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May 2002
Volume 2 Number 8
May Birthdays
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13
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Ginny Mohr Trombetta, 1957, L.I.
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28
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"Clem" Baldwin Moors, 1961, FL
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Belated birthday wishes to Ronnie Gardner Izzo,
1959, April 2nd and Steve Weinblatt, 1962 (NY),
April 26th.
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News and Notes
Spotlight: Carolyn Wood, Part 2
From the Editor
In Memoriam
Reunions
Trivia
News and Notes
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Hi
Just to let you know; my "FAITH" episode
of LAW & ORDER Criminal Intent is supposed to
be on air April 28th a Sunday eve. But they say
that can change.
I apologize in advance if that is the case. I play
a lawyer in 2 scenes; "Jacobs"
SAL MISTRETTA, Class of 1962
(Editor's Note: Sal won the Helen Hayes Award for
his role in THE FIX. See photos of him in the role
(with crutches) at:
http://www.sig-online.org/fixpics.htm
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David Teitel (1968) has been singing tenor with
THE GLASS MENAGERIE, a chorus under the direction
of Susan Glass, for almost 16 years. It is all-volunteer
and the members pay dues for the privilege of singing
with the chorus.
The chorus began about 18 years ago. It was started
in the Little Red School House where Ms Glass was
the music teacher. It was formed at the urging of
parents and faculty as a creative outlet for the
adults. The first few performances were in someone's
living room with a potluck afterwards. Through the
years, the chorus has grown to fifty voices strong.
They have gone from singing simple rounds to tackling
some of the most difficult music written. They perform
one concert near Christmas and one in the spring.
Their Spring Concert is Friday, May 10th at the
Grace Church, located at Broadway and East 10th
Street in Manhattan. The program will be, as usual,
eclectic, ranging from Mozart and Schubert to Spirituals
and African Chants. The significant piece they will
be performing this spring is the Mass in G by Franz
Schubert. Starting time is 7:30 or 8:00 pm. Get
there early as there is no reserved seating and
the house is usually full. A donation of $15.00
is suggested at the door.
David looks forward to seeing many of his old friends.
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Debbie Coppola (1977) sends the following clarification
to the trivia list we printed last month:
Just to set the record straight in case the following
fact led others to believe that Carole Lombard actually
died in the war as a result of that war....
From http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Lombard%2C+Carole...
RE: 41. Clark Gable's wife, Carole Lombard, was
the first American woman killed in World War II.
She was returning from a War bond drive in her
home state of Indiana, when her plane crashed outside
of Las Vegas in 1942, killing her and her mother
and 20 other passengers.
Tragedy struck on a war bond tour that Carole and
her mother were on. The plane they were traveling
in (TWA Flight #3) crashed. Her last words, in her
home state of Indiana, to all the people were just
before boarding the plane, "Before I say goodbye
to you all - come on - join me in a big cheer- V
for victory!" All 22 passengers died in the
crash.
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If at all possible maybe you can add the following
to next Newsletter. From Bill Canham and Bob Rogers;
We want to say hello to our Class of 1961 "Click"
Art Clemenz, Pat Hiscock, Judy Yanoff, Phil Leonhard,
Jack Hansen, Maureen Thogode, Buddy Bowles, Arnie
Klingenberger, Dave Goldstein, Pat Kocher, Carol
Schnieder, Peggy Giles, Eillen Frawley, Larry Obracanik,
to name a few.
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Hi,
I have been very busy and might have missed a letter
or two. Have you listed the names of those HHS graduates
that we know were either affected or killed during
the 9-1-1 attacks on America? If so, would you be
able to resend it to me? Two of my friends were
killed...Terry Farrell, Rescue 4-FDNY; Ex-Fire Chief
of the HFD and George Howard- PANY; Ex-Captain of
HFD Company 5. I don't know what year they graduated.
I'm sure there were more.
Thanks for your work on this letter.
Carl Chris Calma
Class of '76
Coral Springs, FL
(From the Editor: We have never printed such a
list)
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There was a message on the boards at classmates.com
from Dina Wallick, class of 1992, which identifies
her mother Jo Ann Esposito Wallick as one of the
"bad" girls in the movie LET THE GOOD
TIMES ROLL. She is still looking for a copy of the
video.
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My name is Jenni Perduto, my husband Mike graduated
from HHS in 1966. We have been married for 24 years;
we have a son Michael who is 17, and a daughter
Christina 13. Mike recently retired from the Broward
(Ft. Lauderdale) County Schools after 30 years of
service. He went to school in Ft. Lauderdale after
high school, and stayed. We moved our family up
to Brevard County to escape the hustle and bustle.
He has been working for the past few months at a
Charter school, as well as enjoying retirement.
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Anton Mure, class of 1968 sends the following announcement:
HAPPY HOUR/SINGLETON'S ON THE GREEN/MAY 10TH!!!
IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!! TIME TO PARTY AND DANCE
OUT DOORS TO THE SOUNDS OF HICKSVILLE'S ONLY BAND-"MID-LIFE
CRISIS"!!!!! SHOW STARTS AROUND 6:00 AND GOES
ON AND ON! BEAUTIFUL 30'X 90'PATIO (COVERED) RIGHT
ON THE GOLF COURSE!! MAY 1OTHDON'T MISS IT!! RTE
135 S.TO JERICHO TPKE EAST APP 3 LIGHTS ON THE LEFT--GOLF
COURSE/ SINGLETON'S!
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Bonnie Brigandi (1974) has recently moved to Port
Richey, FL and would like to find some of the old
crowd. She mentioned that she used to live on Cedar
St. in Hicksville with her two brothers, Louie and
Keith. Her father, Louie, still has a plumbing and
heating business in Hicksville; Alpine Plumbing
and Heating. You can reach Bonnie at BBRIGANDI099@msn.com
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Spotlight: Carolyn Wood, Part 2, by Bob Casale
The step up from Junior High to High School was Carolyn's
first exposure to collective bargaining.
"Instead of being allowed to continue in the public
school system, Mom and Dad coerced me into attending
Queen of the Rosary Academy (QRA) in Amityville,"
she said. Parents want the best for their children,
and hers were exceptionally watchful. To avoid the pitfalls
of public school, it was suggested that she go to private
school.
"I had taken and passed the acceptance test at
QRA," Carolyn remarked, "so went there with
the understanding that I would be allowed to move to
the public school system after tenth grade." All
the students there wore uniforms and she said with a
crooked smile that she looked cute in hers. The kids,
too, were typical teenagers and did the same things
kids everywhere did.
"I don't suggest that it was a mistake being a
student there...I only suggest that my heart was with
my friends, in my community, who were relegated to being
part time companions," she chided.
While in the eighth and ninth grades at QRA, Carolyn
increased her dance schedule of her own volition and
relished the fact that her father had the insight to
create a dance studio in the house for her. It was like
destiny. She was concentrating on tap and enjoying the
diversion. Her routine was quite good and actually earned
a second place in the Diocesan High School Talent Show
where she represented QRA.
In September of 1961, she enrolled as a junior at Hicksville
High. Her days at Queen of the Rosary were behind her
and she was, finally, a happy camper. In theory, Carolyn
should have grown accustomed to her surroundings and
developed a liking for QRA and would want to stay. The
theory was only that...a theory. When the time was drawing
near for her transfer to Hicksville High, a roar went
up in one neighborhood that registered a response on
the Richter scale. She was finally liberated.
Carolyn's dance career was progressing nicely. Her interest
in theater at Hicksville High was an obvious outreach
of her dance. However, because of other obligations,
she would become a part time actor. The change of schools
gave her additional time during the day to do more.
The trip to Amityville was long because the school bus
made rounds of Hicksville and surrounding communities
every morning and afternoon. Instead of using the time
participating in a talent show or class play at the
high school, the newly discovered free time was devoted
to teaching tap and ballet in her home studio. She did
find time to join a chorus line that played weekends
at various supper clubs on Long Island.
"My heart was aching to be more involved at school,"
Carolyn said. "Commitment to my future took precedence,"
she added.
Continued hard work and dedication to goals would not
guarantee a successful future but would carve a path
that gave her an advantage. Those first several months
in a new place provided a special feeling that she had
never experienced before.
"I met Tom Sullivan for the first time and wanted
to be near him on a regular basis," Carolyn suggested.
"Initially, there was no way to classify the feeling
except to say that a few of my habits changed and life
took on a new perspective." The pangs of love were
unfolding.
Tom was in band, theater productions and had his own
rock group. His first band was called the Imperials,
and later on, when he and friend Bill Jordan, whose
group was the Bill Jordan Trio, joined forces, they
formed the Night Riders band. This happened during Tom's
senior year at HHS and their start in music found them
playing at numerous school functions, church dances
and in local taverns. The Night Riders consisted of
Tommy Sullivan, John York Foley, Bill Jordan and Jimmy
Walker.
"My focus was on dance," Carolyn recalls,
"but I loved to follow them around."
Carolyn's expertise and growing reputation resulted
in an increase in the number of dance students in her
classes. The best advertisement comes from parents who
see their children changing before their very eyes and
put out the word. The word spread rapidly. The end result
of the teacher, student relationship was two recitals
that were held during her junior and senior years.
"I felt really good about myself," she recalls,
"and things were going right and in my direction.
I decided to enter the Miss High School of New York
Pageant at Freedomland during my junior year."
The committee of judges was responsible for selecting
both a beauty queen and a talent queen.
"My tap performance won the talent portion of the
Pageant," Carolyn remembers. "That had more
significance than the beauty portion of the contest
because the honor of winning only justified the hours
I danced and danced and danced in my studio."
"I remember, too," Carolyn said, "racing
home to get dressed for the Junior Prom that was being
held the very same day!"
The win at Freedomland qualified Carolyn for a national
competition that was held in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Carolyn and Mom traveled to the event, and, although
no prizes were won, the experience would prepare her
for something special that would create a dramatic career
change in the future.
The two years spent at Hicksville High passed fast for
Carolyn. Her work schedule occupied a great deal of
time. She was doing schoolwork and following the band,
too, when she wasn't dancing, "but I mostly remember
the dancing. It was my life," she said.
Then high school was over and the real world presented
a challenge to Carolyn. She was well prepared to enter
this new phase in her life. The discipline of years
past set the table for her and now it was time to get
some dessert.
"I know there was a lot more learning in my future
but with the ground work done, it was a matter of just
getting better through exposure to a wider horizon,"
she said.
Carolyn registered to attend St. Johns University for
the 1963-1964 school year. She finished out the year
there, and then opted to take a job at Grumman Aircraft
shortly after the school year was completed.
"I worked at Grumman until 1966, still dancing
and feeling special about my abilities, to the point
that I thought seriously about going for a tryout with
the Radio City Rockettes in early 1966."
Carolyn said, "during the time I was going to school
and working at Grumman, I was seeing Tommy Sullivan
casually, working in the studio teaching dance and performing
on weekends with the chorus line."
"Our exposure in Vietnam increased during the middle
sixties and Tom enlisted in the army. We wrote to each
other on a regular basis while he was in boot camp and
with each letter, there was a definite upswing in our
relationship," she confided.
His musical background qualified him for special duty
so, after boot camp, he was assigned to the military
band on post at West Point.
Suddenly, the relationship with Tommy became serious
to the point that he proposed to Carolyn. They planned
an August wedding.
Tom's position as musician at West Point meant that
he would be part of special details that had music associated
with the event. The band played for parades, reveille,
taps and at funerals when burial in the cemetery at
West Point was requested.
"Tom was enjoying himself," Carolyn said,
"while creating a scheme in his mind."
Both Bill Jordan (bass player) and Jimmy Walker (drummer)
were being drafted into the army. Tom, always the salesman,
joked with the commanding officer about creating a "rock
band" to play at the service club, the officer's
club and at cadet hops.
There was a dance band on post that was just that...a
dance band. Great music...but not the kind that kids
in this new era really danced to. Tom explained vehemently
about the Night Riders, his band, and the success they
had playing clubs on Long Island. He explained, too,
that two of his band members were being drafted and
if they were allowed to get together again, they could
establish a rock band that would provide an additional
environment for the cadets to use for relaxation in
their off hours.
To make a long story short, Tommy Sullivan is credited
with establishing the first "rock band" in
the history of West Point and for changing the lives
of two friends, Bill and Jimmy, who joined him as new
residents at the point. Carolyn and Tommy were married
on August 13, 1966...
More to Follow
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From the Editor
To All Hicksville High School Alumni
The editors of the Hicksville High School newsletter
have been creating albums and adding photographs to
the classmates.com website. If you've never visited
classmates, click on the below to bring you to that
location...http://www.classmates.com/user/index.tf
This should bring you to an entry page for Hicksville
High School...on the left where it says Hicksville,
click on that... then when the screen changes, scroll
down a little and click on School Photo Albums...there
are albums there that were created by Hicksville alumni.
Simply click on the main picture of any of the 13 albums
that are shown presently. This is a time consuming process
and is done out of love...for our school that ranks
as number one in the nation...for friends we cherish
dearly...to review memories that last a lifetime.
Please give us some feedback...is this a good thing....
are there suggestions.... is there something additional
we should add...is the presentation okay...pictures
too big...too small.... bad hair day (leave it off)...that's
my good side (leave it on)...I like it.... I don't....
Also, there is a comments section below each picture...comment
there if you'd care to.
Additionally, if you cannot add a picture that you would
like to see in one of the albums, send the photo to
Bob Casale, 195 Lauman Lane, Hicksville, NY 11801-6522.
Bob will scan the picture and add it to an album or
he will create a new one. We are limited in what we
can do only because we lack material. If you have a
yearbook that you can loan to Bob, he will add pictures
as the demand increases.
Thanks
The Editors
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In Memoriam
John Koziuk, born on 10th Street in Hicksville, lifetime
resident of Long Island, decorated Korean War veteran,
died Monday April 8, 2002 in his 72nd year, buried in
Calverton National Cemetery. We'll miss you big brother,
cousin and uncle.
Tanya, Pat, Cookie, Frank and Harry Al.
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Reunions
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CLASS OF 1957
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002 at ISLANDIA MARRIOTT. Cocktails
at 7:00 and dinner to follow. $65 per person. Contact
Phil Fulco
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CLASS OF 1962
Work in progress. Contact Karen Hubner Jenkins mamaj26@aol.com
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Florida Multi-Year Reunion; Oct 12, 2002 contact
Pat Koziuk Driscoll grandmag@atlantic.net or Kathy
"Cookie" Koziuk Hannaman at s.snooker@verizon.net
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Trivia
On Mother's Day, Americans spend an average of $329
million on candy and $75 million on phone calls.
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine
that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor
belt.
Those San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile
National Monuments.
"I am." is the shortest complete sentence
in the English language
The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime
time TV was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now
get this...)
The percentage of North America that is wilderness:
38%
No NFL team, which plays its home games in a domed
stadium, has ever won a Super Bowl.
The only two days of the year in which there are no
professional sports games (MLB, NBA, NHL or NFL) are
the day before and the day after the Major League All-Star
Game.
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of
eleven: $6,400.
Pat Koziuk Driscoll, 1956, FL
Linda Piccerelli Hayden, 1960, NJ
Bob Casale, 1961, HX and PA
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