Memories from a Long, Long Time Ago
Submitted by,
Wayne Lyons, Class of 1966
My family moved from the Bronx in the early 1950s, and we settled in Hicksville in 1952. I lived on the border of Hicksville, and over the fenced backyard was Levittown. I did have one neighbor briefly who worked in the TV industry...Wright Thornburgh King (January 11, 1923 – November 25, 2018) was an American stage, film, and television actor whose career lasted for over forty years. He is best known for playing Jason Nichols in the television series Wanted Dead or Alive (1958–1961). King studied acting at the St Louis School of Theater, from which he graduated in 1941, before enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II, in which he served in the South Pacific campaign from 1943 to 1945.
With Vivien Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
King made his small screen debut in 1949 as Midshipman Bascomb in the television series Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Throughout his career, he worked in both the United States and the United Kingdom. King was cast in numerous Westerns and is particularly known for his role in the 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Vivien Leigh (whom his character kisses). Before that, he had appeared in the original stage production, a performance that drama critic Harold Hobson lauded. Years later I always looked for his name in various westerns that were on in the 50's and 1960's.
Back to my Hicksville days...I went to school at Fork Lane, which was a two-and-a-half block walk from our house on Spindle Road. Those days, you could walk home for lunch. Then it was off to junior high and back to seventh to ninth grade. The high school, from what I remember, had split sessions in 10th grade. I remember we had classes in temporary buildings....one rememberance from ninth grade I was coming out of the library with a good friend and we heard about President Kennedy. Still remember that day.
High school had over 900 graduates. It was always a challenge to attend classes with over 30 students, which was a usual amount for our teachers to combat!
Some of the teachers I really enjoyed...10th grade Mr. McCarty...he was there a couple of years...a bit ahead of his time. He had sweatshirts made by McCarty's Minkles..where he came up with that, I do not remember. But his English class was amazing. He was probably just out of college. Gus Alfieri another great teacher, taught history. My favorite teacher, whom I first met in junior high, Neal O'Daughtery... once took me and three other students to Shea Stadium, where we met Larry Bearnarth..., a relief pitcher for the Mets. They went to the same college - St. John's and Mr. O'Daugherty had us meet him before the game. By the way, my wife also had him in high school.
I remember going out to eat lunch (I still have an early lunch pass in my possession) at a hamburger place we called Ed's Tomaine Parlor. The burgers were good ...but for some reason that was the name we used...go figure!
During my time in the high school we were getting very familiar with what was called, at the early stages, a police action in a faraway place called Vietnam...Do I remember any other classes? I took a year of typing, which came in very handy in the following years: 3 guys and 20-some girls. After graduation, I decided that college was not for me. Nor was the US Army. I went to the Navy recruiting office and joined the Navy in April of 1967. Spent a little under four years being stationed in Washington Navy Yard, Newport, Rhode Island, for school and then 26 months on the ship USS San Diego, which was attached to the Sixth Fleet...two Med tours...fond memories...went to college starting at Nassau Community for two years and then SUNY Albany and SUNY Stonybrook...Navy paid all....
It was not easy being in a class as big as the one I was in, but I maintained strong friendships - one for over 55 years. I also married a graduate of the class of 1970. I got to know her from her brother, who I graduated with.
Comment on this article