Thursday, March 26, 2009

Dr. Bill Montick - One of Glen's Favorite Teachers 1968-69!


Imagine teaching a 6th grade class for less than one year and having a profound effect on your students. You'd probably say that's gotta be some kind of teacher - well you'd be right!

Dr. Bill Montick came to Glen School at the young age of 21. He grew up in nearby Glen Rock, NJ where he attended Central School and went onto the Junior/Senior High School where he graduated in 1964.

Above is Glen Rock's Junior/Senior high school.

It was while attending school himself when he realized what he wanted to do with his life. In his own words, Bill describes his 6th grade teacher this way: "My own 6th grade teacher - Mr. Valenti - was the coolest guy I knew in elementarty school, and most certainly was responsible for the fact that I decided I wanted to be an elementary school teacher at a very young age." He sites other influential teachers along the way but, he says, Mr. Valenti was indeed the most signifigant.

Upon graduating high school, he attended Springfield College in Massachusetts where he graduated in 1968. Ironically, Bill had gotten to know Paul Harrison at Springfield who would also end up teaching at Glen School! Bill would later earn a Masters degree from William Paterson College in the 1970's and continued his education even further when he earned his Doctorate from Rutger's University in 1981.


During Bill's senior year at Springfield College he asked the Director of Personnel at the Education Center at Springfield - Bob Sullivan - to come observe him teach at Buttonball Elementary school in Glastonbury, CT. At the end of that term, Bob Sullivan met with him and talked about what he saw in Bill's teaching. At that moment the Director took out an already prepared contract ready for Bill to sign! At the same time Mr. Sullivan relayed that Paul Harrison was now teaching in Ridgewood, NJ. It was shortly after this that Bill realized they would be working together - sharing the 6th grade classes at the same school!

When I asked Bill if he was nervous taking on a 6th grade class when he himself was so young he answered it this way: "You know, it's interesting you should ask this, and the answer is yes, but more interestingly at one time there was a Superintendent at Ridgewood, Ernest Fleishman, who at one opening convocation said, "If you don't feel butterflies in your stomach on the first day of school, maybe you don't belong here." I never forgot that, and I felt them as each new year began. Finally, in my letter of resignation, I concluded by mentioning that particular address, and then said that in September I would indeed miss those butterflies."

The above photo shows Bill Montick's 6th grade classroom at Glen as it appeared in December, 2007. Photo is property of Doug Terhune.

Bill's first 6th grade class of 22 kids would quickly develop a bond with him that is so rare with any teacher let alone a teacher in his first year at the age of 21! His students would continue this special relationship with Bill Montick to this day. He too has never forgotten how special this particular class was. Below is the class picture of that first 1968-69 6th grade class at Glen School.

Photo was taken in the center courtyard of Glen School.

Back: Dr. Bill Montick

3rd Row l to r: Scott Yates, Steve Breitkreuz, Mitch Perdue, Bryan Kreuger, Tommy Chicino, Lis Ege, Sue Crowe, Lisanne Janke, Kim Vukov, Karen Stewart

2nd Row l to r: Mary Claire Hull, Diana Wagner, Lee Kinchley, Patty Breitweiser, Patty Reese, Margaret Silvers, Barbara Demick

1st Row l to r: Roger Fortino, Charles Nalbantian, Walter Fennie, Phillip Denu

(It is with great sadness that I learned from Kim Vukov recently that Karen Stewart passed away a couple of years ago. She was married to RHS graduate Mark Vervecka Class of 1972 - she had a son).

Bill's time at Glen - while short - was memorable despite leaving Glen School on June 9th for military service. Bill wrote to and sat before his draft board and found that even though he was a teacher, he would be drafted in February, 1969. Bill found himself upset at the thought of leaving his class midway through the school year - especially 6th grade kids. To remedy this, Bill had found that if he enlisted instead, he would receive a 4-month delayed entry which allowed him to remain at Glen until June 9th.

Bill left for basic training at Fort Dix, NJ.

Once in the service Bill realized he would be going to Vietnam in April, 1971 - once he completed several rounds of special training. This included a year of basic training at Fort Dix, NJ. He took intelligence training at Fort Holabird, MD and was trained in Vietnamese language at Fort Bliss, TX. He would become a Special Agent in Military Intelligence.

Upon completion of his language training, he took off for Ben Hoa, Vietnam. He flew from San Francisco to Alaska to Japan before arriving in Vietnam.

After 6 months and 20 days Bill earned an early-out from Vietnam to continue his education. Bob Sullivan had also contacted Bill to inform him that there would be an opening at Travell School in Ridgewood beginning in January, 1972. When the assignment was accepted by the school system, he became what was known as a "short timer" in Vietnam and was back home and discharged from active duty December 16, 1971. On January 2 - as he relates - he was the only person at Travell with a deep, dark tan!

Bill would spend his entire teaching career in the Ridgewood Public School System. He initially was drawn to Ridgewood because of Ridgewood's great outdoor education program. His career included 1 year at Glen School, 14 years at Travell and 21 years at Willard! For all 21 years at Willard he taught the 5th grade.

Above is a very early photo of Willard School when it had been rebuilt after a fire had destroyed it. It would be here that Dr. Montick taught 5th grade for the last 21 years of his teaching career.

Part of Bill's style back in Glen School was making sure there was always time for a smile and he considered his special brand of teasing was accepted by his students. By this he meant that even though he was Mr. Montick - their teacher - it wouldn't keep them from being able to work together and hopefully even enjoy the class. Of course, they more than enjoyed it - they treasured it!

Bill says that he always thought it very special that at the age of 21 he was responsible for children who were only ten years younger than he at the time.

While his days at Glen were not what you would call typical, he and Mr. Harrison always found time during lunch (as students we all ate lunch at home!) to head down to Mr. McFall's office for a card game!

As I mentioned, the Glen School Class of 1969 - in large part the inspiration for this blog - remained in touch not only with Bill Montick but were also fortunate enough to spend some special moments with George McFall back in 2000 during the RHS Class of 1975 25th reunion weekend. They met with Mr. McFall at Smith Brothers Bar & Restaurant with 12 others in attendance including: Margaret Silvers, Dr. Bill Montick, John Brevoort, Ken Li, Trisha Daly-Hernandez, Sue Crowe-Wilson, Chris Leyden, Walter Fennie, Cynthia Wagner-Boseski & Diana Wagner-Casey among them.

One of the better reunions - with both Bill Montick AND George McFall at Smith Brothers restaurant in Ridgewood, NJ in 2000. Pictured are in front l to r: John Brevoort, Margaret Silvers-Myatt, George McFall and Ken Li. Back l to r: Chris Leyden, Dr. Montick and Walter Fennie. Photo from Margaret Silvers-Myatt.

In my dealings with Dr. Montick myself, I find him to be incredibly humble and another great example of the high caliber of teachers that have come out of Ridgewood's long history of educational excellence.

A great photo of Margaret Silvers-Myatt with Dr. Montick at the Fireplace in Paramus, NJ. Photo from Margaret Silvers-Myatt.

Below is a letter that was written as a tribute to Dr. Montick at the time of his retirement by one of those 6th grade students from his very first class, Diana Wagner-Casey. It is reprinted here with Diana's permission. Thanks to Margaret Silvers for providing it.


Dear Bill,

Who would have figured that all those years ago that the creative writing skills you pounded into us would come in handy! Reflecting back now, it was not one of my more favorite activities, but I remember sitting at my dining room table, writing and rewriting my assignments, trying my hardest to come up with something out of the ordinary to please you because for some reason ordinary just wouldn’t suffice.

And now, as I sit here trying to put together this letter, tears fall down my cheeks. “Why”, I ask myself, “am I crying?” I think a few tears come from knowing that future generations of students won’t be able to experience the wonderful learning atmosphere that you brought forth to enlighten the minds of youngsters with your obvious love of teaching. I also think that some of the tears come from a little bit of self-pity knowing that we are all growing older and, with your retirement, comes an end to an era.

I think back to that first day of 6th grade, when, there you stood…. the new teacher; a tall, thin young man, fresh from college and none of us had any idea of the impact you would make on our lives that year and the years to come.

I developed my keen love of math and science from you. There would almost be an aura of light around you or a charge of electricity as you taught those subjects to us. Who won’t enjoy learning when a teacher brings such excitement to a class and the eagerness to share all you know with them?

I remember the “Green Hornet”, the winged beast that carried you to and from school each day. When we didn’t see it in the parking lot in the morning, we knew that meant it was going to be an unexciting day with a substitute teacher.

I think back to your calm and patient demeanor, although you would sometimes show your exasperation with a bunch of us sometimes-obnoxious 6th graders. But because we thought we were so cool, you would just smile that little smile of yours and humorous in thinking that it was so. You understood the psyches of pre-teens and wouldn’t think of doing anything to crush them because you were about building, not destroying.

You sheltered us from the hard realities of war when you went off to Vietnam at the end of the school year. I still have the quaint photos of your Army life, with dogs running around and men sitting around leisurely. I’m sure it was vastly different from your true experiences in that hostile environment but for the teenage boys and girls, miles away in the creampuff town of Ridgewood, you gave us carefree junior high years and worriless days and nights.

We shared our lives with each other; my marriage to Skip and yours to Isabel, the birth of my sons and the adoption of your son and daughter and how proud you were that their birth mothers picked you out of all of the other prospective parents and rightfully so, you receiving your doctorate degree in Education and me going back to college many years later to get my degree in Computer Science.

I would look forward to receiving your Christmas card with your letter letting me in on the all of the projects you had been working on that previous year and I loved surprising you with a birthday card in December and a note with what was new in my life. Life as you had known it in the past 30-plus years is about to change. Some of the changes will be tiny, like summer vacation all year long (every child’s dream come true!) and some will be big. But no matter what, I wish you well, my friend, in all the wonderful experiences life will have to offer in the near and far future because you truly deserve the best.

Love,

Diana


Another student, one who - along with Scott Yates & Doug Terhune - started this whole Glen School phenomenon - recently shared her thoughts about Dr. Montick:

"I remember the first day of 6th grade and Mr. Montick told us he was only 10 years older than us. I had a hard time thinking about that. I was only 11, so 10 more years was nearly twice my age. He also said it was his first teaching job. I wasn't quite sure what to do with that information, either. But it was fascinating that he was telling us so much about himself. It was a little bit unnerving.

After all, Mr. Montick was - no matter what - a grown-up and a teacher. So, there was an assumed cultural divide and a line in the sand that was not to be bridged or crossed. We were cool kids, and he was a teacher-grown-up. Right?

So, why is he being so open? How should I act?

Unfortunately, I spent way too much time in 6th grade thinking about how I should act. Should I play Barbies or try smoking cigarettes? Should I like boys or get grossed out? Should I be smart or cool?

But Mr. Montick's open, easy going style meant that in his class, I could just be myself. I didn’t have to think about who I wanted to be. Whether I was working hard on a project or trying to cheat on a science test, Mr. Montick would smile and giggle a bit. He was never harsh. His overwhelming respecting and accepting demeanor was not unnerving; it was comforting.

Mr. Montick, (okay, okay, Bill) do you remember me writing all the science test stuff on my hand? Of course, you caught me, but you didn't get mad. You smiled and giggled. Now that was unnerving. How can this teacher be so nice? (I remember discussing it with you a while later, and we agreed I probably learned a lot of science that day by writing it all really tiny on my hand.)

So, Mr. Montick wasn't a normal teacher. He treated us like ourselves. He respected us. He forgave us. And, I sensed he enjoyed us, almost as friends. We not only knew his first name, but we made fun of it with him (Billy Blastoff, because he was so tall, I suppose). We knew what car he drove, where he lived, and the friends he had. We even knew a little bit about his family. His Dad was our neighborhood milkman.

6th grade was a tough year for me. I did not want to like boys other than kickball or running bases. I did not want to smoke cigarettes or cut Girl Scouts or sneak around. But I didn't want to be left out, so I tried to be cool. I failed miserably at it, and I hurt some kids along the way, for which I regret.

But in Mr. Montick's class I did not fail. I enjoyed learning, I enjoyed the class, and I enjoyed feeling more grown up because a grown-up respected me and shared his life with my class.

Thank you Mr. Montick, for being real!"


If anyone would care to add any other comments to this story please email me at cmad@ntpLx.net and I will include them!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

New Photo at Roslyn Road-Salem Ridge Gang!

You've got to check out the latest photo just posted over at http://roslynroadsalemridgegang.wordpress.com! It includes Daly's, Stanley-Brown's, Silvers' and Lis Ege! Great stuff! Keep 'em coming Margaret!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Thanks for All Your Help!

Both this site and the Roslyn Road-Salem Ridge Gang site has been getting an enormous amount of help and we can't thank you guys enough! Please keep it going! Its been fun having some long lost classmates pop in Rick(y) Marsh and Doug Brown and Cathy Vrabel. So far 7 teachers and a principal and hoping for 2 more! Never thought it would be this great!

Ken Merrill, Wayne Bond, Jill Neandross, Carl Vrabel, Greg Rehe, Jan Koper, Paul Attella, Brian Marchese - to mention just a few - if you're out there we'd love to know what you're up to!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Glen School Field Trip List!


Here's a short list of field trips that classes went on while attending Glen School. Please add to the list!

United Nations
Ridgewood Fire Department
Thomas Edison's Laboratory
Seton Hall University
Metropolitan Museum of Art - added by Katie Knight
Museum of Natural History - added by Katie Knight
Bronx Zoo
Museum Village
Sleepy Hollow (Home of Washington Irving) This place was scary according to Cathy Vrabel-Breheny - thanks for the addition Cath!
Trenton State Capitol (added by Carl Vrabel)
Lederle Laboratories (added by Carl Vrabel)

There's gotta be more than this in 26 years! Email to cmad@ntpLx.net.

1970's Glen School Faculty Photo!

Here's a 1970's Glen School faculty photo. What makes this one special is that they started asking Mr. McFall be part of these classic yearly photos. What a classy guy this man was!

The photo was taken in front of the offices - the gym is to the left when looking at the photo. I'm trying to find out the exact year. We need help with names so please email me at cmad@ntpLx.net if you can fill in the blanks!! Sorry for the bad quality. Sorry for any mis-spellings!

(Click to enlarge photo)

Top Row l to r: ?, ?, ?, Adrienne O'Brien, ?, George McFall, Bob Mulrooney, Jeannette Janicke, ?, Nancy Cook, Elaine Hammer, ?

Front Row l to r: ?, Arax Mardirosian, Agnes Larsen, Art Linden, Ellen Jackson, Zita Wilcox, ?

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

6th Grade - Miss Beattie's Class 1964-65!

Here's a great class photo set supplied by Amy Beattie-Carvell of her 6th grade class 1964-65. She had the pleasure of teaching these kids in 3rd grade and then had them again for 6th grade. This was the year Amy got to experience 6th grade camp with her students at Camp Green! We still need a lot of names but there are a ton of familiar faces!

If you remember, this was also the year that - as students - we got the regular class photo that was taken in the courtyard and the black & white collage of all of our individual photos.

Click on photos to enlarge.


Above photo taken in the courtyard at Glen School.

Back Row l to r: Steve McCormick, Matt Lulamia, Bob Healy, ?, ?, Joe Yakowicz, Roger Kreuger, Steven Dean

Middle Row l to r: ?, ?, ?, ?, Amy Beattie, ?, ?, Robin Smith

Front Row l to r: ?, ?, Bobby Brown(?), Bobby Rogers, ?, Tom Nunno

If we have any of the names wrong or you have any names you can supply - email to cmad@ntpLx.net.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

1965-66 - Mrs. Boerner's 2nd Grade Class!

Here's Mrs. Boerner's 2nd grade class from 1965-66. Glen School Class of 1969. Featuring the famous Maggie Moo Cow - Margaret Silvers! If anyone can help identify some of these names please advise! Thanks to Margaret for the photo!

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Top Row l to r: ?, Debbi Regelman, Miss Boerner, Paul Pettofrezzo, Cindy Pomeroy

2nd Row l to r: Cindy Johnson, Walter Fennie, Jane Bitzer, Caroline ?

3rd Row l to r: ?, Trisha Daly, ?, Brian Lally, Margaret Silvers, ?, ?

Bottom Row l to r: Mitchell Perdue, Pam Morton, Paul Naser, Jeff Davis, Sarah Avery

If you can help identify some faces please email me at cmad@ntpLx.net!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Glen School Classic From the Archives - 4th Grade 1960-61!

As far as I can tell, this class photo is from the 1960-61 school year (the sign in front says 1961). That was the only year in the 60's that class photos were done with the stage as a backdrop. Photos were then taken in 3 locations outside and then returned to the gym in later years.

This is Pat Prescott's first Glen School 4th grade class. We still can't identify everyone so please help where you can! Thanks to John Teasley for supplying this great photo!

Hank Henckler told me that he can't get over how short he is in this photo (boy in the red jacket) as today he is 6'3!

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Top Row l to r: Rich Vaccari, Donnie Durheimer, Jim Carr, John Teasley, Hank Henckler, Gary Werbeck, Jim Buckley, Peter Berger, Randy Duvall

Second Row From Top l to r: Kathleen Schenk, ?, Suzy Terhune, ?, ?, ?, Patty Lord, Karen Midboe, ?, Jill Harris

3rd Row Sitting l to r: Charlotte Flynn, ?, Barbara Sharp, Karen Bond, ?, ?, Patty Turnbull, ?

Front Row l to r: Larry McDaniel, We're given 3 names here its either Bobby Robertazzo, David Rehe or Bobby Brown - I could have sworn it was David

Sunday, March 15, 2009

1962 - Glen School Presents "No Space Like Home!"


In 1962, the Space Age came to Glen School in the form of a musical titled "No Space Like Home". The show was produced by none other than Muriel Henckler. It was an entirely original musical that was performed by Mr. Linden, several VERY talented teachers and a ton of parents. The above cover to the program was designed by Else Ege.

As Scene 1 opens we find Mr. Linden sitting in his Glen School office. From there we leave earth for Planet Pluto. After a performance on Pluto, we travel to Mars. On Mars we find there is an all-important "United Meeting of the Planets" that must be attended to before taking off for Venus for more relaxing fare - a fashion show! Then its off to the moon for a mysterious visit to Eduardo's Hideaway (incidently Eduardo is played by Henry Henckler who had more jobs in this production than anyone!) Then its off to another show on Neptune before we all return to Mr. Linden's office for the finale! Whew!

While I don't remember the show, I definitely remember sitting in the audience watching my dad Fred Flannery. He was one of the singers along with my future 3rd grade teacher Amy Beattie!

Probably the best part of this entire production was that every single parent who had a kid(s) attending Glen School was there that night - in the audience, had donated money, helped with refreshments, performed, helped behind the scenes, made puppets, designed and printed the program, the script - you name it and one or both of our parents was involved! Any young parents out there - take note - participate in your kids education! Its a win-win situation for everybody - the friendships, the school, the interaction with teachers - like everything we did at Glen School it was priceless!

We are actively searching for movies, slides or photos of this night so if anyone has anything - PLEASE contact us! So far we have 2 people that might have something so I'm hoping when they get the time to search we'll get lucky! How great would it be to find these photos and see your mom or dad? My sincerest thanks to Else Ege for supplying the photos of the program which really help to make this story! I hate spelling names wrong so if there's a name that needs to be corrected please advise!

Any parents that were part of this classic show please email me (cmad@ntpLx.net) with memories!

Here's the list of credits followed by a list of patrons (names are spelled as they appeared - I will correct if I know the right spelling):


PRODUCED by Muriel Henckler
DIRECTED by Mary Jane Crescas
STAGE MANAGER - Deenie Smith
SCENERY CONSTRUCTION - Alan Weschler
MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Bob Whittemore
PIANISTS - Don Engle and Dan Hazen
CHOREOGRAPHER - Jeanne Stanley-Brown

SCRIPT COMMITTEE
Dick Kreuger, Ted Shumeyko, Dennie Smith, Ronnie Schenk, Bonnie Ferrannie, Gerry Carr

STAGE CREW
Dennie Smith, Gloria Tamborelli, Jeanne Stanley-Brown, Alan Weschler, Irv Kaplan

SET DESIGNERS
Arlene Van Der Wege, Else Ege, Ruth Potdevin, Irving Kaplan

WARDROBE
Barbara Brown, Gerry Carr

PROPS
June Duvall, Betty Lord, Sandy Wagner

LIGHTING
Jim Brown, George McFall

SOUND EFFECTS
Henry Henckler

PUBLICITY
Marina Worthington, Dot McLaren, Else Ege, Sandy Wagner, Sue Shumeyko

MAKE-UP
Emily Petrucci

PROMPTER
Evadna Knies

WAYS & MEANS and HOSPITALITY
Ronnie Schenk, Helen Werbeck, Kay Kelly, Eleanor Brierley

PUPPETS
Gini Brevoort

HOUSE
Clo Davis, Jean Lavery, Helen LaFiura, June Cunneen, Audrey Neandross, Marion McDaniel

ACTORS & ACTRESSES
Bill Carr as Al Sycamore
Bonnie Ferrannie as Miss Carson
Charlotte Nash as Miss Rambler
Ken deGruchy as Gunther McNapp
Ray DeGraw as Wally Spotts
Marina Worthington as Zsa Zsa Cadwallader
Jack Flynn as Bert Steele
Dick Krueger as Harry Steele
Sue Shumeyko as Pandora
Ted Shumeyko as Plutonus
Ray Bennett as Rbadamanthus
Vic Crescas as Mercurio
Art Linden as Mars
Sandy Wagner as Venus
Bill McLaren as Mercury
Sylvia McCormick as Saturn
Pete Gauharou as Jupiter
Anita Bennett as Pluto
Katie Samson as Earth
John Voorhis as Uranus
Gloria Tamberelli as Neptune
Deenie Smith as Fashion Commentator
June Cunneen, Jan Ludwig, Audrey Neandross & Janet Voorhis as Models
Amy Beattie as First Moon Girl
Barbara Zink as Second Moon Girl
Henry Henckler as Eduardo
Sue Shumeyko as Nightclub Singer
Muriel Henckler & Sue Shumeyko as Two Swells
Marjorie Stockstill as First Neptunian
Helen Werbeck as Second Neptunian
Irma Sabin as First Contestant
Beth Deane as Second Contestant
Bud Van Der Wege as Ned Browler
Jim Corcoran as Zack Whaley
Janet Voorhis as Applause Girl

DANCING CHORUS INCLUDED: Jean deGruchy, Pat Mercer, Sylvia McCormick, Jessie Signorile, Jeanne Stanley-Brown, Gloria Tamborelli, Ginni Terhune

SINGING CHORUS INCLUDED: Amy Beattie, Anita Bennett, Fred Flannery, Henry Henckler, Dor Krueger, Clo Davis, Irma Sabin, Ronnie Schenk, Katie Samson, Gloria Stewart, Peg Rogers, Roy Teasley, Sandy Wagner, Barbara Zink

USHERS WERE: Henry Henckler, Dennis LaFiura, Laurie McDaniel, Duffy Smith

SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Agnes Larsen - For Her Assistance
Sam Silvers - For Printing the Script
Jill Davison - Soft Shoe Arrangement
Dot McLaren - Posters
Leif Neandross - Material for Scenes
Howard Schenk - Space Prop
Bill Turnbull - Popcorn Machine & Popcorn

PATRONS



Below is the list of all the people who worked the various souvenir and refreshment stands! That show had to be so much fun for everybody involved! Now that the show's over let's all head over to the Henckler's for coffee!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Roslyn Road & Salem Ridge Gang!

There's a great new site! Its called "The Roslyn Road - Salem Ridge Gang". Authored by Margaret Silvers-Myatt (Glen School Class of 1969). It promises to be loaded with photos and information about the Glen School neighborhoods! Visit often and don't be afraid to chime in too!

We're looking for all kinds of neighborhood photos. Also please help in our search for photos, slides, home movies or props from the Glen School production of "No Space Like Home" presented by all the parents and teachers in 1962. All of our parents and teachers contributed to that out-of-sight space age show which was produced by none other than Muriel Henckler who still lives on Roslyn Road!

See the link to this great new site near the top of the this blog on the right.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Glen School Gym, Recess, Summer Rec & More!

Glen School definitely holds a lot of different memories for many of us. Some of those memories concern what we did at recess, gym class, after school and during the summer between school years.

We had gym class twice a week as I remember it, recess just about everyday and a lot of us either hung out after school or went home to get changed before going back to school (we all wore good clothes to school!) We'd use the baseball field, playgrounds, ride our bikes around or climb onto the roof and sometimes get kicked off the roof by Mr. McFall! Climbing the walls at Glen School was so easy! The outside walls have this unique block system that allows you to easily maneuver yourself to the roof. It seems Mr. McFall spent half his time kicking us off!

Be sure to click on all photos to emlarge.

RECESS

As I recall, recess was a fairly segregated thing - the kindergarten had their own playground, 1st - 3rd graders had theirs and 4-6 had the blacktop for kickball games.

Kindergarten was basically a free-for-all once we were let out the door! All classrooms had a door that led directly outdoors.

In the above photo, the shed still remains where all the toys including the tricycles were stored. That's our kindergarten classrom to the right. Photo was taken December, 2008.

In my kindergarten class there were these 2 huge green tricycles that we all fought over and lots of sand toys for the large cement sandbox that also had this very-difficult-to-climb-down-from contraption called the wave - at least that's what everybody called it. Once you climbed up it, it was difficult to climb backwards or change direction in order to climb down - I'm sure kids must have fallen off it many times!


Above is a picture of "the wave" - a jungle gym that was easy to climb up and difficult to climb down! My wife Caryn is pictured on it circa 1995. It has since been removed and replaced with a tree! (See below)

Amazingly in the above picture are other playground apparatuses - monkey bars, etc but there's no fence protecting it from E Glen Avenue!

The kindergarten playground was divided by a line of hedges and on the other side was a larger playground that consisted of the cool stuff - a really huge swing set, monkey bars, a neat looking but very lame slide, a see-saw and a checkerboard that was gigantic that to this day I have no idea what it was intended for - but its still there! The swings were the best and was what we all wanted to do during recess in 1st - 3rd grade - 4 swings 35+ kids - it was a mad race! Margaret Silvers remembers playing tag on the checkerboard (at least some classes used that thing!) and Margaret remembers the great swing-set!


Above is an aerial view of what the playground looked like in 1959 - complete with the checkerboard - just before it was completed.

Above is a picture of the playground as it looks today - not much to it. This view is from the hedge line separating the sandbox.

Me & Bruce Meneghin on the swing set at his house. I lived in my RBA shirts!

Me standing in front of our old 3rd grade classroom - Miss Beattie's class! My daughter Jennie (15) took the picture December, 2008 - how weird and wonderful to be there with your kids! Our lives are busy but wow when you take the time to pause and step back onto your old school grounds (even BF or RHS) - well its just feel good stuff!

Around the corner from our 3rd grade classroom was the blacktop - here's where the real action was - kickball! It seems to me its all we ever played outside at recess from 4th through 6th grade. It was fun and we always picked teams via the captain system. As we all sweated it out - hoping not to get picked last or even close to last - the teams were picked by the 2 assigned captains. Always the classic red ball - there seemed to be an endless supply of these balls at Glen School!

Above is where we used to play kickball - Salem Lane to the left.


It was also here that you started to talk a little more out in the open about girls and girls about boys. You'd talk about the hot tv show of the day. It seems either Katie Knight or Ann Rimmer started this thing where they would go around pulling "fink tags" off our shirts - these were the sewn-in loops on the back of the boys shirts - if they spotted yours, they chased you (which wasn't a terrible thing!) and pulled it off - amazingly not ripping your shirt! Not sure what they did with them once they got them though! But I would swear that Katie probably got more than anybody!

Beth Daly fondly remembers singing Monkees songs, jumping rope, playing tag and hopscotch during recess.

According to Margaret Silvers kickball was "just the best!"

Cynthia Wganer recalls getting picked early by captains for kickball - even before a lot of boys! Her sister Diana Wagner remembers getting hit the face and seeing stars one time! She also recalls playing in that gully (probably below the checkerboard) - boys against the girls (I guess we all did that!). There are also memories of the kickball always rolling down into the Wright's yard on Salem Lane.

For Judy Davies she remembers "absolutely loving kickball" at recess.

Katie Knight remembers the fink tags of course (She must have been the ringleader on that!) and hopscotch.

GYM CLASS

Just as we always played kickball on the blacktop, we almost always played dogeball or "bombardment" as we called it in gym class. I loved playing that! Some people were very good at it. Rob Silvers remembers Phillip Knies being exceptionally good at it - he'd have 2 balls - he'd throw one in the air and while a prospective target looked up to try and catch it (if you caught the ball the person who threw it is out) - he'd nail the unsuspecting kid with the second one!

On gym days you always had to remember to either bring or wear your sneakers - if you didn't Mr. Bookstaver would either make you sit out (which was devestating) or you'd have to play in your socks which was no fun. Inevitably, there was always someone who sat out.

Our gym teacher Charlie Bookstaver as he appeared at a 2001 award dinner honoring his many years of service as a soccer and basketball official.

Of course those ropes that hung from the ceiling were there for a reason and most of us dreaded the days we had to attempt climbing them to the top in front of everyone - man that was humiliating. I could not do it. Margaret agrees they were very humiliating. On the other hand there were those that could do it and do it easily! Judy Davies was one who could scramble to the top and come back down like it was nothing! Cynthia Wagner recalls trying to climb the ropes but just not having the upper arm strength to do it. There was one guy in my class who did it without even thinking about it - Corey Duvall. Here was a guy that you weren't jealous of but you admired and were easily impressed with.

On other days there were these funky looking scooters - I actually don't recall them for some reason but the Class of 1969 (Glen 6th grade) had a blast with them! Here's what Diana Wagner had to say about them: "Mr. Bookstaver would have a hard time controlling us cause we would be swooshing across the floor not paying attention to what he was telling us he wanted us to do with them!"

There were other things we did in gym - I remember once playing softball on the field closest to the gym and we did some square dancing. Square dancing was fun cause you got to hopefully do it with the person you had a crush on but if you were nervous - as it seemed everyone was - you or she would get clammy hands which was so embarrassing - you thought "oh my gosh - she'll never like me now!" I remember square dancing with Karen Eide - and I think we did a performance at night in front of our parents! I am sure I had the clammiest hands of my life that night dancing with Karen - I was happy and nervous at the same time! Judy recalls enjoying the sqaure dancing in 5th and 6th grade. Diana Wagner too looks back on the square dancing as great "fun - holding hands with a boy!" and the "sweaty hands - his, not mine!"

Each year we would also be evaluated for the President's Physical Fitness Award - John F. Kennedy had renamed the award the "President's Council on Physical Fitness" and Lyndon Johnson changed it to the "President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports". It was indeed a prestigious award to try and achieve but not many of us achieved it (I was horrible at chin-ups and rope climbing!) However there was one guy in our class who seemed to outdo us all when it came to physical fitness of course - Corey Duvall. If memory serves me right Corey had to have won this award every year he was at Glen - at least it seemed that way! There was just nothing he couldn't do - he had incredible arm strength even in 1st grade!

FIELD DAY

Field Day was an end-of-the-year event where we all competed - in our good clothes - in running, jumping and softball throw competitions up on the field. The best would compete in the town meet held on Vets field across from Graydon Pool.

Cynthia Wagner remembers that there were probably groups of 4 or 5 kids that would compete against each other.

Judy Davies recalls "training for field days"! Well, it must have paid off cause Judy still has her ribbons to show for her hard work!

BIKE REGISTRATION

How can you forget getting a license plate for your bike! When you were little, getting your very own metal license plate from the police department was exciting and it was a way for the police to have a captive audience to teach you what to do and what not to do when riding your bike.


Above is my bicycle license from 3rd grade 1963. Along with your "license" you also received a very official looking metal license plate for your bike - of course only when you successfully passed the riding test! The police officer wrote "no night riding" on the top of my license!

Each year you received a different color plate and you were given your license card which had your name and address, expiration date and signature.

It was quite a formal affair that included a special safety course with cones. Riding your bike to school was one thing I couldn't wait to do - it gave you independence. Margaret remembers her registration process doing hand signals with a very stern policeman!

Diana Wagner and Judy Davies remember the course they had to maneuver was set up by the gym. I myself remember it as a really big deal - couldn't wait to have my new license put on my bike!

We never locked our bikes either! Actually someone locked Margaret's bike to the rack once and she tearfully waited while Mr. McFall hacksawed it free!

Sometimes not having a lock was unfortunate as Tina Ege learned one time when she forgot to bring her bike home from school - the next day her bike was found on the school roof!

I remember the 6th graders in the safety patrol (or was it 5th graders?) telling me to "stay off the grass"!, "walk your bike"!, etc - exerting their new-found authority!

You always ran the risk of getting your nice pants stuck in the chain of your bike too - I often remember coming home with grass stains and grease on my pants! I'm sure my mom was pleased!

AFTERSCHOOL & WEEKENDS AT GLEN SCHOOL

I almost always rode my bike back to school after school hours - looking for what friends might be around, looking for a stick ball game (my glove was always on my handle bars) or a baseball game up on the field. We used to play stick ball against the gym wall in the extra parking lot. We'd chalk up a square on the wall and the fence of the first house on Eastbrook above the parking lot was the home run fence. We spent hours doing that. We also tried to gather up other guys - from all grades to get baseball games going.

Andy Wright remembers shooting off firecrackers and getting caught by Mr. McFall - he also recalls climbing the roof to the gym, throwing pebbles around and - getting caught by Mr. McFall!

Andy recalls his routine of riding his green Schwinn stingray through the cut in the hedgeline by the sandbox on his way home from school.

Chic Voorhis and myself remember the utter coolness with which Brian Marchese used to ride his silver stingray - he could do wheelies clear across the blacktop! We looked at him in awe - not quite sure what to make of him but finding him years ahead of us despite probably being the same age! Brian was at Glen only in 5th grade but made it memorable! Chic also recalls the snowball fights with the 6th graders on the hill (man they seemed like teenagers when you're little!) Chic beams when remembering that he nailed a 6th grader in the face but then recalls how the angry 6th grader proceeded to run after him and wash his face in the snow!

From Eastbrook Road, this is the gym from the back. We would play endless games of stick ball against the wall, practice tennis against the wall and play a unique game we called "curb ball" with a rubber sponge ball - a baseball type game. To the left you can see the walls that were so easy to climb - but it was best to start by the kindergarten, cross over the breezeway and up to the gym roof from there!

Bruce Meneghin (Class of 1967) loved climbing to the gym roof to fetch tennis balls that made their way up there from stick ball games - he would later become an accomplished mountain climber as would his brothers!

I probably I rode my bike more than I can remember down Quackenbush to Norgate, Eastbrook, Westbrook, Roslyn, Salem Lane. As I got older I remember a bunch of us riding to Saddle River - we'd grab canteens and be gone for hours! We would try and follow the river.

I also remember going over by the Vukov's - somewhere on their street was this huge oak tree that had a million acorns that we'd collect. North Road - where the Vukovs, Merrills, deGruchy's and Rehe's lived - had the best woods - there was a semi-formal entrance and long path.

SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM

Thanks to Andy Wright for this photo of his Summer Rec badge from the 1972-73 season!
In the summer before my family went on vacation to the Jersey Shore in August, we had Graydon Pool and the Summer Rec program. When you signed up for Summer Recreation you were given a solid color badge which you had to wear. Activities included builiding endless amounts of popsicle-stick "things" - rafts, houses, boxes. We also made pot holders for our parents and lanyards. There were games and costume parties. I think those in charge were high school kids.

All the Daly kids: Bob, Tim, Beth, Amy, JoJo and Trisha went to Summer Rec. Beth recalls the endless amount of popsicle-stick gifts that her mom received from the thoughtful Daly clan!

The Wagner girls remember going to Summer Rec during the month of July. Diana Wagner recalls making beeswax candles.

Judy Davies remembers the time she showed up at rec one day and forgot that she was supposed to wear a costume - so she hurried back home and hastily put together an original outfit that included a stethoscope and nurses cap and returned.

Graydon Pool was the best though. It had a certain smell in the summertime. When my family went we spent the whole day there. My sisters used to come too but always shook us off to hang with their friends. I remember having swimming lessons early in the morning and seeing friends there from Glen School and sunday school. One good thing about sunday school - like baseball, scouts, etc - it was the chance to meet other Ridgewood kids you wouldn't see til junior high and high school otherwise. Graydon was such a staple with us that my mom would take us home about 4pm (after getting there at 8am) go home, wait for my dad and we'd go back with my dad so he could get an hour of swimming!

Graydon was such a familiar place - even our gym teacher - Charlie Bookstaver - was a lifeguard there!

The Wagner girls would ride their bikes from their house on Linwood Ave (almost Washington Twp). Cynthia recalls her swimming lessons as a young girl and the water being terribly cold at 8:30 in the morning as she was forced to go in! Once the girls learned how to swim they mostly swam at a friends house on Gateway Road - the Butwinksi's in July and then down to the Jersey Shore in August. Once they got to high school it was always summers at the shore!

The memories are endless but for just about all of us it was so much fun!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Miss Smith's 3rd Grade Class of 1969!

Here is Miss Smith's 3rd grade class. This would have been the 1965-66 school year. This is the Glen School graduating Class of 1969 (2 years younger than us!) The wall is still there but that tree is so big and overgrown that the wall is almost engulfed by the branches and completely shaded. The Class of 1969 were really the ones that made it a point to stay in touch with each other and even had reunions that included George McFall and Bill Montick (6th grade teacher 1968-69). Their efforts are what inspired this website - thanks you guys!


(Click on photo to enlarge)

Back Row l to r: Bryan Kreuger, Tom Chicino, Pam Morton, Roger Fortino, Karen Stewart, Walter Fennie, Linda Kinchley, Chris Leyden, George Yakowicz, Jeff Davis, Miss Smith

Middle Row l to r: Patty Breitweiser, Cindy Pomeroy, Sally Reese, Trisha Daly, Debbie Reagan, Sarah Avery, Margaret Silvers, Judy Wilson, Kim Vukov

Front Row l to r: Kevin McCarthy(?), Scott Yates, Doug Terhune, Mark Petrik, John Dilorenzo, Paul Pettofrezzo, Jimmy Durbeck

9th Grade Cheerleaders at BF! 3 Glen Girls!


(Click on photo to enlarge)

9th Grade Cheerleaders 1970 - 3 Glen School girls here! What a classic group. They include:

Back Row l to r: Jean Lineweaver, Colleen Moran, Pat Vanlentin, Cara Worthington (Glen), Barbara Durheimer (Glen), Jean Woodcock, Colleen McCarthy, Lori Picozzi

Front Row l to r: Beth Perdue (Glen), Penni Reilly, Chickie Lynch, Valerie Graham, Barbara Taylor

Go BF - Beat GW!