giving  them one day in office and providing consults to Dentists via computer or cell phone.

Looking for "hints" on being retired, but, honestly, I do not seem to be bored, YET!

Ronni and I ared  currently on a 18 motor trip to Lake Worth and Naples, Florida from outr home in Tulsa, OK

Keep your eyes on the Tulsa Golden Hurricaine basketball team they  are 13-4 and picking up steam.

Regards to ALL

Myles YOU are the GREATEST

Debby Timins (Snowman)

lake worth is just around the corner, I will expect a phone call and hopefully some face to face time.

David Belfiore will be in florida soon too...................

Susan Fauer

Was Ralph's Corner right next to homes? If it was, and if I really am recognizing this little mall, my dentist's office was just to the right side of this picture. His name (come on memory, don't fail me) was Dr. Plishten. Am I even close? 

Bernie Wishnia

The Starlite was originally the Satellite.  I am guessing that it opened in 1960 or 1961 and was pretty much a take out pizzeria.  Sputnik was lauched by the USSR in 1957 and I believe that the US launched our first satellite in 1958, so the Satellite made sense in 1960 or 1961.  At that time, as I recall, the restaurant was part of the building and a cleaner was the other half.  

I do not know when the name was changed, but the pizzeria took over the cleaner's space and became an Italian restaurant, as well as a take out pizza place..

Bob Gerraty

Susan, directly across the street was an ESSO gas station.  Behind was an A&P food store .  The A&P was sctuslly on Mt. Pleasant Ave..  Across the street was the 18th hole of the golf course.  In the other direction towards Livingston, the first street was Carolina Ave.  Going on Pleasant Valley Way towards Pleasantdale Center a short distance away were houses.  Buckingham Ter. Would be on the right.   Later on would be an entrance to Rt 28o , right after Buckingham Way).  Hope this helps give you a better picture.  

Maxine Youin (Kleiman)

I believe that the Starlite (Satellite) pizza place opened in early 1961.  I moved to West Orange in October, 1960 and they were almost finished building it at that time.  I lived off of Mt. Pleasant going "up the hill" towards Livingston so I was always around that intersection of Pleasant Valley Way and Mt. Pleasant Avenue. I think that  in that same small shopping center was a Cohen's Knishes.  Am I right?

Thanks, Debby, for your comments on Florida.  I realize that heat is not good for people with MS but either is falling on ice.  I'll take my chances on heat.  Not ready for retirement yet but soon.  Gary, thanks for your positive comments.  I appreciate that people thought I was gutsy for going to the reunion, but why not?  I made my decision not to let this "little" disability ruin my life.  It might interfere with it a bit but I am really quite OK.  Don't love using a walker and looking like a "little old lady" at the tender age of 68 but it does help me be independent so why not? Thanks again for everyone's positive comments.

Alan, so appreciate all your hard work on making this website so great. You are amazing.  Regards to all, Maxine

David Belfiore

Maxine, I have a friend with MS who I recently spent some time with on the way back from Tucson. We hooked up in AZ and followed each other on the way home, with stops in Santa Fe and Taos. He got mad when I kept saying that I would take my situation over his. After spending 5 days with him and seeing you at the reunion I have become more motivated to get in better shape, I have even joined a gym. You and him hove inspired me! Looking forward to seeing you at the next reunion.

David Belfiore

Maxine, you are right about Cohen's Knisha.

Jay Kaplan

I haven't followed the thread about Pleasantdale Center all the way back but a few of things stand out. Walking to Bella's on the corner of Mt Pleasant and Pleasant Valley way to buy two packs of Pall Malls for my grandmother. Hanging out at the Mint. Taking dancing lessons right next to the Mint. As a kid (we moved to town in 1951), playing alone under a tree on the corner of Pleasant Valley Way and Stanford Avenue. Lincoln wasn't built yet and Pleasant Valley Way was a two lane, quiet road. Victory Road and the 'Barracks' were still extant. 

Also - people give me the strangest looks when i tell them I grew up in a town named Pleasantdale and that the main drag was Pleasant Valley Way and experienced many 'Pleasant Valley Sundays' with charcoal burning everywhere. 

best to all!

Jay

Gary Caronia

the days at pleasant valley way & mt.pleasant were great.i would go to cohens knishes and get a knish

and a mk(mustard&kraut) hot dog.they were delicious & that's saying a lot from an italian guy who grew up

on pasta,meatballs& italian bread.then i would go over to the a&p and have a quart of chocolate milk

and hang out in front with dave& louie belfoire & johnny anello.the good old days.

David Belfiore

Hey Gary, that's Belfiore

Gary Caronia

hey dave,sorry.never won any spelling bees