Newsletter for the Alumni and Friends of
Hicksville High School Hicksville, New York

The Editors:
Buffalo Bob Casale '61	Linda (Piccerelli) Hayden '60
Pat (Koziuk) Driscoll '56	Bob (Gleason) Wesley '61

Contributing Editors: Bob Gillette & Walter Schmidt

Webmaster: Roger Whitaker

To contact the editors, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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HICKSVILLE VIETNAM WAR ERA MEMORIAL - PROJECT UPDATE

The final Confirmed List of Names, organized alphabetically by graduating class year, just as it will appear on the actual Memorial is what we will continue to publish from this point forward! To review the final list, please go to this month's Update in the Honoring Our Veterans tab of this issue of HixNews.

Construction progress continues to be excellent!! In addition, another $1,000 was received in new donations in July! For details, please see the July 2019 Update, as noted above.

Since our last UPDATE, the Memorial's Center Stone has been mounted on the previously poured concrete footers. Note the picture below, taken by John Tranchina, HHS '64, just after it was mounted.

As always, should you wish to make any comments on the Project's status, please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On behalf of the Project Team,
Joe Carfora, HHS 1962

The Newsletter

Photo Gallery

Places that have Gone Bye-Bye

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Memory Lane

Emerson High School, Oklahoma City

Contractors began work on four classrooms of Emerson High School in Oklahoma City , they knew their remodel would improve education - but they never expected it would impact local history. This what they found hidden.

Looking to upgrade the rooms with new whiteboards and smartboards, the workers had to first remove the outdated chalkboards. But when they began to pull away the old boards, they made a startling discovery.

Beneath the current boards rested another set of chalkboards - untouched for nearly 100 years. Protected and totally undisturbed, the century-old writings and drawings looked like they were made just yesterday. Here, a November calendar rolls into December. A turkey marks the celebration of Thanksgiving.

Look at the top of this blackboard!

A multiplication table gives us a glimpse into the curriculum and methods taught in 1917, techniques perhaps lost in the passage of time. When regarding a wheel of multiplication, Principal Sherry Kishore told The Oklahoman, "I have never seen that technique in my life."

But Oklahoma City school officials aren't just shocked by what is written, but how it is written. Penmanship like this is clearly a lost art. This board reads, "I give my head, my heart, and my life to my God and One nation indivisible with justice for all."

Within each of the four rooms, the subject matter and lessons mirrored one another - indicating, as an Oklahoma Public School Twitter caption reads, "aligned curriculum in 1917."

And though the boards' style and subject matter might be unfamiliar to younger folks, they certainly resonate with older generations. Principal Kishore told The Oklahoman what it was like to show her 85-year-old mother the boards: "She just stood there and cried. She said it was exactly like her classroom was when she was going to school."

But these boards actually predate Principal Kishore's mother by 13 years. Two dates were found on the boards: November 30, 1917, and December 4, 1917.

Some of the writings and drawings were done by students, while others were made by teachers - but I'm not always clear whose is whose.

Regardless, the work is a striking look into days long gone. While reading the boards - like this one listing "My Rules To Keep Clean" - the past comes alive in a very personal way.

English teacher Cinthea Comer told The Oklahoman, "It was so eerie because the colors were so vibrant it looked like it was drawn the same day. To know that it was drawn 100 years ago. it's like you're going into a looking glass into the past."

Built in 1895, Emerson High School has seen many renovations and improvements throughout the years - but nothing like this has ever been discovered.

When removing old chalkboards in the past, contractors have only found broken pipes and wires, so this is a shocking surprise. Oklahoma City and the school district are now working to preserve these beautiful boards.

Hopefully, the spirit of these teachers and their students will be enjoyed for many years to come. Who knew that scribbles on a chalkboard could become such a precious piece of history.

The D'Antuono Family

Diana, this is a great photo of you and your siblings that was taken 60 years ago. I want to post in a future issue of HixNews and was doing some investigating and now I'm totally confused. Two Diana's, one graduating in 1964, and another in 1969. Two Michael's, one graduating in 1966 and the second in 1969. A Carol in 1972 and Joe in 1973; and I could not find Toni in any graduating class. Bring me up to date on who's who???

Thanks' Buffalo Bob

LOL. Bob! My father was one of nine children. My grandparents' names were Michael and Diana D'Antuono. Following Italian tradition, honoring grandparents, most of the nine children named the first-born girl 'Diana' and the first born boy 'Michael'. After our parents got that out of the way, they could name the remaining kids whatever they wanted to!

Top Row L-R: Luke, Nick, Willie, John, Mike
Bottom Row L-R: Jennie, Pop, Dom, Joey, Mom, Theresa

This photo is my grandparents with their 9 children. They lived on East 78^th Street in the Yorkville section of Manhattan. My grandfather delivered ice to people's homes (before refrigerators) and all the brothers worked in that business after school; years later they opened up a grocery store.

As my uncles were growing up, some of them got 'lazy', as my grandfather said, and they stopped using the apostrophe in our last name, thus the differences between the D'Antuono and Dantuono names. My father and his 6 brothers all worked for Coinmach Industries, which serviced coin-metered laundry equipment throughout the five boroughs. One by one, five of the brothers settled in Hicksville, with most homes in walking distance of each other.

Luke & Pauline Dantuono raised their family in Hicksville on Layton Avenue. Luke and Pauline are deceased.
Luke & Pauline Dantuono

They had three children.

Michael, class of 1966, is a retired pharmacist living in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has three children and two grandchildren.

Carol, class of 1972, is a Movie Executive, living in Los Angeles, California.

Luke, class of 1975, is a retired business executive living in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is married to Laura and they have three children.

Nick & Demi D'Antuono raised their family in Hicksville on Bethpage Road. Anyone who knew him will tell you Nick was always the life of any party. Nick and Demi are deceased.
Nick & Demi D'Antuono

They had three children.

Diana, class of 1969, is a retired Dental Hygienist who is working as a Dental Office Manager in Roslyn. Diana, who lives in Hicksville, is chairing an upcoming reunion, the 50th, for the class of 1969 that will be held in September of this year. In 2009, after three longs years of hard work (and close to 2,000 photos), she finally
finished a DVD set comprised of 3 disks of family history dating back to 1902 when the family patriarch, Michael D'Antuono, emigrated to the United States alone at the age of 12. All family members have a copy of the DVD set to pass on to future generations, and the set is on display in three Italian-American museums in the United States. Diana is married to another '69 Alumni, Bill Henne. Together they have five children and two grandchildren.

Antoinette (Toni), class of 1971, is a Funeral Director and lives in West Hempstead. She is married to Joe; they have three children and her first grandchild was born this past June.

Michael, class of 1975, is a General Sales Manager for Van Buren Hino/Isuzu Trucks and lives in Plainview. He is married to Vicki; they have three children and five grandchildren.

William & (Lucy) D'Antuono raised their family in Roosevelt. William and Lucy are deceased.
William & Lucy D'Antuono

They had two children.

Diana, who lives in Washington.

Michael D'Antuono, who graduated from Stadium High School ( Seattle, WA ) in 1966. Retired President of Parson's Engineering Construction Company and now working as a consultant. He lives in Altadena, CA with his wife, Susan.

John & Grace Dantuono raised their family in Hicksville, (first on New South Road and then on Cecil Place ). John and Grace are deceased.
John & Grace Dantuono

They had three children.

Diana, class of 1964, is a special education teacher for the Office of Mental Health and a yoga instructor. In 1992 she was honored as a Hicksville Hall of Fame recipient for 'Overcoming physical limitations, she has received certification as a Special Education and ESL teacher.' Diana lives in Commack, NY

Below is diana receiving her Hicksville Hall of Fame award from then Superintendent, Dr. Catherine Fenton; and standing beside the Hall of Fame plaque in the HS lobby.

Michael would have been the class of 1966 but joined the Navy, did a tour of duty in Vietnam, and sadly passed away in 2006.

Jimmy, class of 1974, is retired from the Nassau County Sherriff's Department living in Hicksville. He is married to Barbara; they have one daughter and two granddaughters.

Mike & Mary Dantuono raised their family in Hicksville on Jerome Avenue. Mike and Mary are deceased.
Mike & Mary Dantuono

They had two children.

Michael, class of 1969, is a practicing attorney living in East Williston. He is married to Mary Ann; they have three children and eight grandchildren.

Joseph, class of 1973, who is truck driver/trainer @ Werner Enterprises in Pennsylvania living in Schnecksville, PA. He is married to Janet; they have three children and five grandchildren.

Dominick & Patricia D'Antuono raised their family in Hicksville on Layton Avenue, across the street from Luke and Pauline. Patricia is deceased and Dominick is living in Florida.Dominick & Patricia D'Antuono

They had four children.

Lori Ann, class of 1981, is an Executive Assistant for a consulting firm in Manhattan living in Massapequa Park. She is married to Rob and they have two children.

Dominick, class of 1983, is a Cardiac Surgery Physician's Assistant and Owner/Partner at Advanced Cardiothoracic Surgery Medical Group in Los Angeles, CA., living in Altadena, CA. He is married to Rose and they have two daughters.

Michael, class of 1986, is a Battalion Chief in FDNY living in Seaford. He is married to Margaret: they have two daughters.

Timmy, class of 1988, is an Executive Chef in Boca Raton, FL, living in Boynton Beach, FL. He is married to Christine and they have three children.

Jennie & Bill Lorusso raised their daughter, Anna in Brooklyn. Jennie and Bill are deceased.
Jennie & Bill Lorusso

They had one child, Anna, a licensed clinician social worker in private practice. She is also a professor of psychology, a consultant for the MS society, and served in the NYS Trauma Team during 9/11. She lives in Marlboro, NJ with her husband, Sal. They have two daughters and two granddaughters.

Theresa & George Bishop raised their family in Manhattan. George is deceased. Theresa is living in Staten Island.
Theresa & George Bishop

They had two children.

Barbara Ann, is living in Wayne, NJ. with her husband Mike; they have two children and two grandchildren.

Theresa Marie, is living in Staten Island with her husband, John; they have two children.

Joe & Lois D'Antuono raised their family in Queens. Joe is deceased.
Joe & Lois D'Antuono

They had two children: Marie and Diana.

The photo below shows many of the aunts and uncles in 1995. BOLDFACED are the D'Antuono/Dantuono siblings, their spouses are in regular typeface.
Standing L-R: Mike, Mary, Demi, Grace, George, Pauline, Pat and Dom
Seated L-R: Nick, Luke, John, Theresa (holding her granddaughter, Colleen)

Casale's Corner

Boy doing his homework under a streetlight goes viral, and a millionaire takes notice

PERU, BOY

This modern fairy tale inspires hope. It sounds like a fairy tale or maybe the plot of a Charles Dickens novel, but it's a true story. It began when Victor Martin Angulo Cordova, an 11-year-old boy from Moche, Peru, caught the attention of the officers monitoring the city's security cameras. A street camera captured video of the sixth grader sitting and lying down in the road under a streetlamp doing his homework.

Soon the images and the back-story went public on news outlets and social media. As reported on the Perfil website, Victor's family didn't have electricity, but the boy was determined to get an education so he could grow up to be a police officer to "fight corruption, thieves, and drugs."

According to Perfil, the reason the family didn't have electricity was twofold: a lack of money to pay the bills, and more importantly, the fact that they didn't have documentation to prove the ownership of their home, which was needed for the contract to install electricity.

The first person to come to the rescue was the mayor of the town, Arturo Fernandez Bazin, who brought Victor a package of school supplies and helped the family get the paperwork done so they could acquire the deed to their property and get electricity installed.

That in itself was a big step forward, but only the first. It was then that Yaqoob Yusuf Ahmed Mubarak entered the scene. He's a 31-year-old millionaire importer and chocolatier from Bahrain, who during his childhood wasn't lacking money, but affection. According to the Clarin news site, Mubarak saw some of his childhood friends die from drugs and crime in his youth and he suffered from depression.

Mubarak's painful background gifted him with empathy and a desire to help others, so Victor's determination to study and be responsible in the midst of poverty moved his heart. In an interview, he says that under the same conditions, he never would have had the motivation to study. So, Mubarak traveled from his small island country (a quarter of the size of Rhode Island) in the Persian Gulf to Moche, Peru, to meet the boy in person.

Photos of the encounter show the Bahraini businessman hugging Victor, posing with his family, and lying on the ground reading books with him, apparently imitating Victor's position when he was caught by the security cameras studying by streetlight.

Mubarak was struck by the poverty in which the boy and his peers lived and studied. He decided to rebuild Victor's family's humble dwelling as a two-story home, help Victor's mother start a small business, and give $2,000 to the boy (in his mother's care). Victor pointed out that he has many classmates who are in a similar situation, so Mubarak also pledged to remodel and expand the school Victor attends, adding, among other things, a modern computer lab. The only thing Mubarak is asking in return: that Victor continue to be a humble, extraordinary person who loves his mother and works hard at his education.

Reportedly, Mubarak is having some difficulty making the donation to the school, due to bureaucratic obstacles on the part of the Peruvian government. Let's hope that the obstacles can be overcome so this fairy tale can fully come true.