August 2026: Volume 26 - Issue 11

Thank you to Kenneth Arnold, Class of 1965, for contacting us. Although the biography was hidden on the website, we thought our readers would like to read about The Dynamics, so we are featuring it here this month. We have a new article from Dr. Kumpikas and a new addition to Ron Wencer's Ancient Hixtory: an article about Leon Galloway! The Hicksville Gregory Museum is in financial distress. Thank you to Ryan Vicino for the article and information about how you can help.  We are happy our readers are using the Member Comments, and they appear at the end of this month's newsletter.  When you are logged into the site, scroll to the bottom of an article and leave us a comment! If you want to share articles, announcements, or pictures, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Written by: Ronald Wencer

Introduction

When I was a student in Hicksville High, I didn’t know what to make of Principal Leon Galloway.  My older sister Marilyn had known him as her teacher, and she spoke highly of him.  She spoke highly in the same way about Raymond Rusch, whom I later knew as an Assistant Principal.  When Mr. Rusch and I first met, he greeted me warmly and asked about Marilyn.  In contrast, the few times that Mr. Galloway and I spoke seemed impersonal; he definitely did not exude warmth in my direction.

But in the 1990s, when I got involved with HixNews, I saw that other people (including Bob Casale) recalled him with warmth and gratitude.  Obviously, there was a side of Mr. Galloway that I never got to see.  Then more time went by, and as I researched Hicksville’s history, I sometimes would notice his name in old newspapers, in a context that surprised me.  I finally decided to peek a little into the life of Leon J. Galloway, and this brief article is the result.

Note: I’ve tried something different in this article.  In the Appendices, for each Source I list, I’ve categorized the information it provided.  That may help readers who want look into things in greater detail.

Childhood and Catastrophe

Mr. Galloway was born on Christmas Day, 1902, to Philip and Anna Galloway.  His parents had both been born in Pennsylvania, but by the time of the 1900 U.S. Census, they were living in Binghamton, New York, where Philip worked as a cobbler.  In 1901, the Galloways had their first child, a boy name Glyn, but he died before the year was out.  For reasons unknown to me, they were in Kentucky when Leon was born, although they returned to Binghamton afterwards.

Railroads were at the heart of America’s economy in that era, and Philip got an entry-level job at one of them as a brakeman, earning more money than a cobbler did.  It was considered the most perilous job in railroading.  Brakemen separated or coupled together freight cars, and they set or released the cars’ brakes.  As the train moved along, they often had to cross from the roof of one swaying boxcar to the next, getting themselves into position to split the train between the right cars as it neared the next destination.

One February evening in 1906, Philip Galloway fell to his death from a train as he toiled in the railroad yards in Scranton, shown in this photograph from 1900.  Look closely below the laundry hanging on the line, and you’ll see the silhouette of a man standing on a boxcar roof, with absolutely nothing to hold onto.  That’s where brakemen spent most of their time.

Why did Philip fall?  Maybe his hands and feet were numb from the February cold.  Or maybe he couldn’t see his footing clearly because February evenings got dark early.  There could have been black ice on the roof.  Maybe he was just plain tired, or maybe he had the flu.  If a tired or sick brakeman stayed home, he wouldn’t be paid; he’d be fired.

Although the newspaper report states that he died from the impact of a fall, his Death Certificate is more precise: Philip Galloway died because the train was moving when he fell, and it ran over him.

From Disadvantaged to Advantaged

Anna Galloway was pregnant when Philip died.  Another son, Arnold, was born to her in 1906, but he died before the year was out.  She never remarried; Leon grew up as an only child, raised by a mother whose avalanche of personal loss made the two of them exceptionally close.  Like many other poor women, Anna worked in a cigar factory, and her pay would not have been high.  It appears that the family’s financial difficulties were well known; even the 1921 yearbook from Binghamton Central High School seems to allude to them.

Well, maybe his face wasn’t ALWAYS shining and gleeful.  Nonetheless, Leon Galloway was a brilliant student.  He went on to graduate from Syracuse University, earn a Masters at Columbia, and later in life, earn a Doctorate.

At Syracuse, his abilities were recognized by his being named to Alpha Kappa Psi, an elite business fraternity, whose members have included the heads of some of the largest multinational American businesses, as well as powerful politicians (including U.S. Presidents).  Being a member would help open doors for Leon, even in “the sticks” of 1930s Hicksville.  He would have access to many local businessmen and government officials, especially those who were members of the Kiwanis service organization, as he was.

Paying It Forward

Like his predecessor Mabel Farley, Galloway seemed to devote as much unpaid time to volunteering as he did to his paid job as an educator.

For understandable reasons, his volunteer work often focused on youth who were at risk due to circumstance, such as summer camps or swim excursions for orphans, or for children of impoverished families.  For that matter, the somewhat rough-and-tumble crew that everyone at HHS called “Galloway’s Boys ” may have come about because of his desire to help youth who were not fitting in socially, and thus were putting themselves at risk.

Galloway also volunteered in social arenas other than needy youth.  Like Farley, he served on the Hicksville Public Library’s Board of Trustees, through which the library offered lectures that informed Hicksvillians of government and social developments that affected them.  These lectures explained a wide range of topics, from the introduction of Social Security, to a review of how air travel was making distant vacation spots more accessible.

Still together through Galloway’s most active years in Hicksville, Leon and his mother shared a dwelling and often vacationed together.  Anna Galloway died in 1966, and the following year her son finally felt free to marry, so he did.  He passed away late in 1985.  He is buried in a family plot in Broome County, New York, along with his parents and the siblings who died in infancy.

May he rest in Peace.

Appendix:  Sources of Information

• 1900 U.S. Census and 1910 U.S. Census
  • personal data for Anna and Leon Galloway, including Anna’s work making cigars
• Findagrave.com
  • data on Leon Galloway’s siblings; mention of his earning a PhD;
  • death date of his mother Anna
• 1905 New York State Census
  • data about Leon’s parents
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Death Certificate for Philip Galloway
  • details of his death
• 1926 Onandagan, Syracuse University Yearbook
  • Leon’s election to Alpha Kappa Psi
• Brooklyn Eagle for June 1. 1932
  • Leon receives his Masters degree
• Various newspapers in greater NYC and in the Susquehanna Valley
  • reports on community service work undertaken by Farley and/or Galloway
• New York State Marriage Index
  • 1967 marriage of Leon J. Galloway to Harriet Phillips Pill
• Social Security Index of Deaths
  • Date of Death for Leon Galloway

Appendix: Sources for Images

• Leon J. Galloway Leading HHS Students
  • 1964 Comet Yearbook
• 1900 view of Lackawanna rail yards in Scranton (excerpt, highlight added by author)
  • Shorpy American Historical Photo Archive
• Report of Philip Galloway’s Death
  • Binghamton News, February 9, 1906
• Yearbook Picture
  • 1921 Panorama Yearbook, Binghamton Central High School

Ciao!

Written by: Ryan Vicino, Class of 2020

The Hicksville Gregory Museum is a vital piece of Long Island public history, located at 1 Heitz Place right off Woodbury Road. This museum was constructed in 1895 and originally served as a courthouse with multiple jail cells and a village hall for the local community. Currently, the Gregory Museum houses Long Island’s largest rock and mineral collection, as well as a multitude of fossils and exhibits that are consistently rotated on other topics related to both local and world history. Being Long Island’s only museum focused on Earth Science, it is necessary that these exhibits remain open to the public so that future generations may experience the excitement of studying our past!

Exterior snapshot of the Hicksville Gregory Museum.
Courtesy of the LI Press

A look inside the interior jail cell
credit: Grossman World by Blake GrossmanAs the only remaining structure from Hicksville’s past, this museum offers locals an intriguing glimpse of what the town was once like. The building itself offers a great deal of history to learn about, as it held Hicksville’s only prisoners in its official records. It is interesting to note that real trials were also held in the building once a week and were directed by local Justices of the Peace, who were also some of the town councilmen. By 1915, three additional jail cells had been added to the property; they are still standing today and can be found hidden directly adjacent to the Gregory Museum. Soon after, the building was converted to a headquarters for the local Selective Service throughout WWI and WWII, which consisted of drafted soldiers who relied on these local civilian buildings to manage processes such as registration and selection for service. The Gregory Museum would later be recognized by the US Dept of the Interior as a National Historic Place on July 30, 1974, meaning it is listed under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as “a cultural resource worthy of preservation.” 

While the Gregory Museum no longer holds any living prisoners in its jail cells (though there are some fake prisoners depicted as mannequins who call these cells home), it still provides the local community with many interesting displays that illustrate the past in the modern day. For example, the vast rock and mineral collection housed in the museum features beautiful samples of donated gemstones such as Ruby and Blue Topaz, as well as information on Long Island’s local geological history. In fact, Long Island as a whole serves as an important example in the geological history of glacial geomorphology, the study of how moving ice and meltwater shape the Earth’s surface. Another highlight of the museum is its massive collection of fossils from multiple species, including examples from the Cretaceous Period, when legendary dinosaurs such as T. Rex and Triceratops roamed the Earth. As the museum still accepts new artifacts for display, recent additions include an intricately painted sarcophagus mask, an ancient flute shaped like an armadillo from the Mayan peoples, and multiple Clovis spear points, which were historically used by early human hunters. Personally, I believe the Gregory Museum is an extremely important piece of history that still provides the community with many exciting topics to learn about!

Egyptian Sarcophagus Mask included in Ancient Egypt Exhibit, Source: Hicksville Gregory Museum Facebook PageUnfortunately, it is necessary to discuss the current hardships the museum is undergoing as this is being written. As stated on the museum’s Facebook page, “Hicksville's 'Hidden Gem' is going into its first year without proper funding since the 1970's and is now at risk of closing forever.” While this may come as shocking to some, as I previously mentioned in this article, the museum is listed by the US government as a National Historic Place; the museum has sadly announced that it will no longer receive funding from the local school district, marking the first time in history it is facing financial burden since the building was converted to the Gregory Museum. To continue its educational services for the community, the museum requires roughly $90,000. Although I do not have any formal affiliation with the Gregory Museum, I implore anyone reading this, as a local historian and Hicksville native, to scan the QR code in this article to donate to the museum. According to the American Alliance of Museums, a 2025 field survey found that 24% of museums have had to cancel programming for students, individuals in the disabled community, the elderly, and veterans, and a saddening 28% have closed all programming for the general public. If we want to continue to have public access to the many historical artifacts at places such as the Gregory Museum, it is our duty to ensure they remain open for our communities to enjoy.

QR Code to donate directly to the Gregory Museum.
Please help save history!

Written by: Dr. Giedrė Maria Kumpikas (Former Hicksville H.S. Teacher)

The Mini-Skirt English Lesson

     It was 1986, I was teaching an English class in a Senior High School on Long Island.

I was actually a Foreign Language teacher - French, German, Latin - but through a series of what I considered unfair administrative reassignments I found myself in front of an English class.

     It was a class of twenty-seven, twenty guys from the football team, and seven girls who were football team admirers. None were interested in English, besides that they were Seniors!

Teaching French or German or Latin is very different from teaching English. In the former, you teach structure; in the latter, you teach literature and analysis.

     So, here I was standing, The Great Gatsby in hand, trying to have them read it, understand it, and grasp its deeper meaning. A girl said, “I didn’t even understand the first paragraph.”

     Oh, my, I thought, what shall I do? They simply did not do the reading. I asked questions. No answer. I scolded. No reaction. I threatened. No effect. I gave short-answer tests. They objected. “Don’t give us “think questions.” Give us multiple choice.”  It was frustrating. It was aggravating. I would walk into the class and hit a brick wall of muted silence. I asked them why they did not do the reading. Their answer was that they all worked after school, would come home around 10 o’clock, and were too tired to read anything. They were saving for the Prom. What nice American kids. The High School Prom - a Rite of Passage.

     I began to worry. There would be a Departmental Final, and the majority of the class would not pass, which would be bad for them and a reflection on me. I was initially told that this was a difficult class.

     What to do? How to solve this dilemma? Then, I thought of the old saying about Mohammed and the Mountain and decided that since they were not reading, I would do it for them. In my mind, the most important thing for them was to absorb the material and pass the class.

     On a Spring morning, I put on a royal blue leather mini-skirt, a tight black cashmere sweater, black tights and very high stiletto heels. Click! Click! I came into class. All eyes were fixed on me. I said:

     “This is what we are going to do. Since you are not reading the books we need to cover, I will tell you what is in the books - the content, the meaning, the symbolism. All you have to do is listen! If you pay attention, you will pass the Departmental Final. If you do not listen, you will probably fail. I am doing this for you, to help you, so that you pass, so that you enjoy your Prom, and your summer.”

     So, every day, I walked back and forth, in front of the class, “Click!” Click!” Talking about The Great Gatsby, Camus’ The Stranger and its Existentialist theme, and the other books on the curriculum. I found some film versions of the books. They all passed the Departmental Final. The lowest grade was a 75. My colleagues were amazed: “How did you do that? They were such a difficult class.”

     I answered, “A professional secret.” Click! Click!

Giedre Kumpikas
East Hampton, New York
August 14, 2026

Written by: Kenneth Arnold, Class of 1965

The Dynamics

by Ken Arnold ('65)

Original Band Members

Other Members

Jimmy Rosica and I, Ken Arnold, both lived on Wellesley Lane in Hicksville since we were five years old. We were friends throughout elementary school, played Little League ball and attended scouting together, and we both had an interest in music. I took piano lessons and Jimmy enjoyed watching his uncle play guitar at family gatherings.

In 1960, at the age of thirteen, while riding our bikes around the neighborhood, Jimmy asked me if I wanted to take up playing the guitar with him. Rock and Roll was just taking off at the time and we both enjoyed listening to it. We bought our first guitars soon afterward, started taking lessons from a guitarist named Hy Rosen and began listening to guitar based groups such as Duane Eddy, Johnny and the Hurricanes, the Fireballs and especially The Ventures. We would sit around Jimmy's stereo Hi-Fi for hours and try to figure out the licks, note-for-note.

After having learned a few songs, we would play for our neighbors and friends. On one clear summer day, we brought our Silvertone amps into my backyard, which happened to face Plainview across the borderline of South Oyster Bay Road and attracted many onlookers. In 1961, we formed a group with a neighbor, Ricky Weick who played bass guitar and George Deveau on Sax. Our first drummer, Joe Puiatti was from Plainview . We called ourselves the Dynamics.

At the time there were other bands like ours in the Hillside Terrace area. Some of the other local musicians were Bobby Leo '65, Jeff Altman '64, Vito Marrone '66, Jimmy Lhotan '65, and Johnny Barcelona '65.

During our two-and-a-half year existence in ninth, tenth and eleventh grades, we played as the Dynamics at many venues in and around Hicksville including private parties, weddings, K of C functions, and church dances. We changed personnel a few times, including drummers, Vic Olsen '65, Mark Leibowitz '66 and Roger Weinand '65. Johnny Barcelona '65 replaced George on sax and he also sang and played flute and guitar. At one point we all went to Bonds Clothing store in Mid-Island Plaza , bought suits and had a photo-op. The picture was displayed in the store for all to see.

One of my fondest memories was playing at the High School ' Battle of the Bands' in 1963. There were about ten bands set up in the gym and each one played a couple of songs and was judged by volunteer adults. At the time most combos played instrumentals. Some of the other bands were The Rivieras, The Jesters, The Imperials, and the Majestics. The winner was The Imperials with Tommy Sullivan singing a great rendition of 'Hound Dog.' Some of the other musicians in the house were: Denny Dias (Steely Dan) '64, the late Vic Brunette '65, Ken Pohl '64, Jimmy Walker '65, Don Dixon '65, Bruce Enos '65, Joe Grimm '65, Steve Swanson '65, Jimmy Gorman '66 and John Werthessen '65.

It was after Tommy's wild singing performance that we realized instrumentals were fun for us to play, but we had to include singing in our repertoire to keep our edge as a band. So, we found some Beatles wigs and refocused our efforts by adding Beatles, Stones and others to our play list.

We disbanded as a group in our junior year in HS. After that, Jimmy and Johnny Barcelona started another group called Johnny and the Jaywalkers who did quite well in the night club venues.

After graduating High School Jimmy, my brother Roger and a HHS English teacher, the late Neil O'Doherty, who was a family friend, started singing Beach Boys' songs together. We would go to Jones Beach with some of our neighbors' families and sit around a campfire and harmonize using the parts Jimmy taught us. After the beach we would pass through the tunnel and serenade the passersby.

Jones Beach State Park - What a great echo!

We thought we sounded pretty good. So with Mr. O's new Chevy Wagon, two guitars, a tambourine and a tent, we took our show on the road across the country; all the way to California and back.

It was the trip of a life-time. Nothing beats singing 'Sloop John B' to a diner full of skeptical Southerners and having them give you a round of applause. We had a repertoire of about twenty-five songs and sang in the car, in campgrounds, and even stopped alongside the Las Vegas freeway to sing for a mother and her two teenage daughters. After the three week trip, Roger and I went back to College at Oswego , Mr. O went back to the HHS and Jimmy continued in his music endeavors.

Jimmy, along with five other graduates of Hicksville High School went on to become founding members of the Rhythm Method, which subsequently morphed into Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge .

It's now over forty-five years since the Dynamics was formed. I still play guitar regularly as a hobby and occasionally get out and play in public. The last time was with Bobby Leo in a tavern in East Quogue .

Jimmy has a music business, which is called 'The Very Cool Music School.' We still socialize and occasionally play Ventures' tunes together.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Very-Cool-Music-School/242318000144

Johnny B. moved to California many years ago. He earned his doctorate in music and is the Director of Woodwind Studies and Professor of Flute at CSULB and flautist with the internationally acclaimed Westwood Wind Quintet:

http://www.csulb.edu/depts/music/woodwinds/john_barcellona.html

He is world renowned as a flautist and even has a flute model named after him. The last time I saw Johnny was in the year 2000 when he flew in from CA and invited Jimmy and I to a family gathering on Long Island .

I still see Bobby Leo on a regular basis and we play guitar at the annual October Ventures' Fan Jam in Pennsylvania . Also, I have corresponded with Jimmy Lhotan and Vito Marrone over the past couple of years.

JoanneMost recently, Vic Olsen contacted me in early 2012 and is attempting to organize musicians from our band and others of that era to play at our 50th reunion in 2015. It will be great fun for me to see acquaintances from the past and be able to relive my youth playing rock and roll with "old" friends.

I am now retired from teaching and live with my wife, Joanne ( Tracy ) Arnold '67 in East Quogue , NY. We have two daughters, Tracy and Danielle, one granddaughter, Zoey and a grandson, Austin.

Pre-Dynamics: Woodland Avenue Elementary School

Ricky, John, Jimmy, Ken

Dynamics: HHS

Written by: Stefanie Cedar Shames

Enjoy these photos of lasting friendships from across the years and across the miles. 

Last week, John Klug, HHS Class of 1965, and I got together for the first time in almost five decades. Janet and I live in Toronto; John and his lovely wife Carol live in Texas, where he is a lawyer.  They were flying back home from vacation and had a five-hour layover in Toronto.  So, we met at the airport, took a short free shuttle ride to a hotel, had a long lunch in the hotel's restaurant, and finally took another shuttle back to say our goodbyes at the airport. It was a great afternoon!
Ron Wencer
HHS Class of 1964

Hope Cedar Dagan (1980), Jeanne Carlino Campbell (1980), and Stefanie Cedar Shames (1977) net up in Orlando, Florida

 

Dave Gaudio, Scott Schutzman, and Charlie Guerra had a mini HHS Class of 1977 reunion in Long Beach, CA. And while on the East Coast, Charlie Guerra and Mike Caruso had a mini-reunion in Baltimore.

Dave Gaudio, Scott Schutzman, and Charlie Guerra (top) and Mike Caruso and Charlie Guerra (bottom)

 

Posted on Facebook by Jerry Healey

Golfing trip on Hilton Head with the classes of 1975 and 1977. Left to right. Kevin Korcz (75), Greg Walsh (77), Bobby Smith (75), Jerry Healey (77), Lee McGunnigle(77), Mike Valle (77), Nick Tallarico (77), and Ted Kelly (Ted moved prior to graduation but would have been class of 1975). In a competition between the classes. Unfortunately, the class of 1975 won with Nick on their team.

Written by: Hicksville Class of 1976

Join the Hicksville Class of 1976 Facebook page to see the latest news!

Hello HHS Class of 1976!

We're very excited about having a 50th reunion for the Hicksville High School class of 1976!!!

Alice Hauser (Guariglia) and Cathy Caros (Tamburro) have been working through the details and would like to share with you what we have so far.

Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026

Location: Patrizia's of Long Island, 1040 S. Broadway, Hicksville NY 11801

Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm (the restaurant closes at 10:00pm so if anyone wants to hang out a little after, they can go to the bar at the restaurant)

Menu: Italian, served family-style at tables.  Wine, Beer, Sangria, and Soft Drinks are included - PLEASE NOTE: Mixed drinks are not included but can be purchased at the bar

Cost: $110 per person

We also thought it would be fun to schedule a tour of the High School prior to our reunion party, so more details to follow.  Alice will be contacting the HHS Principal to discuss.

There'll be plenty of music! We're looking at the cost of a DJ but we may just provide our own music to keep the cost down.

IMPORTANT: WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!

To finalize the food and beverage arrangements, we need a final headcount!!! Please confirm your attendance by July 24th by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the following information:

Name (first name, birth name, last name as appropriate)

Contact information (email address and cell phone number)

Number of attendees

NOTE: If you are bringing a guest, please provide their name as well, as we'll be creating nametags for each attendee!

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!!!

If you are in touch with any fellow classmates, please pass this information along and encourage them to join us!

Let's make this reunion one for the books!  The stories, the laughter and the memories we created made our High School days the time of our lives!!!  Let's celebrate together!!! Once we have a final headcount, we'll send another communication out with the payment method and the final details.

We can't wait to see everyone on October 8th!!!

Alice Hauser Guariglia (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Cathy Caros Tamburro (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Compiled by: Stefanie Cedar Shames, Class of 1977

HHS Graduates as Published Authors

John Ebbecke was born in 1954 and graduated from Hicksville High School in 1972. In his retirement, he started writing. His first book, Tales from the Cage, is about growing up in Hicksville in the 60s to 1972. The first chapter can be found here on HixNews.com under Favorite Memories. His second book, My Past Time with the National Pastime, is now available on Amazon. It's all about a baseball life for a Hicksville baby boomer ...from wiffle ball and flipping cards to stories at the ballpark and adult softball on Long Island. John is now working on his third book,  which is about the 1970s. 

Jim Wittenborg, Class of 1974, just released his fourth book in the Dream Traveler Series. You will recognize the names of Hicksville students and local landmarks in Tombstones.

In Memoriam

Thank you to Steve Rose, Class of 1969, for letting us know his brother, Rich Rose, HHS Class of 1967,  passed away on June 24, 2026.

Thank you to Austin Bowles for these submissions:

Orest Romanick, Class of 1961, passed Sept. 25, 2020

Dennis Joannides, Class of 1961, passed Sept. 30, 2019

Notes from Readers
Rick Hasbrouck missed the combined 66-68 reunion and is wondering if anyone is interested in coordinating a 60th reunion for the Class of 1967. If you would like to get in touch with him, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Class of 1975

A big 70-ish birthday party is planned for Saturday, October 16, 2027, from 12 noon -4 pm. Place to be determined. It will be at a smaller venue with attendance limits, so join the Hicksville High School Alumni Class of 1975 Facebook page to stay updated.

Homecoming 2026

Volunteers Needed for Homecoming 2026 Hicksville Council of PTAs needs volunteers to sign up for an hour to help out your school or your past elementary school! Click here to sign up

 

 

Compiled by: The Webmaster

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