Janet Bader Friedman's Comments

Hi, Janet: This website is closing down; what a shame. It's funny that, though I rarely access it, I have loved the idea of its existence. I was thinking that it might be nice for members of our class to create a list of our email addresses, and perhaps add those of others from 164, not in our class, but who have become friends of some of us through this venue. What do you  think?

Hope all is well with you and family,

Best,

Bonnie

Wow Janet. We clearly traveled in different circles. I will say you and I had one very intense shared experience: Mrs. Emerick. I distinctly remember the last day of second grade (I think my teacher was Mrs. Rozgold) when report cards were handed out and they included the name of your next year's teacher. Everyone said you don't want Mrs. Emerick and of course that's who I got. I guess I was pretty arrogant for a skinny little Jewish kid, but my reaction was: this will be no problem. Yes it was a problem. I felt terrorized for the entire year. I also recall we couldn't wear plaid and we couldn't bring bologna sandwiches for lunch, because those made her feel sick. It was quite a year. As for Mrs. Bromberg, I recall liking her as my sixth grade teacher, but pretty much nothing else about her. I don't remember anything about clubs but for a while I used to help Mr. Edelson, my fifth grade teacher, with audio visual equipment. Maybe that was part of a club activity. What I most
remember, and what my newly reconstituted group of very old 76 Avenue/76 Road friends most often talk about in regard to 164, is Dr. Karow and the documents, many of which I still can recite verbatim. If nothing else, they instilled a sense of awe in me for government and public service, which directed my career and maintain to do so to this day (Donald Trump notwithstanding). What an incredible school and what an incredible experience. By the way, are you perhaps in touch with any of our classmates? Besides those I mentioned, I had email contact a few years ago with Esti Schwartz, who also lived on 76 Avenue. But that's about it.

Hi, Janet: Best wishes to you and your family for a great new year!

Bonnie

Hi, Janet: Just wanted to wish you a very happy Passover holiday. Our family is doing well, and I hope you are too. Rebecca just turned 23, is graduating from U Chicago in June, and of course, trying to figure out what's next.
If you ever do work again in NYC, please call; it would be great to meet from time to time.
Love, Bonnie

Janet: I hope also that we will be able to visit soon. Glad you had such a nice visit with kids and grandchildren; we will see some of ours at Thanksgiving. Time is flying, isn't it?
I am inundated with stuff now, teaching with a colleague, and working on an article for a journal. Summer seems like a very long time ago.
Take care.
Love, Bonnie

Hi Janet,
I've been going through this website, reading all the comments. I think you stayed in touch with Susan Elfenbein for a number of years. I remember her giving me updates about you.
How long have you lived in Potomac? It's such a nice area. I'm in NJ for 38 years, but still consider NY my real home.

Hi, Janet: I got a message that Marilyn Goldstein had left me a note here, so I signed on, and I couldn't leave the site without sending you a hug.
Bonnie

Hi Janet,
Thanks for your newsy letter. I do get to New York from time to time to visit my elderly parents and visit my brothers and their families who are all on the east coast. Unfortunately, I don't have occasion to be in the Washington D.C. area. However, I'd love to get together. I'll let you know when I'm coming to NY and perhaps we can arrange a reunion.

Best Regards,\
Diane

Janet,
Wow! Reading your last comment just unleashed a new flood of memories. I have a picture somewhere (I think from the 5th grade) when we took a field trip to NYC and the Natural History Museum. It's our class standing in front of the stone archway entrance, with a semi-circular driveway going underneath it. Whenever I'm in NYC and walking past the Museum I see that archway and remember that trip. My favorite "document" is Patrick Henry's "give me liberty or death speeech." "Gentlemen may cry peace, peace, peace; but there is no peace; the war has already begun." Those words still ring in my ears -- all these years later; it sends shivers down my spine. Oh, and the Main Street Cinema. I lived a long block away from that cinema and I remember going to Saturday morning matinees of Godzilla (those Japanese monster movies from the 1950s) for $0.25 for kids. I even found that the Cinema has a web site and you can post comments. It seems it is now a multiplex -- but it's still around. And the Vleigh Place Library behind the bank that looks like Independence Hall. I have a horror memory of that. I once took out a book and it must have fallen under my bed. So weeks went by and it was something like a month or two months overdue. I think I had to pay something like $0.45 cents in late fees, and I was horrified to tell my parents. I used to ride my bicycle all around the neighborhood after school. Either I'd go to the school playground and join a pickup softball game or basketball game or practice tennis against the handball walls, or I'd just ride around and maybe play catch with a friend on the street in front of his house. I was always coming home late for dinner (6pm) and getting punished. It seemed I was always in trouble. So different from today. When my kids were growing up, and even now in our neighborhood, there are no kids on the street playing ball -- it all shifted to school sports and Saturday morning soccer games. I always said that Saturday morning was the worst day of the week raising kids. Up early, then son to sports, then daughter to sports, then turn around and pick them up, then daughter to dance, then the "honey do" list. Oh well, isn't it interesting how all of us -- strangers after all these years --carry around in our individual memories a shared past, so long forgotten, but so easily revived with the next turn of a remembrance shared. And the teachers instrumental in creating those shared memories -- now, no doubt, long gone -- live on in our shared memory. We celebrate ourselves, and them, in ways so rarely appreciated in our busy lives. I have an aunt and uncle who live in Garden City on Long Island, and this year is my 40th reunion at Columbia College -- so I may end up back in NYC in a few months. My family enjoys NYC, so we go on a family outing from time to time. A few years ago my daughter went to the Rockettes summer intensive camp and now she is a dance and French major at Northwestern. So NYC continues to have its impact, even a generation later. Thank you so much for your comments.
Ron

Janet,
I often still call him Billy too. I've been working, in various roles at Sun Microsystems for the past eighteen years( email p@sun.com). I live in Great Neck and my two sons are now in college. Ben is a sophmore at Williams and Phil a freshman at the University of Miami. I'd be happy to share photos.

There is no lazier a soul or more of a procrastinator than I! It is, however, wonderful to hear from you. I clearly remember meeting you at the Jamaica HS reunion in 2000. Yes, I did attend the 2004 reunion with Linda and reunited with Paul Kaplan as well. Truth be told, at age 61, I'm working my butt off as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for CT. I never imagined that I would be having to work long hours at this age, but c'est la vie, at least for me! I remember your telling me that you were working in a supervisory capacity for a Board of Education. Am I close? Oops! I just reread your profile! Now I know what you do! By the way, I too, was extremely inspired and just plain adored those very same teachers and for the very same reasons. I do not look at this web site too often, however I'd love to stay in touch. Maybe you, I, and Bonnie Kaufman, who I've heard from, as well, can all meet one fine day in NYC or wherever. I'd be happy to include Jane Rosenthal Piesman as well, but she may not be too thrilled with me as I didn't keep up with her after a while. It was nothing more than too many things going on in my life and not much time ... the usual. I remember how close you both were and continued to be. What a lovely family you have. I'm sure you're very happy! Please lets stay in touch, if only even a bit. I'm pretty certain that a small reunion of our own would not be impossible! In the meantime, I send love and all those beautiful memories back to you!

Dottie

Janet, Thank you for your comment. You mentioned Mr. Edelson. I had him for 5th grade. I had problems in some subjects and he gave me one-on-one tutorials after class. At first I was mortified, but once I caught on, I really appreciated his help. You mentioned the Dodgers at Ebbetts Field. I remember going to a game with the Little League. These days when I tell people I went to see Pee Wee Reese and Gil Hodges play in Brooklyn, I sheepishly add "I'm really old..." and then laugh when they look at him cross-wise. I also remember Dr. Karo piping in the World Series games into the classrooms through the PA system. I remember getting milk and pretzels and the New York Times in class for a nickel. So many memories ...
Regards,
Ron Alexander

Janet,
How nice it is to hear from you. Yes, I occasionally speak with Bob, the last time was probably close to a year ago. Give my regards to Donna the next time you speak with her. I've remained close with Bill Schecter through all these years and reunited with Dottie Lerner and Linda Lipitz at the last Jamaica High reunion (Elaine Lipitz was there too). I've also spoken with Carol Goldschmidt though this Web site.

Hi Janet,
So nice to hear from you! Do you still live in NY? I've been in California for a long time now. I'm married with a grown daughter and son.My daughter is married, but has no children yet! I have a private practice as a speech, langauge and educational therapist here in Pasadena, which is very rewarding. It's hard to believe that we knew each other 50 years ago! Tell me a little about your current life!
Mrs. Bromberg was a bit of a kindred spirit for me because of her love of music! The shows, Glee Club opera...I loved it then and I love it now! Best regards,
Diane

Glad to hear back from you, Janet! It would be lovely to get together. My direct email address is bsk1@columbia.edu
Phone (my office is best, because there is an answering machine):
(212) 874-3966
Bonnie

Hello, Janet:
We were in the same class several times. I remember especially being in Mrs. Bromberg's class for fifth and sixth grades, which was great! And we all did alot of singing and performing back then. Do you remember being in class and having Mrs. Bromberg playing recordings of her favorite operas, starring her favorite divas of the era? And Mr. Karo's wonderful documents segments which he taught over the PA system? It was years until I realized what a unique public school experience we had. Do you know I can still recite Patrick Henry's speech by heart; my daughter, now 22, was in a forensics program in high school, and was asked to do a five minute recitation; she asked me for ideas, and I thought about "documents" and came up with that speech, which I was somehow able to pull out of a hat!
Are you in touch with other classmates?
It is nice to read about your family.
Best to you-
Bonnie