October
2004
Volume 5 Number 1
From the Editors
Thank you all for the wonderful response I received to the address check note.
Your kind words and encouragement are deeply appreciated. There are now 553 good
email addresses on the distribution list. WOW! Four years ago we started with
just a handful of addresses.
As we start our 5th year, you are (once again) invited to share news of your
life, memories and original writings.
Sincerely
Pat Koziuk Driscoll, 1956
P.S. I wonder how many newsletters will be returned this month because of all
the hurricanes and storms in the East and earthquakes in the West? I will not
remove any addresses this month because of these possibilities.
Editor note...this was before we evolved into
our own website. Who amongst you were the original classmates who was receiving
the emails???
Thanks so much for your work with the newsletter. I enjoy reading it and should
send something about what's happened in my life since I wasn't able to attend
our reunion last year.
After high school, I went to
Potsdam
and finished a degree in music. I taught 2 years in
Westhampton
Beach
, married an Air Force officer stationed at Suffolk County AFB and moved to
England
. We lived there 2 years. He finished his tour and we moved back to LI where I
taught in Manorville and he taught at Mercy HS in Riverhead. After 3 years we
moved to a small town, Manti, in central
Utah
where Russ taught English and I stayed home with our growing family. In 1975 we
moved to
Lehi
,
Utah
and have been here ever since. We have a home on 5 acres and love it. I am
currently the director of a tutorial program for at-risk HS students. I also
have been a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the past 11 years and am
having an incredible experience there. Russ and I have 3 boys and 1
granddaughter with another coming in November and another coming in December.
Rita Paesani Felt 1962
Favorite
Teachers
John (Jack) Clarke
taught English at HHS in the early-to-mid sixties. He rode a motorcycle to
school. Definitely an outlaw (or so he seemed to us) and someone who questioned
conventions of all kinds. On the faculty he was friendly with Gerry Shanley,
another HHS English teacher, another outlaw.
I had him in junior year English (Track 2 - the "average" kids). He
had an ability to connect with a very tough audience of bored adolescents. I
remember he'd sit on top of his desk and read aloud from anything and everything
- poetry, short stories, novels, newspaper and magazine articles - didn't care
if it was "not appropriate" (in those days, novels like The
Catcher in the Rye were not considered "appropriate" for high
school students.) He was funny, smart and angry - he'd often rail against
hypocrisy and bull. He had our respect and tolerated no nonsense in his
classroom. Of course I had a massive crush on him, though I hardly ever spoke in
class. Too shy.
By junior year I was already an avid reader (it was a great escape) and, because
he was passionate about good writing and the power of words, he showed me that
literature could be sexy and subversive too. He inspired me - us - and that's
the very best a teacher can do. We are blessed when we find inspiration at a
formative stage in our lives. I was blessed, and I've never forgotten him.
Years after graduation, when I was living in
Manhattan
, I reconnected with him. He had left teaching (sadly) and was working for an ad
agency in
Connecticut
. Still riding his motorcycle. We saw each other a few times, in the city and at
his house in
Connecticut
. He and his wife came to my wedding reception in 1970. Then we lost contact. If
anyone knows where he is these days, I'd love to get in touch with him again. If
anyone knows, send me an email.
Nacia Miller 1965 (Nancy Portoghese, back in HHS days)
The following was in the September 2005
newsletter...
Hi All
Just thought I'd add a sort of interesting turn of events in my life as a 1962
graduate of HHS. On July 5th, I moved from my job at the Office of the United
States Trade Representative to the White House, I am now the Director for
Western Hemisphere Economics and
Brazil
and the Southern Cone at the National Security Council. My White House ID badge
hangs from my Hicksville High Comet's lanyard. So far, I think I'm the only
HHS grad working here. I owe it all to Mr. Rusch's Documents in American
History class a million
years ago.
Sue (Relling) Cronin 1962 Sue
on Air Force One with President Bush
The following was in the March 2009 newsletter...
Ted Swedalla (1964) and Bob Casale (1961) are starting their memorable trip from
Key West
,
Florida
to
Bar Harbor
,
Maine
on April 1st.
This
trip is memorable. Ted is dedicating this trip to the returning veterans from
the conflicts in both
Iraq
and
Afghanistan
. So many of our veterans are returning to friends, family and loved ones with
injuries and disabilities. We are concerned for those Heroes. Our government
does many wonderful things to accommodate returning veterans. Unfortunately,
they cannot fully address the emotional needs of those returning veterans. So
many organizations pick up the slack after our government has fulfilled their
obligation. Our hope, Ted's and mine, is to try to raise some funds to support
the organizations that help our returning veterans. Anyone interested in
helping, please contact Ted and Bob by sending a note to editors@hixnews.com
We, Ted and Bob are starting in
Key West
and going up the East Coast. We are very interested in alumni who live in the
alley we will travel from
Key West
to
Bar Harbor
. Let us know where you live and we will try to stop and see you on our trip.
This is an alumni adventure and an alumni venture to help support our troops.
Love Yah,
Ted Swedalla and Bob Casale
p.s. what makes this unique is that Ted is riding his bicycle...a bicycle that
you pedal from point to point. We are shooting for about 50 miles per day. Bob
will take the motor home from point to point....a 50 mile ride for Ted will
result in catching up with Bob at the next Campground.. Easy for Bob...hard for
Ted...sounds like our business adventure. Hey, we love it and hope for some help
from our friends...and we love you all!!!
Bob's
ride is below...Ted's is at the bottom
Ted's
ride...
Unfortunately, our trip was cut short because of some family issues. We made it
to
Charleston
,
South Carolina
so Ted pedaled almost 800 miles. Several years later, Ted biked from
Roanoke
,
Virginia
to
Portland
,
Oregon
over an 80+ day period and clocked over 4,000 miles.
Cross
Country Trip at the Continental Divide
The following was in the
June 2011 newsletter
Dear Bob,
Thanks so much for the look
back and reminding me how horrible I looked. LOL!! Hey, it is what it is. What
was I thinking with those glasses and ugh! that puka bead necklace. But, as I
recall it was fashionable at the time. It's hard to believe that it has been
35 years. Thinking back to high school, I just felt lost. We were a graduating
class of, I think, 900?
I didn't participate in
sports, or music, or the plays and clubs, oh and no proms either. If you were
overweight at that time, no boy would ask you and you didn't go to the proms
without a date. You see, I was a "tech" student. I went to BOCES for
half the day.
So I didn't associate much
with most of the kids in those photos. We had our own group. But, you really
don't see them in yearbook photos. Somehow always feeling on the outside. But,
we had a ball.
We went roller skating at
the Levittown Roller Rink on Hempstead Turnpike in
Levittown
. And to the Hicksville Movie theatre, too. There were dances; the carnivals
were a blast at St. Ignatius. It was a religious trek to the Mid Island Plaza
every Saturday.
Then of course we hung out
at the bars (yes, we were under age) What was the name of that place in
Farmingdale on Main St. that played Beach Boy Music and had surf boards hanging
from the ceiling and lifeguard stands. Can't think of it right now and its
funny I have lived in Farmingdale since 1986!! Oh by the way, I went to Westbury
Boces for business occupations. I worked for Avis rent a car for 11 years, right
out of high school.
Then I stayed home for 10
years to raise my kids. Now, for the last 11 years I have worked for New York
Institute of Technology in Old Westbury.
First, in the Office of
Financial Aid and now in Admissions. I wonder what has become of all those kids
who felt like me. I just went on to lead a typical
Long Island
middle class existence. Kind of boring, really. But, it's my life and I chose
it. I love my family and I thank God every day that I have a husband who still
loves me despite all my faults.
We have been married for 27
years. I don't miss high school as it was NOT "the best time of my
life" (as everyone kept telling me back then). The BEST time of my life
were the years following high school. When I was in my mid twenties before I got
married. Now, that was a blast! I was single, independent, working. Hey, it was
the 80's, say no more!! Below, Josie and Joe in 1982 when they met and a more
recent picture!
Josie Bacchi Whitezin '76
This was in the October 2015 newsletter
Thanks to Kathy McDonald Corey class of
1961 for the following...
THE NEXT TIME YOU START
FEELING SORRY FOR
YOURSELF REMEMBER THIS ONE
An Amazing Farmer .... Will
touch your Heart ... Most inspirational story I think I've ever seen!!! It's
good to see a story like this to maintain our perspective on life!
Both individually and societal as well...
https://www.youtube.com/embed/H9S3n_tILKo
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